Post
by aferguson » Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:20 am
it's a UAV for long range and long loiter time surveillance. 24 hour+ missions. Not armed as yet and not used in great numbers as there have been many teething problems with it. It's like a really big Predator.
While none have been armed to date, they've logged well over 8000 hours of 'combat flying' which means active recon. in Iraq and Afghan. They can send real time images to troops on the ground, look for conveys and follow them once located, help to locate roadside bombs etc. Their super long endurance allows for missions deeper into enemy territory, long loiter and surveillance time of moving ground units of interest etc.
They normally cruise at about 50,000 feet and have a wide variety of sensors. The next generation Global Hawk is now in production and is about 10% larger (wingspan ~135 feet) so it can carry 50% more weight of sensor equipment.
While some feel it can replace manned recon. aircraft like the U-2, most feel that the two compliment each other as each type of aircraft (manned vs. unmanned) has different strengths and weaknesses.
i never met an airplane i didn't like...