Govt orders radar to track movement in thick forests

The Govt has directed the DRDO to develop radar that can track ultras in dense forests.

Up against the daunting task of tracking Maoists in dense forests with no suitable technology available in the global market,the government has directed the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop a foliage-penetration radar that can track movements,camps and even landmines located under thick vegetation.

With radars and technology demonstrators from across the globe failing several rounds of trials,DRDO is working on a three-month deadline to acquire its first technology demonstrator radar from a European firm that would be co-developed and tweaked for Indian conditions. The radar would be fitted on board an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and will undergo significant software upgrades to be able to track down movements in thick jungles.

Sources said the first CARABAS ground imaging system,developed by Swedish firm Saab,would be delivered within the next three months and engineers from the two countries will work together to integrate it on board the Indian helicopter.

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Indian scientists,sources said,would work on tweaking the radar that is currently being operated from fixed-wing aircraft by Sweden. A DRDO team will be visiting testing facilities in Sweden in August to observe the technology in action and carry out integration tests on the system.

The move comes after several radars and systems,demonstrated to Indian authorities for ground imaging in densely forested areas in recent months,failed to cut the grade. Indian authorities have tested British,Israeli and American systems in the past few months but results have been discouraging.

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