USAF Patch Recon s x Gp b 69 RG Reconnaissance Group Det 2 Sigonella b

USAF Patch USAF 69 RG Reconnaissance Group Detachment 2 Det Sigonella Hawk Driver RQ 4 Global Hawk Italy 2013 Fully embroidered cut edge 101mm four inches diameter.

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69 Reconnaissance Group was reactivated on 19 September 2011 at Grand Forks AFB North Dakota on 19 September 2011 assigned to 9 Reconnaissance Wing to conduct and support worldwide intelligence surveillance reconnaissance and target acquisition with deployable high altitude long endurance RQ 4 EQ 4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles UAVs providing near real time imagery intelligence IMINT signals intelligence SIGINT communications relay capability and moving target indicator MTI target acquisition initially with 348 Reconnaissance Squadron and 69 Maintenance Squadron.

The RQ 4 Global Hawk mission is undertaken by two elements with the Launch and Recovery Element LRE located at the aircraft base with one pilot responsible for the launch and landing or recovery of the aircraft. The HQ based Mission Control Element MCE pilot takes control of the RQ 4 after successful take off to carry out the Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance ISR mission with a sensor operator. The MCE transfers the control of the aircraft back to the LRE for landing and recovery. The aircraft is able to fly for over 30 hours and pilots are rotated during long endurance missions.

69 RG was assigned 12 Reconnaissance Squadron operating from Beale AFB California on 1 March 2013 as part of the consolidation of the USAF Global Hawk mission.

Detachment 3 Silent Hunters of 9 Operations Group at Andersen AB Guam was redesignated Detachment 1 69 RG for reconnaissance in Asia including temporary operations from Misawa AB Japan from May to October 2014. The Detachment provided support for Operation Damayan following Super Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines in November 2014 with an RQ 4 overflying the disaster area for over 30 hours collecting near real time imagery that was used to look for survivors in need of help identify fires or partially submerged vessels.

Detachment 4 of 9 Operations Group at Naval Air Station NAS Sigonella Italy was redesignated Detachments 2 69 RG for operations over Africa Mediterranean and Middle East and flew an RQ 4 to Norway as part of Exercise Unified Vision 2014. Detachment 2 69 RG was redesignated 7 Reconnaissance Squadron in August 2015.

This patch dates from 2013.