Under the agreement, Northrop Grumman's Integrated Systems Sector (ISS) will work with EADS on a joint project team to evaluate a common unmanned system approach to meeting urgent European NATO countries' airborne standoff intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) requirements.

The team will also address the issues of UAV operations in controlled airspace, system reliability and interoperability with NATO forces.

"A key element of our sector's focus to be the world's best airborne systems integration enterprise is the Global Hawk UAV system," said Ralph D. Crosby Jr., Northrop Grumman corporate vice president and ISS president.

"We believe the Global Hawk will significantly enhance the military's ability to prevail in all types of operations -- from sensitive peacekeeping missions to full-scale combat."

"This is another important building block for the EADS/Northrop Grumman relationship and it is good for our defense business," said Tom Enders, head of the EADS Defence and Civil Systems Division.

"Surveillance and reconnaissance on unmanned platforms is becoming a key requirement in many NATO countries' armed force postures and both companies have impressive skills in this field.

"We will jointly target synergies in development, procurement and logistics. This approach will benefit the European customer and it also demonstrates new trans-Atlantic cooperation can be mutually beneficial."

This latest agreement is a further expansion of potential business alliances outlined in an MOU signed in April 2000, and expanded in June 2000.

The Global Hawk air vehicle operates up to 65,000 ft. altitude (almost 20 Km), and can remain on station for 24 hours at a radius of action of 1,200 nautical miles (2,200 Km) from its home base.

"Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems are being considered across a wide spectrum of missions, including surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence, targeting and weapons delivery," said Robert A. K. Mitchell, vice president- Unmanned Systems at Northrop Grumman ISS's Air Combat Systems business area.

"Northrop Grumman provides integration capabilities in all of these areas, building upon our experience and expertise on a number of programs."

Northrop Grumman ISS is the prime contractor for Global Hawk, the U.S. Air Force's high-altitude, long-endurance reconnaissance system designed to provide military field commanders with high-resolution, near real-time imagery of large geographic areas.

Global Hawk holds the world endurance record for jet-powered ummanned aircraft and recently completed its first nonstop trans-Atlantic mission, flying unrefueled from the U.S. East Coast to the coast of Portugal and back.

The Air Force this year awarded Northrop Grumman a $71.9 million modification to an existing contract for two additional Global Hawk air vehicles and other equipment.

The company also is prime contractor for the U.S. Navy's Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing tactical UAV (VTUAV). Northrop Grumman won a competitively awarded $93.7 million engineering and manufacturing development contract for Fire Scout in February 2000. The VTUAV will be able to fly from any "air capable" combat ship for real-time reconnaissance and targeting missions.