US Deploys 4 Spy Planes to Latin America

The Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System planes, known as EMARSS, was deployed by the U.S. Armed Forces’ Southern Command for “operational missions.” The U.S. plans to field up to 24 EMARSS aircraft in the region within the next few years.

“You're bringing the ability not only to detect and exploit the target, but then, also to process all that information and get it out to the people who need it, so that they can take the appropriate action,” Lt. Col. Sean Smith told Scout Warrior.

EMARSS come equipped with cameras, software and antennas for intelligence gathering on “targets of interest” and “enemy movement.” The U.S. has not revealed specific targets for EMARSS use in the region.

U.S. plans to collect intelligence on “enemies” using EMARSS resemble techniques used during Operation Condor, a Cold War-era campaign of violence across Latin America. Through the campaign, which resulted in mass activist deaths, the Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, used aerial cameras and radio antennas to collect information on leftist movements.

Source: Telesur.