Rs 200000000000: India to shock Pakistan,China, Modi govt clears AWACS project, IAF will get…, to be developed by…

In a major boost to India’s defense preparedness, the government has cleared a Rs 20,000 crore project to develop six next-generation Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AWACS), known as Awacs India. It will be made by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to enhance the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) surveillance and battlefield management capabilities, reported Economic Times.

Indian Air Force Big Project

DRDO will team up with Indian companies and Airbus to equip Airbus A321 aircraft with indigenous Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems and mission control equipment. These aircraft, six of which have already been procured from Air India, will undergo heavy modifications like the installation of a dorsal radar dome, to allow 360-degree radar coverage.

Once operational, these large AWACS platforms will be able to detect and track enemy aircraft, ground-based assets, and electronic signals across vast distances. They will also serve as airborne command centres, providing real-time situational awareness and coordination in contested airspace.

What Is Netra MkII?

Dubbed Netra MkII is a new generation of AWACS and is expected to be operational within three years. The programme will give Indian firms valuable experience in the development and integration of complex defense technologies from domestic aerospace manufacturing capabilities.

This is the first time that an Airbus platform is being adapted for such a role globally as this domain was historically dominated by Boeing potentially opening doors for future exports.

Currently, the IAF operates smaller Netra systems and three IL-76-based ‘Phalcon’ AWACS developed in collaboration with Israel and Russia. However, the Phalcon systems faced technical and availability issues. The new indigenous platform is expected to offer improved performance, reliability, and maintainability.

The approval for Awacs India after the recent greenlight for DRDO’s fifth-generation Advanced Multirole Combat Aircraft (AMCA) prototype shows India’ is trying to become self-reliant in critical defense technologies.

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