From Jeremy Herb, Hill:  A House Armed Services subcommittee is proposing to block the Air Force’s planned retirement of the Global Hawk Block 30 drones at the end of 2014.

The House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land subpanel included a provision in its portion of the Defense authorization bill to prevent the Air Force from retiring the Global Hawks until the end of 2016.

The legislation from subcommittee Chairman Mike Turner (R-Ohio) would restrict any use of funds to retire the aircraft and require the Air Force Secretary “to take all actions necessary to maintain the operational capability” of the Global Hawk. . . .

Last year, Congress also blocked the Air Force from mothballing the Global Hawk Block 30 variant, questioning why the Air Force should keep operating with the older, manned aircraft.  (photo: Unmanned)

Image: unmanned%205%2022%2013%20Global%20Hawk%2030.jpg