An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle sustained damage at 10:15 a.m. on Nov. 20 in southern Afghanistan, according to an Air Force release that day that offered no further specifics. And, on Nov. 21, another release stated that the landing gear of an MQ-1 collapsed around 6:45 a.m. on Nov. 21 in Iraq. The Air Force plans to investigate each incident further.
The Air Force is launching an effort to develop a new stand-off missile with a range of 1,000 nautical miles, or 1,150 miles, that would eventually be used for both air-to-air and air-to-surface missions.