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.
Source and more info: aero-news
The Edwards flightline is the scheduled return landing site for Prototype Global Hawk Air Vehicle No. 3, an unmanned aircraft that has flown 4,245 hours in support of combat operations for Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and the Combined Task Force-Horn of Africa mission.
This landing event marks the end of a four-year deployment of a contributor to the global war on terrorism and paves the way for the future of unmanned aircraft systems. Through the combination of technology and experienced operators on the ground, this prototype was able to survey vast geographical areas and provide pinpoint accuracy about enemy locations, program officials said.
Source and more info: military.com
