The Tenth Air Force ( 10 AF ) is a unit of the U.S. Air Force , specifically a numbered air force of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). 10 AF is headquartered at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base /Carswell Field (formerly Carswell AFB ), Texas.
105-779: The command directs the activities of 14,000 Air Force Reservists and 950 civilians located at 30 military installations throughout the United States. 10 AF is the AFRC numbered air force whose units and aircraft are primarily gained by the Combat Air Forces (CAF), specifically Air Combat Command (ACC), with a smaller number also gained by Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and Air Education and Training Command (AETC). In addition, Tenth Air Force units fly satellites for Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) in support of
210-509: A 6.1-meter (20-ft) satellite dish with associated support equipment. The satellite link provides communications between the GCS and the aircraft when it is beyond line-of-sight and links to networks that disseminate secondary intelligence. The RQ-1A system can operate on a 5,000 by 75 foot (1,524 meters by 23 meters) of hard surface runway with clear line-of-sight to each end from the GCS to the air vehicles. Initially, all components needed to be located on
315-473: A Predator successfully fired three Hellfire AGM-114C missiles into a target. The newly armed Predators were given the designation of MQ-1A. In the first week of June 2001, a Hellfire missile was successfully launched on a replica of bin Laden's Afghanistan Tarnak residence built at a Nevada testing site. A missile launched from a Predator exploded inside one of the replica's rooms; it was concluded that any people in
420-489: A certificate of authorization which will allow the M/RQ-1 and M/RQ-9 aircraft to be used within U.S. civilian airspace to search for survivors of disasters. Requests had been made in 2005 for the aircraft to be used in search and rescue operations following Hurricane Katrina , but because there was no FAA authorization in place at the time, the assets were not used. The Predator's infrared camera with digitally enhanced zoom has
525-652: A decoy to draw fire away from other aircraft. Due to airborne surveillance needs after the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) invaded Iraq , the Predator's retirement was delayed to 2018. MQ-1s will probably be placed in non-recoverable storage at the Boneyard and not sold to allies, although antenna, ground control stations, and other components may be salvaged for continued use on other airframes. General Atomics completed
630-682: A derivative of the GA Gnat 750 . During the ACTD phase, three systems were purchased from GA, comprising twelve aircraft and three ground control stations. From April through May 1995, the Predator ACTD aircraft were flown as a part of the Roving Sands 1995 exercises in the U.S. The exercise operations were successful which led to the decision to deploy the system to the Balkans later in the summer of 1995. During
735-542: A forward location, and consolidates control of the different flights in one location. The improvements in the MQ-1B production version include an ARC-210 radio, an APX-100 IFF/SIF with mode 4, a glycol-weeping "wet wings" de-icing system, upgraded turbo-charged engine, fuel injection, longer wings, dual alternators as well as other improvements. On 18 May 2006, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued
840-647: A nucleus of air force personnel newly arrived from Java and the Philippines, under the command of Maj. Gen. Lewis H. Brereton . It had its headquarters at New Delhi. Components of the air force moved to India over a three-month period from March to May 1942. It was responsible for creating, operating and safeguarding the India-China Ferry, more commonly known as the Hump airlift , between 8 April and 1 December 1942, first with its Assam-Burma-China Command until 16 July, then
945-537: A perceived lessening of the need for continental air defense against attacking Soviet aircraft. ADCOM reassigned the units under the inactivated Tenth Air Force primarily to the 14th, 23d and 24th Air Divisions. Continental Air Command was discontinued on 1 August 1968, and was replaced by Headquarters Air Force Reserve, located at Robins AFB , Georgia. In July 1969, the Fourth Region moved from Randolph AFB to Ellington AFB , near Houston, Texas. On 31 December 1969,
1050-626: A portable hangar in a tent and a wooden taxiway to operate MQ-1s for a six-week period. The first overseas deployment took place in the Balkans , from July to November 1995, under the name Nomad Vigil . Operations were based in Gjader , Albania. Four disassembled Predators were flown into Gjadër airbase in a C-130 Hercules . The UAVs were assembled and flown first by civilian contract personnel. The U.S. deployed more than 70 military intelligence personnel. Intelligence collection missions began in 1995. One of
1155-628: A primary satellite link communication suite. Powered by a Rotax engine and driven by a propeller, the air vehicle can fly up to 400 nmi (460 mi ; 740 km ) to a target, loiter overhead for 14 hours, then return to its base. The MQ-1 Predator was the primary remotely piloted aircraft used for offensive operations by the USAF and the CIA in Afghanistan and the Pakistani tribal areas from 2001 until
SECTION 10
#17328480808551260-579: A recurring theme. Air Combat Command supported the humanitarian efforts of the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE), deploying active duty and air reserve component forces to Provide Promise and Deny Flight in Eastern Europe and Operation Provide Comfort out of Incirlik AB , Turkey. Provide Promise offered humanitarian relief airlift support to the city of Sarajevo , while Deny Flight enforced
1365-516: A restructuring of USAF air defense forces. Tenth Air Force's second period of service was short lived, however, and the command was again inactivated as the result of a major ADCOM reorganization on 31 December 1969 of the First Fourth, Tenth Air Forces and several Air Divisions. This reorganization was the result of the need to eliminate intermediate levels of command in ADCOM driven by budget reductions and
