There is fear it may fall into the hands of the Russian army
A US plan to sell four MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones to Ukraine has been put on hold over concerns that sophisticated surveillance equipment could fall into Russian hands, according to two people familiar with the matter, Reuters reported.
The objection to the sale was raised during an audit by the Pentagon’s Defense Technology Security Administration, which is responsible for safeguarding high-value technology.
The objections to exporting the drones arose over concerns that the radar and intelligence equipment on the drones “could pose a threat to U.S. security” if they fell into Russian hands, the publication reported. Sources said that this consideration was not taken into account at the initial consideration, but surfaced at meetings at the Pentagon late last week.
The decision on whether or not to proceed with the deal is now being considered by higher authorities at the Pentagon, but no timeline has been set for any decision, one U.S. official said on condition of anonymity.
The cost of each Gray Eagle drone is $10 million, according to Army budget documents.
