NAIROBI, Kenya — US military surveillance drones — complete with missile-carrying capability — have begun patrolling the waters off Somalia in the latest tactic against rising piracy.
The recent end of the monsoon season brought a rash of attacks on the open seas, with three ships seized in just the last week off Africa’s eastern coast. At last count, pirates were holding more than 130 crew members from seven ships.
The 36-foot-long, unmanned drones, or MQ-9 Reapers, are stationed on the island nation of Seychelles and deployed to patrol the Indian Ocean. They are the size of a jet fighter, can fly continuously for about 16 hours, and can carry a dozen guided bombs and missiles.
Military officials said the drones would not immediately be fitted with weaponry — but did not rule out arming them in the future.