Singleton and Related Genealogy Pages
A history of many families.
| Name | MQ-9 REAPER OF SUMTER [4, 5, 6, 7, 8] | |
| Gender | Male | |
| HIST | Shaw named 'preferred' site for Reaper mission control center MQ-9 Reaper sits on the flight line on Nov. 22 at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The Reaper is an evolution of the MQ-1 Predator and can carry four AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and two 500-pound bombs and also fly 18- to 24-hour missions. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY SENIOR AIRMAN CHRISTIAN CLAUSEN Posted Sunday, January 15, 2017 6:00 am FROM STAFF REPORTS Shaw Air Force Base has been selected as the "preferred" location to base a new MQ-9 Reaper group, including mission control elements, according to an article published on the Air Force News website. The Reaper is a remotely piloted aircraft used for reconnaissance and intelligence missions and as a hunter-killer attack aircraft. Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona; Moody AFB, Georgia; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; and Offutt AFB, Nebraska, were named as reasonable alternatives and will be considered as part of the environmental impact analysis process, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said in the article, "Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance continues to be the No. 1 most-requested capability of combatant commanders, and I believe adding additional remotely piloted aircraft locations will help our efforts to retain experienced RPA operators that contribute to this vital mission." "Shaw AFB was selected because it was the best option to help us diversify assignment opportunities for personnel within the MQ-9 enterprise, provide increased opportunities for leadership from within the community and provide flexibility to enhance integration with other organizations and capabilities," James said. "The intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance remotely piloted aircraft provide is a critical Air Force capability," Shaw AFB Commander Col. Daniel Lasica said. "At this time, Shaw is the preferred location for a new RPA unit, and a final decision is still forthcoming from the Air Force. If Shaw is selected, we look forward to serving with our fellow airmen from the MQ-9 community." The first airmen assigned to the new group are expected to begin arriving there in fiscal year 2018, although no RPAs will be based at the location as a result of the action. In addition, the Air Force is considering locations to host an MQ-9 wing that includes as many as 24 MQ-9s, launch and recovery elements, a mission control element, a maintenance group and support personnel. Shaw has also been among the bases under consideration for housing the wing. It is unclear how selection of Shaw as the preferred site for the mission control element affects the base's status concerning the wing location. Reaper group may start arriving in October Posted Wednesday, March 1, 2017 6:00 am LASICA BY JIM HILLEY JIM@THEITEM.COM Sumter's supportive community, pleasant climate and access to both the mountains and the coast played a factor in Shaw Air Force Base being chosen as the preferred site for the MQ-9 Reaper group program, said base Commander Col. Daniel Lasica at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Sumter Sunrise Tuesday morning. Lasica said the airmen who operate the remotely-piloted program are currently stationed as bases such as Creech AFB near Las Vegas, and Holloman AFB near Alamogordo, New Mexico. "Hot, brown, desert," he described those bases. He said those pilots are under a lot of stress. "It's shift work," he said. "They hit on the red button killing bad guys, then they go home and hug their kids." Lasica said the Air Force wants to reward those pilots by moving them to a more livable location rather than leaving them out in remote stretches of desert. "Somewhere green, with awesome community support, centrally located, and close to mountains and beach," he said. Sumter was named the preferred location partly because of those attributes, he said. The MQ-9 Raptor is an unmanned aircraft that can be piloted from 10,000 miles away, Lasica said. "They're pretty big, bigger than an F-16 wingspan," he said. "They can carry as much munitions." They are slow to get where they are going, he said, but once there can stay overhead much longer than the F-16. Shaw is now the preferred location for three groups, he said, including about 400 airmen. The Reaper aircraft will likely be deployed somewhere else, and only the pilots and support personnel will be in Sumter, he said, though it is still a possibility some of the Reapers could be based here. Even without the aircraft, an environment assessment that takes about six months must still be completed. "There is a lot of pre-planning is going on," he said, "Everything that's legal." The Air Force secretary will make a final recommendation in August or September, Lasica said "In October, the first of the airmen will be phasing in (to Shaw)," he said. In a few years, 434 airmen along with a projected two dependents each, will be in the community. "It will be a great impact for the community," he said, "for businesses, for schools, for churches." He said the Reaper group would be a mission partner at Shaw, much like the Third Army and AFCENT. "They will report back to Creech AFB," he said. He said that by February 2018, the Air Force wants one combat line up and running out of Shaw controlling a wing of MQ9 Raptors, and by February 2019 the Air Force wants three lines up and running. "Will keep you in the loop," he said. Lasica said it is too early to tell if Shaw will be a location for training battalion airmen training site, and that there are no current plans to base F-35s at Shaw. He also said Shaw should not be in danger of any upcoming rounds of base closings. "It's no mistake to keep Shaw open," he said. "We can get to Europe quick, Africa quick, and the Middle East quick." He predicted Shaw AFB will still be here well into the future. "Fifty, 100, even 200 years down the road," he said. "It's a strategic location with an awesome local community." Retirement of MQ-1 Predator makes way for MQ-9 Reapers A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper awaits maintenance Dec. 8 at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The Air Force is set to retire the MQ-1 Predator and transition solely to the more capable MQ-9 in early 2018 to keep up with the continuously evolving battlespace environment. