NEW DELHI: The IAF now needs to amass three high-altitude platform system (HAPS) plane, that are principally unmanned aerial automobiles or ‘pseudo-satellites’ that function within the stratosphere for lengthy durations on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
“Able to working at an altitude of about 20km, which is far increased than the flightpaths of business planes, the HAPS plane might be used for persistent ISR in addition to act as airborne information relay for different unmanned platforms for digital and communications intelligence,” an officer mentioned.
Initiating the case for the three long-duration HAPS plane and related tools, amid heightened tensions with Pakistan in addition to the shortage of de-escalation alongside Line of Precise Management with China, IAF has issued an preliminary request for data (RFI) for distributors to submit their responses by June 20.
HAPS plane, that are often solar-powered, are thought of less expensive to deploy and function than satellites. “Able to automated take-off and touchdown, HAPS plane don’t require launch automobiles or rockets like satellites. They are often deployed from completely different areas in addition to repaired and maintained simply as in comparison with satellites,” the officer mentioned.
Whereas the armed forces are additionally pursuing the case for launch-on-demand satellites, IAF needs HAPS plane to have a minimal operational endurance of 48 hours with information hyperlinks and telemetry vary of a minimum of 150 km in a “line of sight” surroundings.
“The fascinating Satcom (satellite tv for pc communication) is a minimum of 400 km,” the RFI mentioned. With a detection vary of a minimum of 50 km from the working altitude, the plane ought to be suitable with electro-optical and infrared cameras in addition to digital and communication intelligence payloads. They need to be able to successfully working even throughout evening and low-visibility situations. “The entire supply is predicted to be accomplished in 18 months from the date of the contract,” the RFI mentioned.
IAF is parallelly pursuing a case for 3 ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, focusing on and reconnaissance) plane to supply correct “actionable intelligence” acquired by artificial aperture radars, electro-optical and infrared sensors.
Underneath the much-touted Defence Expertise and Commerce Initiative between India and the US, which has largely did not ship until now, ISTAR platforms had been among the many completely different initiatives recognized for co-development and co-production.