Northrop Grumman has secured a major US Army contract to advance the RangeHawk hypersonic test drone program, transforming retired RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft into airborne telemetry and tracking platforms. The effort is intended to replace resource-intensive ship-based data collection methods currently used during hypersonic weapon trials. Under the deal, the company will create a universal payload architecture allowing rapid integration of sensors and mission systems through 2031. The program supports broader Pentagon plans to accelerate hypersonic weapons development, including systems such as the Dark Eagle missile, while improving testing capacity for technologies traveling at speeds beyond Mach 5.
