India's HAL Signs $8.5 Million Contracts to Maintain SAAB's EW System in India

SAAB has also offered Airborne Electronically Scanned Array fighter sensor package for India's indigenously assembled Tejas LCA MK 1A aircraft.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Indian government owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has signed $8.5 million contract with Swedish firm SAAB to maintain Electronic Warfare (EW) Self-Protection system of Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter. Contract signed with SAAB's subsidiary SAAB Grintek Defense includes transfer of technology for in-country maintenance of Saab's Integrated Defensive Aids Suite (IDAS) system in India. IDAS has been selected as the electronic warfare (EW) self-protection system for Indian Air Force and Indian Army Aviation Corps variants of the HAL Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter.

"The ToT programme will run for 24 months and will qualify HAL Hyderabad as a Saab-approved IDAS repair facility. HAL will focus on maintenance and repair of IDAS equipment for the Indian end-users. Saab will continue to support HAL Hyderabad with critical spares and proprietary components for the entire service life of IDAS," reads a release after signing agreement on the sideline of Aero-India2017 in Bengaluru.

"The export of this technology to India bodes well for future manufacturing and skills transfers, and for building an ongoing mutually beneficial partnership in line with the ‘Make in India' initiative," says Trevor Raman, President and CEO of Saab Grintek Defence.

HAL and SGD had signed a long term agreement in year 2005 for the delivery of IDAS equipment by SGD, based on annual orders. Series production of IDAS systems at SGD is currently underway with more than 200 ordered to date.