New Delhi: The Defence Ministry Monday accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN), that is the in-principle administrative approval, to various acquisition proposals of the Defence forces worth an estimated Rs 1,10,000 crore including additional Dhruv helicopters, overhaul of 40 Su-30 MKIs and Software Defined Radios.
The clearances were given by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
For the Indian Army, approval was granted by the DAC for the procurement of Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Recce Vehicles, High Mobility Vehicles (HMV), Self-Propelled Mechanical Mine Layers (MML), Advanced Light Helicopters (ALHs), Trawl Tanks and Sarvatra Bridge System.
The CBRN Recce Vehicles will be capable of detecting, identifying, monitoring and marking areas contaminated with CBRN agents. The HMVs will enhance operational capabilities, logistic support and mobility in challenging terrains. The MMLs will achieve the desired operational capability in terms of fast and responsive minelaying in difficult terrains, the ministry said in a statement.
The ALHs will execute complex missions across all terrains and operational situations for the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force. The Trawl Tanks and Bridge System will be utilised to provide composite crossings to fighting formations during operations in varied terrains, it added.
For the Indian Navy, AoN was accorded for the procurement of Arudhra Radars, Design & Development and subsequent procurement of Marine Gas Turbines (MGT). Arudhra Radars will replace the existing Air Route Surveillance Radars at various naval air stations and MGT, a warship propulsion system, will reduce dependency on foreign vendors.
For the Indian Air Force, approval was granted by the DAC to various proposals to enhance the war-fighting capability of fighters, transport and helicopters, the ministry said.
Sources said this included overhaul of 40 Su-30 MKIs, a process which takes place from time to time to enhance the flying hours of fighters.
This process does not involve any addition of abilities and is very different from an upgrade.
The DAC also cleared the acquisition of 2,500 indigenously developed Software Defined Radios (SDRs). These are designed to enable secure, network-centric communication between fighter aircraft, helicopters, transport planes and ground stations.
Approval was also accorded for procuring Ground-Based Multi-Purpose Jammer (GBMPJ) and installing Defence Forces Secure Access Card (DEFSAC) System.
The GBMPJ will provide effective jamming against radars of adversaries and DEFSAC will replace existing paper-based identity card/passes/permits with an interoperable Radio Frequency Identification-based smart cards system.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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