Indian Air Force To Replace Integrated Radio Systems With Software Defined Radios

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to replace the Integrated Radio Communication set (INCOM) with Software Defined Radio Systems (SDRs) in a phased manner to meet the urgent operational requirement to replace radio sets in many fleets, Defense Minister of State (MoS) Inderjit Singh said in an answer to a question in the parliament today.

The INCOM was required to operate in Conventional mode, Secure mode, Jam-resistant mode and Secure + Jam-resistant mode. The INCOM set first time designed & developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in India was based on operational requirement. These sets operated satisfactorily for conventional mode.

Currently, these systems are in use by various aircraft platforms of IAF. An expenditure of Rs.10.14 crore was incurred on development of INCOM.
Phase-1 of the programme is ongoing under a global RFP for which HAL is the integration partner for the acquisition planned from Rafael, Israel.

For Phase-2, HAL has initiated design and development of indigenous SDR system which is presently under trials. These SDRs will be jam-resistant with secure features.