RQ-4 Global Hawk

A high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned reconnaissance aircraft providing wide-area, near-real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for US and allied forces. It flies missions comparable in altitude and range to manned strategic reconnaissance aircraft, but without a pilot aboard.

Max speed

629 km/h

Range

22,780 km

Payload

0 kg

💲 Approximate US Air Force unit flyaway cost

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.: 629 km/h

88th pct in class
Cruise speed Sustained economical speed. Determines transit time to station.: 575 km/h

88th pct in class
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 22,780 km

88th pct in class
Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon.: 18,288 m

88th pct in class
Endurance Time on station. Critical for UAVs and patrol platforms — higher means longer persistent coverage.: 34 h

88th pct in class

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Hardpoints External stations for weapons and pods. More means bigger and more flexible loadouts.: 0

0th pct in class
Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie.: 0 kg

0th pct in class

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 14.5 m
Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span.: 39.9 m
Empty weight Weight without fuel, ammunition or crew.: 6,781 kg
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.: 14,628 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.: 0

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Engine Powerplant model and type.: Rolls-Royce AE 3007H turbofan
Engines Number of engines. Twin-engine gives redundancy at higher cost.: 1
Thrust Total engine thrust (with afterburner where applicable).: 34 kN
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…: Turbofan

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.: AN/ZPY-2 MP-RTIP AESA radar, electro-optical/infrared sensor, signals intelligence payload
Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement.: Ku-band SATCOM, UHF SATCOM, LOS datalink

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.: $140,000,000

0th pct in class
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 45

0th pct in class
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 3

13th pct in class

Specifications compiled from public Northrop Grumman and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.

Frequently asked questions

What is the top speed of the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk? +

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk has a maximum speed of 629 km/h.

What is the range of the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk? +

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk has a maximum range of 22,780 km.

What is the weapons payload of the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk? +

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk can carry up to 0 kg of weapons payload.

How much does the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk weigh? +

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk has a combat weight of 14,628 kg.

How many crew does the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk require? +

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk requires a crew of 0.

What engine does the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk use? +

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is powered by the Rolls-Royce AE 3007H turbofan.

What is the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk used for? +

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is a uav / drone typically used for isr.

How many countries operate the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk? +

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is operated by 3 countries.

How much does the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk cost? +

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk has an approximate unit cost of 140,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.