RQ-4 Global Hawk
A high-altitude, long-endurance reconnaissance aircraft family. Its different sensor blocks and the separate MQ-4C Triton maritime programme should not be collapsed into one specification.
- Country / region
- United States
- Programme status
- Use documented
- Sources reviewed
- 20 Sept 2026
- Primary domain
- Air
- System type
- Reconnaissance aircraft
- Developer / manufacturer
- Northrop Grumman
- Origin / production countries
- United States
- Other names
- No additional names recorded
- Variants / configurations
- RQ-4A; RQ-4B; sensor blocks differ
- Operators / programme customers
- US Air Force — historical programme source; current fleet not enumerated
Evidence & current status
The cited public record documents military use or operator acceptance. Specifications still depend on the particular production version and mission configuration.
Role & capabilities
- Reconnaissance aircraft
- Runway take-off and landing
- Mission-block-dependent intelligence sensor suite
Specifications in context
- Airframe
- High-altitude fixed-wing reconnaissance aircraft
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗ - Launch / recovery
- Runway take-off and landing
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗ - Propulsion
- Rolls-Royce F137-RR-100 turbofan
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗ - Dimensions
- 39.8 m span; 14.5 m length; 4.7 m height (RQ-4B)
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗ - Mass
- 14,628 kg maximum take-off mass
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗ - Endurance
- More than 34 h
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗ - Range
- 12,300 nmi published range
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗ - Speed
- 310 kt
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗ - Altitude
- 60,000 ft
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗ - Payload
- 1,360 kg
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗ - Sensors
- Mission-block-dependent intelligence sensor suite
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗ - Communications / navigation
- Remotely managed flight and intelligence downlinks
Historical US Air Force RQ-4B specification; not a current fleet inventory.
Source ↗