Key highlights:
- Approval for procurement of 12 Light Utility Helicopters from HAL
- Lynx U2 Fire Control System from BEL to enhance detection tracking and engagement capabilities of Naval war ships
- Approval for Mid Life Upgradation of Dornier Aircraft from HAL to increase Naval capacity of coastal surveillance
- Global procurement case of Naval guns foreclosed; Guns’ quantity added to upgraded Short Range Gun Mountbeing manufactured by BHEL
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in its meeting of November 02, 2021 held under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for capital acquisition proposals for modernisation and operational needs of the Armed Forces amounting to Rs 7,965 crore. All of these proposals (100%) are under ‘Make in India’ with focus on design, development and manufacturing in India.
Key approvals of procurement from domestic sources include twelve Light Utility Helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL); Lynx U2 Fire Control System from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) which will enhance the detection tracking and engagement capabilities of Naval war ships and Mid Life Upgradation of the Dornier Aircraft from HAL to increase the Naval capacity of maritime reconnaissance and coastal surveillance.
As a further impetus to ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, a global procurement case of Naval guns has been foreclosed with these guns’ quantity added to the upgraded Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM) being manufactured by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). These SRGMs provide niche capabilities of engaging fast manoeuvring targets using guided munitions &range extensions and are to be fitted on the warships of the Indian Navy.