India has finalized the contract for the purchase of advanced MQ-9B (Sky/Sea Guardian) combat drones!
Yesterday, Tuesday, October 15, the Indian Ministry of Defense completed the purchase of a total of 31 state-of-the-art MQ-9B (Sky/Sea Guardian) Predator-B series combat drones from the US. The contract price including weapons, logistics support and training package has been determined at a total of 28 thousand crore rupees or 3.3 billion dollars. Since 2018, India has been in preliminary discussions to procure these combat drones as part of its military modernization.
In fact, in 2023, India's Ministry of Defense sent a Letter of Request (LOR) to the US Department of Defense and MQ-9B (Sky/Sea Guardian) combat drone manufacturing company General Atomics Aeronautical Systems with a formal request to purchase the drone. In the light of which the two countries have completed the final agreement.
The new deal will see the procurement of 15 highly advanced MQ-9B (Sea Guardian) heavy combat drones for the Indian Navy, 8 for the Air Force and 8 MQ-9B (Sky Guardian) Predator-B series heavy combat drones for the Army. However, 2 combat drones of this series (Sea Guardian) are already being used experimentally in the Indian Navy.
After completing the final agreement in October 2024, the US drone manufacturing giant General Atomics will start supplying drones to India in phases from 2026. According to information provided by several international think tanks, each of these series of combat drones may cost around 100 million dollars per unit.
The MQ-9 (Predator-B) series of drones has been designed and manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems of America for use in direct combat attack missions on sea and land as well as multi-mission intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It is currently considered to be the best combat drone in the world. However, it is likely that a total of 5 such combat drones have been destroyed in the skies over Ukraine and the Middle East this year.
Piloted by 2 ground operators, this Predator-B series combat drone is considered to be the best combat drone in the world. Its fuel capacity is 1,769 kg and maximum payload capacity is 1,747 kg (internal payload 386 kg and external payload 1,361 kg). It can fly continuously for 27 hours at a maximum altitude of 50,000 feet.
It uses a 900 horsepower Honeywell TPE331-10 turboprop diesel electric engine for power generation. Its maximum speed is 482 km per hour. AGM-114 Hellfire Missile has been installed in short range of 11 km as its important weapon.
Currently, in addition to the United States military, the militaries of the United Kingdom, France, Poland, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Japan operate various series of MQ-9A/B combat drones (UAVs). However, the US Air Force operates about 105 different series of MQ-9A/B series (Reaper) combat drones since 2007.
Sources: Reuters, Times of India, Air Force Technology.
Sherazur Rahman, teacher and writer, Singra, Natore, Bangladesh. sherazbd@gmail.com
