A high-flying prototype “Airman” is heading home after being deployed more than four years and flying 4,245 hours supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and the Combined Task Force-Horn of Africa.

Global Hawk Air Vehicle No. 3 began its journey back home at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Feb. 10, and is expected to land there Feb. 16.

This unmanned aerial vehicle, AV-3, first deployed as a prototype during the build-up for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2002. It returned to Edwards for a couple of months and then was recalled by U.S. Central Command to help in the fight against terrorism.

Production Global Hawks arrived in theater in January and pilots and operators consider them to be remarkable aircraft.

“To know it was a technology demonstrator and then to (see) it sent into war is amazing,” said Lt. Col. Thomas Buckner, 12th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron director of operations. He was at the controls the day the AV-3 began its trip back to the United States. According to Colonel Buckner, the airframe had a “charmed life” with 18 lives, doubling that of a cat.

“There were a few times we could’ve lost the aircraft,” Colonel Buckner said. Once there was a lucky bump on the taxiway that caused its wing to be raised over a sign it would have otherwise sideswiped. It also survived an engine failure.

That charmed life meant a lot of extra airtime surveying large geographic areas with pinpoint accuracy, giving military decision-makers the most current information about enemy locations.

The AV-3 flew two-thirds of the Global Hawk missions for Operation Enduring Freedom and nearly all the combat missions. AV-3 was considered a workhorse and has created a high benchmark for other Global Hawks to reach.

“Global Hawks are in huge demand by combatant commanders,” Colonel Buckner said. “We’re able to respond and be flexible for the users on the ground.”

During a typical mission, the aircraft can fly 1,200 miles to an area of interest and remain on station for 24 hours. Its cloud-penetrating sensors can image an area the size of Illinois (40,000 nautical square miles) in 24 hours. Through satellite and ground systems, the imagery can be relayed in near real-time to battlefield commanders.

With production aircraft available, Lt. Col. Martin Fass, 12th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron commander, knows demand for its services will increase. Colonel Fass said that AV-3 brought an unprecedented combination of abilities to the fight and he expects more to come as the system matures.

“That is the reliability and the technology advantage Global Hawk brings each and every time,” Colonel Fass said. “This is the only aircraft in the world that can loiter over a target area for 24 hours while responding to dynamic re-taskings. Our reachback concept allows aircrews to ’fly’ from home station, reducing our overseas footprint, deployment tempo and risk to the crews.”

“AV-3’s contribution to the global war on terrorism is a lasting testament to the skills and dedication of those who conceived, developed and operated this remarkable system,” Colonel Fass said. [ANN Thanks Tech. Sgt. Andrew Leonhard, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs]

FMI: www.af.mil