Week 5 Project: UAVs and Counterterrorism

For this final, major assignment, you will research and analyze the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the fight against terrorism. UAVs are also referred to as drones and may be armed with missiles or simply used for surveillance.

The United States has utilized drones to strike targets in several countries, including Yemen, Iraq, and Pakistan. Targets have included members of al-Qaeda, ISIS, and the Taliban.

Research and prepare a comprehensive analysis of the use of UAVs in the fight against terrorism. Submit a Microsoft Word report of 7 pages that covers the following points:

• Describe the UAVs and how they operate.
• Discuss the advantages of using UAVs.
• Evaluate whether UAVs have proven effective. Cite statistics or other data to support your conclusion.
• Identify and describe the several uses of UAVs in the fight against terrorism.
• Discuss the difficulties that UAV operators face, including the legalities of using UAVs to conduct operations in another country.
• Select one real example of a successful US drone strike and describe it. Explain who or what was struck, where the strike took place, and other relevant information.
• Analyze and evaluate the overall policy of using UAVs on the battlefield.