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Air Force Weighs Planned Global Hawk Block 40 Retirements and Replacement Fielding

Air Force Weighs Planned Global Hawk Block 40 Retirements and Replacement Fielding
Airman Joseph Ebright, a crew chief assigned to the 319th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, stands behind an RQ-4 Global Hawk during a weight check at Grand Forks AFB, N.D. on Sept. 22, 2020. The aircraft is weighed before and after it is refueled as part of regular preflight maintenance. (U.S. Air Force Photo)

The U.S. Air Force is weighing the timelines for the retirement of Block 40 RQ-4 Global Hawk reconnaissance drones by Northrop Grumman [NOC] and the fielding of a classified replacement system. The Air Force Global Hawk fleet has consisted of four Block 20 RQ-4s, 20 Block 30s and 10 Block 40 aircraft. The service received congressional approval in fiscal 2021 to retire the Block 20s and is asking Congress to allow the service to divest the Block 30s in fiscal…

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