Can India's MQ-9B Drones Survive Against China-Pak Anti-Missile Systems after Houthis Claims

India's recent acquisition of 31 MQ-9B drones, a multi-billion dollar investment intended to enhance its military capabilities, has come under scrutiny following reports that Houthi rebels in Yemen have repeatedly downed these sophisticated machines.

The ease with which the Houthis, a non-state actor with limited resources, have reportedly targeted these drones raises serious questions about their survivability in a potential conflict against the technologically advanced militaries of China and Pakistan.

The Houthi claims, which include the downing of nine such drones since October 2023, have not been independently verified. However, they highlight the MQ-9B's vulnerability, particularly its susceptibility to enemy fire due to its relatively slow speed and limited defensive capabilities.

The drones, though equipped with advanced features for intelligence gathering and precision strikes, lack the agility and robust countermeasures to evade threats from even rudimentary offensive platforms.

While the Houthis' alleged success may be attributed to their localized knowledge and tactics, the concern remains that India's adversaries, with their far superior technological and military prowess, could exploit these vulnerabilities even more effectively. This raises concerns about the effectiveness of these drones in a high-intensity conflict scenario, particularly against sophisticated anti-missile systems.

India's acquisition of the MQ-9Bs is part of a broader strategy to modernize its military and address security challenges on its borders, especially with China.

The drones, with their extended range and endurance, were expected to provide critical intelligence and strike capabilities in the vast and challenging terrain of the Himalayas.

However, the recent events in Yemen have underscored the potential limitations of these drones and the need for a comprehensive assessment of their survivability in a contested airspace.

While General Atomics, the manufacturer of the MQ-9Bs, has remained silent on the Houthi claims, the Indian military will undoubtedly be analyzing these developments closely.

The effectiveness and survivability of these drones in a potential conflict scenario are crucial factors that will shape India's defence strategy and future acquisitions.

 

[Anant]

I have not suggested to keep aside drones.... they demand a huge amount of money for acquiring MQ-9B drones which now has become less effective. My point is only to judiciously use the money and not to be fooled with this fancy toys. I know MQ-9B and SU-57 are two different types of products. Getting Tejas or similar ready is more important now and this should be our first priority. So far 404 engine is concerned, i do not think India will get a steady supply in near future. So, instead of procrastinating and going back and forth should we not do something concrete ? If, after due consideration, if SU-75 is not feasible, RD-93MA/similar engine should be strongly considered. My main objective is to get Tejas/similar ready as soon as possible. And I believe with 404 it is not possible. I will be happy if I am proven wrong. Only time will say.

The RD-93MA is an utterly useless engine in many ways. Yes, they managed to take the old RD-33 engine from the MiG-29 and modify it to increase it's power. However, in doing so, the serviceable life of that engine went down to a truly abysmal 2,200 hours.

Oh, and even if you did have an alternative engine for the Tejas, integrating and testing it would take several years, by which point the F404 would be ready to go in any event.

Finally, considering India's operations using the MQ-9B, on what basis are you saying the drones aren't effective?

 

[Instant Karma]

you can patrol entire arabian sea and bay of bengal at fraction of cost compared to P8I aircraft. These will be used majorly for reconiscence and intellingence.

We can build atleast 500 surface ships with 26000 crs of rupees which is same as 3 billion dollars as the cost of this drones deal. These ships will be lightly armed with a cannon, torpedoes, anti ship missiles and other weapons of small caliber. 500 ships will be sufficient for complete coverage of bay of Bengal and Arabian sea.

 

[Leo red]

Yeah... nope. Keeping developmental costs into consideration, even if we somehow get 2 LHDs with drones for 4 billion USD, there are two problems:

1. The drones and surveillance capability is needed as quickly as possible, not in 8-10 years.

2. The operating costs of a drone carrier operating purely for surveillance would be ridiculously high. Moreover, surveillance would be the secondary role for a drone carrier. You can't keep a drone carrier out at sea for 6-8 months a year. That is an excellent way to wear down your ship.

Please check resources available. Israel drones already being mfg in India. Also drone carrier can send long range Kamikaze drones which we already have many even Israel made too. Range is 2k km. Also Israel this time will be happy to provide everything if not we have Iran to connect. And Russia always ready. We don't need US and their expensive drones which can be used for blackmailing during sanction.

 

[desigandu]

Suggest we read on RQ170, RQ180 and the future hypersonic SR-72 - Stealth drones that are already operational...These may not be available to Bharat at this time but our own Ghatak UCAV is an attempt in that direction - hope we can quickly field and eventually develop a Bomber like B-21...Jai Hind...Jai Bharat...

The Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel, nicknamed Wraith,[2] is an American unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Lockheed Martin and operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). While the USAF has released few details on the UAV's design or capabilities, defense analysts believe that it is a stealth aircraft fitted with aerial reconnaissance equipment. Introduced in 2007, it was deployed to Afghanistan in late 2007, and to South Korea two years later, in September 2009. Some images and details of the aircraft were released after Iran captured an RQ-170 in 2011. It has a flying wing design, and uses a single engine, speculated to be either a General Electric TF34 turbofan or a Garrett TFE731.

The Northrop Grumman RQ-180 is an American stealth unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveillance aircraft intended for contested airspace. As of 2019, there had been no images or statements released, but evidence points to the existence of the RQ-180 and its use in regular front-line service.[1] The RQ-180 addresses a need for conducting penetrating ISR missions into defended airspace, a mission that was left unattended with the retirement of the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird in 1999. It is equipped with an AESA radar and passive electronic surveillance measures, and may be capable of conducting electronic attack missions. The RQ-180 shows a shift from UAVs that operate in permissive environments, such as the RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reaper, to ones that can perform missions in contested airspace. It is larger, stealthier, and has a longer range than the RQ-170 Sentinel which has previously been used for those types of missions. The RQ-180 is believed to be about the size of the Global Hawk, which weighs 32,250 lb (14,630 kg), and have similar capabilities of endurance (24 hours) and range (12,000 nmi (14,000 mi; 22,000 km)). This is much more than the RQ-170's endurance of 5–6 hours. It has superior all-aspect, broadband radar cross-section reduction features compared to previous stealth aircraft such as the F-117 Nighthawk, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. The airframe has superior aerodynamics to give better range, endurance, and service ceiling.[3] The RQ-180 is believed to have a cranked-kite layout like the X-47B, but with a much longer wingspan, perhaps as much as 130 ft (40 m). Northrop Grumman claims the wing is more scalable and adaptable than the B-2 Spirit's flying wing shape.[3] Aviation Week constructed concept images, including one on the cover of the magazine, of the stealthy unmanned aircraft that can penetrate an adversary's state-of-the-art air defenses to conduct intelligence, surveillance or reconnaissance missions.[12] Edwards Air Force Base personnel have reportedly nicknamed the RQ-180 the "Great White Bat" and "Shikaka".[13] Other commentators believe the RQ-180 can function as an advanced communications relay node, integrating a suite of next-generation datalink technologies including those of the B-2, B-21, F-22, and F-35.[14]

The Lockheed Martin SR-72, colloquially referred to as "Son of Blackbird",[1] is an American hypersonic UAV concept intended for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) proposed privately in 2013 by Lockheed Martin as a successor to the retired Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. In 2018, company executives said an SR-72 test vehicle could fly by 2025 and enter service in the 2030s.