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World
Naval Forces News - India |
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| Indian
Navy to induct 24 Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft |
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The
Indian Navy will acquire 12 more Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft
to boost its eye in the sky over India's territorial waters and exclusive
economic zone. This is in addition to the 12 already ordered, a top
commander said. Indian Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma told India Strategic
defence magazine (www.indiastrategic.in) in an interview that the force
was satisfied with the progress of the first eight P-8Is being built
by Boeing under a 2009 order and that the second order for four more
aircraft was being processed. It would be placed within the current
fiscal ending March 2012.
At a later date, it was planned to acquire 12 more P-8Is for offshore
surveillance and protection of the Indian waters and interests, bringing
the total to 24, Verma added.
India's coastline exceeds 7,500 km, besides which there are several
island territories and economic interests off the east and west coasts.
Hitherto, the Indian Navy has been using old, Soviet-vintage maritime
reconnaissance aircraft. But, after the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai,
the government cleared the first eight P-8Is within three months of
the horror. Four more were cleared earlier this year.
In fact, it was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself who had asked
the defence ministry to ensure the navy's modernisation after the 26/11
attack, in which 10 Pakistani terrorists easily managed to infiltrate
into Mumbai and killed 166 people and injured more than 300.
It may be noted that there had been a virtual paralysis in the government
on defence modernisation after the V.P. Singh government instituted
an inquiry in 1989 over the controversial Bofors gun deal with Sweden.
The Kargil War over Pakistani occupation of strategic Himalayan heights
inside India triggered the first round of modernisation and 26/11 the
second. |
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Indian Navy
P-8I takes off from Renton Field for its first flight
(picture: Boeing)
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Verma said that the P-8I is
the most advanced LRMR platform with a capability to observe even small
boats and destroy hostile submarines. India is the first export customer
for this aircraft, and the advantage is that India will benefit from the
hi-tech systems being developed for the US Navy, which has ordered 117
aircraft.
Most of the specifications of the US and Indian navies are reportedly
common but details are understandably being kept secret.
There would be some Indian components though, thanks to the offsets and
transfer of technology requirements. India's Bharat Electronics Ltd has
already started supplying its Data Link II system to facilitate the P-8I's
communications with Indian space, naval, and land based-assets. |
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Indian Navy
P-8I during its first flight
(picture: Boeing)
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The US aircraft, designated
the P8-A poseidon multimission maritime aircraft (MMA), has the capability
of broad-area surveillance and launching Harpoon anti-ship and land attack
missiles, depth charges and torpedoes against submarines and underwater
unmanned assets. The aircraft can also perform electronic intelligence
(ELINT) missions with its highly sophisticated Raytheon APY-10 radar and
Northrop Grumman electronic warfare (EW) systems.
The first Indian P-8I, which first flew on Sep 28 in the presence of Indian
Navy officers, is due to be delivered in January 2013. The first US Navy
P8-A flew in April 2009 and is due to be delivered mid-2012. Indian Navy
officers periodically visit the Boeing factory at Renton in Washington
state to monitor the progress of the project and installation of specified
systems.
India Strategic quoted Verma as saying that he expected all the P-8Is
to be delivered in about six to seven years but did not give the planned
schedule.
The P8 aircraft is a next-generation military version of the Boeing 737-800
fuselage with wingtips from the 737-900. The engines are also from the
same CFM family used on commercial 737s but more powerful, permitting
the aircraft low level cruise over the waters and launch sonobuoys to
detect submarines.
There are five stations for systems and weapons operators, and the aircraft
can remain in the air for several hours.
According to a Boeing statement, "All sensors contribute to a single
fused tactical situation display, which is then shared over both military
standard and internet protocol data links, allowing for seamless delivery
of information while simultaneously providing data to everyone on the
network." |
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Indian Navy
P-8I first flight
(copyright: Boeing)
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