Air Force drone successfully hits boat in training
By Brian Everstine, Staff writer 9:13 a.m. EDT April 3, 2015
The Air Force has successfully hit a boat with drone missile for the first time.
An MQ-9 Reaper on March 17 successfully hit a sea-going target with an AGM-114 Hellfire missile during a training mission in the Gulf of Mexico, the service announced today.
"It was the first time we had put live weapons into boats and participated in maritime (exercises)," Capt. Timothy Ford, 26th Weapons Squadron flight commander, said in an Air Force news release. "For our (RPA) community it's a big step forward, it's a mission set we had looked at for a long time."
RPA pilots at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, controlled the Reaper on the mission. During the flight, the drone flew with A-10s, F-16s and F-35s, according to the Air Force.
"It's the first opportunity for us to fly with the F-35, talk to each other and coordinate attacks between the two platforms and ensure de-confliction while we're doing that," Capt. Ryan Cross, training officer with the 26th WPS, said in the release.
The squadron is part of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, which focuses on advanced combat training for Air Force pilots.
http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/2015/04/03/reaper-targets-boat-training-first/25233861/
