MQ-9B Reaper Superior to TAPAS UAV for Indian Navy's Extended Range and Endurance Needs, Says Vice Chief

In a statement that highlights the challenges faced by India's indigenous defence industry, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Vice Chief of the Indian Navy, announced Tuesday that the US-made MQ-9B Reaper drones are better suited to the Navy's maritime surveillance needs than the domestically developed TAPAS UAV.

The MQ-9B Reaper, produced by General Atomics, boasts extended range and endurance capabilities crucial for monitoring vast oceanic expanses, a key requirement for the Indian Navy. This contrasts with the TAPAS (Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance) drone, developed by the DRDO, which has reportedly fallen short of the Navy's operational expectations.

"The TAPAS drones in its current form do not entirely meet our requirements," Vice Admiral Swaminathan stated at a press conference preceding the Navy's 'Swavlamban' seminar on innovation and indigenization. He emphasized the need for a platform capable of sustained surveillance over wide maritime areas, a capability where TAPAS appears to have faltered.

This assessment comes on the heels of a significant $4 billion deal finalized last week between India and the US for the procurement of 31 MQ-9B Predator drones. This acquisition will see 15 units allocated to the Indian Navy, with the Army and Air Force each receiving eight.

While acknowledging the "very good capability" of TAPAS, the Vice Chief admitted that it requires further refinement to align with the Navy's specific needs. He stressed the necessity for multiple versions and variants to achieve full combat capability.

Despite the shortcomings of TAPAS, the Vice Chief expressed hope for its future development, stating, "We hope the next version of TAPAS will be much better … We look forward to that day when we can make such drones like the MQ-9B and maybe TAPAS is the right way to go." He confirmed that the Navy will continue to provide feedback to DRDO to aid in the ongoing development of the TAPAS program.

This situation underscores the complex balance between promoting indigenous defence production and fulfilling immediate operational requirements. While India strives for self-reliance in defence technology, the need to address pressing security concerns, particularly in the context of increasing Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean Region, necessitates the acquisition of proven and readily available systems like the MQ-9B Reaper.

 

[Hammer]

That is fine, TAPAS might not be capable in all regime, but buy and use it in areas it has capability and slowly develop its capability. Rome was not built in a day. you got MQ - use it beyond the capability of TAPAS. you cannot develop domestic capability by rejecting and importing all the times.

I agree, but it's 3 decades since these are under development with different names. We really need to rethink on work culture in DPSU.

 

[Akshat]

That is fine, TAPAS might not be capable in all regime, but buy and use it in areas it has capability and slowly develop its capability. Rome was not built in a day. you got MQ - use it beyond the capability of TAPAS. you cannot develop domestic capability by rejecting and importing all the times.

So who will pay for that? We will have to buy 2 platforms for the work that can be done by 1. MQ9 has to be bought. And it can get it all done. So who will pay for the underperforming Tapas that will be bought only to keep DRDO happy?

 

[Akshat]

Even more sad, we can drive a drone in moon and not in our own skies

Well we do have far more powerful drones than the one we operated on moon. We have drone swarms as well. We were the first (and I think the only one so far) to have demonstrated the capability of heterogeneous swarm drones. And you know why? Because DRDO was kept out of the drone program. Private sector is among the bests across the globe in that sector right now.

 

[Akshat]

This ofcourse is BS. Ask them to give a feature checklist. Make a tick mark if MQ-9 or Tapas have that capability. Then in the last column fill the %age of times you require that capability. I'm pretty sure atleast 80% of the time, Tapas would be sufficient. Then shouldnt we go for a mix strategy ?

They never gave an opportunity for indigenous tech to grow. This would have created job opportunities and driven the economy. Which means more taxes and as a consequence more funding. They will have backing of the voters because slashing funds means losing jobs. Instead what we are doing is driving the foreign economies.

An objective leadership with full accountability would have provided a checklist like this. Instead of saying "it does not meet requirements". There is requirement for drones in all sizes and shapes. I dont buy their argument that "its not good enough".

That’s not how the evaluation works. They have a list of critical features, without which the platform simply can’t be inducted. Then there are desired features. If a platform meets all the critical parameters, it is inducted (or is qualified). So when the navy says it doesn’t meet the requirements, it means that the critical parameters are not met. And that is despite massive concessions to the indigenous platform.

So the leadership has given the checklist, but not to you or me. To MoD. But the fact is that DRDO utterly failed our military and didn’t deliver the platform despite thousands of crores in funding and decades in time. It is DRDO which is driving the foreign economies by not giving even a minimalistic platform to us.

 

[Rajesh]

2×180 hp piston engine agains a 900+ hp turboprop can never be same . Tapas can still be used for isr purpose and can be useful as we won't have to use mq9b every time and everywhere. Utilisation of resources is much needed esp since these r imported drones . It seems that is why navy decide to order some tapas .