France will deploy its first US-made unarmed unmanned surveillance aircraft to West Africa by the end of the year, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Thursday, as it seeks to “eliminate all traces of al Qaeda”.
France’s military intervention in Mali in January exposed its shortage of surveillance drones suitable for modern warfare, forcing it to rely on the United States to provide French commanders with intelligence from UAS based in neighbouring Niger.
Paris said in June it would buy 12 Reaper reconnaissance UAS built by privately owned U.S. firm General Atomics to eventually replace its EADS-made Harfangs.
“Two UAS that we have bought will be operational by the end of the year in Africa, in the Sahel. That is their main mission,” Le Drian told Europe 1 radio.
Niger gave permission in January for U.S. surveillance UAS to be stationed on its territory to improve intelligence on al Qaeda-linked Islamist fighters in the region.
Le Drian said pockets of militants remained in Mali, whom Paris would go after. They included veteran Islamist commander Mokhtar Belmokhtar, who claimed responsibility for attacks in Niger and on Algeria’s In Amenas gas plant earlier this year.
“We have led successful counter-terrorism attacks in recent days and we will continue to act to eliminate all traces of al Qaeda,” he said.
Source: Chicago Tribune