Maintainers from the 163d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron prep an MQ-1 Predator for launch during on-the-job maintenance training at Southern California Logistics Airport.
Members of the 147th Reconnaissance Wing Maintenance Group open the crate holding an MQ-1 Predator at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base in Houston, Aug. 18, 2009. The wing is transitioning from the F-16 to the More
Col. Julian Cheater, 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing commander and Chief Master Sgt. Jeffrey Taylor, 432nd WG/432nd AEW interim command chief accept the April Las Vegas Citizen of the Month award on beh More
The men and women of Creech Air Force Base were recognized as the April Citizens of the Month at the Las Vegas City Hall, April, 4, 2018. Approximately 3,500 Creech members call Las Vegas home and make an impac More
The MQ-1 Predator assigned to the 163rd Reconnaissance Wing is in flight over the Southern California Logistics Airport, formerly George Air Force Base, in Victorville, Calif., Jan. 7, 2012. (U.S. Air Force Pho More
Airmen 1st Class Christopher Frantz and Joshua Bisek, 849th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chiefs, speak to the public about the capabilities of the MQ-1B Predator at the New Mexico Centennial Air Tour in R More
Col. Mark Hoehn, 49th Operations Group commander, poses in front of an F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter jet static display March 18 at Heritage Park, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. On March 19, 2003, Hoehn and th More
A U.S. Air Force Staff Sargeant, a joint terminal attack controller, is interviewed by Martha Raddatz, ABC News chief global affairs correspondent, about Operation Inherent Resolve, at an undisclosed location i More
Tech. Sgt. Tonie Marshall, 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron unit training manager, gives the opening remarks during the 49th AMXS Change of Command at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. June 9, 2015. During the Ch More
The 49th Maintenance Group squadrons present arms during the singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" during the group's change of command at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., July 17, 2015. During this ceremony, Col More
Members of the 147th Reconnaissance Wing load a Ground Control station (GCS) onto a C-17 Globmaster Aug. 26, 2015, at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Houston. The 147th Reconnaissance Wing is deploying to L More
An MQ-1 Predator sits on display at the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo, N.M., during the 68th Air Force Ball on Sept. 25. This year’s Air Force Ball honored the 68 years the United States Air More
Airman Ryan, a 6th Reconnaissance Squadron student sensor operator, practices tactical operations during an MQ-1 simulator mission. Ryan will train to a variety of missions including intelligence, surveillance More
An MQ-9 Reaper sits on the flight line prior to takeoff at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Oct. 13, 2015. The MQ-9 Reaper is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft tha More
An MQ-1B Predator from the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron Detachment 1 sits in a hanger at Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan, Feb. 3, 2016. The MQ-1B is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long- More
An MQ-9 Reaper sits on the flight line Nov. 16, 2016, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. The MQ-9 provides persistent attack and reconnaissance capabilities for combatant commanders and coalition forces involved in More
Senior Airman Than, 42nd Attack Squadron MQ-9 sensor operator flies a simulated training mission Nov. 28, 2016, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. The position of sensor operator is one of two jobs in the Air Force More
An MQ-1 Predator flies a training mission Dec. 12, 2016, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. An MQ-1 aircrew destroyed a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device heading toward approximately 850 friendlies. (U.S. A More
An MQ-1 Predator flies overhead during a training mission Dec. 12, 2016, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. The MQ-1 and the MQ-9 Reaper, help operators provide unique and unmatched situational awareness on the bat More
