India’s relations with Pakistan and China on LOC and LAC are very bad.
The challenge of terrorist infiltration from across the border remains.
Amidst all this, the MQ-9B Predator, which is among the world’s deadliest unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), will soon be available to the Indian Army. It is also known as Reaper Drone.
Let us tell you that India had shown interest in this drone about six years ago. Now on Thursday, America has approved the sale of 31 UAVs at an estimated cost of US $ 390 crore.
A formal contract will be signed between the two countries in the coming months.
Let us tell you that out of 31, the Navy will get 15 Sea Guardian drones. Apart from this, both the Air Force and the Army will get eight Sky Guardian drones each.
Currently, ‘Hunter-Killer’ drones are used in India, but with the arrival of this Reaper drone, the strength of the army will further increase.
Following the border standoff in eastern Ladakh, the government had leased two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones from the US for a year.
The drones were used to monitor Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean region. Later the lease period was extended. Now with this drone the Indian Army will become more capable of targeting terrorist targets.
How deadly is the MQ-9B Predator drone?
Its speed and firepower make it supreme. Apart from this, due to its ability to work with pin-drop silence, it has become the choice of armies around the world.
The drone can fly without a target as close as 250 meters from the ground. This drone can fly higher than a commercial aircraft.
Which is about 50,000 feet above the ground. Its maximum speed is 275 mph i.e. 442 km/h.
It has the capability to be deployed on long missions in any weather. A Predator drone can carry about 1,700 kg of payload, including four missiles and about 450 kg of bombs. It can travel 2,000 miles on a single refueling.
It has been developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. The drone can fly continuously for 35 hours.
Apart from air-to-air missiles, the drone can also be equipped with air-to-ground missiles. This makes it unique.
America uses Predator drones for air strikes besides surveillance and intelligence gathering. This drone system is also economical.