In a big boost to the armed forces, India has signed a deal with the United States to acquire 31 MQ-9B Predator drones.
The Indian Navy is likely to get 15 of the drones, which will be the ‘SeaGuardian’ variant while the Army and the Air Force will be allotted eight ‘SkyGuardian’ Predator drones each. Sources told NDTV that the total cost of the deal is likely to be under $3.5 billion.
The deal for acquiring the drones from American manufacturer General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) under a Foreign Military Sales contract between the two governments was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security earlier this month.
The MQ-9B Predator drone is a variant of the MQ-9 ‘Reaper’ developed by GA-ASI and is categorised as a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The drone can fly for 40 hours at a time at altitudes over 40,000 feet. It has an external payload capacity of 2,155 kg.
Apart from its surveillance capabilities, the MQ-9B is armed with strike missiles, allowing it to hit targets with high precision. It is capable of automatic take-offs and landings, and can safely integrate into civil airspace.
These abilities make the drone ideal for land and maritime surveillance, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, electronic warfare and expeditionary missions, which involve going to a particular place and carrying out a specific objective in response to a crisis.