1470-517: A result of these consolidations, Tenth Air Force was again inactivated on 31 December 1969. When Air Force operations were phased out of Ellington AFB, Central Region Headquarters moved to Bergstrom AFB in Austin, Texas on 10 March 1976. The Air Force Reserve's entire intermediate management structure was then realigned effective 8 October 1976; and the Reserve Regions were inactivated and succeeded by
1575-681: A special operations unit equipped with the C-145A Skytruck and the U-28; fighter associate program groups embedded with active duty USAF wings and equipped with the F-22 Raptor , F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon ; an airborne warning and control associate unit equipped with the E-3 Sentry ; and associate units flying MQ-1 Predator , MQ-9 Reaper and RQ-4 Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The 610th Regional Support Group at NAS Fort Worth JRB
1680-626: A subsequent USAF reorganization of ACC and AMC resulted in all CONUS-based C-130 theater airlift aircraft being reassigned from ACC back to AMC. This change also shifted operational claimancy for all "slick" theater airlift mission C-130s in the Air Force Reserve and CONUS-based Air National Guard . USAFE and PACAF C-130 assets remained in those respective MAJCOMs to include PACAF's operational claimancy for Alaska Air National Guard C-130 and HC-130 assets. In Southwest Asia, Air Combat Command provided active duty and reserve component forces for
1785-487: A tank target. Then on 21 February 2001 the Predator fired three Hellfire missiles, scoring hits on a stationary tank with all three missiles. Following the February tests, phase two involved more complex tests to hunt for simulated moving targets from greater altitudes with the more advanced AGM-114K version. The armed Predators were put into service with the designation MQ-1A. The Predator gives little warning of attack because it
1890-480: A variable aperture thermographic camera (for low light/night). Previously, Predators were equipped with a synthetic aperture radar for looking through smoke, clouds or haze, but lack of use validated its removal to reduce weight and conserve fuel. The cameras produce full motion video and the synthetic aperture radar produced still frame radar images . There is sufficient bandwidth on the datalink for two video sources to be used together, but only one video source from
1995-527: Is also the designator for the AGM-114 Hellfire that are carried on the MQ-1. Each Predator air vehicle can be disassembled into six modules and loaded into a container. This enables all system components and support equipment to be rapidly deployed worldwide. The largest component is the ground control station (GCS) which is designed to roll into a C-130 Hercules . The Predator primary satellite link consists of
2100-637: Is currently the largest Predator squadron in the United States Air Force . U.S. Customs and Border Protection was reported in 2013 to be operating 10 Predators and to have requested 14 more. On 21 June 2009, the United States Air Force announced that it was creating a new MQ-1 squadron at Whiteman Air Force Base that would become operational by February 2011. In September 2011, the U.S. Air National Guard announced that despite current plans for budget cuts, they will continue to operate
2205-534: Is directly assigned to Tenth Air Force. Reservists from 10th Air Force units are routinely deployed to Air Expeditionary units in combat areas of Central and Southwest Asia as part of the Overseas Contingency Operation . Operational units of Tenth Air Force are: Tenth Air Force Squadrons, Flights, and Operational Locations are also stationed at: Tenth Air Force was constituted on 4 February 1942 and activated on 12 February, built up around
SECTION 20
#17328480808552310-1028: Is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force , reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon . It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and it is the direct successor to Tactical Air Command . Air Combat Command is headquartered at Langley Air Force Base , Joint Base Langley–Eustis , Virginia, United States. ACC directly operates 1,110 fighter , attack , reconnaissance , combat search and rescue , airborne command and control and electronic aircraft along with command, control, computing, communications and intelligence (C4I) systems, Air Force ground forces, conducts global information operations , and controls Air Force Intelligence. As of 6 April 2023 ACC operated 48 fighter squadrons and nine attack squadrons. Air Combat Command consists of approximately 74,240 active duty Airmen and 10,610 Department of
2415-484: Is relatively quiet and the Hellfire is supersonic, so it strikes before it is heard by the target. In the winter of 2000–2001, after seeing the results of Predator reconnaissance in Afghanistan, Cofer Black , head of the CIA's Counterterrorist Center (CTC), became a vocal advocate of arming the Predator with missiles to target Osama bin Laden in country. He believed that CIA pressure and practical interest were causing
2520-608: Is responsible for the management of twelve geographically separated units throughout the United States. Other organizations include combat air operations, medical, civil engineer, combat logistics, communications, security forces, aerial port, intelligence and aeromedical units. Additionally, the Reserve portion of the Air National Guard/Air Force Reserve Test Center (AATC), which conducts operational test and evaluation of fighter equipment and improvements,
2625-781: Is the only Numbered Air Force that touches every Major Command in USAF with the exception of the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC). The flying organizations within Tenth Air Force include fighter units equipped with the F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II ; air rescue units equipped with the HC-130 Hercules and the HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter; a bomb wing equipped with the B-52 Stratofortress ;
