An Air Force MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday during operations in Iraq. The UAV was based with the 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron at Balad Air Base and was piloted from Creech AFB, Nev. Airmen and soldiers recovered the wreckage shortly after the crash and returned it to Balad. According to Central Command Air Forces, an interim safety investigation board president has been appointed and will conduct an investigation.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.

