Saturday, June 04, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Air Force to add spy plane squadron

Addition will be fourth unit based at Indian Springs

A remotely piloted Predator spy plane approaches for landing Friday at the Air Force's sun-baked airfield in Indian Springs, 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The Pentagon wants to add a fourth squadron at Indian Springs, home to Predators assigned to Nellis Air Force Base. Photo by John Locher.

WASHINGTON -- Air Force leaders announced plans Friday to base a fourth squadron of remotely piloted Predator spy planes at Indian Springs to help meet the military's growing need for the unmanned aircraft.

The planes from Nellis Air Force Base, which can be controlled via satellite links from ground stations thousands of miles away, have played key roles in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the first arrangement of its kind, the newest Predator fleet will be under the command of Air Force Special Operations based at Hurlburt Field, Fla., while the pilots will be stationed at the Indian Springs auxiliary airfield, about 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

The Air Force Reserve also will be involved in the Predator expansion program, according to Air Force officials.

"It will be a part of special operations, which has a worldwide mission," said Lt. Gen. Steve Wood, Air Force deputy chief of staff of plans and programs. "They'll do whatever their commanders need them to do."

The Indian Springs addition comes as part of an Air Force transformation, which includes outfitting 11 more Predator fleets around the country, Wood said during a briefing at the Pentagon.

The new units will include two versions of the 27-foot-long spy plane. The MQ-1 fires laser-guided Hellfire missiles and can strike targets more than five miles away. The newer MQ-9s, which still are under development, are expected to have larger engines, more weapons and be able to fly twice as high at twice the speed.

Air Force officials could not say when the new fleets would be deployed.

"We don't have a time frame, but we see the requirements out there with the commandants overseas that they need that capability," said Wood, referring to the hundreds of Predator sorties over Afghanistan and Iraq since 2001.

A high-ranking Air Force Reserve official said an estimated 55 reservists are ready to move to Indian Springs next year.

A Nellis spokesman said base officials don't know what the new squadron will be named. The base's Indian Springs airfield is home to the 11th, 15th and 17th reconnaissance squadrons.

"We understand the Predator program is going to grow. We just don't know specifically how much it will grow and what ways it will grow, but people are prepared for the growth and ready for it to happen," said the spokesman, 1st Lt. Dan Dubois.

The Air Force has 57 Predators in its inventory, all based out of Nellis. Most of the planes are deployed on overseas missions, Dubois said.

The 11th Reconnaissance Squadron consists of instructor pilots, sensor operators and support personnel. The squadron trains air crews in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

The 15th Reconnaissance Squadron is made up of armed Predators for theater deployment to conduct long-endurance, real-time reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition, according to an Air Force fact sheet.

The 17th Reconnaissance Squadron focuses on providing special capabilities and tactics to soldiers, special forces "and other government agencies for worldwide operations," the fact sheet states.

Last year, an official at Air Combat Command headquarters at Langley Air Force Base, Va., projected the size of the expanded Predator force will be 1,377 military personnel with another 13 civilians and 180 contract workers. He said the number of Predators will be 54 MQ-1s and 46 MQ-9s.

In addition to the fourth squadron at Indian Springs, Air Force leaders disclosed Friday that two North Dakota bases -- the Air National Guard base at Hector Field in Fargo and Grand Forks Air Force Base -- will share a 12-system Predator unit.

Those Predators will replace the F-16s and KC-135 aircraft recommended for retirement by the Pentagon in the upcoming base closure round.

"Their aircraft are gone, but their organizations are not gone," said Brig. Gen. Charles Ickes, deputy director of the Air National Guard.

In December, Air Force leaders said Predator units are planned for bases in Texas, Arizona and New York.