United Press International - Security & Terrorism - Global Hawk passes sea surveillance tests

United Press International - Security & Terrorism - Global Hawk passes sea surveillance tests

Global Hawk passes sea surveillance tests

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk underwent sea trials recently that could position the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as an anti-smuggling asset.

Northrop said Wednesday that the RQ-4 flew three test flights over the Pacific recently to shake out the aircraft's maritime software modes designed to pick out small ships and other targets in vast stretches of ocean.

"Surveillance over the ocean is much more difficult than over land because you have a moving target, such as a ship, against a moving background, the ocean," said program manager Bill Beck. "During test flights, we proved that from an altitude of 60,000 feet, Global Hawk can track a ship or pinpoint a buoy in various sea states."

While generally used for military operations, the Global Hawk could provide narcotics agencies and coast guards around the world with an efficient sentry that can spot and track people smugglers and drug runners.

Suspicious vessels currently must be checked out by dispatching a patrol boat or aircraft.

The aircraft's high-altitude capabilities keep it above storms and prevailing sea winds for more than 35 hours at a time and a range of several thousand nautical miles.

Northrop said in a news release that the Global Hawk's update sensor package performed as expected, registering a paltry number of false target hits and being available for more than 98 percent of the flight. The aircraft crew on the ground was also able to switch from the maritime sensor mode to over-land mode once the ship returned to coastal air space.