DRDO Phalcon style AWACS

[Singh]

Well we are yet to complete our Embraer based AEWC

NEW DELHI: India is planning to develop indigenous Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) aimed at boosting its air defence capabilities.

The proposal to develop the indigenous system under project 'AWACS-India' will be sent for approval of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in a month or two, DRDO officials said here.

Under the project, high-calibre radars would be fitted on heavy-lift transport aircraft such as the IL-76 or Boeing.

Presently, Indian Air Force (IAF) is operating three Phalcon AWACS procured from Israel. These AWACS are fitted on Russian-origin IL-76 transport aircraft.

DRDO is also developing smaller version of the AWACS known as Air-borne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) systems.

Under the AEW&C project, DRDO is fitting the radars and other aerial monitoring systems on Embraer jets procured from Brazil. Two of these fully functional system will be delivered to India by the end of this year, the officials said.

Following a series of successful test flights, the antennas are now being mounted on the Embraer jets after which the system will be put through the final trials, they said.

Besides detecting hostile combat aircraft in the air, AWACS is also used for detecting hostile missiles and other air-defence assets of the enemies. It can also help detect troop build-up across the border.

The AWACS from Israel are being procured under a 2003 deal worth $ 1.1 billion. The AWACS have also participated in a number of major exercises, controlling the flight operations of the frontline fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Plans are also anvil to link these AWACS with the military satellite to increase their range and effectiveness.

India planning to develop its own AWAC system to boost air defence capabilities - The Economic Times

 

[A chauhan]

double post, deleted!

 

[A chauhan]

DRDO to be build next Generation Phalcons AEW&C for IAF

Published July 24, 2012 | By admin
SOURCE: IDRW NEWS NETWORK

As per sources rising price in procurement of Ilyushin Il-76 platform and steep price rise demanded by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for IAI EL/W-2090 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) radar system and integration of it in Ilyushin Il-76 platform might lead to no further follow up orders of three A-50EI which Indian air force currently operates .

Follow up order was suppose to be of three more aircraft's with similar radar integrated on Ilyushin Il-76 platform , bringing total to 6 A-50EI based AEW&C aircraft's , negotiations are still going on but Government is planning to Start Phase II project to India's own AEW&C Project and DRDO will get the clearance soon on this matter.

Israel has been asking India to consider Gulfstream G550 Eitam aircraft based AEW&C for some time now to reduce cost in platform purchase and integration cost of radar ,Gulfstream G550 based AEW&C are also operated by Israeli air force but IAF is not keen on it. IAF is also happy with the progress made by DRDO in its own AEW&C program and is considering further development if the deal for three more A-50EI based AEW&C fails to materialize .

Under Phase-1 , DRDO will be integrating Locally developed Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) radar system in to Brazilian Embraer aircraft's and first aircraft which has already taken its first flight in Brazil should be arriving in India soon for system integration in India . next two aircraft's will be in India next year and whole project will be completed and aircrafts will be handed over to IAF by 2015 as per DRDO plans .

Under Phase-II , DRDO with inputs from Indian air force , will select a new platform with higher operational range and capabilities , and will also be developing a new complete 360 degree surveillance system and radar in par or exceeding in performance of A-50EI.

Sources suggests IAF may suggest Boeing or Airbus based platform , since procuring Ilyushin Il-76 is difficult since Russia has stopped production and current lot are based on Unfinished air frames of soviet era . IAF also operates six Il-78MKI based aerial tankers but has pushing for new Airbus platform for next tanker orders . DRDO to be build next Generation Phalcons AEW&C for IAF | idrw.org

 

[sayareakd]

looks like small AWAC is going good. :thumb:

 

[Yusuf]

But off course. Why not.

If some contract is given by the government to a private company, all sorts of penalty clauses are built in for delay, lack of quality etc. Lucky for DRDO, it is answerable to none.

We should make indigenous weapons no doubt, we really need to get some accountability into DRDO including jail terms for those found deficient as the government cannot levy penalty on itself.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Under Phase-II , DRDO with inputs from Indian air force , will select a new platform with higher operational range and capabilities , and will also be developing a new complete 360 degree surveillance system and radar in par or exceeding in performance of A-50EI.

That is a very good news...

Though Platform is better be a C-130J or better but not IL-76..

