Performing nearly continuous combat service with the U.S. Air Force since 2001, the high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned reconnaissance system achieved the milestone largely through the exceptional performance of one air vehicle operating in theater.

Overall, the system has achieved more than 6,500 total flight hours accumulated by multiple aircraft.

"Reaching 4,000 combat hours is continued proof of the system's reliability and its value to our men and women in combat," said George Guerra, director of Northrop Grumman's Air Force Global Hawk program.

"Early on, the Air Force placed a great deal of confidence in Global Hawk by pressing it into service supporting combat operations well ahead of schedule. Since its debut in theater, the system has provided unprecedented support to our fighting forces on the ground, at sea and in the air."

Operating autonomously from take-off to landing, flying at an altitude of 65,000 and with an endurance of more than 30 hours, the Global Hawk provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information to the warfighter in near real time.

The program is currently contracted by the Air Force and produced by Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems sector. The U.S. Navy also plans to procure Global Hawk to demonstrate maritime surveillance capabilities to the fleet later this year.

Northrop Grumman is the leading producer of unmanned systems for the U.S. military with a portfolio that spans a broad spectrum of capabilities.

Current systems in service, production or development include the combat-proven U.S. Army RQ-5 Hunter unmanned reconnaissance system currently supporting the global war on terrorism;

the BQM-34 and BQM-74 aerial targets; the RQ-8 Fire Scout vertical take-off and landing tactical UAV in low-rate initial production for the U.S. Navy and for U.S. Army Future Combat Systems Class IV unmanned air vehicle program;

the multi-role Hunter II proposed for the Army's next-generation, extended-range, multi-purpose UAV program; the medium-altitude, long-endurance, multi-role Model 395;

and the X-47 Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Air Force and Navy.

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