5 ms·

It would be a lot scarier if they didn't. This means Iran (and Russia) does not have the capability to build these things without western components.

p1esk 4y ago
It is actually far scarier that they are able to bypass any sanctions and buy everything they need to make weapons. And it seems US government can’t do much about it.
- k__ 4y ago
  Question is if this is on purpose.
- magicalhippo 4y ago
  Should be easy enough to fix: 5 SANCT Pull this pin high if you're using this product in a sanctioned country or product
  - zinekeller 4y ago
    That's the hardware equivalent of the evil bit (https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3514.html https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3514.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_bit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_bit).
    - ot 4y ago
      That's the joke
      - brookst 4y ago
        It’s funny because it pretends to assume that wrongdoers will closely follow the instructions even to their own detriment.
    - planede 4y ago
      The bit field is laid out as follows: 0 +-+ |E| +-+ I had a good laugh at this.
- purkka 4y ago
  As long as these are commonly available components, made in the millions, it's absolutely impossible to stop Russia and Iran from sourcing the thousands they need.
  - cm2187 4y ago
    Particularly given that these seem to be fairly low tech devices that a modellist could probably put together.
  - tyho 4y ago
    Indeed, the microcontroller pictured in the article seems to be a fairly unremarkable DSP from TI: https://www.ti.com/product/TMS320F28335 https://www.ti.com/product/TMS320F28335. I can buy them from over a dozen online stores in the uk for around £20 a piece.
- bayesian_horse 4y ago
  Those components are mostly dual-use and not that exciting. And they probably don't get as many of them as they like, and they have to design around their lack of access. All of that already imposes costs on them, which is felt in the drones being more expensive and less capable than otherwise possible.
- nverno 4y ago
  > the microchips and other small devices ending up in so many of the Iranian and Russian drones are not only inexpensive and widely available, they are also easily hidden. I think the fact they can bypass sanctions to get these sorts of parts is expected- after all, they are the ones securing their borders. The OP is right, it would be more worrisome from a military perspective if they further had the capabilities to produce all this themselves.
warinukraine 4y ago
My thoughts exactly. Solving (or mitigating) the "they're bypassing sanctions" problem is easier than the "they can manufacture everything then need" problem.
StanislavPetrov 4y ago
>This means Iran (and Russia) does not have the capability to build these things without western components. Not necessarily - could just be cheaper to buy them from a middleman in China.

p1esk 4y ago

It is actually far scarier that they are able to bypass any sanctions and buy everything they need to make weapons. And it seems US government can’t do much about it.

k__ 4y ago
Question is if this is on purpose.
magicalhippo 4y ago
Should be easy enough to fix: 5 SANCT Pull this pin high if you're using this product in a sanctioned country or product
- zinekeller 4y ago
  That's the hardware equivalent of the evil bit (https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3514.html https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3514.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_bit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_bit).
  - ot 4y ago
    That's the joke
    - brookst 4y ago
      It’s funny because it pretends to assume that wrongdoers will closely follow the instructions even to their own detriment.
  - planede 4y ago
    The bit field is laid out as follows: 0 +-+ |E| +-+ I had a good laugh at this.
purkka 4y ago
As long as these are commonly available components, made in the millions, it's absolutely impossible to stop Russia and Iran from sourcing the thousands they need.
- cm2187 4y ago
  Particularly given that these seem to be fairly low tech devices that a modellist could probably put together.
- tyho 4y ago
  Indeed, the microcontroller pictured in the article seems to be a fairly unremarkable DSP from TI: https://www.ti.com/product/TMS320F28335 https://www.ti.com/product/TMS320F28335. I can buy them from over a dozen online stores in the uk for around £20 a piece.
bayesian_horse 4y ago
Those components are mostly dual-use and not that exciting. And they probably don't get as many of them as they like, and they have to design around their lack of access. All of that already imposes costs on them, which is felt in the drones being more expensive and less capable than otherwise possible.
nverno 4y ago
> the microchips and other small devices ending up in so many of the Iranian and Russian drones are not only inexpensive and widely available, they are also easily hidden. I think the fact they can bypass sanctions to get these sorts of parts is expected- after all, they are the ones securing their borders. The OP is right, it would be more worrisome from a military perspective if they further had the capabilities to produce all this themselves.

warinukraine 4y ago

My thoughts exactly. Solving (or mitigating) the "they're bypassing sanctions" problem is easier than the "they can manufacture everything then need" problem.

StanislavPetrov 4y ago

>This means Iran (and Russia) does not have the capability to build these things without western components. Not necessarily - could just be cheaper to buy them from a middleman in China.