Miscommunication Led To U.S. Deaths In Afghan Drone Strike

Marine Staff Sgt. Jeremy Smith, 26, of Arlington, Texas, was killed along with a Navy medic on April 6 in Afghanistan's Helmand Province. The Pentagon says Smith and Navy Hospitalman Benjamin Rast, 23, were killed by a Hellfire missile fired by a U.S. drone in a friendly fire incident. (unknown / October 14, 2011)

U.S. Deaths In Drone Strike Due To Miscommunication, Report Says -- L.A. Times

The Pentagon says Marines in Afghanistan and the crew controlling the drone in Nevada were unaware analysts watching the firefight via live video in Indiana had doubts about the targets' identity.

A Marine and a Navy medic killed by a U.S. drone airstrike were targeted when Marine commanders in Afghanistan mistook them for Taliban fighters, even though analysts watching the Predator's video feed were uncertain whether the men were part of an enemy force.

Those are the findings of a Pentagon investigation of the first known case of friendly fire deaths involving an unmanned aircraft, the April 6 attack that killed Marine Staff Sgt. Jeremy Smith, 26, and Navy Hospitalman Benjamin D. Rast, 23.

Read more ....

Update #1: Report: Miscommunication led to deaths of Marine, corpsman killed by drone -- Houston Chronicle
Update #2: US deaths in drone strike due to miscommunication, report finds -- Sacramento Bee/Tribune

My Comment: This is the first known incident of friendly fire deaths involving an unmanned aircraft. My prediction .... it will not be the last.