CONTACT: Major Jeff Brown 315-663-8734

FOR RELEASE: Thursday, Nov 17, 2011

ON SITE: Major Jeff Brown 315-663-8734

FORT DRUM, NY (11/16/2011)-- Members of the press are invited to get a first-hand look at a MQ-9 Reaper operated by the New York Air National Guard’s 174th Fighter Wing take off and do a low approach at Fort Drum’s Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield (weather permitting) on Thursday, Nov. 17. WHO: New York State Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Patrick Murphy, 174th Fighter Wing Commander Col. Kevin Bradley and Special Assistant to the 10th Mountain Division Commanding General, Brig. Gen. Harry Miller. WHAT: A briefing to community leaders on the MQ-9 training operation, the opportunity to inspect a MQ-9 and equipment employed by the 174th Fighter Wing’s 274th Air Operations Squadron, a chance to inspect the ground-based cockpit used to fly the MQ-9 and an opportunity to observe a launch and low pass of a MQ-9. WHEN: 9:40 a.m., Thursday Nov 17, 2011 (The event should take approximately 90 minutes) WHERE: Fort Drum Media Operations Center, #2509 Building Route 26, just south of the entrance gate to Wheeler Sack Army Airfield. From I-81 take the exit for Route 342 and head west to Route 11. Turn Left on Route 11 and turn right onto Route 26. Press will be moved to Wheeler Sack Army Airfield and returned to the media center. Coverage Opportunities: Interviews with Maj Gen Patrick Murphy, Col Kevin Bradley and Brig Gen Harry Miller on the MQ-9 training program and Fort Drum’s support for the program. Imagery opportunities will include the interior of the Ground Control Station, a MQ-9 static aircraft, a display of other New York Air National Guard equipment and imagery of the MQ-9 take off and low pass. (NOTE: In the event of inclement weather, the aircraft flight imagery will not be available. To confirm weather conditions and the status of the flight, contact Maj. Jeff Brown at (315)663-8734 the morning of the event.) BACKGROUND: MQ-9 : Manufactured by General Atomics, the MQ-9 is a remotely piloted vehicle that is launched by a ground crew in a combat theater and then controlled via satellite from ground control stations in the United States. Unlike the MQ-1 the MQ-9 is capable of acquiring targets and tracking them for long periods of time from high altitudes with its camera system, and engaging those targets with a variety of weapons to include laser-guided bombs, the Hellfire Air-to-ground missile, and JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) GPS --guided bombs. The MQ-9 has a 950-horsepower turbofan engine. This allows the MQ-9 to fly faster and carry more munitions than the earlier MQ-1. The aircraft is always monitored or controlled by aircrew in the Ground Control Station (GCS) and weapons employment is always commanded by the flight crew. The MQ-9 is launched by a ground crew and flown to altitude using a line-of-site radio system. The aircraft is then turned over to the flight crew who operate it via a satellite link. The 174th Fighter Wing : Since December 2009 the New York Air National Guard’s 174th Fighter Wing has conducted MQ-9 flights over Afghanistan from an operations center at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse. The wing was organized in 1947 and has flown a variety of aircraft over the years. Prior to converting to MQ-9 operations the wing flew F-16C Falcons. Along with controlling MQ-9 flights from Hancock Field, the wing conducts all MQ-9 maintenance training for the Total Air Force and is also beginning to train the pilot/sensor operator teams who control the aircraft via satellite. MQ-9 Flight Training at Fort Drum The wing will train pilots and ground crews on MQ-9 operations using Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield as a base. Using the airfield will allow New York Air National Guard teams to launch aircraft, fly them to operating altitude, and then turn the aircraft over to a flight crew that will operate the aircraft in existing military airspace over Fort Drum and the Black River Valley. No surveillance of area residents will be conducted Currently members of the wing must travel to distant locations to train on MQ-9 operations. Consolidating those operations at Fort Drum will enhance training and make it more cost effective. Eventually a $5.4 million MQ-9 Launch and Recovery facility will be constructed at air field with the support of Fort Drum and the 10th Mountain Division.