The defence ministry signed a Rs 2,906 crore contract with Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) for the procurement of low-level transportable radar LLTR (Ashwini) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday.
Indigenously designed and developed by Electronics and Radar Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the radar is capable of tracking aerial targets from high-speed fighter aircraft to slow-moving targets such as unmanned aerial vehicles and helicopters.
The acquisition of this active electronically scanned phased array radar, based on state-of-the-art solid-state technology, will significantly enhance the operational preparedness of the IAF, the defence ministry said in a release.
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"The programme is a major step towards achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing by reducing dependency on Foreign Origin Equipment Manufacturers besides acting as a catalyst for the development of defence industrial ecosystem in the country," the ministry added.
The contract between the defence ministry and the state-run BEL was signed in the presence of Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar. The government said the deal is part of the Centre’s efforts to strengthen indigenous defence capabilities of the country.
