I hope no one here was working "too" hard on this....

[Jumpshot724]

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2012/ ... am-012412/

Pentagon ending Air Force’s Global Hawk program
By Lolita C. Baldor - The Associated Press
Posted : Tuesday Jan 24, 2012 20:03:38 EST

WASHINGTON — Officials say Pentagon budget cuts will end the Air Force’s long-range surveillance drone known as the Global Hawk, but keep the Navy’s version of the unmanned aircraft.

Defense analyst Loren Thompson says defense officials have decided to rely on the less expensive, high-altitude U-2 spy plane, which has a shorter range but has been used in Asia, particularly to keep an eye on North Korea.

Thompson, who is with the Virginia-based Lexington Institute, says the Global Hawk, which can stay airborne for 24 hours, would be more valuable as the Pentagon shifts focus to the vast Pacific region.

Officials say that while Air Force Block 30 version is being cut, the Navy’s variant could be used by the Air Force. Global Hawks are made by Northrop Grumman Corp.

[MIKE JG]

No freeking way!!!!!!!!

[Jumpshot724]

Just erase "USAF" and put on "USN" lol....

[DaleRFU]

Now I am no brain box but why not get rid of the Navy's and keep the air force's, for me that makes more sence considering that the air force is all about aircraft

[mikewmac]

This decision is obviously based on our policy of transitioning from obsolete manned aircraft to modern UAV's....errrrr....ummmm....isn't this decision kind of bass ackwards?.

Mike M.

[Victory103]

Some U-2 drivers are happy!

[Firebird]

I really can't see how it is cheaper to use manned aircraft rather than drones, purely from a logistics angle.

[MIKE JG]

Needless to say the brass at the Pentagon are in full on panic mode right now trying to find programs to cut because the jack@sses in Congress can't even agree on which foot to put forward first let alone anything else.

[RKE]

I shan't complain, I'm a huge fan of the Dragon Lady. A much more interesting aircraft than those soulless UAVs...

[Firebird]

I agree, I just can't see how UAVs are more expensive than manned aircraft - unless the UAV pilots are so crap that they keep pranging them.

[MIKE JG]

The Global Hawk has no human pilot, it's completely autonomous. Just line it up on the runway centerline and click the mouse.

[ahs06]

I think the U-2 is paid for and MX is expensive but payments and growing pains are more. I think it is a good decision to keep the navy version instead of the AF one. Much easier to put land equipment on a carrier a/c instead of beefing systems up. Look at the F-35, a few major problems dealt with navy compatibility. The phantom started as a navy interceptor and became everything else after modifications. Just imagine if it started as an air force jet, it would have been a disaster.

[Jumpshot724]

What a lot of people don't understand is that BAMS (Navy Global Hawk) is COMPLETELY different then the GlobalHawk the USAF use(d). It's virtually a completely different aircraft systems wise built for a completely different mission set. They're not "interchangeable".

[petebramley]

The Global Hawk has no human pilot, it's completely autonomous. Just line it up on the runway centerline and click the mouse.

Lets just hope its not Microsteal software. otherwise they will be dropping like flies