India seeks quick purchase of medium range air defence missiles abroad
16 Apr 2011
New Delhi: India is set to purchase a large number of medium range surface-to-air missiles (MRSAM) to plug holes in its air defence systems, according to reports emanating from the ministry of defence (MoD). Reports suggest that ahead of the purchase the MoD may have issued a request-for-information (RFI) to global missile manufacturers asking for the supply of such systems to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in a short time-frame.
The RFI, reports suggest, may have been issued this week.
"The defence ministry intends to procure the MRSAM system for the Indian Air Force and the system will be required for air defence of vital areas and points. The MRSAM is required in an early time-frame," a senior IAF officer has been quoted as saying in media reports.
The MRSAM will have to be capable of all-weather, all-terrain, day-and-night operations. The system should be capable of engaging multiple, differing nature of targets in a network-centric operational environment.
The MRSAM would upgrade the IAF's existing inventory of out-dated Soviet-vintage OSA-AK and Pechora air defence missile systems.
MRSAMs normally have a range of 70-90 km to engage targets.
