U.S. AIR FORCE STILL PUSHING TO RETIRE RQ-4 BLOCK 30S

摘要

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Air Force is once again trying to divest its RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk fleet, according to written testimony from acting Air Force Secretary John Roth and Chief of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown. The service has tried to retire its Global Hawk fleet multiple times in recent years. Most recently, the service's FY21 budget request aimed to divest three Block 20 and 21 Block 30 aircraft, while leaving the Block 40 in service to operate alongside the manned U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. Lawmakers opposed the Block 30 retirement, but provided a waiver if the secretary of defense certifies that retiring the aircraft will not prevent combatant commanders from accomplishing their missions. "The Air Force will continue to pursue the [fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act] RQ-4 Block 30 divestment waiver in order to repurpose the RQ-4 Block 30 funds for penetrating [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] capability," the Air Force testimony reads. The service has not indicated how the Block 30 capability would be replaced.