Hunter Killer

Inside America's Unmanned Air War

By: T. Mark Mccurley, Kevin Maurer

Narrated by: Holter Graham

The first-ever inside look at the US military’s secretive Remotely Piloted Aircraft program—equal parts techno-thriller, historical account, and war memoir

Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA), commonly referred to by the media as drones, are a mysterious and headline-making tool in the military’s counterterrorism arsenal. Their story has been pieced together by technology reporters, major newspapers, and on-the-ground accounts from the Middle East, but it has never been fully told by an insider.

In Hunter Killer, Air Force Lt. Col. T. Mark McCurley provides an unprecedented look at the aviators and aircraft that forever changed modern warfare. This is the first account by an RPA pilot, told from his unique-in-history vantage point supporting and executing Tier One counterterrorism missions. Only a handful of people know what it’s like to hunt terrorists from the sky, watching through the electronic eye of aircraft that can stay aloft for a day at a time, waiting to deploy their cutting-edge technology to neutralize threats to America’s national security.

Hunter Killer is the counterpoint to the stories from the battlefront told in books like No Easy Day and American Sniper: While special operators such as SEALs and Delta Force have received a lot of attention in recent years, no book has ever told the story of the unmanned air war. Until now.

Critic reviews

Praise for Hunter Killer

“A veteran’s gritty, engrossing account of America’s RPA service in today’s far-flung conflicts.”-Library Journal (starred review)


“An Air Force veteran tells an exciting tale of tracking terrorist leaders by remote piloted aircraft, the future of military aviation… An illuminating tale of a pilot on the cutting edge.” –Kirkus

great book

very good book. kevin maurer makes great books when teamed up with military personnel. is this 20 words yet

Interesting read.

Delightful insight into new type of warfare. Would strongly recommend it to those who serves in the army.

Yes

Very good, first half was better than the last, but worth the credit if you're an military aviation buff like me.

Great insight into a dynamic community.

This book shows how the RPA program has grown in such a small amount of time. The community's role in the military is still being forged, and in many ways this book shows that it's limitations can be overcome with luck, hard work, and persistence.

chocolate chip cookies

this is a very cool book. it outlines what or how the Air Force uses the predator to hunt the United States enemies overseas. it begins early in the life of a pilot who flies awax and ends with a squadron commander who has done it all gradebook.