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Air Force Loses 12 Reaper/Predators, Buys WASPs -- Defense Tech
The Air Force is asking Congress for $216 million in CY 2010 Overseas Contingency Operations funds to purchase 12 MQ-9 Reaper drones to replace Predators that have been lost in combat.
That seems like an awful lot of Predator/Reapers falling out of the sky for either mechanical or hostile fire reasons, and I’d be interested for DT readers to help track down the incidents if they’ve been reported. The loss rate brings up an interesting point about the entire idea of UAV use in highly sensitive strikes: better to lose 12 planes that cost about $12 million each (according to USAF budget materials, and that’s excluding support equipment) and are flown from a container outside Las Vegas than to lose almost a squadron of attack pilots and their planes in one year.
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More News On America's Drone Fleet
Pentagon preps attack of drones -- Politico
New Pentagon Budget: Drones in, Manned Aircraft Out -- AOL News
Pentagon increases drone fleet in new budget -- Seattle Times
Pentagon budget calls for more unmanned aircraft -- L.A. Times
Pentagon to Boost Stock of High-Altitude Drones to 800 By 2020 -- Business Week
Pentagon Master Plan: Super-Size My Drone Fleet -- The Danger Room
Helicopter-maker Sikorsky to build pilotless Black Hawk -- The Telegraph
Next in Military Technology: Unmanned Black Hawk? -- ABC News
Admiral: UAVs, Other Unmanned Systems Crucial to Navy’s Future -- Government Video
Air Force’s Zombie Bomber, Back from the Grave -- The Danger Room
Taking Stock of the Drone Surge -- CBS News
Biggest drone strike kills 31 Taliban fighters in Waziristan -- Express India
Surge in drone strikes after attack on CIA base -- DAWN
CIA likely to double drone strikes after Pak's 'no new offensive' snub -- One India
CIA steps up Pakistan drone attacks -- UPI
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