Aerospace
India to buy 31 Predator drones from the US for $3.5 bn
India has successfully negotiated a big contract to buy 31 Predator drones estimated to cost around $3.5 billion or almost Rs 29,000 crore. During the Prime Minister’s current state visit to the United States from June 21 to 24.
A scientific analysis by the tri-services integrated defense staff, which found that India would need this many drones to effectively monitor its adversaries in both peacetime and combat situations, served as the foundation for the decision to acquire these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
India is currently developing 5 UAVs that it plans to use in the future.(Opens in a new browser tab)
The Predators, also known as the MQ-9 Reaper, can fly for up to 36 hours straight and are employed for targeted surveillance of any target or region of interest. Up to 31 Predator drones, which India will shortly purchase from the US, would be operated by the three services collectively.
According to the officer, these drones will be put together in India through a partnership between Indian businesses and drone manufacturer General Atomics, which will produce some components here. The officer said, “The current figure for this is 8 to 9 percent, but there is potential to raise it to 15 to 20 percent.”
In order to serve nations like Australia and Japan as well, General Atomics will establish a comprehensive and cost-effective maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility in India. Within a period of one to two years the contract’s signing, India hopes to introduce the first 10 MQ-9B drones, depending on General Atomics’ production capacity. Every six months, remaining drones will be introduced in batches.
The MQ-9B Reaper drones have strike missiles that can completely and accurately destroy enemy targets, making them high-altitude, long-endurance drones. In addition, these drones will be used for long-range surveillance around the nation’s borders and in its marine regions. For long-range, precise strikes, the drones are fitted with air-to-ground missiles and smart bombs.
