The Unmanned

Inside the Air Force's top story today is on the service's losing 96 MQ-1 Predators and MQ-9 Reapers in domestic and overseas operations since 2001. An additional 28 MQ-1s and MQ-9s were destroyed in training or non-combat related exercises in the same time period, according to spokeswoman Jennifer Cassidy. Further:

Addressing the seemingly high rate of MQ-1 and MQ-9 losses, Cassidy said the lifetime mishap rate for remotely piloted aircraft is generally higher than for most manned aircraft, although those rates "compare favorably to the rates seen in those manned aircraft at similar stages in their development and operational use."

In terms of safety, Cassidy said the vast majority of mishaps occur in cleared takeoff or landing zones near airfields or in unpopulated ranges reserved for military training.

Investigations by Air Combat Command have found a number of recent crashes were the result of lost communication signals. In response to that observation, Cassidy pointed to the fact that a so-called "lost link" does not necessarily mean a loss of control.

"RPAs are pre-programmed with mission-specific flight paths in the event that continuous signal is absent," Cassidy said. "Pilots are trained in checklist procedures to re-establish lost links. RPAs also have various fail-safe mechanisms that allow them to loiter or retrace their flight path until links can be re-established.

"This is not a guarantee that lost links will not result in aircraft mishaps, although the presence of pilots in a cockpit does not serve as a guarantee against the risks posed by a potential loss of connectivity with terrestrial and space-based navigation and air traffic control systems, either," she continued. "But pilot procedures and aircraft fail-safes, based upon safety review boards and hundreds of thousands of flying hour data, make the risks associated with lost links manageable for RPAs."

ITAF reported earlier this month that more than one Air National Guard unit has been having difficulty securing enough MQ-9 training spaces for its future pilots and sensor operators, and even when they are trained, those personnel will need to work from existing remotely piloted aircraft control locations to stay current on the weapon system -- at least until the wing's RPA group declares initial operational capability in the third quarter of fiscal year 2016. Further:

The same challenges are faced by the 132nd Fighter Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard, which gave up its squadron of F-16 fighter jets for the MQ-9 mission in accordance with the Air Force's 2013 Total Force Plan, which is separate from the force structure changes the Air Force is proposing to make in fiscal year 2015.

For many existing Guard operators of the legacy MQ-1 Predator, such as the 119th Wing of the North Dakota Air National Guard in Fargo, ND, the planned conversion to the MQ-9 platform is on hold until the new units get established and the backlog for training and equipping clears.

Behind the congested transition is the Air Force's desire to retire the Predator platform and transition to an all-Reaper fleet capable of supporting up to 55 combat air patrols (CAPS), or orbits. At the same time it plans to grow the reserve component's share of the RPA enterprise from 17 to 24 percent, according to Air Force leadership.