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Predator a lethal eye in the sky

Unmanned Predator armed with Hellfire missile photographed during 2001 test flight.
Unmanned Predator armed with Hellfire missile photographed during 2001 test flight.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Predator drone was designed to gather intelligence on enemy forces without putting U.S. pilots at risk, but it's also found a role as a deadly offensive weapon in America's war on terrorism.

The small, unmanned aircraft has a range of about 460 miles and can stay in the air for up to 24 hours. It can beam real-time video to controllers on the ground without landing.

Predators have been used as reconnaissance planes since 1995. They were equipped with Hellfire anti-tank missiles in February 2001 -- just months before the September 11 attacks and the war in Afghanistan.

The drones have been used against al Qaeda and Taliban targets in Afghanistan -- including a February 4 strike that was believed to have killed a number of senior al Qaeda leaders in Zawar Kili.

In October 2001, before U.S. troops entered Afghanistan, a Predator was used to try to protect Afghan opposition leader Abdul Haq before he was captured by the Taliban. The drone fired several missiles at Taliban forces but was unable to drive them off. Haq was executed.

The U.S. Air Force has recently begun flying armed Predators over Iraq.

Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, Gen. Richard Myers, last week said the plane is most valued because "it's persistent" and can stay "over the target area for long periods of time and it can move between targets" without being detected.



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