Predators move to Balad

Air Force Link ^ | March 3, 2004 | Staff Sgt. A.C. Eggman

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Predators move to Balad

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Jeffery Hicks replaces a directional antenna mounting unit on an RQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle before it begins a mission supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sergeant Hicks is a crew chief with the 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. C.E. Lewis)

Download HiRes

	• RQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

by Staff Sgt. A.C. Eggman
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

3/2/2004 - BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- The unit came packed and ready to position themselves autonomously, so they could pursue their prey quietly, unseen for hours.

Arriving ready to set up one of the most impressive unmanned aerial aircraft in the U.S. inventory, the Nevada unit was ready for business within days of their arrival here.

“We are self-sufficient,” said Maj. Russell Lee, 46th ERS commander who is deployed from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

The RQ-1 Predator unit is one of Balad’s newest missions. It moved here from Tallil Air Base, Iraq, and within five days flew its first mission.

The only Predator unit in Iraq has a 55-person crew that includes medics, comptrollers, contractors, and communications, weapons, fuels and aircraft-generation specialists. They bring their own shelters, tents and vehicles.

“We’re not under the air (and space) expeditionary force system,” said Major Lee, who was deployed here to specifically oversee the move. “We keep our assets here and rotate crews out every 90 days. It’s a low density, high-demand asset.”

The Predator is a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle system, containing four air vehicles, a ground-control station and a primary satellite link communication suite.

The sleek 27-foot-long UAV is comparable in wing span to an F-16 Fighting Falcon at 48 feet. Its electrical optical infrared cameras are the heart of the system, said Major Lee. “It is a multitargeting system.”

The cameras allow the aircraft to capture images even through clouds. These abilities give the Predator an advantage over the U-2 and Global Hawk aircraft which are used for strategic reconnaissance.

“We’re tactical,” he said. “We provide real-time information.”

With their four-cylinder engines, the UAV can fly nearly 20 hours from altitudes up to 25,000 feet, providing up-to-the second information to those who need it the most -- soldiers on the ground. Although the Army initially led the Predator program, Pentagon officials chose the Air Force as the lead service in 1995. The Predator has also been deployed supporting air campaigns in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan.

“We work with Army warfighters,” Major Lee explained, “to help with the capture of enemy targets including the capture of Saddam [Hussein].”

The unit provides intelligence gathering, surveillance and strike capability to engage ground targets, he said.

“We do it every day. It is all we do,” said Major Lee. “We literally fly every day. There is always a Predator airborne around the world.”

The unit’s airmen work 12 hour shifts, seven days a week for 90 days.

“If someone gets sick, we have no replacement,” the major said. “The only time off is when we don’t fly, and I’ve never seen that.”

Each crew -- a pilot and a sensor operator or co-pilot -- flies about three times a day. The pilot is a rated pilot. Currently, the unit has two fighter pilots and a bomber pilot to fly the craft. The sensor operators are imagery analysts in the Air Force on flying status.

The crew receives air tasking orders, briefings, and talks to the tower and aircraft just like other flying units.

Major Lee, an F-15E Strike Eagle pilot who has been with the Predator for two years, said it is not an easy system to operate.

“We physically fly the airplane; we just do it sitting on the ground,” Major Lee said. “It’s much more challenging than flying an F-15 because you can’t feel the airplane.”

From a ground-control station, the pilots maneuver the Predator just like any other aircraft. Pilots can comply with headings, altitudes and airspeeds directed by air traffic control, just as if they were in the cockpit.

“The crews must make themselves believe they are flying the aircraft,” he said. “If you become detached and lose focus on what you’re doing, it’s less effective.”

While in the ground station, the two-person crew watches a video monitor that displays images transmitted from the Predator’s nose-mounted camera. All missions are recorded, and information is disseminated to various intelligence units worldwide.

“What we see is unique,” said the major. “We see things most people don’t have a clue that’s going on.”

Although the Predator unit has been flying missions throughout Iraq for quite some time, the major said flying missions from Balad has been challenging.

“This airport is a lot busier than others we’ve worked at,” Major Lee said.

 

===================================================================================================                          Q

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- An RQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle taxis to the runway before it begins a mission supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. C.E. Lewis)  Download Full Image

 

         =================================================================  Q

 

   

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Tracy Jones talks with the pilot of an RQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle before it begins a mission supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sergeant Jones is a crew chief with the 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. C.E. Lewis)  Download Full Image

 

===================== Q

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Arriving ready to set up one of the most impressive unmanned aerial aircraft in the U.S. inventory, the Nevada unit was ready for business within days of their arrival here.

“We are self-sufficient,” said Maj. Russell Lee, 46th ERS commander who is deployed from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

The RQ-1 Predator unit is one of Balad’s newest missions. It moved here from Tallil Air Base, Iraq, and within five days flew its first mission.

The only Predator unit in Iraq has a 55-person crew that includes medics, comptrollers, contractors, and communications, weapons, fuels and aircraft-generation specialists. They bring their own shelters, tents and vehicles.

 

==========================================================================                                Q

 

== 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron ==

                Predator, ping!

[mystery-ak]

I guess you already know about this...LOL

[Tennessee_Bob]

Nice to see my old wing is doing a great job.

[mike1sg]

Yes, they come in and out of here several times a day, they are pretty neat. They circle around here for different periods through the night.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Wave of the future stuff!

I believe they were actually controlling the Predators in Iraq from Nellis prior to moving the people to Iraq.

I surmised that from an article the other day!

Must have been some control issues going thru Satellite links.

[armyboy]

The Preadators are really beat UAVs. The ULIMATE r/c aircraft.

[armyboy]

The Preadators are really neat UAVs. The ULIMATE r/c aircraft.

[McGavin999]

Good, maybe this will help round up the creeps who are causing so much trouble.

[historian1944]

I'm in Balad, too. I hate when they leave that thing just idling or winding up and then back to idle for half the night. Sometimes I want to get out and yell " Just let the damned thing take off all ready!"

[Eagle Eye]

I saw one of these the last time I was in Anaconda. They are sure a lot bigger than I expected.

It's nice to see the choppers patrolling well beyond the fencelines now. Last fall it seemed that the choppers rarely went beyond the fences.

In bound C-130s took fire and sometimes had to fire flares and chaff.

Now the weeds are down, the choppers roam at will, and the lines at the PX are still as long as ever.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

It's nice to see the choppers patrolling well beyond the fencelines now.

Very good news.

Thanks for sharing. (^:

Stay safe, EE.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Posting from Sustainer Army Airfield Balad, Iraq. All Gave Some...Some Gave All

Thank you for your service, armyboy. You may not hear it in the news, but you and your fellow troops have so much support and love from your fellow Americans on the homefront.

Ditto, m-a's Sgt Mike....though I'm sure she tells you this regularly, lol.

[AFPhys]

I wonder why the Predators need medics?

I would think they'd rather have mechanics.

[mystery-ak]

Ok....all three of you are in Balad..Anaconda....you should contact each other, take a pix and post it....three of our heroes in Iraq.

[armyboy]

I'm at Balad also. What unit are you with?

[blackie]

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists and the democrats are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[historian1944]

I'm a contractor in the Stryker Forward Repair Activity (it's the big beige shelter behind DFAC #1.) There are two Strykers sitting next to it. Ask for Tim, I'm in the little white office trailer on the side closest to the DFAC.

[mystery-ak]

Mike1sg and armyboy are with the 106th AVN....look for the Chinooks and you will find them.....Im Mike1sg's wife.

[windchime]

Bump!