380AEW Article

The mission never stops

SOUTHWEST ASIA - An RQ-4 Global Hawk stands ready on the flightline of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Mar 24. The 380th AEW flies refueling and reconnaissance missions 24/7 in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and Joint Task Force Horn of Africa. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brian J. Ellis) (Released)

380th AEW welcomes Navy Global Hawk program

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Personnel from the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance maintenance detachment here prepare to weigh the Navy Global Hawk to determine how much fuel it consumed on its flight from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. This is the first operational deployment for the BAMS program after its test and development phase. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mike Andriacco) (released)

Joint UAS mission sets mark

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Staff Sgt. Craig Peterson, an avionics system technician with the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, attaches an exhaust cover to the first operational transatlantic joint-launched Global Hawk here Sept. 21. The unmanned aircraft just returned from its first sortie out of its new home at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing here. It was only on the ground for about five hours after its historical flight Sept. 20 before being turned around and sent into the Area of Operations. Sergeant Peterson is deployed here from the 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's 12th Aircraft Maintenance Unit out of Beale Air Force Base, Calif. He hails from North Bend, Ore. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Denise Johnson)(released)

Joint UAS mission sets mark

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Pilots and maintainers with the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing tend to the first operationally-flown transatlantic Global Hawk here Sept. 21. It was also the first joint-launch in the history of the aircraft. The unmanned aircraft was only on the ground for about five hours after its historic flight from Pax River, Md., Sept. 20 before being turned around and sent into the Area of Operations. The operational flight also marked the first time two Global Hawks were being flown simultaneously in neighboring theaters in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Denise Johnson)(released)

Joint UAS mission sets mark

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Members of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing discuss the first operationally-flown transatlantic Global Hawk with the wing historian here Sept. 21. It was also the first joint-launch in the history of the aircraft. The unmanned aircraft was only on the ground for about five hours after its historic flight from Pax River, Md., Sept. 20 before being turned around and sent into the Area of Operations. The operational flight also marked the first time two Global Hawks were being flown simultaneously in neighboring theaters in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Denise Johnson)(released)

Global Hawk program reaches 30,000 hours

Published April 10, 2009
By Airman 1st Class Chuck Broadway
9th RW Public Affairs

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On March 31 an RQ-4 Global Hawk took off to begin a 22-hour combat sortie and approximately two and a half hours into the flight, eclipsed the 30,000 hour mark for the Global Hawk program.

The aircraft was assigned to the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron as part of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia.

The mission was in support of the Global War on Terror and five different squadrons all played a part in piloting the historic flight.

Capt. Fred Dohnke, a 99th ERS Global Hawk Launch and Recovery Element instructor, and Maj. Jason Dillon, a 99th ERS Global Hawk student pilot, manned the controls which launched and landed the aircraft during its recent flight.

"Major Dillon brings a wealth of aviation and high-altitude Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance experience with him and has demonstrated remarkable skill transitioning to the RQ-4 program," said Maj. Jay Hubbard, the 99th ERS director of operations. "Since joining the RQ-4 program, Captain Dohnke's aviation expertise and skill as an instructor have moved the program forward by leaps and bounds. These are two of the Air Force's finest and it should be no surprise to anyone that such a historical moment happened on their watch."

Maintainers assigned to the 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron also aided with the launch and recovery of the event.

"I am fortunate to be a part of an organization who takes pride in what they do," said Senior Master Sgt. Timothy Green, the 380th EAMXS superintendent. "This group realizes that with every launch and recovery they are carving their names into the book of Air Force history."

Maj. Ron Shivers, a 12th Reconnaissance Squadron Mission Control Element instructor pilot, and Capt. Gary Toroni, a 12th RS Global Hawk pilot, flew the aircraft when it surpassed the 30,000 hour mark.

"The recent flight was a great milestone for the platform, the [9th Reconnaissance] Wing, and Air Force aviation in general," Capt. Toroni said. "I feel deeply proud that the 12th RS is able to extend its footprint into a new age of aviation history."

"It's a great honor to be part of a program that has been around for such a short period and yet accomplished so much," Major Shivers said. "I think this represents another significant milestone in the RQ-4s path to establishing itself as the pre-imminent high-altitude ISR platform in the Air Force and Department of Defense."

A key component to the survivability and long-term future of the Global Hawk is its ability to land at pre-programmed destinations in the event it loses it communication with the control or launch and recovery elements. This will result in minimal asset losses in the event of equipment failure (either in the aircraft or satellite) or natural phenomena, something manned aircraft can have a difficult time overcoming.

"Without a pilot in the jet, we need some way to recover the airplane in case our command and control links are degraded, said Major Hubbard. "The communications loss contingency programming provides a predictable flight profile that will safely land the aircraft at its planned destination.

The Global Hawk platform has been flying out of the 380th area of operations since late 2004, with only three aircraft deployed to Southwest Asia at any given time.

Global Hawk operations in the 380th AEW have also recently expanded with the addition of a Broad Area Maritime Surveillance mission, conducted by a Navy aircraft and flown from the 380th.

As the Global Hawk continues to fly and be the Air Force's premier Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance aircraft, many more milestones are sure to be surpassed. With a future a bright as the RQ-4's, the ISR history books will have plenty of pages added in the coming years.

Staff Sgt. Mike Andriacco, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs contributed to this story