Air Forces Central reported Dec. 4 that an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle had crashed on the runway at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, about 7:30 a.m., Baghdad time. The release said the extent of the damage was unknown and made no mention of collateral damage or injury. The Air Force will conduct an accident investigation.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…
