The Biden administration has formed a task force as part of an “all hands” investigation into how Russia is using Iranian-made drones to attack targets in Ukraine, according to a report released Wednesday. .
Despite severe restrictions on exports and United Nations sanctions, Tehran has acquired high-end commercial materials that enhance the targeting and navigation capabilities of drones. CNN reported.
The report comes as US lawmakers debate security and military aid to the country ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s meeting with President Biden and address to Congress on Wednesday.
Conflict Weapons Studies, An investigation by a UK-based investigative agency into drones shot down in Ukraine last month found that 82% of their components were made by US technology companies, the report said.
An examination by CAR found that 70 companies in 17 different countries made hundreds of components found in the drones, but most of them came from America.
Among these companies are Dallas-based Texas Instruments and an Austrian firm owned by Canada’s Bombardier Recreational Products, CNN reported, citing an investigation by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a source.
Both companies denounced illegal use of their products in the report, and officials told CNN there was no evidence Western companies were exporting their technology to Iran for use in drones. .
The White House National Security Council oversees a task force across the Departments of Defense, State, Justice, Commerce and the Treasury that is working on the “all hands” initiative, the report said.
The probe is part of Tehran’s broader “holistic approach” to dealing with Iran, including its crackdown on protesters and its nuclear program.
The report pointed out how products intended for civilian use could be repurposed for military purposes.
Texas Instruments said in a statement to CNN that it “does not sell any products to Russia, Belarus or Iran.”
“TI adheres to applicable laws and regulations in the countries in which we operate and cooperates with law enforcement organizations where appropriate and necessary. In addition, we do not support or endorse the use of our products in applications for which they are not intended,” the statement reads.
Bombardier said it would launch an internal investigation into how its engine parts ended up on the drones.
U.S. intelligence has accelerated in recent weeks after learning that Moscow was planning to open a drone factory in Russia and that Iran had begun transferring blueprints and components for the weapons as part of its expanding military alliance.
The CAR report concluded that the Iranian drones found in Russia were “a significant leap in hardware compared to other systems previously observed in the Middle East.”
Components found in drones “significantly advance” features that improve target accuracy and satellite navigation.
The organization said the high-level material “demonstrates that Iran has been able to circumvent current sanctions regimes and add greater capability and resilience to its weapons.”
Russian-made Iranian drones contain high-end components imported from outside Iran, such as semiconductors and tactical-grade inertial measurement units. Some of these components are on the US control list for devices prohibited from being exported to Iran.
The White House task force is also working with foreign allies because some drone components come from manufacturers in Asia and Europe.
The Biden administration says it believes it has succeeded in convincing allies abroad of the seriousness of the threat. “
“From the European Union to Canada to Australia and New Zealand, a broad and deep international consensus on Iran, led by US diplomacy, is growing,” the official told CNN.
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