This is a photo of the Global Hawk UAV that returned from the war zone recently under its own power. (Iraq to Edwards AFB in CA) - Not transported via C5 or C17…
Notice the mission paintings on the fuselage.
It’s actually over 250 missions… (And I would suppose 25 air medals).
That’s a long way for a remotely-piloted aircraft.
Think of the technology (and the required quality of the data link
To fly it remotely).
Not only that but the pilot controlled it from a nice warm control panel at Edwards AFB.
Really long legs- can stay up for almost 2 days at altitudes above 60k.
The Global Hawk was controlled via satellite; I t flew missions during OT&E that went from Edwards AFB to upper Alaska and back non-stop.
Basically, they come into the fight at a high mach # in mil thrust, fire their AMRAAMS, and no one ever sees them or paints with radar.
There is practically no radio chatter because all the guys in the flight are tied together electronically, and can see who is targeting who, and they have AWACS direct input and 360 situational awareness from that and other sensors.
The aggressors had a morale problem before it was all over.
It is to air superiority what the jet engine was to aviation.
It can taxi, take off, fly a mission, return, land and taxi on it’s own.
No blackouts, no fatigue, no relief tubes, no ejection seats, and best of all, no dead pilots, no POWs?
That is quite a photograph. I actually saw one of these, mothballed at Mojave Airport in 1998. At the time, I didn’t have a clue what it was, and I thought the cockpit was covered up, I had no idea what a UAV was!!!
Neither did I until I got to see one up close and personal in Hattiesburg MS.
Durn thing is just slightly smaller then a C152 (the one I saw) and you BARELY can see it on final approach because of the streamline profile.
What’s scarier about the whole thing is that the remote controller has to work the plane into the pattern and be “NORDO” as they don’t announce their position, but have to monitor the frequency to be a good neighbor.
Operator of the UAV said they were responsible for flying missions in Afganistan, FROM Mississippi. Amazing technology…
The Global Hawk is good looking with that V tail. It’s about the size of a Citation 550 with a really long wingspan. Allen, you might have seen a Predator, the light sport of UAV’s. Powered by a Rotax and has an upside down V tail.
