Reply #43: U.S. drones may provide psychological edge in Libya

[pinboy3niner]

Source: Los Angeles Times

The decision to unleash the unmanned Predators in Misurata delights rebels fighting to topple Moammar Kadafi. But few believe the aircraft will be the key to victory.


By Ned Parker and Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times
April 25, 2011


Reporting from Misurata and Benghazi, Libya— The first missile strike by an unmanned Predator against Moammar Kadafi's forces underscores how the drones have become the go-to weapon for an Obama White House wary of being drawn deeper into another messy conflict. But few believe the remote-controlled aircraft are likely to tip the balance in the Libyan stalemate.

Anti-Kadafi rebels who have grumbled about the limited U.S. role in the international air war in Libya were buoyed by Saturday's strike on a rocket launcher in the besieged port city of Misurata.

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However, only two patrols of armed Predators — with each drone capable of carrying a pair of Hellfire missiles — have been assigned to Libyan airspace. The limited deployment tends to mitigate the drone's strengths, such as advanced targeting capabilities and an ability to hover over the battlefield.

"The effect in Libya is going to be largely psychological," predicted Anthony Cordesman with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "You're not going to have enough of them to conduct a war of attrition against a dispersed force."

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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/middleeast/la-fg-libya-drones-20110425,0,469094.story