Analyst says, 'Keep the Global Hawk Block 30'

摘要

Rebecca Grant would like to sell you an RQ-4B Block 30 Global Hawk. Well, maybe 'sell' is the wrong word. Grant wants the US Air Force to reverse its decision to scrap its Block 30s and is urging action. On 26 January, the USAF announced it would eliminate the Block 30s after spending $3.4 billion to purchase the aircraft. The Block 30s have an average age of just two years. The newest airframes in the fleet are six months old. The announcement was a surprise. Previously, the Pentagon had planned to use the Block 30 to replace the fabled U-2 'Dragon Lady' manned reconnaissance aircraft. The sudden change, contained in the Obama administration's budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2013, is running into opposition from Capitol Hill, industry - and Grant.