DRDO is also working on advanced versions of the Netra systems to further boost surveillance capabilities
Vijay Mohan
Moving ahead with the process of enhancing aerial surveillance and airspace management capabilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has issued a request for information (RFI) to the industry for the procurement of six Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft along with associated ground segment equipment and facilities.
“The main purpose of the AEW&C is to provide long range radar detection. AEW&C is a system of systems consisting of radar, identification of friend and foe (IFF) system, electronic surveillance measures (ESM), communication support measure (CSM), command and control (C2), battle management system and networking through data links,” the RFI issued on January 5 states.
Though the RFI does not identify the platform to be used for the project, specifications laid down require the aircraft to have a minimum endurance of 10 hours or the capability for mid-air refuelling, a service ceiling of 45,000 feet above sea level and ability to operate from airfields located at altitudes of around 10,000 feet. Advanced mission suite capable of a full 360-degree scan to detect small slow moving targets to hypersonic vehicles, satellite based navigational and communication aids and protection measures are other requirements.
Among the possibilities for the aircraft are the Airbus A-320 passenger liners which were procured from Air India with the intent of modifying them for military use and the Embraer Legacy executive jets, three of which have been retrofitted as AEW&C indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and christened as Netra.
DRDO is also working on advanced versions of the Netra systems to further boost surveillance capabilities. The new mission suite will consist of about 15 aerial sub-systems and components in addition to several ground-based elements.
Last month, DRDO selected the Canadian Bombardier Global 6500 twin-engine business jets as the platform for its ongoing ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) program.
At present, the IAF has five operational AEW&Cs, which include three Beriev A-50s, which are Russian IL-76 airframes equipped with Israeli sensors that were inducted about two decades ago, and two Netra aircraft. The third Netra is with DRDO’s Center for Airborne Systems.
Given its commitments along the northern and western frontiers, the IAF has projected a requirement for 12 AEW&Cs. “The IAF has already initiated two programmes of six AEW aircraft each and one for a special role aircraft,” a report tabled last year by Parliament’s Standing Committee on Defence stated.
The IAF’s present fleet of five AWACS is relatively small as compared to its two hostile neighbours. China has a fleet of 20 Shaanxi KJ-500 20, four Shaanxi KJ-200 and four KJ-2000, while Pakistan has four Chinese ZDK-03 Karakoram Eagle and eight Swedish Saab 2000 Erieye platforms, one of which was possibly knocked down by the IAF during Operation Sindoor.