India Signs ₹1,943-Crore Deal With General Atomics For 2 MQ-9B Sea Guardian Drones

Indian Ministry of Defence has signed an INR 1, 943 crore deal with U.S-based energy and defence company General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to lease 2 MQ-9B Sea Guardian High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for the Indian Navy.

The MQ-9B Sea Guardian HALE RPAS has advanced sensors, sophisticated payloads and other advanced systems to offer persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance across the country’s territorial waters.

The US Embassy in India also welcomed the new contract by stating that Washington shares the commitment with New Delhi to a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region and looked forward to continued cooperation and progress in the U.S.-India defence partnership.

The MQ-9B Sea Guardian systems will strengthen the Indian Navy’s Maritime Domain Awareness capabilities.

Given the increasing Chinese maritime presence in the region, these systems will allow India to track and assess developments at sea and enhance its ability to safeguard its territorial waters and respond effectively to activities across the Indian Ocean region.

The drone can fly for more than 30 hours above 40,000 feet and can attain speeds of 210 knots with a range of over 5000 nautical miles.

It is equipped with a 360-degree multi-mode maritime surface-search radar, an advanced Automatic Identification System and Electronic Support Measures.

The HALE RPAS also has a sonobuoy management system which can release and monitor 80 sonobuoys for tracking warships and even submarines in hostile environments.

The system is built to meet NATO airworthiness standards, enabling safe integration into non-segregated civil and military airspace.