Defence Ministry Plan to get 3 New Spy Planes

Defence Ministry Plan to get 3 New Spy Planes

India is gearing up to develop three new spy planes aimed at enhancing surveillance capabilities, particularly in monitoring enemy communications and conducting long-range reconnaissance missions. These spy planes, also referred to as signal intelligence and communication jamming system aircraft, are slated to be developed domestically, with a significant portion of the technology and equipment to be sourced from within the country.

According to reports, the proposal for acquiring these spy planes is in an advanced stage and is expected to receive clearance in the coming week. The project is a collaborative effort between the Defence Research and Development Laboratory and the Indian Air Force, with plans to issue a tender to aircraft manufacturers for the procurement of the aircraft platform.

The need for such spy planes has been longstanding, and the project specifications have now been finalized. The Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), which is also involved in projects such as the Airborne Early Warning and Control systems, is leading the development of these spy planes.

Indian Defence Ministry Plan For Spy Planes

In addition to this project, the Indian Air Force has plans for developing indigenous Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (I-STAR) aircraft, including Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Mark 1A aircraft on the Embraer legacy jet plane platform, as well as AEW&C Mark 2 on Airbus 321 jets.

To support such defense initiatives, the Centre has allocated Rs 6.21 lakh crore for the Defence Budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, representing a 4.72% increase from the previous year’s allocation. A significant portion of this budget has been earmarked for the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), aimed at equipping the Defence Forces with advanced technology, lethal weapons, fighter aircraft, ships, platforms, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and drones.