US readies drones for new frontiers

The paper said that the next phase of drone warfare is focused more on spying than killing and will extend the Pentagons robust surveillance networks far beyond traditional,declared combat zones.

Over the past decade,the Pentagon has assembled over 400 Predators,Reapers,Hunters and other high-altitude drones that have revolutionised counter-terrorism operations,killing scores of top ranking al-Qaeda and Taliban militants,it said. Some of the unmanned aircraft will return home with US troops when they leave Afghanistan. But many of the drones will redeploy to fresh frontiers,where they will spy on a melange of armed groups,drug runners,pirates and other targets that worry US officials, the paper said.

In the Middle East,the US has drone hubs in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to conduct reconnaissance over the Persian Gulf. Twice since November,Iran has scrambled fighter jets to approach or fire on US Predator drones that edged close to Iranian airspace, the paper said.

In Africa,the US began flying unarmed drones over the Sahara five months ago to track al-Qaeda fighters and rebels in northern Mali,the Post said,adding that the Pentagon has also set up drone bases in Ethiopia,Djibouti and Seychelles.

The commander of US forces in Africa told Congress in February that he needed a 15-fold increase in surveillance,reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering on the continent, the Post said.

It quoted a Defence Department spokeswoman as saying the military hasnt made any final decision yet but is committed to increasing its surveillance in Asia and the Pacific.