March 1 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman began flight testing its RA-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system equipped with a UTC MS-177 multi-spectral sensor.
The demonstrations, slated to continue through the first half of 2017, mark the first time the sensor has taken flight aboard a high-altitude long-range autonomous aircraft. Company officials say the tests are intended to verify the MS-177's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.