Editing General Atomics MQ-1 Predator (section)

{{short description|Family of unmanned aerial vehicles}}
{{redirect2|Predator drone|Predator plane|other drones|Predator B|and|Predator C|other uses|Predator (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name= RQ-1 / MQ-1 Predator
 |image= File:MQ-1 Predator, armed with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.jpg
 |image_caption=A [[US Air Force]] MQ-1 armed with [[AGM-114 Hellfire]] missiles
 |aircraft_type= Remote piloted aircraft/[[unmanned combat aerial vehicle]]
 |national_origin= United States
 |manufacturer= [[General Atomics Aeronautical Systems]]
 |first_flight= 3 July 1994
 |introduction= 1 July 1995
 |retired= 9 March 2018 (USAF)<ref name="ain13march18" />
 |status= In limited service
 |primary_user= [[United States Air Force]] (retired)
 |more_users = {{plainlist|
* [[Italian Air Force]] (retired)
* [[Turkish Air Force]]
* [[Royal Moroccan Air Force]]
}}
 |produced= 1995–2018
 |number_built= 360 (285 RQ-1, 75 MQ-1)<ref name="deagel.com" />
 |developed_from= [[General Atomics Gnat]]
 |variants= [[General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle]]
 |developed_into= [[General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper]]
}}

The '''General Atomics MQ-1 Predator''' (often referred to as the '''Predator drone''') is an American [[remotely piloted aircraft]] (RPA) built by [[General Atomics]] that was used primarily by the [[United States Air Force]] (USAF) and [[Central Intelligence Agency]] (CIA). Conceived in the early 1990s for [[aerial reconnaissance]] and forward observation roles, the Predator carries cameras and other sensors. It was modified and upgraded to carry and fire two [[AGM-114 Hellfire]] [[missile]]s or other munitions. The aircraft entered service in 1995, and saw combat in the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|war in Afghanistan]], [[Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa|Pakistan]], the [[NATO intervention in Bosnia and Herzegovina|NATO intervention in Bosnia]], the [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia]], the [[Iraq War]], [[Yemen]], the [[Libyan civil war (2011)|2011 Libyan civil war]], the [[American intervention in the Syrian civil war|2014 intervention in Syria]], and [[American military intervention in Somalia (2007–present)|Somalia]].

The USAF describes the Predator as a "Tier II" MALE UAS (medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft system). The UAS consists of four aircraft or "air vehicles" with sensors, a [[UAV ground control station|ground control station]] (GCS), and a primary satellite link communication suite.<ref name="USAF Tier system scheme" /> Powered by a [[Rotax]] engine and driven by a propeller, the air vehicle can fly up to {{convert|400|nmi|mi km|lk=on|abbr=on}} to a target, loiter overhead for 14&nbsp;hours, then return to its base.

The MQ-1 Predator was the primary remotely piloted aircraft used for offensive operations by the USAF and the CIA in Afghanistan and the [[Federally Administered Tribal Areas|Pakistani tribal areas]] from 2001 until the introduction of the [[General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper|MQ-9 Reaper]]; it has also been deployed elsewhere. Because offensive uses of the Predator are [[Classified information in the United States|classified by the U.S.]], U.S. military officials have reported an appreciation for the intelligence and reconnaissance-gathering abilities of RPAs but declined to publicly discuss their offensive use.<ref name="Drone aircraft in a stepped-up war in Afghanistan and Pakistan" /> The United States Air Force retired the Predator in 2018, replacing it with the Reaper.<ref name="ain13march18">{{Cite web |last=Donald |first=David |date=13 March 2018 |title=U.S. Air Force Ends Predator Operations |url=https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2018-03-13/us-air-force-ends-predator-operations |website=Aviation International News}}</ref>

Civilian applications for drones have included border enforcement and scientific studies, and to monitor wind direction and other characteristics of large forest fires (such as the drone that was used by the [[California Air National Guard]] in the August 2013 [[Rim Fire]]).<ref name="msn" />