The DAC, under the chairmanship of the Defence minister, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for various proposals, including Rafale, AS-HAPS, etc., of the Services, at an estimated value of about Rs 3.60 lakh crore.
About Multi Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA/ Rafale)
- Twin-jet fighter aircraft
- Generation: 4.5 generation
- Operate: Both from an aircraft carrier and a shore base.
- Omnirole capabilities: It can carry out all combat aviation missions such as air defense, strikes, reconnaissance, nuclear deterrence, etc.
- Developed by Dassault Aviation (France)
- Other key Features: Low-observability to radar, offers high manoeuvrability, etc.
About Air-Ship Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (AS-HAPS)
- Operate: At extreme altitudes for prolonged periods.
- Functions as a persistent surveillance and communication platform.
- Station-Keeping Capability
- Can remain positioned over a specific geographic area for weeks or even months.
- Ensures continuous and real-time coverage, unlike conventional aerial systems.
- Airship-Based Design Advantages
- Provides enhanced endurance and payload capacity.
- Allows integration of multiple sensors for intelligence collection, border monitoring, and communications relay functions.
Other Proposals:
- Indian Army: Anti-Tank Mines (Vibhav), T-72 Tanks, etc.
- Indian Navy: P8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft, etc.
- Indian Coast Guard (ICG): Electro-Optical/Infra-Red System for Dornier aircraft to improve the efficacy of maritime surveillance.
- Dornier (DO – 228) aircraft is a highly versatile multi-purpose light transport aircraft.
