India's Air Defense System: AWACS aircraft
In addition to the ground-based radars discussed in the previous publication, India's airspace control radar systems also include long-range radar control and monitoring aircraft, and we'll discuss them today.
The Indian Armed Forces have long recognized the importance of AWACS aircraft. But unlike, for example, China, due to the underdevelopment of aviation Due to the lack of experience in the electronics and radio industries, India was unable to create such products and relied on foreign suppliers. However, this has already changed, and the Indian Air Force will soon adopt indigenously developed systems.
A-50EI AWACS aircraft
In the 1990s, India's top military and political leadership concluded that long-range radar surveillance aircraft were necessary for the timely detection of enemy air attack weapons, especially at low altitudes in areas with poorly developed radar networks, and for the effective control of combat aircraft and ground-based air defense systems.
Since Indian aircraft and electronics companies were unable to quickly create an AWACS aircraft with the required characteristics on their own, it was decided to engage foreign developers.
For political reasons, Russia was the only country capable of providing India with an aircraft equipped with a ready-made radar system in the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, the Russian export A-50E, with its simplified radar system and lacking the ZAS equipment, failed to impress Indian specialists. The radar system, with its reduced performance compared to the original model, built on outdated components and frankly archaic air situation display and data transmission systems, did not meet modern requirements.
An example of international military-technical cooperation in this area already existed. In late 1997, the Israeli company Elta and the Russian Beriev Aircraft Company began developing an AWACS aircraft commissioned by China. The joint Chinese-Russian-Israeli project entered the implementation phase in 1999, when an A-50 with tail number "44," taken from storage and repaired, flew to Israel for installation of radar, electronic, and communications equipment. The aircraft was scheduled for delivery to the customer in the second half of 2000. However, even with the system already at a high level of technical readiness, in the summer of 2000, under intense pressure from the United States, the Israeli side announced its withdrawal from the program. This did not stop the development of AWACS aircraft in China, although it did delay the delivery of the first Chinese KJ-2000, which entered trial service in 2005.
The Israeli company Elta, which had failed to officially supply radio-electronic equipment to China, offered to equip Indian AWACS aircraft with its own systems. Considering that the Indian Air Force was purchasing Il-76MD military transport aircraft from Russia, the military was willing to order AWACS aircraft based on this platform. Initially, Russia refused to supply air platforms prepared for the AWACS without the Shmel radar. But after India expressed its intention to purchase Boeing 767 or Airbus A310 airliners to power the Israeli AWACS, Russia made concessions.
Work on the A-50EI project began in 2001, after a Russian-Israeli working group reached an agreement to collaborate. The contract value in 2004 was $1,1 billion, with Israeli equipment accounting for approximately two-thirds of the cost. During the design process, specialists were tasked with integrating the Israeli radar system with updated Russian data transmission equipment. The contract stipulated that the first aircraft would be delivered in 2006, and the last in 2009. Full operational capability was achieved in 2010.
Indian Air Force A-50EI AWACS aircraft
The A-50EI's radar system is based on the EL/W-2090 radar, with antennas housed in a non-rotating disc-shaped radome with a diameter of 12 meters. The flat, electronically scanned antenna arrays, 8,87 meters long and 1,73 meters high, are arranged in an isosceles triangle. Each active phased array (APAA) consists of 864 active transmit/receive modules, which electronically scan the beam in two planes. Three APAAs, each with a 120-degree field of view, provide 360-degree coverage without mechanically rotating the radome. According to Israeli experts, this design significantly simplifies the radome's design and reduces weight.
The Elta EL / M-2090 radar operates in the 1280-1400 MHz band. The frequency range of the radar is divided into 22 operating frequencies. The maximum detection range of airborne targets at medium altitudes is 450 km. In the upper part of the radome of the aircraft A-50EI, a triangle is drawn, corresponding to the location of the AFAR flat panels.
