According to ACC chief Keys, the Air Force could not have too many Predator unmanned aerial vehicles. “If you had 1,000 of them, I don’t think you’d have enough,” said Keys. One thing that makes the Predator increasingly important is that it evolved from a purely intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance platform to an ISR plus strike capability, with the addition of Hellfire missiles. Keys believes that pairing UAVs with Guard and Reserve airmen is a perfect match, because so much of the UAV operation could be handled at their home stations.
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.
