Global Hawk crashes after Afghan mission

Global Hawk crashes after Afghan mission

2 January 2002



A US Air Force RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle on a routine mission in support of US operations in Afghanistan crashed at 0830 GMT on 30 December. According to US Central Command it was returning to its undisclosed operating base when the accident occurred.

Central Command said the crash was '...not the result of enemy fire and the aircraft will be recovered.'

The Global Hawk is an unmanned reconnaissance and surveillance system designed to provide military commanders with high resolution, near real-time imagery of large geographic areas. Still in its development phase, it has been pressed into service because of its long endurance over a target.

The aircraft was one of two in the theatre.


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