The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) reviewed and approved amendments to the deal for 31 MQ-9B High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) from General Atomics of the US.
- The Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) were also accorded to the procurement of Advanced Land Navigation System (ALNS) for Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) of the Indian Army.
Significance of the MQ-9B UAV Procurement
- Procurement Plan: India plans to procure 31 MQ-9B UAVs, including 15 Sea Guardians for the Indian Navy and 16 Sky Guardians (eight each for the Indian Army and Air Force).
- The total estimated cost is $3.99 billion.
- These drones will help monitor movements along the borders and play a crucial role in the national security of our country.
- Global Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) Facility:
- As part of the deal, General Atomics will establish a Global MRO facility in India.
- This facility will contribute towards meeting offset obligations.
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Advanced Land Navigation System (ALNS) for Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs)
The DAC has accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of ALNS for AFVs of the Army.
- Compatibility: The ALNS Mk-II is compatible with the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS, NavIC), Global Positioning System (GPS), and Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS).
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About MQ-9B Drone Overview
- Model and Manufacturer:
- The MQ-9B drone, a variant of the MQ-9 “Reaper,” comes in two models: Sky Guardian and Sea Guardian.
- It is built by General Atomics.
- Capabilities:
- Altitude: Can fly at over 40,000 feet, making it suitable for monitoring the Himalayan border areas.
- Endurance: Capable of staying airborne for up to 40 hours, ideal for long surveillance missions.
- Advanced Features: Includes automatic take-off and landing, object avoidance systems, secure GPS, and encrypted communications.
- Cost Efficiency: Provides 80% of a manned aircraft’s capabilities at 20% of the cost per hour.
Acceptance of Necessity (AoN):
- The term “Acceptance of Necessity” (AoN) refers to the stage in the defence procurement process where the concerned Service Chief approves the projected requirement for a specific weapon system or equipment.
- An AoN is accorded by the Defence Ministry for a particular weapon system or equipment at the beginning of the procurement process.
- It is the first step toward procurement of any military equipment and hardware under India’s defence acquisition norm.
- The tendering and contracting process is undertaken only after the grant of AoN.
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- Security: The system is spoof-proof with high levels of encryption.
- Accuracy: Offers compatibility with defence series maps, providing very high accuracy in navigational applications for AFVs.
- Procurement Source: This equipment will be procured from Bharat Electronics Limited, Chennai under the Buy [Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured (IDDM)] category.
- The Buy (Indian-IDDM) category refers to the procurement of products from an Indian vendor that have been indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured with a minimum of 50% Indigenous Content (IC) based on the total contract value.
- This category holds the highest procurement preference and aims to promote indigenous defence equipment design and development.
- Significance: Its integration with Defence Series Maps allows for exceptionally accurate navigation, which is crucial for military operations.
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Defence Acquisition Council
- About: The Defence Acquisition Council is the highest decision-making body in the Defence Ministry for deciding on new policies and capital acquisitions for the three services (Army, Navy and Air Force) and the Indian Coast Guard.
- Chairman: The Minister of Defence is the Chairman of the Council.
- Formation: It was formed in 2001 on the recommendations on reforming the National Security System after the Kargil War of 1999.
- Members: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Minister of State for Defence, Three Service Chiefs (Army, Navy, Air Force), Chief of Integrated Staff Committees, Defence Secretary, Secretary Defence Research & Development.
- Aim: The main objective of the DAC is to ensure expeditious procurement of the approved requirements of the armed forces in terms of capabilities sought and time frame prescribed by optimally utilising the allocated budgetary resources.
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August 2, 2024
