NEW DELHI, — The Ministry of Defence (Navy) has issued a Single Tender Enquiry Request for Proposal (RFP) to Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the supply of one indigenous Shakti Electronic Warfare (EW) system to replace the older Ellora Mk-II suite on an existing warship. A Shivalik-class frigate associated with the Eastern Fleet is considered a possible candidate, although the specific vessel has not been confirmed.
Under the procurement, BEL must manufacture and deliver the system within 18 months to the Weapon Equipment Depot (WED) in Visakhapatnam, where it will be prepared for integration into the designated vessel.
Shakti EW System Capabilities
Developed by the Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL), Hyderabad, under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and manufactured by BEL, the Shakti system is designed to detect, intercept, classify, identify and jam conventional and modern radar emissions. It provides an electronic warfare defence layer against radar surveillance and anti-ship missile threats.
The system includes two main components:
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Electronic Support Measures (ESM): Covers 0.175–40 GHz and provides high-accuracy direction finding, radio-frequency (RF) fingerprinting, and data recording and replay for post-mission analysis.
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Electronic Countermeasures (ECM): Operates across 6–40 GHz using Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) technology. The stated specifications include up to 50 kW effective radiated power (ERP) and the capability to counter eight or more simultaneous radar threats.
These functions help warships identify hostile radar emissions and use electronic countermeasures to disrupt an adversary's ability to track or engage them.
Separate from the 2024 Contract
The latest single-system procurement is separate from the Ministry of Defence's February 2024 contract with BEL, worth ₹2,269.54 crore, for 11 Shakti EW systems and associated equipment under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category. That contract covers newer capital warships, including Visakhapatnam-class destroyers and Project 17A (Nilgiri-class) frigates.
The current RFP instead concerns the potential retrofit of an existing warship. The first Shakti system was installed on INS Visakhapatnam, while the programme has also covered other capital ships, including INS Vikrant.
The proposed upgrade supports the Indian Navy's efforts to replace legacy electronic warfare equipment with indigenous technology. Domestic defence manufacturers and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) also contribute to the supply chain.
The specific ship assignment and installation schedule have not been confirmed in the procurement details provided.
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