Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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US Military Bought Chinese-Made Drones for Target Practice

Carla Babb

   PENTAGON - Chinese-manufactured drones purchased by the Pentagon months
   after their use was prohibitedbecause ofcybersecurity concerns are
   being used as "targets" and are not being deployed with elite U.S.
   forces on missions, the Pentagon official in charge of acquiring
   military equipment has said.

   A [1]VOA investigation last month revealed the U.S. Air Force and the
   Navy had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on drones made by
   market-leader Da Jiang Innovations (DJI) for some of the military's
   most sensitive and secretive operators, including the Air Force's only
   special tactics wing and Navysea, air and land(SEAL) teams.

   In each case, the services used special exemptions granted by the
   Pentagon's acquisition and sustainment office "on a case by case basis,
   to support urgent needs," Pentagon spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mike
   Andrews told VOA at the time.

   Speaking to reporters on Oct.18,Ellen Lord, undersecretary ofdefense
   foracquisition andsustainment,said her office wrote these waivers in
   order to use the drones "on ranges in highlycontrolled conditions," to
   test the U.S. military'scounterdronecapabilities.

   "We are not authorizing utilization of Chinese[-made]drones out in the
   field. We are using them for targets," Lord said.

   The Pentagon approved the purchase of DJI equipment for a "training
   operation" as late as June 28, 2019, according to a DOD memo seen by
   VOA and confirmed by a defense official.

References

   1. https://www.voanews.com/usa/us-military-still-buying-chinese-made-drones-despite-spying-concerns

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