Aircraft maintainers with Air Force Reserve Command’s 13th Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale AFB, Calif., earlier this month got the chance, for the first time, to train on an RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle during a unit training assembly weekend. The squadron is part of the 940th Air Refueling Wing that is transitioning under BRAC 2005 from operating KC-135 tankers to an associate unit that cooperates with Beale’s active duty 9th Reconnaissance Wing to operate and maintain Global Hawk aircraft. “Having access to the aircraft during UTAs will allow us to get our troops qualified and trained,” said Lt. Col. John Welch, 13th RS commander. He continued, “This is a significant step forward for us.” Welch said eventually he would like to see the squadron have access to two Global Hawks on training weekends. (Beale report by TSgt. Luke Johnson)
The Air Force has embraced new technical approaches like open mission systems and rapid software updates for cutting-edge aircraft like the B-21 and Collaborative Combat Aircraft. Increasingly, though, the service is also working to apply these to its older, “legacy” aircraft, officials said this week.