India has signed a Rs 423 crore contract with the United States for procurement of MK 54 torpedo to equip its P-81 maritime surveillance aircraft with anti-submarine capability.
The Ministry of Defence signed the contract with the US government on Thursday for procurement of MK 54 Torpedo and Expendable (Chaff and Flares) for the Indian Navy, officials said in New Delhi.
The US State Department had in April 2020 approved the ‘Foreign Military Sale’ to the Government of India of 16 MK 54 All Up Round Lightweight Torpedoes (LWT), three MK 54 Exercise Torpedoes.
The proposed sale will improve India's capability to meet current and future threats from enemy weapon systems. The MK 54 Lightweight Torpedo will provide the capability to conduct anti-submarine warfare missions.
India will use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defence. India intends to utilise MK 54 Lightweight Torpedoes on its P-8I aircraft. India will have no difficulty absorbing these systems into its armed forces, according to a press-release issued by the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency.
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