India To Beef Up Airborne Surveillance With Raytheon ISTAR Aircraft

Our Bureau
02:27 PM, October 18, 2013
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India in talks with Raytheon to buy two ISTAR aircraft.

The Indian Air Force will increase surveillance along the country’s lengthy borders with the acquisition of two intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft worth $350 million from Raytheon.

The Indian Air Force has been recently briefed on the ISTAR aircraft capabilities by Raytheon officials, according Defense News..

India had issued a RFI in 2011 and shortlisted Raytheon after eliminating Thales, Boeing, BAE and Elta. Raytheon has offered a Gulfstream platform for the aircraft but has left it open for the IAF to make its own platform selection. This is the first news of Raytheon-IAF has come out post the down selection.

It is as yet unclear if the IAF will select the Gulfstream-Raytheon solution or have a platform of its own.

The ISTARs can to scan more than 30,000 kilometers in a minute and analyze the data in less than 15 minutes to identify targets. It will also use AESA radars and can operate in all weather, day and night.

When acquired, the ISTAR aircraft will be integrated with India’s indigenous air command and control system (IACCS), the report added.

India is on a massive modernization of its air surveillance capabilities and has recently ordered the Boeing P8I maritime surveillance aircraft. It is in the market for another shorter-range maritime surveillance aircraft .

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