2730-723: The "Finder" mini-UAV . Two unarmed versions, known as the General Atomics ALTUS were built, ALTUS I for the Naval Postgraduate School and ALTUS II for the NASA ERAST Project in 1997 and 1996, respectively. Based on the MQ-1 Predator, the General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle was developed for the U.S. Army. The USAF ordered a total of 259 Predators, and due to retirements and crashes
2835-640: The 51st Fighter Group and the 341st Bombardment Group (Medium). On paper were more squadrons not yet prepared for war—some had no aircraft, some had too little training and some were bare cadres. In March 1943, the China Air Task Force was dissolved and its components made part of the new Fourteenth Air Force , activated in China under Chennault. In July 1943, Howard C. Davidson succeeded Bissell as commanding general. The Tenth operated in India and Burma as part of
2940-536: The Air Force Special Operations Command tested the ability to rapidly deploy Predator aircraft. Two MQ-1s were loaded into a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III in a cradle system that also carried a control terminal, maintenance tent, and the crew. The test was to prove the UAVs could be deployed and set up at an expeditionary base within four hours of landing. In a recent undisclosed deployment, airmen set up
3045-579: The Air Rescue Service (ARS) was assigned to ACC. On 2 July of the same year, the ARS was disestablished and rescue units became fully integrated in the same manner as other ACC units reporting to numbered air forces. The USAF Combat Rescue School was subsequently assigned to the 57th Wing at Nellis AFB , Nevada. One of the most significant changes for Air Combat Command resulted from an overhaul of flying training responsibilities. Following its activation, ACC
3150-762: The B-52 Stratofortress , along with their associated units, bases and personnel, were transferred from ACC to the newly established Air Force Global Strike Command ( AFGSC ). On 1 February 2010, the Eighth Air Force transferred to the Air Force Global Strike Command . The 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess Air Force Base , and the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base also transferred to AFGSC on 1 October 2015, thus, ending 23 years of operational bomber service in ACC. In October 2019 units from Twenty-Fourth Air Force and Twenty-Fifth Air Force were merged into
3255-545: The Predator drone ) is an American remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) built by General Atomics that was used primarily by the United States Air Force (USAF) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Conceived in the early 1990s for aerial reconnaissance and forward observation roles, the Predator carries cameras and other sensors. It was modified and upgraded to carry and fire two AGM-114 Hellfire missiles or other munitions. The aircraft entered service in 1995, and saw combat in
Tenth Air Force - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-717: The U.S. Navy . Historically, Combat Command was an earlier air unit designation. During 1941 and early 1942, the tactical air units of the War Department , formerly known as the GHQ Air Force, formed the Air Force Combat Command. The AFCC was dissolved in the reorganization of the United States Army , effective 9 March 1942, which created the United States Army Air Forces as a major command of
3465-602: The United States European Command , comprised part of the United Nations effort to provide humanitarian relief to victims of the civil war in Rwanda. In keeping with its global responsibilities, ACC initiated a series of "Global Power" missions in 1993. ACC's bomber wings are required to perform out-of-CONUS training flights to demonstrate the capability to perform their "quick reaction" worldwide mission. On one of
3570-624: The war in Afghanistan , Pakistan , the NATO intervention in Bosnia , the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia , the Iraq War , Yemen , the 2011 Libyan civil war , the 2014 intervention in Syria , and Somalia . The USAF describes the Predator as a "Tier II" MALE UAS (medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft system). The UAS consists of four aircraft or "air vehicles" with sensors, a ground control station (GCS), and
3675-518: The " Amber ", a drone developed by Leading Systems, Inc. The company's owner, Abraham Karem , was the former chief designer for the Israeli Air Force , and had immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1970s. Karem's company went bankrupt and was bought by a U.S. defense contractor, from whom the CIA secretly bought five drones (now called the " Gnat "). Karem agreed to produce a quiet engine for the vehicle, which had until then sounded like "a lawnmower in
3780-476: The "no-fly" zone against Serb air attacks on Bosnian civilians. Operation Provide Comfort, another humanitarian operation, also provided relief to Kurdish inhabitants of northern Iraq who had undergone fierce repression by the Iraqi government. In addition, ACC supported United States Atlantic Command's humanitarian relief to Haitian refugees associated with Operation GTMO at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base , Cuba. Similarly,
3885-576: The "strategic" or logistical mission to Military Air Transport Service , later redesignated Military Airlift Command (the precursor of today's Air Mobility Command ) in 1966. The tactical airlift mission included logistical airlift, airborne operations, aeromedical evacuation, and air support for special operations. This division of the airlift mission continued until 1 December 1974, when TAC transferred its CONUS-based tactical airlift units, including Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard tactical airlift units, to Military Airlift Command (MAC). MAC gained
3990-568: The 2002 Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan (OEF-A) and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Operation Iraqi Freedom . The task of developing a comprehensive listing of ACC units present in Iraq, Afghanistan and other combat areas is particularly difficult as the events of 11 September 2001 and the Global War on Terrorism has made such an effort significantly difficult. The USAF seeks to improve operational security (OPSEC) and to deceive potential enemies as to