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO / SENIOR AIRMAN CHRISTIAN CLAUSEN Posted Friday, March 3, 2017 6:00 am FROM STAFF REPORTS The Air Force announced it will retire the MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft in early 2018. For the past 21 years, the Air Force has flown the MQ-1 Predator in combat, and for the last 10 the MQ-9 Reaper. Combined with a skilled air crew, these aircraft provide consistent support in daily engagements making an impact downrange, according to an Air Force news release. An MQ-9 operations group is expected to be stationed at Shaw Air Force Base starting in October. The MQ-9 is better equipped than the MQ-1 because of its increased speed, high-definition sensors and the ability to carry more munitions, the release said. These combat attributes reportedly allow the MQ-9 to complete a wider array of mission sets, which can help the Air Force stay prepared. "When you ask about readiness, you have to ask, ready for what?" said Col. Joseph, 432nd Operations Group commander. "If we talk about the things we could be ready for and what we should be asking our attack squadrons to do, then transitioning to an all MQ-9 force is imperative for readiness." Current missions call upon combat RPAs for more precise close air support from the attack squadrons, a considerable change from the days when RPAs were used solely for intelligence gathering and real-time reconnaissance, according to the Air Force. "The reason that the MQ-9 has turned into a combat air-support platform, and this is the key point, is the fusion of two things," he said. "The first thing is the technology. We took an airplane and outfitted it with more raw power and capability, but then we did the other half and matted that technology with a professional air crew." Joseph also explained a third item, which is the trust developed with combatant commanders and troops on the ground. This confidence, combined with an ever-changing battlefield, spawned increased demand and desire for more combat RPA support. While the MQ-1 and the crews who flew them proved their weapons proficiency, it was never originally designed to carry weapons, resulting in a limited, 200-pound payload. "In the case of the MQ-1, I think we wanted more out of it, but we were at a physical stop on the airplane and needed a new one," Joseph said. The fresh MQ-9 design picked up where the MQ-1 left off, boasting a nearly 4,000-pound payload and the ability to carry missiles and bombs. These upgraded capabilities directly affect combat readiness, and transitioning to just the MQ-9 will also help the air crews stay prepared. "Having a single aircraft buys more flexibility, simplifies training and logistics and gives our people more (career progression) opportunities," Joseph said. The Air Force will no longer have to maintain a training pipeline or equipment on two separate aircraft, which also eliminates the cost of operating two different airframes. Instead, everything will be specific to the MQ-9. Currently, the 20th Attack Squadron at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, is making the conversion from MQ-1 to MQ-9. "Right now the plan is to stop flying the MQ-1 in 2018, and that means we need to get transitioned this year," said Lt. Col. James, 20th Attack Squadron commander. "As part of that we are going to stop flying the MQ-1 completely by July 1, 2017. We will gradually stand up our number of combat lines on the MQ-9, so by the end of the year we are only an MQ-9 squadron." What is unique for James' squadron is some 20th ATKS air crews are training on the MQ-9 for two to three months, while home station crews are still flying the MQ-1 in daily combat missions overseas, the release said. "For the better part of the last few months, I've had upwards of 30 percent of my squadron gone at any time," James said. "It's been quite a challenge, but the motivation is very high to transition to this more capable airframe, and my squadron is excited to take it to combat." "We're converting an MQ-1 squadron in combat 24/7/365 to an MQ-9 squadron in combat operations without taking a single day out of combat," Joseph said. "The herculean efforts done by the 20th ATKS is nothing short of remarkable." The 20th ATKS and every unit that flew the MQ-1 achieved significant combat zone effects daily while laying the foundation for future combat RPAs, according to the release. "I think when we look at the legacy of the MQ-1 we're going to be scratching our heads wondering how we did so much with so little," Joseph said. "The men and women flying them starting with two squadrons, took a science project and throughout many evolutionary changes made it what it is today." The MQ-1 began as the RQ-1 Predator, an unarmed RPA flown by line of sight. Some changes include the adding of the Multi-Spectral Targeting system, the addition of weapons and remote-split operations capability. James also said the desire for the real-time reconnaissance and persistent strike capabilities that combat RPA air crew provide to the combatant commanders would never stop. "We're hitting a home run by going to the MQ-9," James said. "We have made a difference." Editor's note: The last names of certain individuals in this story have been removed for security reasons. Shaw Reaper group is in holding pattern Deployment awaiting completion of an environmental assessment An airman views a computer display as he remotely pilots an unmanned aerial vehicle in this Air Force photo. An MQ Reaper group including pilots and equipment similar to what is seen here is expected to be deployed to Shaw Air Force Base beginning in February 2018. Posted Sunday, October 22, 2017 6:00 am BY JIM HILLEY JIM@THEITEM.COM Shaw Air Force Base remains the preferred location for an MQ-9 Reaper group, according to Deputy Base Civil Engineer Christopher Aamold. The assessment is scheduled to be complete on Nov. 30, he said. The group includes personnel who operate the unmanned aircraft, but the aircraft will be deployed at other locations, not at Shaw. Aamold said the environmental assessment at Shaw is on schedule and is in a 30-day comment period, part of a detailed timeline the assessments must follow. Assessments are being done at Shaw and five other bases, he said. "It looks like there are no issues at any of the locations," he said. Once the assessments are complete and if Shaw is chosen to house the group, as is expected, activity at Shaw will pick up considerably, Aamold said. First on base will be an advance team to assist in standing up the group, or "catching the stuff," Aamold said. To the casual observer, the original operational setup won't be impressive from the outside. Two-man pilot and sensor operator teams will control the Reapers remotely from six shipping containers near the current Third Army Headquarters in Patton Hall. Inside the containers is an array of computers and "a whole bunch of computer screens" as well as heating and air conditioning, he said. "The heaters are rarely used because the computer equipment gives off a lot of heat," Aamold