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October 08, 2004
Global Hawk UAV Makes First Flight for the Navy
'The first RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) slated for the Navy's Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration (GHMD) program made its first flight from Palmdale, Calif., to Edward’s Air Force Base Oct. 6.
The mission lasted for approximately four hours and exercised the airframe, guidance system and powerplant.
This is the first of two RQ-4A aircraft the Navy is acquiring as part of the GHMD program. The GHMD program is intended to develop maritime UAV tactics and operating procedures. Lessons learned from GHMD will be applied to future naval UAV systems. This system will provide the Navy with an enduring testbed to evaluate new technologies; to support fleet experiments and exercises; and to provide a contingency operational capability to support deployed Navy and Marine Corps forces.
“This flight marks an important step for the Navy's unmanned air vehicle programs and Naval aviation,” said Capt. Dennis Sorensen, Navy UAV program manager. “For the first time, the Navy will have an unmanned system that can support the fleet from nearly anywhere it operates. The lessons to be learned from this program will benchmark future intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance practices for the maritime environment. Congratulations to the Navy, Air Force and Northrop Grumman contractor team for a job well done.”
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