An MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft crashed in southeastern Iraq on Monday during a combat air patrol, announced Air Forces Central Command. The incident was “not due to enemy fire” states AFCENT’s release. Controllers lost “positive control” of the RPA during a sortie supporting anti-ISIS operations, and the aircraft impacted the ground at approximately 8:30 a.m. local time on June 22, without injuring civilians or damaging property, said AFCENT officials. The command will investigate the crash to determine the cause. Syrian government forces reportedly brought down an MQ-1 in Syrian airspace back in March. It was reportedly the first MQ-1 lost during anti-ISIS operations.
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.