Indian Air Force Issues Request for Information For 7 SIGINT Aircraft

The Indian Air Force has floated out a Request for Information (RfI) for seven signals intelligence (SIGINT) and communications jamming aircraft.

As per the requirement, IAF is looking for five aircraft that should be suitably integrated by original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and certified for signal intelligence (SIGINT) and communications jamming (COMJAM) duties and other two for SIGINT role, LiveFist reported Wednesday.

This marks the revival of a 2012 effort to obtain special mission aircraft. The IAF intends to push forward the contest with a possible RFP in the second quarter of 2018 and a stipulated delivery start 24 months from contract signature, the report says.

The RFI specifies that the airborne SIGINT system should have greater than a 400km range with 360-degree azimuth coverage. The aircraft must be able to operate from airfields as high as 3300m (10,800 feet) above sea level in both roles, and while carrying a minimum of 50 percent fuel load.

The aircraft must include a countermeasures dispensing system, radar warning receiver, missile approach warning system and directed infrared counter measures (DIRCM).