U.S. President Donald Trump announced, on 25 February, that India had signed a deal to purchase more than $3 billion of advanced military equipment, including helicopters.
Earlier, on 19 February, the Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by the prime minister, cleared the purchase of 24 Sikorsky MH-60R naval multirole helicopters through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, worth about $2.12 billion. The MoD had approved funds for the purchase in August 2018. The FMS programme is meant for US allies to acquire defence articles, services, and training through government-to-government agreements. India will pay an initial 15% instalment for the MH-60R helicopters.
The cost of weapons was not included in the original programme, but the deal approved now for 24 MH-60Rs does include a weapons package. The helicopters are to be armed with multi-mode radar, Hellfire missiles, Mark 54 torpedoes and precision-kill rockets.
A formal government-to-government contract for the MH-60R helicopters will be signed once cost negotiations are finalized. No timeline has been set, but delivery will take place two years after the contract is inked. All 24 will come in four to five years
The 2009 tender for 16 helos was sent to Sikorsky, NH Industries, Airbus Helicopters and Russian Helicopters. The S-70B was selected over NH Industries’ NH90 helicopter in 2011; the other potential contenders did not participate.
MH-60 Romeo helicopters
The MH-60Rs, which are armed with Hellfire missiles, MK-54 torpedoes and precision-kill rockets, are considered a “critical operational necessity” for the Navy because its warships are virtually bereft of such helicopters at a time when Chinese nuclear and diesel-electric submarines are making regular forays into the Indian Ocean Region. The 140-warship force has just about a dozen old Sea King and 10 Kamov-28 anti-submarine warfare helicopters operational as of now.
India has been in need of formidable anti-submarine hunter helicopters for more than a decade now. A previous attempt to buy naval multirole helos failed when the MoD cancelled the planned purchase of 16 S-70B Seahawks from Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, in June 2017 following expiry of the $1 billion price tag offer.
The Navy plans to use the helicopters for its front-line warships to replace its outdated British Sea King Mark 42 helicopters. They are also to be used in limited intelligence gathering roles, for surveillance missions, and in search and rescue efforts. The procurement of the helicopters is the top-most priority for the service. The helicopters are also expected to have the capability for conducting amphibious assault and anti-submarine warfare missions.
The MH-60R is also used by the US Navy. It will have full anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability, as well ability to engage in warfare with ships at sea. An ASW-capable helicopter which carries sea-dunking with its sea-dunking sonars are a favoured platform for detecting a submarine. Submarines of the People Liberation Army Navy of China have been spotted in the Indian Ocean often.
Integrated Air Defense Weapon System
The United States, on 10 February, announced clearing the sale of an Integrated Air Defense Weapon System (IADWS) to India at an estimated cost of $1.87 billion to boost defence ties between the two countries.
The government-to-government sale cleared by the US State Department was announced by a US defence department agency after a notification was issued to the US Congress.
The IADWS, which was sought by India, comprised five AN/MPQ-64Fl Sentinel radar systems; 118 AMRAAMs (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) AIM-120C-7/C-8 missiles; three AMRAAM Guidance Sections; four AMRAAM Control Sections; and 134 Stinger FIM-92L missiles.
Also included are a host of related equipment and services, such as US government and contractor technical support; engineering and logistics support services; warranty services; Systems and Integration Checkout (SICO); field office support; and other related elements of logistics and programme support.
A US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) statement said that the proposed system will, on delivery, will be “further enhancing greater interoperability between India, the US, and other allies”.
The system, with Raytheon Corporation and Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace as principal contractors, will not “alter the basic military balance in the region”.
Comments
India has stepped up defence purchases from the US in recent years as part of a growing defence relationship that includes greater interoperability and joint exercises. From nil in 2008, India-US defence trade has gone up to $17 billion, facilitated by the signing of key foundational agreements to enhance interoperability and changes in the US export regime.
The earlier “direct commercial sale” of the six Apaches, in turn, is basically a follow-on order to the 22 such helicopters already inducted by IAF under a Rs 13,952 crore deal inked with the US in September 2015. The Army should get the deliveries of the six choppers, armed with Stinger air-to-air missiles, Hellfire Longbow air-to-ground missiles, guns and rockets, around 2022-2023.
Others deals in the pipeline include six more P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft ($1.8 billion), the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System-II for the missile shield over Delhi ($1.8 billion), 30 Sea Guardian armed drones (over $2.5 billion) and 13 big MK-45 naval gun systems for warships ($1.02 billion).
India and the US have also identified seven defence projects for co-development and production under the bilateral Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI). These include air-launched small aerial systems (drone swarms), light-weight small arms technology, ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, targeting and reconnaissance) systems and anti-drone technology called counter-UAS rocket, artillery and mortar systems.
The flurry of defence deals will help assuage continuing US concerns over India first inking the $5.43 billion contract for S-400 Triumf missile systems with Russia in October 2018, and then following it with another $3 billion deal for lease of a Akula-1 nuclear-powered attack submarine in March 2019.
Indian has clearly told the US that it has a separate and long-standing strategic partnership with Russia that will continue as before. India has never compromised the operational secrecy of weapons it has bought from any country, nor does it pass sensitive military information to a third party.
