Export restrictions limit Predator potential sales

[Flyaway]

I could not find a suitable existing thread to put this in.

Following requested purchases of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Predator/Reaper-series unmanned air vehicles by France and the Netherlands in recent weeks, the USA’s backing of an export licence for India but a rejection for Jordan have raised questions over how much potential the UAVs really have outside of NATO.

This caught my eye from the same article as I wasn't aware it actually had any buyers.

There may be additional demand in the US intelligence community’s classified budgets, however. Last April, a senior company official told Flightglobal that it is delivering one Avenger – a jet-powered, armed UAV with radar stealth characteristics – every nine months to a classified customer, and that there could be additional Reapers in the pipeline as well.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/export-restrictions-limit-predator-potential-408854/

 

[quellish]

This caught my eye from the same article as I wasn't aware it actually had any buyers.

There is an export version, and it has been sold.

There may be additional demand in the US intelligence community’s classified budgets, however. Last April, a senior company official told Flightglobal that it is delivering one Avenger – a jet-powered, armed UAV with radar stealth characteristics – every nine months to a classified customer, and that there could be additional Reapers in the pipeline as well.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/export-restrictions-limit-predator-potential-408854/

This is a bit misleading. Avengers are being *completed* at a rate of one every nine months. As of last April/May IIRC the first was about to be delivered, with another before the end of the year.

 

[Flyaway]

Appears that some of the restrictions on the export of armed drones may now be eased somewhat.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-cracks-open-door-to-the-export-of-armed-drones-to-allied-nations/2015/02/17/c5595988-b6b2-11e4-9423-f3d0a1ec335c_story.html?tid=HP_more?tid=HP_more