BOMBARDIER-IAI-ELTA Q400 MULTI-MISSION AIRCRAFT
Apart from the Indian Navy’s medium
range maritime reconnaissance
(MRMR) competition, the Indian Coast
Guard (ICG) is officially looking for nine
multi-mission maritime aircraft (six initially,
with options for three more). Over
the next few months, the ICG and the Defence
Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO) lab the Centre for Airborne
Systems (CABS) will kick-start the tender
process to identify an aircraft platform that
will be the vehicle for the system being developed
in-house by CABS in Bengaluru.
According to a request for information published last September, “The initial
requirement is for six certified and modified aircraft. Another three
aircraft are envisaged in Phase II and shall be under option clause. The
future requirement is for another 10 such aircraft.”
SP’s can confirm that discussions have taken place between ICG officials and
representatives of aircraft companies in first week February ahead of Defexpo,
though the formal tender process will begin only towards the middle of this year.
CABS will be lead integrator: It has floated tenders for the platform’s intended
maritime patrol radar and electro-optic system/infrared (EO/IR) suite, in addition
to a pollution surveillance suite. The stated roles for the proposed airborne
platform include maritime surveillance and interdiction, search and rescue,
cargo and personnel transportation, air ambulance and pollution surveillance.
The Indian Coast Guard desperately needs an equipment overhaul, especially
in the maritime domain awareness area. The force currently depends on
a fleet of Dornier Do-228 maritime surveillance aircraft for the job. A senior
ICG officer at Defexpo told SP’s, “As of now, as the Raksha Mantri said, there
is little money to spend on capital acquisitions. But the scenario will change
with the next fiscal. The ICG is planning ahead so that there are no unforeseen
delays of any kind. Revamping our aviation wing is a priority area for
the ICG Director General, and will be pursued with determination. Apart from
multi-mission fixed-wing aircraft, the ICG
also requires shore-based and ship-based
multi-role helicopters. These processes are
in various stages.”
The MMMA request for information is
an unusually detailed document going into
the minutae of missions and technical configuration
of aircraft, sensors, electronic systems
and maintenance. The ICG, which has
consulted with the Indian Navy on the programme,
will likely base the aircraft in Gujarat
and Andhra Pradesh, though this is yet to be decided officially.
As is well known, CABS is currently
flight testing the DRDO-Embraer AEW&C
aircraft in country, suggesting that the Brazilian airframer may have a type
advantage, though the ICG has said that a fresh bid will involve a fair and
open competition between interested companies. Companies likely to evince
interest in the programme include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Alenia Aeronautica,
Airbus Defence, Dassault Aviation, Bombardier, Gulfstream, Beechcraft
and Saab. A degree of commonality with the Indian Navy MRMR programme
is obvious, though at this stage, both competitions are distinct.
Speaking recently, ICG Director General Vice Admiral Anurag Thapliyal
said, “The addition of 29 surface platforms (one each pollution control vessel
and offshore patrol vessel, 12 fast patrol vessels, eight air cushion vessels and
seven interceptor boats) and supporting shore infrastructure which includes
a Regional Headquarter (North-East) at Kolkata and District Headquarters-14
at Port Blair in the recent past is an earnest effort by this growing service
to ensure presence all along the 7,500-km-long Indian coastline and render
swift response to emergency contingencies at sea. We expect to add another
15-20 vessels this year. Today, the Indian Coast Guard has an organisational
structure comprising five Regional Headquarters, 14 District Headquarters,
41 Stations and 9 Air Stations/Enclaves with suitably equipped surface and
air units dispersed along these stations on 24 x 7 days task of surveillance
round the year.”
