Photo By Staff Sgt. Mya Crosby | U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Christopher Stevens, 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance...... read more read more
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Imagining what a flying computer would look like thousands of feet in the sky is hard to picture. It’s completely unmanned – working diligently at its craft, while it’s being controlled and communicated to through people on the ground.
The RQ-4 Global Hawk assigned here at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, utilizes many Airmen from different units to execute its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability.
“Some of the best things about the mission is that it is diverse and dynamic,” said Master Sgt. Christopher Stevens, 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron RQ-4 pilot and mission commander. “The battlefield is constantly changing and we get to help shape that picture.”
This unmanned aircraft system’s mission to provide a broad picture in support of the operations here in the U.S. Air Forces Central Command area of responsibility.
“The Global Hawk is a high altitude, long endurance aircraft,” said Airman 1st Class Nicholas England, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron RQ-4 tactical aircraft maintenance specialist. “The Global Hawk routes signals and takes surveillance imagery. Our primary jets are known as Battlefield Airborne Communications Nodes. BACN jets relay transmitted signals from boots on the ground to support aircraft for either airstrike or command and control purposes.”
The specialists, also known as crew chiefs, are in charge of performing preventative and scheduled maintenance, such as servicing fuels, nitrogen, hydraulic fluid and oil during pre- and post- flight checks for the aircraft. They also launch and recover the aircraft, making them a key component in enabling Global Hawk’s mission.
The Global Hawk and the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron, work hand-in-hand, working off of each other to achieve mission success.
“We are one of the many users of information and communications that the RQ-4 provides,” said Maj. Tyler De Santis, 727th EACS Tactical Command and Control Center mission crew commander. “The RQ-4 program and ground C2 have been intrinsically integrated since the start of the RQ-4 program. While many of the Air Force's tactical aircraft can only stay airborne for a few hours and need gas top-offs frequently, the RQ-4 can stay on station for days, coordinating intelligence back and forth and driving the fight forward. We stay connected to many parts of the RQ-4 constellation throughout its entire mission.”
This new aircraft system has opened doors for Airmen in recent years while reshaping old Air Force traditions.
“We have pilots from varying backgrounds and previous careers-- lieutenants. to colonels., staff sergeants to chief master sergeants, all with manned and un-manned previous experience,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew Witt, ERS RQ-4 pilot and mission commander. “We also are pretty unique in the fact that after you complete Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot Training and RQ-4 Mission Qualification, you are the Aircraft Commander and Mission Commander immediately. Most other aircraft you have to gain about three to four years of experience in a crew aircraft to upgrade to the Aircraft Commander position and in many other aircraft, the Aircraft Commander and the Mission Commander are two different people, but we are solely in control of both from the beginning.”
With its unique capabilities and benefits, the Airman that play a hand in the RQ-4’s mission take great pride in what they do.
“The best part of my job is working on an aircraft that is a direct contributor to our military’s success in the fight,” said Airman 1st Class James Heffner, 380 EAMXS crew chief. “In my opinion, the most important thing for any military to be successful is to have a direct line of communication, which our BACN payload provides.”
With the hard work from Airmen at the 380th EAMXS, 727th EACS and 99th ERS, the RQ-4’s mission is executed as they work together, whether it’s turning wrenches or retrieving mission-critical information.
“It takes a whole army to get this thing in the air,” Stevens said. “It’s really a team effort with all these guys.”
| Date Taken: | 01.31.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 02.08.2019 02:26 |
| Story ID: | 309962 |
| Location: | AL DHAFRA, AE |
| Web Views: | 373 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, The RQ-4 and Crew, by SSgt Mya Crosby, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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