The U.S. Air Force has awarded two new contracts for 24 Predator MQ-1B unmanned aircraft and four Predator B Reaper MQ-9 unmanned aircraft worth $78 million to General Atomics.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has continually pressed the Air Force to increase its number of combat air patrol Predators flying over the Middle East in response to the need expressed by field commanders. Currently, the Air Force has approximately 125 Predators with hopes of enlarging that number to 300 by 2013 to meet increased mission requirements.

The Air Force deployed the MQ-9 Reaper for the first time in September 2007 to Afghanistan. It executed its first air strike in the Deh Rawood region of Afghanistan a month later. The MQ-9 is larger than the MQ-1 and can carry 3000 pounds of munitions, including the Hellfire missile and conventional laser guided bombs, while the MQ-1 is limited to 500 pounds.

The contracts provided for the installation of Hellfire missile kits on the Predator MQ-1.

The Predator, a growth evolution of the proven GNAT system, uses common avionics and mechanical systems and incorporates a Rotax four-cylinder engine. Configured with a satellite data link system, the Predator has an endurance of 40 hours and is equipped with an EO/IR stabilized gimbal containing two color video cameras and a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) camera as well as a synthetic aperture radar (SAR). The Predator has been configured with air-to-air or air-to-ground weapons as well as a laser designator.

Since 1995, Predators have logged over 65,000 flight hours, of which over more than half have been during combat area deployments to the Balkans, Southwest Asia, and the Middle East where Predators operate in support of U.S. and NATO forces. Based upon the success of the program, the U.S. Department of Defense transitioned the Predator program to full rate production in August 1997.

Predators are currently in production for the U.S. and Italian Air Force. The Predator is said to be the only reconnaissance system available in the inventory that can provide near real-time video imagery day or night in all weather conditions via satellite worldwide — without exposing pilots to combat fire.

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