Collins Aerospace's MS-177 ISR Sensor Now Supporting Global Hawk Operational Missions

The United States Air Force (USAF) recently completed its first RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 30 unmanned aerial system (UAS) operational mission carrying Collins Aerospace’s MS-177 multi-spectral imaging (MSI) sensor. The MS-177 long range wide area multi-spectral imaging (MSI) sensor enhances the Global Hawk’s ISR mission capabilities by providing greater standoff range and more actionable intelligence to address challenges and achieve overmatch on the battlefield.

The Northrop Grumman Global Hawk is the premier autonomous high-altitude, long-endurance ISR platform for the U.S. Air Force and global partners. No other system provides a better combination of range, endurance and payload capacity, as demonstrated by the U.S. Air Force’s continuous use of Global Hawk to collect intelligence and deter regional threats for the past two decades. The MS-177 family of systems are long-range ISR sensors that provides advanced multispectral imaging capability enabling high-resolution, long-range focus and precise identification of targets and situational awareness, day, or night, on land or sea.

“Sensors will play a key role in helping the Global Hawk support the Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) battlespace as it provides near-real-time visual intelligence to the USAF, thereby increasing situational awareness for the joint force,” said Dave McClure, vice president & general manager, ISR & Space Solutions for Collins Aerospace. “For decades, Collins has been a leader in making MSI sensors for high altitude ISR both fieldable and operational for military missions.”

The MS-177 sensor evolved from the proven Senior Year Electro-optical Reconnaissance System (SYERS)-2C flown on manned aircraft. SYERS has serviced combatant commander’s intelligence needs for more than 20 years and has regularly been enhanced to keep pace with evolving war fighter threats. The MS-177 now provides increased mission capabilities to the RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 30 UAS to meet current and evolving mission needs and threats.