Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk vs AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong II
Full specs: Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong II
Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk and AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong II 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 ✓ | 370 km/h |
| Cruise speed (km/h) | 575 km/h ✓ | 220 km/h |
| Range (km) | 22,780 km ✓ | 4,000 km |
| Service ceiling (m) | 18,288 m ✓ | 9,000 m |
| Endurance (h) | 34 h ✓ | 20 h |
| Firepower | ||
| Hardpoints | 0 | 12 ✓ |
| Weapons payload (kg) | 0 kg | 480 kg ✓ |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 14.5 m | 11 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 6,781 kg | 1,900 kg |
| Combat weight (kg) | 14,628 kg | 4,200 kg |
| Crew | 0 | 0 |
| Propulsion | ||
| Thrust (kN) | 34 kN | N/A |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $140,000,000 | $15,000,000 ✓ |
| Units built | 45 | 300 ✓ |
| 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 II? +
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 II carries the largest weapons payload at 480 kg.
Which is cheaper? +
The AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong II has the lower public unit-cost figure at 15,000,000 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 II has the higher hardpoints at 12.
Is the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk better than the AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong II? +
On the public specs we track, Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk and AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong II are closely matched, Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk leads on max speed, range, endurance, while AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Wing Loong II 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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