An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed approximately two kilometers north of Balad AB, Iraq, on June 2, the Air Force reported June 3. The aircraft went down around 10:40 p.m. local time. An investigation is being launched to determine the cause of the mishap. This is the first reported crash of a Predator since May 2 when an MQ-1 went down in southern Iraq, allegedly due to mechanical failure.
House, Senate Unveil Competing Proposals for 2026 Budget
July 11, 2025
Lawmakers from the House and Senate laid out competing versions of the annual defense policy bill on July 11, with vastly different potential outcomes for some of the Air Force’s most embattled programs.