UAV Special Operations: In A Secret Desert Base

The United States UAV operations in Djibouti (northeast Africa) will now operate from another airstrip far away from the capital, to prevent the possibility of  issues involving the American UAVs (mainly 1.1 ton Predators and 4.6 ton Reapers), specially bearing in mind these UAVs are sometimes armed with missiles.

U.S. forces in Djibouti were increased after resistance collapsed in Iraq in 2008 and are now the command post for a network of American operations through the region. That includes a UAV facility on the Seychelles Islands (1,500 kilometers to the east) and permission to move troops and aircraft through countries like Kenya and Uganda. 

U.S. Weighs Base for Spy Drones in North Africa

A handful of unarmed Predator drones would carry out surveillance missions in the region. The Africa Command’s plan still needs approval from the Pentagon and eventually from the White House. If approved, the base could ultimately have as many as 300 United States military and contractor personnel, but it would probably begin with far fewer people than that, military officials said. (Read more)