Northrop Grumman gets $3.6B for work on Air Force communications node By (0) Northrop Grumman received a $3.6 billion contract to support the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node, which distributes communications while attached to the RQ-4 Global Hawk drone, pictured. Photo by A1C Tristan Vigliano/U.S. Air Force Jan. 22 (UPI) -- The Defense Department announced a $3.6 billion contract with Northrop Grumman on Friday for support of the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node. BACN is U.S. Air Force airborne communications relay and gateway system housed in the unmanned RQ-4 Global Hawk, another Northrop Grumman product, to receive and distribute battlefield communications. Advertisement