BRUSSELS - 'Luna' drones promised by Germany to monitor the Russian-Ukrainian border may not be sent after all since they can't handle the bitter cold expected in the Ukrainian winter.
‘It’s a technical problem of the Luna system that it can’t be controlled reliably at temperatures below minus 19 degrees (Celsius, minus two Fahrenheit),’ Bild newspaper reported, citing a military source.
Winter temperatures in the region would often plunge far lower at the drones’ operational heights of 3,000 metres and above, the expert said.
‘If the drone offer does flop, it would be the latest embarrassment for Germany, whose pledge to play a greater global role has been hobbled by a string of technical hiccups with defense equipment,’ the German expert added.
As reported, German drones were supposed to join unmanned planes provided by France and Austria in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) mission to keep watch for Russian troops and weapons crossing into eastern Ukraine.
