NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh handed over three indigenously developed systems to Army, Navy and Air Force at a function held in Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Bhawan.
One of them, Border Surveillance System, has already been deployed in Ladakh against the Chinese troops.
Rajnath Singh handed over the Indian Maritime Situational Awareness System (IMSAS) to the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, ASTRA Mk-I Missile to Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria and Border Surveillance System (BOSS) to the Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane.
An all-weather electronic surveillance system successfully designed and developed by Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE), Dehradun. The system has been deployed at Ladakh border area for day and night surveillance.
The system facilitates monitoring and surveillance by automatically detecting the intrusions in harsh high-altitude sub-zero temperature areas with remote operation capability. The system is being produced by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Machlipatnam.
The IMSAS is state-of-the-art, fully indigenous, high performance intelligent software system that provide Global Maritime Situational Picture, Marine planning tools and Analytical capabilities to Indian Navy. The system provides Maritime Operational Picture from Naval HQ to each individual ship in sea to enable Naval Command and control (C2).
Centre for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (CAIR), Bengaluru and Indian Navy has jointly conceptualised and developed the product and with the BEL, Bengaluru carrying out its implementation.
The ASTRA Mk-I is the indigenously developed first Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Missile, which can be launched from Sukhoi-30, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Mig-29 and Mig-29K.
Globally, very few countries have expertise and capabilities to design and produce this class of weapon system.
ASTRA weapon system has been developed by Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) and production by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) Hyderabad.
These high technology systems have completed the design and development cycles.
Rajnath Singh also gave away awards to DRDO scientists for outstanding contributions in various categories during the function.
DRDO developed the systems handed over to the chiefs of all three armed forces. It is the Research and Development wing of Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
The handing over of these products was done in the presence of Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Shripad Yesso Naik, the Guest of Honour, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat and Secretary, DDR&D &and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy.