Reapers Shift Toward South America

The United States is planning to move some or most MQ-9 Reaper drones from Africa Command to Southern Command for counternarcotics and counterterrorism missions in South America, including potential operations in Ecuador.

The shift would support intelligence collection, border and maritime surveillance, and possible precision strikes, while potentially reducing coverage against ISIS and al-Shabaab in Africa. Colombia has separately agreed to receive three MQ-9A Reapers to monitor trafficking routes.