Trump administration clears game changer deal for sale of 22 Guardian drones to India

If unit cost is $17 million why are we paying $3 billion for 22.

Are we getting Trump along with the drones?

 

This is pretty much a dumb way to compare Drones, Performance and Range is just half of its capabilities !!!...

The MOST IMPORTANT is its PAYLOAD ie sensors Radar SATCOM etc etc in addition to the EO - That each drone is carry and that is where the cost is!!!...... without this, all these drones will be just expensive Large Model RC Planes

 

Nothing can justify 100 mil$. But then do the people writing about the model as a gamechanger know why it is so much better than other drones?

 

So, you are are saying we should spend 5x after all the complaining about costs?

 

?????? ..... Have you read what u post or just skimmed it??? ... you do know that this is a Naval Variant and NOT the same as the Reaper Which is an Air Force variant ??? yes or no??? That Reaper is actual the Predator B , meaning that it is an advance Variant of the existing Predator which the Air Force has already been using , meaning that they have had ALL the infrastructure/training/Systems/Pilots etc etc - All Existing ALL in place - meaning that they could easily transition to the Reaper (Predator B) with less cost!

Does any of the Indian Armed Forces have such systems/Infrastructure in place to easily operate these drone ??? or is this included in the 2Billion?

An old article on the Guardian Drone

New maritime capability developed for MQ-9

• 25 September, 2015
• SOURCE: Flightglobal.com
• BY: Beth Stevenson

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has introduced a new sonobuoy capability for its MQ-9 Guardian maritime unmanned air vehicle which, alongside a number of other developing technologies, could make it a contender to help fill the UK’s maritime patrol gap.

A concept was presented at the Royal Navy’s maritime awareness conference at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall on 24 September, which showed a number of sonobuoys being released from a bay on the UAV.

While a requirement for a maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) acquisition has yet to be released from the UK government, the developments that General Atomics is incorporating into the MQ-9 suggests that it will look to offer a modified Guardian to complement a manned MPA that is expected to be procured.


The new sonobuoy capability has been developed alongside Ultra Electronics over two years, Jonny King, director for General Atomics’ UK division, says.

“What we’re really looking at is a Predator B carrying sonobuoys, controlling them, and sending sonobuoy information back to the ground station over a SATCOM link,” King says.

“The work has seen us put the system together in a lab and carry out ground testing and prove it end to end. We were ready to go flying in 2015, but the aircraft were diverted to more urgent work. So we will be flying this early in the new year to prove the system.”



MQ-9 with the sonobuoy concept

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

The first demonstration will see the aircraft fly over sonobuoy emulators that are placed on land, and then send data back over the SATCOM link to an acoustic receiver on the ground.

“It won’t be the final system, but is the first step,” King says.

In 2012 the company worked with Selex to integrate the Seaspray 7500E multimode active electronically scanned array radar onto the MQ-9. Maritime AIS and identification friend or foe transponders can also be integrated to add to the capability.

“The Reaper could be re-roled at any stage for the maritime mission, it takes about 12h to put the maritime pod on,” King adds.

Other technology developments that the company is advancing include extended-range wings with external fuel tanks – something that has just been fielded with the US Air Force for the first time. These can be retrofitted onto the MQ-9, and the sonobuoy-integrated concept was shown with the extended-range wings and winglets.

The Guardian has a 1,000nm (1,850km) range and can stay on station for a further 10h, while the extended range variant has a 1,900nm range plus 10h on station.

Meanwhile, the company is developing a certifiable variant of the MQ-9 that will be able to fly in national airspace. This includes integration of the company’s detect and avoid Due Regard Radar system – for which it has been working with NASA and the US Federal Aviation Administration – into a modified MQ-9 nose, plus de-icing, lightning protection and a composite make-up similar to that on a Boeing 787.

A prototype of the detect and avoid system has just completed the third round of testing with NASA’s MQ-9-based Ikhana UAV, and testing using a certifiable system is expected to take place next year and be ready for certification in 2017.



https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/new-maritime-capability-developed-for-mq-9-417133/

 

Yes nothing of that sorts would come, but the even bigger problem imo with US drones is, that we make ourselfs operationally dependent on the US. It's not like with fighters or transport aircrafts, where you have mainly restrictions on paper, the UAV operations are controlled via US and the missions require US Congress approval. So is it wise to make Indian forces that much dependent of a foreign government? For France and UK it still makes sense, since the majority of missions, will be joint NATO missions anyway, but for us?

And yes, anything else than HALE drones doesn't make sense.

 

What are you ranting about?
A comparison with a heron TP order for 400mil$ for 10 was given earlier. It definitely has infrastructure training etc included. Still no fact included in your post except the sonobouy, which is just a concept, and was about to be tested in 2016. But no news of its success or inception after 2015 , probably meaning its not developed yet.

I should be asking you whether you can read. Probably a waste of time trying to communicate with you and your "????"

 

Cant we make one ourselves?

 

The only thing I can think of is that its been tested for carrier operations, while the Eitan has not been. And possible integration with the BAMS in the future with the Poseidon and Triton. With the Guardian being the lower tier with Triton being overwatch.

 

obviously there's a PR campaign to boost it's image but I think there might still be reasons to support the costs. Under all circumstances India should accelerate domestic drones like Roustom into production.

 

Armed Herons are waaay better than toothless predator.

 

There is no hard and fast rule on that one. You have IN assets in J&K too

 

Are you comparing two different platforms here?

Heron TP is meant for India to use for stand off strikes at launch pads without any/limited cross over of troops/assets with adequate overhead cover being provided to these assets.

I am sure we can not compare the need for Surveillance of Sunda and Malacca Straits at lower costs per hour and equal if not greater technological level than P8Is to Heron TP?

 

U need to practice what you preach!

You though process is similar to CAG, who only looks at the $$$$ and comparing that with others and saying that they are better JUST BECAUSE they are cheaper is again a DUMB WAY!! and don't even think that the PAYLOAD is the Most Important in any Drone!!! Learn THAT FIRST!!!!

Now the Guardian Variant other than the US Customs and Coast Guard .... The IN is probably the first Armed forces to operate it, and so far no one knows its capabilities BUT we do that it carries a system similar to the P8i and it is to operate along with it

So unless we get more Info, stop your ranting !! and post something sensible

 

We are still struggling to fly a small UAV known as Rustom from our test range.
Stuffs like Guardian or Reaper are just one generation ahead of us .Even with trillion$ asset Chinese still couldnt even come nearer to them .

Then what choices do we have here ?

Remember only one nation successfully deployed UCAV to hunt terrorists and established their own full fledged squadron.And that stuff did just incapacitate AlQaeda .
No other nation so far established in drone filed like US .

We need at least 3 decades to come even nearer to them.