Featured India leases two MQ-9B Reaper drones from USA

[Yasser76]

Bro, an armed Mushaq can take care of these, considering the High Altitude Test recently conducted.

The second they (even) attempt to cross Pakistan Air Space, they should be welcomed with a Missile - Property of the USAF or not.

It's very unlikely they will cross in Pak air space or even meet our fighters. These are for monitorng the high seas for Pak/Chinese ships/Subs.

 

[Trailer23]

It's very unlikely they will cross in Pak air space or even meet our fighters. These are for monitorng the high seas for Pak/Chinese ships/Subs.

You're most certainly right, but...lets not forget whom we're dealing with.

They'll be itching to try something - adventurous.

 

[Yasser76]

You're most certainly right, but...lets not forget whom we're dealing with.

They'll be itching to try something - adventurous.

True, but these things are slow moving and will light up like an Christmas tree in AWACs, more of a headache for our sub crews, but with only two it means one will only be up in the air very occasionally and last time I checked the IOR was massive. I think this lease was done to keep US happy after Esper and Pompeo failed to sell 22 of them....

 

[The Maverick]

You need to out perspective in before you bandy around numbers. There is a massive, and I mean massive gap between the 1st and 2nd and on the other hand 3rd largest military spenders. Massive. Although if we go by the IISS India is 5th behind US, China, Saudi, Russia.

The main point is with a budget of between $60-$70 Billion (depending on whose figures you go by) India has to maintain the world's 2nd largest army, 4th largest air force and 6th largest navy. All this has to be done while maintaining a pension system that is very generous to a growing list of ex -servicemen who (given the size of India's forces) must be numbering in the 10s of millions.

Combine this with the devastating effect of the Covid pandemic and you can understand that even a budget of the "3rd largest in the world" will struggle. Key essential modernisation programmes are being cancelled or delayed and it seems that many of India's purchases from the world are token in actual numbers simply to keep political influence.

Let me give you an example with helicopters to support ground troops.

UK Army = 80,000 Men
Indian Army = 1.2 Million men

UK Army = 50 Apache Gunships
Indian Army = Apache 22 Gunships

UK Air Force = 60 Chinook Helicopters
Indian Air Force = 15 Chinook Helicopters

Now with a severe economic crunch coming, you can expect more token sized leases or purchases rather then extensive service wide modernisation.

rather irrelevant
uk 80.000 men salary is ten times the salary and pension of the indian .

second in has 50 apache but India had further 30 mi28 and is about to induct it's own apache in form.of light attack helicopter.

Third uk has 50 Chinook India has 300.mi17 choppers and 300 dhruv helicopters

your post is irrational and completely irrelevant

True, but these things are slow moving and will light up like an Christmas tree in AWACs, more of a headache for our sub crews, but with only two it means one will only be up in the air very occasionally and last time I checked the IOR was massive. I think this lease was done to keep US happy after Esper and Pompeo failed to sell 22 of them....

the lease is a operational. and doctrinal assessment of reaper drones in indian military. if proven successful.the order of 22 or 30 will follow. very smart move by India imo and not many nations are granted this luxury

 

[Mav3rick]

18 = armed drones. Have fun with them; they are game-changers on Indian borders and ocean skies

Just like the one which was hacked, landed and reverse engineered by Iran, these too would be game changers?

 

[Yasser76]

rather irrelevant
uk 80.000 men salary is ten times the salary and pension of the indian .

second in has 50 apache but India had further 30 mi28 and is about to induct it's own apache in form.of light attack helicopter.

Third uk has 50 Chinook India has 300.mi17 choppers and 300 dhruv helicopters

your post is irrational and completely irrelevant



the lease is a operational. and doctrinal assessment of reaper drones in indian military. if proven successful.the order of 22 or 30 will follow. very smart move by India imo and not many nations are granted this luxury

Again, by comparing Dhruv to Chinooks and LAH to Apaches you are showing an basic ignorance of military affairs. I was making a comparison between heavy lift helicopters and showing that India is way way behind mist modern armies in resources it can afford to give a 1.2 Million man army in order to modernise.

If we were to compare total helicopter/troop ratios between India and probably every modern army in the world then the difference would be even more glaring. No amount of whatabouttery on your part can change basic ground facts.

Lets take IFVs/APCS for instance.

India's 1.2 million man army has a total of 2,700 BMP-2s, only 100 SPHs. Woefully inadequate for modern mechanised warfare.

To equip a 1.2 million man army with enough modern Helicopters, IFVs, SPH's and even towed artillery seems to be beyond the economic capacity of India right now. This will not get any better in the short term and leasing just 2 UAVs with US crews is not fooling anyone but the guillable Indian public and some people on the internet.

PS India does not operate MI-28

 

[migflug]

If this lease program is successful we can also try leasing Airbus A330MRTT or Boeing KC 46 Pegasus which we need urgently. Can also go for more P8 Poseidon/ C130j/Globemaster/ISTAR if available on lease

 

[Yasser76]

If this lease program is successful we can also try leasing Airbus A330MRTT or Boeing KC 46 Pegasus which we need urgently. Can also go for more P8 Poseidon/ C130j/Globemaster/ISTAR if available on lease

Leases tend to work with used or surplus equipment not brand new equipment.

No one will make a brand new tanker or MPA just for 1 or 2 years lease. You would need USAF to look at leasing it's own kit, this will be difficult for several reasons

1) US equipment is in different configuration to equipment it exports
2) US Forces may actually require the equipment it has, almost certainly the case with P-8....
3) As the equipment will not actually be "owned" by India, the leasor can impose restrictions such as number of flight hours, terms of use, no Indian specific modifications etc that India must abide by

There is a good reason countries avoid leasing equipment that is core to their defence needs

 

[The Maverick]

Again, by comparing Dhruv to Chinooks and LAH to Apaches you are showing an basic ignorance of military affairs. I was making a comparison between heavy lift helicopters and showing that India is way way behind mist modern armies in resources it can afford to give a 1.2 Million man army in order to modernise.

