US to provide Pakistan RQ-7 shadow 200 spy drones

WASHINGTON/ISLAMABAD: US would provide Pakistan Army with 12 RQ-7 Shadow 200 spy drones for monitoring of Pakistan-Afghan border and tribal areas and intelligence gathering.

These shadow drones would be provided from next year and in this regard US Defense secretary Robert Gates has issued directives to the Pentagon

Defense sources told Online that during the 3rd round of strategic dialogue Pakistan had put forward two options for drone technology either they should be given Shadow 200 or C Eagle spy drones. Pakistani delegation had demanded that they should be given the drone technology so that they could themselves target hideouts of militants and the US should stop attacks in tribal areas. However the US did not accept the demand after which Pakistan expressed its willingness to take RQ-7 shadow 200 which are better and lighter than C eagle drones.

The UAV drones are being used in Afghanistan and Iraq by the US and they are capable of not only targeting up to 125 kilometer but also have the capability to identify their target. They can fly up to 6 to 8000 feet. However they need a technical operation center from which they can be flown. The drone is capable of providing fast intelligence information and would keep the field units continuously updated.