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 Predator reveals first glimpse of natural disaster damage By Spc. Eugene Cushing
                106th Public Affairs Detachment
 FALLON, Nev. - The Predator, the unmanned aerial vehicle that keeps soldiers and airmen safe by providing remote surveillance and reconnaissance in the Global War on Terror, is also a very powerful tool outside the combat theater. The Predator's 'eye-in-the-sky' capabilities make it an extremely useful tool in thousands of different non-combat situations, including natural disasters. During Vigilant Guard 2008, the state of Nevada simulated a 7.1-magnitude earthquake to test the reaction of the state's emergency response resources. Two of the units to participate in Vigilant Guard were the U.S. Air Force's 11th Reconnaissance Squadron and the Nevada Air National Guard's 232nd Operations Squadron. The units were responsible for operating the Predator during the exercise. The MQ-1 Predator is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, remotely-piloted aircraft. The Predator's primary mission is interdiction and armed reconnaissance against enemy targets. When not pursuing its combat mission, the Predator acts as a reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition asset for a joint-force commander. During an emergency, responders can use the Predator to get a first look at the damage and severity of an incident. Following an earthquake, unmanned aerial vehicles such as the Predator can be used to scope out damage in inaccessible areas, said Chief Warrant Officer Bob Bagnato, a special operations officer assigned to the Nevada National Guard's Counterdrug Task Force. The Predator can be used to survey remote areas and assess damage resulting from an earthquake to physical features such as dams and canals, said Steve Endacott, the Fallon emergency operations center controller. "The Predator has the ability to see at night and provide surveillance," Endacott said. "This is the first time it has been used in direct support of a county. The video from the aircraft was very impressive and had a high level of utility." The aircraft was used to examine buildings in Fallon on June 13 to assess simulated "damage." The Predator was launched from and operated by a pilot at Creech Air Force Base near Las Vegas. Live video was transmitted from the Predator to the Churchill County Emergency Operations Center. A command, control and communications unit known as an IC4U from the California National Guard then rebroadcast the signal so operation centers throughout the state could view it as well. The IC4Us were used in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and recently during forest-fire season in California. "The National Guard is doing all the heavy lifting here," Endacott said. "I'm just facilitating the operation. "There were several significant issues that we had to overcome. There were air-space, time, and logistical challenges, but we got it all to work."
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