Airborne Early Warning Aircraft ready for roll out by next year

He stated this after handing over the Initial Operational Clearance certificate for India's Light Combat Aircraft Tejas to Air chief Marshal P V Naik at HAL airport here.The Centre for Air-Borne Systems (CABS), DRDO, Bangalore, is developing the Air-borne Early Warning and Control system which would be integrated into the Brazilian-manufactured Embraer-145 aircraft, officials said.

The system, designed to detect and distinguish hostile aircraft, would help in enhancing the surveillance and strike capability of the IAF. It can be used to direct fsighters and strike aircraft to their targets and warn them of hostile enemy aircraft in the area from miles away.
The system would provide the Indian Air Force with the capability to track missile and network with ground stations.

It comprises many sub-systems like radar and communication links that are being designed and developed by DRDO. This is a multi-laboratory programme of DRDO coordinated by CABS, Bangalore.The EMB-145 aircraft is being modified to carry DRDOs Active Array Antenna Unit (AAAU), mounted on top of the aircrafts fuselage, officials said.