General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian Drone for the Indian Armed Forces
- Thread starter suryakiran
- Start date
The drones are too expensive to be used for secondary missions, unless lives are at stake.
You don't need to guess something,go and learn from history.Thats some pravin sawhney level analysis.
We are currently dependent upon the BECA agreement with USA & the data they give us to counter Chinese buildups along LAC where our blindspots lie.
16 Sky Guardian will help plug a lot of that gap. And I doubt those UAVs will get any free time for next 5 years along LAC for ISR tasks to even think about using them for lobbing ATGMs on targets.
Does S-400 have ISR capabilities that can thwart PLA troop build up on ground to attempt incursion and eventual land grab? If it can, then definitely S-400.
— Cinna (@HelviusC) June 16, 2023
Dear Sir.
— 𝕳𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖊🇮🇳 (@hellfire_81) June 16, 2023
What alternative capability do we have an access to? Am curious to know. https://t.co/gKXDuyVh1D
I was waiting for this...
Thought of tagging @Hellfire to his tweet
But happened on its own.
Hoping to get treated with a wealth of infos.
He is a ex-AF Russian payroll reporter. Lack of common sense is evident.
U told me before... I remember that.
Just wanted know Hellfire s views on MQ9B acquisition.
Now he just started it.
The IAF alone needs 100 such UAVs for ISR. They initially had a requirement for 100 Predator Cs.
The IN would need 100+ too, but I hope the IN also buys some Tritons. About 10 are necessary before an indigenous equivalent is made possible.
Naturally, the main requirement will be fulfilled via indigenous designs, both MALE and HALE.
Dumb poll there. Especially after the fact that the Russians have decided to keep our S-400s for themselves.
@Hellfire has a significant pro-US tilt as well.
But, in this case, the IN needs plenty of investment from the US.
Hope we'll look at the MQ-4 in future. And MQ-25 for the Carriers (better not to waste fighter sorties for refueling).
One thing to note about mq9b is , it can perform anti submarine warfare operations . Can carry 40-80 sonobuoys ( depending on size ) and drop them on ocean to receive signal . Will significantly improve indian navy capability in this regard and cost of surveillance in indian ocean ll also come down . Good thing that they are getting more .
Its other way around, if you are fighting your enemy for a brief period of 2-4 weeks or even up to 6 weeks, then inhouse weapon stock ( imported or indigenous ) is enough. Longer than 6 weeks, you definitely need outside help for weapons. Current generation of weapons cannot be mass produced as it happened during WW2.
ppl are losing sight of the fact that these drones may fulfill our short term requirements but end up creating long term security threat.
We are just assuming that data from drone will be secure and only be within our systems & control. US would certainly have mechanism to send data to their network as well, which would literally compromise our security. In the future they can share the data with pakistan as well.
Of course the other obvious thing is spare parts & support, more we buy from them harder it will be for us to maintain independent foreign policy.
We are just assuming that data from drone will be secure and only be within our systems & control. US would certainly have mechanism to send data to their network as well, which would literally compromise our security. In the future they can share the data with pakistan as well.
Of course the other obvious thing is spare parts & support, more we buy from them harder it will be for us to maintain independent foreign policy.
The drone will only act as a relay, not a data farm.
The numbers are too small for the US to sanction and for India to be affected by sanctions. US drones are a stopgap anyway.
India will acquire MQ 9B drones from US in phased manner, weapons to be procured in phase II
The acquisition, worth $3 billion, through US foreign military sales, or the government-to-government route will get a green light during PM Modi’s US visit.
India’s acquisition of 31 high altitude long endurance (HALE) drones from US will be a phased exercise involving initial absorption of technology, people familiar with the matter said, with the first batch of 10 drones being without weapons, and the creation of three tri-service intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance command centres, one in the south and two in the north with specific focus on India’s northern boundaries, especially the one with China.