remarked. Each unit also has an electric generator for back-up power, he said. Information from the units at Shaw will typically be sent via land lines to Europe, Aamold said, where it is then transmitted to orbital satellites, then sent to the aircraft and related operation at whatever remote site they are located. A more substantial and permanent building for the group is in the planning stages, Aamold said, but it has not yet been funded for construction. The entire group could be at Shaw in the summer of 2018, Aamold said. He said the deployment to Shaw will include 378 airmen in the group, 44 contractors, 18 security personnel and 47 support personnel for a total of 487 people. Members of the group who are deployed to Shaw will be handled no differently from other Shaw personnel, he said, with single, unaccompanied airmen eligible for housing in the base dormitories and others eligible to house in on- or off-base housing. "The intent is to bring them into the fold," he said. Aamold said moving the Reaper group to Shaw is part of an effort to improve the quality of life for members of the group, many of whom make a 45-mile commute from Las Vegas to Creech Air Force Base. "Folks are getting burned out; it's a long day," he said. He said the Air Force intends to provide more time off for group personnel, not only for personal time, but also to participate in other Air Force required training and other activities. Aamold said several planning sessions have already taken place at Shaw, and a team visited the base from Nevada to do a site survey. In addition, a site activation taskforce will be at Shaw next week to do a design review for the not-yet-funded military construction. According to an Air Force fact sheet, the MQ-9 Reapers are armed, remotely piloted aircraft employed primarily against "dynamic execution targets" and secondarily as an intelligence collection asset. "It provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting and time-sensitive targets," the fact sheet says. The MQ-9 can carry four laser-guided, air-to-ground 114 Hellfire missiles and is also part of a system that supports strike aircraft and ground commanders by acquiring and tracking targets or providing other intelligence, the fact sheet says. MQ-9 Reaper Group coming to Shaw AFB Unmanned aircraft unit approved after environmental impact assessment The MQ-9 can carry four laser-guided, air-to-ground 114 Hellfire missiles, the sheet says, and is also part of a system that supports strike aircraft and ground commanders by acquiring and tracking targets or providing other intelligence. SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO Posted Wednesday, January 10, 2018 6:54 pm BY KAYLA ROBINS KAYLA@THEITEM.COM Shaw Air Force Base was approved as the location for a new unmanned aircraft unit whose aircraft deploy for combat missions overseas. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson said yes to bringing an MQ-9 Reaper Group, including mission control elements, to Shaw following the results of an Environmental Impact Assessment process. The group includes personnel who operate the unmanned aircraft, which are deployed at other locations. The base was selected as the preferred location last year and had to wait for the the assessment and a public comment period from Oct. 10-Nov. 8, 2017. Assessments were done at five other locations, Deputy Base Civil Engineer Christopher Aamold the The Sumter Item in October. During that interview, it was thought the group would set up shop at Shaw in stages, with the entire 487-person unit being there by this summer. Deployment includes 378 airmen, 44 contractors, 18 security personnel and 47 support personnel. According to an Air Force fact sheet, the Reapers are armed, remotely piloted aircraft employed primarily against "dynamic execution targets" and secondarily as an intelligence collection asset. "It provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting and time-sensitive targets," the sheet says. The MQ-9 can carry four laser-guided, air-to-ground 114 Hellfire missiles, the sheet says, and is also part of a system that supports strike aircraft and ground commanders by acquiring and tracking targets or providing other intelligence. Construction set for Shaw Air Force Base MQ-9 drone unit Final phase since airmen’s 2018 arrival at Shaw includes permanent facilities Aircrews perform a preflight check on an MQ-9 Reaper before it takes off for a mission in Afghanistan on Sept. 31. The Reaper is larger and more heavily armed than the MQ-1 Predator and in addition to its traditional ISR capabilities is designed to attack time-sensitive targets with persistence and precision and destroy or disable those targets. COURTESY PHOTO Posted Saturday, February 6, 2021 6:00 am BY KAYLA GREEN kayla@theitem.com The final stage of a three-phase build out that brought a new group of airmen to Sumter is set to break ground at Shaw Air Force Base. A $46.5 million contract was approved at the end of 2020 for the construction of facilities to house and support Shaw's MQ-9 Reaper operations. The facilities will include a permanent operations building for two squadrons and a headquarters building for the 25th Attack Group. The MQ-9 Reaper is an armed, remotely piloted aircraft employed primarily against "dynamic execution targets" and secondarily as an intelligence collection asset. It is operated by the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing, which in addition to Sumter has units at Creech, Ellsworth and Whiteman air force bases. "A building to us is an intricate part of our weapon systems," said Col. Timothy Monroe, 25th ATKG commander. "These new facilities will allow us the space we need to execute our mission to our highest expected standard." The build out at Shaw is part of Air Combat Command's initiative to strengthen the Reaper enterprise. Monroe said the group's sum includes about 900 people, with just more than 450 at full capacity at Shaw. "The demand for the weapon system is insatiable," he said. As is the assignment to Shaw. MQ-9 airmen want the opportunity to be stationed on the East Coast, out of the desert and in an area promoted as having a higher quality of life. The airmen who were the first to be stationed in Sumter in February 2018 are starting to move on to their next assignments, and Monroe said "they don't want to leave." Phases one and two included the initial standup and an expansion of scale, but airmen have been working out of portable facilities through both. Once the permanent facilities are complete - projected for December 2022 - the airmen in Sumter will have a state-of-the-art warfighting center. Because the Reapers are remotely-piloted and are never in Sumter, the facilities from which they are operated are vital. Monroe said the airmen have managed to complete missions "24/7, 365 without impacts" amid the pandemic, but the headquarters and operations buildings will be welcomed and are needed. The MQ-9 can carry four laser-guided, air-to-ground 114 Hellfire missiles and is also part of a system that supports strike aircraft and ground commanders by acquiring and tracking targets or providing other intelligence. Sumter Career and Technology Center drone students learn military opportunities from Shaw’s MQ-9 Reaper squadron airmen Master Sgt. Jeremy speaks with students on Wednesday at the Sumter Career and Technology Center about jobs they could pursue in the U.S. military working with drones. