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The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has taken a major step towards strengthening the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) airborne surveillance capability by signing two key contracts for the long-delayed Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Mk-II programme.
The Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS), DRDO’s Bengaluru-based laboratory leading the project, has signed a contract with AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), New Delhi, to convert six Airbus A321 aircraft from commercial configuration into “green” aircraft. The conversion involves stripping the aircraft of their commercial fittings before they are integrated with military surveillance systems.
In a parallel move, CABS has awarded a contract to Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Limited (ADSTL), Ahmedabad, as the development-cum-production partner for the AEW&C Mk-II mission systems.
“For the first time, an Indian private company has been entrusted with the joint development and integration of an airborne mission platform of this scale, along with 30 years of lifecycle support, including integrated logistics, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). It is a defining responsibility that reflects the growing confidence in India’s private defence ecosystem and its expanding role in strengthening national security,” Adani Defence said in its statement.
These are the first major industry contracts since the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the Rs 19,000-crore programme in July last year. The six Airbus A321 aircraft were acquired earlier from Air India and are currently operated by the Air Headquarters Communication Squadron.
The AEW&C Mk-II aircraft will be equipped with indigenous Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars capable of providing more than 300-degree coverage and detecting aerial targets beyond 500 km. The platforms will be able to track hostile aircraft, missiles and ground-based threats deep inside enemy territory while providing airborne battle management and directing fighter operations.
The project aims to address a critical shortfall in the IAF’s airborne surveillance fleet.
The IAF currently operates only six AEW&C platforms, three Israeli Phalcon systems mounted on Russian IL-76 aircraft and three indigenous Netra Mk-I systems on Embraer jets. The force requires at least 18 such aircraft to maintain continuous surveillance over both the western and northern fronts.
The capability gap is particularly evident when compared with India’s adversaries. Pakistan is estimated to operate 10-12 AEW&C aircraft, including Saab 2000 Erieye and Chinese ZDK-03 platforms, while China has a fleet of more than 40 airborne warning aircraft, including the KJ-500.
To bridge the gap, the IAF plans to induct 12 additional platforms, six Netra Mk-IA aircraft on Embraer jets and six larger AEW&C Mk-II aircraft on Airbus A321 airframes. The expansion is expected to raise the fleet strength to 18 aircraft by the early 2030s.
The operational need for a larger AEW&C fleet was underscored during Operation Sindoor, when the IAF’s limited airborne warning assets were stretched across multiple sectors, forcing greater reliance on ground-based radar networks.
Team BharatShakti
