Posted on 01/22/2008 4:37:53 PM PST by SandRat
1/22/2008 - ALI BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- Taking center stage in helping win the war on terrorism in Iraq are unmanned aerial vehicles such as the MQ-1 Predator.
Although the plane is small compared to the F-16 Fighting Falcon, it packs a punch with its vigilant purpose and silent victories.
Since October 2007, the 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron's two-man crews have successfully flown more than 300 sorties, helping to put a foothold on terrorist activities in Iraq.
"We have made some close liaisons with the Army here on base and have helped them in a few very successful operations recently," said Maj. Keven Gambold, 361st ERS commander and Royal Air Force exchange officer deployed from the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech Air Force Base, Nev.
The Predator cockpit never leaves the ground but has many of the same features as an airborne one. The cockpit is called a ground control station and houses the pilots, sensor operators and equipment necessary to control the aircraft remotely.
The remotely piloted Predator can cruise between 80 and 100 mph, the medium-altitude, long-endurance plane can hover for nearly a day collecting data.
The 361st ERS is looked at as the launch and recovery crew, but they also accomplish base-defense missions by looking for indirect fire and conducting convoy overwatch.
"After take-off we check out the laser and other aircraft systems then coordinate with the U.S. chaps (Airmen at Creech AFB) to 'grab' the plane from us when it's at the right height and going the right way for them," said Major Gambold.
"In order for the Air Force to have the capability to remotely fly aircraft from the other side of the planet, first they need to have them safely in the air, which is our primary mission here," said Staff Sgt. Lance Nettrouer, 361st ERS sensor operator.
"But we also provide short notice, time sensitive ISR and strike capability to our counterparts," said Sergeant Nettrouer who is also deployed from the 15th RS.
The Predator provides live video, still photographs, and radar imagery in all weather conditions, day or night. Using satellite data links, the information gathered by a Predator can be shared instantaneously with commanders around the world. The aircraft can also employ two laser-guided Hellfire anti-tank missiles.
I wonder if they have ever overflown the Iran border, at night. At altitude, the infra-red cameras could cover quite a bit of territory, it would seem to me.
Also, with a low ceiling, how effective are their sensors? Can their FLIR penetrate cloud cover? I assume their small aperture radar can detect vehicles through clouds, but what about individuals?
http://science.howstuffworks.com/predator.htm
http://www.sandia.gov/radar/whatis.html
http://science.howstuffworks.com/predator.htm
I can tell you that when I was at Tallil (Ali Air Base) those things would once in a while fly over on their way back to the barn.
We would be out in the sticks and those things were always nearby.
Does a nice job .................. FRegards
My son was up by Kirkuk for 15 months. He probably saw a few of them also. They are certainly very pretty and, no douby, very effective.
OK, probably not for security reasons, but the point is, he's alive and not in a sticky situation.
Depends on the model. See info on General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper [AKA Predator II here. USAF Factsheet *here*.
As for crashes:
BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials announced an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed at approximately 1:30 p.m. local time Dec. 17 near Al Muqdadiya in Iraq.Ceiling? About 50,000 feet.
The aircraft is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft.
The Predator's primary mission is conducting armed reconnaissance.
A board of Air Force officials will convene to investigate the incident.
--- ends ---
Also, with a low ceiling, how effective are their sensors? Can their FLIR penetrate cloud cover? I assume their small aperture radar can detect vehicles through clouds, but what about individuals?
Not just FLIR, but also the AN-APY-8 LYNX synthetic aperature radar, with a range of about 15 mi. even through clouds and rain- and nicely compatable with the look-down radars aboard the growing fleet of Northrop-Grumman J-STARS 707-300 Surveillance and EW aircraft.
The story may be exaggerated, but I'm informed that on one military training exercise last year, UAV imaging was good enough that the operators were reading off nametapes of troops on the ground. I doubt that was through clouds, and unknown what the UAV type was, but I suspect one of these.
It's already happened several times, back during the USAF Balkan operations from July to November 1995 under the name Nomad Vigil. One aircraft (serial 95-3017) was lost on April 18, 1999, following fuel system problems and icing.
A second aircraft (serial 95-3019) was lost on May 13, when it was shot down by a Serbian Strela-1M surface-to-air missile over the village of Biba. A Serbian TV crew videotaped this incident.
A third aircraft (serial number 95-3021) crashed on May 20 near the town of Talinovci, and Serbian news reported that this, too, was the result of anti-aircraft fire.
In Iraq, on 23 December 2002 a Predator performing reconnaissance over the no fly zone was shot down by an Iraqi MiG-25 after the Predator fired a missile at it. This was the first time in history an aircraft and an unmanned drone had engaged in combat. Predators had been armed with AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles, and were being used to "bait" Iraqi fighter planes, then run. In this incident, the Predator didn't run, but instead fired one of the Stingers. The Stinger's heat-seeker became "distracted" by the MiG's missile and so missed the MiG, and the Predator was destroyed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
