HAL releases Request for Quotation for the design and development of critical hardware for an AESA Radar System

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has issued a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for the design and development of critical hardware for an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar System. The advanced radar is a key capability upgrade planned for the Utility Helicopter-Maritime, a 5.7-ton class, twin-engine helicopter based on the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) platform used by the Indian Navy for maritime operations.

The tender, released by HAL's Strategic Electronics Research & Design Centre (SLRDC) in Hyderabad, is an Open Tender exclusively for 'Class I Local Suppliers', reinforcing the Government of India's 'Make in India' policy.

Project Scope and Technical Mandate

The AESA Radar System is intended to significantly enhance the operational capabilities of the UH-M helicopter, which operates from both ships and shore in all-weather, day-and-night conditions4. The primary function of the radar will be to detect, classify, and track multiple marine targets.

The system's required operational modes include6:

• Sea Surveillance

• Maritime Moving Target Detection

• Weather Detection with color classification

• Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (ISAR) mode

• SART/Beacon mode
  

HAL's SLRDC is leading the indigenous design and development of the complete AESA Radar System and is seeking an Indian partner for the hardware development phase.

Project Milestones and Deliverables

The project is structured around a series of time-bound milestones,

• Milestone 1: Completion of Radar System Architecture design and Preliminary Design Review (PDR) documentation.

• Milestone 2: Delivery of the Radar System Proto unit, test jigs, and Critical Design Review (CDR) documentation.

• Milestone 3: Delivery of three sets of the Radar System (SOF units) with accessories and DO-certification for software and firmware.

• Milestone 4: Completion of Qualification Testing (QT) and delivery of one Radar System QT unit.

The total deliverables for the development phase include five sets of the Radar System hardware (1 Proto, 3 SOF, 1 QT), test jigs, and comprehensive documentation including all software and firmware source codes with DO-178C & DO-254 certification.

Series Production and Commercial Evaluation

Following the successful completion of the development phase, a series production phase is anticipated to begin in 2027. The tender requires bidders to quote for this phase, with tentative quantities escalating from 3 units in 2027-28 to 20 units per year by 2030-31.

The selection of the lowest bidder (L-1) will be based on the total quoted value for both the Design & Development and the Series Production phases combined. While prices for the development phase must be firm and fixed, the prices for the production phase shall be quoted at the 2025 price level with a defined price variation formula subject to a maximum escalation cap. The Pre-bid Meeting is set for September 12, 2025