Indian Military

[PTI] The indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) System integrated onboard the Brazilian jet aircraft EMB145 as per IAF requirement would be flight tested in 2012, a key official involved in the project said.The AEW&C system (also called AWACS – Airborne Warning and Control System) is being developed by the Bangalore-based Centre or Airborne Systems (CABS), a lab under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the IAF.

Under a deal signed between India and Brazil in 2008, Embraer aircraft manufacturer would modify its EMB145 to carry Active Array Antenna Unit by India on the aircraft’s fuselage. Three modified EMB-145 aircraft would be developed under the agreement.

“AEW&C’s flying platform is the modified EMB145, which will take to skies later this year. It is scheduled to be delivered to us in Aug 2011,” CABS Director S Christopher said here on Tuesday.

Defence Minister A K Antony inaugurated System Test and Integration Rig (STIR) complex at CABS for testing airborne systems.

Christopher said: “…our mission systems will be ready by this year. It will be tested in this rig in 2011, followed by flight testing in 2012″.

The indigenous AEW&C system would detect, identify and classify threats present in the surveillance area and act as a command and control centre to support air operations, he said.