42d Attack Squadron The 42d Attack Squadron ( 42 ATKS ) of the United States Air Force flies MQ - 9 Reaper UAV s and is currently based out of Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs , Nevada . The 42d will oversee the training and combat deployment of aerial vehicle and sensor operators assigned to the new MQ - 9 Reaper . According to its first squadron commander , Lt Col Jon Greene , by 2009 , the 42d Attack Squadron should have 18 Reapers assigned for training and deployment purposes . All aircraft will employ the AN / AAS - 52 Multi - Spectral Targeting System developed by Raytheon . History . The squadron was organized as the 42d Aero Squadron on 17 June 1917 , shortly after the United States declared war on Germany . Based at Camp Kelly , Texas , the squadron flight - trained new pilots as part of the Air Service until demobilized on 21 February 1919 . The squadron was reconstituted in 1922 and became the 42d School Squadron in January 1923 as part of the 10th School Group at Kelly Field . In 1924 its lineage was consolidated with that of the 42d Aero Squadron . The 42d School Squadron continued its flying training role as part of the Air Corps in 1926 , and was assigned to the Advanced Flying School at Kelly Field in 1931 . On 1 March 1935 , with the activation of the General Headquarters Air Force , the squadron was redesignated a bombardment squadron , although it remained a training squadron at Kelly until its inactivation in September 1936 . The 42d Bombardment Squadron was reactivated on 1 February 1940 , in the expansion of the Air Corps anticipating U . S . participation in World War II , as part of the 11th Bombardment Group based at Hickam Field , Territory of Hawaii . Initially flying B - 18s , the squadron was converting to B - 17 Flying Fortress es when Hickam was attacked by Japanese carrier aircraft as part of the attack on Pearl Harbor . The 42d Bomb Squadron deployed with the 11th Bomb Group to Espiritu Santo , where it participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign . It conducted long - range reconnaissance and bombing missions throughout the South , Southwest , Central , and Western Pacific areas until the end of the war , converting to B - 24 Liberator bombers in 1943 . In 1946 , while based on Guam , the 42d BS was briefly equipped with B - 29 Superfortress es , but had no aircraft or flying mission from 1947 to its inactivation on in 1948 . The squadron was re - activated as a unit of the United States Air Force on 1 December 1948 . Assigned to the 11th Bomb Wing as part of the Strategic Air Command , it flew B - 36 Peacemaker intercontinental bombers from Carswell Air Force Base , Texas . In 1957 it moved to Altus Air Force Base , Oklahoma , to convert to B - 52 Stratofortress es . In 1960 was reassigned to SAC provisional 4043d Strategic Wing , being re - equipped with B - 52E Stratofortress intercontinental heavy bombers . Was reassigned to Wright - Patterson AFB , Ohio by SAC to disperse its heavy bomber force . Conducted worldwide strategic bombardment training missions and providing nuclear deterrent . Was inactivated in 1963 when SAC inactivated its provisional Strategic Wings , redesignating them permanent Air Force Wings . Squadron was inactivated with aircraft / personnel / equipment being redesignated 34th Bombardment Squadron in an in - place , name - only transfer . On 9 November 2006 , the squadron was re - designated the 42d Attack Squadron and re - activated at Creech Air Force Base , Nevada , initially as part of the 57th Wing before being assigned as one of the six unmanned aerial vehicle ( UAV ) squadrons of the 432d Air Expeditionary Wing , and the only squadron designated as an attack squadron . The 42d ATKS received its first MQ - 9 on 13 March 2007 . Officially combat - operational in Afghanistan since September 2007 , the typical MQ - 9 system consists of several aircraft , a ground control station , communications equipment / links , spares , and active duty and / or contractor personnel . The crew consists of one unmanned aerial system ( UAS ) pilot , one sensor operator and one mission intelligence coordinator ( MIC ) .