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Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk
The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, remotely-piloted, surveillance aircraft. It was initially designed by Ryan Aeronautical (now part of Northrop Grumman), and known as Tier II+ during development. The Global Hawk performs duties similar to that of the Lockheed U-2. The RQ-4 provides a broad overview and systematic surveillance using high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and long-range electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors with long loiter times over target areas. It can survey as much as 40,000 square miles (100,000 km2) of terrain a day, an area the size of South Korea or Iceland.
An RQ-4 Global Hawk flying in 2007
Surveillance UAV
Primary users
Number built
42 RQ-4Bs as of FY2013[1]
Developed into
Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton
The Global Hawk is operated by the United States Air Force (USAF). It is used as a High-Altitude Long Endurance platform[2] covering the spectrum of intelligence collection capability to support forces in worldwide military operations. According to the USAF, the superior surveillance capabilities of the aircraft allow more precise weapons targeting and better protection of friendly forces. Cost overruns led to the original plan to acquire 63 aircraft being cut to 45, and to a 2013 proposal to mothball the 21 Block 30 signals intelligence variants.[1] The initial flyaway cost of each of the first 10 aircraft was US$10 million in 1994.[3] By 2001 this had risen to US$60.9 million,[4] and then to $131.4 million (flyaway cost) in 2013.[1] The U.S. Navy has developed the Global Hawk into the MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance platform.
1 Development
1.1 Origins
1.2 United States Navy version
1.3 Cost increases and procurement
1.4 EuroHawk
1.5 Universal Payload Adapter and new payloads
2.2 System and ground facilities
2.3 Sensor packages
2.3.1 Radar
2.3.2 Visible light/infrared
2.3.3 Self-defence
3 Operational history
3.1 U.S. Air Force
3.1.2 Downing by Iran
3.2 NASA
3.3 NATO
3.5 Potential operators
5 Operators
7 Specifications (RQ-4B Block 30/40)
DevelopmentEdit
OriginsEdit
This section needs expansion with: development, context, and history of the design; this article is focused almost entirely on events after 2006–2008.. You can help by adding to it. (July 2014)
In the 1990s, the Air Force was developing uncrewed aerial intelligence platforms. One of them was the stealthy RQ-3 Dark Star, another one was the Global Hawk. Due to budget cuts, only one of the programs could survive. It was decided to proceed with the Global Hawk for its range and payload rather than go with the stealth Dark Star.[5]
The Global Hawk took its first flight on 28 February 1998.[6] The first seven aircraft were built under the Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) program, sponsored by DARPA,[7] in order to evaluate the design and demonstrate its capabilities. Demand for the RQ-4's abilities was high in the Middle East; thus, the prototype aircraft were actively operated by the USAF in the War in Afghanistan. In an unusual move, the aircraft entered initial low-rate production while still in engineering and manufacturing development. Nine production Block 10 aircraft, sometimes referred to as RQ-4A, were produced; of these, two were sold to the US Navy and an additional two were deployed to Iraq to support operations there. The final Block 10 aircraft was delivered on 26 June 2006.[8]
In order to increase the aircraft's capabilities, the airframe was redesigned, with the nose section and wings being stretched. The modified aircraft, designated RQ-4B Block 20,[9] can carry up to 3,000 lb (1,360 kg) of internal payload. These changes were introduced with the first Block 20 aircraft, the 17th Global Hawk produced, which was rolled out in a ceremony on 25 August 2006.[10] First flight of the Block 20 from the USAF Plant 42 in Palmdale, California to Edwards Air Force Base took place on 1 March 2007. Developmental testing of Block 20 took place in 2008.[11]
United States Navy versionEdit
Main article: Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton
The prototype MQ-4C on its first flight
The United States Navy took delivery of two of the Block 10 aircraft to evaluate their maritime surveillance capabilities, designated N-1 (BuNo 166509) and N-2 (BuNo 166510).[12] The initial navalised example was tested at Edwards Air Force Base briefly, before moving to NAS Patuxent River in March 2006 for the Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration (GHMD) program, operated by Navy squadron VX-20.[13][14] In July 2006, the GHMD aircraft flew in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise for the first time; although it was in the vicinity of Hawaii, the aircraft was operated from NBVC Point Mugu, requiring flights of approximately 2,500 mi (4,000 km) each way to the area. Four flights were performed, resulting in over 24 hours of persistent maritime surveillance coordinated with USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Bonhomme Richard. For the GHMD program, the Global Hawk was tasked with maintaining maritime situational awareness, contact tracking, and imagery support of exercise operations. Images were transmitted to NAS Patuxent River for processing and then forwarded to the fleet off Hawaii.[15]
Northrop Grumman entered a RQ-4B variant in the US Navy's Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) UAV competition. On 22 April 2008, it was announced that Northrop Grumman's RQ-4N had won and that the Navy had awarded a US$1.16 billion contract.[16] In September 2010, the RQ-4N was officially designated the MQ-4C.[17] The Navy MQ-4C differs from the Air Force RQ-4 mainly in its wing. While the Global Hawk remains at high altitude to conduct surveillance, the Triton climbs to 50,000 ft to see a wide area and can drop to 10,000 ft to get further identification of a target. The Triton's wings are specially designed to take the stresses of rapidly decreasing altitude. Though similar in appearance to the Global Hawk's wings, the Triton's internal wing structure is much stronger and has additional features including anti-icing capabilities and impact and lightning strike protection.[18]
Cost increases and procurementEdit
Development cost overruns placed the Global Hawk at risk of cancellation. In mid-2006, per-unit costs were 25% over baseline estimates, caused by both the need to correct design deficiencies as well as to increase its capabilities. This caused concern over a possible congressional termination of the program if its national security benefits could not be justified.[19][20] However, in June 2006, the program was restructured. Completion of an operational assessment report by the USAF was delayed from 2005 to 2007 due to manufacturing and development delays. The operational assessment report was released in March 2007 and production of the 54 air vehicles planned was extended by two years to 2015.[21]
A maintenance crew preparing a Global Hawk at Beale Air Force Base
In February 2011, the USAF reduced its planned purchase of RQ-4 Block 40 aircraft from 22 to 11 in order to cut costs.[22] In June 2011, the U.S. Defense Department's Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) found the RQ-4B "not operationally effective" due to reliability issues.[23] In June 2011, the Global Hawk was certified by the Secretary of Defense as critical to national security following a breach of the Nunn-McCurdy Amendment; the Secretary stated: "The Global Hawk is essential to national security; there are no alternatives to Global Hawk which provide acceptable capability at less cost; Global Hawk costs $220M less per year than the U-2 to operate on a comparable mission; the U-2 cannot simultaneously carry the same sensors as the Global Hawk; and if funding must be reduced, Global Hawk has a higher priority over other programs."[24]
On 26 January 2012, the Pentagon announced plans to end Global Hawk Block 30 procurement as the type was found to be more expensive to operate and with less capable sensors than the existing U-2.[25][26] Plans to increase procurement of the Block 40 variant were also announced.[27][28] The Air Force's fiscal year 2013 budget request said it had resolved to divest itself of the Block 30 variant; however, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013 mandated operations of the Block 30 fleet through the end of 2014.[29] The USAF plans to procure 45 RQ-4B Global Hawks as of 2013.[1] Before retiring in 2014, ACC commander, General Mike Hostage said of the U-2's replacement by the drone that "The combatant commanders are going to suffer for eight years and the best they're going to get is 90 percent".[30]
During 2010–2013, costs of flying the RQ-4 fell by more than 50%. In 2010, the cost per flight hour was $40,600, with contractor logistic support making up $25,000 per flight hour of this figure. By mid-2013, cost per flight hour dropped to $18,900, contractor logistic support having dropped to $11,000 per flight hour. This was in part due to higher usage, spreading logistics and support costs over a higher number of flight hours.[31]
EuroHawkEdit
EuroHawk at the ILA 2012
The German Air Force (Luftwaffe) ordered a variant of the RQ-4B, to be equipped with a customized sensor suite, designated EuroHawk. The aircraft was based on the RQ-4B Block 20/30/40 and was to be equipped with an EADS-built SIGINT package; it was intended to fulfill Germany's requirement to replace their aging Dassault-Breguet Atlantique electronic surveillance aircraft of the Marineflieger (German Naval Air Arm). The EADS sensor package is composed of six wing-mounted pods;[32] reportedly these sensor pods could potentially be used on other platforms, including crewed aircraft.[33]
The EuroHawk was officially rolled out on 8 October 2009 and its first flight took place on 29 June 2010.[34] It underwent several months of flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base.[35] On 21 July 2011, the first EuroHawk arrived in Manching, Germany; after which it was scheduled to receive its SIGINT sensor package and undergo further testing and pilot training until the first quarter of 2012. The Luftwaffe planned to station the type with Reconnaissance Wing 51.[36] In 2011 the German ministry of defence was aware of difficulties with the certification for use within the European airspace.[37] During flight trials, problems with the EuroHawk's flight control system were found; the German certification process was also complicated by Northrop Grumman refusing to share technical data on the aircraft with which to perform evaluations.[33]
On 13 May 2013, German media reported that the EuroHawk would not be certifiable under ICAO rules without an anti-collision system; thus preventing any operations within European airspace or the airspace of any ICAO member.[38][39] The additional cost of certification was reported to be more than €600 million (US$780 million).[40] On 15 May 2013, the German government announced the immediate termination of the program, attributing the cancellation to the certification issue.[41] Reportedly, the additional cost to develop the EuroHawk to the standards needed for certification may not have guaranteed final approval for certification.[42] German defense minister Thomas de Maizière stated EuroHawk was "very important" for Germany in 2012,[37] then referred to the project as being "a horror without end" in his 2013 statement to the Bundestag. The total cost of the project before it was canceled was €562 million.[43][44] Northrop Grumman and EADS have described reports of flight control problems and high costs for certification as "inaccurate"; they have stated their intention to provide an affordable plan to complete the first EuroHawk's flight testing and produce the remaining four aircraft.[45][46]
On 8 August 2013, the EuroHawk set an endurance record by flying continuously in European airspace for 25.3 hours, reaching an altitude of 58,600 feet (17,900 m). It was the longest flight by an unrefueled UAS weighing more than 30,000 lb (14,000 kg) in European skies.[47] On 5 October 2014, German Minister of Defence Ursula von der Leyen was reportedly considering reactivating the EuroHawk program to test its reconnaissance abilities over a long period at altitudes of up to 20,000 m (66,000 ft). Attempting to test the recon system on Airbus aircraft and an Israeli drone as alternate platforms had proven unsuccessful. The Bundeswehr would use it to detect, decrypt, and potentially interfere with enemy communications signals. If tests prove successful, a carrier would be purchased, likely "similar" to the U.S. Global Hawk.[48] Germany is considering installing the EuroHawk's SIGINT payloads onto the U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton Global Hawk derivative, as the electronic and communications intelligence sensors would be more difficult to place on other substitute aircraft. It already has icing and lightning-strike protection, and was built with certification over civilian airspace in mind, meeting the STANAG 4671 requirements that had ended the EuroHawk program.[49]
Universal Payload Adapter and new payloadsEdit
In January 2014, President Obama signed a budget that included a $10 million study on adapting the U-2's superior sensors for the RQ-4.[50] In April 2015, Northrop Grumman reportedly installed the U-2's Optical Bar Camera (OBC) and Senior Year Electro-Optical Reconnaissance System (SYERS-2B/C) sensors onto the RQ-4 using a Universal Payload Adapter (UPA). Successful testing indicated that all RQ-4s could be similarly retrofitted.[51]
On 14 July 2015, Northrop Grumman and the USAF signed an agreement to demonstrate an RQ-4B fitted with the U-2's OBC and SYERS-2C sensors; two Global Hawks are to be fitted with the UPA, involving the installation of 17 payload adapter fixtures and a new payload bay cover, as well as software and mission system changes for each sensor. The UPA can support 1,200 lb (540 kg) of sensors and will create a canoe-shaped sensor bay on the fuselage's underside. The RQ-4's ability to operate these sensors will likely influence the U-2's planned retirement by 2019. In addition, Northrop also expects to receive a contract to integrate the UTC Aerospace Systems MS-177 multispectral sensor used on the E-8C JSTARS onto the RQ-4;[52][53] the MS-177 will replace the SYERS-2 and includes modernized optronics and a gimbaled rotation device to increase field of view by 20 percent.[54] The RQ-4B flew with the SYERS-2 on 18 February 2016.[55]
