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India’s Bharat Forge Ltd. and France’s Turgis Gaillard have signed a memorandum of understanding to offer AAROK UAV to the Indian armed forces. AAROK is a MALE-class Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) developed to offer the best available technology at the lowest acquisition and deployment cost.
Flying at high altitude and for long periods, the UAV performs long-range surveillance missions. Its electromagnetic sensors and radar enable it to monitor the enemy while remaining at stand-off distances from the threat posed by the adversary.
AAROK uses its electro-optronics systems to keep an eye on the enemy and beams the information directly to its command & control systems in order to keep commanders and other decision makers up-to-date with the latest tactical situation. The platform can stay in the air for over 24 hours, providing constant information both day and night.
With a payload of over 1.5 tonnes of weapons fired from a safe distance, AAROK also makes a decisive contribution to supporting multi-domain operations by striking deep behind enemy lines, disrupting enemy defences and neutralising their surface-to-air defence systems, in order to keep manned platforms away from harm’s way.
With AAROK, Turgis Gaillard and Bharat Forge are offering the Indian armed forces an advanced and robust MALE UAV designed to act as a force multiplier in a networked battlefield.
Bharat Forge will establish an AAROK production line. This production line is slated will help meet the needs of the Indian armed forces. Local production and ensure complete sovereignty over the maintenance and overhaul of the AAROK UAV.
Unmanned aerial platforms are changing the contours of the modern battlefield. Recent and ongoing conflicts in Eastern Europe, West Asia and other regions are increasingly demonstrating these changes. India, too, has implemented these learnings and has demonstrated these changes in the kinetic phase of Op Sindoor. India is fast becoming a giant in this field, and growing its arsenal will definitely add value to the Indian armed forces.
