Last week, the U.S. Air Force, adding yet another feather to its cap, conducted a test at Edwards Air Force Base, setting a world record for unrefueled flight endurance by a full-scale unmanned aircraft, RQ-4 Global Hawk. The aircraft stayed in the air for 33.1 hours at a height nearing 60,000 feet above sea level. In a way, it’s an improvement in record as the previous one was also held by a former variant of the Global Hawk. These aircrafts are fabricated by Northrop-Grumman costing $28 million each. Presently, three Global Hawks are operating both in the U.S. and in the Middle East. The Global Hawk is one impressive bird with a 116-foot wing width and above 40 feet length. Unlike U2, it doesn’t put pilots in danger as it’s controlled by ground troops that consort in two separate bunkers away from the battle. The Global Hawk provides close watch, penetration and scouting at a top limit flight of 65,000 feet. It’s indeed a marvelous achievement making the U.S. Air Force proud.
Source: io9
