(IRNA) - To bolster its navy's reconnaissance capabilities, India is to buy more IL-38 spy planes from Russia and decks for the supply would be cleared during Naval Chief Admiral Arun Prakash's week-long visit to Moscow starting Monday.
The Indian Navy plans to buy two more IL-38 maritime reconnaissance aircraft from Russia to strengthen its depleted spy plane fleet as a result of crashes of its IL-38 aircraft, reports Trend.
The new planes to be purchased will be the upgraded version of the aircraft fitted with advanced Sea Dragon suits, Doordarshan News said here.
The new aircraft are likely to be supplied by next year and will then join the Navy's already purchased new fleet of three IL-38 aircraft.
The Navy's plans to buy eight more advanced maritime reconnaissance aircraft and has already floated international tenders for this purpose.
Three major companies, US Lockheed Martin with its offer of an upgraded version of the P3C orions, Boeing's P8 jets and Russia's Irkut Company offering its IL-38 have responded to the Navy's request for proposal (RFP).
Admiral Arun Prakash's current visit, which follows the recent visit to Moscow of Air Chief S P Tyagi, is aimed at taking "stock and review" of the ongoing Indo-Russian armament program, including progress in the upgradation and retrofitting of the aircraft carrier Admiral Groshkov and carrier-borne 16 Mig-29K fighters India has already contracted for, naval sources said.