4095-441: The 325th Fighter Wing returned to the control of ACC. The next major organizational change resulted from a fine-tuning of aerial refueling and airlift resources. From its activation, Air Combat Command had assumed ownership of some C-130 Hercules theater airlift assets and KC-10 Extender and KC-135 Stratotankers . Just as ownership of overseas C-130 resources had already been transferred to USAFE and PACAF commanders, it
4200-515: The ACTD, Predators were operated by a combined Army/Navy/Air Force/Marine team managed by the Navy's Joint Program Office for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (JPO-UAV) and first deployed to Gjader, Albania , for operations in the former Yugoslavia in spring 1995. By the start of the United States Afghan campaign in 2001 , the USAF had acquired 60 Predators, but lost 20 of them in action. Few if any of
4305-658: The Air Force Civilians. When mobilized, more than 49,000 additional Airmen of the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard , along with over 700 additional aircraft, are operationally-gained and assigned to ACC, bringing total aircraft to more than 1,800 and number of Airmen to 123,240. Air Combat Command's mission is to provide air combat forces to the geographic Unified Combatant Commands . ACC organizes, trains, equips, and maintains combat-ready units for rapid deployment abroad while also ensuring air defense of
Tenth Air Force - Misplaced Pages Continue
4410-534: The Air Force's combat UAVs, including MQ-1B. On 28 August 2013, a Predator belonging to the 163d Reconnaissance Wing was flying at 18,000 to 20,000 feet over the Rim Fire in California providing infrared video of lurking fires, after receiving emergency approvals. Rules limit the Predator behavior; it must be accompanied by a manned aircraft, and its camera must only be active above the fire. In September 2013,
4515-645: The Allied Eastern Air Command until it moved to China late in July 1945. The Tenth Air Force conducted offensive strategic bombing operations in Burma and Thailand and supported Allied ground efforts with close air support and operations against Japanese communications and supply installations. After the end of the war in China, the command headquarters departed from Shanghai on 15 December 1945, being attached to Army Service Forces at Fort Lawton , Washington, where
4620-566: The Army, which functioned as a de facto independent service branch of the Armed Forces. Not long after activation, ACC underwent organizational and mission changes. The first such major change was the transfer of the combat search and rescue (CSAR) mission from Air Mobility Command to ACC. With the realigning of search and rescue units, ACC gained additional resources, as well as a new mission. The formal transfer took place on 1 February 1993, when
4725-458: The Balkans area and operated out of Taszar , Hungary. Several others were destroyed in the course of Operation Noble Anvil , the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia : In 2000, a joint CIA-DoD effort was agreed to locate Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. Dubbed "Afghan Eyes", it involved a projected 60-day trial run of Predators over the country. The first experimental flight was held on 7 September 2000. White House security chief Richard A. Clarke
4830-587: The Department of Defense and NOAA . Tenth Air Force was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force created for operations in India, Burma and Indochina during World War II in the China Burma India Theater of operations . It was established at New Delhi, India, on 12 February 1942, around a nucleus of air force personnel newly arrived from Java and the Philippines, under the command of Major General (later Lieutenant General) Louis Brereton . In
4935-408: The ICBM force was transferred to the Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) until transferred again to Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) on 1 December 2009. Following the inactivation of SAC at Offutt AFB , Nebraska, a new unified command, the United States Strategic Command , was activated at Offutt, created to manage the combined strategic nuclear forces belonging to both the U.S. Air Force and
5040-412: The India Air Task Force, created 8 October 1942, Brig. Gen. Claire Chennault ran the China Air Task Force , created 4 July 1942 to replace the American Volunteer Group , Robert F. Tate ran the India–China Ferry Command, Robert C. Oliver ran the Tenth's service arm and Francis M. Brady operated the large air base at Karachi . Haynes's task force assembled three bomber groups: the 7th Bombardment Group ,
5145-437: The India-China Ferry Command until 1 December, when jurisdiction for the airlift passed to the Air Transport Command . The Tenth Air Force initially provided control of all USAAF combat operations in the China Burma India Theater under theater commander Lt. Gen. Joseph Stilwell . Under General Clayton Bissell 's re-organization of the Tenth Air Force, five commanders reported to him: Brigadier General Caleb V. Haynes ran
5250-410: The MQ-1 is subject to limitations of the Missile Technology Control Regime because it can be armed; export markets are also limited by the existence of the Reaper. Given the Predator's pending phase-out and its size, weight, and power limitations, the Air Force decided not to pursue upgrades to make it more effective in contested environments, and determined its only use in defended airspace would be as
5355-593: The MQ-1. In 2005, the U.S. Department of Defense recommended retiring Ellington Field 's 147th Fighter Wing 's F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets (a total of 15 aircraft), which was approved by the Base Realignment and Closure committee. They will be replaced with 12 MQ-1 Predator UAVs, and the new unit should be fully equipped and outfitted by 2009. The wing's combat support arm will remain intact. The 272d Engineering Installation Squadron, an Air National Guard unit currently located off-base, will move into Ellington Field in its place. The 3d Special Operations Squadron
SECTION 50
