Next Generation Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (Awacs India)

The Indian government has approved the production of the Awacs India, a project aimed at enhancing the capabilities of the Indian Air Force (IAF) with state-of-the-art airborne early warning systems.

Project Overview

• Cost: Approximately ₹20,000 crore. 
• Objective: Equip the IAF with six advanced Awacs units capable of: 
  • Tracking enemy aircraft and ground sensors over long distances.
  • Serving as a flying operations control center.
• Collaboration: DRDO will collaborate with Indian companies and Airbus to integrate systems on the A321 aircraft. 

Technical Details

• Modifications: Structural changes to six A321 aircraft, previously acquired from Air India. 
• Systems: Integration of a dorsal fin for 360-degree radar coverage, an indigenous mission control system, and AESA radars. 

Current Capabilities and Challenges

• Existing Systems: The IAF currently operates smaller 'Netra' early warning aircraft and three IL76 ‘Phalcon’ systems, developed with Israel and Russia. 
• Challenges: The 'Phalcon' fleet faces technical and availability issues. 

Significance

This project will position India among a select group of nations with indigenous airborne early warning capabilities and marks the first use of an Airbus platform for such applications.