Contract to Sustain and Modernise Both Hardware and Software
Raytheon announced on 23 January that its Intelligence, Information and Services (IIS) business has received a contract to maintain and cybersecure US Air Force (USAF) ground control stations and onboard sensors for the RQ-4 GLOBAL HAWK unmanned aerial system (UAS) fleet.
The work will include the provision of software upgrades to defend against cyber threats, as part of a $65 million subcontract from the aircraft manufacturer, Northrop Grumman.
“Raytheon will help these unmanned aircraft meet tomorrow’s threats,” commented said Raytheon IIS Vice President of Mission Support and Modernization, Todd Probert. “We have been improving the GLOBAL HAWK fleet’s capabilities for 20 years by modernising their ground and sensor systems and will now ensure their resiliency in the face of cyber threats.”
Raytheon previously announced a $104 million effort to modernise the GLOBAL HAWK ground segment, moving payload and aircraft operators into mission control buildings. These new stations replace mission control, and launch and recovery elements previously housed in shelters.