If we were to compare total helicopter/troop ratios between India and probably every modern army in the world then the difference would be even more glaring. No amount of whatabouttery on your part can change basic ground facts.

Lets take IFVs/APCS for instance.

India's 1.2 million man army has a total of 2,700 BMP-2s, only 100 SPHs. Woefully inadequate for modern mechanised warfare.

To equip a 1.2 million man army with enough modern Helicopters, IFVs, SPH's and even towed artillery seems to be beyond the economic capacity of India right now. This will not get any better in the short term and leasing just 2 UAVs with US crews is not fooling anyone but the guillable Indian public and some people on the internet.

PS India does not operate MI-28

again irrelevant post
uk and European army's are designed to.fight as,part of NATO against a mechanized,army like Russia or coalition forces,as,part of United Nations.
uk can get away with 80.0000 troops

we,are,fighting a third world military like Pakistan 600.000 men poorly equipped accept manpower with near budget equipment.. and second World war tactics. how,many helicopters,does,pakistan have for 600.000 men.

China threat is not mechanized either it's mountain warfare.

your comparison with uk is rubbish

 

[Daghalodi]

India had further 30 mi28 and is about to induct it's own apache in form.of light attack helicopter.

Please Post your source of Indian induction of its own light Attack Helicopters??

 

[The Maverick]

Please Post your source of Indian induction of its own light Attack Helicopters??

India’s Indigenous Light Combat Helicopter Deployed In Ladakh But It Is Still Without Its Most Crucial Weapons (swarajyamag.com)

2 have been operational in Ladakh since August 2020

working in combo with Apache

first order for 15 is pending

total to be built 150+ over next decade

reported on NEWS in india

HAL in negoatiation over price with GOI
THIS BABY IS OUR OWN its not imported

indian built by HAL

 

[Daghalodi]

India’s Indigenous Light Combat Helicopter Deployed In Ladakh But It Is Still Without Its Most Crucial Weapons (swarajyamag.com)

2 have been operational in Ladakh since August 2020

working in combo with Apache

first order for 15 is pending

total to be built 150+ over next decade

reported on NEWS in india

HAL in negoatiation over price with GOI
THIS BABY IS OUR OWN its not imported

indian built by HAL

Where does it say first order is 15 and a total of 150+ will be built?

The link you posted is about 2 posted with no weapons.

Doesnt say anywhere about Indian Army signning a contract for purchase.

Infact here is an article that states HAL thinks the contract will be awarded by the end of this year.

1st Contract In Sight For India's Own Attack Helicopter

With tough price negotiations finally concluded, HAL looks to receive a historic 1st order for its LCH by the end of this year.

www.livefistdefence.com

So hold your horses till your army decides to purchase this.

 

[waz]

It seems like it triggers several in you here. Every announcement is a thousand cuts of panic for you here

My Indian friend to afraid to show his flags.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1331572058484981761

MQ-9B and Predator-B are the same thing.



In a sign of growing closeness between India and the United States amid conflict with China, the Indian Navy has inducted two Predator-B drones from an American firm on lease for carrying out surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region and which can also be deployed along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh.

The American-origin drones have been inducted by the Navy under the emergency procurement powers granted by the Defence Ministry in view of the India-China border conflict.

"The drones arrived in India in the second week of November and were inducted into flying operations on November 21 at Indian Navy base at INS Rajali," top government sources told ANI.

The drones have already started flying operations and with an endurance capability of being in the air for over 30 hours, they are proving to be a big asset for the maritime force, they said.

An American crew from the vendor is also accompanying the equipment and would help the Navy to operate the machines, the sources said.

The drones are flying in Indian colours and would be on lease with India for one year even as the three services are preparing the case for acquiring 18 more such drones from the US, the sources said.

India and America have been working very closely during the ongoing conflict against Chinese aggression in Eastern Ladakh including help in surveillance and information sharing in all domains, the sources said.

Sources said the option of leasing weapon systems has been provisioned under the Defence Acquisition Procedure-2020 and the Defence Procurement Manual -2009 and helps in saving funds and the responsibility of maintenance also lies with the vendor, the sources said.

India may deploy Predator drones along LAC

In a sign of growing closeness between India and the United States amid conflict with China, the Indian Navy has inducted two Predator drones from an American firm on lease for carrying out surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region and which can also

news.rediff.com

Great for internal observations and watching borders. They're limited though in a full conventional fight, but again they're a tool which utilised with others at hand can prove strategic. Anyway it joins a very drone rich environment already, welcome.

I doubt that all radars can pick up drones....
Size also make an important factor

Erm doppler radars can pick up even the smallest of drones.

Detecting Drones with Doppler-Based Radar

As drones become more commonplace, the need to secure facilities from the high-definition cameras and potential dangerous payloads has caused a rapid growth of counter-drone technologies.

www.aerodefensetech.com

Most of the members here with Chinese flag on their bio are Pakistanis pretending to be Chinese,
Know Chinese folks very well, So stop faking, mate
Identity crisis at its best, on display

No they're not, and you sound stupid. You do realise people have met off here, had zoom conversations etc. They'r real Chinese, and yes this is what they think of you.

 

[ARMalik]

India the biggest SHUPA-POWA in Galaxy leases two drones from US ...... what a MIGHTY SHUPA-POWA india is. Everyone should be very scared !

 

[Zarvan]

I am more than sure Pakistan would have inducted some MALE drone from China by now. And if my assumption is correct than in my opinion it's best time to reveal it.