US sends reconnaissance planes to border with Mexico, which previously monitored Russia and China - media
The Pentagon significantly strengthened intelligence missions along the Mexican border immediately after Donald Trump's inauguration. The border is patrolled by strategic reconnaissance aircraft that previously monitored the military activities of Russia and China.
This is reported by CNN, citing sources and open data on flight registration, Censor.NET reports.
Increased activity after Trump's inauguration
As noted, over the past two weeks, the US military has significantly stepped up surveillance of Mexican drug cartels with the help of specialized reconnaissance aircraft, which have made at least 18 flights in the southwestern United States and in international airspace around the Mexican peninsula of Baja (Mexico).
The activity of reconnaissance aircraft increased sharply immediately after the inauguration of the new president, over a ten-day period in late January and early February.
According to a former senior U.S. military official, the Pentagon used to conduct only one reconnaissance mission a month near the U.S.-Mexico border.
"Typically, the government has focused on using these aircraft to gather intelligence for other priorities, such as Russia's activities in Ukraine or hunting for Russian or Chinese submarines," the publication says.
According to CNN, the military is now directing "limited capabilities" in the field of US national security from external threats to the southern border, where Donald Trump has declared a state of emergency.
What kind of reconnaissance aircraft are being used?
At least 11 of the recent reconnaissance flights near Mexico were reportedly conducted by P-8 aircraft, which are specialized aircraft equipped with a sophisticated radar system to detect submarines, collect detailed images, and monitor radio signals.
In addition, on February 3, for the first time, the United States deployed a rare U-2 reconnaissance aircraft developed during the Cold War to collect high-altitude images of the USSR.
Until now, the U-2 has never been used to monitor drug cartel activity.
Although these aircraft fly primarily over U.S. territory and in international waters, military experts say they are capable of gathering intelligence deep inside Mexico.
It is currently unclear how the Trump administration plans to use the information.
CNN suggests that it may be part of an effort to document the criminal activities of drug cartels. At the same time, some former and current officials have expressed concern that these reconnaissance flights could be a preparatory stage for identifying targets that could later be attacked militarily, as Trump has promised.