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Friday, January 28, 2022 6:00 am BY BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com Drones are becoming more prevalent in this digital age, and students at the Sumter Career and Technology Center on Wednesday learned about military career opportunities in the field. On hand to illustrate those career pathways to students in a drone certification class were four members of Shaw Air Force Base's MQ-9 Reaper operations that fall under the 25th Attack Group. Core drone skills are currently used in numerous business sectors, to include public safety with search and rescue; agriculture, construction, real estate, journalism, and business warehouse inventory control, among others. The airmen said those same skills can apply to military careers. "Just as you can think of civilian jobs out there in the world, you can imagine that the military has a need for those careers as well within the military," Master Sgt. Jeremy said. "It's just now you are wearing a uniform, you are going to basic military training, and you are a part of Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force. We are talking contracting, cyber-security, drone sensor operator and so forth." Later in the spring, students in the drone certification classes at the career and technology center will visit the squadrons at Shaw, see up close what they do and operate a simulator that mimics real life and the actual aircraft. Airmen fly the MQ-9 Reaper aircraft remotely with the assistance of advanced computer technology. An MQ-9 is similar in size to a small Cessna airplane. The drone mission has been at Shaw since 2018 and has brought about 400 to 500 personnel to the base. At the career center, students in the drone coursework will soon be able to test for their Federal Aviation Administration drone certification license, which allows an individual to fly a drone that is less than 55 pounds. The coursework in the district is administered by a Columbia-based drone training and services firm, AI Nautics. In June after graduation, two seniors in the class - Makayla Robinson and Dayon Cannon - will have the opportunity to take part in a short internship at Shaw with the squadron. Cannon, from Sumter High School, has always had an interest in space and plans to study aerospace engineering in college. He said one day he would like to work for NASA. He added that he is excited about the internship. Cannon, 17, has been in the career and technology center's aerospace engineering class for two years now and said it is his favorite class. "I like the energy that is in this class," he said. "I feel there is more that I can accomplish in this class as opposed to a regular math or regular English class. Those classes help me out, but this is my career that I am focused on." 25th Attack Group cuts ribbon on new home at Shaw Air Force Base From left are William Smith, military/VA constituent service representative for Sen. Lindsey Graham; two representatives with S.C. Rep. Ralph Norman's office, including Freddie Gault, senior field representative; Col. Nicholas Pederson, 432nd Wing commander; Col. Trevor "Phantom" Merrell, 25th Attack Group commander; and Col. Kristoffer R. Smith, 20th Fighter Wing commander. ADAM FLASH / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Saturday, April 13, 2024 6:00 am By ADAM FLASH adam@theitem.com Shaw Air Force Base's 25th Attack Group held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday celebrating the unveiling of their new facility, marking a permanent home for the Group in Sumter. One of the two new multi-million dollar buildings will house MQ-9 Reaper remote aircraft operations for the 50th and 482nd Attack Squadrons while the other building will be their office headquarters hosting operational support from medical and mental health personnel to a chaplain. "We're really excited to be here permanently," said Col. Nicholas Pederson, 432nd Wing commander, who oversees the 25th ATKG and flew in from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada to be a part of the celebration. "These facilities are state of the art and it really is the fulfillment of a promise from the Air Force to, 'Hey, we are going to expand RPA [remotely piloted aircraft] operations and we're going to do it here at Shaw because it's such a great community to be a part of.'" The new buildings, which broke ground in March 2021, are a combined 100,800 square feet, four times the size of 25th ATKG's current setup and will house each squadron's 100-150 airmen, according to Pederson. "The airmen are very excited to move out of their very cramped facilities over here into these brand new state of the art facilities. "[The old space] just kind of feels like a temporary facility," he said. "It's not their real home. This will be their real home." In addition to the ground control stations, or 'cockpits,' for the MQ-9 Reaper aircrafts, the main building will also host weather control and training simulators to practice while not actively flying as well as classroom, meeting and lounge areas for pilots and sensor operators among other spaces. The 25th ATKG was activated at Shaw AFB in 2018 in an effort to expand MQ-9 operations to the East Coast and went through two different phases of temporary buildings until landing on this third and final setup. They are a geographically separate part of the 432nd Wing located at Creech AFB, Nevada. Before the ribbon was officially cut on Tuesday and tours were offered inside, the Shaw community from Air Force personnel to local Sumter leaders joined together for speeches by Capt. Devon Carroll, 50th Attack Squadron Intel Flight commander, Col. Trevor "Phantom" Merrell, 25th Attack Group commander, as well as Pederson. They all expressed their excitement for the project to finally be finished and for the Group to slowly be moving in fully in the coming months. "I'm just very grateful and very proud that we finally got to this day. It's been a long time coming," Pederson said. [1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9] | |
