US Air Force Drone Fleet Fizzles

US Air Force Drone Fleet Fizzles

An internal memo from the U.S. Air Force has surfaced, stating that the military branch’s fleet of drones is being strained as they have enough MQ-1 Predators and MQ-9 Reapers, they just don’t have the manpower to operate these machines. Of course, this “breaking point” as the memo identifies it, is happening at the exact time these unmanned aircraft are most needed…to fight ISIS.

This situation is so dire that the Air Combat Command (ACC), the group responsible for training and equipping combat forces, is balking at the Pentagon’s demand for 65 drone combat patrols as early as April 2015.

As ACC commander Gen. Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle puts it, “I am extremely concerned.”

The Air Force wants a crew ratio of 10:1 for each drone orbit during normal, everyday operations, but at present, ACC squadrons are operating at less than an 8:1 ratio.

“This directly violates our red line for RPA [remotely pilot aircraft] manning and combat operations,” said Carlisle.

This overwhelming demand has also forced the Air Force to overwork their drone crews, cancel their leaves and have damaged their careers because they were not able to attend required military education courses.

The result? The Air Force is losing drone operators. Currently, there are about seven pilots for every eight drone pilot slots.

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.