Rise of the Drones – UAVs After 9/11

[Carsten Wiethoff]

How many active squadrons are there?

To partly answer my question: http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Air_Forc...g_999.html

The 432nd wing has six operational squadrons, one maintenance squadron, with six Reapers and 60 Predators. These squadrons are projected to fly 75,000 hours this year, 85 percent being combat operations, said Col. Eric Mathewson, who assumed command of the 432nd Operations Group. The Predator is currently being used in Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom for intelligence surveillance reconnaissance and tactical missions, flown by pilots and sensor operators in the United States.

These are 2007 numbers.

From wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/432nd_Wing

The 432d is the first wing totally dedicated to operating the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, both of which are currently being used in Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom for intelligence surveillance reconnaissance and tactical missions, flown by pilots and sensor operators in the United States.[SUP][5][/SUP]
The 432d is authorized 160 Predator and 60 Reapers. As of May 2007, 6 Reapers and about 85 Predators have been delivered with half of the Predators deployed forward in the United States Central Command area of operations. The wing is expected to fly 12 combat air mission in Iraq and Afghanistan each day.[SUP][6][/SUP]

So the great majority of drone killings happened in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pakistan coming third and Yemen fourth. From the number 1626 killed by one squadron we reach about 10000 dead for six squadrons from 2007 to 2011.