In the late 1990s, Big Safari expanded the Predator’s capability to include a laser designator to illuminate targets and guide weapons dropped from other aircraft.
Authority for Predator development came under the 645th Aeronautical Systems Group, nicknamed “Big Safari,” which had responsibility for rapid development of reconnaissance systems outside conventional “mil-spec” airworthiness standards, resulting in a capable, but fragile, aircraft. The Air Force soon saw the Predator as an interim replacement for a shortfall in tactical reconnaissance aircraft with the added benefit of a live satellite video link. The National Air and Space Museum acquired Predator number 3034 in 2004 on the basis of its pivotal role in introducing armed RPAS into combat. By 1995, it too was operating over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The program suffered from several technical issues, but it held enough promise that the Department of Defense expressed interest in a larger, more capable enhanced version of the GNAT 750 for medium-altitude tactical reconnaissance, soon designated RQ-1 Predator. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operated the GNAT 750 in operations over Bosnia and Herzegovina in 19. Karem’s company and the GNAT 750 were soon acquired by General Atomics. Five years later, further development had resulted in a more advanced design, the Amber, which was followed by the GNAT 750, a production-worthy design. By 1983, he had developed a small long-endurance tactical reconnaissance UAV prototype called the Albatross for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The Predator had an unconventional and rapid development cycle unusual in modern American military aircraft, with origins going back to a garage project by Israeli emigrant Abraham Karem. In this way, the Predator is more “manned” than many other combat aircraft. While no one flies on the Predator, and it often cruises under control of an autopilot, most of its functions occur at the hands of a pilot, sensor operator, and mission intelligence coordinator in the ground-control station. In most RPAS, including the Predator, humans are essential to their routine operation.
This shift had occurred slowly, as cruise missiles, target drones, and autopilots narrowed the roles for onboard human pilots. Here, we take a look at the history and impact of the Predator on military aerial combat.Īs an aerospace milestone, the Predator marked several significant transformations underway at the beginning of the 21st century, primarily the dramatic shift from so-called “manned” to Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS). The Museum’s Predator, on display at our building in Washington, DC, was one of the first three UAVs to fly operational missions over Afghanistan after September 11 th. Today, the United States Air Force is retiring the Predator-a military unmanned aerial vehicle that was used in attacks against al Qaeda during the war on terrorism.
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