 

[Drsomnath999]

well india has got no choice but to build a 360 degree coverage rotodome awacs on it's own as Phalcon's follow up order has become too costly .Nice move but if we could really deliver that needs to be seen .meanwhile all our adversary are beefing their awacs fleet .So india should catch up fast

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Israel has a world class semiconductor industry that can make the rotodome for
the AWACS. India has no indigenous electronic/semiconductor production. How
will this be possible? More claims that may not appear for years.

 

[Drsomnath999]

Israel has a world class semiconductor industry that can make the rotodome for
the AWACS. India has no indigenous electronic/semiconductor production. How
will this be possible? More claims that may not appear for years.

agree that phalcon would have been much better to our so called indigenious rotodome program but Money is the pain in the A$$ .it's too costly for india.But india could coperate with isreal on this if required some buying of isreali components would also be appreciated

 

[balai_c]

Israel has a world class semiconductor industry that can make the rotodome for
the AWACS. India has no indigenous electronic/semiconductor production. How
will this be possible? More claims that may not appear for years.

Israel has a world class semiconductor industry that can make the rotodome for
the AWACS. India has no indigenous electronic/semiconductor production. How
will this be possible? More claims that may not appear for years.

Well, DRDO does have a limited capability of manufacturing Galium arsenide ICs with the capability of miniaturization upto 108 nm. The work so far has been done at semiconductors india limited, a government undertaking, with a fab in punjab.

Link

Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL- formerly known as Semiconductor Complex Limited, established in 1983) is now a Society (registered on 08.11.2005 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, as amended by Punjab Amendment Act, 1957), with the main objective to undertake, aid, promote, guide and co-ordinate Research & Development in the field of semiconductor technology, Micro Electro Mechanical Systems and process technologies relating to semiconductor processing.

SCL, through its in-house R&D efforts has developed 3 micron, 2 micron, 1.2 micron and 0.8 micron CMOS technologies as well specialized technologies such as EEPROM and CCD. SCL has over the years developed and supplied a number of key VLSIs, majority of which have been Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) for high reliability and industrial application

It has been acquired recently by the Department of Space.

Recently however, a number of companies have sprung up that have the capability to create finished products,

like simmtronics: link

Data Patterns: Link

But India has neither a industrial scale foundry of polysilicon ingots , or a fab churning out single crystal silicon modules, the life blood of modern electronics. Both of these require a HUGE amount of money, even on the limited scale of defence electronics. India does not even have large fabless chip companies like ARM, where we can even dish out designs of microprocessors. These cannot all be done by DRDO. Indian industrial community has to share some of the burden.Without IBM, modern electronics would not exist. GOI would have to take the iniatiative though. Companies like TATA, or ambanies has to assume the role IBM and AT&T has assumed for Americans, to take the role of pioneers. Can anyone ask them??

 

[roma]

certain quarters of goi are doing fine - it's some others which are the problem

 

[Ray]

Best of luck!

 

[praneetbajpaie]

The end users should be taken on board and they be tasked to suggest improvements as the development of the weapon system progresses. It's sad that we are the only major power in the world who still imports 70% of our defence equipment needs.

 

[plugwater]

Atleast 10 years it will take for DRDO to fly this thing!!

We really need few more Phalcons before that, three is not good number against Pakistan and China!!

Stopping the proposed procurement by favoring DRDO is not a good idea imo considering their previous records.

 

[devil510]

not really with reliance stepping i don't think so that man Mukesh ambani whatever businesss he steps in he makes sure it works and works real good with tata ambani and other setting their foot in defence sector we don't have to rely on russians and the HAL anymore alone we will get better products

 

[sayareakd]

looks like Isreali will reduce price of their awac after this news.

 

[Kunal Biswas]

Its possible but more is this they will look for JV in the project..

 

[natarajan]

One doubt i have is how come India can make indigineous things like missile and others which are restricted to us so armed forces dont have any choice so they are going for it But if it is available outside and because of kickbacks they are going to import

 

[Rahul Singh]

looks like small AWAC is going good. :thumb:

This was always on cards as Phase-2. There was time when people were arguing (at official level) why not jump start but i am glad they took it in phases. Phase-1 shall teach them enough regarding integration and they may not require any supervision by an experienced agency for Phase-2.

 

[Bhadra]

looks like Isreali will reduce price of their awac after this news.

But India making its AWACS is in the iar for last 30 years..... what is new now.... from Avro to IL76.... ??????