| HIST | Shaw named 'preferred' site for Reaper mission control center MQ-9 Reaper sits on the flight line on Nov. 22 at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The Reaper is an evolution of the MQ-1 Predator and can carry four AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and two 500-pound bombs and also fly 18- to 24-hour missions. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO BY SENIOR AIRMAN CHRISTIAN CLAUSEN Posted Sunday, January 15, 2017 6:00 am FROM STAFF REPORTS Shaw Air Force Base has been selected as the "preferred" location to base a new MQ-9 Reaper group, including mission control elements, according to an article published on the Air Force News website. The Reaper is a remotely piloted aircraft used for reconnaissance and intelligence missions and as a hunter-killer attack aircraft. Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona; Moody AFB, Georgia; Mountain Home AFB, Idaho; and Offutt AFB, Nebraska, were named as reasonable alternatives and will be considered as part of the environmental impact analysis process, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said in the article, "Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance continues to be the No. 1 most-requested capability of combatant commanders, and I believe adding additional remotely piloted aircraft locations will help our efforts to retain experienced RPA operators that contribute to this vital mission." "Shaw AFB was selected because it was the best option to help us diversify assignment opportunities for personnel within the MQ-9 enterprise, provide increased opportunities for leadership from within the community and provide flexibility to enhance integration with other organizations and capabilities," James said. "The intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance remotely piloted aircraft provide is a critical Air Force capability," Shaw AFB Commander Col. Daniel Lasica said. "At this time, Shaw is the preferred location for a new RPA unit, and a final decision is still forthcoming from the Air Force. If Shaw is selected, we look forward to serving with our fellow airmen from the MQ-9 community." The first airmen assigned to the new group are expected to begin arriving there in fiscal year 2018, although no RPAs will be based at the location as a result of the action. In addition, the Air Force is considering locations to host an MQ-9 wing that includes as many as 24 MQ-9s, launch and recovery elements, a mission control element, a maintenance group and support personnel. Shaw has also been among the bases under consideration for housing the wing. It is unclear how selection of Shaw as the preferred site for the mission control element affects the base's status concerning the wing location. Reaper group may start arriving in October Posted Wednesday, March 1, 2017 6:00 am LASICA BY JIM HILLEY JIM@THEITEM.COM Sumter's supportive community, pleasant climate and access to both the mountains and the coast played a factor in Shaw Air Force Base being chosen as the preferred site for the MQ-9 Reaper group program, said base Commander Col. Daniel Lasica at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Sumter Sunrise Tuesday morning. Lasica said the airmen who operate the remotely-piloted program are currently stationed as bases such as Creech AFB near Las Vegas, and Holloman AFB near Alamogordo, New Mexico. "Hot, brown, desert," he described those bases. He said those pilots are under a lot of stress. "It's shift work," he said. "They hit on the red button killing bad guys, then they go home and hug their kids." Lasica said the Air Force wants to reward those pilots by moving them to a more livable location rather than leaving them out in remote stretches of desert. "Somewhere green, with awesome community support, centrally located, and close to mountains and beach," he said. Sumter was named the preferred location partly because of those attributes, he said. The MQ-9 Raptor is an unmanned aircraft that can be piloted from 10,000 miles away, Lasica said. "They're pretty big, bigger than an F-16 wingspan," he said. "They can carry as much munitions." They are slow to get where they are going, he said, but once there can stay overhead much longer than the F-16. Shaw is now the preferred location for three groups, he said, including about 400 airmen. The Reaper aircraft will likely be deployed somewhere else, and only the pilots and support personnel will be in Sumter, he said, though it is still a possibility some of the Reapers could be based here. Even without the aircraft, an environment assessment that takes about six months must still be completed. "There is a lot of pre-planning is going on," he said, "Everything that's legal." The Air Force secretary will make a final recommendation in August or September, Lasica said "In October, the first of the airmen will be phasing in (to Shaw)," he said. In a few years, 434 airmen along with a projected two dependents each, will be in the community. "It will be a great impact for the community," he said, "for businesses, for schools, for churches." He said the Reaper group would be a mission partner at Shaw, much like the Third Army and AFCENT. "They will report back to Creech AFB," he said. He said that by February 2018, the Air Force wants one combat line up and running out of Shaw controlling a wing of MQ9 Raptors, and by February 2019 the Air Force wants three lines up and running. "Will keep you in the loop," he said. Lasica said it is too early to tell if Shaw will be a location for training battalion airmen training site, and that there are no current plans to base F-35s at Shaw. He also said Shaw should not be in danger of any upcoming rounds of base closings. "It's no mistake to keep Shaw open," he said. "We can get to Europe quick, Africa quick, and the Middle East quick." He predicted Shaw AFB will still be here well into the future. "Fifty, 100, even 200 years down the road," he said. "It's a strategic location with an awesome local community." Retirement of MQ-1 Predator makes way for MQ-9 Reapers A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper awaits maintenance Dec. 8 at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. The Air Force is set to retire the MQ-1 Predator and transition solely to the more capable MQ-9 in early 2018 to keep up with the continuously evolving battlespace environment. U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTO / SENIOR AIRMAN CHRISTIAN CLAUSEN Posted Friday, March 3, 2017 6:00 am FROM STAFF REPORTS The Air Force announced it will retire the MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft in early 2018. For the past 21 years, the Air Force has flown the MQ-1 Predator in combat, and for the last 10 the MQ-9 Reaper. Combined with a skilled air crew, these aircraft provide consistent support in daily engagements making an impact