NEW YORK – An American arms manufacturer has offered the Ukrainian government two “Reaper MQ-9” drones, valued at tens of millions of dollars, for the price of one dollar to help the country defend itself as it prepares for a expected Russian offensive, reported The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).
The sale of long-range and high-speed “Reaper” drones would require the approval of the administration headed by Joe Biden, according to the newspaper, which has had access to the proposal from the General Atomics company, manufacturer of these devices.
The agreement would, however, require kyiv to invest around $10 million to facilitate the movement of the aircraft to Ukraine and another $8 million each year for the maintenance of these huge drones and older ones, which are currently not used in Ukraine.
The proposal, made last week by Linden Blue, the company’s executive director to the Ukrainian Defense Attaché in Washington, would also include the installation of a ground control station to operate the drones.
According to the newspaper, the White House, which would have to approve the sale, refused to comment on this matter and the Ukrainian government did not confirm it either.
A General Atomics spokesperson told the WSJ that the company could not discuss specific weapons-related deals, but added that they believe “Ukraine needs a capability like the Reaper and soon.”
“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,” said C. Mark Brinkley, a spokesman for the US company.
The United States has provided more than 700 smaller drones to Ukraine over the past year, including “Switchblade” tactical drones, the newspaper said.
These drones are not armed, but can be carried in backpacks and are used, loaded with explosives, to crash into targets. They have been widely used to defend Ukrainian positions, recalls the newspaper.
The Reaper is a much more complex drone, with significantly greater range, speeds, and capabilities. It has a wingspan of about 20 meters, can be armed and, according to the WSJ, can fly for more than 24 hours without refueling.
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