11th Reconnaissance Squadron The US Air Force 11th Reconnaissance Squadron ( 11 RS ) flies MQ - 1 Predator UAV ' s and is currently stationed at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs , Nevada . The 11th oversees the training of pilots and sensor operators assigned to the MQ - 1 . Overview . The 11th Reconnaissance Squadron is the U . S . Air Force ' s first and premiere MQ - 1B Predator formal training unit that conducts 5 basic and advanced training courses : Initial Qualification ( IQT ) , Instructor Upgrade Training ( IUT ) , Foreign Officer Course ( FOC ) , Senior Officer Course ( SOC ) , and Launch & Recovery Course ( LR ) . History . World War II . Activated in early 1942 , initially operated in the southeastern United States under Third Air Force flying antisubmarine patrols along the Gulf Coast after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor . Reassigned to Fourth Air Force in Southern California during early 1942 , flying reconnaissance , mapping , artillery adjustment , bombing , dive - bombing , and strafing missions to support Army ground units in training at the Desert Training Center or on maneuvers ; trained personnel in aerial reconnaissance , medium bombardment , and fighter techniques . With the closure of the DTC in late 1943 , returned to Third Air Force becoming a reconnaissance training unit for Army forces at Fort Campbell , Kentucky , Fort Polk , Louisiana , Fort Hood , Texas and Fort Bragg , North Carolina . After the war assigned to Shaw Field , South Carolina , but was not equipped or manned – unit inactivated March 1946 . Cold War . Reactivated at Langley Field , Virginia in 1947 and equipped with RB - 26 ' s and RF - 80 ' s as a photo - reconnaissance squadron . Reassigned to Twelfth Air Force and moved to March AFB , California . Budget constraints , though , resulted in the unit ' s inactivation in March 1949 . Operated as part of Far East Air Forces after the Korean War , engaging in photographic and weather reconnaissance missions over South Korea as well as the Japanese Home Islands and the adjacent waters along the Korean peninsula and Chinese / Soviet Pacific coasts , 1953 - 1960 . Vietnam war . Activated as an RF - 4C Phantom II reconnaissance squadron in 1966 under Tactical Air Command . Deployed to Thailand shortly after formation , flying tactical reconnaissance missions primarily over North Vietnam and selected locations in Laos and Cambodia . The squadron provided much of the aerial photographic intelligence obtained during the Vietnam War , especially that from North Vietnam . In the fall of 1970 the wing was phased down as part of the overall American withdrawal from the Vietnam War , returned to Shaw AFB , SC where the unit was inactivated in early 1971 . Reactivated at Davis - Monthan AFB later in 1971 as an AQM - 34 Firebee unmanned tactical reconnaissance drone squadron . Performed photographic reconnaissance to support tactical air and surface forces with tactical drones manufactured by Ryan Aeronautical . Used AQM - 34L / M / V drones , DC - 130 launch vehicles , and CH - 3 recovery helicopters . The group conducted follow - on testing and evaluation of the AQM - 34V model drone and the initial operational testing and evaluation and developmental testing and evaluation of the DC - 130H " mother ship . " Inactivated in 1979 due to budget restrictions ; drone operations moved to Eglin AFB , Florida . Modern era . Provided real - time intelligence support to 11 Support Wing , 1992 - 1994 . In 1996 , became the first unmanned aerial vehicle ( UAV ) squadron in the USAF . Provided deployable , long - endurance , aerial reconnaissance and surveillance while flying the Predator UAV , 1996 - 2002 . Conducted flying training , 2003 - . Reactivated on July 29 , 1995 , at Nellis Air Force Base under command of the 57th Operations Group , 57th Wing .