Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced today during a news briefing that out military will use Predator drones as part of Operation Unified Protector in Libya. Secretary Gates said there are currently two drones in Libya, and they are capable of providing around-the-clock coverage. He said the United States is still taking a back seat in the NATO mission, as our military is stretched thin with involvements in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Japan.
ABC News reports Gates's reveal that the military is using drones in Libya matters...
Predator drones, created by General Atomics in Poway, made headlines recently when a San Diego-based sailor was killed in a friendly-fire drone attack in Afghanistan earlier this month. 23-year-old Hospitalman Benjamin D. Rast, along with 26-year-old Marine Staff Sgt. Jeremy D. Smith, reportedly became the first Americans killed by Predator drone attacks, although the Pentagon has yet to officially confirm this.
Take a look at this special report from the Pentagon Channel on the use of Predator Drones in Libya:
