U.S. Plans To Sell Ukraine Armed MQ-1C Gray Eagle Drones
June 2nd, 2022Via: The Warzone:
While authorizing another $700 million in military aid to Ukraine, the Biden administration also is planning on selling the invaded nation MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones to attack Russian forces, according to a story from Reuters. The president will likely notify Congress of the proposed sale within days followed by a public announcement, according to the report.
Ukraine has made notable use of unmanned aircraft, most notably the Turkish Bayraktar TB2, as well as smaller armed and unarmed drones, against Russian forces since the unprovoked invasion began in February. Introducing the MQ-1C Gray Eagle, however, would give Ukraine a high-endurance unmanned system with capabilities that exceed that of the TB2. An MQ-1C can carry powerful internal sensors, as well as external podded systems, like radars and electronic warfare systems. Most importantly, a Gray Eagle can carry up to four AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles. A TB-2 typically carries 48-pound Turkish-made MAM-L missiles with about half the heft of the hard-hitting Hellfire.