#17328480808555460-459: The Nevada desert, a Hellfire missile was successfully launched on a replica of bin Laden's Afghanistan Tarnak residence. A missile launched from a Predator exploded inside one of the replica's rooms; it was concluded that any people in the room would have been killed. However, the armed Predator was not deployed before the September 11 attacks . The USAF also investigated using the Predator to drop battlefield ground sensors and to carry and deploy
5565-405: The Predator program and was directed on 21 June 2000 to explore armament options. This led to reinforced wings with munitions storage pylons , as well as a laser designator . The RQ-1 conducted its first firing of a Hellfire anti-tank missile on 16 February 2001 over a bombing range near Indian Springs Air Force Station north of Las Vegas, Nevada , with an inert AGM-114C successfully striking
5670-426: The Predator's maximum speed is 1,800 mph (2,900 km/h) lower than the MiG-25's, and its service ceiling is nearly 60,000 ft (18,000 m) lower, making the "run" segment of any "bait and run" mission a difficult task. In this incident, the Predator did not run (or could not run fast enough), but instead fired one of its Stingers. The Stinger's heat-seeker became "distracted" by the MiG's missile and missed
5775-440: The Predator, Reaper and Global Hawk were described as "the most accident-prone aircraft in the Air Force fleet." On 3 March 2011, the U.S. Air Force took delivery of its last MQ-1 Predator in a ceremony at General Atomics' flight operations facility. Since its first flight in July 1994, the MQ-1 series accumulated over 1,000,000 flight hours and maintained a fleet fully mission capable rate over 90 percent. On 22 October 2013,
5880-471: The Predator. According to Pakistani authorities, the U.S. strike was based on faulty intelligence. An Iraqi MiG-25 shot down a Predator performing reconnaissance over the no fly zone in Iraq on 23 December 2002. This was the first time in history a conventional aircraft and a drone had engaged each other in combat. Predators had been armed with AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles, and were purportedly being used to "bait" Iraqi fighters, then run. However,
5985-409: The Predators was lost over Bosnia on 11 August 1995; a second was deliberately destroyed on 14 August after suffering an engine failure over Bosnia, which may have been caused by hostile ground fire. The wreckage of the first Predator was handed over to Russia, according to Serb sources. Its original 60-day stay was extended to 120 days. The following spring, in March 1996, the system was redeployed to
6090-446: The RQ-1B (not to be confused with the Predator B, which became the MQ-9 Reaper ) denotes the baseline production configuration. These are designations of the system as a unit. The actual aircraft themselves were designated RQ-1K for pre-production models, and RQ-1L for production models. In 2002, the USAF officially changed the designation to MQ-1 ("M" for multi-role) to reflect its growing use as an armed aircraft. During campaign in
6195-403: The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has allegedly been operating the drones out of Shamsi airfield in Pakistan to attack militants in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas . During this period, the MQ-1 Predator fitted with Hellfire missiles was successfully used to kill a number of prominent al Qaeda operatives. On 13 January 2006, 18 civilians were unintentionally killed by
6300-499: The U.S. Air Force had 195 MQ-1 Predators and 28 MQ-9 Reapers in operation. Predators and Reapers fired missiles 244 times in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008. A report in March 2009 indicated that U.S. Air Force had lost 70 Predators in air crashes during its operational history. Fifty-five were lost to equipment failure, operator error, or weather. Five were shot down in Bosnia , Kosovo , Syria and Iraq. Eleven more were lost to operational accidents on combat missions. In 2012,
6405-408: The U.S. Air Force's fleets of MQ-1 Predators and MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft reached 2,000,000 flight hours. The RPA program began in the mid-1990s, taking 16 years for them to reach 1 million flight hours. The 2 million hour mark was reached just two and a half years after that. On 9 March 2018, the U.S. Air Force officially retired the MQ-1 Predator from operational service. The aircraft
SECTION 60
#17328480808556510-422: The USAF's armed Predator program to be significantly accelerated. Black, and "Richard", who was in charge of the CTC's Bin Laden Issue Station , continued to press during 2001 for a Predator armed with Hellfire missiles. Further weapons tests occurred between 22 May and 7 June 2001, with mixed results. While missile accuracy was excellent, there were some problems with missile fuzing. In the first week of June, in
6615-426: The United States is strong enough for both peacetime and wartime needs. ACC Numbered Air Forces serve as the air components for United States Central Command , United States Southern Command , and United States Northern Command . ACC augments the forces of the United States European Command , United States Africa Command , United States Pacific Command , and United States Strategic Command . Air Combat Command
6720-424: The activities of nearly 16,000 reservists and 636 civilians located at 31 military installations throughout the United States. The mission of Tenth Air Force is to exercise command supervision of its assigned Reserve units to ensure they maintain the highest combat capability to augment active forces in support of national objectives. With approximately 60 full-time headquarters staff members, Tenth Air Force acts as
6825-437: The capability of identifying the infrared signature of a human body from an altitude of 3 km (10,000 ft), making the aircraft an ideal search and rescue tool. The longest declassified Predator flight as of 2011 lasted for 40 hours and 5 minutes. The total flight time reached 1 million hours in April 2010, according to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. The USAF BIG SAFARI program office managed
6930-496: The command and control of the active Air Force interceptor and radar units in its region, it also became the command organization for the Air Force Reserve and state Air National Guard units. By 1949 with the establishment of the Western Air Defense Force (WADF) and Eastern Air Defense Force (EADF), the air defense mission of the command was transferred to WADF, leaving Tenth AF free to focus on its reserve training tasks. Moved to Selfridge AFB , Michigan, 16 January 1950 where for
