MoD pulled up for ‘costly’ laser kits

Not only did the kits costs more than what was available in the market, but 62 per cent of them had outlived their designated shelf-life even before they were delivered. CAG also pulled up the Air Force for not maintaining its minimum war reserves which led to emergency purchase of laser kits.

The CAG report noted that a contract for the supply of rockets for the IAF worth Rs 93.13 crore was concluded with Bulgarian firm Kintex despite its rates being higher than an offer from a Russian firm. Similarly, the IAF incurred an extra expenditure of Rs 36.39 crore when it resorted to emergency purchase laser guidance kits for precision bombing from a single vendor.

In its audit, CAG revealed that the Ministry of Defence was also in the process of buying 1,100 penetration bombs to be used along with the laser guidance kits.

Besides outliving their designated shelf life, 36 of 100 laser guidance kits were of 1997 vintage. This led to their ‘‘effectiveness’’ being ‘‘open to question’’, the CAG report notes.

CAG has also taken exception to the MoD ignoring Central Vigilance Commission rules in the purchase of 57 mm rockets from a Bulgarian firm.

It pointed out that a Russian firm was also offering the rockets at a much lower price but the Air Force chose the Bulgarian firm for its requirements of 57 mm rockets.