Air Combat Command announced Monday that operator error caused the loss of an MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft flying out of Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, on Oct. 3, 2009. ACC’s accident investigation board determined that “channelized attention”—the lack of comprehensive situational awareness—by two Predator operators during the handover of the aircraft’s control between the pilot in the war theater and the pilot back in the US led to the MQ-1 crashing in rugged Afghan mountainous terrain and being destroyed on impact. The Predator was carrying one Hellfire missile. The total loss is valued at approximately $3.8 million, according to ACC. (Langley release) (AIB executive summary)
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
