Coast Guard Unveils Ambitious Drone Procurement Plan
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Explore CNC Systems →Indian Coast Guard Embarks on Ambitious Drone Procurement
The Indian Coast Guard has taken a significant step towards enhancing its maritime surveillance capabilities by extending the deadline for industry responses to a proposed procurement of 10 Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).
Background and Context
The Coast Guard's expansion of unmanned aerial surveillance capabilities is a strategic move to strengthen its long-range maritime monitoring capabilities over India's vast coastline and surrounding waters. This initiative is part of the Coast Guard's broader efforts to modernize its capabilities and enhance its ability to respond to emerging threats.
Procurement Details
The proposed acquisition of 10 MALE aircraft is expected to provide the Coast Guard with enhanced capabilities for vessel detection, maritime domain awareness, and search-and-rescue operations. The MALE aircraft are designed to spend long periods of time in the air, allowing them to monitor large maritime areas for an extended period.
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The Coast Guard has been actively engaging with industry stakeholders throughout the information-gathering stage. The publication of responses to vendor queries on the MALE RPA RFI on 18 August suggests ongoing collaboration between the Coast Guard and industry players.
Programme Milestones
The revised deadline of December 7 means that the next immediate milestone is the submission and assessment of industry responses. The Coast Guard has not identified a selected platform or announced a contract award in the extension letter.
Programme Significance
The procurement of 10 MALE aircraft is likely to attract interest from Indian aerospace and defence companies with unmanned-aircraft development or integration capabilities. The programme is expected to be worth around ₹2,000 crore, although this estimate should be treated with caution.
Conclusion
The Indian Coast Guard's decision to extend the RFI deadline for 10 MALE drones to December 7 is a significant development in the country's efforts to enhance its maritime surveillance capabilities. The proposed acquisition of 10 MALE aircraft is expected to provide the Coast Guard with enhanced capabilities for vessel detection, maritime domain awareness, and search-and-rescue operations. As the programme progresses, it will be interesting to see how the Coast Guard's plans unfold and what impact this initiative will have on the country's maritime security landscape.
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