Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 7, 2008 1:24:35 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Robot Drones Have 'Changed War' in Iraq, Afghanistan

Posted Jun 5, 08 4:51 PM CDT in US,  Glossies,  Technology 

(Newser) – At the outset of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were little more than nifty, if sometimes helpful toys. They’ve since cemented a key role in US operations, Newsweek reports. Now hundreds of drones, some as small as model airplanes, keep an unblinking eye on militant movements, relaying images instantly to field commanders’ laptops. One battalion commander says 90% of his "kills" have been aided by UAVs.

Drones have been around since World War II, but their development was always hindered by a military bias toward “manned platforms.” Even now, Defense Secretary Robert Gates complains he can’t get enough. “People were stuck in the old way of doing things,” he said. “It’s been like pulling teeth.” But some worry that drones make killing too easy, too distant, too … robotic.

Source Newsweek

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Stress Disorder Surges Among US Troops

    May 27, 08 5:00 PM CDT
    Stress Disorder Surges Among US Troops Post-traumatic stress disorder is surging among US troops sent to Iraq and Afghanistan. New cases rose by more than 46% to nearly 14,000 in 2007, reports Reuters. In the last five years, about 40,000 cases have been diagnosed, most of them in the Army. More »

A worker checks out the camera on the Predator drone unmanned aerial vehicle on the tarmac at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., Thursday, Oct. 25, 2007, prior to a night mission.   (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Shown are an SUGV (Small Unmanned Ground Vehicle), left, and an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), being used by soldiers from the Future Force Warrior Program, during a three-week training exercise.   (AP Photo)
In this Thursday, June 21, 2007 file photo, an MQ-4 Predator stands on the tarmac at Balad Air Base, 50 miles north of Baghdad, Iraq.   (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo, File)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 7)

Tags

Iraq war  • military  • Afghanistan war  • drones  • spy drones  • UAVs


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Technology Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »