CAG pulls up IAF for MiG-27 upgrade project

New Delhi: The CAG on Friday pulled up the Indian Air Force for an "unfruitful" expenditure of Rs 155 crore for developing an Electronic Warfare system aimed at enhancing capability of the Russian-origin MiG-27 fighter aircraft.

The government auditor, in its report tabled in Parliament, said the India-Israel joint venture project for developing the system `Takshak` was "injudicious" as it was sanctioned in 2009 by the force despite knowing that the MiG-27s would start getting phased out by 2016. "Due to injudicious decision and delay in development of Takshak system, the objective of enhancing operational capability of a fighter aircraft could not be achieved. Besides, an expenditure of Rs 155.79 crore incurred on the project was rendered unfruitful," the report said. The Defence Ministry had accorded sanction for the Rs 311 crore project to be developed by 2011 "to enhance the operational capability of fighter aircraft and strengthen electronic warfare industry". The report said that despite delays in the programme, the IAF during trials found that it was not fully developed and could not meet a large number of technical specifications. "The IAF also acknowledged that induction of the Takshak system in MiG-27 fleet would take at least another three years (from 2011) and complete fleet modification would be over only by 2016 whereas the MiG-27 aircraft fleet was planned to be phased out of service from 2014 onwards. "Therefore, it decided to foreclose the project since it was not possible to operationally exploit this system on the aircraft. An expenditure of Rs 155.79 crore had already been incurred on the project till then (January 2013)," the report said.