Senior Airman Devon Guillory, a 49th Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance technician, adjusts the temperature on a hot bonder, Dec. 14, 2016, at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. The hot bonder adju More
A Remotely Piloted Aircraft pilot flies a training mission during Top Knife, Feb. 9, 2017 at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. During Top Knife, flight surgeons, physiologists, psychologists and chaplains from acro More
In 2016, 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing MQ-1B Predator and MQ-9 Reaper aircrews assisted coalition partners in the reclamation of Manbij, Syria, from Islamic State of Iraq and Syria forces. Pilots and More
An MQ-1 Predator taxies under water from a fire hose during its final flight Feb. 27, 2017 at Holloman Air Force N.M. The MQ-1 Predator has provided many years of service and is being phased out of service as t More
Tech. Sgt. Christopher, 91st Attack Squadron MQ-9 Reaper sensor operator, is a reservist working with active duty and Air National Guard Airmen to enable MQ-9 airpower downrange in support of various mission se More
Lt. Gen. Mark Kelly, 12th Air Force commander, Col. Case Cunningham, outgoing 432nd Wing commander and Col. Julian Cheater, incoming 432nd Wing commander, salute during the singing of the national anthem at the More
Maj. Richard, 432nd Wing MQ-1 Predator pilot, watches the Predator fly over a C-5M Supergalaxy while reminiscing how about how he became a U.S. Air Force pilot. As a seven-year-old boy, Richard fell in love wit More
An MQ-9 Reaper flies a training mission Oct. 18, 2017, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. MQ-9 and MQ-1 Predator aircrews helped liberate Raqqah, Syria, from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s control in early O More
An MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing sits on the flightline as the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly overhead at the 2017 Aviation Nation Air and space Expo, Nov. 11, 2017, at Ne More
Senior Airman Nathan and Airman 1st Class Chase, avionics specialists assigned to the 432nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron remove an antenna during the MQ-1 Predator demilitarization process Nov. 30, 2017, at Cr More
Gen. Mike Holmes, commander of Air Combat Command, Mrs. Joanna Doolittle Hoppes, granddaughter of General James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle, Col. Julian Cheater, commander of 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing, L More
An MQ-9 Reaper flies a training mission, Feb. 14, 2018, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. Airmen of the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing are transitioning to support an all MQ-9 force by the end of 2018. (U More
Members of the Remotely Piloted Aircraft community retired the MQ-1 Predator March, 9, 2018, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. For more than 20 years, MQ-1 aircrew provided intelligence, survaillance, reconnaissan More
Weapons load crews from both the Reaper and Tiger Aircraft Maintenance Units assigned to the 432nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron competed in a load crew of the Quarter competition April 6, 2018, at Creech Air F More
A bow made from "remove before flight" ribbons hangs on a ceremonial wire at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, July 29, 2019. When the Tiger Aircraft Maintenance Unit support section closed in October, they merged More
A U.S. Air Force MQ-1 Predator outside the Air National Guard Paint Facility at the 185th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City, Iowa on April 21, 2020. The remotely piloted aircraft has been painted at the western More
An F-117 Nighthawk flies over the Nevada desert. The unique design of the single-seat F-117 provides exceptional combat capabilities. The fighter can employ a variety of weapons and is equipped with sophisticat More
Maj. Kevin Gambold monitors and pilots an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle while being marshaled in after a mission Jan. 10. Gambold is an officer of the Royal Air Force which through a military personnel More
Several remotely piloted aircrafts rest in a clamshell at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, July 31, 2011. The 62nd ERS flies both MQ-1 Predators and MQ-9 Reapers.
