Source : Indian Defence Updates (IDU)
Rapid Dragon system for India : Pentagon thinks India need a cruise missile carrier immediately
Pentagon officials have said that India would require a cruise missile carrier immediately as India is currently relying on a few Sukhoi Su-30 aircraft that can carry only one BrahMos air-launched supersonic cruise missile.
Two US Air Force B1B Lancer strategic bombers have arrived in India for a joint exercise with the Indian Air Force and a U.S official has said that it would cost $1 billion dollars for India to procure a squadron of B1B Lancer with cruise missiles.
The U.S will also offer the Rapid Dragon missile deployment system to India under which C-17 Globemaster-III transport aircraft will be converted to cruise missile carriers to strike both land and sea targets.
The C-17 will be able to launch 32 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) variant that have a range of 370 kilometers while work is underway to develop extreme range variant with approximately 1,800 kilometers range. IgMp
