An MQ-9 Reaper crashed at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, on Feb. 20, but the Air Force said it was not downed by hostile fire. The Reaper, assigned to the 451st Air Expeditionary Group, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, crashed about 9 p.m. Afghanistan time and was contained on the airfield. No injuries or damage to civilian property was reported. USAF is investigating what caused the crash. A Reaper assigned to the same unit crashed near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, in November 2015. That crash also was caused by something other than enemy fire.
The six-week government shutdown did not affect the hours flown by Air Force pilots, a service spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine—avoiding what could have been a major blow at a time when flying hours are already lower than they have been in decades.