downrange, according to an Air Force news release. An MQ-9 operations group is expected to be stationed at Shaw Air Force Base starting in October. The MQ-9 is better equipped than the MQ-1 because of its increased speed, high-definition sensors and the ability to carry more munitions, the release said. These combat attributes reportedly allow the MQ-9 to complete a wider array of mission sets, which can help the Air Force stay prepared. "When you ask about readiness, you have to ask, ready for what?" said Col. Joseph, 432nd Operations Group commander. "If we talk about the things we could be ready for and what we should be asking our attack squadrons to do, then transitioning to an all MQ-9 force is imperative for readiness." Current missions call upon combat RPAs for more precise close air support from the attack squadrons, a considerable change from the days when RPAs were used solely for intelligence gathering and real-time reconnaissance, according to the Air Force. "The reason that the MQ-9 has turned into a combat air-support platform, and this is the key point, is the fusion of two things," he said. "The first thing is the technology. We took an airplane and outfitted it with more raw power and capability, but then we did the other half and matted that technology with a professional air crew." Joseph also explained a third item, which is the trust developed with combatant commanders and troops on the ground. This confidence, combined with an ever-changing battlefield, spawned increased demand and desire for more combat RPA support. While the MQ-1 and the crews who flew them proved their weapons proficiency, it was never originally designed to carry weapons, resulting in a limited, 200-pound payload. "In the case of the MQ-1, I think we wanted more out of it, but we were at a physical stop on the airplane and needed a new one," Joseph said. The fresh MQ-9 design picked up where the MQ-1 left off, boasting a nearly 4,000-pound payload and the ability to carry missiles and bombs. These upgraded capabilities directly affect combat readiness, and transitioning to just the MQ-9 will also help the air crews stay prepared. "Having a single aircraft buys more flexibility, simplifies training and logistics and gives our people more (career progression) opportunities," Joseph said. The Air Force will no longer have to maintain a training pipeline or equipment on two separate aircraft, which also eliminates the cost of operating two different airframes. Instead, everything will be specific to the MQ-9. Currently, the 20th Attack Squadron at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, is making the conversion from MQ-1 to MQ-9. "Right now the plan is to stop flying the MQ-1 in 2018, and that means we need to get transitioned this year," said Lt. Col. James, 20th Attack Squadron commander. "As part of that we are going to stop flying the MQ-1 completely by July 1, 2017. We will gradually stand up our number of combat lines on the MQ-9, so by the end of the year we are only an MQ-9 squadron." What is unique for James' squadron is some 20th ATKS air crews are training on the MQ-9 for two to three months, while home station crews are still flying the MQ-1 in daily combat missions overseas, the release said. "For the better part of the last few months, I've had upwards of 30 percent of my squadron gone at any time," James said. "It's been quite a challenge, but the motivation is very high to transition to this more capable airframe, and my squadron is excited to take it to combat." "We're converting an MQ-1 squadron in combat 24/7/365 to an MQ-9 squadron in combat operations without taking a single day out of combat," Joseph said. "The herculean efforts done by the 20th ATKS is nothing short of remarkable." The 20th ATKS and every unit that flew the MQ-1 achieved significant combat zone effects daily while laying the foundation for future combat RPAs, according to the release. "I think when we look at the legacy of the MQ-1 we're going to be scratching our heads wondering how we did so much with so little," Joseph said. "The men and women flying them starting with two squadrons, took a science project and throughout many evolutionary changes made it what it is today." The MQ-1 began as the RQ-1 Predator, an unarmed RPA flown by line of sight. Some changes include the adding of the Multi-Spectral Targeting system, the addition of weapons and remote-split operations capability. James also said the desire for the real-time reconnaissance and persistent strike capabilities that combat RPA air crew provide to the combatant commanders would never stop. "We're hitting a home run by going to the MQ-9," James said. "We have made a difference." Editor's note: The last names of certain individuals in this story have been removed for security reasons. Shaw Reaper group is in holding pattern Deployment awaiting completion of an environmental assessment An airman views a computer display as he remotely pilots an unmanned aerial vehicle in this Air Force photo. An MQ Reaper group including pilots and equipment similar to what is seen here is expected to be deployed to Shaw Air Force Base beginning in February 2018. Posted Sunday, October 22, 2017 6:00 am BY JIM HILLEY JIM@THEITEM.COM Shaw Air Force Base remains the preferred location for an MQ-9 Reaper group, according to Deputy Base Civil Engineer Christopher Aamold. The assessment is scheduled to be complete on Nov. 30, he said. The group includes personnel who operate the unmanned aircraft, but the aircraft will be deployed at other locations, not at Shaw. Aamold said the environmental assessment at Shaw is on schedule and is in a 30-day comment period, part of a detailed timeline the assessments must follow. Assessments are being done at Shaw and five other bases, he said. "It looks like there are no issues at any of the locations," he said. Once the assessments are complete and if Shaw is chosen to house the group, as is expected, activity at Shaw will pick up considerably, Aamold said. First on base will be an advance team to assist in standing up the group, or "catching the stuff," Aamold said. To the casual observer, the original operational setup won't be impressive from the outside. Two-man pilot and sensor operator teams will control the Reapers remotely from six shipping containers near the current Third Army Headquarters in Patton Hall. Inside the containers is an array of computers and "a whole bunch of computer screens" as well as heating and air conditioning, he said. "The heaters are rarely used because the computer equipment gives off a lot of heat," Aamold remarked. Each unit also has an electric generator for back-up power, he said. Information from the units at Shaw will typically be sent via land lines to Europe, Aamold said, where it is then transmitted to orbital satellites, then