The Air Force has lost two MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicles in the space of two days. One crashed upon landing at Balad AB, Iraq, on July 30, and another crashed off base on July 31. There were no injuries or other damage in either case. And, the service says there was no indication of hostile fire. As usual, the Air Force is investigating the incidents.
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
