After supporting the global war on terror for three years, Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Number 3 (UAV-3) received its official homecoming Monday at California’s Edwards Air Force Base.

During its overseas deployment, UAV-3 logged more than 4,800 flight hours supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and the Combined Task Force — Horn of Africa.

On hand at the homecoming event were Maj. Gen. Curtis Bedke, commander, Air Force Flight Test Center; Randy Brown, director, Global Hawk Systems Group; Gary Ervin, sector vice president, Northrop-Grumman Integrated Systems Western region and Maj. Mike Lyons, Global Hawk pilot and chief of standardization and evaluation, 12th Reconnaissance Squadron.

The Global Hawk program is managed by Aeronautical Systems Center’s Global Hawk Systems Group of the Reconnaissance Systems Wing at Edwards.

Global Hawk UAV-3 was deployed after the attacks of September 11, 2001. The Air Force decision to deploy it while still an advanced concept technology demonstrator expressed the confidence the Air Force has in it and future unmanned aircraft systems for the global war on terrorism, Global Hawk officials said.

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