ISLAMABAD, Aug 11: The government has decided to reduce foreign dependence on avionics and aerospace in order to meet the needs of its upcoming projects like JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft.

Sources told Dawn here on Wednesday that an indigenous avionics and aerospace design development and integration programme is being launched shortly to get rid of foreign dependence on hi-tech defence and civil technologies.

The purpose is to save foreign exchange being spent on importing avionics and aerospace systems, besides fulfilling the future needs of the country for civil and military aviation.

Officials estimate that integration alone of new emerging aircraft like JF-17 Thunder costs about $150 million. The cost of avionics is in addition to it. And the acquiring of indigenous capabilities in the field of avionic and aerospace could also be extended to friendly countries with a view to generating profit.

For achieving the goals the government plans to establish an Institute of Avionics and Aerospace at Air University, Islamabad. The government is expected to initially provide Rs200 million for the project which forms part of requirement for hi-tech research needed essentially to launch post graduate research and development of scientific and technological systems pertaining to the fields of avionics and aerospace.

In order to undertake high quality research, an advance campus of the institute will also be set up at Kamra Avionics and Radar Factory, Kamra, with skeleton research faculty (6 PhDs and 5 MS researchers).

Sources said the research and education facility would be useful not only to the defence and civil avionics industry, but would also support other public/private sectors in the fields of mechanical, design, structures, navigation, communications, analogue and digital processing, microelectronics, embedded systems, power systems, controls, RF/microwaves, robotics and artificial intelligence, electromagnetic, infrared and data sensors, micro electromechanical interference and electromagnetic compatibility.