New Delhi: The Indian Army is arming its
infantry soldiers with a medium range loitering missile that
can strike at a target after hovering over it for 30 minutes
and sending in critical data on the enemy installation.
The army has issued an open Request for Information (RFI)
to major global defence companies seeking to know if they can
supply a missile system with such operational characteristics.
"The RFI has been issued earlier this month. The
loitering missile is basically an unmanned aerial vehicle
which can transmit data after hovering over a target
undetected for about half-an-hour and later self-destruct on
the target, inflicting damage to the enemy installations," an
army officer said here today.
Since India does not have an indigenous product in this
range of armed UAVs, the RFI sought details on the product`s
cruising speed, maximum range at which it can engage a target,
its loitering time, data link`s range, capabilities to hit and
accuracy, attack from the top, abort an attack after locking
on to target and re-designating a target during a mission.
Apart from seeking information on the radar cross
section, the army has listed day and night camera payload,
launcher, ground control station, data link system, and an
inbuilt simulator as requirements for the missile system.
The army would also like the loitering missile to have a
conventional warhead, apart from anti-tank and anti-material
warheads with deep penetration against armour capability.
Globally, Israel Aerospace Industries and US` Lockheed
Martin are the two major loitering missile developers and
manufacturers.
PTI
