Global Hawk Heading To Australia For Regional Test Series

SPACEWAR

Global Hawk Heading To Australia For Regional UAV Deployment Tests

potential regional coverage offered from Australia by Global Hawk.

Global Hawk, an unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Teledyne Ryan Aeronautical, with a wingspan of 116 feet, will provide battlespace commanders near-real-time intelligence imagery from high altitudes for long periods of time, using SAR, moving target indicator, EO and infrared sensor systems. The data gathered by Global Hawk will be relayed to decision-makers via world-wide satellite communication links to its ground segment. A typical reconnaissance mission for Global Hawk might involve operating at a range of 12,500 nautical miles, at altitudes up to 65,000 feet for 38 to 42 hours. Capable of flying 3,000 miles to an area of reconnaissance interest, Global Hawk could then survey an area the size of Illinois (40,000 square nautical miles) for 24 hours, relaying intelligence data via ground and airborne links -- and return 3,000 miles to its operating base. Following the end of Global Hawk's flight testing program in April, U.S. Atlantic Command and Air Combat Command will conduct a military utility assessment to determine how they might use UAVs in future operations.

Sydney - April 20, 2001
Another milestone in aviation history will be achieved this weekend with the first trans-Pacific flight to Australia of Global Hawk, the world嚙編 most advanced high altitude, long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle.

At a joint news conference today Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Errol McCormack and Dr. Roger Lough, First Assistant Secretary Science Policy in DSTO, announced "all systems were go" for the historic journey that will see Global Hawk fly non-stop from Edwards Air Force base in California to the RAAF base Edinburgh in South Australia.

Air Marshal McCormack said he is particularly excited that Australia has the opportunity to explore this new technology in the context of our regional needs.

"The Air Force is currently reviewing, as part of Project Air 6000, the replacements for F/A-18 and F-111 fleets and it is highly possible that our future capability could well include UAVs such as Global Hawk," he said.

Air Marshal McCormack said Global Hawk嚙編 deployment to Australia is an integral part of the combined US and Australian military training exercise, Tandem Thrust, that will be conducted in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland in May.

He said the deployment also coincides with the 50th Anniversary of the ANZUS Alliance between Australia and the United States and reinforces the strong defence links between Australia and the US.

Dr. Lough said the deployment of Global Hawk is an opportunity to examine new technologies in an Australian operating environment and test the performance of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for surveillance purposes.

"DSTO has assisted in developing new maritime and littoral surveillance capabilities that will allow Global Hawk to more efficiently search large areas to detect and classify maritime targets," he said.

Global Hawk had its first successful maiden flight in February 1998. Five pilotless aircraft have since made over 70 flights including one across the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Portugal and return. However, Lt. Col. Lange of the United States Air Force, said the trans-Pacific flight to Australia would be Global Hawk嚙編 longest and most challenging.

Speaking from Edinburgh Air Force base Lt.Col. Lange said mission controllers and weather forecasters based on the ground in Australia and the United States will monitor the flight of the aircraft via satellite. He said the journey is expected to take about 22 hours.

Global Hawk will be in Australia till 7 June for United States Air Force (USAF), RAAF and Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) personnel to evaluate the aircraft and its systems during a dozen missions over various parts of the continent and maritime approaches.

The missions will include sorties in support of the Tandem Thrust military exercise off the eastern coast of Australia and over Australia嚙編 Top End from Cape York to the northwest coast including Darwin.

The Air Force Chief also launched a special commemorative postage stamp to mark the inaugural trans-Pacific flight to Australia by Global Hawk.

SPACEWAR

Global Hawk Sets Two Pending World Records During Milestone Flight Across Equator

San Diego - March 22, 2001
The U.S. Air Force's Global Hawk unmanned aerial reconnaissance system, developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation's Integrated Systems Sector (ISS), has successfully completed a milestone flight across the equator that set pending world records for altitude and endurance by an autonomous, unmanned jet-powered aircraft.

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