India Accelerates Development of Indigenous AEW&C Aircraft for Enhanced Border Surveillance

India is intensifying efforts to create and introduce advanced indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft, commonly known as "eyes in the sky." This initiative aims to bolster surveillance and detection capabilities along the borders with China and Pakistan while providing crucial guidance to friendly fighter jets during aerial combat.

Collaborating with the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF), ongoing programs focus on the development of six Mark-1A and six Mark-2 versions of the Netra AEW&C aircraft. Three Netra AEW&C aircraft were previously constructed and inducted starting from February 2017.

The six Mark-1A aircraft involve the installation of active electronically scanned array antenna-based radars, electronic and signal intelligence systems on Brazilian Embraer jets, incurring a cost of approximately Rs 9,000 crore. These AEW&C aircraft, similar to the initial three Embraer-145 jet-based Netras, will feature 240-degree radar coverage, enhanced software, and advanced technologies like new gallium nitride-based TR (transmit/receive) modules for the radars.

Concurrently, the developmental work on the six Mark-2 aircraft is progressing rapidly, featuring larger and more capable versions of AEW&C radars and sensors mounted on second-hand Airbus-321 planes acquired from Air India. This initiative comes at a cost of Rs 10,990 crore, with the first AEW&C Mark-2 aircraft expected to be delivered in 2026-27. The Mark-2 technologies will also contribute to the advancement of the Mark-1A versions.

India considers both projects crucial due to its significant lag behind not only China but also Pakistan in the AEW&C and AWACS domain. Presently, the Indian Air Force (IAF) possesses only three Netras, and in addition, it has three Israeli Phalcon AWACS mounted on Russian IL-76 transport aircraft. These Phalcons, equipped with 360-degree radar coverage and a range of 400 km, were inducted between 2009 and 2011 as part of a $1.1 billion deal.

In comparison, Pakistan boasts 11 Swedish Saab-2000 Erieye AEW&C and Chinese Karakoram Eagle ZDK-03 AWACS aircraft. China, on the other hand, possesses approximately 30 AEW&C aircraft, including Kong Jing-2000 'Mainring,' KJ-200 'Moth,' and KJ-500 aircraft. The strategic significance of enhancing India's capabilities in this arena is evident given the regional advancements made by neighboring countries.

Notably, the existing Netras and Phalcons are seamlessly integrated into the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) of the Indian Air Force. This automated air defence network, with data links, is progressively expanding to integrate military and civilian radars, addressing surveillance gaps in Indian airspace.