Q Branch - General Atomics Tier II Predator

The Tier II Predator is a medium-endurance altitude (MEA) unmanned aerial vehicle which, with the high-altitude stealthy Tier III Minus Dark Star and the high-altitude endurance (HAE) Tier II Plus Global Hawk, form a project trio of reconnaissance UAVs under development via the United States' DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency).

The Predator is operated by the US Air Combat 11th Reconnaissance Squadron, based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. The USAF bought ten of these robot aircraft at a cost of $3 million each in 1997. They do not fly from Nellis itself, but from Indian Springs, 75 miles to the northwest, and still in the legendary 'Area 51'.

In flight the Predator is controlled by a ground crew with a direct data link. When the aircraft is beyond the range of a direct link the ground crew maintains control though a satellite data link. Equipment carried in the bottom turret can provide live video, still photographs, or radar imagery in all weather conditions, day or night. Using satellite data links, the information gathered by a Predator can be shared in real time with field commanders around the world.

The production version Predator aircraft is equipped with a turbo-charged Rotax 914 engine producing 105 horsepower. The Predator saw service in Bosnia, but was grounded in August 1995 after two of the five aircraft were lost due to mechanical faults. In a February 2001 test program the Predator successfully fired a laser-guided Hellfire anti-tank missile at a stationary target.

NASA Predator Images Images below are from the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California Open the Predator gallery on NASA website
NASA Predator Movies (requires Quicktime - download) NASA Dryden Flight Research Center website: Altair/Predator B aircraft lifting off on maiden flight Altair/Predator B aircraft landing after maiden flight

More Predator links:

NASA Dryden Fact Sheets - Predator B