On June 15, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved a tri-service proposal to acquire a total of 31 drones, 15 MQ9B Sea Guardians and 16 Sky Guardian drones from the US. The Sea Guardian drones will be responsible for maritime surveillance and domain awareness while the Sky Guardian drones will be used for guarding the land frontiers. The acquisition, worth over $3 billion, through US foreign military sales, or the government-to-government route will get a green light during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US this week.
While both India and US are poised to take an orbital leap in bilateral ties, the first consignment of drones will be limited to 10 in number with weapons and missiles following at a later stage. However, all the drones will have hardpoints or the capability to carry missiles and laser guided bombs, the people familiar with the matter said.
The Narendra Modi government will not buy all the drones and the weapons off the shelf, with the deal will having an element of localization in the package, through which Indian built munition can also be fitted on to the drones. HT learns that acquisition of missiles and bombs for the drones will be step two of the entire deal as not all of the drones need to be armed. It is also possible that not all drones will be made in US, the people added, asking not to be named.
India operates two Sea Guardian drones on lease from manufacturer General Atomics from INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu, and the military has firsthand experience of handling a HALE drone with 40-hour endurance. The Indian Navy is satisfied with the performance of leased drones, which provide realtime maritime domain awareness from Southeast Asia to Africa.
Both Sea Guardian and Sky Guardian can conduct over-the-horizon targeting, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, airborne mine countermeasures, long range strategic surveillance, electronic warfare, defensive counter air, airborne early warning and can also help in law enforcement, humanitarian disaster relief along with search and rescue missions.
All the 31 drones will be operating under a tri-service command and will not be equally distributed, the people said. The mission specific roles will be defined by the three operational centers under the guidance of the future theatre commanders and the permanent chairman of the chiefs of staff committee.
Last edited by a moderator:
India will acquire MQ 9B drones from US in phased manner, weapons to be procured in phase II
The acquisition, worth $3 billion, through US foreign military sales, or the government-to-government route will get a green light during PM Modi’s US visit.www.hindustantimes.com
India’s acquisition of 31 high altitude long endurance (HALE) drones from US will be a phased exercise involving initial absorption of technology, people familiar with the matter said, with the first batch of 10 drones being without weapons, and the creation of three tri-service intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance command centres, one in the south and two in the north with specific focus on India’s northern boundaries, especially the one with China.
On June 15, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved a tri-service proposal to acquire a total of 31 drones, 15 MQ9B Sea Guardians and 16 Sky Guardian drones from the US. The Sea Guardian drones will be responsible for maritime surveillance and domain awareness while the Sky Guardian drones will be used for guarding the land frontiers. The acquisition, worth over $3 billion, through US foreign military sales, or the government-to-government route will get a green light during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US this week.
While both India and US are poised to take an orbital leap in bilateral ties, the first consignment of drones will be limited to 10 in number with weapons and missiles following at a later stage. However, all the drones will have hardpoints or the capability to carry missiles and laser guided bombs, the people familiar with the matter said.
The Narendra Modi government will not buy all the drones and the weapons off the shelf, with the deal will having an element of localization in the package, through which Indian built munition can also be fitted on to the drones. HT learns that acquisition of missiles and bombs for the drones will be step two of the entire deal as not all of the drones need to be armed. It is also possible that not all drones will be made in US, the people added, asking not to be named.
India operates two Sea Guardian drones on lease from manufacturer General Atomics from INS Rajali in Tamil Nadu, and the military has firsthand experience of handling a HALE drone with 40-hour endurance. The Indian Navy is satisfied with the performance of leased drones, which provide realtime maritime domain awareness from Southeast Asia to Africa.
Both Sea Guardian and Sky Guardian can conduct over-the-horizon targeting, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, airborne mine countermeasures, long range strategic surveillance, electronic warfare, defensive counter air, airborne early warning and can also help in law enforcement, humanitarian disaster relief along with search and rescue missions.
All the 31 drones will be operating under a tri-service command and will not be equally distributed, the people said. The mission specific roles will be defined by the three operational centers under the guidance of the future theatre commanders and the permanent chairman of the chiefs of staff committee.
Sometime back there was an article on importing 12 units & CKD assembly of remaining 18. Seem moving on those lines.