Shares of Bharat Electronics were trading in the red on October 22 after the defence ministry signed a Rs 770-crore contract with the state-run defence electronics manufacturer for improved low-level lightweight radars (LLLR-I) that can detect and track fighter jets as well as mini and micro drones.
The stock was trading at Rs 363.50, down Rs 7.70, or 2.07%, as of 9:26 am on the NSE.
The contract is aimed at plugging critical gaps in the Indian Army's air defence network at low altitudes. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the LLLR-I system can detect and track fighter-size targets and mini and micro drones, with the additional capability of prioritising aerial targets. This will enable the Army to counter threats from unmanned aerial systems (UAS).
The LLLR-I is an upgraded version of the Aslesha radar, designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) and produced by BEL. While the Aslesha is an S-band 3D radar with a semi-active array antenna, the upgraded system uses four fixed phased-array panels based on gallium nitride (GaN) active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology to provide 360-degree coverage without moving parts.
Digital beam-forming and 3D processing allow the radar to detect small drones with a low radar cross-section (RCS). It can track targets while scanning and feed data to weapon systems through wired and wireless links. The system is man-portable and can be deployed in the plains, deserts and high-altitude areas.