The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved a request to purchase nine maritime surveillance aircraft for the Indian Navy and six maritime patrol aircraft for the Indian Coast Guard, sources stated on Friday (16th February).
According to the sources, the 15 maritime patrol planes would be based on the Made in India C-295 cargo aircraft, and the project will cost roughly Rs 29,000 crore in a joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) will retrofit the cargo aircraft with the necessary radars and sensors and convert it into a maritime patrol plane, according to defence officials.
Statements given by the Indian Coast Guard Chief Director
According to Indian Coast Guard Chief Director General Rakesh Pal, “There are plans for acquiring long-range maritime surveillance aircraft, which the Air Force has taken, and contracts will be signed with TASL (Tata Advanced Systems Limited), wherein we are about to get six C295 transport aircraft.”
He went on to say, “The Ministry of Defence is giving us adequate funds to ensure that our acquisition processes are all fast-tracked.”
The latest additions to the Indian Navy and Coast Guard fleets are anticipated to improve observation, reconnaissance, and patrol capabilities.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) just received its first C-295 cargo aircraft made in Spain. While the first 16 would be delivered from Spain in fly-away condition, the remaining 40 will be manufactured in India at a Tata plant in Vadodara, Gujarat. The recent sanction to improve Navy and Coast Guard surveillance capabilities would increase Tata Airbus’ order book to 71 from the current 56.
Business to manufacture remote control guns
This deal is being followed after on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence inked a Rs 1,752.13-crore deal with a Kanpur-based business to manufacture and deliver 463 indigenously manufactured 12.7 mm stabilised remote-control guns for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard. This acquisition would strengthen the “Aatmanirbharta in Defence” concept, according to the Ministry of Defence.
