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Due to the apparent shortage of Air Defence radars, India plans to make acquisitions to the tune of $ 1.5 billion of various radar systems for its armed forces. It was noted recently that the armed forces lack surveillance radars for efficient detection.
The Air Defence system is made up of the Air Defence Ground Environment System (ADGES), which was inducted in the 1970s with equipment of the Soviet era. ADGES is an integrated network of surveillance radars, air defence control centers, air and missile bases and anti aircraft guns. The system was developed in the early 70′s with equipment purchased from erstwhile USSR.
According to a report, the shortage of medium power radars (MPRs) needed for ground control and intercept was as high as 53 per cent of the projected requirement. The shortfall in MPRs have mainly been the result of delays in procurement of radars as sought by the Indian Air Force for the last ten years. This has compelled the Indian Air Force to operate with only 26 per cent of the authorized holding of these radars when large numbers of these obsolete radars become due for phase-out, adds the report.
Besides that, there is a shortage of High Power Static Radars (HPSR), Mobile Radars and Low Level Transportable Radars (LLTR). The Indian defence ministry will be floating tenders for the acquisition of HPSRs in the coming months. The HPSRs are 3-D radars, which cover aerial threats, at a height of 2 kilometers and above, and have a range of 450 kilometers.
The recent acquisition of LLTRs has also run into trouble due to a breach of contract on its production by state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). The LLTRs provide cover against aerial threats operating at Low Levels i.e up to a height of 2 kilometers and have a range of up to 150 kilometers.
BEL had tied up the SELEXt Integrati Finnmeccanica of Italy for production of the LLTRs on technology transfer basis. However, despite the Transfer of Technology agreement, BEL procured $ 250 million worth LLTRs for the Indian Army under direct purchases and it is not producing the radars as per the agreement.
According to Defence Ministry officials, BEL is acting only as an assembling agency in the purchase of LLTRs whereas the company was mandated to produce the future requirements of Indian defence forces on LLTRs on TOT production basis. The tender was floated in 2005 and agreement between BEL and SELEX was signed as a part of compulsory requirement to build future LLTRs at BEL facilities on Transfer of Technology basis.
Another procurement on the cards is that of the Medium Power Radars which are 3-D MPRs that can detect aerial threats at a height of 2 kilometers and above and have a range of 300 kilometers. The Indian Air Force is presently holding only 65 per cent of its authorized holding of MPRs an these have a technical life of 20 years. Nine of these radars are targeted to be phased out by the end of this year and six by 2015.
According to sources, the service and maintenance of existing radars has succumbed to delays and cost overruns mainly due to lack of spares. Currently the maintenance of radars is being undertaken solely by the state owned Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). According to Indian defence ministry officials, India is keen to forge tie-ups between Indian private sector companies and overseas defence companies to design and develop a variety of radars and help the maintenance of these radars.
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