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The offer will put pressure on the Biden administration to OK the sale, which would mark another major escalation of military aid
Originally published by AntiWar
The American weapons maker General Atomics is offering to sell Ukraine two of its MQ-9 Reaper drone for only one dollar, a move that will put pressure on the Biden administration to approve the deal, which would mark another major escalation of military aid.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Ukraine would still have to pay $10 million to prepare and ship the drones and $8 million each year to maintain them. The offer would also include a ground control center for the drones. The ground control center and maintenance support mean American contractors would likely be sent to Ukraine under the deal.
The US has supplied Ukraine with much smaller drones, but nothing as sophisticated as the Reaper, which can be armed with powerful missiles. The Reaper could also fly up to 24 hours, giving it a huge range, and is often used in US drone strikes in the Middle East and in Africa.
The offer was made by General Atomics CEO Linden Blue to Ukraine’s defense attaché at its embassy in Washington. When asked for a comment by the Journal, the company declined to comment on the details but said it’s been in discussions with the Ukrainian government.
“General Atomics has been discussing the requirements of the Ukrainian armed forces with their government for many months, and remains committed to supporting them in any way possible,” a spokesman for General Atomics said.
General Atomics has been pushing for the US to send Ukraine its MQ-1C Gray Eagle drone, which has similar capabilities to the Reapers. So far, the Biden administration has declined to send Gray Eagles over concerns the sensitive technology in components of the drones could end up in Russia’s hands.
But reports in November said the US was considering modifying the Gray Eagle drone so it would have less advanced technology, and Congress has put pressure on the Biden administration to give them to Ukraine. The administration has also shown its willingness to send weapons it previously ruled out, such as M1 Abrams tanks, even though providing such aid brings the US and Russia closer to a direct clash.
united states a ridiculous country wanting to impose its idolatry
My God, the russians must be terrified! https://sofrep.com/fightersweep/watch-us-mq-9-reaper-drone-reportedly-shot-yemen/
$1 is much too expensive for the broke ukies.
I doubt there is a single $ left from the money donated by all the patsies.
America’s demonic masters, faced with a desperate reality – contrary to their morbid desires for conquest – don’t know exactly what to do anymore. Little money, little weapons, hope and die. Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!!
Right into Russian hands, then.
They are funny. They are selling for one dollar with a $10 million extra for shipping and an $8 million each year to maintain them. In other words, it’s $18 million as they will not last a year to begin with. Sounds like an Ebay tactic.
Parler de dollars sans cesse afin de marteler aux gogo de l’authenticité et de la “valeur” de PQ yankee. Le dollar ne vaut rien sinon que le poids du papier et de l’encre employée conjugué à la naïveté des gouvernements de l’extérieur qui glorifie leur servitude couplée à la mise en esclavage de leurs populations !
” La “valeur” de PQ yankee”? C’est intéressant comme tournure de mot. Je ne l’ai jamais entendu celle-là. Québécoise? Dire que le dollar ne vaut rien est quelque peu exagérer surtout en considérant qu’on peut acheter n’importe quoi et aussi de l’or ou autres métaux précieux.
La valeur du dollar tiendra le coup tant et aussi longtemps qu’il sera la monnaie internationale. Ce qui va faire mal par contre est le fait que le pétrodollar va disparaître, et ce avec beaucoup d’avantages que les Américains ont reçu a cause des transactions garanties en monnaie Americaine.
Shipping? Why can’t they just tow them behind a real plane, like a glider?
I think the mister 10% guy arranged that deal.
Sounds like an inkjet printer deal. Printer costs $30 and the cartridges cost $60.
The contract ain’t no sweetheart deal either. They have to pay the full year’s maintenance even if it’s shot out of the sky on day one.
They don’t even need to warm up a Pantsir for that one. A Peashooter will do.
Plus, there’s a $50,000,000 penalty clause if the Russians grab it out of the sky intact.
Nah, they won’t have to pay for the maintenance, a saving of $8M. They won’t last long enough to need maintenance. But the $1 is about right, as the scrap prices in Ukr are falling daily from overstock.
As I said before, be more proactive and hit the shipment
The Russians don’t have the balls to that, but I can see the Russians are getting more angry at the West and soon they will work up the courage to strike the West!
SAM bait slow easy target
Tiro al blanco. No se escapara de los radares y los misiles una vez detectado
That’s a real bargain. I figure the maintenance cost will be measured in days not years, so that’ll be perfectly affordable, even to the bankrupt beggars of Ukraine.
Hey, that’s $22,000 a day. Given a 3 day life span, that’s still enough for a cheap Mercedes.
Why do I get the impression that all the real secret “tech” will have been stripped from that drone before it reaches Ukraine, and just before they’re shot down….
Of course the Pentagon and the CIA already paid for the drones only that the weak, senile regime wants to shift responsibility by claiming that it was the company that gave them to Ukraine.
Nothing new under the sun. that’s how the Anglo-Saxons keep their word. Does anyone still believe them?
One short description: large radar section = 5 minute survival against Pantsir, Thor and S 300+; even for a BUK this is another piece of expensive imperialist shit. In Yemen, houtis destroyed them even with MANPADS. The deep state ameriscum terrorist war machine is in PANIC mode, clearly.
I’ll buy em for a 100dhs no questions asked. I need a fleet……
They were spying on Petraeus when he was with his shishka in Yemen…..
Bring on the raper…more yankee shit for the rump Ukrap dumster fire…the dumpster fire that will finally ignite Slumville, USSA proper.
Z and lots of it until Natostan and the evil EUSSR are no more and USSA is in 50 bits all fighting bloody water wars.
Z
Be a real shame if Russian Drones started populating major euro cities skies and waxing citizens.
Absolute retardism…
They think they are dealing with some ragheads that live in the middle of nowhere that dont have any AA missiles or something….
Reaper drones were effective when fighting tribal fighters of afghanistan because they didn’t have sophisticated anti air defenses. What a fantastic waste a Reaper drone would be in Ukraine.