According to Hugh Jameson (40), "one of the most significant military developments in the last 10 to 15 years has been that of the unmanned aerial vehicle, which has evolved from the simple drone with limited capability to today's sophisticated aircraft, which, for some roles, particularly Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) is now the platform of choice." These drones or UAVs are seen by Ana Mulrine (30) as increasingly useful in challenging theaters of operation such as Afghanistan, where the terrain is such that gathering intelligence requires visual oversight of often expansive areas that are difficult for humans to penetrate. UAVs help to search broad areas and provide what is known as armed overwatch for soldiers in battle. Their capabilities are directly related to enhance use of various forms of information technology (IT).
Jameson (40-41) stated that contemporary UAVs are equipped with complex telecommunications systems such as satellite communications or satcom systems that complement a conventional line-of-sight capability for mission control, product download, and take-off and landing. It must contain data links that are capable of providing both still and moving film. Adequate bandwidth and a permanent communication link are integral elements of the new generation of UAVs.
Barry, Thomas, Nordland, Samuels, Ali, Moreau, and Yousafzai (24) have stated that UAVs have become the "smart bombs" in the Iraq war because they are used to scout out routes ahead of soldiers and units, identify the presence of enemy forces or weapon installations, and provide intelligence regarding the movement of both men and material. UAVs are particularly useful in bringing to warfare the capabilities of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) which provide real-time data that is useful in directing military activities.
Mulrine (30) has commented that there has been a dramatic increase in the number of UAVs in op...