Creech Air Force Base in Nevada is now home to USAF’s first unmanned aerial vehicle wing—the reactivated 432nd Wing. The new wing’s first commander, Col. Christopher Chambliss, called the event a “monumental day for the Air Force,” adding that it’s “equally critical to the Air Force’s most important customers, the American warfighters.” He noted that the standup was the result of about four years planning. The wing comprises six operational squadrons and one maintenance squadron and, so far, has six MQ-9 Reapers and 60 MQ-1 Predators.
The Pentagon is considering ditching the Air Force’s plan to buy the E-7 Wedgetail as it looks to outsource the airborne target-tracking mission to space, defense officials indicated this week.