sent to the aircraft and related operation at whatever remote site they are located. A more substantial and permanent building for the group is in the planning stages, Aamold said, but it has not yet been funded for construction. The entire group could be at Shaw in the summer of 2018, Aamold said. He said the deployment to Shaw will include 378 airmen in the group, 44 contractors, 18 security personnel and 47 support personnel for a total of 487 people. Members of the group who are deployed to Shaw will be handled no differently from other Shaw personnel, he said, with single, unaccompanied airmen eligible for housing in the base dormitories and others eligible to house in on- or off-base housing. "The intent is to bring them into the fold," he said. Aamold said moving the Reaper group to Shaw is part of an effort to improve the quality of life for members of the group, many of whom make a 45-mile commute from Las Vegas to Creech Air Force Base. "Folks are getting burned out; it's a long day," he said. He said the Air Force intends to provide more time off for group personnel, not only for personal time, but also to participate in other Air Force required training and other activities. Aamold said several planning sessions have already taken place at Shaw, and a team visited the base from Nevada to do a site survey. In addition, a site activation taskforce will be at Shaw next week to do a design review for the not-yet-funded military construction. According to an Air Force fact sheet, the MQ-9 Reapers are armed, remotely piloted aircraft employed primarily against "dynamic execution targets" and secondarily as an intelligence collection asset. "It provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting and time-sensitive targets," the fact sheet says. The MQ-9 can carry four laser-guided, air-to-ground 114 Hellfire missiles and is also part of a system that supports strike aircraft and ground commanders by acquiring and tracking targets or providing other intelligence, the fact sheet says. MQ-9 Reaper Group coming to Shaw AFB Unmanned aircraft unit approved after environmental impact assessment The MQ-9 can carry four laser-guided, air-to-ground 114 Hellfire missiles, the sheet says, and is also part of a system that supports strike aircraft and ground commanders by acquiring and tracking targets or providing other intelligence. SUMTER ITEM FILE PHOTO Posted Wednesday, January 10, 2018 6:54 pm BY KAYLA ROBINS KAYLA@THEITEM.COM Shaw Air Force Base was approved as the location for a new unmanned aircraft unit whose aircraft deploy for combat missions overseas. Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson said yes to bringing an MQ-9 Reaper Group, including mission control elements, to Shaw following the results of an Environmental Impact Assessment process. The group includes personnel who operate the unmanned aircraft, which are deployed at other locations. The base was selected as the preferred location last year and had to wait for the the assessment and a public comment period from Oct. 10-Nov. 8, 2017. Assessments were done at five other locations, Deputy Base Civil Engineer Christopher Aamold the The Sumter Item in October. During that interview, it was thought the group would set up shop at Shaw in stages, with the entire 487-person unit being there by this summer. Deployment includes 378 airmen, 44 contractors, 18 security personnel and 47 support personnel. According to an Air Force fact sheet, the Reapers are armed, remotely piloted aircraft employed primarily against "dynamic execution targets" and secondarily as an intelligence collection asset. "It provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting and time-sensitive targets," the sheet says. The MQ-9 can carry four laser-guided, air-to-ground 114 Hellfire missiles, the sheet says, and is also part of a system that supports strike aircraft and ground commanders by acquiring and tracking targets or providing other intelligence. Construction set for Shaw Air Force Base MQ-9 drone unit Final phase since airmen’s 2018 arrival at Shaw includes permanent facilities Aircrews perform a preflight check on an MQ-9 Reaper before it takes off for a mission in Afghanistan on Sept. 31. The Reaper is larger and more heavily armed than the MQ-1 Predator and in addition to its traditional ISR capabilities is designed to attack time-sensitive targets with persistence and precision and destroy or disable those targets. COURTESY PHOTO Posted Saturday, February 6, 2021 6:00 am BY KAYLA GREEN kayla@theitem.com The final stage of a three-phase build out that brought a new group of airmen to Sumter is set to break ground at Shaw Air Force Base. A $46.5 million contract was approved at the end of 2020 for the construction of facilities to house and support Shaw's MQ-9 Reaper operations. The facilities will include a permanent operations building for two squadrons and a headquarters building for the 25th Attack Group. The MQ-9 Reaper is an armed, remotely piloted aircraft employed primarily against "dynamic execution targets" and secondarily as an intelligence collection asset. It is operated by the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing, which in addition to Sumter has units at Creech, Ellsworth and Whiteman air force bases. "A building to us is an intricate part of our weapon systems," said Col. Timothy Monroe, 25th ATKG commander. "These new facilities will allow us the space we need to execute our mission to our highest expected standard." The build out at Shaw is part of Air Combat Command's initiative to strengthen the Reaper enterprise. Monroe said the group's sum includes about 900 people, with just more than 450 at full capacity at Shaw. "The demand for the weapon system is insatiable," he said. As is the assignment to Shaw. MQ-9 airmen want the opportunity to be stationed on the East Coast, out of the desert and in an area promoted as having a higher quality of life. The airmen who were the first to be stationed in Sumter in February 2018 are starting to move on to their next assignments, and Monroe said "they don't want to leave." Phases one and two included the initial standup and an expansion of scale, but airmen have been working out of portable facilities through both. Once the permanent facilities are complete - projected for December 2022 - the airmen in Sumter will have a state-of-the-art warfighting center. Because the Reapers are remotely-piloted and are never in Sumter, the facilities from which they are operated are vital. Monroe said the airmen have managed to complete missions "24/7, 365 without impacts" amid the pandemic, but the headquarters and operations buildings will be welcomed and are needed. The MQ-9 can carry four laser-guided, air-to-ground 114 Hellfire missiles and is also part of a system that supports