The Israeli Aerospace Industries are to supply the IAF three Phalcon AWACS radar systems. India also has an indigenous programme with DRDO for the development of the AEW&C.

Media was recently abuzz with reports that the first of the three Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft from Israel had arrived quietly at New Delhi’s Palam airport technical area on January 11 on a stopover from Israel. Reports claimed it had been inspected by senior IAF brass, including the Chief, Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major, before flying out to Agra. The newly formed No. 50 Squadron of the IAF is likely to be equipped with the aircraft with Air Force Station Agra as its home base. However, while the media went into a tizzy with the breaking news of a vital force-multiplier being inducted into the IAF and its implications, especially in view of the present standoff between India and Pakistan over the Mumbai terror attacks, official agencies maintained a studied silence on the subject.

In March 2004, India and Israel signed a $1.1 billion deal (Rs 5,375 crore) according to which the Israeli Aerospace Industries are to supply the IAF three Phalcon radar systems. India had signed a separate deal worth an additional $500 million (Rs 2,440 crore) with the Ilyushin Corporation of Russia for the supply of three IL-76 air-lifters, which were to be used as platforms for these radar systems. The first of the modified aircraft was to have arrived in India by September 2007. However, in November 2007, Indian defence officials revealed that there had been significant delay in the supply of the Russian IL-76 platforms and the induction of the Phalcon system was consequently postponed to 2009-10. As per the revised schedule, the first system is to be delivered to the IAF in March-April 2009 with the second and third slotted for induction in September 2009 and April 2010.

There is little doubt that the Phalcon system would be a tremendous force-multiplier, being able to provide realtime intelligence and command & control needed to attain and maintain air superiority in selected airspace over the combat area and to enable surveillance deep inside enemy territory. The Phalcon (Phased Array L-band Conformal radar, EL/M-2075) has been developed and produced by ELTA using active phased array electronic scanning technology rather than a mechanically rotating antenna (rotodome) used by current AWACS, giving Phalcon much greater flexibility and performance.

Data gathered by four sensors—phased-array radar, phased-array IFF, ESM/ELINT and CSM/COMINT—is incessantly cross-related by an unique fusion technology. When one of the sensors reports a detection, the system automatically initiates an active search of the complementary sensors. In the IAF system, the phased-array radar is mounted on top of the aircraft inside a stationary dome with three fixed equilateral scanners providing full 360 degree coverage. The electronically steered beam delivers a tremendous advantage over mechanical rotating antenna, as it supports the tracking of high manoeuvring targets. The radar can detect even low flying objects from distances of hundreds of kilometers, by and night, under all-weather conditions. Flying at 30,000 ft altitude, the system can detect targets up to 370 to 400 km with radar cross section of three sq m. Compared to the 20 to 40 seconds with a rotodome radar, track initiation is achieved within two to four seconds. The IFF data is automatically correlated with the phased-array radar for quick identification of friend from foe. It also collects and analyses ELINT data.