The Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk remotely piloted aircraft damaged in a landing accident years ago at Edwards AFB, Calif., is getting a new lease on life, according to a base release. The Navy is getting the Block 20 airframe for static training purposes at NAS Patuxent River, Md., in support of its MQ-4C Triton RPA program, states the March 12 release. The sea service will use it as a “device development and maintenance training” tool; in exchange, “the Navy agreed to transfer all training device specifications, maintenance curriculum, and test data” to the Air Force’s Global Hawk system program office, said Julie Cagle, 412th Test Support Squadron program manager at Edwards. “This arrangement allows shared knowledge across programs,” she said. The Global Hawk damaged its main gear and wing striking a runway marker on landing after a flight control malfunction in May 2009. The dismantled Global Hawk had been in storage ever since up until its shipment earlier this month on three flat trucks to Pax River. (Edwards report by Jet Fabara)
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.
