Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar on November 08 confirmed that India will soon buy the efficient 31 MQ-9B Predator Drones for the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force in order to advance India’s surveillance capability.

India All-set To Buy 31 MQ-9B Predator Drones

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar on November 08 confirmed that India will soon buy the efficient 31 MQ-9B Predator Drones for the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force in order to advance India’s surveillance capability. “The Predator MQ-9B drone is used for surveillance…This is a very useful asset…The govt has given its approval to buy it now. There is a plan to buy 31 Predator Drones,” said the Naval Chief.

The MQ-9Bs, which will be assembled in India, will enhance the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of India’s armed forces across domains. As part of this plan, General Atomics will also establish a Comprehensive Global Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India in support of India’s long-term goals to boost indigenous defence capabilities.

The MQ-9B has two variants — the Sky Guardian and the Sea Guardian, its maritime variant. The MQ-9B is designed to fly over the horizon via satellite for up to 40 hours, depending on configuration, in all types of weather and safely integrate into civil airspac. The Indian Navy currently operates two MQ-9 drones leased from the US in November 2020.

Sea Guardian Variant

The hunter-killer MQ-9 drones are capable of a variety of roles, including maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, over-the-horizon targeting, airborne early warning, electronic warfare. The Sky Guardian variant has a wingspan of 79 feet and can carry a payload of 2,155kg on nine hardpoints. The Sea Guardian variant can fly over the horizon via satellite for more than 30 hours and has advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.