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The 432d Wing and 432d Air Expeditionary Wing is the first wing totally dedicated to operating the MQ-1B Predator and MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft.

MQ-1B Predator and MQ-9 Reaper employ Remote Split Operations (RSO) in which a forward deployed Launch-Recovery Element (LRE) is responsible for take-off and landing operations in the Area of Responsibility (AOR). Once the aircraft is launched and its systems are functioning, it is handed off to the Ground Control Station (GCS) at Creech AFB where it is controlled via beyond-line-of-sight links for the next 20-22 hours of its mission.

The Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) provides real-time intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and precision attack against fixed and time-sensitive targets.

The RPA community reached the 65th CAP milestone on May 28th 2014 and Reaper achieved the milestone of 1,000,000 flight hours on February 20th 2015.

The new Block 5 MQ-9 Reaper was successfully flown in combat for the first time in support of Operation Inherent Resolve on June 23rd 2017.

The final MQ-1B Predator combat line was flown in an undisclosed AOR by the 15th ATKS during the official MQ-1 sun setting ceremony at Creech AFB on March 9th 2018.

The MQ-1B and MQ-9 reached the 4,000,000 flight hour milestone on March 1st 2019.

Former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (D/CIA) and Secretary of Defense (SecDef) Leon E. Panetta said that drones are the only game in town.

I would like to thank Jimmy Scott for all his assistance during our visit.


Creech AFB, Indian Springs, Nevada on June 25th 2008