The Air Force put its high flying Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle to work for the first time in the US for a civil support mission when it aided California firefighting efforts, according to a US Northern Command release. The RQ-4 Global Hawk was not the only Air Force ISR asset; the Air Force also engaged its high-flying U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. Both ISR aircraft flew out of Beale AFB, Calif. They were joined by a Navy P-3 flying out of NAS North Island, Calif. Imagery from these aircraft provided firefighters with near-real-time images to aid in tracking the fires and for humanitarian support.
The Pentagon has concluded a new agreement to buy laser-guidance kits that turn rockets into drone-killing weapons. BAE Systems and the Defense Department announced a framework deal of up to seven years for 25,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guidance kits annually for the U.S. military.