India to get 3 ISTAR aircraft under ₹6,000-crore indigenous project

The air force has moved a proposal to acquire three airborne intelligence gathering aircraft under a project that will see the development of indigenous sensor technologies and systems. The new airborne intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) platform will be vital to map out battlefields and monitor enemy movements in real time, said people with knowledge of the matter.

They said the air force has sought approval for a ₹6,000 crore project under which three ISTAR aircraft will be acquired. While the sensors and monitoring equipment will be indigenous, the aircraft will be a commercial or executive jet acquired from abroad.

The need for an ISTAR platform to provide real time feedback on a battlefield situation or border tensions has been increasingly felt. Along with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), an ISTAR platform will enable tracking of enemy assets across the border, signal intelligence gathering and pinpointing enemy radar and air defence positions.


The decision to go for an indigenous ISTAR comes after the air force cleared the acquisition of more indigenous 'Netra' early warning and control aircraft to its fleet. As reported, six additional aircraft are planned to be acquired by the air force as part of a $1 billion plan to add force multipliers in the air force.