Army Starts Induction Of Akashteer System To Strengthen Air Defense Capabilties

Indian Army has started implementing the Akashteer system to strengthen its air defense capabilities. This was announced on Thursday. The army’s air defense units will be able to function as a cohesive unit due to the automated air defense control and reporting system.

This development occurred over a year after the defence ministry awarded Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) a ₹1,982-crore contract to implement the new system and improve the army’s air defence capabilities.

The army will be able to efficiently command the ground-based air defense armament systems and monitor low-level airspace over conflict regions.

“The deployment of Akashteer has begun with the flagging off of the first batch of control centres from BEL Ghaziabad on Thursday. It is a significant move towards enhancing India’s defence capabilities and technology absorption,” said one of the officials cited above.

It will enhance the operational efficiency and integration of the army’s air defence mechanisms by digitising the entire process, said a second official. The induction comes in a year designated by the army as the “Year of Tech Absorption.”

“Induction of Akashteer is one of the major milestones achieved by the Indian Army on its path to transformation that will meet the current and futuristic requirements of complex air defence operations,” he said.

This occurred on the same day that the Indian Army unveiled plans to strengthen the current atmanirbharta campaign by establishing specialized Army Design Bureau (ADB) cells at different command headquarters. The organizational reorganization is intended to facilitate the absorption of specialized technology for the development of capabilities.

According to the officials, Akashteer aims to provide an unprecedented level of situational awareness and control by integrating radar and communication systems at all levels into a single network. This will enable quick engagement of hostile targets, drastically lower the risk of fratricide, and guarantee the safety of friendly aircraft in contested airspace.

“A noteworthy aspect of Akashteer is its emphasis on mobility and resilience. The system’s control centres, which are vehicle-based, can maintain operational capabilities even in challenging communication environments. The system will facilitate the complete automation of air defence operations and significantly enhance the air defence posture of India,” said the first official.

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