India was designated a major defence partner of the U.S. in June.
Within weeks of that designation, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met US President Barack
Obama at the White House , the Indian Navy had sent an official letter of request (LoR).
The request was sent to the department of defense towards purchase of 22 high-tech multi-mission
Predator C Avenger unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
The unmanned aircraft is manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems.
This is the first major request of arms sale purchase by India after Obama designated New
Delhi as a major strategic defense partner.
India was not part of Missile Technology Control Regime earlier which is a pre requisite for
getting these drones.
The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is a multilateral export control regime.
It is an informal and voluntary partnership among 35 countries to prevent the proliferation
of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle technology capable of carrying above 500 kg payload for
more than 300 km.
India has recently become part of the Missile Technology Control Regime with USA’s backing,
opening the doors for purchase of Predator drones.
India need these drones to meet the challenges posed by China and Pakistan.
Here are the specifics:
1. There has been increased Chinese activities in the Indian ocean region.China has been
very aggressive in its posturing in recent past.
India wants to buy these drones to monitor the presence of Chinese submarines and warships
in Indian Ocean.
2. New Delhi could use these to monitor the Indo Pakistan border region and can also use it
to hunt militants across Pakistan.
Unlike aircrafts the drones have a very big advantage , that is ,it has no pilots.
Now India’s enemy will know that they can be struck from the air without India thinking
too much that there would be a pilot who may get shot down.
This sends a strong deterrent signal.
Note that Predator C Avenger is the latest version of Predator drones.
Previous version are MQ-1 Predator (Predator A) and MQ-9 Reaper (Predator B)
The major capabilities of the drones are as follows:
1. Flying at an altitude of 50,000 feet, these drones have the capacity to fly non-stop for
about 24 hours and monitor the movement of objects as small as a football on a real time basis.
2. It is controlled remotely by 2 ground control crews.
It has a max speed of 740 km/hr.
3. The Predator C Avenger is an armed drone and is equipped with different air-to-air and
air-to-ground missiles including Hellfire missiles.
It can carry weapons in internal bay as well as in 6 external hard points.
4. It can take to the skies in any weather condition, day/night and strike pre-designated targets
with pin-point accuracy.
5. Unlike the previous MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, it is powered by a turbofan engine
and its design includes stealth features such as internal weapons storage, and an S-shaped
exhaust for a reduced infrared signature and radar signature
6. The drone can provide world-class Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability
to India, which will include both high-definition radar and electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR)
coverage along borders.
The US has successfully deployed different versions of Predator drones in Afghanistan
and Iraq.
Here are some of the examples:
1. According to USA government figures, between 2009 and 31 December 2015, USA has launched
473 strikes, mostly with drones, that killed between what it said were 2,372 and 2,581 terrorists.
2. Mullah Akhtar Mansoor taliban leader was killed in Pakistan after his car attacked by several
US drones.
3. The leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Hakimullah Mehsud, was also killed in a US drone strike
in 2013.
4. The Islamic State on January 19, 2016, admitted that its notorious executioner Jihadi John
was killed in an American drone strike on November 12, 2015.
Currently, India operates a variety of drones, from hand-launched models to Israeli-origin
Herons.
With the exception of the Harpy that can be used as a suicide bomber since it self-destructs
on impact with a chosen target, all are battlefield and theatre surveillance crafts.
Rustom 2 armed drone being developed by DRDO still has a long way to go before it becomes
operational.
India is the second-largest buyer of US arms in 2014, up from virtually nothing five years
ago.
During his recent visit to New Delhi, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter assured Indian Defense
Minister Manohar Parrikar that it would soon receive all the 22 Avenger UAVs for fulfilling
its maritime surveillance requirements.
Unverified reports have confirmed that India will receive these drones.
If the transaction goes through, India will become one of the first countries to buy the
casually called ‘killing machines’, Predator Avenger drones.
Predator Avenger would act as a force multiplier for India’s with its advanced surveillance
capabilities in the Indo China border and Indian Ocean region.