India to Sign Deal for MQ 9 Predator drones worth 4 Billion USD

[SteppeWolff]

Drones are effective in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and Palestine, where air defenses are either absent or easily suppressed. against China, drones have limited utility.

Nice try of trolling, but you ain't good at it.

 

[Pataliputra]

Nice try of trolling, but you ain't good at it.

Predator drones can be used against Pakistan once the Indian Air Force has already destroyed or suppressed Pakistan's air defense systems. We saw this when 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets entered deep into Pakistan to bomb Balakot after India's suppression of Pakistan’s air defenses.

 

[Circadian Rhythm]

Yes they are great for ISR and SAR operations, but in an active warzone with the enemy having a competent IADS? Nope.

ISR Operations really matter before Start of hostilities to
Detect build up of forces

We have very long borders and vast oceans to cover from Malacca to Aden

Manned platforms take time to reach any Place

 

[Circadian Rhythm]

Predator drones can be used against Pakistan once the Indian Air Force has already destroyed or suppressed Pakistan's air defense systems. We saw this when 12 Mirage 2000 fighter jets entered deep into Pakistan to bomb Balakot after India's suppression of Pakistan’s air defenses.

 

[Raj-Hindustani]

U.S. is selling weapons to India because it’s their bread and butter, and India is the largest arms importers, with $700 billion in reserves that will only grow over time. As for Predator drones, they aren’t suitable for contested airspace like China’s. They’re more likely to be used against terrorists in Indian-administered Kashmir, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, or along the India-Pakistan border to stop infiltrators. These drones are no substitute for fighter jets.

No actually mostly used for patrolling around indian ocean for long range....

Andman and Nicobar will also likely to host a few drone in the future.

And going to drone purchasing is mostly due to flying endurance around 30 hours and still one of the top flying drone with the sensor etc... A longer perspective, it is much cheaper than compared to patrolling by fighter aircraft.

 

[Circadian Rhythm]

No actually mostly used for patrolling around indian ocean for long range....

Andman and Nicobar will also likely to host a few drone in the future.

And going to drone purchasing is mostly due to flying endurance around 30 hours and still one of the top flying drone with the sensor etc... A longer perspective, it is much cheaper than compared to patrolling by fighter aircraft.

We can also use them on Myanmar borders

That border has very small presence of the Army and Dense forests and mountains used by Smugglers and Anti National elements

 

[agidest]

This will be invaluable in ISR across Indian ocean and Indian's borders. Will enhance monitoring significantly. India lacks massively in ISR and monitoring.

I don't understand why members are conflating it with a UCAV. This is a drone for meant for intelligence, not combat. Sure, it can be used for combat in areas with low/no air defense but its primary design purpose is ISR.

No weapon is a wunder weapon. Using it for what and where it is designed for will be a big jump for India.

 

[drkrn86]

8 down so far. I can't believe how expensive they are. 4 billion for 31 mq-9 but no fund for indigenous engine for amca. I don't understand India sometimes lol

Sometimes i feel indian defence planners are like backbench students burning midnight oil at last minute.

Things like AMCA need a development time frame of atleast 25 years.

 

[Persian Gulf]

Yemenis down 10th US MQ-9 UAV since October 2023, third in a week

https://twitter.com/x/status/1835522083532550325

 

[Raj-Hindustani]

Yemenis down 10th US MQ-9 UAV since October 2023, third in a week

https://twitter.com/x/status/1835522083532550325

So?

 

[kaykay11]

Drones are effective in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and Palestine, where air defenses are either absent or easily suppressed. against China, drones have limited utility.

Roles are different here. Indian MQ-9Bs will primarily be used to hunt submarines in IOR and Sigint/elint/surveillance missions on LOC/LAC. Imagine It complimenting P-8Is with its dedicated ASW package along with 40 hours endurance hunting enemy submarines far from shores.

 

[Lulldapull]

So?

So its sweet ass no? 10th MQ-9 downed since Oct 7th last year. Sounds like Iran's been providing its 2k-12 mod to the Yemenis now.

 

[Raj-Hindustani]

So its sweet ass no? 10th MQ-9 downed since Oct 7th last year. Sounds like Iran's been providing its 2k-12 mod to the Yemenis now.

Even f16, j10, j17 ,j16..... All can be shoot down by air defence missiles

So what - did these fighters get any latest technology that will allow them to get invisible?

 

[GatlingGun]

So its sweet ass no? 10th MQ-9 downed since Oct 7th last year. Sounds like Iran's been providing its 2k-12 mod to the Yemenis now.

Did Iran stop making Shahed after all of those were shot down to the gutter by Israel ?
Every drone has its purpose.

Yemenis down 10th US MQ-9 UAV since October 2023, third in a week

https://twitter.com/x/status/1835522083532550325

Such mindset is why Iran has to call for Turkish help of Akinci to find it's crashed President?

 

[muhammed45]

So, this is the Americans. On the one hand selling offensive weapons to India. On the other hand, trying to apply sanctions against Chinese firms that assist and sell components for Pakistani missile program. Obviously, the Americans already understand that their sanctions are going to be thrown in the dustbin.

India is just proving its own inferiority, deep stupidity and retardness of its defense industry. A backward shithole it is.

Why worry about those flying targets? Yemen has downed 3 of them in just 1 week.

Pakistan has to receive HGVs from China or Iran. Let India waste its resources on super expensive flying targets. Iran and China are know for generosity in TOT, you can have a version of our drones and HGVs locally produced in Pakistan without Americans noticing it.