The Air Force has activated a new unmanned aerial vehicle unit, Det. 4 of the 53rd Test Management Group. The detachment, located at Creech AFB, Nev., comprises some 10 airmen—program managers, flight test analysts, and engineers—whose job is to manage operational test and evaluation of the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper UAVs. The 53rd TMG resides at Eglin AFB, Fla.
Lockheed Martin projects more than a billion dollars of losses on a classified program, but company officials said April 23 they are confident it will turn profitable by 2028 and become a "franchise" system in the U.S. military.