February 09, 2015: Importing the special paint coating for combat aircraft for decades, the Indian armed forces will soon have an indigenously developed special coating that its developer, the DRDO, says will have better performance as well as be more cost effective. All special coatings for aircraft are currently imported, the recognisable 'grey', known in IAF circles as Tipnis Grey, after the former chief who chose the precise shade. The DRDO is currently in the process of getting the special coating certified by the Center for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) in Bengaluru before offering it to the IAF, Indian Navy and other operators of enforcement aircraft. The colour has been described as 'dove grey' and is said to better imported coatings in terms of not just cost, but also abrasion resistance, impact resistance, flexibility, scratch hardness, elongation and adhesion. The DRDO believes that once the coating is certified, it will be welcomed into the IAF and Indian Navy immediately. The coating will also be used for unmanned aerial systems and helicopters currently in service, as also cruise missiles and other weapons depending on requirement. In a related development, to dissipate the static charge developed due to atmospheric conditions on the radome surfaces of aircraft, the DRDO has developed an anti-static coatings to help performance.