India set to seal $3-bn weapon deal with US

The annual 2+2 ministerial dialogue between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence of India and United States will take place in December-January in New Delhi. The dates for the dialogue are still being finalized. It is widely speculated that the decision to acquire next big weapon system MQ-9B 'Reaper' drone produced by General Atomics of the United States may be announced during the meetings. The MQ-9B is an unmanned aerial vehicle armed with air-to-ground missiles. It is considered to be one of the deadliest combat drones in the US military's arsenal. The whole world has witnessed its effectiveness in recent times when many high-profile targets were attacked in the Middle East.

The proposal to procure the MQ-9B long-endurance drones is a done deal. The Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS), Vice Admiral Satish Namdeo Ghormade said the proposal will be placed before the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in a 'short while'. Various key aspects of the procurement including the cost component and weapons package have already been finalised and the mega defence deal is set to be sealed with the US, the sources revealed.

"The whole effort of the procurement process is that we take a very balanced decision and therefore inputs of all stakeholders are taken. The process is on and we have progressed quite a bit on this process. This will move to DAC in a short while," Vice Admiral informed while addressing a press conference held in the capital on 16 November. Meanwhile, India had already begun receiving Russia's most advanced S-400 air defence missile system worth $5.43 billion (Rs. 40,000 crore) and the delivery of 36 French Rafale fighter jets for Rs59,000 crore is expected to be completed in April 2022. The decision to procure MQ-9B multi-mission armed Predator drones is a long-conceived proposal. India plans to acquire expensive 30-armed drones worth $3 billion (approximately Rs22,000 crore) at $100 million per unit to enhance military combat capabilities. The procurement proposal has been moved by the Indian Navy and all three services – Indian Army, Navy and Air Force are likely to get 10 drones each.

The procurement is in line with the threat perception as India is facing war-like situation on two fronts- Pakistan and China, according to Defence Ministry (MoD) sources. At present, the Indian Navy has been equipped with two MQ-9B "Sea Guard" drones leased from the United States. In 2020, Indian Navy leased the two non-weaponised MQ-9B "Sea Guard", to perform maritime reconnaissance and surveillance missions over the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The Indian Navy is impressed with the combat performance of the unmanned aircraft and has been strongly pushing for the procurement to boost its overall surveillance capability over the Indian Ocean, a region that has witnessed increasing forays by Chinese ships and submarines in the last few years. Moreover, Indian armed forces have been focusing on procuring unmanned platforms including armed drones following the eastern Ladakh military standoff with China and a drone strike on the Jammu airbase. However, due to high cost and procurement process obstacles, the acquisition got delayed. Now as the lease of the two drones is about to expire, the Indian Navy emphasizes the need to acquire these US drones.

MQ 9B: The deadliest sky weapon

The medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) Predator-B drone is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance and high-altitude surveillance. These MQ-9B Predator drones have an endurance of 48 hours and a range of over 6,000 nautical miles. It carries a maximum payload of 2-tonne and can carry up to 4 Hellfire missiles and 2 227 kg bombs at the same time. It comes with nine hardpoints, capable of carrying sensors and laser-guided bombs besides air-to-ground missiles. Due to its long cruise time, wide sensor detection range, multi-mode communication suite and precision-guided weapons, the aircraft can execute on high-value and sensitive targets. Unique capabilities for the attack, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The "Reaper" has a powerful control system. The entire system consists of drones, ground control stations, satellite links, backup equipment, and operators and maintenance personnel. The aircraft can cruise continuously for 24 hours and can perform a variety of tasks, including intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, close air support, search and rescue, precision strikes, escort, terminal guidance, and so on.

These "Reaper" UAVs that entered service in 2007 has been widely used by the US Air Force for precision strikes, such as missions during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2020, the US military also used the aircraft to assassinate Qassim Soleimani, a senior Iranian military commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

India's Quest for MQ-9 Drone

In 2019, the US approved the sale of armed drones to India and even offered integrated air and missile defence systems. Although the United States only exports MQ-9 drones to NATO allies, the United States announced India as its main defence partner in 2016, and the two sides signed four related cooperation agreements, which made India eligible to purchase the "Reaper." The use of "Reaper" allows both parties to share confidential military technology.

Vivek Lall, CEO of General Atomics, the producer of MQ-9, said that a dedicated UAV center can be established in India to support the development of UAV systems in the country. Vivek Lall has a deep association with India and has played an important role in many defence deals between India and America. These defence deals include deals for transport aircraft C-17 Globemaster, P-8I long-range anti-marine warfare aircraft and Harpoon missile deals. General Atomics is already working with both governments to provide technical support to India in the defence sector. Apart from this, it has also partnered with some domestic companies to enhance India's defence capabilities and meet defence needs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited America in September this year, held a one-to-one meeting with the CEO of the US giant Lall.

India qualifies for the deadly sky weapon because it is the cornerstone of US Indo-Pacific policy. With China's growing influence in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean Region, it has become a top priority to arm India with cutting-edge technology. India has also been making all-out efforts to modernize its navy and strengthen its military presence at sea. On the other hand, the Pakistani army is constantly acquiring the latest weapons and equipment. Earlier this month, China has delivered the largest and most advanced warship that Beijing has ever exported to Pakistan.

When used together with the US-made P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, the "Predator" drone will be expected to enhance the capabilities of the Indian Navy. The unmanned drone will be able to monitor and strike enemy ships and other targets that pose a threat to India's security.

(The author is a journalist who writes on defence, strategic affairs, security and conflict)