Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance aircraft article said sale price of the entire system needs nearly $ 90 million

According to Japan, “Asahi Shimbun” reported on February 24, due to plane the high cost of consumption may prevent Japan from China and Korea to strengthen the monitoring of air military-related programs.

example, a cutting-edge unmanned U.S. reconnaissance plane about the price of jet is $ 30 million (approximately ￥ 2.5 billion, 1.97 billion yuan), and this does not include the price for its operation sensing systems and ground facilities.

Japan, a senior Defense Department official said: “It seems the current financial situation, we can not afford this type of surveillance.” Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, the Cabinet has proposed, it is necessary to set up late last year set medium-term defense plan to use fighter aircraft or unmanned reconnaissance aircraft to enhance Japan’s ability.

recent years, due to Beijing’s increasing and positive naval exercises, missile launches and North Korea, Japan, the demand for aerial surveillance has been rising. Between the concerns of these moves, last fall, the United States began to urge the Japanese government to increase surveillance efforts around Japan.

the same time, Japan should also try to seek China’s latest stealth fighter F -20 favorable way. According to Japanese government officials said Japan’s defense ministry is studying its next-generation fighter reconnaissance capabilities, and will continue to research by the Grumman Corporation’s RQ-4 “Global Hawk” unmanned reconnaissance aircraft for testing. As Japan’s candidate for the next generation of fighter aircraft from the United States and European countries have jointly developed the F-35, F/A-18 Hornet and the United States, the European Typhoon fighter aircraft.

day, a senior government official said: “Our fighters are all extraordinary high performance sensors and surveillance capabilities.” The official stressed that Japan must re-examine the entire air defense system as an urgent task.

However, the mere possession of fighters for the air monitoring is not enough. Fighter flight time is only a few hours, and its coverage of small sensor systems. For a long period of monitoring tasks, they are not appropriate. For example, monitoring North Korea’s missile launch sites in coastal areas.

article said, was “Global Hawk” program is currently one of the ways to solve these problems. High-altitude long-endurance, “Global Hawk” length of 14.5 meters, wing length 39.9 meters. The bottom of the fuselage and installed high-performance infrared camera sensor system; head office has a head shaped like a whale’s satellite communications antenna. The UAV in the stratosphere 18,000 m above sea level flight speed can reach twice the normal altitude aircraft, can be a wide range of monitoring activities. As the altitude, takeoff and landing in addition to outside, it can not consider the case of airliner flight; and its flight time can be up to 33 hours.

Japanese government wants, “Global Hawk” in Japan to the coast of the North Korean missile launch sites for long-distance monitoring. At the same time, the location of the Diaoyu Islands – East China Sea, for large-scale monitoring.

However, the “Global Hawk” cost is the biggest obstacle. In addition to the expensive $ 30 million (about 197 million yuan) prices, infrared cameras and sensing systems needed to spend an additional $ 20 million (about 130 million yuan) and 40 million dollars (about 2.6 billion yuan).

It is estimated that to buy 4 “Global Hawk” unmanned aerial vehicles for 24 hour monitoring, including the cost of ground facilities, the Japanese side will pay tens of billions of yen.

“Global Hawk” in the United States for Iran and Afghanistan, unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, was in California last fall in the U.S. Edwards Air Force Base to the Japanese side the media show. Grumman executives stressed that this model can cover a flight half of Honshu Island, Japan, and can be used for natural disasters. (Sri Lanka years)