The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is set to benefit from five high-tech, long-endurance drones to the tune of $180 million, which will significantly enhance the security of the country’s borders, maritime space and coastland.
According to a release from the Ministry of the Presidency’s Public Information and Press Services Unit, a demonstration exercise of one of the drones was done at the GDF’s Base Camp Ayanganna Headquarters.
The release stated that drones were catered for in the 2019 National Budget and would be funded through the $14 billion, which was allocated to the GDF. In January 2019, President Granger had indicated that some of the money allocated to the Force would be used to purchase drones for border and other types of surveillance.
Chief of Staff of the GDF, Brigadier Patrick West said the acquisition of the drones will significantly enable the Force to fulfil its functions and mandate, particularly as it works towards effective transformation for total national defence.
“Based on that programme, we have the acquisition of technology to enhance communication and to ensure that we can improve security as well. We are happy that the Defence Board did approve of this acquisition and that the demonstration was successful. It will be used not only to patrol our porous borders but we will also be able to monitor close shore and we would be able to do some amount of anti-piracy patrols as well.
Further, we will be able to do some patrols in the Georgetown Harbour, the Essequibo and Berbice river mouths. We will also be able to do coastal patrols as well and some degree of urban patrols in some towns, Linden, Mahdia and in the interior locations,” he is quoted as saying.
Brigadier West also said the drones will assist the Force in monitoring activities in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine) where numerous illegal airstrips and abandoned planes were discovered in recent years. “It will also support the whole Smart City Solutions as well because wherever there are blind spots in the system, the drones will be able to pick up there,” he said.
Additionally, Commander of Signal Corps of the GDF, Lieutenant Colonel Roger Nurse said the purchase also caters for training, capacity-building and knowledge transfer.
