India has secured a deal to purchase 31 Predator drones (MQ-9B also called “Reaper”) at a cost of over $4 billion from the US in Jun 2023. The decision to acquire Predator drones (UAVs) was based on a scientific assessment conducted by the tri-services integrated Defense Staff, which determined that India would require 31 drones to effectively monitor its adversaries during both peacetime and wartime situations. In addition, Piracy, smuggling, pollution, overfishing, and other problems will be effectively countered by maritime domain awareness on the high seas outside of nations’ territorial waters or economic zones.
The MQ-9B SkyGuardian is one of the world’s most versatile remotely piloted aircraft of its class. These are less expensive than human-piloted fighters and human lives are not at risk.
The MQ-9B has two variants - SkyGuardian and its sibling SeaGuardian. The MQ-9B SkyGuardian is the newest and most capable member of an unmanned aircraft series built by San Diego-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. MQ-9 Reaper has an endurance of over 27 hours, speeds of 240 Knots, can operate up to an altitude of 50,000 feet, and has a payload capacity of 1,746 Kgs. The members of this family have more than 6 million hours of operational use, much of it in combat. A highly sensitive electro-optical infrared sensor ball and GA-ASI’s Lynx multi-mission radar are built into the aircraft. The baseline system of the MQ-9 carries the Multi-Spectral Targeting System (MTS-B), which integrates various sensors such as infrared, colour, and monochrome daylight TV cameras, shortwave infrared camera, laser designator, and visual sensors for precise targeting.
A SkyGuardian can fly “clean,” with only those sensors and its other stock onboard equipment, and remain airborne for more than a day. It also can take onboard a growing range of advanced payloads that enhance its ability to sense, communicate and execute other operations – including launching its own clutch of smaller unmanned aerial systems such as GA-ASI’s Sparrowhawk, which can take off and return mid-flight to the mothership SkyGuardian.
The payloads can include weapons too, from air-to-ground missiles and bombs to air-to-air missiles to electronic systems that can degrade an adversary’s anti-air systems.
Adding specialized payloads transforms the SkyGuardian into a SeaGuardian, ready for action over the ocean.
A SeaGuardian can use its onboard sensors to search the air and surface; but also carries a dedicated maritime surface search radar and equipment that lets it tune into the nautical Automatic Identification System, which ships use to broadcast details such as their names, types, origins, destinations and more.
If a ship turns off its AIS or authorities operating the SeaGuardian want to look closer at the vessel, the aircraft can read the name off its stern, assess what type of ship it truly is or in what configuration, and resolve other such details on its own.
The SeaGuardian also can search under the surface, too. Equipped with as many as 80 G-size sonobuoys, the aircraft can initiate or join the hunt for hostile submarines along with conventional naval units such as vessels, shipboard helicopters, or human-crewed patrol aircraft.
Conclusion: The Modi government resorted to the outright purchase of Predator drones through the foreign military sales route in order to rule out any scope for any lobbyist or middle-men in the entire USD 3.5 billion deal. The Predator drones will not only enhance surveillance on LAC and LOC and over the Indian Ocean but also act as a deterrent against our adversaries.