An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle takes off from Creech Air Force Base, Nev., May 11, for a training sortie over the Nevada deser...
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| An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle takes off from Creech Air Force Base, Nev., May 11, for a training sortie over the Nevada desert. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson) |
A US Air Force's MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft operating from Kandahar Airbase in Afghanistan recently became the first Predator to pass 20,000 flying hours, a feat equivalent to flying 15 hours every other day, for 2,667 days.
This is the first airframe to accumulate 20,000 flying hours individually.
Predator remotely piloted aircraft program had earlier surpassed one million hours of total development, test, training and combat in August 2011.
The aircraft are operated by the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, U.S. crews located stateside and Royal Air Force crews in the United Kingdom.
The MQ-1B Predator is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft that is employed primarily as an intelligence-collection asset and secondarily against dynamic execution targets. Given its significant loiter time, wide-range sensors, multi-mode communications suite, and precision weapons, it provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination and reconnaissance (SCAR) against high-value, fleeting, and time-sensitive targets.
Predators can also perform intelligence, surveillance,reconnaissance, close air support, combat search and rescue, precision strike, buddy-lase, convoy/raid overwatch, route clearance, target development, and terminal air guidance missions.
The Predator carries the Multi-Spectral Targeting System, which integrates an infrared sensor, color/monochrome daylight TV camera, image-intensified TV camera, laser designator and laser illuminator. The full-motion video from each of the imaging sensors can be viewed as separate video streams or fused.
The aircraft can employ two laser-guided missiles, Air-to-Ground Missile-114 Hellfire, that possess highly accurate, low-collateral damage, and anti-armor, anti-personnel engagement capabilities.
