India to have ‘eye in the sky’ to look into Pakistan, China

BENGALURU: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will finally induct the first indigenously developed all-weather airborne early warning and control system (AeW&CS) — 'Eye in the Sky" — later this month, augmenting its ability to detect incoming cruise missiles, fighter jets or even drones from both Pakistan and China. 

India, which experts say is lagging behind in this aspect of defence capability in comparison with both China and Pakistan, presently has only three Phalcon airborne warning and control system (AWACS), which uses the Israeli early-warning radars mounted in domes on top of IL-76 aircraft.

The indigenous AeW&CS, developed by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) in Bengaluru and integrated on Brazilian-made Embraer-145 aircraft at a cost of over Rs 2,200 crore, has completed all tests and certification, sources in DRDO said.

It will add to the capabilities along with the three Phalcon systems. "The first AeW&Cs is ready for induction while the second one is in the final stages of tests and certification," the source said. Work on the third and final one is yet to reach the final stages.

Pegged as a "force multiplier", the system is equipped with a 240-degree coverage radars in contrast to the existing Phalcons, which provide a 360-degree coverage over a 400-km range. The AEW&C system will detect, identify and classify threats present in the surveillance area and act as a Command and Control Centre to support Air Defence operations.

The estimated cost of this project is Rs 5,113 crore and the eventual plan is to induct eight such aircraft under the "Awacs -India". But this is going to take at least seven years to be implemented, if the DRDO sticks to deadlines.