Night owl maintainers launch Global Hawks

A U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk assigned to the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron prepares to taxi at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, March 25, 2021. The RQ-4’s mission is to provide a broad spectrum of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance collection capability to support joint-combatant forces in worldwide peacetime, contingency and wartime operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Guthrie)

A U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk assigned to the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron prepares to taxi at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, March 25, 2021. The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long endurance, remotely piloted aircraft with an integrated sensor suite that provides global all-weather, day or night intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Aaron Larue Guerrisky)

A U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk assigned to the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron prepares to take off at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, March 25, 2021. The RQ-4 provides persistent near-real-time coverage using imagery intelligence, signals intelligence and moving target indicator sensors. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Guthrie)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Enrique Alvarez, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron RQ-4 Global Hawk avionics specialist, prepares to launch an RQ-4 Global Hawk assigned to the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, March 25, 2021. Alvarez is responsible for maintaining and repairing the RQ-4’s avionics systems to ensure the aircraft can provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities within the area of responsibility. This double exposure photo was achieved in camera by combining two perspectives, a photo of the RQ-4 and an Airman, to create a singular image. (U.S. Air Force illustration by Senior Airman Bryan Guthrie)

A U.S. Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk assigned to the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron prepares to taxi at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, March 25, 2021. The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft with an integrated sensor suite that provides global all-weather, day or night intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Guthrie)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Marc Radziewicz, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron RQ-4 Global Hawk crew chief, prepares to launch an RQ-4 at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, March 25, 2021. Radziewics is responsible for all maintenance aspects of the RQ-4 to include performing scheduled inspections, functional checks and preventive maintenance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Guthrie)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Enrique Alvarez, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron RQ-4 Global Hawk avionics specialist, performs a preflight checklist on a computer at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, March 25, 2021. Alvarez performs pre, thru and post flight inspections alongside RQ-4 crew chiefs to ensure mission success. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Guthrie)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Austin Taylor (left), 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (EAMXS) RQ-4 Global Hawk avionics specialist, and Airman 1st Class Marc Radziewicz (right), 380th EAMXS RQ-4 Global Hawk crew chief, move a generator at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, March 25, 2021. The 380th Expeditionary Maintenance Group manages sortie production for theater support packages, and various expeditionary operations and task forces ensuring maintenance on the wing’s 60 plus combat aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryan Guthrie)