NEWS
An Indian built airborne early warning and control system (AEWCS) will be integrated into Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft, which will fly in the country in January 2011. Three ERJ 145 will carry the active array antenna units (AAAU), an electronic phased array radar developed by DRDO. The Defence Electronics Application Laboratory (DEAL) is building the primary sensors, communication systems and data link. The Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) is making self-protection systems, electronic warfare suites and communication support systems while the radar will come from Electronics & Radar Development Establishment (LRDE). The integration of the systems, mission computer, display and data handling is being done by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS).

VIEWS
The first attempt by the indigenous aerospace industry at acquiring an “eye in the sky” with the aim of boosting the air defence capability of the Indian Air Force (IAF) was designated as Project Airavat, airborne surveillance platform (ASP). The project which essentially was a technology demonstrator, involved mounting of a rotodome on top of the fuselage of the HS-748 AVRO twin engine turboprop transport aircraft on the inventory of the IAF. After three years of effort by CABS, during which two prototypes were developed, the project culminated in a disaster when in January 1999, one of the aircraft crashed near Arkkonam killing the five scientists and three crew members on board. The project was abandoned after this devastating episode.

It was in July 2008 that Project Airavat was revived when India entered into an agreement with Brazil to jointly develop an AEWCS for the IAF. The $415 million (Rs 1,910 crore) project that had received in-principle clearance by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in September 2004, involved staggered delivery commencing in 2011, of three Embraer 145 regional jets with appropriate modifications for the installation of AAAU being developed by CABS which was also nominated as the nodal agency. Development and integration of the various subsystems such as the primary and secondary surveillance radar, electronic countermeasures and communication and data links into the modified ERJ 145 aircraft would be the responsibility of the DRDO. The IAF and DRDO will jointly handle the test flight programme expected to commence in 2012.

Concurrently, with the new DRDO project in March 2004, the IAF signed an agreement with Elta of Israel and Russia for the supply of three airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft. This system is based on the Phalcon radar mounted on the Russian IL-76 platform. The first and second such system were delivered to the IAF in May 2009 and March 2010, respectively. The third aircraft is expected in December this year. It is understood that six more AWACS aircraft are planned to be procured in the next three five-year plans.

With the induction of the AWACS complemented by the AEWCS, there will be a qualitative change in the surveillance capability of the IAF which in turn will have a profound impact on the tactics, strategy and doctrine of aerial warfare. Although precise operational capabilities of the Indian AEWCS will be determined during user trials, data pertaining to the system will in all likelihood remain classified. However, a similar system, the turboprop Saab 2000 Erieye from Sweden, provides 300 degree coverage in azimuth and has an effective detection range of around 350 km while operating at medium altitude. The ERJ 145 based AEWCS is likely to have similar performance, perhaps a little better, as being a jet aircraft it can operate at higher altitudes. However, the Phalcon radar of the IL-76 based AWACS would provide higher detection ranges.