WASHINGTON : The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of India of MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (drones) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $3.99 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today, according to a DSCA press release.
The Government of India has requested to buy 31 MQ-9B Sky Guardian aircraft, 161 Embedded Global Positioning & Inertial Navigation Systems (EGIs), 35 L3 Rio Grande Communications Intelligence Sensor Suites, 170 AGM-114R Hellfire missiles, 16 M36E9 Hellfire Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM), three hundred ten (310) GBU-39B/B Laser Small Diameter Bombs (LSDB) and a host of other related equipment.
The $3.99 billion possible sale includes initial spare and repair parts, consumables, accessories, and repair and return support, personnel training and training equipment, transportation support, warranties, studies and surveys, US Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of a major defense partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific and South Asia region.
The DSCA said that the proposed sale will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats by enabling unmanned surveillance and reconnaissance patrols in sea lanes of operation. India has demonstrated a commitment to modernizing its military and will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. There will be no adverse impact on US defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. The principal contractor will be General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Poway, CA. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to India.
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