New Delhi seeks to procure Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars and electronic warfare self-protection jammer pods for its home grown fighter, the Light Combat Aircraft Mark-1A.
“We cannot wait for Indian companies to develop and build these proven systems, and they will be bought off-the-shelf from overseas,” stated an official at India’s Ministry of Defense.
100 AESA radars will be acquired at an estimated cost of $1.85 billion, and bids have been issued to Elta of Israel, U.S. companies Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, SAAB of Sweden, Thales of France and Rosoboronoexport of Russia reports DefenseNews.
100 electronic-warfare jammer pods will also be purchased at a cost of $200 million, and bids have been sent to Elta, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, SAAB, Thales, Rosoboronoexport, Indra of Spain and Leonardo-subsidiary Finmeccanica of Italy.
