Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk vs Boeing ScanEagle
Full specs: Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk Boeing ScanEagle
Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk and Boeing ScanEagle are both uav / drone, compared here on public specifications. The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk leads on range (22,780 vs 100 km).
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Full data
Full spec sheet
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 629 km/h ✓ | 148 km/h |
| Cruise speed (km/h) | 575 km/h ✓ | 92 km/h |
| Range (km) | 22,780 km ✓ | 100 km |
| Service ceiling (m) | 18,288 m ✓ | 5,950 m |
| Endurance (h) | 34 h ✓ | 24 h |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 0 | N/A |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 0 kg | N/A |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 14.5 m | 1.55 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 6,781 kg | N/A |
| Combat weight (kg) | 14,628 kg | 22 kg |
| Crew | 0 | 0 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | 34 kN | N/A |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $140,000,000 | N/A |
| Units built | 45 | 2,000 ✓ |
| Operator countries | 3 | 20 ✓ |
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk and Boeing ScanEagle? +
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 Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk carries the largest weapons payload at 0 kg.
Which is cheaper? +
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk has the lower public unit-cost figure at 140,000,000 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 cruise speed? +
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk has the higher cruise speed at 575 km/h.
Is the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk better than the Boeing ScanEagle? +
On the public specs we track, the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk leads on 5 of 6 headline metrics, 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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