RQ-4

Latest in RQ-4

The U.S. Air Force is planning to retire its remaining RQ-4 Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance drones by the end of the 2027 Fiscal Year. The service says it has become clear that the RQ-4s would be overly vulnerable in any future conflict against a peer or near-peer adversary, but it’s not clear what aircraft (or other assets) might fill the resulting capability gap. This only adds to the growing evidence that a top-secret, high-flying, stealth spy drone, commonly referred to as the RQ-180, or variants or derivatives thereof, is getting close to entering service, if it isn’t already being employed operationally on some level.

Air Force Chief Hints At Existence Of Clandestine Spy Aircraft

By Thomas Newdick, Tyler Rogoway
Jul 26 5:51 PM EDT
Japan Air Self-Defense Force's RQ-4B takes maiden flight

Japan Flies Its RQ-4 Global Hawk For The First Time

By Emma Helfrich
Dec 21 7:56 PM EST
No Military Units Have Free Time to Grab that Downed Global Hawk Off Mt. Whitney

No Military Units Have Free Time to Grab that Downed Global Hawk Off Mt. Whitney

By Joseph Trevithick
Jun 29 7:11 PM EDT
Canada Is Officially Trying To Buy Germany’s Unwanted And Unflyable RQ-4E Euro Hawk Drone

Canada Is Officially Trying To Buy Germany’s Unwanted And Unflyable RQ-4E Euro Hawk Drone

By Tyler Rogoway
Feb 21 2:58 AM EST
USAF Plans To Drastically Boost Flexibility of U-2s and RQ-4s By Adding Modular ‘Agile Pods’

USAF Plans To Drastically Boost Flexibility of U-2s and RQ-4s By Adding Modular ‘Agile Pods’

By Joseph Trevithick
Sep 10 10:07 PM EDT
Exclusive: U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk Drone Crashed Off Spain Last June

Exclusive: U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk Drone Crashed Off Spain Last June

By Tyler Rogoway
Sep 7 2:49 AM EDT
Story Update: New Details On The RQ-4 Global Hawk Crash Off Spain

Story Update: New Details On The RQ-4 Global Hawk Crash Off Spain

By Tyler Rogoway
Sep 6 10:17 PM EDT
U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk Drone Crashes in California

U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk Drone Crashes in California

By Joseph Trevithick and Tyler Rogoway
Jun 22 2:22 AM EDT