Pentagon eyes drones for Kenya to fight militants nearby

Source: Reuters

Pentagon eyes drones for Kenya to fight militants nearby
Sat, 21 Jul 2012 18:51 GMT
Source: reuters // Reuters

WASHINGTON, July 21 (Reuters) - The Pentagon is seeking to send hand-launched drones to Kenya as part of a $40 million-plus military aid package designed to help four African countries fight al Qaeda and al Shabaab militants, notably in Somalia, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Kenya would get eight "Raven" unmanned aerial systems - an unarmed drone that can be use to identify targets for strikes by ground forces or other aircraft.

"This assistance will improve the tactical effectiveness and operational reach of the Kenyan National Defense Forces engaged in CT (counter-terrorism) operations against al Shabaab in Somalia," the newspaper quoted a Pentagon document as saying.

The Ravens for Kenya would be part of an initial $41.4 million package that also would include trucks, communications gear and rifles for Burundi, Djibouti and Uganda, the newspaper said.


Read more: http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/pentagon-eyes-drones-for-kenya-to-fight-militants-nearby