RQ-180: Is The U.S. Air Force Going All In On Stealth Drones?
ByBrent M. EastwoodPublished4 mins ago
RQ-180RQ-180 computer generated image from U.S. Military video. Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot.
The RQ-4 Global Hawk strategic reconnaissance drone has been a valuable workhorse since 9/11 while conducting the war on terror. But now the U.S. military has doubts about the survivability of the intercontinental unmanned vehicle if a war with Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea were to take place. The high-altitude and long-range drone is becoming expendable, and the Air Force aims to retire the Global Hawks by 2027. But what will take its place? The Air Force is keeping mum about new strategic recon drones, but some observers have been examining the planned stealth RQ-180 and whether that unmanned craft could enter the picture and provide even better near real-time intelligence data than the Global Hawk.
More on the Global Hawk
The Global Hawk has been a stalwart and long-serving unmanned aircraft with the modern Block 40 variants having entered service in 2013. It can fly to an altitude of 60,000 feet with a 34-hour mission time. The long-endurance Global Hawk has flown over 320,000 hours since 2001. The drone has conducted recon missions over Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and East Asia. The aircraft gathers imagery and signals intelligence along with moving target indicators. It can conduct search and rescue missions too.
Super-Secret Program
https://www.19fortyfive.com/2022/07/rq-180-is-the-u-s-air-force-going-all-in-on-stealth-drones/
