Ice buildup and a momentary loss of satellite link caused a MQ-1B remotely piloted aircraft to stall and ?then crash in an undisclosed location last September, Air Combat Command investigators found. Just as the operator at Creech AFB, Nev., momentarily lost the link with the RPA on Sept. 24, 2015, the aircraft entered clouds, according to the abbreviated investigation report. The operator tried to reverse direction, but icing and turbulence degraded flight performance, stalling the RPA. Investigators concluded an inaccurate weather forecast, a failure to perform a timely weather scan, and complacency substantially contributed to the mishap. Another aircraft spotted the destroyed RPA, but the wreckage was not recovered. Loss of the RPA cost an estimated $5.2 million. No damage to private property was reported.
Army Building Up New Space Operations Branch
Oct. 15, 2026
The Army has long been dependent on space capabilities to navigate terrain, communicate in hard-to-reach areas, and identify and strike targets. Now, the service wants to deepen its space operations expertise and is making plans to expand its own cadre of operators in the coming years.