A catastrophic electrical system overload caused the crash of an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle June 2 about two kilometers north of Joint Base Balad, Iraq, Air Combat Command announced Tuesday. The overload, associated with a problem with the aircraft’s No. 2 alternator, caused the aircraft’s primary control module—its brain—to fail, resulting in the mishap, ACC said in a release highlighting the findings of the accident investigation board report. The Predator, valued at $4 million, was assigned to the 432nd Wing at Creech AFB, Nev. It was damaged beyond repair and, accordingly, destroyed for security reasons, ACC said. There were no injuries or damage to other property.
The Pentagon announced new long-term agreements with four defense companies May 13 to develop and produce large numbers of low-cost cruise missiles. And while the effort will focus mostly on the Army to start, it pairs with Air Force efforts to find more affordable munitions.