Indian Military

New Delhi — The Indian navy will receive a major fillip in its maritime reconnaissance capabilities since the Indian Defence Ministry has cleared the purchase of four long-range surveillance aircraft and four big amphibious assault warships.

The entire project has been cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council and the naval projects consisting of the acquisition of warships and surveillance aircraft will amount to the tune of over $4 billion. The four new aircraft will be the P-8I Poseidon long-range maritime patrol aircraft besides the four amphibious warfare ships called Landing Platform Docks (LPDs).

The acquisition of P-81 surveillance aircraft will enable the Indian Navy to monitor the Indian Ocean region besides augmenting its anti-warship and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The P-81 aircraft will be armed with torpedoes, depth bombs and Harpoon missiles besides long-range radars and sensors.

As for the amphibious warships or LPDs, it will enable the Indian Navy to transport infantry battalions and their equipment to long distances besides helping in disaster management and other relief operations.

New Delhi – With the Indian Ocean region becoming very vulnerable to terror threats, the Indian Navy has decided to beef up its security along the Indian shores and has decided to go in for additional surveillance planes as well as spy drones.

The Indian Defence Ministry has floated a global Request for Information (RFI) for the medium range maritime reconnaissance aircraft (MRMR) with an operating range of over 350 nautical miles, and HALE (high-altitude, long-endurance) unmanned aerial vehicles or spy drones, with a service ceiling above 40,000 feet and endurance over 25 hours.

According to the Indian Navy, the acquisition of MRMR planes and spy drones can only compliment the surveillance on the Indian shores. The MRMR planes will be equipped with radars as well as anti-ship and submarine warfare capabilities. The Indian Navy has already finalised the acquisition of 12 P-8I Poseidon long-range maritime reconnaissance (LRMR) aircraft from Boeing at $3.1 billion. The first P-8I is slated for induction in early-2013.

[Indian Express] US aerospace major The Boeing Company on Thursday inked a $4.5-million deal with state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for weapons bay doors for the eight maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine aircraft the Indian Air Force (IAF) is purchasing from the US aerospace major.