Aviation first: Unmanned plane crosses Pacific

The Global Hawk UAV will allow military commanders to "see" movements of enemy assets from great distances with clarity and near-real-time accuracy

In this story: 'Cooperative effort' Obtaining information RELATED STORIES, SITES

ADELAIDE, Australia -- Looking more like a killer whale than a graceful bird, the Air Force's Global Hawk drone became the first unmanned aircraft to cross the Pacific Ocean this week.

The robotic U.S. spy plane landed Monday night at an Australian air force base outside the city of Adelaide, completing the 8,600-mile trip 14 minutes ahead of schedule, said Australian Defense spokesman Darryl Johnston.

After taking off from Edwards Air Force Base in California before dawn Sunday, the spy plane flew at 65,000 feet, well above other air traffic and the nasty weather that plagues the Pacific. Ground crews in Australia monitored the flight but did not control it as the plane followed a preprogrammed route.

On takeoff, the Global Hawk's mammoth wings -- longer than a Boeing 737's -- droop under 15,000 pounds of fuel that accounts for 60 percent of the aircraft's weight. The plane's distinctive V-shaped tail frames the Rolls-Royce engine that straddles its fuselage.

Having landed in Australia, the plane will now take part in combined military exercises over the following six weeks.

'Cooperative effort'

"This cooperative effort between Australia and the United States gives our countries a great opportunity for the continued development of the Global Hawk system," said U.S. Air Force Col. Wayne Johnson, Global Hawk program director.

The Global Hawk is being developed by the Air Force as a long-endurance, high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) intended for multiple battlefield applications. It will give military commanders the ability to "see" movements of enemy assets from great distances with better clarity and near-real-time accuracy.

Australia is interested in using the Global Hawk to patrol its northern coast. Backers of the reconnaissance plane say it is perfect for the task, since it can fly at high altitudes for extended periods of time, all the while using its high-powered cameras to image the ground and ocean below.

Obtaining information

Global Hawk will fly a total of 12 missions, demonstrating its ability to perform maritime and littoral surveillance for Australian Air Force, U.S. Air Force, Canadian Navy, U.S. Navy and Marine, and U.S. Coast Guard units participating in the allied exercise, Tandem Thrust 01.

Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Ryan Aero Center designed the plane to fly as far as 1,395 miles from its base, crisscross a target for 24 hours to acquire radar, infrared and black-and-white images, and then return home.

The U.S. Air Force named the plane the "Southern Cross II" to honor the first aircraft to fly from the United States to Australia. The original Southern Cross, a three-engine Fokker that departed from Oakland, California, and its crew made the trip in several legs in 1928.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Global Hawk Down Under

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