U.S. Sells Australia 12 MQ-9B Drones to Assist Allies in Strengthening Strike Force

A file photo of the MQ-9B UAV at the Royal International Air Tattoo in the United Kingdom.

MQ-9B UAV

The U.S. State Department gave its nod on the 23rd, approving the military sale of 12 MQ-9B drones to Australia for $1.6 billion (nearly 44.6 billion Taiwan dollars).

According to Defense News and Defense Blog, the deal includes the MQ-9B and precision-guided weapons manufactured by General Atomics, as well as the MQ-9 pilot and sensor operators to remotely control the drones. engines, ground control stations, training simulators, various satellite terminals and communications equipment.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement that it is important to the U.S. national interest to assist allies in developing and maintaining a robust, ready-to-use self-defense capability.