It Went, It Conquered, It Came Home:
The prototype Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, designated Air Vehicle No. 3, first sent to Southwest Asia in 2002 should arrive back at Edwards AFB, Calif., on Feb. 20. The Air Force has operated the prototype in the global war on terror for more than four years, during which time it amassed 4, 245 combat flying hours. It has been replaced by production model Global Hawks.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
