<p>Defence sources told Deccan Herald that the rollout event is likely to be held on February 21 with senior Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials participating.<br /><br />Built by Brazilian aerospace conglomerate Embraer, the first EMB-145 - from the series of regional jets family - officials said, will land in India in the second half of 2011 for system integration and the subsequent induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF).<br /><br />The Centre had approved the AEW&C programme in October 2004 with the task of integration given to the DRDO Bangalore-based Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS).<br /><br />The initial project to develop two operational systems and one engineering prototype within six-and-a-half years was approved at a cost of around Rs 2,000 crore. However, owing it to the delay in finalising the operational requirements by the IAF, the programme’s probable date of completion has been extended upto early 2014. “Even additional funds have been approved,” officials said.<br /><br />The AEW&C, which is expected to fly in India the coming year, the scientific advisor to the defence minister V K Saraswat said recently will be a force multiplier for IAF. “This will take us closer to having higher degrees of network-centric warfare and increase the efficiency of the force’s surveillance capabilities.”<br /><br />Network-centric warfare require command and control systems, multi-sensor tracking, air defence simulation, air space management, battlefield management systems and coastal surveillance systems.<br /><br />Pegged to become a force multiplier for the IAF’s surveillance, besides boosting the nation’s network-centric warfare capabilities, the system is tailor-made to IAF’s specific tactical needs and is widely perceived as more versatile in terms of sub-systems and capabilities.<br /><br />Moreover, this system is about one-third in acquisition cost and a tenth in operational cost when compared to the IAF’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) bought from Israel’s ELTA and built on the Russian IL-76 platform, sources said.<br /><br />The system will enable the aircraft to conduct surveillance and tracking of aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as also detect emissions and communications from radar.<br /><br />The system, officials said, will be equipped to operate with a maximum crew of 12 and fly continuously for about 12 hours with needing midair-refueling.<br /><br /><br />CABS has already started work on the integration of ground-based systems including the seating arrangements, in line with the specifications of EMB-145. <br /></p>
<p>Defence sources told Deccan Herald that the rollout event is likely to be held on February 21 with senior Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials participating.<br /><br />Built by Brazilian aerospace conglomerate Embraer, the first EMB-145 - from the series of regional jets family - officials said, will land in India in the second half of 2011 for system integration and the subsequent induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF).<br /><br />The Centre had approved the AEW&C programme in October 2004 with the task of integration given to the DRDO Bangalore-based Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS).<br /><br />The initial project to develop two operational systems and one engineering prototype within six-and-a-half years was approved at a cost of around Rs 2,000 crore. However, owing it to the delay in finalising the operational requirements by the IAF, the programme’s probable date of completion has been extended upto early 2014. “Even additional funds have been approved,” officials said.<br /><br />The AEW&C, which is expected to fly in India the coming year, the scientific advisor to the defence minister V K Saraswat said recently will be a force multiplier for IAF. “This will take us closer to having higher degrees of network-centric warfare and increase the efficiency of the force’s surveillance capabilities.”<br /><br />Network-centric warfare require command and control systems, multi-sensor tracking, air defence simulation, air space management, battlefield management systems and coastal surveillance systems.<br /><br />Pegged to become a force multiplier for the IAF’s surveillance, besides boosting the nation’s network-centric warfare capabilities, the system is tailor-made to IAF’s specific tactical needs and is widely perceived as more versatile in terms of sub-systems and capabilities.<br /><br />Moreover, this system is about one-third in acquisition cost and a tenth in operational cost when compared to the IAF’s Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) bought from Israel’s ELTA and built on the Russian IL-76 platform, sources said.<br /><br />The system will enable the aircraft to conduct surveillance and tracking of aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as also detect emissions and communications from radar.<br /><br />The system, officials said, will be equipped to operate with a maximum crew of 12 and fly continuously for about 12 hours with needing midair-refueling.<br /><br /><br />CABS has already started work on the integration of ground-based systems including the seating arrangements, in line with the specifications of EMB-145. <br /></p>
