Nagpur: In a boost to the Make in India initiative, Indian Air Force Deputy Chief Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, inaugurated Chaff Plant at Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), Nagpur on July 31, Solar Industries said in a release.

EEL is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Solar Industries India Limited. Chaff is one of the most widely used and effective expendable electronic countermeasure device. It is dispensed into the atmosphere to deny radar acquisition, generate false targets and disrupt tracking by enemy radar.

Solar has set up the first fully indigenous state-of-the art production plant at Nagpur. Until now, the country had been fully dependent on import. Chaff 118, Chaff 50mm and Chaff 26mm, along with impulse cartridges manufactured at this most advanced facility of Solar Group, are used in different aircrafts such as Jaguar D-II, D-III, MIG29, Mirage 2000, Bison, LCA, Apache, Chinook, Embraer, AWACS, Cth/Ctk, AHWSI, LCH, etc.

The Chaff payloads were developed by EEL with Technology Support from Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur, under the category of Buy Indian-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured).

EEL has got airworthiness certificate from the Air Force Inspecting Authorities for the Chaff payloads manufactured in-house, thus paving the way for fitment on aircraft, helicopters and other airborne platforms. Keeping in view the huge requirement of Chaffs by Armed Forces, EEL is augmenting its manufacturing capacity, which will be completed in another six months.

This is a first modern and advanced technology in the country.

(With Inputs From Agencies)