Northrop Grumman says the Air Force has granted the Block 20 and Block 30 variants of the RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned reconnaissance aircraft military airworthiness certification after rigorous, thorough evaluation. In a release Nov. 20, the company said this represents a “significant milestone” for the Global Hawk and an important step on the path “to routine unmanned flight” within the US. According to the company, this certification verifies that the two models have met performance requirements to fly safely in national airspace and that their production configurations conform to their designs. This certification is the prerequisite for the FAA to grant these Global Hawks permission to fly within the US, said Northrop. In 2006, the smaller Global Hawk Block 10 aircraft became the first unmanned platform to earn both a military airworthiness certification and FAA approval to operate in the national airspace.
How Miss America 2024 Took the Air Force Somewhere New
Dec. 20, 2024
When 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh became the first ever active service member crowned Miss America on Jan. 14, top Air Force officials recognized a rare opportunity to reach women and girls who otherwise might not consider military service as an option.