Plans bring Global Hawks closer to landing on Guam

Source URL: http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=31638&archive=true
Posted at: http://www.air-attack/com/news/news_article/719

Plans to base a small fleet of unmanned surveillance planes at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, are starting to take shape.

Pacific Air Forces officials said that upon availability, the Air Force in fiscal year 2009 intends to begin bedding down four Global Hawks and the personnel needed to launch and recover the aircraft at the 21,000-acre base.

“Timing and deliveries will be based on when the ground station and aircraft are released for operational employment,” said Lt. Col. Louis Ranhofer, chief of combat support branch, operational requirements, PACAF Air and Space Operations Directorate.

PACAF civil engineers are designing a new $47 million operations and maintenance hangar to house the planes and provide office and workshop space for personnel assigned to the unit, Ranhofer said in recent telephone and e-mail interviews. How many additional personnel will move to Andersen in conjunction with the Global Hawk has not been determined, PACAF officials said.

The Air Force’s main operating base for the aircraft will be at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., Ranhofer said, while Andersen will serve as the PACAF forward-operating location.

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