Drones Are Playing A Growing Role In Afghanistan -- New York Times
When American and allied forces pushed into the Taliban stronghold of Marja, in southern Afghanistan, last week, they had the advantage of knowing where dozens of roadside bombs had already been planted. And when some troops came under fire, they called in help from a weapon that has quietly become one of the military’s most versatile tools on the Afghan battlefield: the drone.
The use of the drones has expanded quickly and virtually unnoticed in Afghanistan. The Air Force now flies at least 20 Predator drones — twice as many as a year ago — over vast stretches of hostile Afghan territory each day.
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My Comment: We are still at the beginning stage in the development and deployment of drones like the Reaper and the Predator. With time, I am sure that we will have not only have different types of drones (and more of them), but also an arsenal to complement each and every operation.
As to what is my own personal take of the future of the drone fleet, I expect dozens if not hundreds of drones in the air at all times. I also expect that in future conflicts and/or peace keeping missions all major patrols will have a drone overhead that will not only provide intelligence, but it will also swing into action when the patrol comes into contact with the enemy. Afghanistan has become the test case for this new military doctrine .... and I am sure that the US is not the only country looking at how effective this doctrine is and/or can be.
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