The Army and the Indian Air Force will likely have their MQ-9B Predator Drones in Gorakhpur and Sarsawa.
About MQ-9B Predator drone:
- The MQ-9B Predator drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle, also known as “Predators.”
- It includes two variants: SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian.
- SkyGuardian is a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) that serves as the next generation of RPAS.
- SeaGuardian, used by the Indian Navy since 2020, is a maritime-focused version of the SkyGuardian.
- The MQ-9B series are High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones, capable of flying for over 40 hours in all types of weather, utilizing a satellite.
- Total of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones are distributed as follows:
- Indian Navy has 15 SeaGuardian drones.
- The Army and the Indian Air Force each have eight SkyGuardian drones.
- Equipped with advanced technologies such as Multi-mode Radar and an electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor.
- Capable of multiple roles, including:
- Offensive missions
- Surveillance
- Reconnaissance
- Intelligence operations
- Over-the-horizon targeting
- Airborne early warning
- Electronic warfare
Ref: Source
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