Holloman Gets UAV Training Mission

Air Combat Command on July 13 announced that Holloman AFB, N.M. would indeed be the site of the Air Force’s new Predator and Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle formal training unit. The service in April issued a finding of no significant impact in its environmental assessment of the effort. Establishment of a second UAV training site—in addition to the one at Creech AFB, Ariz.—USAF said would let it increase its production of UAV combat operators. The longer-term plan is to consolidate all UAV operator training at Holloman, which has extensive training capacity and which would free the space-constrained Creech to focus on operational UAV employment. Gen. John Corley, ACC commander, explained: Air Force [unmanned aircraft system] operators are working 24 hours a day, every day to provide a persistent stare over the battle field to support the ground forces. We must train new UAS operators to support this critical capability, and the stand up of the second FTU and the subsequent FTU consolidation at Holloman will put the Air Force on a sustainable UAS flight path.”