More Eyes in the Sky for Air Force: India to Buy 2 More Radar Mounted Aircraft

With the aim of having more ears and eyes in the sky to detect incoming missiles and aircraft the Ministry of the Defence today cleared the acquisition of the aircraft mounted radars - Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS).

Source told NDTV the Defence Acquisition Council - the highest decision making body of the ministry on acquisitions which is headed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar - has cleared the purchase of two French made Airbus A-330 aircraft at a total cost of Rs 5100 crore. The radars to be mounted on these aircrafts will be developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). India wants to have to six such AWACS.

AWACS can monitor huge swathes of airspace, look deep into enemy territory, intercept communications and detect incoming threats, whether missiles or aircrafts. An AWACS can detect a missile the moment it is fired from enemy territory or pick up enemy fighter jets even as they get airborne. By beaming down real time pictures to the ground they allow more time and an appropriate response.

India has three operational AWACS. These are Israeli made radars mounted on IL-76 - Russian-made heavy transport jets. Two more AWACS of the same variety - the acquisition of which was cleared in 2014 - are expected to join the IAF in 2016.

Besides, another three mounted Brazilian Embraer Jets are expected to join the Indian Air Force or IAF next year. But the range and capability of the Embraer mounted AWACS are limited.

India has been trying to acquire AWACS capability since the 1980s. Its efforts suffered a major blow when an indigenously made radar mounted on an Avro - a light transport aircraft - crashed in January 1999 in Tamil Nadu killing all eight people, including four scientists on board.

Also, the Defence Acquisition Council cleared the purchase of 30 Weapon Locating Radars (WLR) made by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) - Defence Public Sector Unit - at a total cost Rs 1605 crore. The WLRs are typically used by the artillery to locate gun position enemy territory. Once the enemy weapon positions are known, missiles, artillery fire or even fighters can be directed towards them to destroy them.