The MQ-9Bs, which will be assembled in India, will enhance the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of India’s armed forces across domains. As part of this plan, General Atomics will also establish a Comprehensive Global Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility in India in support of India’s long-term goals to boost indigenous defence capabilities.

According to a senior MoD official, India is negotiating to increase the indigenous content under the deal. “The current indigenous content proposed is 8-9% while India is hoping it can be increased up to 15-20%. Discussions are underway. General Atomics is positive to it and the US government has to accept it,” the official said. General Atomics is in talks with several Indian companies for domestic manufacture of components as part of the deal, officials said. This could expand further to potentially include the manufacture of some electronics, sensor and avionics if the indigenous content goes up.

The MQ-9B has two variants — the SkyGuardian and the SeaGuardian, its maritime variant. The MQ-9B is designed to fly over the horizon via satellite for up to 40 hours, depending on configuration, in all types of weather and safely integrate into civil airspace, according to its manufacturer. For instance, the SeaGuardian configuration can include a 360-degree surface-search maritime radar, automatic identification system, sonobuoy monitoring system, and sonobuoy dispensers for persistent anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare missions.

According to General Atomics, the MQ-9B can provide roughly 80% of the capability of a large human-flown maritime patrol aircraft at about 20% of its cost per hour. That makes it much more economical for navies to, for example, send out SeaGuardians to clear big volumes of air or sea and then, if anything of interest is discovered, vector in a human-crewed aircraft to save it the time, cost, and wear that it otherwise might have expended, the company stated. This is the primary reason the Indian Navy is keen on these UAVs as it significantly reduces the wear and tear on manned aircraft, its fleet of 12 P-8I long range maritime patrol aircraft, as well as reduce crew fatigue in keeping an eye over the wide expanse of the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.

For the Army and Air Force, the MQ-9Bs can provide round-the-clock surveillance looking far beyond the borders, for instance on the movement of Chinese military build-up and troop movement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and deep inside. It also seamlessly integrates with other US-origin platforms that India operates, the P-8Is, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, MH-60R multi-role helicopters among others expanding MQ-9B’s multi-domain mission set.

Deal Likely by March 2024

On June 15, the Defence Acquisition Council headed by Singh accorded the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) or initial approval for the acquisition of 31 MQ-9B drones from the US under the foreign military sale (FMS) route.

India is looking at sealing a landmark deal to procure 31 MQ-9B Predator armed drones from the US under a government-to-government framework by March, according to a news agency report. The report said that government officials from the two countries will hold the final series of negotiations on the procurement after Washington responds to India’s Letter of Request (LoR) for the acquisition of drones from US defence major General Atomics (GA).

The procurement would cost around $3 billion as per estimates, though the price of the drones will be finalised during the negotiation process.

About the Drones

In 2020, the Indian Navy had taken on lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones from General Atomics for a period of one year for surveillance in the Indian Ocean. The lease period has been extended subsequently.

The Sea Guardian drones can carry out a variety of roles, including maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare and over-the-horizon targeting and are being procured for the three services. While the Navy will get 15 Sea Guardian drones, the Indian Air Force and the Army will each get eight Sky Guardian drones.

Known for its high-altitude long-endurance, MQ-9B drones are capable of remaining airborne for over 35 hours and can carry four Hellfire missiles and around 450 kgs of bombs.

The Indian Navy plans to equip the Sea Guardians with sonobuoys, enhancing their ability to detect and track Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The drone can carry four SDS pods on its four wing pylons, allowing it to carry 40 ‘A’ size or 80 ‘G’ size sonobuoys, according to General Atomics. A sonobuoy is a small device used for underwater acoustic surveillance. It contains hydrophones that detect underwater sounds, especially those made by submarines. These devices are deployed from aircraft or ships and transmit real-time acoustic data, helping pin-point potential submarine threats. These systems, along with the P-8I long-range anti-submarine warfare aircraft, will enable the Navy to hunt Chinese and Pakistani submarines lurking deep in the IOR.

The Sea Guardian, with its 1,200 nautical mile range and significant on-station time, low maintenance, and low operating cost, can loiter over a designated area for a long time, deploying sonobuoys for locating submarines. After the detection of a submarine, the P-8I, with its high speed, can reach the designated area in a short period and drop torpedoes.

These drones also have the ability to patrol the entire IOR in one go, owing to their 30-hour endurance and 4,000 to 8,000-kilometre range.

