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Old 06-25-2017 | 06:31 PM
  #12  
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HuggyU2
Get me outta here...
 
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Boeing right seat
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Originally Posted by UAL T38 Phlyer
I believe in the first four years, they lost 12 out of 30.
That number seems high, but did you know the first crash of the RQ-4 (the #2 vehicle, IIRC) was due to a test going on at Nellis, where they practiced sending the "flight terminate" signal... and they didn't know there was an RQ-4 over China Lake and within signal range?

Yes, the RQ-4 at 40-something-thousand feet received the terminate command, and dutifully stopped flying and spun into the Earth... just like it was supposed to. Well done!!

And, yes, it had some expensive sensors on board (EO and ASARS).

Brilliant.
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