Military Has 64 Drone Bases—in the US

Most are probably for training: Wired
By Mark Russell,  Newser Staff
Suggested by fancygapva
Posted Jun 17, 2012 3:47 PM CDT
Updated Jun 17, 2012 4:40 PM CDT
Military Has 64 Drone Bases—in the US
An MQ-9 Reaper flies by on a training mission in 2007 at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada.   (Getty Images)

Unmanned aerial drones—they're not just for the mountains of Afghanistan or the deserts of Yemen anymore. There are now 64 drone bases in the United States, including 12 sites for Predator and Reaper drones, types capable of being armed, reports Wired. And there are plans in the works for 22 more bases, according to a study by Public Intelligence, an independent group that advocates the public's right to information.

"It goes to show you how entrenched drones already are,” said one activist. "It's clear that the drone industry is expanding rapidly and this map is just another example of that." So what are they doing? That's not clear, but while the ACLU and others are worried about the potential for domestic surveillance, it's a safe bet that most of the sites are used for military training, notes Wired's Danger Room blog. (More drones stories.)

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