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 Coast Guard to acquire 3 UAVs for maritime surveillance

Port Blair, Sep 21 (UNI)

Indian Coast Guard will acquire three Unmanned Ariel Vehicles (UAV) for maritime surveillance of Indian Sea Lane, Coast Guard Director General Vice Admiral Rustom Faramroze Contractor said.

‘‘We are planning to acquire only three UAVs for time being and these would be deployed in different region,’’ the Coast Guard DG told UNI in Port Blair, the capital town of Andamans.

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is one of the latest generation of pilotless aircrafts used for both attack and reconnaissance missions.

In military parlance, the term is restricted to reusable heavier-than-air craft. Although, frequently called a ’drone’, in military parlance, is a remotely controlled target designed for artillery practice.

In a place like Andaman and Nicobar islands, which has a vast sea area to be covered by Coast Guard, operating UAVs would be a blessing for the defence forces.

‘‘At present I cannot say whether UAVs would be used in Andaman and Nicobar islands or not,’’ the DG clarified.

Vice-Admiral RF Contractor, however, added that these UAVs, which would be soon acquired by the Coast Guard, would be indigenously built.

Earlier, the top officials in Andaman and Nicobar Tri-Service Command told UNI that the Indian Navy is planning to operate ’Drone’ UAVs to keep vigil of the Andaman Sea but after that information regarding UAV operation were kept classified.

The Director General of the Coast Guard, who is presently visiting Andaman and Nicobar Coast Guard Region, said that the Indian Coast Guard is having six Hovercrafts but there was no immediate plans to operate hovercrafts in these island chain.

Earlier there was news that the paramilitary organisation was interested in acquiring the Multi-mission Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) ‘Nishant’ developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).