Posted on 03/01/2010 10:06:04 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) made aviation history Feb. 2 when it successfully completed its first roundtrip flight from the company's Palmdale, Calif., manufacturing facility. AF-20, a Block 30 Global Hawk built for the U.S. Air Force, performed the historic mission, soaring at altitudes of 58,300 feet for approximately four hours and 18 minutes. "This was the first time ever that the same Global Hawk has taken off and landed in a single mission from Palmdale, heralding a new era of flights in and out of the facility," said George Guerra, Northrop Grumman vice president of High-Altitude, Long-Endurance systems.
"It's also a huge leap forward for the site as we achieve full production acceptance activities and direct deliveries to the aircraft's main operating base at Beale Air Force Base, Calif."
AF-20 is the eighth consecutive production Global Hawk to complete its operational check flight on the first attempt. The mission also marked the first time the sixth Air Force mission control element and a King Air chase aircraft were utilized.
(Excerpt) Read more at spacedaily.com ...
Yep
What happened to all of the one's before this??? They crash land somewhere?? This article makes no sense.
From Palmdale, where did it go before it returned?
RQ-4A/B Global Hawk High-Altitude, Long-Endurance, Unmanned Reconnaissance Aircraft, USA
The Global Hawk air vehicles are built at the Northrop Grumman (formerly Teledyne Ryan) aeronautical facility in San Diego.
http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/global/
Possibly went to its operating base at Beale AFB and returned to Palmdale.
Chased by a King Air 200? The King Air is only good for about 25,000 feet and 200 mph. That’s weird.
It also doesn’t give any details about the roundtrip. All it says is where it took off from, not where it went before returning.
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