DesignEdit
The Global Hawk has a high wing aspect ratio for efficiency, a single Rolls-Royce AE 3007 turbofan on top with the exhaust between its V-tail, and a front bulge housing its satellite antenna
OverviewEdit
The Global Hawk UAV system comprises the RQ-4 air vehicle, which is outfitted with various equipment such as sensor packages and communication systems; and a ground element consisting of a Launch and Recovery Element (LRE), and a Mission Control Element (MCE) with ground communications equipment.[56] Each RQ-4 air vehicle is powered by an Allison Rolls-Royce AE3007H turbofan engine with 7,050 lbf (31.4 kN) thrust, and carries a payload of 2,000 pounds (910 kilograms). The fuselage uses aluminum, semi-monocoque construction with a V-tail; the wings are made of composite materials.[57]
There have been several iterations of the Global Hawk with different features and capabilities. The first version to be used operationally was the RQ-4A Block 10, which performed imagery intelligence (IMINT) with a 2,000 lb (910 kg) payload of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) with electro-optical (EO) and infrared (IR) sensors; seven A-model Block 10s were delivered and all were retired by 2011. The RQ-4B Block 20 was the first of the B-model Global Hawks, which has a greater 3,000 lb (1,400 kg) payload and employs upgraded SAR and EO/IR sensors; four Block 20s were converted into communications relays with the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) payload. The RQ-4B Block 30 is capable of multi-intelligence (multi-INT) collecting with SAR and EO/IR sensors along with the Airborne Signals Intelligence Payload (ASIP), a wide-spectrum SIGINT sensor. The RQ-4B Block 40 is equipped with the multi-platform radar technology insertion program (MP-RTIP) active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, which provides SAR and moving target indication (MTI) data for wide-area surveillance of stationary and moving targets.[9][58]
Since the RQ-4 is capable of conducting sorties lasting up to 30 hours long, scheduled maintenance has to be performed sooner than on other aircraft with less endurance. However, since it flies at higher altitudes than normal aircraft, it experiences less wear during flight.[59]
System and ground facilitiesEdit
Raytheon's Integrated Sensor Suite (ISS) consists of a synthetic aperture radar (SAR), electro-optical (EO), and thermographic camera (IR) sensors. Either the EO or the IR sensors can operate simultaneously with the SAR. Each sensor provides wide area search imagery and a high-resolution spot mode. The SAR has a ground moving target indicator (GMTI) mode, which can provide a text message providing the moving target's position and velocity. Both SAR and EO/IR imagery are transmitted from the aircraft to the MCE as individual frames, and reassembled during ground processing. An onboard inertial navigation system, supplemented by Global Positioning System updates, comprises the navigational suite.
Global Hawk is capable to operate autonomously and "untethered". A military satellite system (X Band Satellite Communication) is used for sending data from the aircraft to the MCE. The common data link can also be used for direct down link of imagery when the UAV is within line-of-sight of compatible ground stations. For dense flight areas the autonomous navigation is switched off and the RQ-4 is remote controlled via the satellite link by pilots on the ground who are supplied with the same instrument data and who carry the same responsibilities as pilots in crewed planes.[60]
The ground segment consists of a Mission Control Element (MCE) and Launch and Recovery Element (LRE), provided by Raytheon. The MCE is used for mission planning, command and control, and image processing and dissemination; an LRE for controlling launch and recovery; and associated ground support equipment. The LRE provides precision Differential GPS corrections for navigational accuracy during takeoff and landings, while precision coded GPS supplemented with an inertial navigation system is used during mission execution. By having separable elements in the ground segment, the MCE and the LRE can operate in geographically separate locations, and the MCE can be deployed with the supported command's primary exploitation site. Both ground segments are contained in military shelters with external antennas for line-of-sight and satellite communications with the air vehicles.
Sensor packagesEdit
Photograph taken by US Navy Global Hawk with an aerial view of wildfires in Northern California, 2008
RadarEdit
Main article: Airborne ground surveillance
The Global Hawk carries the Hughes Integrated Surveillance & Reconnaissance (HISAR) sensor system.[61] HISAR is a lower-cost derivative of the ASARS-2 package that Hughes developed for the U-2. It is also fitted to the US Army's RC-7B Airborne Reconnaissance Low Multifunction (ARLM) crewed aircraft, and is being sold on the international market. HISAR integrates a SAR-MTI system, along with an optical and a thermography imager. All three sensors are controlled and their outputs filtered by a common processor and transmitted in real time at up to 50 Mbit/s to a ground station. The SAR-MTI system operates in the X band in various operational modes; such as the wide-area MTI mode with a radius of 62 mi (100 km), combined SAR-MTI strip mode provides 20 ft (6.1 m) resolution over 23 mi (37 km) wide sections, and a SAR spot mode providing 6 ft (1.8 m) resolution over 3.8 square miles (9.8 square kilometers).
In July 2006, the USAF began testing the Global Hawk Block 30 upgrades in the Benefield Anechoic Facility at Edwards AFB. Upgrades include the Advanced Signals Intelligence Payload, an extremely sensitive SIGINT processor.[62] and a specialist AESA radar system, the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program, or MP-RTIP. In 2010, Northrop disclosed the sensor capabilities of the new Block 40 aircraft, including the MP-RTIP radar, emphasising surveillance over reconnaissance.[63]
On 14 April 2014, a Block 40 Global Hawk completed the first Maritime Modes program risk-reduction flight to enhance the Air Force's maritime surveillance capabilities. Maritime Modes is made up of a Maritime Moving Target Indicator and a Maritime Inverse synthetic aperture radar (MISAR) that function together to provide ISR information on vessels traveling on the water's surface. During the 11.5-hour flight off of the California coast, the MISAR collected data on over 100 items of interest. Maritime Modes is planned to be integrated with the RQ-4B's existing MP-RTIP radar to detect and produce synthetic aperture radar imagery of ground vehicles.[64]
In November 2015, Northrop Grumman selected the Garmin International GSX 70 weather radar to be installed on Air Force Global Hawks. The GSX 70 is designed to provide operators with real-time weather information, offering horizontal scan angles of up to 120 degrees for better visibility into the strength and intensity of convective activity and a vertical scanning mode to analyze storm tops, gradients, and cell buildup activity. It also has a Turbulence Detection feature to identify turbulence in air containing precipitation and other airborne particulates and Ground Clutter Suppression that removes ground returns from the display so operators can focus on weather. Installation is expected to begin in early 2016.[65] Installation of weather radars on the Global Hawk fleet completed in late 2019.[citation needed]
Visible light/infraredEdit
The visible and infrared imagers share the same gimballed sensor package, and use common optics, providing a telescopic close-up capability. It can be optionally fitted with an auxiliary SIGINT package.
Self-defenceEdit
To improve survivability, the Global Hawk is fitted with a Raytheon developed AN/ALR-89 self-protection suite consisting of the AN/AVR-3 laser warning receiver, AN/APR-49 Radar warning receiver and a jamming system. An ALE-50 towed decoy also aids in the deception of enemy air defenses.[62][66]
Operational historyEdit
U.S. Air ForceEdit
Following the September 11th attacks, the normal acquisition process was bypassed almost immediately and early developmental Global Hawk models were employed in overseas contingency operations beginning in November 2001.[59][67] Global Hawk ACTD prototypes were used in the War in Afghanistan and in the Iraq War. Since April 2010, they fly the Northern Route, from Beale Air Force Base over Canada to South-East Asia and back, reducing flight time and improving maintenance. While their data-collection capabilities have been praised, the program lost three prototype aircraft to accidents,[68][69][70] more than one quarter of the aircraft used in the wars. The crashes were reported to be due to "technical failures or poor maintenance", with a failure rate per hour flown over 100 times higher than the F-16 fighter. Northrop Grumman stated that it was unfair to compare the failure rates of a mature design to that of a prototype aircraft. In June 2012, a media report described the Global Hawk, the MQ-1 Predator and the MQ-9 Reapers "... the most accident-prone aircraft in the Air Force fleet."[71] On 11 February 2010, the Global Hawks deployed in the Central Command AOR accrued 30,000 combat hours and 1,500 plus sorties.[72]
Initial operational capability was declared for the RQ-4 Block 30 in August 2011.[9] The USAF did not plan to keep the RQ-4B Block 30 in service past 2014 due to the U-2 and other platforms being less expensive in the role;[73] but Congress sought to keep it in service until December 2016.[74] The USAF had 18 RQ-4 Block 30s by the time of the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which directed a further three RQ-4s to be procured as part of Lot 11. The USAF felt that additional aircraft were "excess to need" and likely become backup or attrition reserve models. Despite the potential retirement of the Block 30 fleet due to low reliability, low mission readiness, and high costs, the USAF released a pre-solicitation notice in September 2013 for Lot 12 aircraft.[75] In planning the USAF's FY 2015 budget, the Pentagon reversed its previous decision, shifting $3 billion from the U-2 to the RQ-4 Block 30, which had become more competitive with the U-2 due to increased flying hours. Factors such as cost per flight hour (CPFH), information gathering rates, mission readiness, adverse weather operational capability, distance to targets, and onboard power still favored the U-2.[76][77]
After the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, RQ-4s flew 300 hours over the affected areas in Japan.[78] There were also plans to survey the No. 4 reactor at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.[79]
By November 2012, Northrop Grumman had delivered 37 Global Hawks to the USAF.[80] In March 2014, 42 Global Hawks are in use around the world, with 32 in use by the USAF.[81]
The USAF stated that U-2 pilot and altitude advantages allow better functionality in the stormy weather and airspace restrictions of the East Asia region and its altitude and sensor advantages allow it to see further into hostile territory.[82] In October 2013, the U.S. secured basing rights to deploy RQ-4s from Japan, the first time that basing rights for the type had been secured in Northeast Asia. RQ-4s are stationed at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, but bad weather often curtailed flights. Basing in Japan as opposed to Guam enhances spying capabilities against North Korea by eliminating range as a factor.[83] Two RQ-4s moved from Anderson AFB to Misawa Air Base in mid-2014 in the type's first deployment to Japan; they were speculated to have focused on maritime patrol missions.[84] The two RQ-4s successfully performed their missions from Misawa AB during a six-month deployment, with none cancelled due to poor weather. It was the first time that they had operated out of a civil-military airport, sharing airspace and runways with commercial aircraft safely without additional restrictions, usually taking off and landing during quieter periods of air traffic. Officials only stated that they had operated at "various places around the Pacific."[85]
On 19 September 2013, the RQ-4 Block 40 Global Hawk conducted its first wartime flight from Grand Forks Air Force Base.[86]
In November 2013, an USAF RQ-4 deployed to the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan to assist in relief efforts. It flew from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam to relay imagery of afflicted areas to response personnel and ground commanders.[87]
In planning for the FY 2015 budget, the U-2 was to be retired in favor of the RQ-4, made possible by reductions of RQ-4 operating costs and would be the first time an uncrewed aircraft would completely replace a crewed aircraft. The Block 40 Global Hawk may have to be retired in FY 2016 if sequestration is not repealed.[88] The U-2 will continue to fly through 2018 without replacement.[89]
In May 2014, a U.S. Global Hawk conducted a surveillance mission over Nigeria as part of the search for the kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls. The Global Hawk joined MC-12 crewed aircraft in the search.[90]
The Global Hawk has been used in Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The aircraft provide real-time imagery and signals intelligence to identify friendly and enemy forces, do long-term target development, and track enemy equipment movement, enabling combatant commanders to act on better information and make key decisions. The BACN version allows ground troops to contact aircraft when they are in need of assistance, such as close air support.[59] On 11 November 2015, an EQ-4 became the first Global Hawk aircraft to reach 500 sorties. All three EQ-4s in operation are supporting OIR. Upon landing, maintainers can complete ground maintenance and make the aircraft mission ready again within five hours; missions can last up to 30 hours, with each aircraft getting a "day off" in between combat flights.[91] On 1 April 2017, the EQ-4 program completed 1,000 continuous sorties, without incurring a single maintenance cancellation, while supporting OIR.[92]
