NEW DELHI, June 25: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has finalised a multi-crore avionics systems upgrade package for three of its five Jaguar fighter aircraft squadrons. The upgrade will improve the weapon delivery capabilities of the aircraft.

The avionics upgrade will include a new multi-function display, a ring laser gyro, a head up display and related software changes to integrate the hardware.

The IAF will procure the hardware from western defence electronics companies and will involve Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), Bangalore Complex, in the multi-crore project. HAL will gain experience in systems integration by undertaking the work. During the 1980s, HAL had undertaken license manufacture of Jaguar aircraft.

The Air Force will also use the help of the Software Development Institute, Bangalore, an in-house agency which specialises in software generation.A fighter aircraft can normally make a high-speed single pass run to hit a target in a hostile air environment which makes accurate weapon delivery capability integral to its operations.

The three squadrons are currently equipped with Navwass (navigation and weapon aiming sub system) which are inaccurate and lack proper cockpit display and adequate spares support which in turn limit the aircraft's weapon delivery capabilities. Three squadrons comprise 54 aircraft of the 90 Jaguars in service with the IAF.

The Jaguars include a maritime strike aircraft squadron equipped with Agave anti-ship radars which are also due to be upgraded by an Israeli defence electronics firm.

The other two Jaguar squadrons are equipped with DARIN systems which were integrated by the IAF's Inertial Integration Organisation (IIO) during the 1980s.

Production order for 40 MBTs given

The Government has placed production orders with the ordnance factory for 40 Arjun Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), while an order for another 15 will be placed soon, Defence Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav said today.

A decision has also been taken for the indigenous production of submarines and frigates, and procurement of submarines and sea harriers, the defence minister told press persons here. ``We have decided to indigenously produce submarines and frigates, the latter in Mumbai dock and to procure submarines from Russia,'' he said. They had also decided to manufacture Air Defence Ships (ADS) instead of going in for aircraft carriers as ``the situation is now normal and they are adequate for the task,'' he stated.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.