Russia and CIS Defense & Policy Blog India may buy another nine A-50EI early warning aircraft
India plans to buy more A-50EI airborne early warning aircrafts from Russia.
“The Indian Air Force has applied for another nine A-50EI, including three to be supplied under the main contract and six in an option,” a defense industry source told Interfax-AVN on Monday.
Negotiations have just begun, “nevertheless, we expect Rosoboronexport to sign the contract this year,” the source said.
The aircraft will carry Israeli radar systems, he noted.
The first trilateral contract between Russia, India and Israel signed in October 2003 is being implemented successfully. Beriyev, Ilyushin and Vega represent Russia in the contract, while Israel is represented by ELTA Electronics Industries, which supplies the Falcon radar.
The first plane was delivered to India in May 2009. The second and third planes will be supplied in the middle and at the end of the year.
“The new contract will make the production continuous,” the source said.
The aircrafts are based on the Ilyushin Il-76 platform with PS-90A engines.