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.
President Donald Trump on July 4 signed into law $150 billion in defense funds as part of the tax-and-spending package known as the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” after congressional Republicans approved the legislation in narrow, drawn-out votes earlier this week.
