An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed yesterday in eastern Afghanistan, according to Air Forces Central. The crash was not due to hostile fire, AFCENT said in a release. A board is being convened to investigate the incident. This is the first Air Force Predator crash that we are aware of since last August when ashort circuit felled an MQ-1 near Joint Base Balad, Iraq.
Fixing the Air Force’s chronic combat pilot shortage will require more aircraft in the fleet, more flying hours to squadron operations, and retaining more pilots within Reserve components, according to a new paper from AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.