General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper vs Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper and Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk are both uav / drone, compared here on public specifications. The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk leads on range (22,780 vs 1,850 km).
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Full data
Full spec sheet
 General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper
Wins 5/10 | Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk
Wins 5/10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 480 km/h | 629 km/h ✓ |
| Cruise speed (km/h) | 313 km/h | 575 km/h ✓ |
| Range (km) | 1,850 km | 22,780 km ✓ |
| Service ceiling (m) | 15,240 m | 18,288 m ✓ |
| Endurance (h) | 27 h | 34 h ✓ |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 7 ✓ | 0 |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 1,700 kg ✓ | 0 kg |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 11 m | 14.5 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 2,223 kg | 6,781 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 4,760 kg | 14,628 kg |
| Crew | 0 | 0 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Engine power (hp) | 900 hp | N/A |
| Thrust (kN) | N/A | 34 kN |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $32,000,000 ✓ | $140,000,000 |
| Units built | 350 ✓ | 45 |
| Operator countries | 15 ✓ | 3 |
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper and Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk? +
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is the fastest of the 2 compared here, at 629 km/h.
Which has the longer range? +
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk has the longest range at 22,780 km.
Which carries the larger weapons payload? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper carries the largest weapons payload at 1,700 kg.
Which is cheaper? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper has the lower public unit-cost figure at 32,000,000 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher endurance? +
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk has the higher endurance at 34 h.
Which has the higher hardpoints? +
The General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper has the higher hardpoints at 7.
Is the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper better than the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk? +
On the public specs we track, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper and Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk are closely matched, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9A Reaper leads on weapons payload, hardpoints, unit cost, while Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk leads on max speed, range, endurance. See the full spec sheet for the metric-by-metric breakdown.
Where does this comparison data come from? +
Every figure in the table is sourced from public manufacturer pages, defense-ministry releases and reference publications, and is verifiable on each system's spec page. WeaponSpecs does not accept vendor placement.
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