India and the US on Tuesday signed deals worth Rs 32,000 crore for buying 31 Predator drones for the three services and setting up a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility for them in the country.
India & US Sign Deal Worth Rs. 32,000 Crore For Buying 31 Predator Drones
India and the US on Tuesday signed deals worth Rs 32,000 crore for buying 31 Predator drones for the three services and setting up a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility for them in the country. Last week, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the acquisition of 31 Predator drones. Of these 31 Predator drones, 15 will go to the Indian Navy, while the rest will be divided equally between the IAF & the Army.
Along with the UAVs, the deal encompasses advanced weaponry, such as 170 AGM-114R Hellfire missiles, 16 M36E9 Hellfire training missiles, 310 GBU-39B/B laser-guided Small Diameter Bombs (SDB), and eight GBU-39B/B LSDB guided test vehicles with live fuses.
India would be basing the drones at four possible locations, including INS Rajali near Chennai, Porbandar in Gujarat, Sarsawa and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.
WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF THE MQ-9B DRONES?
The US had approved the sale of 31 MQ-9B drones to the Indian military at an estimated cost of $3.99 billion in February. The key characteristic of the MQ-9B Predator is its whisper-quiet operation. The drone stands out from the rest because of its stealth feature. The drone can fly as close to 250 metres from the ground without the target even having an inkling it is there unless spotted.
With a maximum speed of 442 km/h, the drone can soar at an altitude of around 50,000 feet, higher than that of a commercial airplane. The drone’s capacity to be sent on extended missions in any kind of weather is another noteworthy feature. The drone has the option to be fitted with air-to-ground missiles in addition to air-to-air missiles.
The MQ-9B drone can fly 2,000 miles without refueling and carry up to 1,700 kg of cargo, which includes four missiles and about 450 kg of bombs. The drone’s manufacturer, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, claims that it can fly nonstop or hover over targets for up to 35 hours.
