Predator Missile



The  is an unlockable Killstreak reward in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Once unlocked, the player can remotely control one Hellfire AGM (Air-to-Ground Missile) that is deployed via UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and attempt to guide it towards enemy players. The missile will explode upon impact.

Modern Warfare 2
To use the Predator Missile, the player is required to select the killstreak from the inventory, then, after acquiring a 5 kill streak, (or 4 with the Hardline perk enabled) the player has the option to bring out a laptop. Using this laptop, the player controls an air-to-ground missile, shifting viewpoint to that of the camera on the head of the missile until the missile detonates. Enemy players will be outlined with a red square on the missile's camera. In multiplayer, however, enemies using the Cold-Blooded perk will not be outlined by a red square. The Predator Missile is shown on both teams' radars.

Pressing the fire button while the missile is traveling to its target fires the secondary thrusters, making the missile move faster but decreasing its steering ability considerably. This is somewhat more noticeable in campaign than in multiplayer. Using the boost can be crucial when many targets are close together, as they may scatter if the missile does not hit in time. However, some players always use the boost immediately, which is inadvisable as it can prevent them from getting a good view of the battlefield and accurately selecting the best target zone.

Campaign
The Predator Missile appears on two occasions during the campaign. It appears in a Rangers mission, and a Task Force 141 mission.

Friendly
The player has to enter a Russian-occupied diner and pick up a control rig to acquire a Russian missile-equipped Predator drone during the level "Wolverines!" to help maintain a defensive perimeter in order to protect "Raptor".

The Predator is also seen in "Contingency", where Roach uses air-to-ground missiles to terminate hostile guards in the submarine base

Enemy
During "Wolverines!", an enemy Predator will fire AGM missiles at you if you stay in the open for too long until the player eventually steals it. You cannot use Stingers to bring down the UAV (unlike in multiplayer) as doing so would leave you with no way to take out the BTRs.

Spec Ops
The Predator appears twice in Spec Ops, neither you nor the enemy can shoot down the predator drone.

Friendly

 * Sniper Fi

Enemy

 * Homeland Security

Multiplayer
The Predator Missile is the third default killstreak perk in multiplayer, along with the UAV and Care Package. A player can unlock a Predator Missile by achieving a killstreak of 5, or 4 with the Hardline perk. Calling in a Predator Missile gives a reward of 150 XP.

Using the Predator

 * As it is with any controllable killstreak reward, finding a spot to hide is important when calling the Predator Missile, but because it takes only a few seconds, players do not need to find out-of-the-way spots as they do with Chopper Gunners and AC-130s.
 * The Predator Missile has a very large blast radius and only needs to land somewhat close to targets in order to eliminate them. This also allows it to kill enemies that are not exposed from the air, as long as they are near an opening of some kind that the Predator Missile can land next to.
 * The Predator Missile is not actually called in until the camera switches to its perspective, so it can be canceled while taking out the laptop or just before the camera transitions.
 * Unlike in singleplayer, which allows the player to survey the area from the Predator Drone before firing, the Predator Missile is fired immediately in multiplayer. This prevents players from using it to locate enemies for extended periods of time and prevents the missile from being easily fired at ideal locations. However, players can briefly look at enemy positions while controlling the missile.
 * Pressing the fire button activates the Predator Missile's rocket boosters, which greatly increases its speed. However, it loses almost all of its steering ability.
 * A common strategy is to pair the Predator Missile with a 6 or 7 killstreak reward in order to call in two killstreak rewards in a short window of time.
 * The Predator Missile can be used to destroy any type of enemy helicopter in a single hit. It can also do the same thing to Harriers. Although it cannot damage teammates' air support, it can destroy other air support called in by the same person that is controlling the missile.
 * A Predator Missile can easily kill many targets at once if it is called in during the very beginning of a round in a round-based gametype other than Search and Destroy, which has a seven second delay between the start of the round and when certain types of air support can be called in. This is one of the easiest ways to complete the "Grim Reaper" challenge which involves killing five enemies with two or less predator missiles in one match.
 * The Predator Missile's explosion kicks up quite a bit of smoke and dust, which can be used as visual cover. The Thermal Scope can see through this.
 * Enemies retrieving crates from Care Packages and Emergency Airdrops make for easy targets.

