New Delhi: The defence acquisition council (DAC), chaired by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, has given its nod for the purchase of hardware worth more than Rs5,500 crore, including 12 radars for the Indian Air Force, according to a government statement released on Thursday.
“Pursuing the goal of indigenisation and self-reliance in the field of Defence Procurements, the DAC approved procurement of 12 High Power Radars for the Indian Air Force under ‘Buy (Indian) category,” the release said.
“The radars will provide long range medium and high altitude radar cover with the capability to detect and track high speed targets following parabolic trajectories. Technologically superior, the radars will have the capability to scan three hundred and sixty degrees without mechanical rotation of antenna and will operate on 24 x 7 basis with minimal maintenance requirement,” it said. “Their procurement will enhance the overall efficacy of the Air Defence network in the country,” it said.
The council also gave its nod for the procurement of air cushion vehicles (ACVs) for the Indian Coast Guard and Indian Army from the Indian Shipyard. “These vessels would offer great advantage over conventional boats or crafts with their ability to travel at very high speeds over shallow water, sand banks, mud flats and swamps which are non-navigable by boats or small crafts due to draught restrictions or uncharted depths,” according to the statement.
The advantage of such vessels was in “amphibious or riverine operations”, it said, “especially where there is a requirement to move men and material from one island to another island, across riverine terrain, and creeks.”