JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- The U.S. Air Force deployed a squadron of RQ-4 Global Hawks, June 1, 2018, intra-theater to Misawa Air Base, Japan from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in order to maintain theater-wide Global Hawk operations through the Summer and Fall.

This rotational deployment of the Global Hawk is temporary but necessary in order to provide a base from which the platform can be reliably operated during months in which inclement weather, including typhoon activities, has the potential to hinder readiness.

The Andersen-based RQ-4s were deployed to Yokota Air Base, Japan in 2017 and to Misawa AB in 2014 and 2015 for the same reasons. The United States continues to deploy its most advanced capabilities to Japan, including the Global Hawk, as a part of the commitment to the security of Japan and to the stability of the region.