PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S REFUSAL TO GIVE UKRAINE F-16 FIGHTER JETS IS RUFFLING FEATHERS. SO MUCH SO, THAT A US WEAPONS MANUFACTURER IS NOW OFFERING TO SELL UKRAINE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR DRONES FOR ONE DOLLAR.

THE CEO OF GENERAL ATOMICS, LINDEN BLUE, CONFIRMED THIS WEEK HIS COMPANY OFFERED TO SELL UKRAINE TWO MQ-9 REAPERS, ALONG WITH ALL THE ACCESSORIES, FOR THE SYMBOLIC PRICE OF A BUCK. KYIV WOULD STILL HAVE TO FOOT THE $10 MILLION BILL TO TRANSPORT EVERYTHING TO UKRAINE, AND ANOTHER $8 MILLION ANNUALLY TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEMS.

BLUE SAID IT’S LONG PAST TIME TO ENABLE UKRAINIAN FORCES WITH THE INFORMATION DOMINANCE NEEDED TO WIN THIS WAR, AND A COUPLE OF REAPERS COULD GO A LONG WAY TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN

UKRAINE IS ALREADY MAKING USE OF DRONES ON THE BATTLEFIELD, BUT MOST ARE SMALLER WITH LIMITED RANGE AND FLIGHT TIMES.

REAPERS, ON THE OTHER HAND, HAVE A WINGSPAN OF 66 FEET AND AN 1100-MILE RANGE. THEY CAN STAY IN THE AIR FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS, WHICH MAKES THEM PERFECT FOR INTELLIGENCE GATHERING AND RECONNAISSANCE MISSIONS. BUT YOU DON’T GET A NAME LIKE REAPER FOR NOTHING.

THE DRONES CAN BE ARMED WITH A VARIETY OF MUNITIONS, INCLUDING HELLFIRE MISSILES. REAPERS HAVE BEEN DEALING DEATH FOR THE US AND ITS ALLIES FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, WHICH IS WHY THE AIR FORCE ALREADY SIGNED OFF ON A PLAN TO SEND REAPERS TO UKRAINE LAST YEAR, BUT THE PENTAGON SHOT THAT DOWN.

IN ORDER FOR LINDEN BLUE’S CURRENT PROPOSAL TO SUCCEED, PRESIDENT BIDEN AND THE PENTAGON WOULD HAVE TO SIGN OFF ON IT. SO FAR, BIDEN IS DECLINING TO COMMENT ON THE PROPOSAL.

IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WEAPONS PACKAGES BIDEN DID APPROVE, HEAD OVER TO STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM, WHERE YOU’LL ALWAYS FIND UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.