NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force’s eye in the sky capability is expected to get a significant boost, with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) signing two separate contracts to convert six A321 commercial aircraft for the Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) MKII programme. All six spy aircraft will be inducted into the IAF by 2032-33.
The Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS) of DRDO, which has indigenously developed the AEW&C MKII, signed a contract with Delhi-based AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) to strip down six A321 aircraft for decisive engineering to increase endurance, with bigger fuselage tanks and advanced system integration recommended by the IAF.
A separate contract was inked with Adani Defence Systems and Technologies (ADSTL), Ahmedabad, to engage the company as a Development Cum Production Partner (DcPP) for Mission Systems for the AEW&C MKII Programme.
The contracts were signed by the Director, CABS, with the CEO, AIESL, and the Head, Airborne Platform, ADSTL, in the presence of the Defence Secretary, the Secretary, Department of Defence R&D, and the Chairman, DRDO, Rajesh Kumar Singh, in New Delhi on Wednesday, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced in a statement.
The CABS, with support from Adani as DcPP, is responsible for integrating mission systems on a modified AEW&C MK II platform delivered by Airbus Defence & Space, the original equipment manufacturer. The deal between Adani and DRDO also includes integrated logistics, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), and technical support for up to 30 years.
The CABS and ADSTL will also carry out flight testing of the AEW&C MK II aircraft along with the IAF to obtain certification from airworthiness agencies – Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance.
The spy aircraft will have enhanced endurance, advanced airborne surveillance, secure communication, improved situational awareness and enhanced command and control capabilities, said the Ministry. This, in turn, will give a significant boost to the air defence capabilities and aid in neutralising threats across extended ranges, it added.
AEW&C-MKII will place India in the select group of five countries—the United States, France, Israel, China, and Sweden—that have developed such indigenous capabilities critical to modern warfare. The platform will be integrated with the Indian Air Force’s Integrated Air Command & Control System (IACCS), the nationwide command-and-control network that links surveillance, air defence and operational assets in real time. This integration will strengthen national air defence through faster decision-making, seamless battlespace coordination and enhanced operational responsiveness.
The MK II programme has advanced features in comparison to its earlier version. It features a 240-degree primary dorsal AESA radar, supplemented by a nose-mounted radar antenna, expanding combined radar coverage to 300 degrees. It also has an advanced GaN-based Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, providing significantly increased detection ranges compared to the MKI. Besides that, it can track low-observable targets, including stealth aircraft, cruise missiles, and drone swarms.
The engagement of industries reaffirms the Government’s commitment to achieving self-reliance to foster a robust ecosystem for innovation, research, and manufacturing within the country, the MoD stated.
Source: The Hindu Business Line
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