India to deploy AEW and C on Pak border

India will deploy the indigenous Airborne Early Warning & Control system (AEW&C) along the western borders of the country by April 2014, revealed Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne on Thursday.

Speaking at a programme at the Centre for Air-borne Systems (CABS) here, to commemorate receipt of first of the three Embraer aircraft from Brazil, Browne said: “Commemoration is just the beginning. Soon AEW&C will be integrated for extensive flight trials for induction and operationalisation. By April 2014, the flights are expected to be inducted into defence.”

He stated that the Air Force has already identified locations and work is in progress to build requisite infrastructure at these locations. “Initially AEW&C will be stationed at the western borders.

This will be used for surveillance,” he added. The airborne radars, designed at CABS, will identify friendly and enemy fighters and cruise missiles and subsequently alert IAF fighters during combat operations. It will also help to track troop build-ups on the ground.

Powered by two Rolls Royce AE 3007 AIE engines, the Embraer aircraft are capable of in-flight refuelling for extended missions and has an operational capacity between 5,000 and 30,000 feet to collect intelligence. It’s maximum payload capacity is 4,480 kg.

In 2007, IAF tied up with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), to manufacture three indigenously built airborne radar systems on Brazil’s Embraer jet, EMG-145, at a cost of Rs 2,157 crore. Embraer was awarded the contract for the modified aircraft in August 2008.

 On August 22, 2012, first of the three AEW&C landed at the HAL air strip. The second and third aircraft are expected to arrive in December and early next year respectively, said Browne. He added that the AEW&C will be used along with the Airborne Warning and Control System based on the Russian IL-76 platform with the Israeli Phalcon Radar.

“The world is eagerly watching for the success of AEW&C. The development of AEW&C will benefit Embraer and DRDO to collaborate in producing more cost-effective and formidable force multipliers in the global market,” said V K Saraswat, scientific adviser to the defence minister.