Army to buy 49 mini unmanned aerial vehicles for J&K

Army's Northern Command has issued a global tender for procuring latest miniature unmanned aerial vehicles for gathering intelligence and carry out reconnaissance of areas along Line of Control with Pakistan and Sino-India border.

In the wake of frequent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command has issued Request for Proposal tender recently for procurement of 49 NK Mini-UAVs for the army units deployed in Northern Command theatre in J&K.

The bids are invited from Original Equipment Manufacturer of Defence Procurement Manual 2009 or Permanent Registered Authorised Distributors of OEM, a senior officer of Electric and Mechanical Engineers Branch at Northern Command Headquarter, said.

Mini UAVs, which will serve as an electronic eyes to army troops in most sensitive Northern theatre, for gathering intelligence and carrying out reconnaissance of areas along LoC with Pakistan and Sino-India border in Lakdah besides some specialised counter terrorist operations in J&K.

The procurement of Mini-UAVs have become all the more important in view of the fact that Jammu and Kashmir's LoC and International Border has become 'hot and active' with

Pakistani troops' ceasefire violation due to firing, infiltration bids, BAT attacks on forward posts and sniping incidents on Indian forward posts on regular basis since August this year.

This year has witnessed several fold increase in the ceasefire violations as Pakistani troops violated border truce more than 130 times along LoC in J&K -highest in past eight years.

As per its requirements, army has specified that the mini UAVs should be complete in all aspects of electronics sensors, propulsion system, on-board camera, control mechanism, trans-receivers, re-chargeable batteries and packing case.

In the tender, army has specified that the UAV should have the capability to take-off and land without needing any kind of runway besides it should have an auto pilot on board with mission pre programming capability to undertake autonomous operation and return on base on its own.

The UAV would be less than 10 kg in weight and able to fly at the altitude of up to 1,000 metre from hand launch and safe landing without landing strip.

Image: A German ISAF soldiers launches an Aladin mini UAV in Masar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan (photograph for representational purpose only)

Photograph: Reuters