Predator crashes at Joint Base Balad Published Dec. 4, 2008 SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- An MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft system crashed at about 7:30 a.m. Baghdad time Dec. 4 on the Joint Base Balad runway. The extent of the damage to the aircraft assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing is unknown at this time. The Predator is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, unmanned aircraft system. Its primary mission is interdiction and conducting armed reconnaissance against critical, perishable targets. A board of officers convened to investigate the incident. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page