On 4 April 2016, it was reported that a USAF Global Hawk had completed its third flight over Germany under an initiative (the European Reassurance Initiative) to reassure NATO members concerned over Russian involvement in the conflict in Ukraine. Germany opened its airspace for up to five Global Hawk flights a month until the middle of October 2016. The Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily-based Global Hawk flies over Italian and French airspace and an air corridor through Germany with its sensors switched off on its way to its area of operations over the Baltic Sea.[93]
In 2017, the USAF decided to begin the process of training enlisted Airmen to fly the RQ-4 due to a shortage of pilots and an increased demand for the Global Hawk's capabilities. The RQ-4 is currently the only aircraft enlisted pilots are flying.[94][95]
On 16 August 2018, a Global Hawk, assigned to 12th Reconnaissance Squadron, took off from Beale AFB, California, and landed at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska for Red Flag – Alaska. This was the first time an RQ-4 had landed in Alaska during a simulated combat training exercise.[96]
RecordsEdit
On 24 April 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. The flight took 22 hours, and set a world record for absolute distance flown by a UAV, 13,219.86 kilometers (8,214.44 mi).[97]
On 22 March 2008, a Global Hawk set the endurance record for full-scale, operational uncrewed aircraft UAVs by flying for 33.1 hours at altitudes up to 60,000 feet over Edwards AFB.[98]
From its first flight in 1998 to 9 September 2013, the combined Global Hawk fleet flew 100,000 hours. 88 percent of flights were conducted by USAF RQ-4s, while the remaining hours were flown by NASA Global Hawks, the EuroHawk, the Navy BAMS demonstrator, and the MQ-4C Triton. Approximately 75 percent of flights were in combat zones; RQ-4s flew in operations over Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya; and supported disaster response efforts in Haiti, Japan, and California.[6][99]
From 10 to 16 September 2014, the RQ-4 fleet flew a total of 781 hours, the most hours flown by the type during a single week. 87 percent of flights were made by USAF RQ-4s, with the rest flown by the Navy BAMS-D and NASA hurricane research aircraft.[100]
The longest Global Hawk combat sortie lasted 32.5 hours.[59]
Downing by IranEdit
Main article: 2019 Iranian shoot-down of American drone
On 19 June 2019, a U.S. Navy BAMS-D RQ-4A flying over the Persian Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz was shot down by a 3rd Khordad surface-to-air missile fired from near Garuk, Iran.[101] Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said that the drone had been in Iranian airspace,[102] while the United States maintained that the drone was in international airspace 18 nautical miles (34 km) away from Iran.[103][104]
NASAEdit
A Global Hawk at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center
In December 2007, two Global Hawks were transferred from the USAF to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards AFB. Initial research activities beginning in the second quarter of 2009 supported NASA's high-altitude, long-duration Earth science missions.[105][106] The two Global Hawks were the first and sixth aircraft built under the original DARPA Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration program, and were made available to NASA when the Air Force had no further need for them.[7] Northrop Grumman is an operational partner with NASA and will use the aircraft to demonstrate new technologies and to develop new markets for the aircraft, including possible civilian uses.[106]
It was reported in the March 2010 issue of Scientific American that NASA's Global Hawks were to begin scientific missions that month, and had been undergoing tests in late 2009. Initial science applications included measurements of the ozone layer and cross-Pacific transport of air pollutants and aerosols; the author of the Scientific American article speculates that it could be used for Antarctic exploration while being based in Chile. In August–September 2010, one of the two Global Hawks was loaned for NASA's GRIP (Genesis and Rapid Intensification Program) mission.[107] Its long-term on station capabilities and long range made it a suitable aircraft for monitoring the development of Atlantic basin Hurricanes. It was modified to equip weather sensors including Ku-band radar, lightning sensors and dropsondes.[108] It successfully flew into Hurricane Earl off the United States East Coast on 2 September 2010.[109]
NATOEdit
Main article: Alliance Ground Surveillance
In 2009, NATO announced that it expected to have a fleet of up to eight Global Hawks by 2012 to be equipped with MP-RTIP radar systems. NATO had budgeted US$1.4 billion (€1 billion) for the project, and a letter of intent was signed.[110] NATO signed a contract for five Block 40 Global Hawks in May 2012.[111] 12 NATO members are participating in the purchase. On 10 January 2014, Estonia revealed it wanted to participate in NATO Global Hawk usage.[112] In July 2017, the USAF assigned the Mission Designation Series (MDS) of RQ-4D to the NATO AGS air vehicle.[113]
The first RQ-4D aircraft arrived at Sigonella Air Base on 21 November 2019. At that time, all five aircraft were undergoing developmental test flights. Initial operational capability was expected in the first half of 2020.[114]
In October 2018, Italy certified five of the drones for use in Sigonella, Sicily in 2020. However, by 23 December 2019, there were regulatory issues for the Global Hawks concerning shared space between Germany and Italy. German government officials criticized the new drones for their lack of technology to avoid collisions with other aircraft.[115]
South KoreaEdit
In 2011, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) expressed interest in acquiring at least four RQ-4Bs to increase intelligence capabilities following the exchange of the Wartime Operational Control from the U.S. to the Republic of Korea. Officials debated on the topic of the Global Hawks and domestic UAV programs.[116] In September 2011, the US and South Korea discussed aircraft deployments near its land border to view North Korea and the North Korea–China border.[117] In January 2012, DAPA announced that it would not proceed with a purchase due to a price rise from US$442M to US$899M, and that other platforms such as the Global Observer or the Phantom Eye were being investigated.[118] However, in December 2012, South Korea notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale of 4 RQ-4 Block 30 (I) Global Hawks with the Enhanced Integrated Sensor Suite (EISS) at an estimated cost of $1.2 billion.[119] On 5 July 2013, the Korean National Assembly advised the government to re-evaluate the RQ-4 purchase, again citing high costs.[120]
On 17 December 2014, Northrop Grumman was awarded a $657 million contract by South Korea for four RQ-4B Block 30 Global Hawks.[121][122] The first RQ-4 arrived on 23 December 2019 at a base near Sacheon. The remaining three RQ-4s are to be delivered in the first half of 2020.[123]
Potential operatorsEdit
Australia considered the purchase of a number of Global Hawks for maritime and land surveillance. The Global Hawk was to be assessed against the MQ-9 Mariner in trials in 2007.[124] The Global Hawk aircraft would have operated in conjunction with crewed Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft, as a replacement of aging AP-3C Orion aircraft. In the end, the Australian government decided not to proceed and canceled the order.[125] In 2012, a procurement effort for seven UAVs by 2019 was initiated.[126] In May 2013 the Australian government confirmed its interest in acquiring the MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance variant.[127]
Canada has also been a potential customer, looking at the Global Hawk for maritime and land surveillance as either a replacement for its fleet of CP-140 Aurora patrol aircraft or to supplement crewed patrols of remote Arctic and maritime environments, before withdrawing from the joint effort in August 2011.[128] Spain has a similar requirement, and has existing contacts with Northrop Grumman.[129]
On 24 August 2013, Japan announced that the Japan Air Self-Defense Force planned to operate one Global Hawk jointly with the U.S. by 2015.[130] On 21 November 2014, the Japanese Ministry of Defense officially decided to procure the Global Hawk, which beat out the General Atomics Guardian ER;[131] Japan has also been interested in the purchase of three aircraft.[132]
The New Zealand Defence Force is studying the Global Hawk, which has the range to conduct surveillance in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, and in the Pacific Islands. The acquisition process has not moved beyond an expression of interest.[133]
The Indian Navy has expressed interest in acquiring six to eight MQ-4C Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft Systems.[134][135]
In September 2018, Transport Canada was looking into buying a former German Air Force EuroHawk for surveillance missions in the Arctic. The EuroHawk cannot currently fly and has no equipment inside such as GPS and navigation tools.[136][137]
RQ-4A on display at the Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB
RQ-4A
Initial production version for the USAF, 16 built.[138]
RQ-4B
Improved version with increased payload, wingspan increased to 130.9 ft (39.9 m) and length increased to 47.7 ft (14.5 m). Due to the increased size and payload the range is reduced to 8,700 nmi.[139]
RQ-4D
NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS).
RQ-4E Euro Hawk
Version for the Bundeswehr based on RQ-4B and equipped with an EADS reconnaissance payload for SIGINT. Germany canceled its order in May 2013; it received one of five Euro Hawks originally ordered.[41]
MQ-4C Triton
For USN Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) role; previously known as the RQ-4N; 4 ordered, 68 total planned.[140]
EQ-4B
Equipped with the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) system.[141]
KQ-X
Proposed autonomous tanker variant.[142][143]
Scaled Composites and Northrop Grumman also offered an armed, 50% smaller version of the RQ-4A, known as the Scaled Composites Model 396, as part of the USAF Hunter-Killer program. The aircraft was rejected in favor of the MQ-9 Reaper.
OperatorsEdit
For operators of the naval variant, see Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton.
A NASA Global Hawk in flight
Republic of Korea Air Force - Ordered 4 in 2014.[144][145] First aircraft delivered on 23 December 2019.[123]
Japan Air Self-Defense Force – Ordered 3 in November 2018, to be delivered by 1 September 2022.[146][147]
Alliance Ground Surveillance - Ordered 5 aircraft, first delivered 21 November 2019.[114]
Air Combat Command[citation needed]
319th Reconnaissance Wing – Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota
319th Operations Group
7th Reconnaissance Squadron - Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy
12th Reconnaissance Squadron - Beale Air Force Base, California
319th OG Detachment 1 - Andersen Air Force Base, Guam
348th Reconnaissance Squadron - Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota
53d Wing
53d Test and Evaluation Group
31st Test and Evaluation Squadron – Edwards Air Force Base, California
940th Wing – Beale Air Force Base, California
13th Reconnaissance Squadron – Beale Air Force Base, California
380th Expeditionary Operations Group - Al Dhafra AB, United Arab Emirates since early 2002
RQ-4B (Block 30), RQ-4B (Block 40), EQ-4B (BACN), RQ-4A (BAMS-D)
Dryden Flight Research Center
AccidentsEdit
21 August 2011: EQ-4B crashed southeast of Jalalabad, Afghanistan.[148]
11 June 2012: RQ-4A assigned to the Navy's BAMS program crashed near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, US.[149]
21 June 2017: RQ-4B crashed near Lone Pine, California, US.[150]
26 June 2018: RQ-4B crashed into the sea off Naval Station Rota, Spain[151]
Specifications (RQ-4B Block 30/40)Edit
Data from Northrop Grumman[152] USAF[9]
Crew: 0 onboard (3 remote: Launch and Recovery Element (LRE) pilot; Mission Control Element (MCE) pilot and sensor operator)
Capacity: 3,000 lb (1,360 kg)
Length: 47 ft 7 in (14.5 m)
Wingspan: 130.9 ft (39.9 m)
Height: 15.3 ft (4.7 m)
Gross weight: 32,250 lb (14,628 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce F137-RR-100 turbofan engine, 7,600 lbf (34 kN) thrust
Maximum speed: 391 mph (629 km/h, 340 kn)
Cruise speed: 357 mph (570 km/h, 310 kn)
Range: 14,154 mi (22,780 km, 12,299 nmi)
Endurance: 32+ hours
Lift-to-drag: 33[153]
War portal
Aviation portal
Unmanned combat aerial vehicle
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Guizhou Soar Dragon
Lockheed Martin RQ-3 DarkStar
EADS Talarion
List of active United States military aircraft
This article contains material that originally came from the web article Unmanned Aerial Vehicles by Greg Goebel, which exists in the Public Domain.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk.
External image
Northrop Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk Block 10 Cutaway
Northrop Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk Block 10 cutaway from Flightglobal.com
RQ-4 Global Hawk U.S. Air Force fact sheet
"RQ-4A Global Hawk (Tier II+ HAE UAV)". Federation of American Scientists
"Global Hawk RQ-4A-B High Altitude Long Endurance UAV". Defense Update
Raytheon product page on the Global Hawk Integrated Sensor Suite
Luftwaffe Euro Hawk page, Bundeswehr Euro Hawk page
Results of Global Hawk accident investigation board
RQ-4 Global Hawk profile on Air Attack
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Northrop_Grumman_RQ-4_Global_Hawk&oldid=995417295"


