MP’s Worried Over IAF’s Obselete Radar Assets

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) has recently been accused of a lack of surveillance radars and their obsolescence, which can amount to serious lapses in terms of national security. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has noted that the IAF possesses less than the adequate number of surveillance radars needed for providing reliable detection.

According to the report tabled by the PAC in the Indian Parliament, even though several contracts have been signed, the Indian Defence ministry and the IAF remain unbeknownst of their eventual commissioning and delivery dates. The PAC has insisted the speeding up of the commissioning and installation of medium power radars and low-level transportable radars, and the completion of associated civil and development projects be speeded up to substantiate air defence assets of the country.

The PAC report added that the hours of watch allocated to the units of all types of radars are much below the hours prescribed for these units. Due to the obsolete nature of the surveillance radar of the IAF, there are constant breakdowns that affect the monitoring capabilities and diligence to perceive threats. The PAC added that the watch hours as prescribed by the government are adhered to once new radars are acquired and the IAF does not operate with any shortfalls.

The PAC noted that, barring a few ‘piece-meal deals’, none of the Air Defence Ground Environment System (ADGES) plans prepared after 1971 had been approved by the government.

The IAF received its first three-dimensional radar ‘Rohini’ in 2008, which was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) in Bangalore and engineered and produced by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). Operating in a range of up to 170 kilometres and an altitude of 15 kilometres, the ‘Rohini’ radar can track multiple targets like fighter jets and missiles travelling at supersonic speeds of over 3,000 kilometres per hour (Mach 3). The radar employs an array of Electronic Counter Counter Measure (ECCM) features, including frequency agility and jammer analysis. A Secondary Surveillance Radar, IFF, is integrated with the primary radar Rohini, which distinguishes friendly and hostile aircraft. In August 2008, the IAF received its first ‘Rohini’ radar, as part of an initial order for seven systems worth Rs 275 crore.  In September 2009, the Indian Air Force placed an in-principle order of 30 more ‘Rohini’ radars.

In 2009, the IAF embarked on strengthening its air defence in border areas of Ladakh, along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, by putting in place a series of Special Mountain and light-weight radars. The Western Air Command (WAC) had planned different types of radars would be put in place along the 667-kilometre LAC with China to boost the air defence capability of IAF. The IAF keenly examined the option of a special type of radars, called the mountain radars and the IAF also reviewed Low Level Light Weight Radars (LLLWR). However, no definite time-frame for their deployment has been fixed. The IAF might be able to put these radars in place in the next four to five years to make the air defence system along the LAC more effective.

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