The Defense Ministry on Thursday signed two contracts worth Rs 3,700 crore

New Delhi: The Defense Ministry on Thursday signed two contracts worth Rs 3,700 crore with Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) for radars and receivers that will enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Air Force.

The first contract worth over Rs 2,800 crore relates to the supply of Medium Power Radars (MPR) 'Arudra' for the IAF, while the second, at a cost of around Rs 950 crore, relates to 129 DR-118 Radar Warning Receivers (RWR).

Both projects fall under the 'Buy Indian-IDMM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)' category. The projects aim to enhance the Air Force's surveillance, detection, tracking and electronic warfare capabilities.

"These are mainly embodied in 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' and will facilitate the realization of the country's journey towards self-reliance in defense manufacturing," the Indian Air Force (IAF) said in a statement.

The MPR (Arudra) radar is indigenously designed and developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and will be manufactured by BEL. Its successful trials have already been conducted by the IAF. It is a 4D multi-function phased array radar with electronic steering in azimuth and elevation for observing, detecting and tracking aerial targets. Co-located identification The system can have target identification based on interrogations from friendly or enemy systems.

The DR-118 RWR will significantly enhance the electronic warfare capabilities of the Su-30 MKI aircraft. Most of the sub-assemblies and parts will be sourced from local manufacturers, the statement said.

IAF said the project will enhance and encourage active participation of Indian electronics and related industries including MSMEs. It is also expected to generate about 200,000 job days in three-and-a-half years.

The Indian Air Force has overtaken the Chinese Air Force to top the 2022 Global Air Power Rankings by the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) released last May. The Indian Air Force has emerged as the third strongest air force in the world after the United States and Russia. It is reported that the Indian Air Force has surpassed not only the Chinese Air Force but also the Japan Air Self Defense Force, the Israeli Air Force and the French Air and Space Force.