• TomHardy@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    Lol I remember in 2020 Taiwan bought 4 MQ-9 Reaper drones for $600 million (money up front of course, they will be actually delivered in 2025 - will they even still be around at that time?). Then, when Russia shot down (or better “pissed down”) another MQ-9 drone over the Black sea, which Western news decried as pricey as 30 million…

    Some Taiwanese did some quic maffs then… to discover… Lmao US friends get US friends prices I guess

      • flipht@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Also included are MX-20 Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems and spares; SeaVue Maritime Multi-Role Patrol Radars; SAGE 750 Electronic Surveillance Measures (ESM) Systems; C-Band Line-of-Sight (LOS) Ground Data Terminals; Ku-Band SATCOM GA-ASI Transportable Earth Stations (GATES); AN/DPX-7 IFF Transponders; Honeywell TPE-331-10GD Turboprop Engines; M6000 UHF/VHF Radios; KIV-77 Mode 5 IFF cryptographic appliques; AN/PYQ-10C Simple Key Loaders; secure communications, cryptographic and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment; initial spare and repair parts; hard points, power, and data connections for weapons integration; support and test equipment; publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support.

        Training and support is a wide category that very likely accounts for the price tag.

      • TomHardy@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        Yes you don’t get the drones only, as you also get control stations, and other equipment to use them. That’s like I get a car, but wait, then I also get car keys, and, hold up, an iPhone case with a BMW logo on it… a LOT! Clearly they are bloating the prices, and you’re the one daydreaming stuff up lmao