US to sell anti-submarine warfare sonobuoys to India: Pentagon to Congress

The US has decided to sell High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare (HAASW) sonobuoys worth USD 52.8 million to India, a move that would enhance New Delhi's capacity to conduct anti-submarine warfare operations.

Sonobuoys are air-launched, expendable, electro-mechanical sensors designed to relay underwater sounds to remote processors. These are effective and affordable antisubmarine warfare (ASW) that are capable of being used by airborne ASW warfighters.

The proposed sale will improve India's capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing its capacity to conduct anti-submarine warfare operations from its MH-60R helicopters. India will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency said in a notification to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week.

As per the Arms Export Control Act, Congress has 30 calendar days to review the sale.

According to the Congressional notification, India had requested to buy ...