Global Hawk costs soar to $10bn

Posted on: Nov. 20th, 2006 || Source: Flight Global | E-mail Article | Print Article

Global Hawk costs soar to $10bn

Restructuring of the US Air Force's Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle programme earlier this year has pushed total cost close to $10 billion.

In its latest quarterly selected acquisition report (SAR), which tracks major programmes, the Department of Defense says the Global Hawk programme cost has risen by 21.4% to $9.49 billion over its June estimate.

The RQ-4 Block20

In April, under so-called Nunn-McCurdy rules, the DoD was required to recertify its need for the Global Hawk after unit costs rose 18% from baseline estimates, threatening the programme with cancellation. In June, the USAF restructured the programme. Completion of operational assessment was slipped from June this year to March next year, and production of the 54 air vehicles planned extended by two years to 2015 (Flight International, 14-20 June).

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