The skies of Kabul were alight yesterday afternoon as at around 14.00 MSK, Taliban anti-aircraft batteries shot down a drone.
The drone was an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, launched from Uzbekistan. Initial claims that the aircraft was a fighter were later disowned by the Taliban Information Ministry, which stated that the equipment shot down was a Predator reconnaissance aircraft.
The Predator has been deployed since the mid 1990s. It flies at high altitudes at around 80 knots and has autonomy of between 25 to 40 hours, transmitting photographs and other data to base. It can be adapted to fire a Hellfire missile.
This is believed to be the second aircraft shot down by the Taliban.
John ASHTEAD PRAVDA.Ru LONDON UNITED KINGDOM
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