UAV
RQ-4 Global Hawk vs IAI Heron TP (Eitan)
The two largest Western ISR UAVs in service anchor the high-altitude end of the market. Germany's selection of the Heron TP after canceling Euro Hawk makes this a live procurement comparison, not an abstract one.
Specification comparison
| Specification | RQ-4 Global Hawk | IAI Heron TP (Eitan) |
|---|---|---|
| Endurance | 34 h | 30 h |
| Ceiling | 18288 m | 13716 m |
| Max speed | 629 km/h | 407 km/h |
| Range | 22779 km | Not publicly disclosed |
| MTOW | 14628 kg | 5670 kg |
| Payload | 1360 kg | 2700 kg |
| Nav | GNSS/INS | GNSS/INS |
| Sensors | EO/IR + SAR/GMTI radar + SIGINT (variant dependent) | EO/IR + SAR/GMTI + SIGINT options |
Values are reproduced exactly as recorded in the DroneZone systems database. Where a figure is absent from the public record, it is marked “Not publicly disclosed” rather than estimated.
How to read this
On the attributes both systems publish as directly comparable numbers, the recorded figures break down as follows.
- RQ-4 Global Hawk lists 34 h endurance against IAI Heron TP (Eitan)'s 30 h.
- RQ-4 Global Hawk lists 18288 m ceiling against IAI Heron TP (Eitan)'s 13716 m.
- RQ-4 Global Hawk lists 629 km/h max speed against IAI Heron TP (Eitan)'s 407 km/h.
- RQ-4 Global Hawk lists 14628 kg mtow against IAI Heron TP (Eitan)'s 5670 kg.
- RQ-4 Global Hawk lists 1360 kg payload against IAI Heron TP (Eitan)'s 2700 kg.
Figures as stated by manufacturers and public documentation; class-level estimates are marked as such in the entries themselves.