FBS, the cost you quoted was the approximate price of the Preditor A air vehicle only, ground control system, analysis and comms are extra.
UK's buying the Predator B (MQ-9) which are coming in at a little over £10m each (airframe only). However, GCS, coms, analysis workstations and analysts (5 analysts for EO/IR only) push the total cost to just over £70m. Even so the support required for the aircaft is no different to that required for tac recce jets so when you start to add the cost of a couple of tonkas/puffer jetts to sensors/analysis kit/analysts etc Pred B is a whole lot cheaper and we don't need to risk pink bodies in the process.
Predator B also carries the Lynx -
http://www.mindfully.org/Technology/...inter99-00.htm - MTI/SAR as well as the video. There is also a possibility of using the sensor from the Raptor pod on the airframe at the same time.
All in all, a superb bit of kit - as long as you buy the extras, ignore them and you may as well save the cash.
And no, it's not true, the pilots aren't required to wear flying suits - they choose to, but I do thing the g-pants are a little excessive!
