India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) formally inked the contract for purchase of 31 MQ-9B SKYGUARDIAN/SEGUARDIAN High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) on 15th October.
The Foreign Military Sale (FMS) by the U.S. Government worth approximately US$3.9 billion will involve the delivery of 15 GA-ASI MQ-9B ‘Sea Guardian’ RPAS to the Indian Navy, while the army and air force will receive 8 RPAS each. Another contract has also been signed with General Atomics Global India Pvt Ltd for Performance Based Logistics (PBL) for these RPAS including Depot Level Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul in India.
“The procurement would significantly enhance Intelligence, Surveillance, Targeting and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability of the Indian Armed Forces. These state-of-the-art RPAS would enable Armed Forces to suitably respond to emerging security threats on our land borders & in safeguarding India’s maritime interests,” a Navy spokesperson said.
According to insights from GA-ASI, negotiations took as many as 8 years and the contract comes after a long evaluation process.
In another boost towards the operational readiness of the Indian Navy, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for a new Very Low Frequency (VLF) Station for the navy at the Damagundam Reserve Forest site, Pudur Mandal in Vikarabad, Telangana on 15th October.
Speaking on the occasion, Singh said that the high-tech VLF station, once operational, would not just be a military establishment, but a strategic asset of national importance.
"This VLF station is being built with the vision of securing our maritime interests. It will ensure secure and real-time communication between our ships & submarines with the command centres of the Armed Forces. A fool-proof communication proves to be a decisive factor between victory and defeat. Without real time communication, we cannot gain an edge despite having adequate equipment or manpower," Singh said.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said that the new VLF Station, once completed, would complement the existing VLF station at INS Kattabomman, in Tirunelveli. “This VLF station would play an important role in enabling the seamless secure worldwide communication, including most importantly, with our dived submarines, thus ensuring their stealth and enhanced effectiveness.”
The VLF Station in Vikarabad, Telangana is being built at a cost of Rs 3,200 crore (approximately US$ 39 million) and will be spread across 2,900 acres.
Privacy Policy
Powered by © Mobilbyte s.a.s. Information Technology