ISLAMABAD, Sept 2: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) of the federal government has approved a Rs195 million project of establishing Institute of Avionics and Aerospace (IAA) at Air University, Islamabad.

The CDWP has approved the Higher Education Commission's initiated IAA project in a bid to meet the needs of a number of defence projects including the production of the JF-17 advance fighter aircraft indigenously, HEC chairman Dr Attaur Rehman said here on Thursday during an official meeting.

According to HEC spokesperson Dr Rashid Mateen, the CDWP had approved the project in its recently held meeting. He said the government would provide Rs195 million to the Air University for the completion of the project.

Keeping in view the importance and the immediate requirement of the country in the field of avionics, establishment of an institute of avionics and aerospace was the need of the hour, he said. The institute will help solve the research and development problems of private and public sector institutions, he observed.

The project will be helpful in coordination of multidisciplinary research and development efforts being undertaken at Suparco, Civil Aviation Authority, Air Weapons Complex, Pakistan Engineering Council, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex.

The institute, when established, would undertake high quality research education in the areas of mechanical design, thermo-fluids, structures, navigation, guidance and control, signal processing and air data sensor etc., the spokesperson observed.