NATO to ink AGS deal in May

NATO's long process to order an Alliance Ground Surveillance capability could achieve a contract signature within the next few months. A 13-nation deal should be signed before the next NATO summit in Chicago in May. U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Steve Schmidt, commander of the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force, valued the pending acquisition at about $1.3 billion for five Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 40 unmanned air vehicles, each equipped with a Northrop/Raytheon surveillance payload. (Source: Flightglobal, 01/20/12) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.