The US military has thought about the possibility of modifying the Gray Eagle attack drones in order to be able to transfer them to Kyiv. These changes should affect "sensitive technologies" in the design of drones, so that their possible loss would become less risky, CNN reports, citing two US officials.
As you know, Kyiv has repeatedly asked Washington to transfer Gray Eagle MQ-1C drones equipped with Hellfire missiles to it. One such drone can fly at an altitude of more than 8 thousand meters for 30 hours, and carry four missiles on board. In addition to its combat capabilities, Gray Eagle will also allow reconnaissance, providing Ukrainian artillerymen with more information about the concentration of the enemy’s armed forces, as well as fighting Russian drones.
Earlier, the influential American publication The Wall Street Journal, citing its sources, has already reported that the Pentagon is not inclined to supply these drones to Ukraine, fearing that the transfer of the Gray Eagle will escalate the conflict. In addition, the US authorities fear that high-tech radio and drone intelligence equipment could fall into the hands of the enemy, which poses a danger to the US.
Meanwhile, the United States is not the first time to modify its weapons before handing them over to Ukraine. So, back in March, the same Wall Street Journal reported that classified components were removed from Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, which made it possible to transfer them to Ukraine without fear of possible leaks.