Iraq buys US drones to protect oil pipelines and infrastructure
31 May 2012
American officials announced in May that Iraq intends to purchase US unmanned drones to protect the country's oil production and transportation infrastructure, according to Reuters.
The deal was announced by the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq, and comes as the US is preparing to pull out many of its remaining resources in the country. The Iraqi government took responsibility for protecting oil pipelines and related infrastructure in 2005, but the US has since provided support, including aerial surveillance.
The Iraqi navy will be the arm of the country’s armed forces operating the drones, and some are likely to be deployed to protect offshore oil platforms, as well as pipelines and other associated infrastructure.