MQ9 Predator Acquisition from U.S, News Updates and Discussions

another_armchair

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2019
Messages
11,190
Likes
50,800
Country flag
you have absolutely no idea on what you are talking about.


Triton has already been offered to the Indian navy along with P-8i.
Then Mods and others get triggered when we question the negotiating skills of MEA who in turn pass on the message to MoD and MoF marked 'Urgent - Act as dictated'.
 

omaebakabaka

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
4,804
Likes
13,541
you have absolutely no idea on what you are talking about.


Triton has already been offered to the Indian navy along with P-8i.
Calm down hero....If I beleive everything I see or read then I would think India is super power as this is 2020 and we would have deployed and be totally indigenous by now. What is your expertise, reading tweets and keeping up with news?
 

LDev

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2015
Messages
410
Likes
1,577
Country flag
AFAIK, the original US approval was for un-armed, pure surveillance Sea Guardian drones, but the price differential between the Sea Guardian surveillance and the armed Predator drones on a platform to platform basis was negligible. Obviously the ordnance for the armed drones is additional. So from the standpoint of the Indian armed forces it makes sense to pitch for the armed version of the MQ-9A as the strike capability will be available if needed. Typically the IN can use the strike capability to intercept and interdict suspicious small craft activity which could be terrorism related (originating in Pakistan). The surveillance capability can be put to good use by the IN, in conjunction with the P-8 and the MH-60R, but also by the IA to monitor PLA movements on the LAC. With their 40 hour endurance these drones can loiter at 50,000 feet for a long time and provide real time intelligence on ground movement. Drones such as these would have provided very early warning about the position and scale of movements by the PLA in the April May time period this year.
 

another_armchair

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2019
Messages
11,190
Likes
50,800
Country flag
If you look at it that way but a drone can fly 24 hrs and a p8i or Chinook can't.
My argument is not against long endurance armed drones but against buying watered down MQ-9s that have almost reached their EOL.

Given we don't have an equivalent of the MQ-9 in our inventory, we simply rolled over and wagged tail - Take my money, give give give.

We got 15 Chinooks for USD 1.1 billion and some part of that money made it back as offsets.

Given our vast borders and limitations in heavy lift capability in heptors, more Chinooks would be always better.
 
Last edited:

omaebakabaka

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
4,804
Likes
13,541
My argument is not against long endurance armed drones but against buying watered down MQ-9s that have almost reached their EOL.
My argument is we just need to get on it without wasting time and learn operational tactics and there is no one else other than Isreal or US to buy and even if its last gen, it meets most of our requirements. No one is going to sell us latest gen domestic versions or the version next to it....drones tech is still guarded by US very closely and they can call Isreal anytime to back off....Isreal drone leadership is already stagnating and now US opened up to drone market.
 

Suryavanshi

Cheeni KLPDhokebaaz
Senior Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2017
Messages
16,330
Likes
70,171
I don't seem to find the use of imported armed drones in Indian context. Drones are meant for uncontested air space and surveillance. We don't have uncontested airspace anywhere on or borders and as for surveillance why are we not working on our own drones.
Drones are low bar for MIC we shouldn't be importing these in the first place.
 

Knowitall

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Messages
7,930
Likes
35,897
Calm down hero....If I beleive everything I see or read then I would think India is super power as this is 2020 and we would have deployed and be totally indigenous by now. What is your expertise, reading tweets and keeping up with news?
Yea and what is your expertise lying and making up news on your own.

We shall close down the whole forum since none us here actually have any expertise according to you since we all discuss news and retweet matters.

Cant handle being corrected so resort to cheap attacks this is what you can do.
 

LDev

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2015
Messages
410
Likes
1,577
Country flag
My argument is not against long endurance armed drones but against buying watered down MQ-9s that have almost reached their EOL.

Given we don't have an equivalent of the MQ-9 in our inventory, we simply rolled over and wagged tail - Take my money, give give give.
All foreign operators of the MQ-9A Predator get the Dash 21 variant (watered down). These foreign operators include the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain etc. You really expect the US to sell India the US Airforce variant of the Predator which they have not even sold to their NATO allies?

The MQ-9A is expected to be in service by the US into the 2030s. And clearly because of the vulnerability of drones against surface to air missiles of the kind operated by any decent Air Force, the US is developing stealth drones. But they are still under development and so the MQ-9A will serve with NATO forces for the next 12-15 years.
 

porky_kicker

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
6,024
Likes
44,577
Country flag
It's a shame that we are about to pay 3 billion dollars for 30 drones . I don't support it but then reality is we don't have any experience with combat drones and thus we don't have any established SOP for long range combat drones.

So it can be argued we are paying 3 billion dollars for the same ie training ,operating and tactics know how which will be provided , which will help us to establish and build one the current nil operational capabilities at par with NATO standards. Plus DRDO will get its hands on the UAVs , it's documentation and manuals etc which will help them to realise the operational parameters as well as the technologies needed to develop own combat UAV in the same class.
 

another_armchair

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2019
Messages
11,190
Likes
50,800
Country flag
I don't seem to find the use of imported armed drones in Indian context. Drones are meant for uncontested air space and surveillance. We don't have uncontested airspace anywhere on or borders and as for surveillance why are we not working on our own drones.
Drones are low bar for MIC we shouldn't be importing these in the first place.
The 'best' drones we have are those made by ideaforge and they cost a bomb literally. We know where ideaforge stands in the global pecking order.

