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Grand Forks welcomes Global Hawk

  • Published
  • By Airman Derek VanHorn
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Grand Forks Air Force Base celebrated the arrival of the RQ-4 Global Hawk intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance remotely piloted aircraft during a ceremony here June 1.

The ceremony, featuring speaker Maj. Gen. Thomas K. Andersen, Headquarters, Air Combat Command director of requirements, was hosted by Col. Don Shaffer, 319th Air Base Wing commander, and highlighted the beginning of a new era of remotely piloted aircraft at Grand Forks.

"It is an honor to be here; what a great day for Grand Forks and North Dakota -- this is cutting edge technology," said Gen. Andersen. "I'm sure this community will thoroughly enjoy the Global Hawk as a tenant unit on this base, and we're grateful for the support you continue to give our Airman as we look forward to a very, very long relationship.

The RQ-4 Global Hawk is capable of providing government and military decision makers near real-time, high-altitude, long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance imagery that can support a full spectrum of operations. Flying above ordinary commercial traffic, the aircraft can survey large geographic areas with pinpoint accuracy, without impacting civilian aircraft routes. The imagery provides the most current information available during contingency or crisis situations.

"Today is a great day for our team - Team Grand Forks," said Col. Shaffer. "This marks the next step in the long history of the Air Force and what we provide here at this base to the nation's defense: global vigilance."