Enlisted to fly Global Hawk

The Air Force recently selected the first 10 enlisted Airmen to attend RQ-4 Global Hawk pilot training, marking the first time since World War II enlisted Airmen will be behind the stick. The first combined enlisted and officer training course will begin October 2016, with the first enlisted Airmen expected to graduate in 2017. The initiative to incorporate enlisted pilots is the first step to developing future operating concepts within the multi-domain intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance enterprise. The Global Hawk is the most stable remotely piloted aircraft community and presents an opportunity now to integrate enlisted Airmen in RPAs to posture the force for dynamic future operating environments. (Source: AFNS, 07/07/16) Gulf Coast note: Global Hawks are built in part in Moss Point, Miss.; pilot training is a major military activity in the region.