BENGALURU: The first version of the Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS) was inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on the inaugural day of Aero India-2017, Bengaluru’s air show, here on Tuesday.
The AEW&CS, popularly known as AWACS, has been developed by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) in Bengaluru. The AEW&CS system was handed over to the IAF in the presence of defence minister Manohar Parrikar today during Aero India-2017.
The AEW&CS is capable of detecting and tracking, identifying and classifying threats, guidance and interception control, display of the air situation picture and multi-sensor data integration.
According to the Defence Ministry, AEW&CS is a system populated with state-of-the-art Active Electronically Scanned Radar, Secondary Surveillance Radar, Electronic and Communication Counter Measures, LOS (Line of Sight) and beyond LOS data link. Apart from it, it has a voice communication system and a self-protection suite and has an air-to-air refuelling capability to enhance surveillance time.
The aircraft has undergone all weather and environmental trials and has been accepted by the IAF for induction, a statement by the defence ministry said.
The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) stated that it is a Rs 2400 crore project. The indigenous AEW&CS was developed by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) in Bengaluru and integrated into a Brazilian-made Embraer-145 aircraft.
A DRDO official said, "In March 2016, the Defence Acquisition Council cleared the building of 2 AWACS-India. The IAF previously said that it requires at least 8 AWACS. Another AWACS will be inducted in three or four months."