US-origin Sea Guardian drone crashes off Chennai coast due to technical failure
- In Reports
- 12:30 PM, Sep 19, 2024
- Myind Staff
A General Atomics MQ-9B 'Sea Guardian' drone, operated by the Indian Navy on lease, crashed off the coast of Chennai, southern India, following a mid-flight technical failure. The sophisticated long-range maritime reconnaissance drone, originally from the United States, was worth around $150 million (approximately ₹1,200 crore). It was carrying out a routine surveillance mission after taking off from the Indian Naval Air Station INS Rajali, near Chennai.
This incident comes at a critical time, as India has been negotiating a $4 billion deal with the US to acquire 31 of these drones, a sum exceeding ₹34,000 crore. The crash raises questions about the potential impact on this high-profile arms deal, especially in light of recent incidents where these drones have been shot down by Houthi rebels.
According to the Indian Navy, the high-altitude long endurance (HALE) drone experienced a technical failure around 2:00 pm IST during its surveillance mission. Efforts to reset the system mid-flight were unsuccessful. The Indian Navy stated, "The aircraft was navigated to a safe area over the sea and carried out a controlled ditch at sea off Chennai. A detailed report has been sought from the Original Equipment Manufacturer."
The Sea Guardian is a massive drone, weighing over 4 tons, with a wingspan of 24 meters and a length of 11.7 meters. It is capable of flying at altitudes of 40,000 feet, the same height as commercial airliners, and can be equipped with bombs, missiles, and sensors depending on its mission.
Manufactured by the American company General Atomics, the Sea Guardian is designed to operate day and night, in all weather conditions, for over 30 hours using satellite control. It is equipped with advanced maritime patrol and reconnaissance technologies, including maritime radar, an automatic identification system, electronic support measures, and a self-contained anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission kit. It is also the first drone in its class capable of real-time search and patrol above and below the ocean surface.
General Atomics markets the drone as capable of a wide range of missions, including humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, search and rescue, law enforcement, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, airborne mine countermeasures, and long-range strategic intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
Retired Indian Navy Commodore RS Vasan, Director General of the Chennai Centre for China Studies, told WION, "This is perhaps a first-of-its-kind mishap in so many years of this drone's operation in the areas of interest in the Indian Ocean region. While this incident has to be taken seriously, we must look at the total number of hours (well more than 10,000-20,000 hours) that it has flown, proving its credentials for surveillance. There are no doubts that the operator and manufacturer would work together to identify what the root causes were and implement remedial measures."
The Indian government is in the process of procuring 31 of these drones for the country's tri-services. The deal, recently cleared by the Indian Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), is now awaiting approval from India's Cabinet Committee on Security before it can be finalized. The potential agreement includes 15 MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones for the Indian Navy and eight MQ-9B Sky Guardian variants each for the Indian Army and Air Force.
Image source: Wion News
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