AL ASAD, Iraq–ScanEagle UAV sits on the catapult prior to launch. 16 April 2005, By Gunnery Sergeant Shannon Arledge of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
On February 28, the Houthis (Ansar Allah) shot down yet another US-made Boeing Insitu ScanEagle 2 drone over Yemen.
In a statement, Brig. Gen. Yahya Sari, a spokesman for the group, said that the drone was shot down with a “suitable weapon” after conducting “hostile acts” over the district of Harad in the northwestern province of Hajjah.
Saudi-led coalition proxies, led by the 5th Military District of the Yemeni Armed Forces, kicked off a large-scale attack on Houthi forces in Harad early on in February. However, they are yet to make any real gains in the district.
The ScanEagle 2 has a top speed of 148 kilometers and an endurance of more than 16 hours. The drone is mainly used for reconnaissance missions. It is equipped with a day and night capable sensor, a fully digital video system and an advanced navigation system.
This was the third ScanEagle 2 drone to be shot down by the Houthis’ air defenses over Yemen since the beginning of the year. The first and second drones were shot down over the district of al-Jubah in the central province of Ma’rib on January 30 and February 25.
Last year, the Houthis down at least eight ScanEagle 2 drones over different parts of Ma’rib while battling the Saudi-backed coalition and its proxies.
It remains unclear who is operating these ScanEagle 2 drones over Yemen. According to some reports, Saudi Arabia purchased a number of drones of this type from the US without announcing the contract. This is yet to be confirmed, however.
