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
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.
Everyone sells the drones separate from the infrastructure needed to run them, the weapons systems that go on them, and the various sensor packages. For instance the price of the Bayraktar TB-2 done alone will vary from under $1,000,000 to over $7,000,000 depending on what goodies are ordered for the drone itself. Then Turkey charges an additional $1,000,000 or more for each operators station the buyer wants plus training costs for the operators themselves.
The reason that stuff is priced and sold separately is because not all buyers need it. Ukraine for instance needs constant replenishment of the drones themselves but they already have the operators stations and operators so they don’t need to buy those or have Turkey train people on their use. They’ve also got a certain amount of the munitions to put on the TB-2 so they may or may not need any of that at the time of purchase.
Think of it like an F-16. Sure you can buy one for $10,000,000 or whatever but if it’s your first plane you now need a runway, a hanger, a fuel truck, fuel storage, at least one pilot, and at least one mechanic before you can actually use it! Now if you want to fly it in a warzone you’ll need ammunition for its gun, missiles or bombs, along with the various targeting systems those weapons requires.
So when you say “just infra” you are handwaving what is often the most expensive part, especially for new customers.
Sounds like a waste of money when civilian drones from China have been so useful and require little to no training… And are less vulnerable to AA systems.
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
The US is too scared to even recognize Taiwan as a real country and has to do backroom deals to sell weapons and conduct meetings, and somehow Taiwan sees the US as an ally lol. Countries like Cuba and North Korea have “allies” who are strategic with their support, but at least they’re not delusional and pretending that China and Russia will swoop in and save them if anything happens.
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
Then those Taiwanese need to leave off their “quic maffs” and go read the purchasing contract instead. They bought a LOT more than four MQ-9Bs.
The US can be shitty enough on its own, there’s no need to daydream stuff up.
Training and support is a wide category that very likely accounts for the price tag.
Isn’t this just infra for drones?
Everyone sells the drones separate from the infrastructure needed to run them, the weapons systems that go on them, and the various sensor packages. For instance the price of the Bayraktar TB-2 done alone will vary from under $1,000,000 to over $7,000,000 depending on what goodies are ordered for the drone itself. Then Turkey charges an additional $1,000,000 or more for each operators station the buyer wants plus training costs for the operators themselves.
The reason that stuff is priced and sold separately is because not all buyers need it. Ukraine for instance needs constant replenishment of the drones themselves but they already have the operators stations and operators so they don’t need to buy those or have Turkey train people on their use. They’ve also got a certain amount of the munitions to put on the TB-2 so they may or may not need any of that at the time of purchase.
Think of it like an F-16. Sure you can buy one for $10,000,000 or whatever but if it’s your first plane you now need a runway, a hanger, a fuel truck, fuel storage, at least one pilot, and at least one mechanic before you can actually use it! Now if you want to fly it in a warzone you’ll need ammunition for its gun, missiles or bombs, along with the various targeting systems those weapons requires.
So when you say “just infra” you are handwaving what is often the most expensive part, especially for new customers.
Sounds like a waste of money when civilian drones from China have been so useful and require little to no training… And are less vulnerable to AA systems.
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
The US is too scared to even recognize Taiwan as a real country and has to do backroom deals to sell weapons and conduct meetings, and somehow Taiwan sees the US as an ally lol. Countries like Cuba and North Korea have “allies” who are strategic with their support, but at least they’re not delusional and pretending that China and Russia will swoop in and save them if anything happens.