|
SOUTHWEST ASIA – Shortly before dawn March 7, 2015 ... an RQ-4
Global Hawk embarked on an Operation Inherent Resolve mission that
sent the aircraft soaring past the 10,000 flying hour milestone at
an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.
RQ-4 Global Hawk
aircraft 2019, or “A2019,” was the first block 20 and first RQ-4B
model to arrive here Oct. 16, 2010. It's the first Global Hawk to
reach the 10,000 hour flying milestone. During its service, the aircraft
has been providing support to warfighters by relaying communications
between people and aircraft as well as enabling airstrikes on the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant/Da'esh forces.
|
An RQ-4 Global Hawk prepares to taxi at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia March 8, 2015. The Global Hawk's mission is to provide a broad spectrum of ISR collection capability to support joint combatant forces in worldwide peacetime, contingency and wartime operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Beatrice Brown)
|
“This particular aircraft carries the Battlefield
Airborne Communications Node [BACN] payload, which replaces
the imagery sensors normally installed in the aircraft,”
said Lt. Col. Anthony, launch and recovery element
operations supervisor. “It is primarily a data and
communications bridging node. It can support multiple
bridges simultaneously across multiple radio types. We like
to call it 'Wi-fi in the sky.'”
Both manned and
unmanned aircraft continue to fly in support of
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance requirements
for Operation Inherent Resolve. ISR helps coalition leaders
gain better insight about the security situation on the
ground, and strengthen the ability of Iraqi and Kurdish
ground forces and their international partners to
effectively counter ISIL.
The accomplishment of
flying more than 10,000 hours was shared by the entire Hawk
Aircraft Maintenance Unit and supporting units.
“It
takes a team effort to maintain an aircraft,” said Staff
Sgt. Paul, RQ-4 Global Hawk crew chief. “Every six months
there is a new rotation with a new group of people who have
helped maintain this aircraft since its arrival.”
Paul has been working with this aircraft off and on for just
over nine months, most of which has been here in the area of
responsibility.
“When I got here the jet had 9,104.9
flying hours,” said Paul, currently deployed from Grand
Forks Air Force Base, N.D. “Yesterday's milestone flight was
flight 402 and it took off with 9,982.9 hours. It flew for
30.5 hours and landed Mar. 8, surpassing the 10,000 flying
hour milestone.”
A2019 also holds the record for the
longest block 20 flight, which is currently set at 31.5
flying hours.
The Block 20 model began flying in 2004
and was initially fielded with imagery intelligence
(IMINT)-only capabilities. Three Block 20s have been
converted to an EQ-4 communication relay configuration,
carrying the BACN payload. 95 percent of its flight time has
been accumulated since it was reconfigured with the BACN
payload in 2010.
“This highlights the proven
reliability of unmanned systems and the advantages they can
provide,” said Anthony. “Although other aircraft also carry
the BACN payload, the RQ-4's 30-plus hour endurance is ideal
for this communication bridging mission.”
“This
milestone is paving the way for other aircraft and the
future of other unmanned aircraft systems,” said Paul.
Anthony said it isn't just the team here that made this
milestone possible.
“I'm fortunate to have been part
of this historic event and enjoyed celebrating with all the
maintainers and support crews who make it happen daily,”
said Anthony. “Grand Forks and its sister units at Beale
AFB, Calif., have their own teams of maintainers and
communication support personnel that enabled this milestone
too. It's a whole new paradigm that I'm still getting used
to, and the beginning of a new era in aviation.”
By U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Beatrice Brown
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2015
Comment on this article |
