News>Air Force Predators take out insurgents and weapons
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The primary mission of the MQ-1 Predator is interdiction and conducting armed reconnaissance against critical, perishable targets. When the MQ-1 is not actively pursuing its primary mission, it provides reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of the Joint Forces commander. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson)
5/1/2008 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- Air Force unmanned aerial vehicles continued to play a key role in supporting ground troops fighting the war on terrorism in Iraq.
An MQ-1B Predator located a vehicle with loaded weapons in Sadr City in northeastern Baghdad April 26 and directed a Hellfire missile against the target.
The Predator was conducting a reconnaissance patrol when it located a group of individuals loading weapons into the trunk of a car. The Predator then followed the car for about 20 minutes when the car stopped. The Predator crew waited for a collateral damage estimate to ensure the area was cleared of innocent bystanders and then fired and destroyed the vehicle.
In Basra, an MQ-1B Predator fired Hellfire missiles against a mortar position and hostile individuals April 11.
The Predator was providing surveillance for ground forces who had been taking fire. During a recon scan, the Predator crew noted a number of individuals congregating on a street and acting suspicious. The Predator tracked these individuals for a couple hours, but was unable to determine their intentions.
Suspicions increased, however, when the individuals were seen hastily working on something in the middle of the street. The Predator detected mortars were being fired from a tube that the group had been preparing and aligning earlier to fire at friendly troops. Once given clearance to engage the target, they fired their air-to-surface missiles and destroyed the launcher and killed a number of hostile individuals.
