Northrop Grumman signed a $1.7 billion contract to provide five Block 40 Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for NATO’s Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) system. Operating under NATO command, AGS is expected to be the major data source for NATO’s system for Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (JISR).
Under terms of the contract, the UASs will be equipped with the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) ground surveillance radar sensor. Additionally, European industry contributors will be responsible for development and delivery of the transportable ground stations suitable for in-theatre support directly to commanders of deployed forces, mobile ground stations for close support to moving operations, and remote workstations for higher echelon commands.
Northrop Grumman will be the prime contractor for the NATO AGS program and will build the Global Hawk air vehicle, supporting systems and payloads including the MP-RTIP radar.