Air Force

BACN-Equipped EQ-4B

Earlier this year, Northrop Grumman Corporation delivered a Global Hawk autonomous aircraft carrying the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) to the U.S. Air Force fleet. BACN – also developed by Northrop Grumman – is a high-altitude, airborne gateway that translates and distributes voice communications, and other battlespace information from numerous sources.

The Northrop Grumman EQ-4B Global Hawk autonomous aircraft on its first flight after being converted to carry the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) on February 16, 2018. The successful first flight over Southern California led to the delivery of the aircraft to the U.S. Air Force
The Northrop Grumman EQ-4B Global Hawk autonomous aircraft on its first flight after being converted to carry the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) on February 16, 2018. The successful first flight over Southern California led to the delivery of the aircraft to the U.S. Air Force

BACN bridges the gaps between those systems and extends communications among disparate users and networks to provide improved situational awareness.

BACN has completed more than 10,000 combat missions connecting warfighters in the air and on the ground.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide.

 

Specifications

Wingspan 130.9 feet/39.9 m
Length 47.6 feet/14.5 m
Height 15.4 feet/4.7 m
Gross Take-Off Weight (GTOW) 32,250 lbs./14,628 kg
Power Plant Rolls-Royce AE3007H turbofan engine
Thrust 8,290 lbs./36.8 kN/3,752.5 kgf
Maximum Altitude 60,000 feet/18.3 km
Payload 3,000 lbs./1,360 kg
Loiter Velocity 310 knots TAS/357 mph/574 km/h
Ferry Range 12,300 NM/14,155 miles/22,780 km
On-Station Endurance Exceeds 24 hours
Maximum Endurance 30 hours