U.S. Plans Reaper Drone Shift
PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative file photo. A U.S. Air Force MQ 9 Reaper taxis before takeoff from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, June 18, 2026. The U.S. military is preparing to shift Reaper drones from Africa Command to Southern Command ahead of anticipated counter narcotics and counterterrorism operations in South America. (U.S. Air Force photo by William R. Lewis)
The U.S. military is preparing to move MQ 9 Reaper drones from Africa to South America as American forces expand operations against drug cartels across the region.
Six sources familiar with the planning told CNN that aircraft currently assigned to U.S. Africa Command are expected to transfer to U.S. Southern Command ahead of anticipated counter narcotics and counterterrorism missions.
One source said most of AFRICOM’s MQ 9 Reapers could ultimately be moved.
The exact number has not been disclosed.
The Reaper gives commanders two capabilities that are especially valuable in operations against mobile targets.
It can remain airborne for extended periods while collecting intelligence and surveillance information, and it can also carry precision weapons for strike missions.
CNN reported that the aircraft could support future operations in Ecuador, where U.S. military cooperation has expanded significantly this year.
The potential transfer comes as the United States increases military involvement in operations against criminal organizations across Latin America.
U.S. Special Forces personnel have already conducted joint missions with Ecuadorian forces against cartels. Ecuadorian officials confirmed in August that American Green Berets were operating alongside local troops in Esmeraldas province.
U.S. Marines and sailors are also conducting maritime operations in the region.
On Aug. 28, Marines and sailors operating from USS San Antonio boarded a vessel in the eastern Pacific that U.S. Southern Command said was being used as a floating refueling station for the Los Choneros criminal organization.
After removing the people aboard, U.S. forces sank the vessel.
Similar operations have continued.
Southern Command announced another interdiction on Sept. 15 involving a suspected floating refueling station linked to Los Choneros. U.S. forces again removed the people aboard and sank the vessel.
The broader military campaign has also included direct strikes on vessels that U.S. officials say were involved in drug trafficking.
The Associated Press reported Sunday that the U.S. military carried out another strike on a suspected drug smuggling boat in the Caribbean, killing four people. According to AP, the campaign has resulted in at least 231 deaths across 69 military strikes during the past year. The administration says the targets are connected to drug trafficking organizations, although public evidence supporting individual targeting decisions has often been limited.
The U.S. has also established Joint Task Force Western Hemisphere, which Southern Command describes as its operational arm for expanded cooperation with countries participating in the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition.
Southern Command says Ecuador is one of the central partners in that effort.
Moving Reapers away from Africa also carries consequences.
AFRICOM continues to conduct combat operations against groups including al Shabaab.
Just one day before CNN reported the planned drone transfer, AFRICOM carried out a strike against what it described as an al Shabaab weapons storage warehouse in northern Somalia.
The command also conducted another strike against an al Shabaab weapons and ammunition factory on Sept. 14.
CNN reported that the shift is causing concern about how much intelligence and strike capacity AFRICOM will retain as operations continue against militant groups on the continent.
The Pentagon has not publicly said how many Reapers will move, when the transfer will be completed or exactly where the aircraft will operate.
But the decision to shift a potentially significant portion of the fleet from one active combat theater to another illustrates how quickly the U.S. military mission against cartels in the Western Hemisphere is expanding.
(Source: OAF Nation)
