CRPF’s own UAV wing for anti-Naxal op soon

RAKESH K SINGH | NEW DELHI

CRPF, the lead anti-Naxal force, is all set to raise its own UAV wing with a view to use live feed during operations against the ultras.

The Union Home Ministry has asked the CRPF to formulate qualitative requirements (QRs) for procurement of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to meet the “emergent operational needs in anti-Naxal-affected areas”.

Once the UAVs are procured, the paramilitary force will itself operate them. Presently, the UAVs of National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) are operated by Indian Air Force (IAF) officials from Hyderabad. The CRPF has to depend on these two agencies for men and machines causing operational handicap.

CRPF insiders said there is only one ground handling station for the operation of UAV and only one machine can be operationalised at one point in time. Besides, there is lack of coordination as the machines are owned by NTRO and the officers who fly them are from IAF.

Imageries from UAV played a major role in rescue of an IAF chopper that was recently fired upon by the Naxals in Chhattisgarh, CRPF sources said.

At a recent review meeting of CRPF, Union Home Secretary RK Singh asked the paramilitary force to formulate the QRs keeping in mind the topography of the area of deployment, ceiling limits, payload, endurance and camera resolution among others in consultation with other paramilitary forces and expert agencies. Singh also asked the CRPF to get the UAVs with the latest technology in order to meet the operational requirements in Naxal-hit States.

At the meeting attended by CRPF DG Pranay Sahay and other paramilitary officials, Singh said, “UAV is an inescapable need for anti-Naxal operation in LWE-affected areas. Hence, our UAV plan should be such that we are not dependent on others.”

Singh directed the CRPF to procure sufficient numbers of UAVs and suggested that these machines should be operated by the paramilitary forces themselves.

CRPF officials told the Home Secretary that Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has projected higher cost for the procurement of Skylark mini UAVs. Singh sought a meeting with CMD, HAL to resolve the issue of high cost quoted by the defence PSU over and above the import cost of procurement of UAV.

The Ministry has already accorded expenditure sanction for purchase of two Skylark mini UAVs. A group of officials from CRPF and BSF are being detailed for training with the UAV wing of the NTRO.