A joint effort by Aeronautical Systems Center’s Global Hawk System Group and Sensors, Data Links and Ground Stations Systems Squadron; the 452nd Flight Test Squadron at Edwards AFB, Calif.; and the Navy unmanned aerial vehicle program office at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., led to the successful completion of two major events at the end of 2005.

First, a series of demonstration flights were completed of the High Band Subsystem Signals Intelligence payload in support of the continued development of the Airborne SIGINT Payload program. Flown from Edwards AFB, the demonstration consisted of three test flights to verify the compatibility of the payload with the Global Hawk system. The demonstration used an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration air vehicle modified with an open systems architecture avionics suite to resemble production air vehicles that will carry the ASIP payload.

“The demonstration was a great success,” said Lt. Col. Joe “Velcro” Viereckl, Sensors, Data Links and Ground Stations Systems Squadron commander. “The data is still being analyzed, but we have gained tremendous insight into the integration of the ASIP payload into the Global Hawk system, which will help us incorporate lessons learned into the first production sensors for Global Hawk.”

The second major event was the Air Force Global Hawk program’s support of the Navy’s Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration program during Exercise Trident Warrior ’05, the first war game exercise the GHMD has participated in. Launched from Edwards AFB, the Navy Global Hawk flew four flights in the Naval Air Systems Command sea ranges off the coast of southern California.

During the demonstration, data was transmitted in real time to the Tactical Auxiliary Global Hawk System located at NAS Patuxent River, the Office of Naval Intelligence and to ships at sea. During the missions, the GHMD platform searched for maritime contacts using its maritime radar and passive electronic sensors, then classified targets with both an inverse synthetic aperture radar and its electro-optical/infrared camera.

“I am extremely pleased with Navy Global Hawk’s performance during Trident Warrior ’05,” said Rear Adm. Tim Heely, Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation program executive officer. “Integrating such an unmanned system into an exercise of this scope is at the very core of the Navy’s Sea Power 21 goals and further illustrates how we can achieve unprecedented maritime power in the near future.”

“The great support and cooperation of the Air Force, both at ASC and at Edwards, was instrumental to this exercise,” said Dave Seagle, GHMD NAVAIR program manager. “It really showed the joint nature of Global Hawk operations.”

According to Randy Brown, Global Hawk Systems Group director, a new record was achieved during both of the major accomplishments in December.

“The last few weeks have really demonstrated the incredible capabilities of the program and the team that makes it all happen,” he said. “We flew nine flights in 12 days at Edwards, most of them 10- to 24-hour duration missions. The test team recovered one aircraft and launched another with 75 minutes.

“We continue to support the global war on terrorism while at the same time conducting our tests. We’re now in final preparation to send the first ground stations to the main operating base at Beale AFB, Calif., so they can accept Global Hawk aircraft starting in (early 2006).

“It’s a great way to wrap up the year, and we look forward to more accomplishments in 2007.”

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