Editorial: UAV career long needed

[unhappycamper]

Editorial: UAV career long needed

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is pressuring the Air Force to get more Predators into the skies above Iraq, and the service is struggling to do just that.

Critics have accused the service of moving too slowly to get more drones into the battlespace, where they provide needed intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

In the service’s defense, the 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review called for the ability to fly 21 air combat patrols — “orbits” above potential military targets — by 2010, and the service is currently flying 24 orbits over Iraq and Afghanistan. But that increase is largely because of Gates. In fact, the commanders of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command say 30 orbits over Iraq are needed.

Problem is — there just aren’t enough Predator pilots.

Plucked from other airframes, pilots originally received two-year assignments to fly Predators, but that has since been bumped up to three years. Now, some of these pilots tours’ have been extended up to five years. Others who have completed three-year assignments are being called back.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/community/opinion/airforce_editorial_uav_040708/