The Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is one of the latest and most exciting advances in military technology. These highly advanced remote-controlled aircraft are capable of gathering intelligence, supporting human units, and causing substantial damage to enemy assets without putting any friendly personnel in danger. This budding technology is taking the first steps toward greatly decreasing the multifaceted traumas that result from casualties of war.

Controlled by a flight crew located miles from the heat of action, the medium-altitude, long-range Predator UAV flies much like any other small airplane. The main drive shaft is rotated by a four-cylinder, 101-horsepower engine?the same type of engine commonly found in snowmobiles. The drive shaft turns a two-blade, variable-pitch pusher propeller, which is mounted on the aft of the plane and provides both drive and lift. The remote pilot controls the altitude of the UAV by varying the pitch of the propeller. Additional lift is provided by an approximately 48-foot wingspan. The UAV can travel at speeds up to 120 knots (135 mph), and can climb to 25,000 feet (7,620 meters). To enable extreme altitudes, the aircraft?s instruments can detect ice. The edges of the wings are dotted with miniscule ?weeping holes? that allow a chemical solution to slowly seep out of internal reserves and keep ice from forming on the wings. Steering is facilitated by a single rudder located beneath the propeller, and in-flight stability is enhanced by an ?inverted-V? tail and a slender fuselage. Most of the aircraft?s mechanical components are nothing out of the ordinary. A standard 3-kilowatt alternator is supplemented by auxiliary battery power to run the electronics. Two fuel tanks are easily filled through run-of-the-mill gas caps, and combine to hold about 600 pounds of 100-octane aircraft fuel. Conventional automotive antifreeze keeps the engine cool and standard motor oil provides lubrication.

To start the aircraft, a power cord is attached to a special connector on the outside of the body, and ignition is induced by the press of a button. To shut the UAV down, an operator simply needs to flip a kill switch located on the side of the aircraft. The Predator?s simple design coupled with a few high-tech components enable a wide range of functions. Operational gadgets include advanced radar mechanisms, GPS, an inertial navigation system, satellite communication technology, video cameras and a video encoder. Most frequently, the Predator takes on the covert identity of a spy. This configuration of the UAV is known as the RQ-1 Predator. The letter ?R? is used by the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to indicate that a vehicle is configured for use in Reconnaissance missions. The letter ?Q? is present in the title of any UAV, as it is used to identify an unmanned vehicle (or automated weapons system).

Large fuel tanks in conjunction with a light airframe allow for highly efficient fuel usage, enabling the RQ-1 Predator to stay aloft monitoring enemy movement for up to 24 hours and travel to a range of 400 nautical miles. The RQ-1 employs some of the most sophisticated recon equipment available. A full color camera in the Predator?s nose is used primarily for remote navigation. Additional sensory devices?including an infrared camera for night vision and radar for seeing through clouds and smoke?act as the spy?s eyes. The sensory equipment sends real-time images of enemy equipment and activity, providing an immense amount of intelligence prior to the arrival of any human allies. Deployment decisions can be made with previously impossible precision and confidence.

In military assaults, one side attempts to inflict as much damage as possible to enemy assets while minimizing the risk of their own combatants. The Predator UAV provides an unprecedented means to satisfy this goal. Highly accurate attacks can be carried out without sending any form of life near the engagement. To transform the Predator from a reconnaissance specialist to a lethal warrior, the aircraft is equipped with two Hellfire missiles, and the array of cameras is replaced by a Multispectral Targeting System (MTS). Because the UAV is equipped with a camera (primarily for navigation) and therefore still capable of recon and surveillance, it is considered a multifunctional aircraft. Hence, it dubbed the Predator UAV MQ-1 Hunter Killer, where the ?M? identifies the aircraft as a Multipurpose vehicle.

The MTS?comprising a Hellfire missile targeting system, optical infrared system, laser designator and laser illuminator?gives the Predator multiple methods for acquiring targets. Using the laser devices, the Predator can land a pulsing laser beam on a target to attract laser seekers positioned at the front of each Hellfire missile. An onboard computer also uses the laser to calculate trajectory and distance. Additional sensors in the MTS package measure other parameters, such as direction and wind speed. All of this data can be consolidated in order to calculate the most appropriate firing solution. The process of collecting this information is known as ?painting the target.? Once painted, the Predator can either engage the target or send the data to other ally forces to finish the job.

The 11th and 15th Reconnaissance Squadrons at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field currently oversee all Predator operations. The battlefield effectiveness of this deadly automated combatant has been thoroughly tested, flying solo, alongside manned aircraft, and as air support to ground forces in recent conflicts including Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Bosnia and Kosovo. On February 7, 2002, the CIA sent an MQ-1 Predator to destroy a convoy of vehicles transporting suspected al Qaeda terrorists. Nine months later, a Predator launched a Hellfire missile into a vehicle in Yemen, killing the al Qaeda leader thought to be responsible for the bombing of the USS Cole.

An operational Predator system consists of much more than a single UAV. A system includes four fully equipped UAVs, a primary satellite link communication suite, and a Ground Control Station (GCS) from which the pilots and sensor operators work. A typical flight support crew can bring the personnel count to 80 or more.To expedite transportation of the system, each aircraft breaks down into six parts: fuselage, wings, tail piece, landing gear, propulsion system and cargo bays. The GCS has wheels that allow it to be rolled onto a transport vehicle, and the satellite dish and support equipment can be broken down into manageable components. The entire system can be transported in the cargo hold of a C-141 Starlifter or a C-130 Hercules.

The Predators are not the first line of UAV to be developed and deployed by the U.S. military, nor will they be the last. New variations on the Predator are expanding its utility to include atmospheric data processing and other scientific research functionality. According to the DoD?s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Planning Task Force, other important developments for the foreseeable future range from larger and more powerful UAVs to tiny robotic spies. With every new unmanned technology comes a new layer of security for warm-blooded warriors, enabling them to increasingly demonstrate their courageous devotion to their homeland from the safety of friendly soil.