Loitering Allowed

The Air Force's Global Hawk unmanned aircraft will remain in theater until the service can decide how to replace the Block 30 platforms proposed for termination, according to Gen. Mark Welsh, who has been nominated to replace Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz. Welsh told the Senate Armed Services Committee on July 19 that Schwartz has decided that the Air Force will not bring back the Global Hawks from either the Pacific, Europe or Middle East until the service has "a chance to take a look at the mitigation strategy for replacing the lost combat capability."