If my family name is McDonald, will my son be teased if I name him Ronald? If I name my daughter Abbott, will she become a Franciscan friar? If I call my baby boy Elvis, is he more likely to become a musician?
Answers: Yes, no, and maybe.
It's that last "maybe" that caught the attention of computer programmers who were creating a baby name app last year. While developing Nametrix, app developers at Verdant Labs began looking at correlations between names and public data about occupations.
They found that for many given professions, certain names appear more often in that profession than in the general population.
Nevertheless, here are 10 names with a connection to certain professions where the names are disproportionately represented.
Elvis. In 1978, one year after 20th-century musical titan Elvis Presley died, the name "Elvis" enjoyed its most popular year, rising to become the 405th-most-popular name for boys born that year. Perhaps that act of paying tribute to a fallen musical great had an impact on his namesakes. Elvis is much more common among musicians than the general population. Thus, while Elvis isn't the most popular name for musicians, it's much more common among musicians than expected, given its overall rarity (the name's now fallen to 1,027 in popularity).
Constance. Constance is one of six names found disproportionately among social workers. All six are female names, which shouldn't be surprising since 80 percent of all social workers in 2010 were women. Constance ranks as the 1,901th-most-popular name in the general population. The name is the English translation of the Latin word for "steadfastness," an apt description for someone committed to helping others.
August. If musicians named Elvis felt pressure to live up to the name given the king of rock and roll, at least he's been dead for decades. Imagine the pressure of having the name August and working as a playwright — a profession where that name is disproportionately represented — and not being August Wilson. Wilson was a towering force in America drama until his death in 2005. The winner of two Pulitzer Prizes, Wilson wrote a 10-work cycle of plays depicting African-American life in the 20th century, completing the final play the year he died.
Joanna. Unlike Constance, which was one of six female names dominating one profession, Joanna is the only female name among the six that disproportionately appear among venture capitalists (one other name is actually "Guy"). Maybe if there are enough Joannas working as venture capitalists, they'll be able to work on the widely reported problem of sexism in Silicon Valley.
Sherwin. It's a fairly rare name today: At 4,189, it ranks just above "Avante" and peaked in popularity in 1935. But Sherwin is one of six names found disproportionately among surgeons. It was Sherwin Nuland, surgeon, Yale professor, and author of the bestselling book How We Die, who launched a national conversation about end-of-life decision making. However, Nuland's immigrant Russian Jewish parents originally named him Shepsel Ber Nudelman (he changed his name in kindergarten), so he may be skewing the averages for Sherwin.
Judy. Judy is another female name that stands with five male names that are all disproportionately represented in a profession: ranching. (For those picturing men on horses, Roy is another of the six names. No studies have been done on the popularity of Trigger as a name for horses.) And like Joanna in venture capitalism, female ranchers haven't always had it easy. In 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched a $1.33 billion fund to settle claims that the USDA had discriminatorily denied more than $4.6 billion in loans to female farmers and ranchers from 1981 to 2000.
Archibald. Archibald is a rare name that peaked in popularity in 1912 and currently ranks at number 3,377. Nevertheless, it bears a certain gravitas that's fitting for one of six names found among judges. Archibald Cox, the Watergate special prosecutor whom President Nixon famously fired in 1973, served as President Kennedy's solicitor general, making him the government's top advocate before the justices of the Supreme Court.
Louisa. Two of the six names disproportionately found among journalists are women's names, including Louisa, suggesting a degree of greater gender equality among newshounds. Still fairly uncommon at number 1,020 in popularity, Louisa comes from "famous warrior" in German. Louisa Lim may be the most well-known journalist today with that name. Lim was the Shanghai correspondent for NPR and BBC and is the author of The People's Republic of Amnesia, a history of the 1989 Tiananmen Square uprising.
Eugene. One of six names disproportionately represented among electrical engineers, all of them boy's names, Eugene was once a popular name, peaking at number 20 in 1929. But the name last made the top 100 in 1957, at number 92. In 2013, it stood at number 779, an improvement over its all-time low of 827 in 2011.
Zoe. Verdant Labs discovered six names disproportionately represented among photographers, and Zoe is one of them. Although the name has ancient origins — the name is a Greek translation of Eve, meaning "life" — the name has been growing in popularity. It burst into the top 1,000 names in 1983 at number 873, and in 2013, it was number 31.
Maybe your family members have names that align with certain professions? Start a free trial with Ancestry to start looking.


