- Capable of operating at an altitude of 40,000 feet, the MQ-9B UAVs have an endurance of 40 hours and a range of more than 5,000 nautical miles.
Chennai (Agencies): An Indian Navy MQ-9B Sea Guardian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has crashed into the Bay of Bengal following a technical failure. The incident occurred on September 18th during a routine surveillance mission.
The high-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft, leased from the US, encountered a technical glitch that could not be resolved in flight. Operating from INS Rajali in Arakkonam, near Chennai, the UAV was navigated to a safe area over the sea and carried out a controlled ditching.
The Indian Navy has requested a detailed report from the original equipment manufacturer, General Atomics, to understand the cause of the failure. This incident comes as India is in the process of acquiring 31 additional MQ-9B Predator drones from the US to enhance its surveillance capabilities.
The MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones have been instrumental in monitoring the Indian Ocean region, providing critical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. Despite the setback, the Indian Navy remains committed to strengthening its aerial surveillance infrastructure.