The MQ-9 Predator drones saw action in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Syria, where they were used for reconnaissance operations, close air support and for targeted killings. These drones were used for taking down high profile terrorists like Mullah Omar – the founder of the Taliban, and, Ayman Al-Zawahiri– the late emir of Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.

The MQ-9B Predator is an upgraded and much more advanced version of the MQ-9 Predator. It is fitted with sophisticated surveillance facilities, bombs and armed with American made surface to ground – AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.

In the last few years, the India-US defence cooperation has been on an upswing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in their talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Delhi, vowed to “deepen and diversify” the bilateral major defence partnership while welcoming forward movement in India’s procurement of 31 drones and joint development of jet engines. The US designated India a “Major Defence Partner” in June 2016, paving the way for sharing of critical military equipment and technology.

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Now, satellite imagery dated 20 April 2022 shows hangars large enough to house the Indian Navy’s P-8I submarine-hunting aircraft are under construction next to the newly-built runway. The hangars “measure 180 feet long and 200 feet wide – big enough to house large military aircraft such as India’s P-8I Poseidon, which measures 123 in length and has a wingspan of 126 feet,” the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of the Washington DC-based Center for Strategic and International Studies has reported.

This development confirms what maritime security experts have long suspected India plans to deploy its P-8I long-range surveillance aircraft on the island.

China has been rapidly expanding its presence in the western Indian Ocean. Apart from building its first foreign military base in Djibouti, it has invested heavily in infrastructure in Africa, particularly ports. Many of these ports are located on the eastern coast of Africa, which lies in the western Indian Ocean, and could turn into Chinese outposts in the future.

India In Western Indian Ocean

Earlier this week, India deployed one of its P-8I aircraft at the La Reunion Island in the southern Indian Ocean on a five-day mission to undertake coordinated surveillance with French Navy warships in the region.

“The P-8I aircraft will engage with French warships and undertake coordinated surveillance missions in area to enhance maritime safety and security in the Southern Indian Ocean, including the Mozambique Channel,” an Indian Navy spokesperson has said.

It is not the first time that an Indian Navy P-8I has been deployed to the Island of Reunion, an overseas department of France. A P-8I aircraft of the Indian Navy participated in a joint patrol with France from the Reunion Island in 2020. French Navy personnel were onboard the Indian Navy aircraft during the patrol in the southwest Indian Ocean.

India’s maritime security strategy lists the south-west Indian Ocean, including the Mozambique Channel (used by shipping transiting the Cape of Good Hope) and the east coast of Africa, where China has been investing heavily, as one of the primary areas of interest.

The infrastructure coming up on Agalega will support India’s maritime assets, including P-8Is, in the western Indian Ocean, particularly waters close to the western coast of Africa, an increasingly important region where the Indian Navy’s engagements have been relatively limited.

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The Navy had inducted eight Boeing-manufactured P-8I multi-role aircraft maritime surveillance aircraft under a $2.1 billion deal inked in January 2009, while the next four will be delivered from this November onwards under another $1.1 billion contract signed in July 2016. The Indian Navy currently operates eight P-8I aircraft that are based at INS Rajali, Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu.

The arrival of the second batch from the US will enhance the aerial balance and sub-surface surveillance in India’s favour. The maritime patrol aircraft, which specialises in tracking and hunting down enemy submarines with lightweight torpedoes and depth charges, are also operated by the US and Australian navies, which operate in coordination with India to keep track of ship movements.

Background

In January 2008, Boeing proposed the P-8I, a customized export variant of the P-8A, for the Indian Navy. It features two major components not fitted on the P-8A, a Telephonics APS-143 OceanEye aft radar and a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD). A deal was signed on 4 January 2009, by the Ministry of Defence with Boeing for eight P-8Is for $2.1 billion to replace the Indian Navy’s aging Tupolev Tu-142M maritime surveillance turboprops. It was Boeing’s first military sale to India and the P-8’s first international customer.

In October 2010, India’s Defence Acquisition Council approved the purchase of four additional P-8Is. Contract signature followed in July 2016 with deliveries expected to start from 2020.

Although a “letter of request” for six more P-8Is for around $1.8 billion was issued to the US for the government-to-government deal under Pentagon’s foreign military sales (FMS) programme in July 2020, now comes news that India is set to go ahead with a $3.1-billion deal with the US to acquire 10 Boeing P8I maritime patrol aircraft for the Navy to be processed under the foreign military sales (FMS) route. The additional planes will add to its surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region.