No wonder Army and others are quite content buying DJI's as budget means everything given our limited cash.

Rustom has been 'in development' for over 11 years. Domestically speaking, we are nowhere w.r.t drones. Not even hobby quadcopters.
 

Knowitall

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Messages
7,930
Likes
35,897
It's a shame that we are about to pay 3 billion dollars for 30 drones . I don't support it but then reality is we don't have any experience with combat drones and thus we don't have any established SOP for long range combat drones.

So it can be argued we are paying 3 billion dollars for the same ie training ,operating and tactics know how which will be provided , which will help us to establish and build one the current nil operational capabilities at par with NATO standards. Plus DRDO will get its hands on the UAVs , it's documentation and manuals etc which will help them to realise the operational parameters as well as the technologies needed to develop own combat UAV in the same class.
What is your opinion on the matter of heron tp.

Israel was one of the first users of armed drones and has a proven track record of using them.

We have already made plans for converting 90 of our herons into the TP model.

Israel would be more than willing to provide us with necessary knowledge and know how than the Us will be.
 
Last edited:

Flying Dagger

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2019
Messages
3,583
Likes
9,441
Country flag
Drone have advantage as they can be in air for hours at low operating cost and monitor borders.

Apparently army and airforce want Israeli drones to be armed and used for the purpose and also be used as anti tank loitering system for army. These are role where these drones will be more efficient and hopefully will be able to communicate and controlled with Apache/helis.

It is Navy which want these American drones as they can operate and communicate with P-8 and Romeos.

Airforce has infact raised objection too for the American drone deal as per one report I read few months back.

Israel has already started facility building for manufacturing Hermes in Hyderabad India.

If Navy thinks it is really needed we should go for them with these drones while army and airforce can use a couple of them as per their requirement and arm the existing drones we have.
 

ezsasa

Designated Cynic
Mod
Joined
Jul 12, 2014
Messages
31,719
Likes
146,998
Country flag
It's a shame that we are about to pay 3 billion dollars for 30 drones . I don't support it but then reality is we don't have any experience with combat drones and thus we don't have any established SOP for long range combat drones.

So it can be argued we are paying 3 billion dollars for the same ie training ,operating and tactics know how which will be provided , which will help us to establish and build one the current nil operational capabilities at par with NATO standards. Plus DRDO will get its hands on the UAVs , it's documentation and manuals etc which will help them to realise the operational parameters as well as the technologies needed to develop own combat UAV in the same class.
And the possibility that MQ-9 will be communicating with P-8i in a naval environment.
 

Flying Dagger

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2019
Messages
3,583
Likes
9,441
Country flag
I don't seem to find the use of imported armed drones in Indian context. Drones are meant for uncontested air space and surveillance. We don't have uncontested airspace anywhere on or borders and as for surveillance why are we not working on our own drones.
Drones are low bar for MIC we shouldn't be importing these in the first place.
They are meant for much more... Surveillance if border during peace time.

Anti tank loitering system

And Harops like Israeli drones as loitering death munition

Even in anti terrorist operations we can use them effectively in future and in Naxal belt too.

Navy can use them as force mutliplier with Romeo's and P-8.

And what fifth gen jets in future as armed wingman. Lots to offer.
 

Flying Dagger

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2019
Messages
3,583
Likes
9,441
Country flag
What is your opinion on the matter of heron tp.

Israel was one of the first users of armed drones and has a proven track record of using them.

We have already made plans for converting 90 of our herons into the TP model.

Israel would be more than willing to provide us with necessary knowledge and know how than the UsmS will be.
I think after this deal they'll be willing to work more with us 🙂.
 

omaebakabaka

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
4,804
Likes
13,541
I don't seem to find the use of imported armed drones in Indian context. Drones are meant for uncontested air space and surveillance. We don't have uncontested airspace anywhere on or borders and as for surveillance why are we not working on our own drones.
Drones are low bar for MIC we shouldn't be importing these in the first place.
The operations in NE jungles on Myanmar border and drones are also used in conjunction with fighters which increases their survivability. There are variously strategies being tried out by different countries and we can not fall backward even if it means not much value but I think we will find lot of value and it acts as a deterrent to fishing fleet based survelliance and also coast guard can call in if needed.
 

porky_kicker

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
6,024
Likes
44,577
Country flag
What is your opinion on the matter of heron tp.

Israel was one of the first users of armed drones and has a proven track record of using them.

We have already made plans for converting 90 of our herons into the TP model.

Israel would be more than willing to provide us with necessary knowledge and know how than the UsmS will be.
It's a valid point you have made , it was in my mind too , and the Israelis are better when it comes to providing know how . But it will be foolish to think that they give everything we ask .

Without knowing the inside details it is difficult to give a correct opinion as to the exact reason behind the buy hence I mentioned " so it can be argued " .

Anyways Americans have far greater experience than the Israelis in both air land and sea domain with UAVs that too over global distances . Plus geopolitical leverage could also be a factor here. Personally I am not in favour of the deal.
 

Knowitall

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 31, 2019
Messages
7,930
Likes
35,897
I think after this deal they'll be willing to work more with us 🙂.
Hopefully.

Inho we should have brought drones for the Navy only. Triton preferably as it offers far greater capabilities.

While army and air force could continue with the current drones.

Infact the original plan was for 22 drones for navy only.
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top