New Delhi: In a bid to boost its naval surveillance capabilities, the Indian Defence Ministry is expected to give its go ahead to purchase 10 Boeing maritime patrol aircraft worth $3 billion in the coming week.
The plane would be directly purchased from American aviation behemoth Boeing while the weaponry, radar, and other machinery are likely to be procured under the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, according to sources.
Sources added that the initial approval to the acquisition plan was granted in June this year and next week the Defence Acquisition Council - the ministry's apex decision making body related to procurement - will approve the purchase.
"The Navy is keen to build up a fleet of 22 of these aircraft at the earliest and the contract will ensure a continuous supply over the next four years as older maritime reconnaissance assets (Russian origin) retire", sources said as quoted by The Economic Times.
The long range maritime reconnaissance requirements of the Indian Navy were met by five IL-38SD and five Tu-142M aircraft inducted in 1977 and 1987 respectively. The Indian Navy decommissioned all of the Tu-142Ms last year. However, the IL-38SD will remain operational until 2022-23.
05/09/19 Sputnik
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The plane would be directly purchased from American aviation behemoth Boeing while the weaponry, radar, and other machinery are likely to be procured under the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, according to sources.
Sources added that the initial approval to the acquisition plan was granted in June this year and next week the Defence Acquisition Council - the ministry's apex decision making body related to procurement - will approve the purchase.
"The Navy is keen to build up a fleet of 22 of these aircraft at the earliest and the contract will ensure a continuous supply over the next four years as older maritime reconnaissance assets (Russian origin) retire", sources said as quoted by The Economic Times.
The long range maritime reconnaissance requirements of the Indian Navy were met by five IL-38SD and five Tu-142M aircraft inducted in 1977 and 1987 respectively. The Indian Navy decommissioned all of the Tu-142Ms last year. However, the IL-38SD will remain operational until 2022-23.
05/09/19 Sputnik
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