Cavalier India Defence Training Academy

India will soon be sending a team to the US for induction of the MH-60 “Romeo” multi-mission helicopters, which will be a significant capability jump for the Navy in detecting and destroying enemy submarines prowling in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).  The Navy will this year get at least three of the 24 heavy-duty helicopters, equipped with multi-mode radars and night-vision devices as well as armed with Hellfire missiles, MK-54 torpedoes and precision-kill rockets, under the Rs 15,157 crore ($2.13 billion) contract inked with the US in February 2020. The 140-warship Navy is currently grappling with just a handful of old anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters like Kamov-28s and Sea Kings when the presence of Chinese nuclear and diesel-electric submarines is only going to further increase in the IOR. “All the 24 MH-60R helicopters, which will operate from frontline warships including aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, will be inducted by end-2023 or so. It will somewhat plug the c...

The two US Predator drones are operating out of the Indian Navy's INS Rajali airbase and were inducted under a lease agreement with the American vendor in the third week of November. File photo of a US Predator drone. Indian Navy has inducted two American Predator drones on lease from the US to carry out surveillance in the Indian Ocean region. Capable of carrying out surveillance for more than 30 hours, the drones are operating out of Indian Navy's INS Rajali airbase. These drones have been inducted under a lease agreement with the American vendor. As part of the deal, the vendor has deployed a team to guide the personnel operating the Predator drones. In fact, the American Predator drones could also be made available to Indian forces deployed along the LAC in eastern Ladakh where India and China are engaged in a military standoff. Over the past few months, India and the US have been working closely in opposition to Chinese aggression in eastern Ladakh. Under this partnership...

US government in a hurry to get new sub-hunting helicopters into the hands of the Indian Navy. Sailors assigned to the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville (CG 62) attach a training pallet to an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter from the ship's flight deck during a vertical replenishment training exercise. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Sarah Myers) To say the Pentagon is concerned about China’s military expansion would be an understatement — just ask the Indian Navy. According to a report by Paul McLeary for Breaking Defense, the US government was in such a hurry to get sub-hunting helicopters into the hands of the Indian Navy that the Americans gave up some of their own helicopters to fill a rushed delivery early next year. “This really was one of the higher priorities the [Indian] navy had, to get these aircraft delivered,” Tom Kane, director of Sikorsky’s Naval Helicopter Programs told reporters last week. “I requested that the air...