Pentagon drones ‘8 to 14 times’ costlier than banned Chinese craft and less capable

xizhimen

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Pentagon drones ‘8 to 14 times’ costlier than banned Chinese craft and less capable
julesmenten
July. 18 2021


Camera drones developed by the Pentagon are more expensive and less capable than those made in China, which they were intended to replace, according to an internal US government memo as seen by the Financial Times.

A note from an Interior Ministry official operating the US government’s largest private unmanned spacecraft warns that so-called “blue drones” are not enough to carry out important conservation work.

The Pentagon has spent more than $ 13 million developing drones that can be used by government agencies in place of drones manufactured or assembled in China. However, dissatisfaction with their cost and effectiveness shows the difficulties the United States faced trying to break away from Chinese technology without a clear US alternative.

A memo written by staff in January for the upcoming Biden administration states: [unmanned aerial systems]’If approved, the DoI sensor’s functionality will be reduced by 95%. .. ..The aircraft is designed for a very specific Department of Defense [Department of Defense] The mission is set and meets only about 20% of the DoI mission requirements. “

In addition, with an average cost of $ 2,100, it warns that the cost of a drone is eight to fourteen times higher than previously purchased aircraft by the department.

2019, Trump administration Ground each person Of the 810 drone in the sector, as they all contained Chinese parts.

The move is broad to limit US exposure to sensitive technologies, including 5G equipment manufactured by Chinese company Huawei, for fear that Beijing could use such hardware for espionage. It was part of the promotion.

Since the 2019 order, department officials have been able to resume drone flight to carry out open burning to prevent wildfires, but other things such as buying new aircraft and wildlife tracking. It was not possible to start the flight for the task.

Meanwhile, Congressman is discussing measures to ban federal funds from being used to buy drones manufactured or assembled in China.

The Pentagon has spent years and millions of dollars working with private companies to develop five drones that government agencies claim to be safe to use.

But according to Pentagon report Last year, at least four of them still contained a significant number of Chinese components, including circuit boards.

A government official said the Biden administration was reviewing the entire civilian drone fleet to see which aircraft could fly safely, but so far it has withdrawn its grounding orders during the Trump era. Absent.

The Home Office declined to comment.

Andrew Must, Deputy Director of the Defense Innovation Unit, a Pentagon division that helped develop the drone, said: .. .. It inherits some DoD-focused features that impact costs. DIU recognizes that these five systems are only the first step towards the rapid adoption of commercial UAS technology in government. “

He added that the Pentagon is trying to reduce the cost and improve functionality of drones that helped develop to meet the needs of other sectors.

Authorities are discussing the safety of flying the government’s existing drones, but DoI’s internal memo warned that legally mandated protection efforts were not being undertaken.

“In the current situation, it is nearly impossible for the department to comply with laws such as the John D Dingel Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act,” he says. Above all, the act mandates the cartography and conservation of vast public lands.

Pentagon drones ‘8 to 14 times’ costlier than banned Chinese craft Source link Pentagon drones ‘8 to 14 times’ costlier than banned Chinese craft

 

xizhimen

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US camera drones made without China parts 95% less effective
 

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