Isro to launch dedicated satellite for IAF in 3rd week of December - Times of India
Costing around Rs 500-800 crore, Gsat-7A will have a lifetime of nine years. It will have Ku-band transponders and two deployable solar arrays. The satellite weighing 2.2 tonnes will be launched by GSLV Mk II.
Gsat-7A will also boost drone operations as it will help the navy upgrade from existing ground control stations to satellite-control of military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The transition will boost the range, endurance and flexibility of UAVs.
The IAF is also likely to get another satellite Gsat-7C, within a few years that will boost its network-centric operations.