OSLO, Norway, July 7 (UPI) -- Northrop Grumman's European subsidiary, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems, is providing a range of navigation equipment for Indian air bases.
The equipment includes Instrument Landing Systems and Doppler VHF Omni-directional Range Systems as part of the Indian air force's modernization of air field infrastructure.
Under the contract -- awarded by the Tata Power Company Limited, Strategic Electronics Division -- Northrop will supply 30 NORMARC 7000 ILS and 31 NORMARC DVOR systems with deliveries to be completed in 42 months.
This is the first phase of the MAFI India project. The current contract provides an option for a second phase of the program for modernizing a further 30 airfields operated by the Indian armed forces.
"The MAFI-I contract, won against a global tender of the defense ministry, is a watershed moment, not only for us, but also for increasing private sector participation in the Indian defense sector," said Tata Power SED Chief Executive officer Rahul Chaudhry.
The project is to ensure Indian military air fields are capable of handling all types of aircraft operated by the air force at all times, including jet fighters and military transport aircraft currently being acquired. When completed, the project will provide the airfields with modern air traffic management, navigation and landing systems and meteorological and communications facilities.
"This significant contract recognizes NORMARC as the industry benchmark for ground-based navigational aids and will double the size of our installed NORMARC ILS base in India," said Eldar Hauge, managing director of Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems in Norway. "We are certain that the collaboration with Tata Power SED and their other subcontractors will result in provision of world-class airfields to the Indian air force."
The monetary value of the award wasn't disclosed.
