Posted on 11/23/2022 9:21:31 AM PST by Red Badger
The Biden administration has been hesitant to send the drone to Ukraine amid fears that sensitive technologies may end up in Russian hands.
What's happening: A group of 16 bipartisan senators, led by Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), is urging Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to answer a series of questions on transferring the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, since the armed drone is Ukraine’s “highest priority” military transfer request.
The Biden administration considered transferring the MQ-1C for the last several months across 24 assistance packages. During that time, Russia has started using Iranian TB-2 drones, and the technology is threatening to stall Ukraine’s momentum, Ernst and Manchin wrote in a Tuesday letter to Austin obtained by POLITICO.
“A Russian victory over Ukraine would significantly damage American security and prosperity, and enabling Ukraine’s preservation of its homeland remains a moral imperative and squarely within our national interests,” the letter says.
The debate: The Biden administration has been hesitant to send the drone to Ukraine due to fears that sensitive technologies aboard the aircraft may end up in Russian hands.
An electro-optical/infrared ball on the Gray Eagle provides real-time intelligence, targeting and tracking. The administration was also concerned that the drone and the instruments it carries would pose too many training and logistics challenges for the Ukrainian military.
But the senators note Russia is vulnerable to drone attacks against artillery formations and logistics hubs.
“The MQ-1C could erode Russia’s long-range fires advantage. Most importantly, armed UAS could find and attack Russian warships in the Black Sea, breaking its coercive blockade and alleviate dual pressures on the Ukrainian economy and global food prices,” the letter says.
The other signers: Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) also signed the letter.
General Atomics manufactures the MQ-1C, and most of the senators have a General Atomics presence in their states.
Action items: The letter requests Austin answer five questions by Nov. 30.
These include outlining operational advantages the MQ-1C would provide, how to mitigate conflict escalation, the technology transfer risks, whether the Pentagon considered General Atomics’ proposal of training the Ukrainians on the drone at no cost, and how the U.S. evaluated the survivability of the platform.
Not the first time: A bipartisan group of 17 House lawmakers demanded in September that the Pentagon speed up its months-long review of whether to supply Ukraine Gray Eagle drones.
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Is it me or is Joni Ernst turning into a huge disappointment?
Ukraine is not an ally.
It’s a corrupt dump with sketchy hot chicks.
How about deploying them on the US southern non border??
I saw “Lloyd Austin” in the headline, and my first reading was that he will send “GAY Eagle” to Ukraine.
Turning into a huge disappointment. She’s been one from Day 1.
She played the game to lull Iowa into thinking she’s worth it. Now she’s the incumbent and the shot-callers and rule-makers won’t let anyone challenge her.
She’s worthless.
And if she wants to protect Ukraine so bad, all She’s really doing is protecting her own interests.
Hot when they are young. but when they go downhill it is fast...............
Ukraine is a Money Laundering Service...................
“A Russian victory over Ukraine would significantly damage American security...”
Bullcrap. All this proxy war does is enrich defense contractors and ensure big campaign kickbacks to Congress. And pisses off most of the world.
We have zero, ZERO, national security interests there.
It’s
Not
Our
Job
.
For the first time in my life, I’m ready to join in anti war protests.
When she said “Make ‘em squeal” no one thought it meant the taxpayers....
Huge NEOCON warmonger :(
“Ukraine is not an ally.
It’s a corrupt dump with sketchy hot chicks.”
Hot chics debatable. They look like Russian rejects. And if you’ve ever dated one, you know how bossy and quick to anger they are.
Ukraine is the Congressional Money Laundering Service.
If Ukraine falls, they would have to find a new ‘service provider’..............
Pentagon is likely reluctant to see them shot down like skeet.
“Yeah, that’s real fine expensive gear you brought out here, Mr. Hooper.”
It’s not just you..................
Lawyers
Send more lawyers.
Thousands of them.
Ukraine is a Money Laundering Service.....
———
A fact the Biden war cheerleaders refuse to admit….meanwhile, their corrupted government supported financial banking system comes to a grinding halt….
“ Ukraine - Lights Out, No Water And Soon No Heat
Earlier today the Russian military shut down the Ukrainian electricity network.
Previous attacks had limited the distribution capacity to some 50% of demand. Controlled blackouts over several hours per day allowed to give some electricity for a few hours to most parts of the country. The attack today created a much larger problem. Not only were distribution networks attacked but also so the elements that connect Ukraine’s electricity production facilities to the distribution network. All four nuclear power stations of Ukraine with their 15 reactors are now in shutdown mode.…
Kiev along with most other cities of Ukraine no longer has electricity.
Moldavia is likewise effected as it received some 20% of its electricity from Ukraine. When the Ukrainian network shut down the only local thermal power plant shut down too. It is likely that it can be switched on again but that can be a complicate process.
Limited electricity imports from the European system into Ukraine may still be possible but that electricity would only be available in Ukraine’s western cities.
Before today’s attack the Washington Post reported of the difficulties in repairing the network. As we ad explained before the Russian attacks are hitting the transformers that connect the national 330 kilovolt backbone network. These are hard to replace:
Cont. reading: Ukraine - Lights Out, No Water And Soon No Heat…
https://www.moonofalabama.org/
Pretty hard to keep transferring money when there is no electricity. Western MSM trying very hard to downplay the loss of their electricity grid….
Why would I want an older broad?
:)
They’re not keepers…
Gray Beaver?.....................
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