Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Bengaluru handed over the first lot of 2 Nos of Electro Optic Infra Red (EOIR) payloads for Helicopters to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Chennai on March 21, 2016. Air Vice Marshal A S Butola, Asst Chief of Air Staff, Operations (Transport & Helicopters), received the EOIR payloads on behalf of the IAF from Mr Amol Newaskar, Director (Other Units), BEL, in the presence of Mr Charan Singh, GM (BEL-Chennai), at a function held at BEL’s Chennai Unit.
The EOIR payload being manufactured by BEL-Chennai is a Stabilized Turret Assembly consisting of Day & Night Camera with eye-safe Laser Range Finder which provides capabilities for day / night target detection, recognition and identification and range measurement in various weather conditions. It is a compact and low-weight system.
BEL has established facilities in collaboration with M/s ELOP, Israel, for manufacture of EOIR payload at its Chennai, Pune and Machilipatnam plants. Post Transfer of Technology (ToT) absorption, BEL commenced commercial production of EOIR payload for the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) program in November 2014.
