MQ-4C BAMS UAS
Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft System
Program Overview:
The United States Navy's MQ-4C Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) program provides persistent maritime Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) data collection and dissemination capability to the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force (MPRF). The MQ-4C BAMS UAS is a multi-mission system to support strike, signals intelligence, and communications relay as an adjunct to the MMA/P-3 community to enhance manpower, training and maintenance efficiencies worldwide.
The MQ-4C BAMS UAS, at full operational capability, will provide ISR persistence over large maritime distances for long periods of time for up to five simultaneous orbits worldwide. The MQ-4C BAMS UAS missions include, but are not limited to, maritime surveillance, collection of enemy order of battle information, battle damage assessment, port surveillance, communication relay, and support of the following missions - maritime interdiction, surface warfare, battlespace management, and targeting for maritime and littoral strike missions.
YouTube Video: NAVAIR’s Flight Crew featuring Jim Dabney, BAMS mission control systems team lead
Northrop Grumman's NAVY MQ-4 C BAMS Program
Northrop Grumman was awarded a contract for the U.S. Navy’s MQ-4C BAMS program on April 22, 2008. MQ-4C BAMS UAS uses a maritime derivative of the RQ-4 Global Hawk equipped with a 360 degree Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) active electronically scanned array along with Navy-specific ground stations. Northrop Grumman offered the best value for the BAMS mission - it's faster, travels farther, with longer time-on-station to provide more ISR information to more warfighters at a lower overall cost.
Northrop Grumman MQ-4C BAMS UAS has a low total acquisition and system operating cost over the lifetime of the entire program and can deliver unprecedented long range, persistent maritime ISR capability to the warfighter now.
The high quality of Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C BAMS UAS for the U.S. NAVY reflects our 70 years of experience in the production of aircraft - including more than 100,000 UAVs. MQ-4C BAMS UAS expands maritime battlespace awareness and permits wide distribution of naval striking power.