TOI was the first to report last year that India had finalized the plan to acquire 30 Predator-B drones, 10 each for the Army, Navy and IAF, with different payloads to hunt and destroy targets over land and sea. But the high cost of the deal, upwards of $3.5 billion, has somewhat delayed the inking of the final contract.
“The original plan for the 30 Predators will take some more time. Meanwhile, the utilization of the fast-track procurement (FTP) route for acquiring six of these drones – two each for the three Services – is now under active consideration,” said another source.
It will be a huge jump in unmanned lethal capability for the armed forces if the “hunter-killer” Sea Guardians, with their advanced ground control stations, launch and recovery elements, air-to-ground missiles, smart bombs and the like, are actually acquired by India.
India News: India has formally kicked off the acquisition process for six more long-range Poseidon-8I aircraft from the US, while a plan is also underway for fast
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