The Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 40 unmanned aerial vehicle (designated AF-18) makes its first flight, flying for about two hours from Northrop Grumman’s production facility in Palmdale, Calif., to Edwards AFB, Calif. The Block 40 version will carry the MP-RTIP (multi-platform radar technology insertion program) all-weather radar sensor that Northrop and Raytheon are developing for enhanced detection and tracking of moving ground targets.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
