RQ-4 Global Hawk logs 20,000 flight hours

SAN DIEGO, March 4 (UPI) -- U.S. company Northrop Grumman said last week its RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV has now logged 20,000 flight hours.

"The RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial system -- UAS -- built by Northrop Grumman Corporation, celebrated the 10th anniversary of its first flight on Feb. 28, 2008," the company said in a statement Feb. 29.

"Today, this high-altitude long-endurance -- HALE -- system has logged more than 20,000 total program flight hours, of which more than 15,000 hours were flown in support of the global war on terrorism -- GWOT," said Jerry Madigan, Northrop Grumman vice president of HALE systems. "Its range, endurance and multi-sensor technology capabilities make it an ideal system to support homeland security objectives."

"As the world's first fully autonomous HALE UAS providing persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to war fighters, the Global Hawk can fly up to 65,000 feet for more than 35 hours and see through any inclement weather at any time," Northrop Grumman said.

"The 9th Reconnaissance Wing -- 9RW -- flies the RQ-4A in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Global Hawk continues to prove its versatility and persistence by providing critical intelligence to Airmen, Marines and soldiers on the ground in the GWOT," said Brig. Gen. H. D. Polumbo Jr., commander of the 9RW at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., the Global Hawk's main operating base.

"It is a combat-proven, strategic capability with the tactical flexibility to survey large geographic areas, whether supporting overseas military operations or domestic civil missions like last year's wildfires in Southern California. Beale Airmen are in the fight everyday using transformational remote split operations," Polumbo said.

"The Global Hawk industry team is comprised of world-class companies: Aurora Flight Sciences, Bridgeport, West Va. -- V-tail assembly and other composite structures; L-3 Communications, Salt Lake City -- communication system; Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems, El Segundo, Calif. -- integrated sensor suite; Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems, Falls Church, Va. -- ground station; Rolls-Royce Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind. -- engine; and Vought Aircraft Industries, Dallas -- wing," Northrop Grumman said.