WSJ: General Atomics offers to sell Ukraine two MQ-9 Reaper UAVs for $1, but training and transporting the drones will cost $10,000,000

US company General Atomics has agreed to sell Ukraine advanced MQ-9 Reaper drones.

Here's What We Know

This was reported by the US edition of The Wall Street Journal. According to journalists, General Atomics is ready to sell Ukraine two UAVs for $1, but training and transportation of drones will cost Ukraine around $10,000,000. Furthermore, it would have to pay around $8,000,000 a year for maintenance of the UAVs.

In order to sell the drones, General Atomics must obtain permission from the US government. Incidentally, Ukraine has been negotiating the purchase of UAVs since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Flashback

The MQ-9 Reaper is a reconnaissance strike UAV developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for the US Air Force, US Navy and British Air Force. It is based on the MQ-1 Predator. The first flight of the drone took place on February 2, 2001. The UAV is equipped with a turboprop engine, through which the MQ-9 Reaper reaches speeds of over 400 kilometres per hour. The UAV can fly up to an altitude of 13 kilometers and a range of up to 1,900 kilometers. The drone is capable of remaining in the air for up to 24 hours. The MQ-9 Reaper is equipped with AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles and Mark 82 bombs.

Source: The Wall Street Journal