The aircraft is equipped with an advanced electronic reconnaissance system. The A-50EI's electronic reconnaissance system is capable of detecting, recognizing, and determining the coordinates of radars and air defense missile system guidance stations at ranges of up to 500 km in the 0,5-40 GHz frequency range. The direction of the radiation source is calculated interferometrically using four antennas located on the wingtips, nose, and tail of the aircraft. The obtained data is correlated with radar information, increasing the reliability and likelihood of target recognition. Received signals are automatically sorted by frequency, coordinates, and carrier type. The automatic recognition database stores the characteristics of up to 500 types of radar sources. The electronic reconnaissance station operator identifies the most relevant received signals.
The Indian A-50EI AWACS and gun aircraft has become a truly international project. In addition to Israel's Elta and the Beriev Aircraft Company, the European company Thales contributed to the development of the radar system, supplying the "friend or foe" system equipment. Targets detected by the radar are identified by sending a coded interrogation signal and analyzing the response signal. If an object is identified as "friend," individual identification is performed, including the aircraft or ship's tail number. A special mark appears on the radar's display monitors indicating the "friend" of the target.
Experts agree that the Indian A-50EI is roughly equivalent to the Chinese KJ-2000 in terms of radar performance, but is equipped with more advanced data transmission systems and has superior electronic reconnaissance capabilities.
After the introduction of the lead A-50EI aircraft into service, these aircraft were further equipped with satellite communications terminals, which significantly expanded the capabilities for information exchange with ground command posts and radar data consumers.
Currently, India's A-50EIs, organized into the 50th Command Squadron, are permanently based at Agra Air Base in Uttar Pradesh, which is under the control of the Central Air Command. This airbase is one of the largest in India and is located 250 kilometers south of Delhi.
Satellite image: Google Earth: A-50EI aircraft parked at Agra Air Force Base. The image was taken in October 2024.
Large hangars have been erected at the Agra airbase for the A-50EI, where maintenance is carried out and the expensive aircraft are protected from adverse weather conditions.
The 78th Air Refuelling Squadron is also based at Agra Air Base. It has been flying Il-78MKI aerial tankers since 2005 (six units have been delivered). The Indian tankers are equipped with British Cobham Mk.32B equipment, enabling them to refuel both Western and Russian aircraft.
Satellite image: Google Earth: A-50EI AWACS aircraft, Il-78MKI tankers, and Jaguar IS fighter-bombers parked at Agra Air Force Base. The image was taken in February 2021.
It's no coincidence that tanker aircraft share an airbase with flying radars. The Indian Air Force has relatively few Il-78MKI aircraft, and one of their primary missions is to support the A-50EI's long-term air patrols at significant distances from their airfields.
Since its introduction into service, Indian A-50EIs have regularly participated in major aviation exercises and fleetIt was reported that during the escalation of the situation on the Indian-Pakistani border, radar picket aircraft, under cover of Su-30MKI fighters, repeatedly carried out patrols and acted as airborne command posts, coordinating air operations.
Approximately 10 years ago, the Indian Air Force considered acquiring three more Il-76MD-90A airborne radar pickets with PS-90A-76 engines. However, due to the significant increase in the cost of new transport aircraft and production issues, the Russian Air Force has not yet placed orders for the A-50EI.
Recently, reports emerged that the Indian Air Force is considering a major overhaul of its A-50EI aircraft and a complete upgrade of their avionics. Commenting on this, aviation experts note that the conceptually similar Chinese KJ-2000 aircraft, which also use the Il-76 platform, have already been decommissioned due to operational issues. In addition to extending the airframe's service life and upgrading the electronics, it would be highly desirable for the Indian A-50EI to use new, more fuel-efficient engines, which would increase their flight time.
EMB-145 Erieye AEW&C aircraft
For the air force of a large country like India, which shares a border with hostile neighbors, three A-50EI aircraft are clearly not enough. As mentioned above, the acquisition of new Russian-Israeli aircraft did not go smoothly. At the same time, India, unlike several other countries, was unable to purchase modern airborne early warning aircraft from the United States.
