Purchases are estimated to cost $ 2.42 billion.
On Friday the U.S. Department of State approved the proposed purchase of six P-8I patrol planes and related equipment, an agreement estimated to cost $ 2.42 billion.
In November 2019, the Security Advocacy Council, led by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, approved the purchase of Boeing long-range aircraft.
The first proposal was for 10 more aircraft but was reduced to six due to budget constraints and because the Navy had used certain shipping methods and considered non-stop long-term platforms.
The possible sale comes in the form of a Foreign Military Trade route and requires the Notification of the US Congress, a process completed Friday. Lawmakers have 30 official days to challenge any complaints.
“The Government of India had proposed the purchase of six P-8I Patrol aircraft; Eight Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint Tactical Radio Systems 5 (MIDS-JTRS 5) programs (6 included, 2 spares); forty-two AN / AAR-54 Missile Warning Sensors (36 included, 6 spares); and fourteen (14) LN-251 with Embedded Global Positioning Systems (GPS) / Inertial Navigations Systems (EGIs) (12 included, 2 spares). Also included are CFM56-7 commercial engines; Tactical Open Mission Software (ITOMS) alternative to P-8I; Electro-Optical (EO) and Infrared (IR) MX-20HD; AN / AAQ-2 (V) l Acoustic System; ARES-1000 for various electronic trading methods; Radar Alert Recipient AN / APR-39D; AN / ALE-47 Steps; support equipment and spares; books; fix and come back; transportation; a ferry boat; training; The U.S. government As well as contract engineering, software, technology and logistics services and related applications, ”the Department of State said in a statement on Friday.
The Indian Army is currently in the process of installing four P-8Is contracted under the offset clause in 2016. The Navy had acquired eight P-8Is in a $ 2.2-billion deal in 2009 with an optional clause to acquire four more. The aircraft is part of the 312A Naval Air Squadron based in Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu.
With India signing a Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) with the U.S., the six aircraft will be fitted with hidden plans, as previously reported. These systems were replaced by non-shelf-based commercial systems in previous agreements.
The P-8I is based on commercial Boeing 737 aircraft and India became its first global customer.
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