The US State Department has recently given the thumbs up for a significant arms deal with India. The sale consists of missiles and torpedoes with a total cost of $155 million. This move comes in response to a request from the Indian Government and marks a notable development in military hardware exchanges between the two nations.
Details on the Deal
India is set to acquire 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air-launched missiles at a cost of $92 million, alongside 16 MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight Torpedoes and 3 MK 54 Exercise Torpedoes which comes with a price tag of $63 million. These acquisitions are intended to boost India’s defense capabilities and enhance interoperability with the United States and other allied forces.
Military Applications
India plans to install the MK 54 Lightweight Torpedoes onto its P-8I aircraft fleet. Offering the ability to conduct anti-submarine warfare missions, these torpedoes will significantly enhance the capabilities of these aircraft. Alongside this, the Harpoon missile system will be integrated into the P-8I fleet, providing a potent tool for conducting anti-surface warfare missions in defense of crucial sea lanes.
About the Harpoon Block II Missile
The Harpoon Block II Missile is a versatile weapon capable of fulfilling both land-strike and anti-ship missions. The missile employs GPS-aided inertial navigation to strike specific target aimpoints, making it ideal for use against a wide array of land-based targets. These targets include coastal defense sites, surface-to-air missile sites, exposed aircraft, port/industrial facilities, and ships in port.
The MK 54 Torpedoes
The MK 54 Torpedo is an underwater self-propelled missile, designed to explode upon contact with the hulls of surface vessels and submarines. Its shape resembles a cigar, and it can be launched from various platforms, including submarines, surface vessels, or airplanes. The MK 54 uses advanced processing algorithms to analyze the information, filter out false targets or countermeasures, and then engage identified threats.
The P-8I Aircraft
The P-8I aircraft, a variant of the P-8A Poseidon aircraft developed by Boeing as a replacement for the US Navy’s ageing P-3 fleet, is able to detect threats and neutralize them well before they approach Indian shores. With a maximum speed of 907 kmph and an operating range of beyond 1,200 nautical miles, the P-8Is are designed for long-range missions. The Indian Navy became the first international customer for the P-8 aircraft in 2009 when it signed a nearly $2.1 billion contract for a total of eight aircraft. This Indian variant is colloquially known as the P-8I, and these aircraft are based at INS Rajali.