strike aircraft and ground commanders by acquiring and tracking targets or providing other intelligence. Sumter Career and Technology Center drone students learn military opportunities from Shaw’s MQ-9 Reaper squadron airmen Master Sgt. Jeremy speaks with students on Wednesday at the Sumter Career and Technology Center about jobs they could pursue in the U.S. military working with drones. CAL CARY / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Friday, January 28, 2022 6:00 am BY BRUCE MILLS bruce@theitem.com Drones are becoming more prevalent in this digital age, and students at the Sumter Career and Technology Center on Wednesday learned about military career opportunities in the field. On hand to illustrate those career pathways to students in a drone certification class were four members of Shaw Air Force Base's MQ-9 Reaper operations that fall under the 25th Attack Group. Core drone skills are currently used in numerous business sectors, to include public safety with search and rescue; agriculture, construction, real estate, journalism, and business warehouse inventory control, among others. The airmen said those same skills can apply to military careers. "Just as you can think of civilian jobs out there in the world, you can imagine that the military has a need for those careers as well within the military," Master Sgt. Jeremy said. "It's just now you are wearing a uniform, you are going to basic military training, and you are a part of Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force. We are talking contracting, cyber-security, drone sensor operator and so forth." Later in the spring, students in the drone certification classes at the career and technology center will visit the squadrons at Shaw, see up close what they do and operate a simulator that mimics real life and the actual aircraft. Airmen fly the MQ-9 Reaper aircraft remotely with the assistance of advanced computer technology. An MQ-9 is similar in size to a small Cessna airplane. The drone mission has been at Shaw since 2018 and has brought about 400 to 500 personnel to the base. At the career center, students in the drone coursework will soon be able to test for their Federal Aviation Administration drone certification license, which allows an individual to fly a drone that is less than 55 pounds. The coursework in the district is administered by a Columbia-based drone training and services firm, AI Nautics. In June after graduation, two seniors in the class - Makayla Robinson and Dayon Cannon - will have the opportunity to take part in a short internship at Shaw with the squadron. Cannon, from Sumter High School, has always had an interest in space and plans to study aerospace engineering in college. He said one day he would like to work for NASA. He added that he is excited about the internship. Cannon, 17, has been in the career and technology center's aerospace engineering class for two years now and said it is his favorite class. "I like the energy that is in this class," he said. "I feel there is more that I can accomplish in this class as opposed to a regular math or regular English class. Those classes help me out, but this is my career that I am focused on." 25th Attack Group cuts ribbon on new home at Shaw Air Force Base From left are William Smith, military/VA constituent service representative for Sen. Lindsey Graham; two representatives with S.C. Rep. Ralph Norman's office, including Freddie Gault, senior field representative; Col. Nicholas Pederson, 432nd Wing commander; Col. Trevor "Phantom" Merrell, 25th Attack Group commander; and Col. Kristoffer R. Smith, 20th Fighter Wing commander. ADAM FLASH / THE SUMTER ITEM Posted Saturday, April 13, 2024 6:00 am By ADAM FLASH adam@theitem.com Shaw Air Force Base's 25th Attack Group held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday celebrating the unveiling of their new facility, marking a permanent home for the Group in Sumter. One of the two new multi-million dollar buildings will house MQ-9 Reaper remote aircraft operations for the 50th and 482nd Attack Squadrons while the other building will be their office headquarters hosting operational support from medical and mental health personnel to a chaplain. "We're really excited to be here permanently," said Col. Nicholas Pederson, 432nd Wing commander, who oversees the 25th ATKG and flew in from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada to be a part of the celebration. "These facilities are state of the art and it really is the fulfillment of a promise from the Air Force to, 'Hey, we are going to expand RPA [remotely piloted aircraft] operations and we're going to do it here at Shaw because it's such a great community to be a part of.'" The new buildings, which broke ground in March 2021, are a combined 100,800 square feet, four times the size of 25th ATKG's current setup and will house each squadron's 100-150 airmen, according to Pederson. "The airmen are very excited to move out of their very cramped facilities over here into these brand new state of the art facilities. "[The old space] just kind of feels like a temporary facility," he said. "It's not their real home. This will be their real home." In addition to the ground control stations, or 'cockpits,' for the MQ-9 Reaper aircrafts, the main building will also host weather control and training simulators to practice while not actively flying as well as classroom, meeting and lounge areas for pilots and sensor operators among other spaces. The 25th ATKG was activated at Shaw AFB in 2018 in an effort to expand MQ-9 operations to the East Coast and went through two different phases of temporary buildings until landing on this third and final setup. They are a geographically separate part of the 432nd Wing located at Creech AFB, Nevada. Before the ribbon was officially cut on Tuesday and tours were offered inside, the Shaw community from Air Force personnel to local Sumter leaders joined together for speeches by Capt. Devon Carroll, 50th Attack Squadron Intel Flight commander, Col. Trevor "Phantom" Merrell, 25th Attack Group commander, as well as Pederson. They all expressed their excitement for the project to finally be finished and for the Group to slowly be moving in fully in the coming months. "I'm just very grateful and very proud that we finally got to this day. It's been a long time coming," Pederson said. | |
| _UID | D1BF423B980A45AA9FB48E05DF60B55ED6CB | |
| _UID | D1BF423B980A45AA9FB48E05DF60B55ED6CB | |
| Person ID | I312073 | Singleton and Related Families |
| Last Modified | 1 May 2024 | |
| Family | Reaper MQ-9 OF SUMTER | |
| _UID | 41E5393EFF0045AD97A8DFBDCD09DBB3CD6D | |
| _UID | 41E5393EFF0045AD97A8DFBDCD09DBB3CD6D | |
| Family ID | F209010 | Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Last Modified | 1 Mar 2017 | |
| Sources |
|
