A catastrophic electrical failure caused an MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted vehicle to crash in April during a mission over Afghanistan, Air Combat Command officials announced Tuesday. According to the findings of ACC’s accident investigation board, a short circuit most likely caused the failure, which led to the MQ-1 losing contact with its ground control station during the April 20 mission. The aircraft, whose wreckage was recovered the next day, was carrying one Hellfire missile when it went down in eastern Afghanistan. The value of the lost aircraft and its components is approximately $4.6 million, ACC said. (Langley release) (AIB report)
More than 100 B-21s will be needed if the nation is to avoid creating a high demand/low capacity capability, panelists said on a Hudson Institute webinar. The B-21's flexibility, stealth, range and payload will be in high demand for a wide range of missions, both traditional and new.