U.S. now using unmanned spy plane with missiles to attack targets in Afghanistan

By PAULINE JELINEK
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON – An unmanned American spy plane armed with missiles has been used for the first time in combat missions over Afghanistan, defense officials said Thursday.

The low-flying RQ-1 Predator, previously used only for reconnaissance, is carrying Hellfire anti-tank missiles, two officials said on condition of anonymity.

The unarmed version of the aircraft was used extensively in support of NATO forces in the Balkans, then tested for the attack mission.

Operated remotely, its main value as an armed vehicle is that it can be used to strike quickly because it is collecting near real-time intelligence. The Predator without missiles relays information, which then must be acted on by pilots or cruise missile commanders at a later time.

The armed drone also makes it possible to strike without putting a pilot in harm's way.

The Predator carries two color video cameras and can remain airborne for more than 40 hours. It can provide information via satellites with near-real time video.

The use of Predators in Afghanistan was first reported over the weekend in the New Yorker magazine, which said a CIA-operated drone had intelligence on Taliban leader Mohammed Omar, but could not get permission from military commanders to fire.

The Predator is 27 feet long with a wingspan of 48 feet.

The use of unmanned aircraft has become an increasingly common tool for U.S. intelligence-gathering operations.

In more than 12 days of airstrikes against the Taliban and the al-Qaida terrorist network, the Pentagon has acknowledges the use of Tomahawk cruise missiles, bombers from Navy aircraft carriers and long-range Air Force bombers, but they have not publicly spoken about the Predator.

One defense official indicated the Predator was not being operated by the Pentagon in recent days.

Another defense official, asked how many such aircraft were deployed, said a few were in use.

APNP-10-18-01 1113CDT