7035-474: The command supported Operation Safe Haven and the processing of Cuban refugees during the latter part of the summer of 1994. Across the Atlantic, Air Combat Command units participated in Operation Restore Hope, largely an Air Mobility Command humanitarian operation intended to provide food for Somalia. Also, ACC regular and ACC-gained Air National Guard C-130 units deployed to Uganda and Kenya to participate in Operation Support Hope. This operation, conducted by
7140-443: The currently activated Tenth Air Force. Redesignated Tenth Air Force (Reserve) on 24 September 1976, the unit activated in the Reserve on 8 October 1976 at Bergstrom AFB, Texas, assigned to Air Force Reserve. It was redesignated Tenth Air Force on 1 December 1985. As a result, the unit assumed command over all Tactical Air Command -gained and Strategic Air Command -gained Air Force Reserve units regardless of geographic location. With
7245-463: The drone remotely from great distances. It was no longer necessary to use close-up radio signals during the Predator's takeoff and ascent. The entire flight could be controlled by satellite from any command and control center with the right equipment. The CIA proposed to attempt over Afghanistan the first fully remote Predator flight operations, piloted from the agency's headquarters at Langley . The Predator air vehicle and sensors are controlled from
7350-405: The drone that was used by the California Air National Guard in the August 2013 Rim Fire ). The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Pentagon began experimenting with unmanned reconnaissance aircraft (drones) in the early 1980s. The CIA preferred small, lightweight, unobtrusive drones, in contrast to the United States Air Force (USAF). In the early 1990s, the CIA became interested in
7455-470: The ensuing 15 Predator missions over Afghanistan were rated successful. On at least two flights, a Predator spotted a tall man in white robes at bin Laden's Tarnak Farm compound outside Kandahar ; the figure was subsequently deemed to be "probably bin Laden". By October 2000, deteriorating weather conditions made it difficult for the Predator to fly from its base in Uzbekistan , and the flights were suspended. On 16 February 2001 at Nellis Air Force Base ,
7560-515: The extent of American operations, therefore a listing of which units deploying where and when is unavailable. However, it is certain that ACC units are actively flying combat missions in the Southwest Asia theater of operations. As of 2020 , Air Combat Command consisted of the following units: In 2009, responsibility for nuclear-capable bombers, specifically the B-2 Spirit and
7665-481: The fighter and bomber aircraft of the composite wing stationed there, transferred to AMC. ACC also retained two KC-135s at Offutt AFB Nebraska and Grand Forks AFB , North Dakota under ACC control until transferring them to AMC on 1 October 1993. McConnell AFB , Kansas; Fairchild AFB , Washington; and their respective air refueling wings were also transferred to AMC in January 1994 and July 1994, respectively. In 1997,
7770-510: The final RQ-1 ordered by Italy by October 2015, marking the end of Predator A production after two decades. The last Predator for the USAF was completed in 2011; later Predator aircraft were built on the Predator XP assembly line. The United States Air Force announced plans to retire the MQ-1 on 9 March 2018. The Predator was officially retired from USAF service in March 2018. As of March 2009,
7875-730: The five regions were merged into three. The responsibilities of the Fourth and Fifth Regions were consolidated into the new Central Air Force Reserve Region. Eastern Region became responsible for the First and Second Region areas, the Sixth Region became the Western Region. This change increased the area of responsibility of Central Region from five states to 14, ranging from the Canadian to the Mexican borders. As
7980-462: The flying units with custody of their own aircraft and their support elements would be gained by Air Combat Command (ACC), Air Force Special Operations Command ( AFSOC ), and Air Force Global Strike Command ( AFGSC ), with other units gained by Air Force Space Command ( AFSPC ), Air Education and Training Command (AETC), Air Mobility Command (AMC), United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE ) and Pacific Air Forces ( PACAF ). Tenth Air Force
8085-734: The focal point for all matters pertaining to assigned Air Force Reserve units and individuals. With the assistance of 36 traditional reservists assigned, the headquarters monitors and provides assistance to all subordinate units to help resolve problem areas and more efficiently maintain unit combat readiness. The headquarters is responsible for managing and supervising five fighter wings comprising eleven fighter squadrons and seven fighter groups; one rescue wing comprising six air rescue squadrons in two groups; one bomb wing; one airborne warning and control group; one special operations wing; one space wing comprising nine squadrons; one regional support group; and more than seventy non-flying units. If mobilized,
8190-545: The follow-on to Operation Desert Storm and the establishment of Operation Southern Watch to deter Iraqi aggression. In October 1994, ACC also demonstrated its ability to react quickly to the buildup of Iraqi troops near the border of Kuwait. In addition, ACC, from its inception, has provided indispensable support to counter-drug operations, including Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), reconnaissance and fighter aircraft , as well as radar and connectivity assets. Participation in humanitarian operations has also been
8295-503: The former Yugoslavia , a Predator's pilot would sit with several payload specialists in a van near the runway of the drone's operating base. Direct radio signals controlled the drone's takeoff and initial ascent, and then communications shifted to military satellite networks linked to the pilot's van. Pilots experienced a delay of several seconds between moving their sticks and the drone's response. But by 2000, improvements in communications systems made it possible, at least in theory, to fly
