Delay in Drone Deal!… If the deal for MQ-9B drone is not signed by October 31, then there will be a delay

To enhance the Indian Navy’s surveillance and lethal-precision attack capability, a deal is being made for 31 MQ-9B hunter killer drones from the US. The last date for this deal is 31 October 2024. If the deal is not signed by that day, then this deal will be closed. All the documents will have to be prepared again. This may take a lot of time.

Defence sources told India Today that the last date for the proposal received from the US is 31 October 2024. India will pay Rs 32,000 crore for 31 drones. The officials of both the countries have to sign the deal. The Navy is preparing to complete all the paperwork before the last date. The deal should be signed.

Also read: Deal for Air Force’s Su-30MKI fighter jets, HAL will make 240 engines for Rs 26 thousand crores

Last year, during June 21 to 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited America. During that time, America had proposed 31 HALE drones. HALE means High Altitude Long Endurance. This means that this MQ-9B hunter killer drone can fly for a long time at high altitude. It is also called Predator or Reaper.

The plan is to finalise the deal as soon as possible

The plan of the three armies of India is that they will equip these 31 Predator drones with indigenous weapons. There are also preparations to assemble the drones in India itself. But this plan has been postponed so that the deal for the drones can be finalized soon. Because the American company General Atomics, which makes it, does not want to transfer the technology.

Apart from this, America has proposed that whenever India makes its own HALE drone, American experts will help it. Three hubs will be built for this drone. One in North India, the second in the South and the third in the North-East. Currently, two leased Predator drones are deployed at INS Rajali in Chennai.

Also read: Russia fired North Korea’s Hwasong-9 missile on Ukraine… know its power

Now know the specialty of this drone…

The world’s most dangerous drone is the MQ-9B Predator. Earlier it was reported that these drones will be deployed at four places. INS Rajali in Chennai, Porbandar in Gujarat. These will be operated by the Indian Navy. The Air Force and the Army will operate them at Gorakhpur and Sarsawa Air Force Base. Because only these have such a long runway.

It will be easy to keep an eye on China’s Line of Actual Control, Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh from Gorakhpur and Sarsawa bases. 15 drones will be for monitoring the sea areas. The rest will be deployed to monitor the borders of China and Pakistan.

Also read: Agni-4 Missile: India successfully tests nuclear missile Agni-4, China and Pakistan are afraid of it

Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed by this drone. It can be sent for any kind of mission. Such as surveillance, spying, gathering information or attacking the enemy’s hideout secretly. It is capable of monitoring for a longer time and from a higher altitude.

Range of 1900 km, flying with 1700 kg of weapons

Its range is 1900 KM. It can carry a weapon weighing 1700 KG. Two computer operators sitting at the ground station operate it like a video game. The length of this drone is 36.1 feet, wingspan is 65.7 feet, height is 12.6 feet. The empty weight of the drone is 2223 Kg.

The drone has a fuel capacity of 1800 kg. Its speed is 482 km/hr. It can spot the enemy from a height of 50 thousand feet and attack him with a missile. It is usually flown at a height of 25 thousand feet.

Also read: Lockheed Martin wants to give F-16V Super Viper fighter jet to India, know what is special in it

Seven hardpoints… put missiles or bombs, or both

Missiles are installed on the MQ 9 Predator in the name of weapons. It has seven hard points, two inboard stations, two middle stations, one outboard station and a center station. It is equipped with 4 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, which attack from air to ground with precision.

Apart from this, two laser guided GBU-12 Paveway II bombs are also installed. Instead of these two, you can use different types of weapons on this drone. Like GBU-38, which is a joint direct attack ammunition. Apart from this, Brimstone missiles can also be installed. All missiles and bombs are used as per the need.