India to buy Predator UAVs from the US: Capabilities, countries which use them

Source: The post is based on the article “India to buy Predator UAVs from the US: Capabilities, countries which use them” published in the Indian Express on 17th June 2023

What is the News?

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has recently approved the procurement of armed Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) from a United States-based company. The procurement is now awaiting the final nod from the Cabinet Committee on Security.

About Predator UAVs

The MQ-9 Reaper, also known as Predator B, is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations. These are High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones.

It is remotely operated by a two-person team consisting of a pilot and an aircrew member who operates sensors and guides weapons.

The US uses the MQ-9 Reaper for both surveillance and strikes.

Key specifications:

-It has an endurance of over 27 hours and can operate up to 50,000 feet. The maritime variant of the MQ-9 UAV, known as Sea Guardian, has an endurance of over 30 hours.

-It can carry 500 per cent more payload and has nine times the horsepower in comparison to the earlier MQ-1 Predator.

-MQ-9 UAV provides long endurance, persistent surveillance, and strike capability for the warfighter.

How will Predator UAVs help the Indian Armed Forces?

If the deal comes through, India will have 31 MQ-9s for Armed Forces, including 15 for the Navy and eight each for the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Note: In the aftermath of the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020, the Navy had leased two MQ-9 UAVs and the lease was since extended.

These can a) carry out and boost the Indian Armed Forces’ Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, b) strike strategic targets in mountains and the maritime domain during long-endurance missions and c) provide a unique capability to perform strike, coordination, and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting, and time-sensitive targets

Note: At present, the UK, Spain, Italy and France have acquired these UAVs.