Northrop Grumman RQ-4D Phoenix

Northrop Grumman · United States · first flew 2015 · reconnaissance aircraft

The RQ-4D Phoenix is the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance variant of the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	bulbous forward fuselage housing satellite-communication and sensor equipment
T — Tail	V-tail

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

long, high-aspect-ratio straight wing typical of a high-altitude UAV
bulbous forward fuselage housing satellite-communication and sensor equipment
single dorsal engine behind the wing, exhausting between the two canted fins of a V-tail

Identified by its long, slender, unswept high-aspect wing, bulbous sensor-filled nose, and single dorsal engine with no visible cockpit.

Specifications

The Northrop Grumman RQ-4D Phoenix has a length of 14.5 m (48 ft).
It has a wingspan of 39.8 m (131 ft).
Typical crew: 0 (remotely piloted).

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in 2015, it was procured by NATO as a shared, multinational fleet to provide wide-area ground surveillance, based at Sigonella, Italy, and operated on behalf of all NATO member states.

Variants

It is closely related to the US Air Force's RQ-4 Global Hawk family, differing mainly in its multi-national radar and sensor fit for the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance system.

Where you'll see it

Operated by a multinational NATO crew from Sigonella Air Base for wide-area surveillance across Europe and beyond; the UK is an AGS partner nation but does not host the aircraft.

Related aircraft

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