LE BOURGET—The U.S. manufacturer of MQ-9 Reapers has “re-invigorated” efforts to win approval to export the medium-altitude uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) to Ukraine following the Biden administration’s decision in May to support F-16 transfers, an executive said June 21 at the Paris Air Show.
“I don’t think they were ever dead, but after the F-16 decision we thought to put new energy into it, and are hopeful that we can make some new progress,” said Nicola Clark, vice president of government affairs at General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI).
In February, GA-ASI announced that it had offered to sell two company-owned training aircraft, a ground control station and support equipment to Ukraine for $1, along with free training for pilots and maintainers.
The proposal has not been approved by U.S. officials, but the Biden administration’s position on sending aircraft to Ukraine has evolved since February. The White House loosened opposition to sending any combat aircraft to Ukraine in April, which paved the way for Poland and Slovakia to transfer their MiG-29s. In May, President Joe Biden announced he would allow allies and partners to transfer Lockheed Martin F-16s to Kyiv, although the details are still being worked out.
So far, U.S. government officials have not publicly discussed changing their policy on transferring other types of long-range-capable weapon systems, such as surface-launched missiles and large UAS, such as the MQ-1C Gray Eagle or MQ-9.
But discussions have continued behind the scenes, Clark said.
“There aren’t lingering questions in the weeds [anymore] about tech security and foreign disclosure,” Clark said. “This is a larger policy question.”
The U.S. Air Force has retired dozens of MQ-9s, which are now sitting in storage.
“The door hasn’t closed—it’s still open, we’re still there,” GA-ASI CEO David Alexander said. “The offer is still there and we’re waiting for decisions to be made to go forward.”
