Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk vs AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong I
Full specs: Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong I
Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk and AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong I are both uav / drone, compared here on public specifications. The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk leads on range (22,780 vs 4,000 km). Several China-origin figures here are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification, so treat this comparison as directional.
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Full data
Full spec sheet
| Performance | ||
| Max speed (km/h) | 629 km/h ✓ | 280 km/h |
| Cruise speed (km/h) | 575 km/h ✓ | 180 km/h |
| Range (km) | 22,780 km ✓ | 4,000 km |
| Service ceiling (m) | 18,288 m ✓ | 5,000 m |
| Endurance (h) | 34 h ✓ | 20 h |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 0 | 2 ✓ |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 0 kg | 200 kg ✓ |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 14.5 m | 9 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 6,781 kg | 1,100 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 14,628 kg | 1,200 kg |
| Crew | 0 | 0 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | 34 kN | N/A |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $140,000,000 | $1,000,000 ✓ |
| Units built | 45 | N/A |
| Operator countries | 3 | 10 ✓ |
Frequently asked questions
Which is faster, Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk and AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong I? +
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 AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong I carries the largest weapons payload at 200 kg.
Which is cheaper? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong I has the lower public unit-cost figure at 1,000,000 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 AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong I has the higher hardpoints at 2.
Is the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk better than the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong I? +
On the public specs we track, Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk and AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong I are closely matched, Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk leads on max speed, range, endurance, while AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong I leads on weapons payload, hardpoints, unit cost. 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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