Avoiding the Predator

 * Avoid teammates and head for cover. Most players direct their missiles to the largest group of outdoor players.
 * Enemy missiles appear on the radar as large red circles, which can be used to help predict where the missile will land.
 * The missile cannot pierce buildings, but its splash damage can come through openings like doors or windows.
 * Cold-Blooded will not help much if its user is standing near teammates that are not using Cold-Blooded.
 * Watching the KillCam of an enemy Predator Missile can be used to find the enemy, who is marked by a green plus sign, and can even be used to find other enemies with keen enough observation. Additionally, the killcam will briefly display the missile user's surroundings as he/she closes the laptop.

Trivia

 * The Predator Missile was originally going to be called the Hellfire, which is the name of the missile the Predator fires. The Hellfire name is still used in the strategy guide however.
 * It is possible to melee while you are taking out the laptop. While you are in control of the drone, you cannot melee.
 * The missile's model is the same as that of the Javelin missile.
 * MW2_Predator.jpg different version of the Predator Drone camera is seen at the beginning of the Modern Warfare 2 launch trailer. This has a black rectangle for aiming, and text at the top of the camera saying "#3 CAMERA:SHELLFIRE * * O D A * *".
 * Sometimes, even though rarely, the missile will not explode on the ground, but go right through the ground, thus being under the map. It will explode after a period of time, though. This is also easily done by guiding the missile outside the maps limits, for example in the river near Rust.
 * Occasionally the missile can hit the ground right next to someone and fail to kill them, not even causing damage.
 * It is possible to guide the missile inside a building, if you have the angle and timing right.
 * The Hellfire's missile screen's crosshair is a simple cross not a rectangular box in the game. Infinity Ward probably reused the crosshair from the AC-130's 105mm howitzer.
 * Some players refer to the actual missile as the Predator, but in reality the UAV that fires the missile is the Predator, and the missile is a Hellfire AGM (Air-to-Ground Missile).

Multiplayer

 * 5_6.png Predator Missile emblem is unlocked by calling in fifty Predator Missiles.
 * If a player is moving while they pull out the laptop, their angle and point of view on the missile will be severely skewed, making it nearly impossible to aim. It was previously believed that this was caused by random gusts of wind, but this is not the case.
 * It is possible to get a headshot with the Predator Missile.
 * It is possible to take out an enemy AC-130 with a Predator Missile, although the missile must spawn directly on top of the AC-130, which is extremely rare.
 * If an EMP is called in it will instantly destroy any active Predator Missiles.
 * If a player on the ground is stunned while in control of the Predator Missile, their control of the missile will slow down as well, as if the missile itself was 'stunned'.
 * The Predator missile is the best weapon for taking out killstreaks, because it can take out all killstreaks except for UAVs, Counter-UAVs, other Predators, Emergency Airdrops, EMPs and Tactical Nukes.
 * If a player has the laptop in their hands, it is possible to melee another player by pressing the knife button. The player will swing the laptop to the right, similar to the knife melee attack, and is a one hit kill.

Campaign

 * The missile does not have to score a direct hit to disable vehicles—it has a generous kill radius. It is possible to take out multiple vehicles with one missile if it impacts between them, such as both BTRs patrolling during "Wolverines!".
 * With luck and timing, you may see the enemy Stinger that disables your Predator.

In real life

 * Real-life Predator drones only carry two Hellfire missiles each. This contrasts with in-game Predator drones, which have infinite missiles in the Campaign and Special Ops modes, and only one in multiplayer.
 * The Predator used in Modern Warfare 2 is likely referring to the MQ-9 Reaper, which is a UAV drone suited for a hunter-killer role. Unlike its predecessor, the MQ-1 Predator, the Reaper has a much larger payload of up to 14 Hellfire missiles, with a larger focus on an unmanned ground strike role. The MQ-1 Predator plays more of a surveillance role in combat operations. Although the soldiers in-game refer to the drone as the Predator, it would likely be more accurate to refer to the UAV as the Reaper. The reason for this possible mistake, is that the basic shape of both vehicles are relatively the same. The Reaper was also once known as the "Predator B" before it was given its current name. This is likely the reason that the Predator Missile unlocks the "Grim Reaper" title.
 * The Hellfire is often referred to as an "AGM missile". This is redundant; AGM stands for "Air-to-Ground Missile".

thumb|left|340px|The Predator Missile in action