In a landmark deal, the United States approved the sale of 31 MQ-9B armed drones to India at an estimated cost of $3.99 billion. The sale of the drones will enhance India’s capabilities to counter current and future threats, enabling India to conduct unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols along maritime lanes.

India is procuring long-endurance drones to enhance the surveillance capabilities of its armed forces, especially along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

According to the agreement, India will receive 31 High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAVs, of which the Navy will receive 15 SeaGuardian UAVs, and the Army and the Indian Air Force will each receive 8 land-based SkyGuardian UAVs.

Here’s everything you need to know about the MQ-9B armed drone and how it will bolster India’s defense capabilities:

Everything about the MQ-9B drone

The MQ-9B comes in two variants: SkyGuardian and its maritime variant SeaGuardian. “M” stands for multi-role, “Q” stands for remote control aircraft system, and “9” stands for the ninth system in the series of remote control aircraft systems.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems said the MQ-9B SkyGuardian is a next-generation remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) that provides continuous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance around the world.

SkyGuardian drones can stay aloft via satellite for up to 40 hours in all weather conditions and integrate safely into civilian airspace, enabling joint forces and civil authorities to provide real-time situational awareness at all times of the day, anywhere in the world.

The aircraft is equipped with revolutionary Lynx multi-mode radar, advanced electro-optical/infrared sensors, automatic takeoff and landing, and has a longer wingspan of 79 feet than its predecessor.

The drone can be configured to perform a variety of operations, including humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, search and rescue, law enforcement, border enforcement, defensive air defense, airborne early warning, and more.

What is the Sea Guardian version?

The MQ-9B SeaGuardian is the maritime version of the MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), which uses “bolt-on/bolt-on” maritime sensors to perform its mission. It can fly more than 30 hours a day in all weather conditions and integrate safely into civilian airspace, enabling joint forces and civilian authorities to provide real-time situational awareness anywhere in the maritime domain.

Not only does the drone integrate state-of-the-art maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, it is also the first remotely piloted aerial system (RPAS) of its kind capable of conducting real-time search and patrol above and below the sea surface.

Has India used MQ-9A drones?

The Indian Navy leased two MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones from General Atomics and made their first flight on November 21, 2020.

General Atomics announced that during the two years of operations ending in November 2022, the drones completed 10,000 flight hours and “helped the Indian Navy cover an operating area of ​​more than 14 million square miles.” The lease was subsequently extended.

What advantages does the MQ-9 have over its predecessors?

The MQ-9 is a major technological leap forward from the original RQ-1/MQ-1 Predator, which ushered in the arrival of long-endurance armed drones in the late twentieth century.

Predator drones equipped with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles became a symbol of America’s war on terror after the 9/11 attacks. It was deployed extensively in the tribal areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan in the early 2000s.

According to The Hindu, the RQ-1 Predator first entered service with the US Air Force in 1995 and was retired in 2018 and replaced by the MQ-9 Reaper.