Who
says the U.S. doesn’t manufacture anything anymore? Some American
components may have
made their way into spy satellites from France.
From Defense News:
A United Arab Emirates (UAE) deal to purchase two
intelligence satellites from France worth almost 3.4 billion
dirhams (US $930 million) is in jeopardy after the discovery of
what was described as “security compromising components.”A high-level UAE source said the two high-resolution Pleiades-type
Falcon Eye military observation satellites contained two specific
US-supplied components that provide a back door to the highly
secure data transmitted to the ground station.
The deal between the UAE and France was signed in July, for
delivery in 2018. Defense News’ source says the UAE has asked the
compromising components be replaced and may involve Russian and
Chinese firms in the future.
What might the UAE need spy satellites for? Maybe to
catch more parodists.
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from Hit & Run http://reason.com/blog/2014/01/07/french-spy-satellites-being-sold-to-the
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