DAC approves acquisition of two Brahmos missile batteries for Indian Navy

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday approved the acquisition of two Supersonic Brahmos cruise missile coastal batteries for the Indian Navy.

The approval was given during a meeting of DAC chaired by the Defence Minister. The DAC also accorded approval for procurement of indigenous Software Defined Radio

"To give a boost to indigenisation, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh, accorded approval for procurement of indigenous Software Defined Radio (SDRTactical) and Next Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries (Long Range) for the Indian Navy here today," Ministry of Defence said in a release.

The SDR is a complex and state of art communication system, which has been indigenously designed and developed by DRDO, BEL and Weapons Electronics System Engineering Establishment (WESEE).

It would enable information sharing, collaboration and situational awareness through high-speed data and secure voice communication with anti-jamming capability.

Next Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries (NGMMCB, Long Range) would be fitted with supersonic BrahMos surface-to-surface cruise missiles and would be deployed along the coast.

The NGMMCB has been developed and manufactured in India by Indo-Russia Joint Venture Company, M/s BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.

The missile system is already in service with Indian Army and on frontline warships of Indian Navy. An air-to-surface version of the missile is undergoing tests.

"Both these indigenously developed equipment are of the latest generation and would give a fillip to the Make-in-India initiatives of the Government," said MoD.

The DAC also approved amendments to the Defence Procurement Procedure 2016.

The amendments are designed to simplify processes under the 'Make' category as well as 'Offsets', MoD said.

This was the first DAC meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh since assuming office.

( With inputs from ANI )