A sign is displayed outside the Las Vegas City Hall to recognize the Airmen of Creech Air Force Base as April’s citizens of the month, April 4, 2018. The men and women of Creech were nominated for their dedicat More
An MQ-1B Predator from the 414th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron sits on the flightline Feb. 14, 2012, at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. Reactivated Nov. 23, 2011, the 414th ERS dates back to World War II whe More
Airmen from the 849th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron prepare a forklift to remove the top of a carrying case, also known as a casket, for a MQ-1B Predator during the New Mexico Centennial Air Tour in Roswell, N. More
Airman 1st Class Allan Polzin of the 163d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, conducts pre-flight checks on the MQ-1 Predator while in communication with the pilots prior to a training flight at Southern California More
Martha Raddatz, ABC News chief global affairs correspondent, films a news story about Remotely Piloted Aircraft and their role in Operation Inherent Resolve during a visit to an undisclosed location in Southwes More
The Holloman Air Force Base Steel Talons Honor Guard presents the colors at the 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Change of Command at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. June 9, 2015. During the Change of Command, More
Col. Robert Kiebler, 49th Wing commander, presents Col. Michael Shea, the outgoing 49th Maintenance Group commander, with the Legion of Merit Medal at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., July 17, 2015. Kiebler was t More
A member of the 147th Reconnaissance Wing secures a Ground Control station (GCS) in a C-17 Globmaster Aug. 26, 2015, at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Houston. The 147th Reconnaissance Wing is deploying to More
A 147th Reconnaissance Wing, Texas Air National Guard, MQ-1 Predator flies in Latvian airspace Sept. 1, 2015, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. The flight marked the first launch and recover of a large-scale remot More
Student pilots from the 6th Reconnaissance Squadron practice Hellfire operations during an MQ-1 super sortie simulator mission. Super sortie missions allow two student crews to be trained simultaneously. Hollom More
Senior Airman Daniel Hawley, an MQ-9 Reaper crew chief with the 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, checks an electronic technical order prior to performing a pre-flight inspection at Holloman Air Force Base, N More
An MQ-1B Predator from the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron Detachment 1 sits on a ramp at Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan, Feb. 3, 2016. The MQ-1B is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-en More
Senior Airman Than, 42nd Attack Squadron MQ-9 sensor operator, poses for a photo Nov. 28, 2016 at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. As a sensor operator Than is responsible for operating the Multi-Spectral Targeting More
Senior Airman Devon Guillory and Tech. Sgt. Adam Hayes, 49th Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance technicians, analyze readings on a hot bonder, Dec. 14, 2016, at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. T More
An MQ-1 Predator parks after its final flight Feb. 27, 2017 at Holloman Air Force N.M. The MQ-1 Predator is a multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft that is employed primarily More
Lt. Gen. Mark Kelly, 12th Air Force commander, presides over the 432nd Wing change of command ceremony July 6, 2017, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. During the event, the general bid farewell to Col. Case Cunnin More
Maj. Richard, 432nd Wing MQ-1 Predator pilot, hugs his cousin July 15, 2017, at the Lethbridge International Airshow in Alberta, Canada. Richard grew up with his cousin in Lethbridge for 15 years hasn't seen he More
An MQ-9 Reaper flies a training mission Oct. 18, 2017, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. Combat remotely piloted aircraft such as the MQ-9 and MQ-1 Predator were heavily integrated during combat operations to libe More
Airman 1st Class Chase, 432nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron avionics specialist works on an MQ-1 Predator during its demilitarization Nov. 30, 2017, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. As a standard practice, Airmen More
Ms. Jonna Doolitte Hoppes, executive director of the Doolittle Foundation and granddaughter of Gen. James "Jimmy" Doolittle, lifts the nose of an MQ-1 Predator Jan. 18, 2018, during a visit to Creech Air Force More
An MQ-9 Reaper flies a training mission, Feb. 14, 2018, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. Airmen were able to seamlessly transition between platforms, which prevented a loss of MQ-9 capabilities for combatant comm More
Senior Airmen Tyler and Jordan, 432nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron support technicians, review a checklist at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, July 29, 2019. Creech maintenance Airmen are trained to ensure tools More
A 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron MQ-1 Predator rests in a clamshell at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, July 31, 2011. The 62nd ERS flies both Predators and MQ-9 Reapers.
Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman, talks about the accomplishments of Creech Air Force Base Airmen at the Las Vegas City Hall during a Citizen of the Month presentation, April 4, 2018. The men and women of Creech More
Airmen from the 849th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron place the body of a MQ-1B Predator into a casket during the New Mexico Centennial Air Tour in Roswell, N.M., Sept. 29. The Predator is a 1,700 pound, multi-fu More
Staff Sgt. Kevin Santiago of the 163d Reconnaissance Wing, 163d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, removes the chalks as the MQ-1 Predator prepares for flight with a simulated hellfire missile during training at So More
Chaplain Capt. Kevin Rash gives the opening prayer at the 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Change of Command at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. June 9, 2015. During the Change of Command, Col. Michael Shea, the More
Col. Michael Shea, the outgoing 49th Maintenance Group commander, passes the unit guidon to Col. Robert Kiebler, 49th Wing commander, during the unit’s change of command ceremony at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M More
Members of the 147th Reconnaissance Wing prepare to load MQ-1B Predators in their storage containers onto a C-17 Globmaster Aug. 27, 2015, at Ellington Field Joint Reserve Base, Houston. The 147th Reconnaissanc More
A 147th Reconnaissance Wing, Texas Air National Guard, sensor operator monitors the sensor of an MQ-1 Predator in Latvian airspace Sept. 1, 2015, at Lielvarde Air Base, Latvia. The flight marked the first launc More
Student sensor operators from the 6th Reconnaissance Squadron practice tactical operations during an MQ-1 super sortie simulator mission. Super sortie missions allow two student crews to be trained simultaneous More
Senior Airman Daniel Hawley, an MQ-9 Reaper crew chief with the 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, performs a pre-flight inspection at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Oct. 13, 2015. Pre-flight inspections ensur More
Two MQ-1B Predators from the 62nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron Detachment 1 sit in a hanger at Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan, Feb. 3, 2016. The MQ-1B is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long More
Senior Airman Devon Guillory and Tech. Sgt. Adam Hayes, 49th Maintenance Squadron aircraft structural maintenance technicians, create a seal on a vacuum repair on a composite structure, Dec. 14, 2016, at Hollom More
Maj. Zachary Garrett, a 49th Medical Group aerospace and operational physiologist, briefs personnel about the stress and sleep hygiene during Top Knife, Feb. 9, 2017 at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. During Top More
Aircrew for the MQ-1 Predator are sprayed down with water and champagne after the MQ-1’s final flight Feb. 27, 2017 at Holloman Air Force N.M. The MQ-1 Predator has provided many years of service and is being p More
Col. Julian Cheater assumes command of the 432nd Wing from Lt. Gen. Mark Kelly, 12 Air Force commander July 6, 2017, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. Going forward, Col. Cheater’s priorities are: winning today’s More
Maj. Richard, 432nd Wing MQ-1 Predator pilot, hugs his uncle July 15, 2017, at the Lethbridge International Airshow in Alberta, Canada. Richard had the opportunity to visit family and friends while displaying t More
Airman 1st Class Chase, 432nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron avionics specialist installs the Multi-Spectral Targeting System trailing fairing during the demilitarization process of an MQ-1 Predator Nov. 30, 201 More
Ms. Jonna Doolittle Hoppes, executive director of the Doolittle Foundation and granddaughter of Gen. James “Jimmy” Doolittle, speaks to Maj. Matthew, 432nd Wing pilot, Jan. 18, 2018, at Creech Air Force Base, N More
Airmen assigned to the 432nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron performed post-flight checks on an MQ-1 Predator, Feb. 16, 2018, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. Aircrew flew one of its last local sorties before the o More
An MQ-1 Predator taxis on the runway March 9, 2018, at Creech Air Force Base, Nev. Today, the MQ-1 took flight for the last time at Creech, marking its retirement and the transition to an all MQ-9 Reaper force. More
Senior Airman Tyler, 432nd Maintenance Squadron support technician, moves a rolling shelf at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, July 29, 2019. The Tiger Aircraft Maintenance Unit installed rolling shelves to allow More
Several MQ-1B Predators rest in a clamshell at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, July 31, 2011. The 62nd ERS flies both Predators and MQ-9 Reapers.