DRDO wants to sell super radar technology for fighter jets to industry, invites applications

India’s Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) wants to sell tech that it says it has developed for a `super radar’ for fighter jet aircraft and has asked the Indian Industry to submit proposals for transfer of technology (ToT).

The Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) has said that it is ready with its “Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar (AESAR)” technology and has four licenses to offer to the Indian industry. The lab has asked interested companies to submit their profiles to apply for the project.

The AESAR is a key requirement for all future jet fighter purchases by India, with efforts also on to integrate it to the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas that are on order by the Indian Air Force. In a recent note, DRDO has said that its fire control Radar can be configured for use on any fighter class aircraft and has sought Expression of Interest (EOI) from prospective bidders.

“Active phased array technology in the Radar enables user to achieve high mission reliability with multi-target tracking capability. The radar operational modes are designed to assist the fighter pilot in the execution of various combat missions in air-to-air, air-to-ground and air-to-sea operations,” the DRDO note says.

AESA radars are at the heart of modern fighter aircraft and are integrated on all cutting edge jets like the Dassault Rafale and Boeing F/A 18 besides the fifth generation F 22 and F 35 fleet. These radars enable jets to detect enemy targets from a standoff distance without getting exposed. They can also track and target multiple threats simultaneously, giving one jet the ability to take down several targets. An AESA radar will also be a defining parameter for the upcoming contest to supply 110 fighter jets to India under a Make in India scheme.
 Israeli company ELTA is equipping 58 of the Indian Air Force Jaguar jets with AESA radars as part of the upgrade plan. No other Indian Air Force fighter had the AESA radar yet but India is processing a global tender for AESA radars for a new fleet of 83 LCA MK 1A fighters for which also ELTA has been down selected.

The integration of an AESA radar was a key parameter for the air force to clear the order for 83 LCA Mk 1A fighters, after years of blocking the indigenous fighter on concerns that it would not be combat worthy.

economictimes