8400-433: The global power missions, two B-1 Lancer aircraft of the 28th Bomb Wing, Ellsworth AFB , South Dakota, set a B-1 flying time record on the first leg of their round-the-world flight, 11–13 August 1993. The following year, two B-52s from the 2d Bomb Wing, Barksdale AFB , Louisiana, circumnavigated the globe in 47.2 hours, the longest jet aircraft flight in history. Air Combat Command units flew operational missions during
8505-503: The ground control station (GCS) via a C-band line-of-sight data link or a K u -band satellite data link for beyond-line-of-sight operations. During flight operations the crew in the GCS is a pilot and two sensor operators. The aircraft is equipped with the AN/AAS-52 Multi-spectral Targeting System, a color nose camera (generally used by the pilot for flight control), a variable aperture day-TV camera, and
8610-476: The inactivation of TAC and SAC in 1992, Tenth Air Force today is responsible for command supervision of fighter, bomber, rescue, airborne warning and control, special operations, flying training, combat air operations battle staff, and space reserve units. [REDACTED] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency Air Combat Command The Air Combat Command ( ACC )
8715-639: The initial ACTD phase, the United States Army led the evaluation program, but in April 1996, the Secretary of Defense selected the U.S. Air Force as the operating service for the RQ-1A Predator system. The 3d Special Operations Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base , 11th , 15th , 17th , and 18th Reconnaissance Squadrons , Creech Air Force Base , Nevada, and the Air National Guard 's 163d Reconnaissance Wing at March Air Reserve Base , California, currently operate
8820-691: The introduction of the MQ-9 Reaper ; it has also been deployed elsewhere. Because offensive uses of the Predator are classified by the U.S. , U.S. military officials have reported an appreciation for the intelligence and reconnaissance-gathering abilities of RPAs but declined to publicly discuss their offensive use. The United States Air Force retired the Predator in 2018, replacing it with the Reaper. Civilian applications for drones have included border enforcement and scientific studies, and to monitor wind direction and other characteristics of large forest fires (such as
8925-409: The last personnel were demobilized and the command inactivated, being returned to HQ USAAF on 6 January 1946. In March 1946, USAAF Chief General Carl Spaatz had undertaken a major re-organization of the postwar USAAF that had included the establishment of Major Commands (MAJCOM), who would report directly to HQ United States Army Air Forces. Continental Air Forces was inactivated, and Tenth Air Force
9030-439: The losses were from enemy action, the worst problem apparently being foul weather, particularly icy conditions. Some critics within the Pentagon saw the high loss rate as a sign of poor operational procedures. In response to the losses caused by cold weather conditions, a few of the later USAF Predators were fitted with de-icing systems, along with an uprated turbocharged engine and improved avionics. This improved "Block 1" version
9135-501: The next decade it concentrated on air reserve training throughout the decade. On 1 July 1960, the Fifth Air Force Reserve Region was formed at Selfridge AFB . The Fifth Air Force Reserve Region was one of five Reserve regions and became operational on 1 September 1960, under the control of Continental Air Command (CAC), as a result, Tenth Air Force was discontinued, and inactivated, on 1 September 1960. Tenth Air Force
9240-599: The number in Air Force operation was reduced to 154 as of May 2014. Budget proposals planned to retire the Predator fleet between FY 2015 and 2017 in favor of the larger MQ-9 Reaper , which has greater payload and range. The Predators were to be stored at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base or given to other agencies willing to take them. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection showed interest, but already had higher-performance Reapers and were burdened with operating costs. The U.S. Coast Guard also showed interest in land-based UAV surveillance. Foreign sales were also an option, but
9345-593: The overseas units from theater commands on 31 March 1975. On 1 October 1993, all Air Mobility Command C-130s with the exception of those permanently under United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) regions were transferred to ACC, while USAFE and PACAF assumed control of the C-130 permanently based in their respective geographic regions. Concurrently, all KC-10 tankers and all KC-135 tankers except those at Mountain Home AFB , Idaho, which supported
9450-894: The reactivated Sixteenth Air Force . Sixteenth Air Force headquarters is based at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. In August 2020 units from Ninth Air Force and Twelfth Air Force were realigned under the reactivated Fifteenth Air Force . Fifteenth Air Force headquarters is based at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. In addition, units from Air Force Reserve Command 's Tenth Air Force , and numerous other state and District of Columbia Air National Guard units are allocated to Air Combat Command when activated to federal service. As of 2015 : source for lineage, assignments, stations, components U.S. Armed Forces operations commands [REDACTED] This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency MQ-1 Predator The General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (often referred to as
9555-551: The room would have been killed. On 4 September 2001 (after the Bush cabinet approved a Qaeda/Taliban plan), CIA chief Tenet ordered the agency to resume reconnaissance flights. The Predators were now weapons-capable, but did not carry missiles because the host country (presumably Uzbekistan) hadn't granted permission. Subsequent to 9/11, approval was quickly granted to ship the missiles, and the Predator aircraft and missiles reached their overseas location on 16 September 2001. The first mission
