DRONE SQUADRON TO HURLBURT

The Air Force says a drone squadron is coming to Hurlburt Field. The MQ-9 Reaper drone personnel have previously been assigned to New Mexico’s Cannon Air Force Base. The Hurlburt squadron is expected to be in place by late 2019, bringing an additional 60 personnel to the base. The unit coming to Hurlburt is a Mission Control Element Squadron. Drone operations require two separate aircrews, a mission control element that is responsible for executing missions, and a second aircrew to handle takeoffs and landings. There is already a drone unit at Hurlburt Field, but it is an Air Force Reserve unit, not an active-duty squadron.