U.S. Firm Replaces Indian Navy Drone That Crashed Into The Bay Of Bengal

US-based General Atomics has replaced the MQ-9B SeaGuardian remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) that crashed into the Bay of Bengal on September 18, 2023, under the lease agreement with the Indian Navy.

The crash occurred due to a power failure, and the high-altitude long-endurance drone was written off. The replacement drone is now being used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), military sources revealed.

The Indian Navy had leased two MQ-9B drones from General Atomics in 2020, and the lease was extended later. These drones are based at the Naval Air Station Rajali in Tamil Nadu, and they have been essential for keeping a close watch on the IOR.

The RPAs have accumulated over 18,000 flying hours, and their role is particularly critical as the Indian Navy steps up surveillance in the region to monitor China’s growing presence.

The leased MQ-9B drones are capable of remaining airborne for over 35 hours and can carry up to four Hellfire missiles and 450 kgs of bombs.

The replacement drone was sent by General Atomics to fulfil its contractual obligations. Along with the replacement, India is set to receive 31 MQ-9B Sea/SkyGuardian drones from the US in a $3.5 billion deal.

The delivery of these drones is expected to begin in 2029. Under the deal, the Indian Navy will receive 15 SeaGuardian drones, while the Indian Air Force and the Army will get eight SkyGuardian drones each.

Additionally, Adani Defence and Aerospace will deliver a Drishti 10 Starliner drone to the Indian Navy within six months. The drone was initially expected earlier but was delayed due to a crash off the Porbandar coast in Gujarat during acceptance trials in January 2024.

This medium-altitude long-endurance drone is already in service with the Navy, which inducted one unit last year. The Navy and the Army had ordered two additional units under emergency financial powers to boost their ISR capabilities. Each drone costs around ₹145 crore.

The Drishti 10 Starliner, built by Adani Defence and Aerospace with technology transfer from Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems, is 70% indigenous. It has an endurance of 36 hours and can carry a payload of 450 kg.

The drone can also be weaponised and has three hard points for mounting additional equipment. The Starliner drone is the first major defence platform delivered to the Indian military by Adani Defence and Aerospace.

The Indian Navy is also planning to replace INS Vikramaditya with a second indigenous aircraft carrier, referred to as IAC-2. This new carrier will be part of the Navy’s modernisation plan, with the Navy clarifying that it will not operate three carriers simultaneously.

The Navy currently operates two carriers: INS Vikramaditya, which was bought second-hand from Russia, and INS Vikrant, which was built in Kochi. The INS Vikrant, a 45,000-tonne carrier, was commissioned in September 2022 at a cost of ₹20,000 crore.

India is also set to sign two major defence deals with France. The first deal involves the purchase of 26 Rafale-M fighter jets for deployment on INS Vikrant, and the second deal is for three additional Scorpene-class submarines to enhance the Navy’s combat capabilities.

The Rafale-M jets are expected to cost around ₹50,000 crores and will be imported as an interim solution until India develops its twin-engine deck-based fighter (TEDBF), with the prototype expected by 2026 and production-ready by 2031.

The deal for Scorpene-class submarines will strengthen India’s underwater capabilities in the IOR, where China’s growing presence remains a challenge.

These deals, including the purchase of additional Scorpene-class submarines and Rafale-M jets, are expected to be finalised by the end of the current fiscal year in March 2024.

India has already built six Kalvari-class submarines under Project 75, and the Navy is now focusing on advanced submarines under Project 75I.

The frontrunners for this ₹70,000-crore project are MDL (Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited) and German firm ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, which will build six advanced submarines with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems, increasing their underwater endurance and reducing the risk of detection.

India’s warship-building ecosystem is also preparing to build the second indigenous aircraft carrier, IAC-2, which will be a replacement for INS Vikramaditya.

References: Hindustan Times, Deccan Herald

Source: Maritime Shipping News