Tarang has been replaced with, first 4-channel R118, then 6-channel R118 and now with fully-digital RWR DR-118 Dhruti. Contract was signed for 129 RWRs way back in March 2023:
The IAF has probably not found a MAWS yet that fully meets its requirements. They trialled the MILDS-F and an Isreali MAWS with DRDO involvement as per reports but coverage issues have apparently stalled progress. They chose not to implement the SAAB/Denel Avitronics MAWS on the Su-30MKM. What bothers me is that the aircraft has been in IAF service since 2001, and doesn't have a proper MAWS yet.
We did take the help of Israelis in development of our GaN ASPJ pods. Earlier the cooling system was imported from Israel. But now the entire EW for Tejas MK1A, MK2 & MKI UPG. is 100% indigenous. Mayavi, Navchakshu etc. names are given for the same.
MKI will get podded DC-MAWS in due course. It is far more advance than what is on MKM.
Hope that doesn't force us to play defensive during the next Balakot. The Pakistanis would have liked nothing better than to scalp one our of prized MKIs that day.
Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) basically issued an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for procurement of 97 Tejas Mk1A, meaning it cleared the decks for price negotiations between HAL and the Govt, once a common agreed price is met, then the case would be presented to the CCS for clearance.
so till when can we expect a forman contract singing as we alrealy have placed an order of 73 mk1a
It really depends, last time price negotiations went on for like 3 years, but this time it could take maybe upto 1-1.5 years.
Balakot was about lack of long-range BVRs which now we've access to.
MAWS isn't important for BVR but digital-RWR is to intercept very low powered "Track while Scan" LPI signals. Most MAWS won't even catch BVRs as they would be in coast mode while approaching their target.
Honestly, every other MAWS went out of fashion the moment F-35's EODAS went online. Everyone is playing catch-up now.
His basic point about F-35 lacking maturity is correct. But tech wise EODAS is definitely more advance than DDM-NG. In Block-4, EODAS will witness even bigger update.
RMAF MKM pulls maneuvers upto 13G as per their declassified report. I think IAF should have gone ahead with internal 6-channel DC-MAWS even if it mean drilling holes. But then it's upto them as they are the end users.
I don't know what the EODAS update will be, but what I do know is that the DDM NGs have two fisheye sensors, each with 180° coverage, which is 360° like the EODAS. Of course the image is a little distorted and would not be easily exploited by a human, but it is exploited by SPECTRA which is not at all bothered by this characteristic. The French system is less spectacular but just as effective and much cheaper. What's more, it's been working for a long time.
DDM-NG's capabilities are not in question as it can even generate "over the shoulder" firing solution to the pilot working with SPECTRA. But honestly if we look at its coverage, those two Vertical tail mounted fish-eye sensors can't provide full spherical coverage like those 6 DAS IR cameras can do for F-35. So while being most advance, they still aren't as advance or capable as EODAS.