10 months ago, I started blogging because I love writing, I love discovering new brands and I love making new friends. After this 10 months, I can say that I accomplished all of this. And that's why I love blogging and why I will continue to blog. It started as an online diary where I could write my own stories, my own impressions and my very own opinions. Very soon, I started to receive invitations for events, launches and, oh yes, the press days (my first ones!). For me, blogging, but also reading blogs from others, is what I love and what I do when I have some time let. In my couch, in the bus, in the train, during lunch break, in my bed… I love to read the inspirational stories of friends, discovering some amazing (not so) Belgian brands and to search for the perfect inspiration for that amazing party or trip.


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-Essex-
-Carleton-
-York-
GWEN Coverage
in Southern Ontario
Propagation Explained
How to Confirm a
Ground Wave Contact
HF Ground Wave Range
Compared to UHF/VHF
Soil Conditions
National Traffic System
Radiogram
Copy Morse Code
with the EARL System
S.E.T. 2013-10-19
TEST 2013-07-18
GWEN-EmComm
Antenna Olympics
Ground Wave or Surface Wave Propagation
from www.radio-electronics.com
Ground wave propagation is particularly important on the LF and MF portion of the radio spectrum. Ground waves radio propagation is used to provide relatively local radio communications coverage, especially by radio broadcast stations that require to cover a particular locality.
Ground wave radio signal propagation is ideal for relatively short distance propagation on these frequencies during the daytime. Sky-wave ionospheric propagation is not possible during the day because of the attenuation of the signals on these frequencies caused by the D region in the ionosphere. In view of this, radio communications stations need to rely on the ground-wave propagation to achieve their coverage.
A ground wave radio signal is made up from a number of constituents. If the antennas are in the line of sight then there will be a direct wave as well as a reflected signal. As the names suggest the direct signal is one that travels directly between the two antenna and is not affected by the locality. There will also be a reflected signal as the transmission will be reflected by a number of objects including the earth's surface and any hills, or large buildings. That may be present.
In addition to this there is surface wave. This tends to follow the curvature of the Earth and enables coverage to be achieved beyond the horizon. It is the sum of all these components that is known as the ground wave.
Beyond the horizon the direct and reflected waves are blocked by the curvature of the Earth, and the signal is purely made up from the diffracted surface wave. It is for this reason that surface wave is commonly called ground wave propagation.
Surface wave
The radio signal spreads out from the transmitter along the surface of the Earth. Instead of just travelling in a straight line the radio signals tend to follow the curvature of the Earth. This is because currents are induced in the surface of the earth and this action slows down the wave-front in this region, causing the wave-front of the radio communications signal to tilt downwards towards the Earth. With the wave-front tilted in this direction it is able to curve around the Earth and be received well beyond the horizon.
Effect of frequency on ground wave propagation
As the wavefront of the ground wave travels along the Earth's surface it is attenuated. The degree of attenuation is dependent upon a variety of factors. Frequency of the radio signal is one of the major determining factor as losses rise with increasing frequency. As a result it makes this form of propagation impracticable above the bottom end of the HF portion of the spectrum (3 MHz). Typically a signal at 3.0 MHz will suffer an attenuation that may be in the region of 20 to 60 dB more than one at 0.5 MHz dependent upon a variety of factors in the signal path including the distance. In view of this it can be seen why even high power HF radio broadcast stations may only be audible for a few miles from the transmitting site via the ground wave.
Effect of the ground
The surface wave is also very dependent upon the nature of the ground over which the signal travels. Ground conductivity, terrain roughness and the dielectric constant all affect the signal attenuation. In addition to this the ground penetration varies, becoming greater at lower frequencies, and this means that it is not just the surface conductivity that is of interest. At the higher frequencies this is not of great importance, but at lower frequencies penetration means that ground strata down to 100 metres may have an effect.
Despite all these variables, it is found that terrain with good conductivity gives the best result. Thus soil type and the moisture content are of importance. Salty sea water is the best, and rich agricultural, or marshy land is also good. Dry sandy terrain and city centres are by far the worst. This means sea paths are optimum, although even these are subject to variations due to the roughness of the sea, resulting on path losses being slightly dependent upon the weather! It should also be noted that in view of the fact that signal penetration has an effect, the water table may have an effect dependent upon the frequency in use.
Polarisation & ground wave propagation
The type of antenna and its polarisation has a major effect on ground wave propagation. Vertical polarisation is subject to considerably less attenuation than horizontally polarised signals. In some cases the difference can amount to several tens of decibels. It is for this reason that medium wave broadcast stations use vertical antennas, even if they have to be made physically short by adding inductive loading. Ships making use of the MF marine bands often use inverted L antennas as these are able to radiate a significant proportion of the signal that is vertically polarised.
At distances that are typically towards the edge of the ground wave coverage area, some sky-wave signal may also be present, especially at night when the D layer attenuation is reduced. This may serve to reinforce or cancel the overall signal resulting in figures that will differ from those that may be expected.
HF Ground Wave Range with Frequency
from The ARRL Antenna Book
GWEN - NETS
First & third Monday
of month at 1930 hrs.
3607 kHz LSB +/- QRM.
GWEN - TESTING
Second & fourth Monday
Next GWEN S.E.T.
Simulated Emergency
Test to be announced.
ONTARS - Ontario
Amateur Radio Service
Daily 7 am to 6 pm
3.755 MHz LSB
ARES Niagara - Net - NOW! Mondays
8:00 pm on VE3RAF
145.190 MHz + 107.2 Hz.
Ground Wave Emergency Network EmComm
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


