Testers at Edwards AFB, Calif., have pushed the RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 20 unmanned aerial vehicle to its “fuel system limits” to ascertain just how long it could fly in the event of a missed landing, reports A1C Mike Young. The weeklong testing took place inside a weight and balance hangar at Edwards. The test team tilted the UAV at a 20-degree angle, which simulates a missed approach, requiring the aircraft to climb at a steep angle to recover. “We wanted to ensure that at the steep deck angle, the pumps would not create an engine flame out resulting in engine failure,” said 2nd Lt. Garrison Lindholm, the 773rd Test Squadron subsystem engineer.
When Space Force leaders started talking about expanding the service early this year, the idea was simple: double the size of the force in the next five years. At AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber conference this week, officials detailed just how they’re planning to grow so much so quickly.
