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The US Air Force, Pacific Air Forces will conduct a rotation of RQ-4 Global Hawks to Yokota Air Base, Japan, from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to ensure continuous operations in support of the US Indo-Pacific Command and regional allies’ ISR requirements.
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The rotation of Global Hawks, owned by the 319th Reconnaissance Wing Detachment 1, to Yokota Air Base provides a stable location from which the platform can operate when inclement weather in Guam, including typhoon activities, historically hinder readiness.
The Global Hawk's mission is to support a broad spectrum of US intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) collection capabilities to support joint combatant forces in worldwide peacetime, contingency and crisis operations.
Lieutenant Colonel Ben Craycraft, 319th Operations Group Detachment 1 Commander, said, "Having alternate locations to execute our mission during seasons of inclement weather ensures our ability to continue executing US Indo-Pacific Command and the alliance reconnaissance requirements in support of the defence of Japan and to maintain international peace and security in the region."
In addition to supporting ISR requirements, the Global Hawk has been used for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, such as Operation TOMODACHI, and in support of multiple search and rescue missions in the vicinity of Japan.
The Global Hawk serves as a high-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted and unarmed, aerial reconnaissance system. The aircraft is designed to provide persistent, day and night, high-resolution, all-weather imagery of large geographic areas with an array of integrated sensors and cameras.
The Global Hawk is the base-variant of the marinised MQ-4C Triton to be acquired by the Royal Australian Air Force and operated in conjunction with Australia's fleet of 12 manned P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft.
"The first of the Triton aircraft is expected to be introduced into service in mid-2023, with all six aircraft to be delivered and in operation by late 2025, based at RAAF Edinburgh, South Australia," then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said at the announcement of the $1.4 billion acquisition.
Australia's Tritons provide a quantum leap in the nation’s surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, while the facilities and crew required to operate, train and maintain will be part of the initial $1.4 billion investment, which includes $364 million on new facilities at RAAF Bases Edinburgh and Tindal (in NT).
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
