The United States has cleared the sale of HawkEye 360 technology to India. The action takes place at a time when there is increasing maritime tension in the Indo-Pacific region. The action, which has been cleared by the US State Department, will allow India to enhance its maritime domain awareness via sophisticated satellite capability.

According to the State Department, “The proposed sale will improve India's capabilities to meet current and future threats by bolstering its maritime domain awareness, analytical abilities and strategic posture.”

The cost estimate of the package is $131 million. It comprises the SeaVision software, preferred software upgrades, training via a technical assistance field team, remote software, analytic support, documentation, and other programme and logistics support.

HawkEye 360 is an American private firm that has a constellation of satellites in low Earth orbit. These satellites monitor radio frequency (RF) signals from ships, aircraft, vehicles, and coastal facilities.

The technology is particularly critical in identifying vessels that turn off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) to avoid detection. Such so-called 'dark' ships are a major problem in contested waters or where illegal acts take place.

HawkEye 360's platform detects these clandestine boats by receiving RF emissions and processing them through several layers: Electro-Optical (EO) for day-time imagery, Infrared (IR) to pick up thermal signatures, and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to get radar images irrespective of the weather or lighting. All these layers combine to ascertain the size, velocity, and location of a vessel.

The system can also detect suspicious patterns like recurring AIS gaps and correlate them with the unknown signal activity. With this information, the Indian Navy can respond accurately and quickly.