DRDO to build six new ‘eyes in the sky’ for IAF

India will build six new Airborne Early Warning and Control systems to be developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on aircraft from Air India to further improve Air Force's surveillance capabilities along borders with China and Pakistan.

New Delhi: In a bid to boost indigenous defence industry, The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is going to make six new Airborne Early Warning and Control planes.

This will further improve Air Force’s surveillance capabilities along borders with China and Pakistan.

According to government sources, the AEW&C Block 2 aircraft to be developed by the DRDO under a Rs 10,500 crore project. The six aircraft would be acquired from the Air India fleet and modified to fly with a radar that will give 360-degree surveillance capability to the defence forces.

The six AEW&C block two planes would be highly capable than their predecessor NETRA plane and provide 360-degree coverage deep inside the enemy territory during missions. The government is expected to clear the project soon, government sources said.

The project to build the AEW&C system on existing aircraft from the Air India fleet may also mean that India may not buy the six Airbus 330 transport aircraft planned to be acquired earlier from the European firm, the sources said.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation had earlier planned to build six Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) on the Airbus 330 aircraft for which some facilities were planned to be created in Bengaluru.

As per plans, the six new aircraft would be sent to a European destination to the original equipment manufacturer for modification of the planes for installing the radar, the sources said.

Sources said the project has been planned in a way to promote Make in India in defence and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.