Spy planes, minesweepers: Nod for 1 lakh crore purchases
NEW DELHI: The defence ministry on Thursday gave preliminary nod to three major acquisition projects and seven smaller ones, collectively worth over Rs 1 lakh crore, ranging from specialised spy aircraft and advanced minesweepers to quick-reaction air defence missiles and underwater autonomous vessels.
The biggest project to get “acceptance of necessity (AoN)”, which is just the first step in the long-winded procurement process, was for the indigenous construction of 12 mine countermeasure vessels (MCMVs) for around Rs 44,000 crore, which will take almost a decade, sources told TOI.
These specialised warships, each with a displacement of 900-1,000 tonne, will be capable of detecting, tracking and destroying underwater mines laid by enemy forces to choke harbours and ports, disrupt shipping and maritime trade.
QRSAMs designed to intercept hostile fighters
They are crucial amid the expanding maritime collusiveness between China and Pakistan. At present, the Navy makes do with just “clip-on mine countermeasure suites” mounted on some ships to plug the major capability gap.
The second big project was the Rs 36,000 crore procurement of the new quick reaction surface to air missile ( QRSAM ) systems developed by DRDO , with three regiments for the Army and three squadrons for the IAF. Overall, the Army Air Defence (AAD) has projected a requirement of 11 such regiments.
These highly-mobile QRSAMs, designed to intercept hostile fighters, helicopters and drones at ranges up to 30 km, will add to the country’s existing multi-layered air defence network that played a crucial role under Operation Sindoor in thwarting multiple waves of Turkish-origin drones and Chinese missiles launched by Pakistan during the May 7-10 hostilities.
The third major project was for three ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance) planes, designed to identify and help target high-value enemy targets on the ground with greater precision and accuracy by fighter jets and missiles, for around Rs 10,000 crore.
These aircraft will be equipped with a wide array of indigenous sensors and systems developed by DRDO, like synthetic aperture radars, electro-optical and infrared sensors, for gathering “actionable intelligence” in real-time on enemy infrastructure, build-ups and movements.
Another interesting project granted AoN was for semi-submersible autonomous vessels for ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions. They will be acquired under the ‘Make-II’ category project, where prototype development is funded by the industry.
Two other naval projects included procurement, through competitive bidding, of super-rapid gun mounts (SRGMs), which are the main 76mm guns fitted on warships, and the DRDO-developed “processor-based moored mines” that detonate upon sensing an enemy warship’s acoustic, magnetic or pressure signature.
AoNs were also accorded for procurement of armoured recovery vehicles, electronic warfare systems and the tri-Service integrated common inventory management system for better supply chain management, the MoD said.
The biggest project to get “acceptance of necessity (AoN)”, which is just the first step in the long-winded procurement process, was for the indigenous construction of 12 mine countermeasure vessels (MCMVs) for around Rs 44,000 crore, which will take almost a decade, sources told TOI.
These specialised warships, each with a displacement of 900-1,000 tonne, will be capable of detecting, tracking and destroying underwater mines laid by enemy forces to choke harbours and ports, disrupt shipping and maritime trade.
QRSAMs designed to intercept hostile fighters
They are crucial amid the expanding maritime collusiveness between China and Pakistan. At present, the Navy makes do with just “clip-on mine countermeasure suites” mounted on some ships to plug the major capability gap.
The second big project was the Rs 36,000 crore procurement of the new quick reaction surface to air missile ( QRSAM ) systems developed by DRDO , with three regiments for the Army and three squadrons for the IAF. Overall, the Army Air Defence (AAD) has projected a requirement of 11 such regiments.
These highly-mobile QRSAMs, designed to intercept hostile fighters, helicopters and drones at ranges up to 30 km, will add to the country’s existing multi-layered air defence network that played a crucial role under Operation Sindoor in thwarting multiple waves of Turkish-origin drones and Chinese missiles launched by Pakistan during the May 7-10 hostilities.
The third major project was for three ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance) planes, designed to identify and help target high-value enemy targets on the ground with greater precision and accuracy by fighter jets and missiles, for around Rs 10,000 crore.
These aircraft will be equipped with a wide array of indigenous sensors and systems developed by DRDO, like synthetic aperture radars, electro-optical and infrared sensors, for gathering “actionable intelligence” in real-time on enemy infrastructure, build-ups and movements.
Another interesting project granted AoN was for semi-submersible autonomous vessels for ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) missions. They will be acquired under the ‘Make-II’ category project, where prototype development is funded by the industry.
Two other naval projects included procurement, through competitive bidding, of super-rapid gun mounts (SRGMs), which are the main 76mm guns fitted on warships, and the DRDO-developed “processor-based moored mines” that detonate upon sensing an enemy warship’s acoustic, magnetic or pressure signature.
AoNs were also accorded for procurement of armoured recovery vehicles, electronic warfare systems and the tri-Service integrated common inventory management system for better supply chain management, the MoD said.
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