Despite Legal Hurdle, U.S. Looks to Export Drone Technology to Allies

Wharton Aerospace ^ | 4/01/2010 | Wharton Aerospace

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Despite a legal pact designed to slow the proliferation of unmanned systems, the Pentagon hopes to export U.S. drone technology to allies, Reuters reported.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates testified before a Senate hearing that it was in the United States’ interest to share drone technology with allies despite the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), a pact signed by at least 34 countries. "There are other countries that are very interested in this capability and frankly it is, in my view, in our interest to see what we can do to accommodate them," Gates said.

The U.S. military's demand for unmanned aircraft has risen 600% since 2004 and will continue to double over the next five years, Reuters reported, citing U.S. aerospace industry estimates. The drones have been a deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq, giving American forces the ability to track and kill insurgents, and providing a birds-eye view of the battleground that can be transmitted in real time to soldiers in the field. The CIA has also used unmanned aerial vehicles armed with missiles to kill Al Qaeda and Taliban targets in Pakistan.

Among the countries that have shown interest in acquiring Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk, a drone that can provide surveillance capabilities, are South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Spain, Canada and the United Kingdom, a company spokesman told Reuters in late 2009.

"With respect to export … I think there are some specific cases where we have allies with whom we have a formal treaty alliance who have expressed interest in these capabilities," Gates said. "And we have told them that we are limited in what we can do by MTCR, but I think it's something we need to pursue with them."

[basil]

These days we may be surprised to learn who our “allies” are.........

[octex]

What happened to the days of yore when the US closely held superior technology to maintain an advantage over others?

Since Obama became _resident in the White House, I believe this country has lost former allies through the inept attempts a dealing with foreign policy. Obama’s personal obeisance to Muslim and other Mid-East leaders and the snubs to Israel, AU and EU countries’ dignataries, along with the ridiculous “demands” he, Biden and Clinton have made have caused many former allies to back away from supporting America in the ways they did in the past.

Seems like the technology transfer would just be another weak move by this administration and would reduce the advantage the US now has over others in this field. ....There’s a reason the US has had a long standing policy of not selling the latest versions of aircraft or other technology to other countries, but apparently Obama and puppet Gates wants to make everyone equal. ...Call it a redistribution of technology from those that have it to those that don’t.

[MarkT]

Let’s guess: Lybia, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Hezbollah, Palestine but certainly NOT Israel or Poland or even England, these days.

[Leisler]

Exporting drones? We’re exporting Algores?

[Hulka]

“What happened to the days of yore when the US closely held superior technology to maintain an advantage over others?”

First, to be clear, FMS security deletions ensure we keep the technology edge. What is exported is a shell of what actually makes the thing work.

Second, congress has to approve the export only after the president makes the case that such export maintain the technology edge, doesn’t lead to proliferation and doesn’t upset the balance in the region.

Third, any congressman can stop the transfer when the 36(b) notification is made.

Just to be clear on how the process works (in broad terms).

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

They can go to these countries if we sell them to Pakistan