The failure of an ignition module in the engine of an MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle caused the aircraft to crash east of Ali Base, Iraq, May 2, 2008, Air Combat Command said Tuesday. According to the findings of ACC’s accident investigation board, the intermittent failure of the module caused loss of power, which subsequently resulted in loss of thrust. The pilot was unable to recover thrust control and the aircraft impacted the ground. The MQ-1, valued at $3.8 million, was assigned to the 432nd Wing at Creech AFB, Nev. There were no injuries or damage to other property. (Langley report)
A Defense Department team on the ground in Ukraine has been assessing what the country needs to protect itself from air, naval, electronic, and cyber warfare threats as Russian troops have gathered on multiple fronts, a senior Ukrainian defense official told Air Force Magazine, describing an emphasis on what assistance…