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The U.S. Air force just announced that it is purchasing a fleet of Global Hawk drones that will replace U-2 spy planes, which is the nation’s most iconic aircraft that made famous during the Cold War. The Global Hawk aims to replicate the U-2′s ability to sweep up a broad mix of intelligence from commanding heights and do it more safely and for much longer stretches than the piloted U-2, according to the New York Times.

While most UAVs are known for being cost-effective solutions, the Global Hawk is being billed as the “Escalade” of drones because of its overall costs. The Air Force is currently investing $12 billion into the program, while the U.S. Navy is spending $11 billion – for use in ocean surveillance.

According to the New York Times, each plane, including the sensors and all the research and development, will cost $218 million, compared with $28 million for the Reaper, which is the largest armed drone.

Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor responsible for building the fleet of Global Hawk drones.

Tags: GEOINT, geospatial intelligence, Global Hawk, Global Hawk Drones, Northrop Grumman, Northrop Grumman and the Global Hawk, USGIF