Pictured is Air Force Station Hakimpet in Hyderabad

by Neelam Mathews

The Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) project is intended to upgrade equipment at Indian Air Force bases. Phase II is in discussion, although problems were encountered in the initial phase.

Discussions are in progress for the second phase of the Modernisation of Airfield Infrastructure (MAFI) program in India.

MAFI was launched to improve the capability of Indian Air Force (IAF) bases. Phase I work on 30 airfields was led by TATA Power SED in an INR 21.19 billion (USD 292.34 million) contract, with Raytheon as implementation partner. Phase II covers 37 bases, including three operated by the Indian Navy. Jane’s understands that high-altitude airfields in Srinagar and Leh Ladakh are included in Phase II.

Work at all sites includes installation and integration of a Cat II ILS, an airfield lighting system, and high- and low-power distance measuring equipment/doppler VHF omni directional radio range systems. Other features include technology integration with the Raytheon AutoTrac III automation system.

In Phase I, the IAF procured surveillance radars, precision approach radars, UHF ground-to-air radio sets, and Commutated Automatic Direction Finder systems.

“This has done a lot to boost the confidence of pilots that worried about winter and visibility at 50 m,” Air Marshal R Nambiar, deputy chief of the air staff, said during a recent conference. He added that the bases can now operate 24 hours per day.