PREDATOR SPY PLANES: Aircraft in high demand

[NVMojo]

Armed Predator spy planes, in high demand by U.S. battlefield commanders for finding and killing terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan, will be operated remotely later this year by a new squadron at Creech Air Force Base, a base spokesman said.

The 19th Attack Squadron will be composed of crews in ground stations who control Predators that employ weapons such as laser-guided Hellfire missiles.

This squadron of MQ-1 Predators and possibly later the new, bigger, faster, bomb-bearing B models, or MQ-9s, will be activated at Creech in the summer or fall, said 1st Lt. Justin McVay, a spokesman for Nellis Air Force Base operations at Creech.

Creech Air Force Base is Nellis' sister airfield at Indian Springs, 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

In addition, McVay this week acknowledged the existence of a Predator test squadron, the 30th Reconnaissance Squadron at the Tonopah Test Range, about 145 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Its operations are classified, he said.

The 30th, McVay said, was activated in a low-key ceremony in August.


more...

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Mar-04-Sat-2006/news/6183518.html

[buddysmellgood]

1. Great for crashing weddings too!!! Get yours today!!!

[ConcernedCanuk]

2. Key word missing from the headline - "ARMED"

.
.
.

Remotely armed drones circling the globe -

scary

How the heck would anyone know who attacked them?

PNACers wet dream come true

More from the article:

"Remember, we've hung air-to-air missiles on this thing and shot at Iraqi fighters," he said. "We've shot Hellfires off of it. We'll drop bombs off the MQ-9 or B models, all the while it's got lasers on it that you can spot for other things.

"It's got full motion video that you can transmit down to a ground party," said Moseley, noting how the Predator in the span of a decade has gone "from an airplane that we weren't real sure about" to one of if not the most sought after platforms in the global war on terrorism.

"We've got now a whole generation of pilots and sensor operators and maintainers (who) have had this airplane in combat solid from when we deployed it in the summer of '96 in the Balkans," he said. "What an amazing capability."

Predators can be launched at airfields, 7,000 miles away in Southwest Asia and controlled via satellite link through what's called "remote-split operations" in ground stations at Nellis or Creech.
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If you ever see anything like this

RUN

Maybe kiss your ass good-bye on the way . . .

[AwareOne]

3. AHHH, what a great time to be a war profiteer

can't even keep up with demand! Bush and his cronies have emptied our treasury right into the pockets of their country club buddies.

[NVMojo]

5. It's all sick, isn't it? Death for profit but don't let them women abort!!

[NVMojo]

6. It's all sick, isn't it? Death for profit but don't let them women abort!!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. I am so glad to see us involved in such foolishness. I am sure it

will reduce the number of people who despise the U.S. for other equally appalling reasons.

[lovuian]

7. We have gone to Terminators ... robots who don't know or care

who they kill... the worst scenario...

[Robb]

8. Talk about a hoopty

Hanging a missle off a remote control plane. :eyes:

I mean, they're really remarkable aircraft, but geez.

Typical armed forces. Use something that works well outside of its target application, wait for people to get killed (reminder: the Hummer was not intended to be an assault vehicle). :eyes:

[hack89]

10. But there is a man in the loop and all the decisions are made ..

by a pilot. What difference does it make if the pilot is not on the aircraft - he is still using the same sensors and has the same situational awareness.

[newblewtoo]

9. Deal Of The Century

with Chevy Chase was not a particularly good movie but it seems to be coming true....;(