US firm replaces Indian Navy's crashed drone

US firm General Atomics has replaced the MQ-9B SeaGuardian remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) that crashed into the Bay of Bengal on September 18, under the lease agreement it had signed with the Indian Navy, people aware of the matter said on Sunday.

- Rahul Singh

NEW DELHI:

A power failure caused the crash, and the high-altitude long endurance RPA was written off.

The RPA has been replaced by the original equipment manufacturer and is being used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the people said, asking not to be named.

Under the 2020 lease, the navy has been using two RPAs operated by General Atomics to provide assured surveillance of the IOR to the navy. The platforms are based at naval air station Rajali in Tamil Nadu.

The RPAs have helped the navy keep a close watch on the Indian Ocean at a time when it has stepped up surveillance in the region to check China's ambitions. They have together clocked more than 18,000 hours of flying.

Last year, India signed a deal worth $3.5 billion with the US to acquire 31 MQ-9B Sea/SkyGuardian drones to boost its defence preparedness, primarily with an eye on China. Fifteen drones will be for the navy, and eight each for the army and the Indian Air Force. The deliveries are expected to begin in 2029, HT has learnt.