Air Force probing crash of Reaper drone in Nevada desert

LAS VEGAS — The Air Force is investigating the crash of a drone during a training mission this week in the Nevada desert north of Las Vegas.

A statement from Nellis Air Force Base says no one was injured when the MQ-9 Reaper crashed about 3:40 p.m. on Tuesday at an unidentified location in the sprawling Nevada Test and Training Range.

Base spokesman Sgt. Sanjay Allen said Thursday he had no immediate additional information.

The drone was assigned to the 432nd Wing at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs northwest of Las Vegas.

Reapers have a wingspan of 66 feet, and are designed for surveillance and weapons missions. They can be equipped with laser-guided Hellfire missiles and smart bombs.

The statement didn't say if the aircraft that crashed was armed.

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