Goodbye, Global Hawk?

Beale Air Force Base's Block 30 of the Global Hawk mission was identified Thursday as one recommended sacrifice as the Department of Defense tries to slash $487 billion from its budget in the next decade.

In a press briefing, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter outlined cuts recommended to personnel, programs and future spending but stressed the service and protection the United States military provides around the world will not be affected.

"The Air Force is the same. It will be an Air Force that dominates air and space and provides rapid mobility," Panetta said.

The Department of Defense will terminate the Block 30 of the Global Hawk, overseen by the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale. The Block 30 was supposed to replace the U-2 in taking aerial photos, but priced itself out of that niche, Carter said.

"That's the fate of things that become too expensive," he said.

Click here for a slideshow out of Beale Air Force Base

The budget plan calls cancellation of the Global Hawk Block 30 a "significant disappointment," but the experience will help other Global Hawk programs such as the Air Force Block 40, NATO's Alliance Ground Surveillance and the Navy's Broad Area Maritime Surveillance.

"Any comment regarding official change to the Global Hawk program would be premature at this point," said Beale spokesman Sr. Airman Shawn Nickel, who directed additional questions to the Defense Department, which deferred to the Air Force.

Global Hawk maker Northrup Grumman Corp. said in a statement that it was "disappointed with the Pentagon's decision, and plans to work with the Pentagon to assess alternatives to program termination."

The company said the U-2, which the Pentagon will rely on more, "places pilots in danger, has limited flight duration and provides limited sensor capacity.

Lt. Col. Andy Roake said specific impacts to individual bases were not available Thursday. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz is expected to conduct a budget briefing today.

"I'm sad to see a cutback in any military program because of the immense success the military has provided for the United States," said Yuba County Supervisor John Nicoletti, who is also a member of the Beale Military Liaison Committee. "When you look at the output from Beale Air Force Base, we've been the best base and production from squadron to squadron in quite some time."

The technology and quality of work that has been produced since the development of the Global Hawk will serve for years to come, he said, and it has spurred further advancements in the MC-12 and other programs.

"One way to look at this is the plus of how many programs are expanding through that original system," he said.

These cuts were not unexpected, as the military has been looking at combined forces for several years, Nicoletti said. These decisions aim to do more with less and still have exactly what's necessary to protect the American public.

"Our area is full of Beale retirees and family members, and there is something of a calm confidence that the Air Force is giving its best effort," he said. "We trust them."

Beale continues to grow through the years, and the termination of the Global Hawk would be one example of changing and improving aircraft.

"We no longer have the SR-71, and many of us miss the program, but stuff we are working on today were projects of dreams when we were running the SR-71," Nicoletti said. "This is the best time to support and stay with the Air Force."

Congress must approve any changes to the department's budget.

CONTACT Ashley Gebb at agebb@appealdemocrat.com or 749-4783. Find her on Facebook at /ADagebb or on Twitter at @ADagebb.