SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) have decided that each service wing of the Indian Armed forces will be getting Six each General Atomics manufactured Predator MQ 9A drones and in combined orders for 18 will be placed with the General Atomics after getting formal approvals in April this year.
The original plan was to induct 30 Predator MQ 9A drones for border surveillance and reconnaissance but the Indian Army and Indian Air Force we not fully onboard the Navy’s Plans for such acquisition due to the exorbitant cost of each drone which is around $100 million per unit.
Indian Army and Indian Air Force were pushing for four drones each for Tri-service but as per the latest report in the Hindustan Times, the Navy has managed to convince to go ahead with purchase plans for 18 Predator MQ 9A drones at an estimated deal valued at $1.8 Billion.
General Atomics had agreed to Transfer the Technology of the Predator MQ 9A drones to Indian State-owned and Private sector firms that included some of the niche high-value sensor suits and other systems, it’s not clear if they will agree on the same even if India goes for reduced numbers.
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