The US will retire its Predator drone MQ-1 from service in July after 22 years and will replace it with the more capable MQ-9 Reaper. The remote-piloted drone entered service in 1995 as RQ-1, but was re-designated as MQ-1 in 1999 after it was fitted with Hellfire missiles. The Predator drones' first strike reportedly took place in Afghanistan in 2002.