The "Reaper" commanded by an operator remotely, will conduct armed surveillance missions. London, therefore, entrusts the protection of the retreating troops in the country to the Hunter Killers.
According to the Defense Ministry, British forces will withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of the year.
The mission, called "Eye in the Sky", involves the use of the Reaper for night and day surveillance missions, thanks to their autonomy close to thirty hours and their ability to load up to fourteen air-land missiles.
The drones will operate with Hermes 450 (pictured right), unmanned aircraft of the British army mainly used for surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
As we focus on the withdrawal of British forces from Afghanistan - they add from London - we will have the ability to protect our bases from heaven with lethal firepower and provide support to troops on mission.
From the Kandahar airbase, the Reaper will monitor particular areas of interest, sending images in real time. Aircraft can be armed with laser-guided bombs and Hellfire missiles. In 54 thousand flight hours, British drones have launched 459 laser-guided missiles and bombs.
The RAF used the Reaper for the first time in October of the 2007 during operations in Afghanistan against the Taliban. Flying at a maximum altitude of approximately 50.000 feet (15.240 meters) from the ground, the plane reaches a maximum speed of approximately 230 miles per hour (370 km / h).
Franco Iacch
(photo: RAF / Elbit)