Given that there are few countries in the world that mass-produce such equipment, India had no other option under the current circumstances but to purchase AWACS aircraft from Israel or Sweden. However, the Indian Air Force command once again demonstrated its innovative decision-making by ordering flying radar pickets from Brazil.
To be fair, the EMB-145AEW&C aircraft cannot be considered purely Brazilian. This aircraft, based on the Embraer ERJ-145LR medium-range passenger jet, is equipped with the PS-890 Erieye radar system, previously used on the Swedish Saab 340 AEW&C and Saab 2000 AEW&C AWACS aircraft.
The PS-890 Erieye radar system was developed by Ericsson Microwave Systems (now Saab Electronic Systems) beginning in the late 1980s. The radar, first commissioned in 1996, was compact enough to be installed on relatively small cargo and passenger aircraft with a takeoff weight of 11-15 tons. The radar antenna unit weighs only 900 kg.
PS-890 Erieye AESA Radar Radome
The dual-sided AESA antenna, housed in a 9-meter-long "log-shaped" fairing, consists of 192 transmitting and receiving modules. The electronically scanned beam provides a 150° field of view on each side. A drawback of this radar is the presence of 30° blind sectors in front and behind the aircraft. The radar, operating in the 2-4 GHz frequency range, has several operating modes adapted to specific conditions with varying pulse repetition rates and scanning speeds. In addition to airspace monitoring, it can search for maritime targets, including submarine periscopes.
For its weight and size, the PS-890 Erieye radar offers very good performance. The instrumented detection range for large, high-altitude targets is 450 km. In reality, a fighter flying at medium altitude can be tracked from a distance of 300-350 km. missiles и Drones At low altitudes, targets can be detected against the ground at a range of 180 km. The number of simultaneously tracked targets can reach 300. Modified versions are capable of operating on the ground, tracking the movements of armored vehicles, transport columns, and trains, significantly expanding the capabilities of aircraft equipped with this radar system. In addition to the Swedish-built Saab 340 AEW&C and Saab 2000 AEW&C aircraft, the PS-890 Erieye radar is also used on the Brazilian EMB-145AEW&C.
Besides Sweden, other countries that have purchased AWACS aircraft with PS-890 Erieye radars include Brazil, Greece, India, Mexico, the UAE, Pakistan, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. According to unconfirmed reports, one Swedish AWACS aircraft has been transferred to Ukraine.
To accommodate the radio-technical system's equipment, the Embraer ERJ-145LR fuselage was lengthened and reconfigured. Its upper section was adorned with a log-shaped radar fairing. To compensate for the loss of directional stability, additional aerodynamic fins were added to the tail. A turbogenerator designed to power the radio-technical system was also installed at the rear of the aircraft, along with three additional fuel tanks.
During patrols, the aircraft can automatically transmit information on up to forty airborne targets. In addition to radar and communications equipment, the aircraft is equipped with an electronic reconnaissance station, which allows for highly accurate targeting of operating radio stations and monitoring of radio broadcasts. The avionics also include sensors that provide information on radar emissions and a station. EWThe aircraft is controlled by two pilots, and six operators work on the radio-technical complex.
Although the Brazilian EMB-145 Erieye AEW & C aircraft is inferior in its capabilities to the Israeli G550 CAEW and cannot provide 360-degree airspace surveillance, and the patrol duration does not exceed 6 hours, thanks to its relatively low price, it has found its niche in the market.
The key to success is the combination of the radar's impressive performance and the low cost of the aircraft platform. For example, India paid Embraer SA $300 million for the first three EMB-145AEW&Cs in 2008, significantly less than Israel's asking price for the G550 CAEW. However, it's worth acknowledging that the Israeli aircraft is equipped with more advanced electronic reconnaissance and electronic warfare equipment.
Indian Air Force EMB-145AEW&C AWACS aircraft
India ordered a total of five EMB-145AEW&C aircraft. The first aircraft flew to Bangalore Air Force Base in August 2012. Unlike the Brazilian Air Force's airborne radar pickets, the aircraft destined for the Indian Air Force are equipped with a satellite data link system and new ELINT and electronic warfare systems.
