Predator passes 600,000 flight hours - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

Predator passes 600,000 flight hours

Airmen of the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., last month surpassed the 600,000 flight hour mark in the MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft system.

The Predator fleet passed 250,000 hours in June 2007, after 12 years of flying. It took only 20 months for the aircraft to fly an additional 250,000 hours to reach 500,000 flying hours in February 2009.

Due to continuous demand for the aircraft by combatant commanders, the Predator reached 600,000 flying hours seven months later.

An aircrew from the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron flew this milestone mission in support of overseas contingency operations.

Currently there are more than 31 Predator combat air patrols flying continuously over Iraq and Afghanistan.