sudhir007
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The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Nation
A project to develop an indigenous radar warning receiver system for the IAFs combat aircraft, executed by state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) at a cost of Rs 521 crore, has failed to take-off.
Besides delays, out of the 336 systems developed by BEL, only 73 could actually be integrated on aircraft and that too seven years after their procurement. Worse, out of these 73 systems, the performance of as many as 69 systems was found to be unreliable or unsatisfactory.
A radar warning receiver (RWR) alerts pilots about the presence/emission of hostile radars, enabling him to employ suitable counter-measures. These systems are deemed critical for mission success as well as for the survival of aircraft in combat environment.
In order to standardise RWRs across the IAF fleet, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) awarded a contract to BEL in 2005 for Rs 521 crore to develop RWRs. These were to be delivered by September 2010 and were to be integrated on 10 different types of aircraft.
The MoD also contracted Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the integration of these systems of on six types of aircraft at an additional cost of Rs 36 crore. Integration on remaining four types was to be undertaken separately as part of upgradation projects.
Audit scrutiny revealed that while BEL supplied 94 per cent of the RWRs by 2007, a 30-month delay in signing the contract with HAL resulted in the expiry of warranty of the RWRs even before they could be integrated with the aircraft. Till 2012, only 73 RWRs were integrated on just four types of aircraft.
Though the MoD had claimed earlier this year that the RWRs were proven and reliable systems with average serviceability exceeding 80 per cent, audit brought out that just about 5 per cent of the integrated systems functioned effectively.
poor performance
Out of the 336 systems developed by state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited, only 73 could actually be integrated on aircraft and that too seven years after their procurement
Till 2012, only 73 RWRs were integrated on just four types of aircraft
Out of these 73 systems, the performance of as many as 69 systems was found to be unreliable or unsatisfactory
A project to develop an indigenous radar warning receiver system for the IAFs combat aircraft, executed by state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) at a cost of Rs 521 crore, has failed to take-off.
Besides delays, out of the 336 systems developed by BEL, only 73 could actually be integrated on aircraft and that too seven years after their procurement. Worse, out of these 73 systems, the performance of as many as 69 systems was found to be unreliable or unsatisfactory.
A radar warning receiver (RWR) alerts pilots about the presence/emission of hostile radars, enabling him to employ suitable counter-measures. These systems are deemed critical for mission success as well as for the survival of aircraft in combat environment.
In order to standardise RWRs across the IAF fleet, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) awarded a contract to BEL in 2005 for Rs 521 crore to develop RWRs. These were to be delivered by September 2010 and were to be integrated on 10 different types of aircraft.
The MoD also contracted Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the integration of these systems of on six types of aircraft at an additional cost of Rs 36 crore. Integration on remaining four types was to be undertaken separately as part of upgradation projects.
Audit scrutiny revealed that while BEL supplied 94 per cent of the RWRs by 2007, a 30-month delay in signing the contract with HAL resulted in the expiry of warranty of the RWRs even before they could be integrated with the aircraft. Till 2012, only 73 RWRs were integrated on just four types of aircraft.
Though the MoD had claimed earlier this year that the RWRs were proven and reliable systems with average serviceability exceeding 80 per cent, audit brought out that just about 5 per cent of the integrated systems functioned effectively.
poor performance
Out of the 336 systems developed by state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited, only 73 could actually be integrated on aircraft and that too seven years after their procurement
Till 2012, only 73 RWRs were integrated on just four types of aircraft
Out of these 73 systems, the performance of as many as 69 systems was found to be unreliable or unsatisfactory
