U.S. drone sale to Ukraine hits snag - sources

National Post (CA) ^ | Jun 17, 2022 | Mike Stone

[Mount Athos]

The Biden administration’s plan to sell four large, armable drones to Ukraine has been paused on the fear its sophisticated surveillance equipment might fall into enemy hands, according to two people familiar with the matter.

The decision on whether or not to continue with the deal is now being reviewed higher up the chain of command at the Pentagon, but the timing of any decision is uncertain, one of the people a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity.

According to Army budget documents, the Gray Eagles cost $10 million each.

[McGruff]

equipment might fall into enemy hands

Like those Javelins?

[fidelis]

Four drones at $10 million a pop. Forty million here, $40 million there, pretty soon you’re talking about a lot of money. Our money.

[Mariner]

As I said when this was first announced, it’s not likely to happen.

State Dept BS.

Pentagon is no way gonna ship THESE weapons to Ukraine, outside direct US control.

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Just $17.00 dollars to 79%.

[Pollard]

$40 billion and I suppose they’re buying them with our money?

[Parley Baer]

Of course the Biden regime had no problem with all the equipment we left behind in Afghanistan falling into the wrong hands.

[G Larry]

Excuse me, but there are several drones America would be happy to send to Ukraine for free!

Starting with Biden and his entire cabinet!!!!

[BobL]

I’m old enough to remember when, literally, EVERYONE who had access to our most sophisticated weapons needed a Top Secret (or higher) clearance from our government. That was to keep the weapons and their designs away from our enemies.

Now we send the weapons, thousands of copies in some cases, to a third country, so that they can be transferred to our biggest enemies (Russia in this case, and likely China too, via Russia).

Sure hope we at least have some weapons left that we hadn’t handed on a silver platter to Russia.

[usurper]

Pentagon is no way gonna ship THESE weapons to Ukraine, outside direct US control.

I hope you are right, this is the good stuff. Top shelf. They should not just give it away unless the big guy gets his 10%.

[teevolt]

Pretty sure there isn’t one export that China doesn’t get.

[delta7]

Like those Javelins?
———
Do you mean the ones the Ukie soldiers sold ( presumably to the Ukie Mafia) or do you mean the ones Kadyrov captured by the truck load?

[buwaya]

This is a useless sale in any case. These particular drones are not made to survive a modern, unsuppressed air defence. They were designed for a completely different sort of war.

[buwaya]

They are “top shelf” for the wrong purposes, inapplicable vs the Russian military. And, I think, the tech on them is well out of date by now.

[buwaya]

Kadyrov’s didn’t capture “truckloads” of Javelins. They showed like 2-5 at a time on a few videos. And its unclear whether they were fired or unfired units.

[Big Red Badger]

Launching Hellfire missiles
Will never be Obsolete. But
Grey Eagles have been an
Under Powered little mess.

[Ultra Sonic 007]

Given how much we left behind in Afghanistan, do you really have that kind of confidence in the Pentagon's competency?

[miserare]

Like stealing candy from a baby.

[Clean_Sweep]

We gave MIRV technology to China under Clinton, the Pentagon will do whatever their told.

[buwaya]

The point with this is not to shoot missiles but recon and target acquisition. The problem is that it’s not designed to be “stealthy” and is a sitting duck within range of S400 missiles. It’s high altitude ability is not a sufficient protection.