An Air Force MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed Aug. 1 at about 10:45 a.m. (local time) just north of Joint Base Balad in Iraq, according to an Aug. 1 release. There was no indication as to what caused the accident, but the service said a board would investigate. Another Predator crashed on June 2 in Iraq; word on the cause of that crash is still pending.
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.

