Bharat Forge, Turgis Gaillard ink pact to offer AAROK UAV to Indian armed forces

New Delhi, Jun 17 (PTI) Bharat Forge Ltd on Tuesday said it has inked a pact with French firm Turgis Gaillard to offer 'AAROK' unmanned aerial vehicle to India's Ministry of Defence.

AAROK is a MALE-class unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed to offer the best available technology at the lowest acquisition and deployment cost, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Flying at high altitude and for long periods, it performs long-range surveillance missions. Its electromagnetic sensors and radar enable it to monitor the enemy while remaining stand off from the threats, it added.

"With AAROK, Turgis Gaillard and Bharat Forge are offering the Indian armed forces an advanced, robust and scalable MALE (Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance) UAV designed to act as a force multiplier in a connected battlefield," it said.

Bharat Forge said it will establish an AAROK production line on site. These production capabilities will help meet the significant needs of the Indian armed forces with local production and ensure complete sovereignty over maintenance and overhaul operations.

AAROK has a payload of over 1.5 tonnes and is permanently connected to command and control systems and other military assets, transmitting the information needed to establish an up-to-date tactical situation. It can fly for more than 24 hours, the filing said. PTI RKL SHW