New Delhi: The deal to purchase 30 multi-mission, MQ-9B drones or armed Predator drones from the United States is ready to be finalised soon. These drones are said to be used in India to deploy at the Lince of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the Indian Ocean. The deal an estimated cost of more than $3 billion will help India to increase its overall surveillance capacity.
At present, the discussion on the cost component, the arsenal, and technology sharing is going on. The drone manufactured by the United States’ Company General Atomics Aeronautical Systems touched the sky on February 2, 2021.
Predator B drones are designed with the objective of performing over-the-horizon long-endurance, medium-altitude Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
MQ-9B is designed for the vast range of surveillance operations that include: new us drone, Predator B,
- Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW)
- Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
- HA/DR — Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief
- Law Enforcement (Drug Trafficking, Illegal Immigration, Piracy)
- OMSI — Oceanic Maritime Security Initiative
- Airborne Counter Mine Capability (Developmental)
Features of Predator B drones:
- Raytheon MTS-B EO/IR
- GA-ASI Lynx Multi-mode Radar
- VHF/UHF certified radios
- DO-178 and DO-254 design assurance for software and avionics
- De-ice/Anti-ice system
- Sense and Avoid (TCAS/ADS-B/IFF – with provisions for Due Regard Radar)
- STANAG 4671 compliant type certifiable design
- 40,000 hour design service life
- Weather capable
- Damage tolerant airframe
- Lightning protection
- Automatic takeoff and land
- Fire-protected engine bay
- Other customer-specific payloads
Characteristics of Predator B drones:
| Wing Span | 79 ft (24m) |
| Length | 78 ft (11.7m) |
| Powerplant | Honeywell TPE331-10 Turboprop |
| Max Gross Takeoff Weight | 12,500 Ib (5670 kg) |
| Fuel Capacity | 6,000 Ib (2721 kg) |
| Payload Capacity |
4,800 Ib (2177 kg) across 9 hardpoints (8 wings, 1 centerline) 800 Ib internal (363 kg) 4,000 Ib external (1814 kg) |
| Power | 45 kVA |
| Backup Power | 2.2 kW |
Data source: General Atomics Aeronautical.