India and the United States will manufacture sonobuoys used for tracking submarines, in support of the U.S and Indian defence industrial bases.
U.S. Company Ultra Marine and Indian Public Sector Undertaking Bharat Dynamics Limited will manufacture sonobuoys in India.
This first-of-its-kind partnership was discussed in a meeting between the US national security advisor Jake Sullivan and his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval.
These sonobuoys will enhance the Indian Navy’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities by integrating them with the Navy’s submarine-hunting MH-60 helicopters.
The sonobuoys can also be deployed from the Boeing P-8I long-range maritime surveillance aircraft and also MQ-9B Sea Guardian Predator drones which the navy will be acquiring.
Sonobuoys are needed as China has a massive submarine fleet with 65 submarines. It is also helping Pakistan with submarine technology and even gifted one to Bangladesh. Beijing has also established its presence in Myanmar.
Sonobuoys are used for detecting and monitoring submarines underwater and are crucial in anti-submarine warfare.
Sonobuoys can be deployed from aircraft or even ships. When they enter the waters, they float on the surface or sink to a certain depth. A sonobuoy has a transmitter and a hydrophone that detects sound from the engine of a submarine.
Sullivan and Doval also discussed the cooperation between the US Defence Innovation Unit and India’s Innovations for Defence Excellence regarding the joint adoption of advanced technologies in the military.
They also talked about the joint venture between GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for co-production of GE F414-INS6 engines which would power India’s future fighter jets, including the Tejas Mark 2.
References: Financial Express, The Hindu