9660-436: The same airfield. The U.S. Air Force used a concept called "Remote-Split Operations" where the satellite datalink is placed in a different location and is connected to the GCS through fiber optic cabling. This allows Predators to be launched and recovered by a small "Launch and Recovery Element" and then handed off to a "Mission Control Element" for the rest of the flight. This allows a smaller number of troops to be deployed to
9765-403: The sensor ball can be used due to design limitations. Either the daylight variable aperture or the infrared electro-optical sensor may be operated simultaneously with the synthetic aperture radar, if equipped. All later Predators are equipped with a laser designator that allows the pilot to identify targets for other aircraft and even provide the laser guidance for manned aircraft. This laser
9870-505: The sky". The new development became known as the "Predator". General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA) was awarded a contract to develop the Predator in January 1994, and the initial Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) phase lasted from January 1994 to June 1996. First flight took place on 3 July 1994 at the El Mirage airfield in the Mojave Desert . The aircraft itself was
9975-525: The years since World War II, the 10th Air Force has served both US air defense under the former Air Defense Command and Aerospace Defense Command , and reserve training and readiness programs under the cognizance of the Air Force Reserve ( AFRES ) and the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). The 10th Air Force is commanded by Maj Gen Regina A. Sabric. Tenth Air Force, located at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, directs
10080-570: Was assigned to the postwar Air Defense Command in March 1946 and subsequently to Continental Air Command (ConAC) in December 1948 being primarily concerned with air defense. The command was re-activated on 24 May 1946 at Brooks Field (later, Brooks AFB) , Texas. It moved to Offutt AFB , Nebraska, 1 July 1948; Fort Benjamin Harrison (later, Benjamin Harrison AFB) , Indiana, 25 September 1948. It
10185-593: Was created 1 June 1992 after the inactivation of the Tactical Air Command (TAC), Strategic Air Command (SAC) and Military Airlift Command (MAC). Upon activation, ACC assumed control of all former-TAC fighters, all bombers , reconnaissance platforms , battle management resources, and Intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Furthermore, ACC had some KC-135 and KC-10 aerial refueling tankers and C-130 tactical airlift aircraft in its composite, reconnaissance, and other combat wings. In 1993, control of
10290-470: Was decided that all C-130s based in the CONUS would be under the control of ACC, while at the same time, almost all KC-135 tankers would be assigned to Air Mobility Command . There was historical precedent for the reassignment of C-130s to Air Combat Command. During the earliest days of Tactical Air Command (TAC), the command had carried out the "tactical" or combat airborne aspect of airlift operations, leaving
10395-477: Was first operationally deployed in 1995 and in 2011 the last of 268 Predators were delivered to the service, of which just over 100 were still in service by the start of 2018. While the Predator was phased out by the Air Force in favor of the heavier and more capable MQ-9 Reaper, the Predator continues to serve in the MQ-1C Gray Eagle derivative for the U.S. Army as well as with several foreign nations. During
10500-496: Was flown over Kabul and Kandahar on 18 September without carrying weapons. Subsequent host nation approval was granted on 7 October and the first armed mission was flown on the same day. On 5 May 2013, an MQ-1 Predator surpassed 20,000 flight hours over Afghanistan by a single Predator. Predator P107 achieved the milestone while flying a 21-hour combat mission; P107 was first delivered in October 2004. From at least 2003 until 2011,
10605-424: Was impressed by the resulting video footage; he hoped that the drones might eventually be used to target Bin Laden with cruise missiles or armed aircraft. Clarke's enthusiasm was matched by that of Cofer Black , head of the CIA's Counterterrorist Center (CTC), and Charles Allen , in charge of the CIA's intelligence-collection operations. The three men backed an immediate trial run of reconnaissance flights. Ten out of
10710-513: Was originally assigned to provide air defense over a wide region from Kentucky to Montana; from the Four Corners of southwest Colorado to the Northeast tip of Minnesota, north of the borders of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Tennessee. The 56th Fighter Wing at Selfridge AFB , Michigan, joined Tenth Air Force on 1 December 1948, transferring in from SAC's Fifteenth Air Force . In addition to
10815-556: Was reactivated on 20 January 1966, at Richards-Gebaur AFB , Missouri as part of Air Defense Command with the inactivation of its organization of Air Defense Sectors. Its area of responsibility was the central region of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi River and the northern peninsula of Michigan. On 16 January 1968 Air Defense Command was re-designated Aerospace Defense Command (ADCOM) as part of
10920-626: Was referred to as the "RQ-1B", or the "MQ-1B" if it carried munitions; the corresponding air vehicle designation was "RQ-1L" or "MQ-1L". The Predator system was initially designated the RQ-1 Predator . The "R" is the United States Department of Defense designation for reconnaissance and the "Q" refers to an unmanned aircraft system. The "1" describes it as being the first of a series of aircraft systems built for unmanned reconnaissance. Pre-production systems were designated as RQ-1A, while
11025-467: Was responsible for aircraft-specific aircrew training, including initial weapon system and continuation training. On 1 July 1993, the 58th and 325th Fighter Wings—F-16 and F-15 training units transferred from ACC to Air Education and Training Command (AETC). Concurrently, Luke AFB , Arizona, and Tyndall AFB , Florida, for which those respective wings were the host units, also moved from ACC to AETC ownership. However, on 1 October 2012, both Tyndall AFB and
#854145