Indigenous electronic warfare system ignored for IAF's Tejas aircraft

Defence procurement policy requires preference for systems designed and built in India; yet, MoD and IAF permitted HAL to buy the system from Israeli firm Elta

In a path-breaking achievement, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has indigenously developed an “electronic warfare” (EW) system for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) fleet of 60 MiG-29 fighters.

Yet, when buying EW systems for the Tejas Mark 1A fighter, which Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) is developing, the aerospace firm signed a contract — on October 26 — with Israeli firm Elta, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries.

The indigenous EW system was developed under “Project D-29” by the Defence Avionics Research Establishment, a DRDO laboratory, in partnership with Israeli firm Elisra and Italian firm Elettronica.

The IAF, delighted with the outcome of