USAF Global Hawk Drones Return Themselves to Edwards AFB from Overseas Theaters... at 60,000 ft!

Reaganite Republican ^ | June 21, 2011 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk

Above we have a Global Hawk UAV that has just returned from Iraq in one nonstop flight, rather than packed and transported via C-5/C-17 cargo, as would normally be the case.

Do note the mission paintings on the fuselage- looks like 250+, they're really working these things, and drones are here to stay. This super-snooper can stay up for 36 hrs while operating above 60,000 feet, fulfilling the prior high-altitude surveillance role of the legendary, manned U-2.

The Global Hawk is controlled via satellite by a flight-control center team in California's Mohave desert, who enjoy the luxury of over 15,000 miles of purple-sky range to work with.

The Global Hawk's piercing eyes consist of high resolution SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar), which is capable of penetrating clouds and even sandstorms- and Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR), which provides long range imagery with extended loiter times. Operating 24 hrs, the Global Hawk can have a look at over 40,000 sq miles/day.... then bring itself right on back home. 

And the absolute drone distance record? That was set ten years ago when a Global Hawk flew non-stop from Edwards in California to RAAF Base Edinburgh in Australia, also therefore the first pilotless aircraft to cross the Pacific Ocean. The flight took 22 hours, and set a world distance record for a UAV: 8,214.44 mi...

Video/more at Reaganite Republican

______________________________________________________________

Northrop-Grumman  MilitaryChannel  Wikipedia   

The Fillmore Gazette   h/t Roberto

[crusty old prospector]

I wonder what the in-flight movie was.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“I wonder what the in-flight movie was.”

Airplane

[Reaganite Republican]

Stop calling me Shirley lol

[Tijeras_Slim]

Berlin Alexanderplatz

[NonValueAdded]

V*Ger programming perfected

[Paladin2]

That's a big RC airplane:

[driftdiver]

I wonder what the in-flight movie was.

Terminator 3

[Nervous Tick]

Color me impressed!

Now... WHY can’t we have a flock of these things patrolling our borders?

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

Picture resizing is your friend; get to know it.

[Paladin2]

It’s a BIG plane.

[Lou L]

Very cool. How are these things powered, and how do they stay up so long?

(Wisecrack joke left open.)

[beebuster2000]

talk about model planes. interesting article about maynard hlll who flew the first real model plane across atlantic a few years ago

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3145577.stm

[miele man]

What is that big hose for? Evacuating the voltage drops?

[crusty old prospector]

12 O’Clock High.

[hattend]

BB = Beale

My favorite place (1981-1984 and 1996-1997)

SR71, TR1/U2, KC135

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Reaganite Republican.

...has just returned from Iraq in one nonstop flight... can stay up for 36 hrs while operating above 60,000 feet, fulfilling the prior high-altitude surveillance role of the legendary, manned U-2.