NEW DELHI: An Indo-US deal to acquire Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from the United States was approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday.
Defence sources confirmed to TNIE that the DAC under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved the proposal. The DAC is the highest decision-making body in the Ministry of Defence.
The deal, announced before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the US, is to procure around 30 armable MQ-9B drones from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI). Of this, 12 is for the Indian Navy and the rest to be equally given to the Army and Air Force. The deal has to be further approved by the US Congress. This could be the second important defence deal after the much-discussed co-production of the GE-F 414 turboprop engines for the upgraded Tejas Mark 2.
There is a possibility of inking a pact between the US company General Electric and the Indian Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for joint production of the Tejas Mark 2 engine. The Prime Minister will be on an official state visit in the US from June 21 to 25, where President Joe Biden will host him at the White House. It is going to be Modi’s first state visit to the US during his nine-year prime ministership.
These drones have high-altitude long-endurance and can be armed with air-to-ground missiles and smart bombs with long range precision-strike capability. It can operate for more than 30 hours up to the range of 5,500 nautical miles in all weather conditions. The overall deal is expected to cost around $3 billion.
The drones, once acquired, will help strengthen the surveillance capabilities along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and further deep into the Indian Ocean.
The Indian Navy has been operating two MQ-9A unarmed predator drones, which were hired on lease from General Atomics in September 2020. Navy has been using them to keep track of activities in the Indian Ocean region. These drones were also employed along the Line of Actual Control to keep an eye on the on-ground activities by China’s People’s Liberation Army on its side on the northern borders.
A source explained that these UAVs have the capabilities to detect, locate and identify maritime vessels and once armed, can also carry out attacks. Further, with such high-endurance, these UAVs can carry out operations up to the choke points on the expanse ends of the Indian Ocean Region.
The high-altitude long-endurance UAVs are also capable of firing Hellfire missiles and around 450 kilograms of explosive materials.The hunter-killer Sea Guardian drones are being procured for the three services as they can carry out a variety of roles including maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and over-the-horizon targeting, among others.
The MQ-9B has two variants — SkyGuardian and its sibling SeaGuardian. In 2020, the Indian Navy had taken on lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones from General Atomics for a period of one year for surveillance in the Indian Ocean. The lease period has been extended subsequently. The Indian Navy has been bolstering its surveillance mechanism to monitor growing Chinese activities including frequent forays by the People’s Liberation Army warships in the Indian Ocean Region.
Long endurance, lethal UAVs
These UAVs can detect and identify maritime vessels. Once armed, they can also carry out attacks and conduct operations up to the choke points on the expanse ends of the Indian Ocean Region.
MQ-9B drones
Endurance
It can operate for more than 30 hours for up to the range of 5,500 nautical miles in all-weather conditions
Manufacture
US’s General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI)
Overall cost $3 billion
GA-ASI produces unmanned aircraft and provides radar, signals intelligence and automated airborne systems
Final go-ahead
The deal has to be approved by the US Congress
Navy is reportedly satisfied with MQ-9B surveillance version, the Sea Guardian. Two of them were leased in 2020 for maritime domain surveillance
Partners
US’s General Electric (GE) and the Indian Hindustan Aeronautics Limited may ink pact for joint production of the engine
Another deal
This could be the second important defence deal after the much-discussed co-production of the GE-F 414 turboprop engines for the upgraded Tejas-Mk2