You can find us at Eichstrasse 29, just beside Binz station, Zürich. We are most easily reachable by S10 from Zürich HB (4 min) The atelier is on the third floor of the building. Ring the bell after 19.00.
Please send us an e-mail to arrange a visit.


Our staff consists of a group of young professionals who live and work in Florence.
They have academic backgrounds in Art History, Humanities, Politics and Culinary Arts And have been working with visitors to Tuscany for many years.
Riccardo is an American-Italian who graduated in political Science and has a Masters degree in Communication.
For many years he has focused his interests on History and, as a florentine, his tours are filled up with historical facts as well with wine and food stories!
Laura has a Master degree in Art History and a Ph.D. in Museums Studies.
She has worked as an assistant curator at the Louvre in Paris as well as at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. With her knowledge, she makes your city tours come alive.
Giacomo Explorer of the world, has traveled to many countries but has always returned to Florence where he grew up and received his BA in Economics.


text:
Dinner in America (Adam Carter Rehmeier, 2020) – Fantasia International Film Festival 2020
September 30, 2020 December 1, 2020 spinenumbered6 Comments
AS AMERICAN AS APPLE PIE AND PUNK ROCK
In a dreary Michigan suburb, aggro punk rocker Simon (Kyle Gallner) finds himself on the run after a bout of arson and a close call with the police. A chance encounter with eccentric and socially awkward Patty (Emily Skeggs) provides him a place to hide from the law, though she fails to realize that her new friend is the anonymous lead singer of her favourite band. The pair embark on a series of misadventures and while their radically different personalities make them an unlikely duo, Simon and Patty realize that they have a lot more in common than first expected.
Dinner in America is an ode to the '90s Nebraska punk-scene of writer-director Adam Carter Rehmeier and a hilarious underdog love story boosted by a generous helping of absurdity and some instantly quotable dialogue. Set to the beat of brilliant original songs and perfectly casting Skeggs and Gallner as a suburban Bonnie and Clyde, Dinner in America is a wild and empowering ride through the places and people of Middle America — in all their peculiar forms.
Feature-length audio commentary with director Adam Carter Rehmeier and producer Ross Putman
One Night Only, new interview on the film's music with Rehmeier, Emily Skeggs, Kyle Gallner, and composer John Swihart
Freedom from Want, new interviews with supporting cast members Lea Thompson, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Pat Healy, and Griffin Gluck
Straight Shooting, new interview with cinematographer Jean-Philippe Bernier
Apocalypse Yow, new interview with musician and actor David Yow
Detroit Punk City, stories from cast and crew on the shoot
Outtakes and deleted scenes
Original theatrical trailer
Soundtrack CD including a remix of "Watermelon" by Bernier
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by producer-director Ant Timpson
Arrow Video, Festival Reports, Film, Funny, Music, USA2020s, Adam Carter Rehmeier, America America, Color, Comedies, Comedies That Bite, Dinner in America, Emily Skeggs, Fantasia International Film Festival, FIFF, Food on Film, Great Performances, Great Soundtracks, Griffin Gluck, Growing Pains, Hannah Marks, Independent American Cinema, Jean-Philippe Bernier, John Swihart, Kyle Gallner, Lea Thompson, Lena Drake, Love Under Pressure, Lukas Jacob, Making Music, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Musical Showstoppers, Nick Chinlund, Nico Greetham, On Writing Duty, Pat Healy, Period Pieces, Romantic Comedies, Sean Rogers, Shelby Alayne Antel, United States, Widescreen
10 Reasons to Get Buried Alive This Weekend – The 2019 Buried Alive Film Festival
November 16, 2019 spinenumbered1 Comment
The 2019 Buried Alive Film Festival wraps up this weekend at the 7 Stages Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, and there's plenty of great features and shorts to see. Over the next two days, BAFF offers five feature films and five short film blocks, plus a Troma-themed burlesque show! With a wealth of cinematic riches, MMC! is here to point the way with ten films to watch out for this Saturday and Sunday!
Check the BAFF schedule for program information to plan your burial and MMC!'s Letterboxd list for the Fest for more reviews!
1. J.R. "Bob" Dobbs and the Church of the Subgenius (Sandy K. Boon, 2019)
One of MMC!'s BAFF favourites, Sandy K. Boon's J.R. "Bob" Dobbs and the Church of the Subgenius examines the countercultural religion of "two self-proclaimed weirdos in Ft. Worth, Texas" and their crusade against normalcy. This documentary features wonderful interview subjects, including Richard Linklater, Penn Gilette, and Nick Offerman, as well as an array of Bob followers providing thoughtful reflection on 40 years of protecting their slack against the conspiracy. Subgenius is an intriguing companion to another popular 2019 portrait of an alternative religion, Penny Lane's Hail Satan?, as both the Subgeniuses and The Satanic Temple embrace an absurdly theatrical image, however Boon's film offers a mature reflection on cult's complicated history that contrasts Lane's earnestly sanitized presentation of the Temple as it searches for legitimacy. Preserve your slack and check out J.R. "Bob" Dobbs and the Church of the Subgenius at 2:00 on Sunday!
Animation, Documentary, Festival Reports, Film, Funny, Horror, India, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, USA2010s, A Smidgeon of Religion, Animation, Animation for Adults, BAFF, Battle of the Sexes, Body Parts, Buried Alive Film Festival, Chad Thurman, Charles de Lauzirika, Comedies, Comedies That Bite, Daniel Griffith, David Oesch, Dead Animals, Documentaries, Girls Raising Hell, H.J. Leonard, India, J.R. "Bob" Dobbs and the Church of the Subgenius, Jamie Delaney, Keola Racela, La Llorona, Lili, Love Bite, Love is in the Air, Mark of the Beast: The Legacy of the Universal Werewolf, MJ, Murder!, Neal O'Bryan, Netherlands, Porno, Remo Rickenbacher, Rich Ragsdale, Romantic Comedies, Sandy K. Boon, Scary Movies, Short and Sweet, Slashics, Special Effects, Supernatural Stories, Switzerland, The Loop, Toe, United Kingdom, United States, Yfke Van Berckelaer, Zombies!
Moonstruck (Norman Jewison, 1987)
February 14, 2019 May 15, 2019 spinenumbered1 Comment
The Criterion Collection, a continuing series of important classic and contemporary films presents Moonstruck.
In this award-winning, romantic comedy, Cher stars as Loretta, a widowed bookkeeper in Brooklyn who agrees to marry a mild-mannered man (Danny Aiello) even though she does not love him. Unlucky in love, she promptly falls for his estranged brother (Nicolas Cage), sparking a torrid affair with the moody, young man while her fiancé is absent at his mother's deathbed. With wonderfully stylized dialogue by playwright John Patrick Shanley and a brilliant ensemble of supporting performances from Olympia Dukakis, Vincent Gardenia, John Mahoney, Julie Bovasso, Louis Guss, and Feodor Chaliapin Jr., Norman Jewison's Moonstruck is a modern screwball classic and an operatic fable full of moonlit enchantment and the sweet charm of sugar cubes dissolved in champagne.
Disc Features:
New 4K digital restoration, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
New interviews with director Norman Jewison, writer John Patrick Shanley, and actors Cher, Nicolas Cage, Olympia Dukakis, and Danny Aiello
Audio Commentary featuring Cher, Norman Jewison, and writer John Patrick Shanley
A Night at the Opera, musicologist Marcia Citron on opera, La bohème, and Moonstruck
Remarriage Italian Style, scholar William Day on Moonstruck and the comedy of remarriage
Moonstruck: At the Heart of an Italian Family, a featurette on the making of the film
Music of Moonstruck, a featurette on the film's score
Trailer and TV spots
PLUS: An essay by scholar Mary Ann McDonald Carolan
Criterion Collection, Film, Funny, Hollywood, Melodrama, USA1980s, Anita Gillette, Cher, Color, Comedies, Comic Surprises, Danny Aiello, Fairy Tales and Fables, Family Troubles, I Love My Wife, John Mahoney, John Patrick Shanley, Julie Bovasso, Louis Guss, Love and Marriage, Moonstruck, New York Stories, Nicolas Cage, Norman Jewison, Olympia Dukakis, Opera, Oscar Winners, Romantic Comedies, United States, Vincent Gardenia, Widescreen
Murphy's Romance (Martin Ritt, 1985)
January 28, 2019 August 2, 2019 spinenumberedLeave a comment
Designed for the film lover in mind, SHOUT SELECT shines a light on films that deserve a spot on your shelf. From acknowledged classics to cult favorites to unheralded gems, SHOUT SELECT celebrates the best in filmmaking, giving these movies the love and attention they deserve.
JUST WHEN YOU THINK YOU'VE FOUND THE RIGHT GUY, SOMEONE EVEN WORSE COMES ALONG.
The last thing Emma Moriarty expected to find in Eunice, Arizona, was love. So how does she wind up the object of MURPHY'S ROMANCE? Sally Field and James Garner star in this endearing comic love story from director Martin Ritt. Field plays a gutsy divorced mother eager to make it as a horse trainer on a small desert ranch. Enter the town's most eligible widower, Murphy Jones (Garner). The lovable, free-wheeling pharmacist befriends Emma and eventually comes a-courting. But just when Emma may have found the right guy, her ne'er-do-well ex, Bobby Jack (Brian Kerwin), rides back into her life. Which one of these persistent suitors will lasso the reluctant filly? Share the warmth and feel-good humor of Field, Garner and MURPHY'S ROMANCE!
NEW HD Film Transfer
NEW Interview with Actress Sally Field
Interview With James Garner
Interview On The Film's Score With Composer Carole King, Actress Sally Field, And Producer Laura Ziskin
Original Theatrical Trailer And TV Spots
Film, Funny, Hollywood, Shout Select, USA1980s, Brian Kerwin, Carole King, Color, Comedies, Corey Haim, I Love My Mom, James Garner, Laura Ziskin, Love is in the Air, Martin Ritt, Murphy's Romance, Romantic Comedies, Sally Field, Shout Select, Single Moms, Small Town Charms, United States, Widescreen
How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps (Ben Berman, 2016)
January 5, 2019 January 22, 2019 spinenumberedLeave a comment
Happy 2019, kids! It's less than a week after New Year's and that means it's primetime at gyms everywhere, so it's the perfect opportunity to spend time with Ben Berman's hilarious, moving, and all too true short film, How To Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps (2016). The film is based on Aaron Bleyaert's essay of the same title, discovered by Berman when it was forwarded to him by a friend after joining a gym. The short was shot in two halves with SNL's Beck Bennett (in a wonderful starring performance as a heartbroken mattress salesman) losing 30 pounds in the three months in between. Funny and disarmingly inspirational, How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps is actually perfect anytime of the year.
This post is naturally dedicated to work-out loving wife and her friend who loves anything with "humping" in it. LOL.
Educational, Film, Funny, Shorts, USA2010s, Adaptations, Ben Berman, Color, Comedies, How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps, I Love My Wife, Independent American Cinema, Love is in the Air, Men in Peak Form, Romantic Comedies, Short and Sweet, Son of Wholphin, United States, Widescreen
Wild Zero (Tetsuro Takeuchi, 1999)
May 24, 2018 February 26, 2020 spinenumbered1 Comment
JAPAN'S JET ROCK 'N' ROLL SCI-FI ZOMBIE HORROR MASTERPIECE!
Ace, a rockabilly fan who really wants to be cool, is on his way to see his favorite rock band, Guitar Wolf, when some strange things occur … flying saucers invade the Earth and flesh-eating zombies rise from the grave! With the help of the (real life) Japanese rock-punk band Guitar Wolf, Ace negotiates an array of misadventures involving crazy rock managers in very tight shorts, transsexual love-interests, naked women shooting guns in the shower, and blood-thirsty zombies ready to tear them all apart! Music video director Tetsuro Takeuchi packs his début feature with everything you need: leather jackets, screeching feedback, laser guitar picks, motorcycles, muscle cars, and LOTS of fire! Think Dawn of the Dead meets Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park with the humor of Evil Dead 2 and you start to approach riotous and ridiculous world of Wild Zero.
SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Original Japanese soundtrack with optional, newly translated English subtitles
Director Edgar Wright on Wild Zero
Behind-the-scenes music video
Guitar Wolf: Red Idol, director Tetsuro Takeuchi's 2003 collection of videos, tributes, and live performances
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Rockin' Jelly Bean
FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Japanese film expert Tom Mes
Action, Arrow Video, Film, Funny, Horror, Japan, Music, Science Fiction1990s, Bad Trips, Bass Wolf, Billy, Bonus Features, Color, Comedies, Comedies That Bite, Drum Wolf, First Films, Guitar Wolf, Japan, Kwancharu Shitichai, Little Something Extra, Love is in the Air, Love Under Pressure, Making Music, Masashi Endo, Movies by Number, Romantic Comedies, Scary Movies, Sci-Fi, Seiji, Special Effects, Super Cuts, Supernatural Stories, Taneko, Tetsuro Takeuchi, Toru, We Love the Nightlife, Widescreen, Wild Zero, Wright Favorites, Yoshiyuki Morishita, Zombies!


