Date:21/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/21/stories/2005122125480400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Weapon locating radar in final evaluation stage'

Staff Reporter

It is a LRDE-BEL joint venture

BANGALORE: Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) and Bharat Electronics Limited have jointly developed a multi-beam three-dimensional centralised acquisition radar system, and are in the process of developing a weapon-loading radar similar to the phased array Rajendra radar system, customised for airborne and ground defence systems.

Briefing presspersons on the sidelines of the International Radar Symposium India-2005 here, LRDE director S. Varadarajan said the Defence Research and Development Organisation laboratory has developed the acquisition radar at the group level for AKASH missile system. The weapon locating radar for Naval Advanced Light Helicopter is in an advanced stage of joint development with BEL, he informed.

BEL Chairman and Managing Director Y. Gopala Rao said the weapon locating radar is in the final evaluation stage. Once this is completed, the radars will be delivered to the armed forces.

A major programme has been launched in the area of Airborne Surveillance Radar for Early Warning and Control, Mr. Varadarajan said.

Radar for battlefield

The country had already started exporting the indigenously-developed Battlefield Surveillance Radar (BFSR), according to Mr. Rao. BEL has manufactured 1,000 BFSR units in the first eight months of the current fiscal year (April-November 2005).