November 2007
The whale-like profile of the Global Hawk is hard to miss. Was able to get close to one at the 2007 Aviation Nation airshow. First flown in 1998, 42 of these have been produced to date. Operated by the United States Air Force, the Global Hawk performs a similar role as the Lockheed U-2. In 2001, a Global Hawk flew non-stop from Edwards AFB to RAAF Base Edinburgh in Australia, making history by being the first pilotless aircraft to cross the Pacific Ocean. Current variants have a range of over 14,000 miles, endurance of over 32 hours and a service ceiling of 60,000 ft. Nikon D70 w/28-85mm.