Robot plane to be used by Irish forces
Sunday Independent
27/03/2005
DON LAVERY
A KEY weapon in Afghanistan and Iraq, an unmanned 'spy in the sky' robot plane, is to be used in Ireland.
The pilotless drones, called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have proved a vital element in surveillance of high risk areas by US, British and German forces in the two countries and in Bosnia.
They can be operated by a pilot thousands of miles away from a war zone giving commanders an unrivalled view of the battlefield.
Now two UAVs are to be acquired by the Irish Air Corps under an initial €300,000 programme and could be used to support anti-terrorist operations by Ireland's Special Forces, the Army Ranger Wing. They may also be used abroad on peace missions like Liberia allowing Irish commanders to see real time video footage by day or night from the drone operating far ahead of their patrolling troops.
One UAV, the American Predator, has been armed with missiles and was used to attack terrorist strongholds in Fallujah in Iraq. But the Irish UAVs will be smaller and simpler, to be used for roles which could include Border and sea surveillance; spotting for artillery fire, or acting in support of the Rangers.
