Global Hawks pass 30,000 combat hours
RQ-4 Global Hawk has supported joint combatant forces in worldwide peacetime, contingency and wartime operations has completed 1,500 combat sorties. The RQ-4 became active shortly after the events of Sept .11, 2001, said Senior Master Sgt. Timothy Green, the 380th EAMXS Hawk AMU superintendent. "It began as a test platform and was never intended to fly that many sorties or hours," he said. "Because of its capabilities, it has been able to pave the way for a future generation of RQ-4s and has driven the overall (UAS) programs to even greater heights than expected." At the core of the RQ-4's capabilities is its ability to take photos using its integrated sensor suite, plus its package of sensors comprised of synthetic aperture radar, electro-optical and medium-wave infrared sensors. "Throughout those 30,000 combat hours, the aircraft has provided near real time
imagery to meet strategic planning across the full spectrum of the battlefield," Sergeant Green said. "The key to its success falls on the shoulders of the young men and women of the Hawk AMU. Maintaining an aircraft this new has many challenges."
