BAMS – Global Hawk’s high flying win

Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4N Global Hawk has been selected by the US Navy to fulfil its US$3bn (A$3. 2bn) Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) requirement.

The RQ-4N, a development of the RQ-4B Block 20 currently under development for the USAF, beat out the Lockheed Martin/General Atomics Predator Mariner, and an optionally manned Gulfstream G550 offered by Boeing. Unfortunately for Northrop Grumman, within days of the announcement Lockheed Martin lodged a protest over the decision with the US Government Accountability Office (GAO). This could potentially overturn the decision, or at least delay the program.