US to Sell 34 Surveillance Drones to Allies in South China Sea Region

US to Sell 34 Surveillance Drones to Allies in South China Sea Region
A ScanEagle drone is shown during an Insitu customer event in Mazagon, Spain on May 15, 2018, Courtesy Insitu/Handout via Reuters
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WASHINGTON—The Trump administration has moved ahead with a surveillance drone sale to four U.S. allies in the South China Sea region as acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Washington will no longer “tiptoe” around Chinese behavior in Asia.

The drones would afford greater intelligence gathering capabilities potentially curbing Chinese activity in the region.