Posted on 05/02/2017 4:12:15 PM PDT by blam
Original newz story - Click here
The US Air Force deployed an RQ-4 Global Hawk high-altitude surveillance drone at Yokota Air Base on Monday night, starting a five-month operation in Tokyo, Japan Times reports. The drone, the first of five to arrive in Japan, is tasked to survey ballistic missiles and nuclear facilities in North Korea, and is part of the 69th Reconnaissance Group Detachment 1. Global Hawks do not have offensive capabilities.
Its mission is to provide near real-time aerial imagery reconnaissance support to U.S. and partner nations, according to the base’s website. Four more Global Hawks are slated to be deployed to the base, and a total of 110 staff members, including mechanics, are set to be stationed there in a related move.
According to Japan’s Defense Ministry, the drone is capable of capturing aerial images and electronic data from an altitude of around 50,000 feet (15,240 meters) or more, higher than the altitude at which commercial aircraft typically fly. The drone will be controlled by remote from Yokota during takeoff and landing, and then from the U.S. mainland once it reaches a sufficient altitude.
In the past, Global Hawks have been deployed at the US Misawa Air Base in the northern prefecture of Aomori. But work to revamp the runway at Misawa led to the switch to Yokota, where the Command of US Forces in Japan is located. To boost its own defense capabilities, Japan’s Defense Ministry decided to introduce three of them for the Self-Defense Forces, and will start deploying one at Misawa at the end of fiscal 2019.
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(Excerpt) Read more at newzsentinel.com ...
I presume that operating from such a high altitude it won’t need to go anywhere that close to NK? Who knows how Kim would react if he thought there was an American aircraft invading his airspace; probably think it was the start of an invasion and start slinging nukes.
“Global Hawks do not have offensive capabilities.”
Wrong. Intelligence itself is an offensive capability.
Find that fat bastage and take him out.
Shopping for targets. Come on Kim, do something stupid.
HOORAY U.S. Air Force
HOORAY Donald J. Trump
50,000 ft. ceiling, YEAH..!!!
:D
That is what they would like us to believe, and since when was the federal government a paragon of veracity? Locate the diminutive dunce head and send a nice surprise. The entire country would rejoice in having fat boy gone. Imagine a dinner that did not include grass and tree bark.
To avoid another incident such as what happened in Iran, I hope these drones have the capability to self destruct.
Thank you. Throughout history, accurate intelligence and knowledge of a foe is one of the most lethal weapons known.
Shut up about it!
I see the Norks have at least 3 different aircraft that can reach 59,000 feet.
Exactly.
Why do we publicize these details. OPSEC
50k is not ceiling.
I meant that that claim was....amusing.
I would think it’s actual ceiling is probably top secret. Which means the NORKS,ChiComs and Russians probably already know what it is.
How is this in any way, shape or form unclassified information? Global Hawk isn’t stealthy... Seems like insanity!
So...the USSR was able to shoot down a U-2 flying at about 100,000 feet - in 1960!
If you think NK can't do the same to an aircraft at 50,000 feet in 2017 you're delusional...
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