Did you know, when you book a luxury villa escape to Sete with Amazon Creek, we include a complimentary watersports package aboard Petite Amazon Creek, our speed boat?!
From June until September we offer four complimentary sessions on our SeaRay 220 (weather dependant). The activities are extensive; ranging from water-skiing, wake-boarding and ringo-ing, sunset lagoon cruises or even just a gentle ride through the fascinating canals of Sete; arriving to a water-side cafe, or restaurnat to enjoy a glass or vino in style!
Can you first tell us how we arrange our time on the boat?
Andy: Upon arrival to the villa, after a welcome toast of champagne and a tour of the property, Hayley and I will go through the weather forecast with you and discuss what times we recommend to ensure safety and of course the most fun for your group. You can tell us what you want to do, and we will book the first two slots of the week accordingly. This allows for both Villas to have equal chance of optimum conditions.
Hayley: The boat is kept in the nearby marina. Each morning, I prepare the boat for the desired needs of the day, whether it be with the sunbathing platform up, or the tow pole for water-skiing, it is set for your individual requirements. I then drive the boat to an easily accessible pick-up jetty in the mouth of the marina. This is approximately a ten minute walk from the villa along the promenade, or a five minute cycle ride if you wish to bring the bikes and lock them up. A member of the Amazon Creek team will always walk you down to the jetty on the first day you have scheduled. Don't forget your suncream!
What can be done on the boat?
Hayley: The boat is ideal for Sete. With a collapsible canopy, we can take a relaxed ride through the canals, stop off alongside a cafe, or continue through Sete into the lagoon behind. We can't tow in the lagoon unfortunately, however we can drop you off to a restaurant for lunch at St Clair, famously known for its Oysters, or for a day trip to Meze; some fishing, or visit to the 8km span of Oyster beds. Alternatively, we can leave in the warm early evening and enjoy the stunning sun set over the Etang de Thau, and drop you off to sample a wonderful dinner setting with exceptional wine and service at one of the near by restaurants.
Andy: With the rest of your allocated sessions why not discover something new or sharpen a few old moves! We have wakeboards, skis and mono-skis suitable for anyone above the age of 6 who wants to get out on the water. The Mediterranean weather makes Sete an ideal spot for beginners with its tranquil waters. Alternatively, we have a single ringo for those wanting an adrenaline filled day. I feel it is also the perfect way to become accustom to being behind a boat to build confidence of the younger children; for this we allow Mum or Dad to join them in the ringo.
Is it possible to go on the boat even if I just want to watch?
Hayley: Of course! We recommend 4 people plus a driver on the boat at any time if we are towing although it is up to you who goes in the water! This is for the safety of our clients as well as the peak performance of the boat. If you are opting for a cruise in which we won't hit high speed, the boat will comfortably take 8.
Andy: We have buoyancy aids to fit all sizes and wetsuits if you opt for one. All of the equipment is on the boat ready for you, and we will do a size check at the villa before your first boat trip. There after it is all stored on the boat for the duration of your stay. So from the villa you should take with you some blue spa towels, sun cream, water and maybe a light jumper in early May/September, for those who are not going swimming it may a little breezy.
And lastly, Hayley, what was your favourite moment from last summer season?
Every day on the water, being in the sun, watching people learn something new, it's a great job! However there are always those special moments that I will never forget. It was a particularly windy week towards the end of last season, and I was teaching a 6 and 8 year old how to water-ski for the first time. On the last day of the holiday, after persistence throughout the week and in unfavourable conditions for beginners, both of the children were able to stand up on the ski's. They finished their holiday proud they could water-ski. A smile that big on all of the family's faces is priceless.
Amazon Creek team look forward to welcoming you to Sete this summer for more fun on the water!
Our watersports program also includes the use of kayaks, paddle boards and bikes; Arrange the use of the villa equipment with our resort team on arrival.


