Article Posted on : - Sep 08, 2010

RQ-4B Global Hawk. A file photo

BEALE AFB (BNS): Following the Global hawk remotely piloted aircraft programme, the first RQ-4B Global Hawk aircraft landed at 9th Operations Group Detachment 3 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

The aircraft was flown by pilots and sensor operators from the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron for 18 hours.

The flight to Andersen AFB marked the surpassing of the 45, 000 flight-hour mark for the Global Hawk programme.

The RQ-4 Global Hawk will be operational from the 9th Operations Group Detachment 3 after the completion of -directed Initial Operation Test and Evaluation- process conducted by the US Department of Defence.

“Detachment 3 will take care of validation and character testing such as taxi and pattern tests," the 12th RS commander, said in an official release.

"We will provide support for things such as hurricanes and volcanic eruptions to areas from (South) Korea to as far as the Indian Ocean," the commander added.

The landing of the RQ-4B Global Hawk at Andersen AFB has marked a historical step forward for the 12th RS and for the 9th Reconnaissance Wing.

The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft system with an integrated sensor suite that provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, capability worldwide.