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| ERJ-145 AEW&C Aircraft (File Photo) |
By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI
NEW DELHI — The Indian Air Force and the state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are at odds over development of an airborne warning and control system capability, with DRDO promoting indigenous development of the radar system and the service wanting an overseas acquisition.
DRDO has floated a global tender to buy aircraft for mounting the homegrown radar so it is not put on hold by the next government, an Air Force source said. But since the AWACS radar only exists on the drawing board, completion of the program by the target date of 2020 is unlikely to be achieved, given DRDO’s history with high-technology projects, the source said.
The Air Force has an urgent requirement for 10 additional aircraft equipped with AWACS and does not want to wait for indigenous development. India’s Defence Ministry will be asked to cancel the program, the source added.
“The 10 AWACS are required for specific areas and will be part of network-centric operations, and are expected to be able to provide adequate coverage of specified areas,” an Air Force official said.
Currently, the service operates three AWACS, composed of the Phalcon AWACS radar purchased from Israel and mounted on Russian Il-76 transport aircraft.
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