Over the course of several years, the first two EMB-145AEW&C aircraft were tested in various exercises and training missions. Interoperability with fighter aircraft was also practiced.
Google Earth satellite image of an EMB-145AEW&C aircraft at Bangalore Air Force Base. The image was taken in May 2016.
In 2014, the 200th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron was formed at Bathinda Air Base in Punjab, under the Western Air Command, and housed all EMB-145AEW&C aircraft. Shortly after delivery, the aircraft's avionics suite was upgraded, and they were designated Netra Mk 1A. The 200th Squadron's aircraft reached full operational capability in 2017. As with the A-50EI AWACS, hangars were constructed for the radar-guided Embayers, and they are not stored outdoors.
Given the relatively short endurance of the Netra Mk 1A, these aircraft are equipped with in-flight refueling equipment. However, due to the Indian Air Force's current shortage of aerial tankers, this is difficult to implement. To address the critical shortage of aerial tankers, one Airbus A330 MRTT has been leased from France, with plans to operate six of these aircraft. One KC-135T Stratotanker has also been leased, currently used for training flight and maintenance personnel. The KC-135T is currently being replaced in the US Air Force by new Boeing KC-46 Pegasus tankers, based on the Boeing 767. This will free up several dozen Stratotankers with significant remaining service life, and India intends to purchase approximately fifteen used tankers.
Acquisition of new AWACS aircraft for the Indian Air Force
In 2020, the Indian Air Force once again raised the need to acquire additional long-range airborne surveillance aircraft. Given the country's impressive fleet of Il-76 military transports, Il-78 aerial refueling tankers, and A-50EI AWACS aircraft, the proposal was to follow a well-trodden path—purchase new Il-76MD-90A aircraft and install an improved Israeli electronic surveillance system on them. Consultations were held on this matter, but apparently the parties could not agree on a price. Besides the cost of the Russian aircraft, the Indian military was not entirely satisfied with their high operating costs. Furthermore, some experts pointed out that although the modernized Russian transport aircraft received fuel-efficient PS-90A-76 engines, the aircraft itself, designed in the 1970s, was beginning to show signs of obsolescence.
As an alternative to the Il-76MD-90A, it was planned to convert six Airbus A330 aircraft, and a model of such a radar picket aircraft was demonstrated at the aerospace exhibition.
However, the project ultimately failed, likely due to economic constraints.
After India signed a contract with Boeing in 2009 for the delivery of P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (12 units were delivered), the option of acquiring E-7 Wedgetail AWACS aircraft, which, like the Poseidon, is based on the Boeing 737 NG passenger jet, was considered. However, in addition to US government approval, each aircraft would have required a price tag of approximately $400 million, which proved prohibitive for India.
In July 2025, it was announced that India's Defence Acquisition Council and the Cabinet Committee on Security had given final approval to the Netra Mk II AWACS project, which envisions the conversion of six Airbus A321 airliners into AWACS aircraft, which will undergo a major overhaul in 2026. The program is estimated to cost approximately $500 million.
The Indian Air Force operates four A321 aircraft, used for troop transport and cargo deliveries.
It is unknown whether these aircraft will be refurbished or whether the entire batch will consist of aircraft taken from civilian flights.
Work to transform the A321 airliners into Netra Mk II flying radar pickets is expected to be carried out at Airbus Defence, most likely in Spain. The airframe will be reinforced, auxiliary power units will be installed, and key systems will be integrated: the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, electronic warfare systems, and operator workstations.
The new AWACS aircraft will use a radar system developed in India.
An additional antenna in the forward fuselage will provide radar coverage of at least 300°. The detection range for large, high-altitude targets should exceed 550 km. The Netra Mk II will feature domestically produced data transmission, electronic warfare, and electronic intelligence systems. Flight tests are scheduled for 2028, with operational entry by 2030.
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