The “Hunterkiller” MQ9B Reaper or PredatorB drones, designed to fly for about 40 hours at altitudes of more than 40,000 feet for surveillance missions, and equipped with Hellfire airtoground missiles and smart bombs for precision strikes, are much more powerful than China’s existing air defense systems. Far better than armed drones.
Incidentally, China is also supplying its armed Kai Hong 4 and Wing Loong II drones to Pakistan. “The actionable LoR (letter of request) for 31 MQ9B drones will be sent to the US government in the first week of July. “This has come to light after the Rajnath Singh-led Defense Acquisition Council gave AoN (approval of requirement) for the deal on June 15,” a top Defense Ministry official said on Saturday.
The inter-governmental deal for 31 drones – 15 Sea Guardians for the Navy and eight Sky Guardians for the Army and Air Force, along with their respective mobile ground control systems, weapons and other equipment – is worth about $3.5 billion (about Rs 29,000 crore). is estimated. ,
Under the deal, the high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) drones will be assembled in India. Manufacturer Global Atomics will also set up a “cost-effective and comprehensive global maintenance, repair and overhaul facility” in India, which will also be able to meet the needs of other countries such as Australia and Japan.
The US government will respond to India’s LoR with a LOA (Letter of Acceptance) under its Foreign Military Sales program with final cost and requisite notification to the US Congress. “A lot of techno-commercial discussions have already taken place. The contract will be signed after the final approval of our cabinet committee on security,” said the official.
While this will depend on General Atomics’ production capacity, India is expected to induct the first 10 MQ9B drones within one to two years of the signing of the contract. The rest will come in batches every six months.
With nine ‘hard points’ to carry missiles and smart bombs, the drone horizon will strengthen India’s long range, both in ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) and strike capabilities. Indian Ocean The region has land borders with China and Pakistan as well.
The drones are planned to be deployed at three Triservice ISR command and control centers in North-West, North-East and South India. MQ9B deal is also expected to help D R d o Indigenously armed HEL drones will eventually be developed that will be able to fire missiles and precision-guided munitions at enemy targets before returning to their home bases to re-arm for their next mission like manned combat aircraft .