The US Army has awarded Northrop Grumman a $325.5-million contract to develop the RangeHawk prototype, a modified RQ-4 Global Hawk drone designed to support hypersonic missile testing. The uncrewed platform will provide a more efficient alternative to ship-based telemetry collection by carrying modular payload systems capable of tracking high-speed test vehicles. Through the Pentagon’s SkyRange initiative, converted Global Hawks have already shortened hypersonic test preparation timelines from months to days. The Department of Defense aims to expand annual hypersonic tests from roughly 12 to 50 by converting additional Block 20 and Block 30 aircraft into airborne testbeds.
