Embraer, IAI Elta Partner on Praetor AEW Business Jet
ShowNews
Tony Osborne
Jun 18, 2019
It is difficult to understand when whole world is moving towards 2 engine, small-medium platforms for AWACS roles, why Indians continue their efforts on large aircraft such as A330 and IL-76.
Israeli Aerospace Industries (
IAI) has partnered with
Embraer to offer a low-cost Airborne Early Warning (AEW) radar platform.
The two companies will develop the P600 AEW platform by mounting the IAI Elta’s ELM-2096 active electronically scanned array surveillance radar in a ski-box-like pod mounted atop the fuselage of Embraer’s new Praetor 600 business jet.
The configuration is the first special mission role for the new platform which only received its
FAA and
European Aviation Safety Agency certification last month [May].
“This aircraft is the best in breed in terms of performance and cost effectiveness,” explained Yoav Tourgeman, the president of IAI Elta said following the signing of a strategic cooperation agreement at the Paris Air Show.
The ELM-2096 uses gallium nitride semiconductor transmit and receive modules and can provide a 240-deg. field of view for airborne and maritime surveillance.
Three system operators are supported by artificial intelligence and machine learning built into the command and control system that helps to reduce operator workload.
Previous generations of such radars would have required larger numbers of operators, notes Tourgeman, a situation that would have demanded the use of a larger, and more expensive platforms.
The cooperation agreement covers a 50:50 workshare with the location of the work done on a case-by-case basis.
Embraer provides the aircraft, ground support, communications and aircraft integration while IAI Elta, will provide the radar, a signals intelligence payload and other onboard systems.
IAI Elta currently has agreements with
Airbus for the
C295AEW and with Gulfstream on its G550 Conformal AEW (CAEW) platform.
“We believe it is the right sized solution for the market, a state-of the-art aircraft and state-of-the-art radar platform,” said Jackson Schneider, the president and CEO for Embraer’s Defense and Security. “For the customer who wants to solve its surveillance issues, while respecting taxpayer limits, this is the best solution at the right cost,” he added.
“We are enlarging the market… allowing countries who always wanted this kind of application, to have it, Schneider said.
Tourgeman said IAI was also exploring other special mission roles for other Embraer platforms.
