Air Force officials last week unveiled a RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance aircraft at Andersen AFB, Guam. The aircraft displayed is one of the three that are slated to call the Pacific base a permanent home starting next summer, Guam’s KUAM TV news network reported Aug,. 7. “By operating out of Guam, we have a strategic advantage in being able to get to an area of concern very rapidly and then staying over that area for a good amount of time to prosecute our mission,” said Lt. Col. Brandon Baker, who will command the Global Hawks, at the ceremony. In June, Andersen officials opened the new, massive hangar that will house the base’s Global Hawks. (For more, read Guam’s Pacific Daily News report from Aug. 8.)
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.