An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed Nov. 2 in southern Afghanistan, the Air Force said in a release. The service said it intends to convene an accident investigation board to determine the cause of the mishap. Before this accident, the Air Force had lost a total of 39 armed MQ-1 and unarmed RQ-1 Predators in missions supporting operations in Afghanistan and Iraq since 9/11.
A recent Air Force contract to buy up to $50 million worth of small drones from Anduril Industries may soon allow the service’s special operations command to transform its MQ-9 Reapers into drone-launching motherships.




