BANGALORE: Aiming to improve range to see deep into enemy’s territory, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has stated that it is currently building new generation electronic warfare systems. Speaking after the curtain raiser event for the Second International Conference on Electronic Warfare slated to be held from February 22 to 24, Chief Controller, Research and Development (E), DRDO, R Sreehari Rao, added that present systems are restricted to line of sight and that they have limited range. He added that EW systems on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) would provide ranges up to 400-500 km.
Electronic Warfare purchases by the Armed Forces will reach Rs 25000 crore in the next 8-10 years according to IV Sharma, Director (R&D) Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). He also stated that by March 10 coastal surveillance stations would go online. The total project involving 46 stations monitoring critical areas around the coast line of the country would be completed by December, said Sharma.
These stations would be able to provide surveillance for a range of 20 kms with the help of electro-optics. Monitoring would be handled by regional centres. Organisers of the event stated that the conference aims to address the technical and commercial needs of operational users and planners. Nearly 400 delegates and 50 exhibitors along with senior officials from Ministry of Defence and DRDO are expected to be participating in the event.