DAC Approves Rs 79,000 Crore Military Procurement

• The Defence Acquisition Council approved ₹79,000 crore worth of procurements to strengthen the capabilities of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force
• Key approvals include loiter munitions, guided rockets, drone detection systems, naval tugs, secure radios, and high-altitude surveillance drones
• The Air Force will acquire Astra Mk-II missiles, SPICE-1000 kits, Tejas simulators, and a take-off and landing recording system

Recently, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) that is led by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, gave a green light to procurement proposals that are nearly worth ₹79,000 crore and are intended for boosting the Indian armed forces operational capabilities.

The Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) was the format in which the approvals were made for a diverse mix of equipment and systems for the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The DAC has permitted the Indian Army to acquire numerous systems, such as loitering munition, low-level lightweight radars, long-range guided rocket ammunition for the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher system, and the Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (IDD&IS) Mk-II.

The government claims precision strikes on tactical targets will be made possible by loiterings; the radars will detect and track small, low-flying unmanned aerial systems. The guided rockets are likely to considerably improve Pinaka's range and accuracy. The upgraded drone detection and interdiction system, on the other hand, will ensure higher military asset protection in both frontline battle zones and hinterland areas.

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The council sanctioned the plans for the Indian Navy's purchase of high-powered tugboats, high-frequency software-defined radios, and leasing of high-altitude long-duration remotely piloted aircraft systems. The tugs will be of great assistance to the naval fleet during docking and operating in shallow areas.

The installation of radios will provide secure, long-range communication which is vital during boarding and amphibious operations, while the unmanned aircraft will provide a major boost in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and maritime domain awareness throughout the Indian Ocean Region.

The Indian Air Force's budget included an automatic take-off and landing recording system, Astra Mk-II air-to-air missiles, and full mission simulators for the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, and SPICE-1000 long-range guidance kits.

These acquisitions are aimed at the enhancement of flight safety, the extension of air combat engagement ranges, the improvement of pilot training, and the strengthening of long-range precision strike capabilities.