L’Ukraine is in negotiations about the purchase drones Americanmade heavy attack couplings. Several Kiev emissaries met in Washington General Atomics, the US manufacturer of the MQ9 Reaper, the US Air Force’s main warchanging UAV Russia.
Although the final green light should come from the government United States, such talks between Ukraine and a US defense company are unlikely to have materialized without the approval of the Biden administration, writes The Washington Post. General Atomics spokesman Mark Brinkley stated, “We have aircraft available for immediate transfer, and with the support of the US government, these aircraft could be in the hands of Ukrainian military pilots within days.”
General Atomics already has experience with the rapid delivery of MQ9 to other countries. “In the past we have partnered with the US government to send MQ9 Reaper to a partner nation in less than 30 days. The logistical footprint could be minimal, even much smaller than what people associate with the USUAS logistical footprint, Brinkley added.
Moskva, why is it so important? The Value of the Largest Missile Cruiser in the Black Sea (and the Strike Against Putin)
Why is Russia losing so many tanks in Ukraine? “Javelin missiles (USsupplied) and wrong tactics”
The United States next to Ukraine
The Biden administration is already planning to supply Ukraine with more advanced weapons that can help the army repel mounting Russian attacks in the east. Concerned that heavy weapons like tanks and jet fighters could escalate the conflict, the United States has carefully supplied Ukraine with smaller weapons like Javelin manportable antitank and Stinger antiaircraft missiles and even switchblade “kamikaze” drones. .
The MQ9 would be a very different and more powerful weapon and could fundamentally change warfare, where drones have already proven to be one of Ukraine’s most effective weapons against Russia. It was the Turkishmade TB2 Bayraktar that made the difference. In comparison, however, the MQ9s are a different story. They have twice the wingspan of the TB2 and weigh ten times as much. The Reaper is also twice as fast.
Equipped with laserguided missiles, the TB2 of which Ukraine is believed to have around 20 destroyed hundreds of Russian tanks, artillery pieces and antiaircraft weapons. Despite significant Russian investments in air defenses, Russian fighters and antiaircraft weapons have proven surprisingly ineffective against Ukrainian UAVs, including hobbyist drones that have been converted into surveillance and attack vehicles.
But comparing the TB2 to an MQ9 is like comparing a Humvee to a passenger sedan. The MQ9 has a wingspan of 66 feet compared to the TB2’s 39 feet. The MQ9 weighs approximately 11,000 pounds fully loaded with fuel and weapons compared to the TB2’s 1,400 pounds. The Reaper is twice as fast, with speeds of around 300 mph compared to around 135 mph for the TB2. Another advantage is autonomy, which allows it to take off from more distant Ukrainian bases than the war zones.
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED