An RQ-4B Global Hawk operating from an undisclosed base in Southwest Asia surpassed 10,000 flight hours on a March 7 mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The aircraft, known as A2019, was the “first Block 20 and first RQ-4B model to arrive” at the undisclosed base on Oct. 16, 2010, states a release. The Global Hawk, which carries the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node, took off March 7 with 9,982.9 hours and landed March 8 after a 30.5-hour flight having surpassed the 10,000 flying hours, states the release. The aircraft also “holds the record for the longest Block 20 flight, which is currently set at 31.5 flying hours,” according to the release.
RTX’s Raytheon unit was able to “significantly” extend the range of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile using mostly software changes in experimental tests last year, expanding the reach and lethality of the standard U.S. dogfighting weapon, company officials said Sept. 15.
