StrategyPage – Naval Hawks Over Arabian Seas

One of the U.S. Navy’s two RQ-4 Global Hawk UAVs recently returned from the Middle East, after a field test of its capabilities. The aircraft made over 60 flights and spent over 1,000 hours in the air. The flights were over land and sea areas, even though the UAV sensors are designed mainly to perform maritime reconnaissance. U.S. Air Force Global Hawk maintenance personnel assisted the navy in tending to the navy RQ-4 while it was on the ground, and for landings and takeoffs. The UAV was operated by navy personnel back in the United States at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. The aircraft was officially called the BAMS-D (Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstrator).