Amidst tense standoff with China, Indian Special Forces to get new surveillance gear

New Delhi, Oct 26: The Special Forces of the Indian Army are all set to get new gear for surveillance. 750 indigenous remotely piloted aerial vehicles (RPAV) with new equipment will be brought through the fast track procedure under emergency procurement amidst the border stand off with China along the Line of Actual Control at Eastern Ladakh.

In a request for proposal published on Tuesday, the Army said that the "Parachute (Special Forces) battalions are mandated to execute special missions behind enemy lines and, hence, should be equipped with state- of-the-art equipment. The current volatile situation along Northern Borders (with China) warrants expeditious procurement of operational equipment."

The RPAV is a situational awareness system that provides day-night surveillance along with the ability to scan the target area and obtain processed 3D image to execute special missions, the document also said.

"This force multiplier (RPAVs) enables the Special Forces to execute pin point precision strikes during direct action tasks such as raids, and elimination of high value targets and command and control elements including enemy leadership. It is, therefore, imperative for SF battalions to be equipped with this niche technology," the document further read.

India and China have been locked in a border standoff for the past 29 months. Talks have so far led to disengagement at four friction points, while the standoff remains at two other points.

The deliveries of the RPAVs are to be completed within 12 months of the signing of the contract. The supplier will have to provide support for ten years. The weight of the RPAV should not exceed 2 kg and must be operable by a single soldier. It should have endurance of at least 30 minutes and a range of five kilometres. The system launch time should be under ten minutes and should be capable of operating in temperatures ranging from -20 °C to 45 °C. It should have a shelf life of ten years the document also added.