Thursday, December 04, 2008

ISS

IOC: 2001

EISS

IOC: 2006
Production: 1

Also Known As
Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suite

Origin
United States of America

Contractor/s
Raytheon

Family Members
ISS

Description: The Global Hawk's Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS) consists of Electro-Optical sensor and Infrared sensors and a X-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). The ISS is capable of continuous operation during more than 40 hours at an altitude of over 21,000 meters at day and night and in adverse weather condition. It gathers information to provide commander's with accurate situational awareness, targeting, and bomb damage assessment.

The CCD-TV and IR sensors enable intelligence users to distinguish between types of aircraft, vehicles and missiles. The SAR radar has three modes: 0.3 m resolution Spot mode, 1 meter resolution Wide Area Search mode and a 2.1 m/s (7.5 km/h or 4 kn) minimum detectable velocity Moving Target Indicator mode.

A single Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle is capable of scanning 138,000 square-kilometer in 24 hours using the Wide Area Search mode (1 meter resolution). It takes 1,900 pictures of 4 square-kilometer in 24 hours using the Spot mode (0.3 m resolution). Using the Moving Target Indicator mode it can scan 15,000 square-kilometer in just one minute.

Raytheon's ISS currently installed on the Global Hawk provides near real-time imagery and was combat proven in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. ISS assembly is being carried out in El Segundo, California.

The Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suite (EISS) is an improved variant of basic ISS that features improved range capabilities, of both SAR radar and EO/IR sensors, by 50 percent. The ISS low rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 3, awarded in January 2005, was the first production contract contemplating the EISS procurement by the US Air Force. Lot 3 contract includes two additional ISS systems to be completed before March 2006.

The first production Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suite passed Northrop-Grumman acceptance testing early in October 2005.

EISS - Contracts, Orders & Sales
Friday, March 16, 2007 US Air Force Lot 5 procurement contract for the Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle awarded to Northrop-Grumman March 2007. The contract was valued at $287 million including: five air vehicles (four Block 30 and one Block 40), one mission control element, one launch and recovery element, four enhanced integrated sensor suites (EISS) and sustaining support. The EISS suites were intended for the four Block 30 aircraft while the Block 40 Global Hawk will be equipped with the MP-RTIP radar system.
Items: 5

News
US Air Force Awards Production Contract for Block 30/40 Global Hawks

US Air Force Awards Northrop Grumman $287 Million Contract for Global Hawk

Operators

United States of America

Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
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Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
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Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Last Updated: Saturday, November 22, 2008

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