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Aviation / Aerospace

General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (Predator A)

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) / ISR Drone [ 1995 ]

The General Atomics MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle has found success as an unarmed reconnaissance platform and as a missile-armed hunter.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/02/2018 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

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GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

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At a cost of about $40 million dollars per system, the RQ-1/MQ-1 Predator is a pricey yet integral part of US Air Force operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Operating by remote control, the Predator can cover a section of territory with excellent loitering endurance and not expose friendly aircrew to enemy fire or capture. As it stands, the US Air Force currently maintains some 97 General Atomics-produced Predators in its inventory and utilizes the system in both the reconnaissance and armed reconnaissance roles. The Predator began service as the RQ-1, indicating her strictly unarmed reconnaissance role. The designation of MQ-1 was appended in 2002 to indicate her new modified form for the armed reconnaissance role.

The Predator operates remotely under the supervision of three Air Force personnel - one pilot and two sensor operators - though a full team complement consists of 55 personnel. The system is fed input via ground equipment and a satellite-ready component known as the Predator Primary Satellite Link. Four Predator aircraft units make up one full Predator group while transportation of Predators is by C-130 Hercules. If operating from a runway in the traditional aircraft sense, the Predator requires very little surface area to land on and take-off from and landing itself is accomplished with a retractable tricycle landing gear system.

Flying the Predator is accomplished through a forward-mounted color camera which feeds real time information to the pilot controlling the unit via joystick while situated in the Ground Control Station. Additional infra-red and TV cameras are also fitted into the fuselage and can provide real-time and still image reconnaissance service. In the armed reconnaissance role, the Predator is seen fitted with two AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles - a munition more commonly associated with the AH-64 Apache combat helicopter - mounted under each wing and can be called on to engage ground-based vehicles through laser-guidance acquisition and targeting. In this mode, the Predator utilizes a powerful built-in laser illuminator / laser designator system with infra-red capability. Powered flight is attained from a single turbocharged Rotax 115 horsepower engine driving a rear-mounted propeller.©MilitaryFactory.com

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In terms of performance, the MQ-1 can reach ceilings of up to 25,000 feet with a range of 454 miles at speeds of 135 miles per hour (though normal cruise speed is reported to be about 84 miles per hour). Wingspan for the unmanned craft measures in at nearly 49 feet and entire system unloaded weighs about 1,100 pounds - two facets that are hardly discernable through aerial images alone. As such, the Predator aircraft is not a smallish aircraft by any sense.

Incidentally, the Predator initially received the designation of RQ-1 with "R" indicating its reconnaissance role and "1" indicating the initial system series of purposely-built unmanned aircraft. "Q" is a designation meaning that this aircraft is unmanned. Since 2002, the system took on the more familiar MQ-1 designation to indicate the addition of an armed reconnaissance duty. The Predator currently appears with three Air Force reconnaissance squadrons.

The "Predator XP" variant is a reduced-capability variant of the Predator UAV for the export market available to nations in good standing with the United States. All armament features have been removed from these models in an effort to broaden its market appeal. The United Arab Emirates became the first customer of the product when, in February of 2013, a procurement order was officially announced.

Base production Predators (not XP models) are already operated in limited numbers by Italy, Morocco and Turkey.

Over 360 Predator units have been built to date.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Service Year

1995

Origin

United States

Status

ACTIVE
In Active Service.

Crew

0
UNMANNED

Production

365
UNITS

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Incorporated - USA

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

National flag of the United Arab Emirates

Italy; Morocco; Turkey; United Arab Emirates; United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.

✓ Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

✓ Special Forces
Serving Special Forces / Special Operations elements and missions.

✓ Unmanned Capability
Aircraft inherently designed (or later developed) with an unmanned capability to cover a variety of over-battlefield roles.

Length

27.0 ft
(8.22 m)

Width/Span

48.6 ft
(14.80 m)

Height

6.9 ft
(2.10 m)

Empty Wgt

1,129 lb
(512 kg)

MTOW

2,249 lb
(1,020 kg)

Wgt Diff

+1,120 lb
(+508 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (Predator A) production variant)

Installed: 1 x Rotax 914F 4-cylinder engine developing 115 horsepower driving a two-bladed propeller unit in pusher configuration.

Max Speed

135 mph
(217 kph | 117 kts)

Ceiling

25,000 ft
(7,620 m | 5 mi)

Range

454 mi
(730 km | 1,352 nm)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (Predator A) production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

OPTIONAL:
2 x AGM-114 Hellfire laser-guided anti-tank missiles OR 2 x AIM-92 Stinger short-ranged anti-aircraft missile.

Supported Types

Graphical image of an aircraft air-to-surface missile

Graphical image of an aircraft anti-tank guided missile

Graphical image of an aircraft guided bomb munition

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

Hardpoint Mountings: 2

RQ-1 - Initial Series Designation indicating primary reconnaissance role.

RQ-1A - Preproduction designation of complete Predator UAV system (including ground control stations).

RQ-1K - Preproduction designation of Predator airframes.

RQ-1B - Production designation of complete Predator UAV system (including ground control ststations).

RQ-1L - Production designation of Predator airframes.

MQ-1 - Redesignation in 2002 indicating addition of armed reconnaissance role.

MQ-1A - Provision for AGM-114 Hellfire or AIM-92 Stinger missiles; sans aperture radar functionality.

MQ-1B - Revised antenna; fuselage spine VHF protrusion; dorsal and ventral intakes.

MQ-1B Block 10/15 - Modernized avionics suite and communications control; revised tail unit.

MQ-1C "Grey Eagle" - Upgraded Predator currently (2013) under development.

Predator XP - Export Variant; sans all weapon capabilities.

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