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Q: How to create a better playSong method? I want to play a song from an selected album.
The problem is whenever I click on an album, select the song, the playSong method plays the first song of course because of code part 2(down). Maybe you look trough my code and you can help me.Thanks a lot, Vinzenz

Part 1:
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public void  playSong(int songIndex){
    // Play song
    try {
        mp.reset();
        mp.setDataSource(songsList.get(songIndex).get("songPath"));
        mp.prepare();
        mp.start();
        // Displaying Song title
        String songTitle = songsList.get(songIndex).get("songTitle");
        songTitleLabel.setText(songTitle);
.
.
.

Part 2:
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public void onItemClick(AdapterView<?> a, View v, int position, long Title ) {
      if (cursor.moveToPosition(position)) {

        // getting listitem index
            int songIndex = position;
            // Starting new intent
            Intent in = new Intent();

            // Sending songIndex to BrowseActivity
            in.putExtra("songIndex", songIndex);

            setResult(100, in);
            // Closing PlayListView
            finish();

     }
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


RICHARDSON, WILDS PRESTON (1861–1929). Wilds Preston Richardson, United States Army officer, was born to Oliver Preston and Hester Foster (Wingo) Richardson in Hunt County, Texas, on March 20, 1861. He apparently attended school in the county, then entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in the summer of 1880. After graduating he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Eighth United States Cavalry, on June 15, 1884. He served in California and at various posts on the western frontier, including Apache territory. Richardson was promoted to lieutenant on December 16, 1889, and returned to West Point as an instructor in 1892. He held this appointment for six years. In August 1897 he reported to Alaska, where he remained, in various military capacities, for the next twenty years. His activities in the territory included selection of sites for and oversight of construction of American military posts. He was appointed president of the Alaska Roads Commission in March 1905 and directed the extensive federal road-construction project there. His most important work in this capacity involved building a 380-mile road from Valdez, on the southern Alaskan coast, northward to Fairbanks, in the interior. In recognition of his efforts the road was named the Richardson Trail by executive order. Richardson's work in Alaska was recommended by a succession of secretaries of war, and he rose through the ranks to captain in 1898, major in 1904, lieutenant colonel in 1911, and colonel in 1914.
American entry into World War I in April 1917 brought Richardson a promotion to the rank of brigadier general on August 5, 1917. He was appointed to the command of the Seventy-eighth Infantry Brigade, Thirty-ninth Division, then at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, in March 1918. With his division he arrived at Brest, France, on September 3, 1918, and participated in some of the closing movements of the war. Because of his experience in extreme weather conditions in Alaska and his general record as a soldier, Gen. John J. Pershing, commander of American forces in Europe, placed him in command of United States troops in the short-lived Allied invasion of northern Russia. At Murmansk he resolved confusion among allied commands.
After the war Richardson returned to the rank of colonel and on October 31, 1920, retired from the army. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal on April 14, 1922. Drawing upon his experience, he wrote and published the article "Alaska" in the January 1928 edition of the Atlantic Monthly. This essay, in addition to mildly criticizing the federal government's construction of a little-used railroad into Alaska, called for government incentives to attract settlers to the territory, for increased territorial home rule, and for intensified advertising of Alaska as a tourist and sportsman's attraction. The article generated some discussion, likely due to the author's criticism of the manner in which Alaska had been developed. He wanted to see the territory settled and developed gradually and rationally rather than in a way that would either thoughtlessly exploit its natural resources or prohibit their development. Richardson lived all of his retired life at the Army and Navy Club in Washington, D.C. Besides his membership in this club, he belonged to the Military Order of the Carabao, the Alfalfa Club of Washington, the Lambs of New York City, and the University Clubs of New York City. He died at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., on May 20, 1929, and was buried at West Point.
Dictionary of American Biography. Washington Post, May 21, 1929.
Handbook of Texas Online, Brian Hart, "RICHARDSON, WILDS PRESTON," accessed April 20, 2019, http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fri12.


text:
China says nearly 13,000 'terrorists' arrested in Xinjiang
AFP Beijing, China Mar 18, 2019, 12.49 PM(IST)
File photo: Flag of China. Photograph:( Others )
Beijing has come under international criticism over its policies in the region, where as many as one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities are being held in internment camps, according to human rights groups.
China on Monday defended its controversial security crackdown in the fractious far west region of Xinjiang, saying nearly 13,000 "terrorists" have been arrested there since 2014.
The State Council, China's cabinet, hit back again with a white paper saying that the government "is relentless in striking hard, in accordance with the law, at any conduct advocating terrorism and extremism".
The document states that Xinjiang has long been part of Chinese territory but that "terrorist and extremist forces" have fomented separatist activities by "falsifying" the region's history.
"Since 2014, Xinjiang has destroyed 1,588 violent and terrorist gangs, arrested 12,995 terrorists, seized 2,052 explosive devices, punished 30,645 people for 4,858 illegal religious activities, and confiscated 345,229 copies of illegal religious materials," according to the white paper.
"The counter-terrorism work and the de-extremisation struggle in Xinjiang have always been carried out in accordance with the rule of law," it added.
The paper was quickly condemned by a Uighur rights group, which called it "a political excuse to suppress the Uighurs".
"The purpose of releasing the so-called white paper is a means of getting local support for its extreme policies and to cover up human rights abuses," Dilxat Raxit, spokesman of the exiled World Uyghur Congress, said in a statement.
Xinjiang, which shares a border with several countries including Pakistan and Afghanistan, has long suffered from violent unrest, which China claims is orchestrated by an organised "terrorist" movement seeking the region's independence.
China has previously denied the presence of the internment camps, but have in recent months shifted to calling them "vocational education centres" akin to boarding schools, with students checking involuntarily.
The "preventive measures" have brought a "marked change" in the region, with people having "a much stronger sense of fulfilment, happiness and security," the white paper said.
But former inmates have said they found themselves incarcerated for transgressions such as wearing long beards and face veils or sharing Islamic holiday greetings on social media.
Beijing has also gone on a public relations blitz in recent months, taking journalists and diplomats on tours to visit the region and the centres.


Temperatures are dropping and snowing is falling but Portsmouth is still bustling with activity this week. Beat the winter blues with some live blues music at Portsmouth Book and Bar. Laugh the night away with some stand-up comedy at Cisco Brewers. Don't let the winter slow you down. Here's what's happening in Portsmouth this week!
If you love music by the Eagles and Steely Dan, you'll want to head to the Music Hall on Saturday, January 26 at 7:30 p.m. There you'll get to enjoy Another Tequila Sunrise—the country's top Tribute to the Eagles band—and Hey Nineteen—known for keeping the tunes of Steely Dan alive and well. Another Tequila Sunrise and Hey Nineteen Present Music of the Eagles and Steely Dan will be at the Music Hall for one night only, so get your tickets via the box office, online or in person, right away.
While usually posting incredibly humorous blurbs on their Facebook page, the Portsmouth Police Department took a moment in the past few days to honor a city icon. Rev. Dr. Arthur Hilson wasn't just a local pastor, he was also a teacher for countless years at Portsmouth High School, as well as a former member of the city's Police Commission. Sadly, he passed away in recent days of cancer at the age of 82. Known for answering the common question, "How are you?" with, "I'm blessed," or "I'm too blessed to complain," Art Hilson will be sorely missed in this seacoast city.
Portsmouth Book & Bar is a cool and cozy space that's great for grabbing lunch, dinner, a refreshing coffee, or a cold glass of beer. Their events calendar is always loaded up with plenty of exciting entertainment and this Saturday, January 26, at 9 p.m. they will be hosting GA-20. This bluesy duo is a must-see.
Bella's Bartok w/Skyfoot will perform at The Press Room on Saturday, January 26 at 9 p.m. Bella's Bartok puts on a theatrical show while playing a mix of music including Eastern European, pink, pop and Americana. Skyfoot is known well around Boston for their bluegrass, rock and funk. Tickets are available online.
Stand-up comedian Chris Franjola of Chelsea Lately fame will perform at Cisco Brewers in Portsmouth on Friday, January 25 at 8 pm, and again on Saturday, January 26 at both 6 and 8:15 p.m. All shows will also feature Jonathan Tillson. Tickets are available online.