Under a contract awarded Dec. 16, Northrop Grumman will begin producing four RQ-4 Global Hawks for the Republic of Korea’s Air Force, according to a news release.

These unmanned aircraft systems will “provide valuable wide-area intelligence gathering capabilities to military commanders so they can make more informed decisions,” according to the release.

Northrop Grumman will work closely with the U.S. Air Force to deliver the systems starting in 2018. The contract calls for four aircraft, two ground stations and supporting equipment that will enable Republic of Korea Air Force operators to control and maintain the system.

“This is a significant achievement for Northrop Grumman because it represents the first time a Global Hawk has been sold to an allied nation in the Asia-Pacific region under the Foreign Military Sales process,” said Mary Petryszyn, Vice President, International, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, according to the release.

Visit northropgrumman.com for more information.