US approves sale of “Light weight and Air launch” missiles to India

India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats

• US has approved two potential missile deals with India, for an estimated $92 million and $63 million
• US is to sell Harpoon air-launched anti-ship missiles and Mark 54 lightweight torpedoes worth USD 155 million to India
• India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense

Key highlights of the approval

• A determination in this regard was recently made by the US State Department following a
  request for these two military hardware made by the Indian Government
• The sale of 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air launched missiles is estimated to cost USD92
  million
• 16 MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight Torpedoes and three MK 54 Exercise Torpedoes are
  estimated to cost USD63 million
• According to the Pentagon, the Harpoon missile system will be integrated into the P-8I aircraft
• This aircraft to conduct anti-surface warfare missions in defense of critical sea lanes while
  enhancing inter-operability with the United States and other allied forces
• India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its
  homeland defense. India will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces
• The Harpoon missiles will be manufactured by Boeing, the torpedoes would be supplied by
  Raytheon
• It will improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats from enemy weapon systems

Profile of “AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air launched missiles”

• It is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile, developed and manufactured by
  McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing Defense, Space & Security)
• The Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) is a land-attack variant
• The regular Harpoon uses active radar homing and flies just above the water to evade defenses
• Block 1J was a proposal for a further upgrade, AGM/RGM/UGM-84J Harpoon (or Harpoon
  2000), for use against both ship and land targets

Profile of “MK 54 Exercise Torpedoes”

• It is a standard 12.75 inch (324 mm) anti-submarine warfare (ASW) torpedo used by the United
  States Navy
• The Mark 54 was co-developed by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems and the U.S. Navy
  under the U.S. Navy’s Lightweight Hybrid Torpedo program in response to perceived problems withthe extant Mark 50 and Mark 46 torpedoes
• The Mk 50, having been developed to counter very high performance nuclear submarines such
  as the Soviet Alfa class, was seen as too expensive to use against relatively slow conventional
  submarines

Profile of “P-8I aircraft”

• It is a military aircraft developed and produced by Boeing Defense, Space & Security, modified
  from the 737-800ERX. It was developed for the United States Navy (USN)
• The P-8 is being operated in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW),
  and shipping interdiction roles
• The P-8 is operated by the United States Navy, the Indian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force
  (RAAF) and the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF)
• India’s P-8I is equipped with a MAD per the contract request. Various sensor data are combined
  via data fusion software to track targets.

Pic courtesy : economictimes.indiatimes.com