U.S. Air Force Defends Global Hawk Grounding Decision
A Global Hawk takes off from Beale AFB, California, where Block 30 versions of the UAV are based. (Photo: Chris Pocock)
A Global Hawk takes off from Beale AFB, California, where Block 30 versions of the UAV are based. (Photo: Chris Pocock)

U.S. Air Force leadership has defended the decision to halt acquisition and current operations of the Global Hawk Block 30 UAV, in favor of retaining the manned Lockheed Martin U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen Norton Schwarz told Congress that the move was driven by the federal budget reduction and influenced by a lower forecast requirement for medium- and high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR).