India’s Ministry of Defense has floated a $1 billion tender to purchase 220 air defense guns and 141,576 rounds of ammunition to partly replace it's 900+ 1960s-era Swedish L-70 and Soviet-era ZU-23MM-2B air defense guns.
Local manufacturers in collaboration with foreign firms are due to supply the required quantity of guns to the Army Aviation Unit, which is operating with almost 90 percent “obsolete” weapons, as per ex-army chief V.K. Singh.
The new guns are designed to safeguard areas of tactical importance in mountainous, plains, desert and semi-desert terrains, and will have the versatility to be towed or mounted on a high-mobility vehicle, a Defence Ministry document read.
In addition, the new guns will be linked to advanced fire control radars that will automatically lock targets and signal the fire.
“The gun should have the capability to engage fighter aircraft, transport aircraft, helicopters (including hovering helicopters), Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) / Drones, Cruise missiles, Precisely Guided Munitions, Microlight aircraft, para motors, Para gliders and Aero models,” the document underlined.