USAF receives BACN-equipped Global Hawk
Northrop Grumman has delivered an EQ-4B Global Hawk UAS fitted with the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) to the US Air Force fleet, the company announced on 19 July.
Developed by Northrop Grumman, the BACN is a high-altitude, airborne gateway that translates and distributes voice communications, video, imagery and other battlespace information from numerous sources.
The system bridges gaps and extends communications among different datalink networks and disparate users in the air and on the ground, providing improved situational awareness and better command and control coordination.
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