Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, September 23, 2003
US unmanned plane to begin reconnaissance missions near inter-Korean border
A US unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will begin flights near the inter-Korean border on Friday to conduct search and reconnaissance operations, according to a news release of the US troops in South Korea on Tuesday.
A US unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will begin flights near the inter-Korean border on Friday to conduct search and reconnaissance operations, according to a news release of the US troops in South Korea on Tuesday.
The Shadow-200 UAV will take off and land at Camp Mobile in Dongducheon, some 50 kilometers from Seoul, the 2nd Infantry Division of US Forces Korea (USFK) said in the release, noting that it is part of the army's transformation and modernization project.
"The Shadow UAV provides commanders with real time, accurate and relevant intelligence of the battleground," said the release.
Capable of carrying up to 27 kilograms of surveillance equipment, the Shadow 200 can conduct reconnaissance missions fro man altitude of three to four kilometers after being fired from a rail-type launcher, according to the press release.
The UAV, which was fielded across the US Army in October 2002, will be deployed for nighttime operations.
The Shadow-200 UAV is part of the planned 11 billion US dollars investment over the next several years to enhance USFK's deterrence power.
The USFK also emphasized that the US military will not fly the drone north of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) under any circumstances.
The United States has 37,000 troops in South Korea as a symbol of US-South Korea military alliance.