An unnamed U.S. defense official revealed on Sunday that the Pentagon plans to expand its use of drone flights by at least 50 percent within the next four years. The American military is in need of increased surveillance and strike capability to deal with the growing threats to the country and its allies around the world.

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ABC News reported that the United States Air Force currently conducts more than 60 drone flights daily. That number may soon be reduced, which can greatly hamper the U.S. military's ability to effectively deal with it's enemies.

The Pentagon has decided to delegate most of the planned additional drone missions to both Army and civilian defense contractors.

The U.S. high command believes that Russia and China present a credible threat to the country's national security.

The American military is therefore focusing on the Pacific, where China is building up its military might and asserting its territorial claims. Beijing has engaged in a massive land building program in the shoals and reefs it currently occupies. The U.S. has conducted several sea and aerial patrols near or over the disputed territories, but would like to increase the frequency of such flights.

The Pentagon has laid out a proposal to let the Air Force maintain it's 60 drone flights daily, while the combined Army personnel and civilian defense contractors will provide the remaining drone sorties.

This latest move will help the Air Force realign its drone personnel. The sudden demand for drone surveillance and air strikes forced the recruitment of experienced fighter pilots to become drone operators. Air Force General J.D. Harris Jr. said they do have not enough drone operators to handle the additional sorties.

Defense officials gave assurances that civilian operators will only fly surveillance missions and would not be handling armed drones.

The Verge reported that most of the drone flights will be in Asia (including the Pacific area) and Middle Eastern hotspots such as Syria as well as African countries like Somalia.

The Pentagon's additional drone sorties is separate from the Central Intelligence Agency's drone flights.

The use of drones by American military and intelligence agencies has grown considerably under the Obama administration. Drones have reportedly caused the death of more than 3,000 persons since the start of the unmanned planes program.

Tagsdrone flights, drones, unmanned aircraft, drone program, U.S. Air Force, cia drone program, us covert operations, us special forces, drone sorties