US approves sale of 22 Guardian drones to India

[Sloth 22]

You are spending 2 billion dollars on 22 unarmed drones for GOD sake at least buy Armed Ones

Long Range , high number of hours on station , in Maritime Surveillance is the goal here. There is no requirement of missiles here.
42 Hours at 50,000 feet.

The cost here includes the establishment of facilities to operate these.Plus its sensors is the main thing costly here. Its Synthetic Aperture Radar can sense change on sand, as minute as that of truck tire marks from above 20,000 feet.

These capabilities are worth paying for.

 

[ashok321]

Indian tax payers money got wasted.
Only searching a suspect wont help.
It has got to be search n destroy tool.

India's PM is 10th pass, so no wonder.

 

[Sloth 22]

Indian tax payers money got wasted.
Only searching a suspect wont help.
It has got to be search n destroy tool.

India's PM is 10th pass, so no wonder.

This particular thing was developed to compete in BAMS program. Do you see Triton armed ?

What happened to Make in India?

China and Pakistan are already making their own ARMED drones.

How is India paying $2 billion for a bunch of unarmed drones.

Not everything can be made in India. Especially something like this , with no parallels in the whole world.

Its only competitor is Triton , that too is American.

 

[ashok321]

This particular thing was developed to compete in BAMS program. Do you see Triton armed ?
.

Why not buy the Avenger is the crux of the matter.

 

[cyborga8a]

The Americans milking these Indians endlessly LOL 2 freakin' billion dollars for 22 unarmed drones. Daylight robbery.

These are very advanced systems and are one of a kind hence the price.

 

[StraightShooter]

Why not buy the Avenger is the crux of the matter.

It is not either or.

India can only evince interest to buy. The decision to sell or not is with the US.

Indian had already sent feelers to the US that it is interested in buying both 100 armed Predator C Avengers for the India Air Force and 22 unarmed MQ-9 Reaper (also called Predator B or Guardian) for the Indian Navy.

Seems like for now, US may only be selling 22 unarmed MQ-9 Reapers.

What happened to Make in India?

China and Pakistan are already making their own ARMED drones.

How is India paying $2 billion for a bunch of unarmed drones.

These are being procured through Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. Only 30% offets are applicable. Make in India is not applicable.

 

[Sloth 22]

Why not buy the Avenger is the crux of the matter.

Will you use B52 in place of P8I for Maritime duties?

The difference is similar here.

Avenger or any other Armed UAV will come as and when IAF and IA press for it.

IN Needs are limited to this.

 

[ashok321]

Will you use B52 in place of P8I for Maritime duties?

The difference is similar here.

Avenger or any other Armed UAV will come as and when IAF and IA press for it.

IN Needs are limited to this.

The comparison is so absurd.
You are presenting apple & oranges here.
It does not pay to be dishonest.

 

[Submariner]

Avenger or any other Armed UAV will come as and when IAF and IA press for it.

To add, to date only three Predator C's are known to have been produced and while they've been deployed, are largely used to develop and test experimental sensors.

This particular aircraft is outfitted with a MS-177 camera system.

This still was taken by an MS-177 five years ago, showing an impressive level of detail.

However, the MS-177 is being developed to be mated with the RQ-4, not the Predator C. This Block 30 RQ-4 is outfitted with the U-2's SYERS 2 sensor suite.

SYERS is housed in this U-2S' nosecone. The quality of the first model of SYERS can be seen below.

India has shown interest in the Predator C, and it may well have asked for clearance to purchase the type, but in the US it's not much more then a developmental test bed. Some of the equipment developed on the Predator C may be equipped on the Guardian.

The Predator C is a quality air-frame and it has both been deployed and racked up a fair number of flight hours, but it's also a risk due to the a limited number of units making its long-term reliability or serviceability questionable.

 

[cerilchan]

Can be arm?

 

[ashok321]

Avenger or any other Armed UAV will come as and when IAF and IA press for it.

 

[StraightShooter]

View attachment 405802

But let's not censor it. The question is how long would this be true. It is only an matter of time before India would get them.

In the past, the US has refused to provide armed Predator drones to India, which have been used in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, for fear that New Delhi would turn the weapons against the Pakistanis at a time when Washington sought robust cooperation in the fight against Al Qaeda.

 

[wiseone2]

these drones are expensive

 

[wiseone2]

But let's not censor it. The question is how long would this be true. It is only an matter of time before India would get them.

In the past, the US has refused to provide armed Predator drones to India, which have been used in both Afghanistan and Pakistan, for fear that New Delhi would turn the weapons against the Pakistanis at a time when Washington sought robust cooperation in the fight against Al Qaeda.

Nothing stops Washington in the future

 

[RAW HQ]

What happened to Make in India?

China and Pakistan are already making their own ARMED drones.

How is India paying $2 billion for a bunch of unarmed drones.

Pakistan is not making any armed drones.
They operate CH-3A drones with only two missile payloads.
Whereas we have ordered, Eitans with much larger payload.