India Seeks New Radar-Carrying Aerostats
by Neelam Mathews and Chris Pocock - April 28, 2016, 7:55 AM Lockheed Martin says that its Persistent Threat Detection Systems (PTDS) aerostats have been operationally proven over Afghanistan and Iraq. (Photo: Lockheed Martin) The Indian Air Force is considering a new purchase of radar-carrying aerostats for air and sea surveillance, especially of low-flying targets. The Indian Ministry of Defense issued a request for information ( RFI ) late last year for a batch of four, six or eight static, mobile or portable aerostat systems, and may soon make a request for proposal, which will include a 30 percent offset clause. The aerostats are likely to be employed in the western and or northern sectors of the Indian sub-continent, an Indian defense official told AIN . Apart from the U.S., only a handful of countries operate such systems, mostly in the Middle East, although Singapore is joining their number . The two major suppliers in th...