WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th July, 2020) The Trump administration has decided to relax rules on the sales of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) with speeds of less than 800 kilometers, including MQ-9 Reapers, Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs R. Clarke Cooper said in a telephone press conference on Friday.
The new policy will cover the sale of MQ-9 Reapers capable of lethal air strikes, Cooper said in answer to a question.
"This change, consistent with guidelines overcoming the assumption of denial poses no risk of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction," Cooper said.
The new policy will allow Northrop Grumman and General Atomics to boost sales of the MQ-9 Reaper UAS in particular, the most lethal drone in the US military arsenal by expanding the previous tight guidelines under the 1987 Missile Technology Control Regime, which has been signed by 34 countries.
Cooper said the rule change was projected to generate over $1 billion in extra sales and 5,700 jobs.
