Wars strain supply of Predator pilots

[unhappycamper]

Frozen assignments
Aircrews’ tours extended, some called back


Wars strain supply of Predator pilots
By Bruce Rolfsen and Michael Hoffman - Staff writers
Posted : Tuesday Apr 1, 2008 21:41:33 EDT

Most Predator pilots are stuck in their jobs.

The need to more than double the number of aircrews flying the Air Force’s growing fleet of remote-controlled aircraft has spurred the Air Force to freeze their assignments.

Driving the action is the incessant push for more reconnaissance aircraft over Iraq, Afghanistan and other regions. Earlier this year, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Air Force to increase its Predator patrols to 24 orbits by June 1, a 25 percent boost over what the service flew last year.

Even 24 orbits don’t meet the requirements of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. The head of Special Operations Command, Navy Adm. Eric Olson, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 4 that the two commands need 30 orbits over Iraq alone.

Today, about 350 active-duty pilots fly the MQ-1 Predator, its bigger brother the MQ-9 Reaper, and the high-flying RQ-4 Global Hawk, said Col. Mike McKinney, who oversees aircrew training issues at the Air Staff.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/04/airforce_uav_pilots_040108w/