U.S. State Department approves $1 billion arms sale to India

News:United States has approved sale of 13 MK 45 naval guns to India and related equipments worth an estimated cost of $1 billion.

Facts:

About MK 45 naval guns:

• The MK 45 is manufactured by BAE Systems Land and Armaments at its facilities in Louisville,Kentucky in the US.
• It is a naval artillery gun designed for use against surface warships, anti-aircraft and shore bombardment to support amphibious operations.
• The gun features an automatic loader with a capacity of 20 rounds that can be fired under full automatic control taking a little over a minute to exhaust those rounds at maximum fire rate.

Significance of the sale for India:

• The proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats from enemy weapon systems.
• The MK-45 Gun System will provide the capability to conduct anti-surface warfare and anti-air defense missions while enhancing interoperability with U.S. and other allied forces.
• India will also use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.