Drones Becoming Major U.S. Export
A San Diego county defense contractor plans to sell almost $200 million worth of drones to the United Arab Emirates, a non-NATO country, reports the Los Angeles Times. The sale of the unarmed drones, by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. of Poway, is sparking concern among arms control advocates.
The sale would be the first of its kind by a U.S. defense contractor to a non-NATO country, which has already drawn criticism for its surveillance tactics. UAE and most notably, the city-state of Dubai, had attracted Islamic militants and drug traffickers because of its lax regulations and punishment of financial crimes.
The unarmed drones would be used for surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance missions, and would not be outfitted for weapons capability.
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The sale needs Congress’ approval before moving on.
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Flickr photo courtesy of German Vogel
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