ALSO READ: Indian Navy’s P8I Moved To Ladakh

The Navy is keen to build up a fleet of 22 of these aircraft at the earliest and the contract will ensure a continuous supply over the next four years as older maritime reconnaissance assets (Russian origin) retire.

Induction and Deployment

Hansa is the base where the Indian Navy’s tryst with maritime surveillance began. After landing at INS Hansa, the P-8I will fly to INS Rajali for a temporary deployment.

The six new P-8I aircraft will have COMCASA-protected equipment, which are much more advanced and secure than the commercially available ones. The Sea Guardians also have such equipment like advanced Global Positioning System (GPS), Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) receiver and VHF system, which are immune to jamming and spoofing from enemies.

The deployment of the P-8I comes against the backdrop of China’s repeated forays into the Arabian Sea under the guise of anti-piracy operations. Beijing has established a presence at a string of ports in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran and east Africa which could pose a threat to India.

Though the P-8I is a long range maritime surveillance aircraft, it has also been deployed during the on-going standoff with China in Ladakh as well as during the 2017 Doklam standoff. The Indian Navy has also deployed the P-8I for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations during cyclones.

The P-8Is were also deployed to keep an eye on movement of Pakistani troops after the Pulwama terror attack last year.

Tender for Landing Platform Docks Scrapped

The Indian Navy has scrapped a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the long-pending project to procure four Landing Platform Docks or amphibious warships at a cost of Rs 20,000 crore, nearly seven years after launching the acquisition process. The withdrawal was triggered by the Navy’s requirement of new specifications for the amphibious warships. The LPDs are used to transport troops, land warfare assets such as tanks, helicopters and vessels into a war zone by sea.

In a report tabled in Parliament, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), in September, had taken strong exception to the India Navy’s failure to conclude the contract to procure the LPDs even after deciding on the acquisition in 2010. The Navy had issued initial tender for the mega project in 2013.

The Indian Navy now plans to start a fresh bidding process for acquisition of the fleet.

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The Indian Navy MiG-29K fighter jets are deployed on the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya and carry out regular flying from the naval fighter base INS Hansa in Goa also.

The maritime fighter jets will complement the IAF efforts to significantly boost deep strikes and air dominance capabilities, they said,

At present, the Navy has a fleet of around 40 MiG-29K jets and at least 18 of them are deployed on board the country’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.

The Russian-origin fighters were procured by the Indian Navy along with the aircraft carrier over a decade ago.

Poseidon 8I aircrafts of the Navy have been deployed for monitoring the movement of Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh. The long-range anti-submarine and reconnaissance aircraft was deployed in Doklam along the Sikkim border too during the 73-day standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in 2017.

The P-8Is were also deployed to keep an eye on movement of Pakistani troops after the Pulwama terror attack last year.

The IAF’s Plan

In the ongoing dispute with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the Indian Navy has been playing an important role as its surveillance planes are being used for surveillance along the LAC for picking up Chinese activities and their positions. The surveillance aircraft were used extensively during the Doklam crisis as well.

The IAF has already positioned almost all its frontline fighter jets like Sukhoi 30 MKI, Jaguar and Mirage 2000 aircraft in the key frontier air bases in eastern Ladakh and elsewhere along the LAC, a move that came against the backdrop of the border row with China.

The IAF has been carrying out night time combat air patrols over the eastern Ladakh region in the last few weeks as part of its preparedness to deal with any eventualities in the mountainous region.

By the second half of August, the IAF is planning to deploy five Rafale fighter jets in the Ladakh sector which are expected to significantly enhance its combat capabilities. India is scheduled to receive the first batch of five Rafale jets on July 27.

As part of its high-level of alertness, the IAF has also deployed Apache attack choppers as well as Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to transport troops to various forward locations in eastern Ladakh.

The Indian Navy is also carrying out an exercise close to the Malacca Straits from where the Chinese Navy enters into the Indian Ocean Region.

Moreover, aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya has been out in the sea for missions with its carrier battle group.

The Indian Navy has been keeping a constant eye on the activities of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean region where they come regularly with their warships including Landing Platform Docks and long-range frigates and destroyers.
said.

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