The Air Force says its MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle fleet has amassed more than 250,000 flying hours. A Predator flying from UAV-central at Creech AFB, Nev. blew past the quarter-mil mark on June 22. The much-in-demand UAV began its operational career flying reconnaissance missions over the Balkans in the mid-1990s and graduated to a weapons-carrier for use in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Air Force says Predators are airborne in Southwest Asia 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
The Air Force is renaming its traditional aviation bonus program in 2024 and continuing a new, experimental second program, ordered by Congress, aimed at getting aviators to extend their commitment sooner and for longer. While the programs can’t be doubled-up, aviators may be able to move from one to the…