Indian Air Force wants access to AWACS

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1165752.cms ^

[Arjun]

IAF wants access to AWACS RAJAT PANDIT

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ SATURDAY, JULY 09, 2005 12:20:52 AM ]

NEW DELHI: After successfully inducting IL-78 mid-air refuelling aircraft, IAF has now trained its sights firmly on another set of potent force-multipliers, the AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control Systems), to bolster its war-waging capabilities.

With India slated to get its first AWACS aircraft from Israel in November 2007, IAF wants to get more and more "access" to the AWACS being flown by countries which it exercises with.

"Our pilots will, of course, go for training overseas before we get our own AWACS," assistant chief of air staff (operations, concepts and doctrine), Air Vice-Marshal Sumit Mukherjee, said on Friday.

The just-concluded "Garud-II" exercise in France saw IAF aircrafts, like Sukhoi-30 fighters and IL-78s, for the first time being "controlled" by AWACS of the French Air Force, during combat manoeuvres.

Similarly, IAF wants US Air Force to give it "access"when it comes with its AWACS and F-16s for the "Cope-India" exercise, at Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal in November.

As per the $1.1-billion deal signed in March 2004, three Israeli "Phalcon" early-warning radar and communication systems will be integrated with Russian IL-76 heavy transport military aircraft, to give India its first advanced AWACS.

If the refuellers now allow frontline IAF fighters like Sukhois, Mirages and Jaguars to operate with greatly extended ranges, AWACS will provide them with "eyes in the sky" to "look" much further than ground-based radars.

For instance, an AWACS flying over Amritsar will be able to detect a Pakistani F-16 as soon as it takes off from its Sargodha airbase. Apart from tracking cruise missiles and low-flying aircraft from hundreds of km away in all-weather conditions, AWACS also position air defence fighters during combat operations.

"Our observers flew on the French AWACS for four missions during Garud-II. Though legal restrictions prevented them from actually controlling operations, they gleaned a fair bit of information," said IAF team leader Group Captain Shreesh Mohan.

"AWACS nullify the disadvantages of ground-based systems with the line of sight increasingly substantially. Each console in the AWACS can control a number of aircraft during combat operations in different sectors," said a Squadron Leader.

The importance of AWACS in warfare can be gauged from the fact that India has started work on an Rs 1,800-crore indigenous project to develop them. DRDO has tied up with Brazilian aviation company Embraer for three EMB-145 aircraft, which will be integrated with phased array radars.

[MikefromOhio]

sure they can have AWACS, right after we figure out something better :)

[republican2005]

we need to stop all sales of military tech to everyone, even allies.

I am tired of us spending billions developing things only to GIVE them away to our supposed allies... who in turn SELL them to others.

[MikefromOhio]

if we are going to have allies, sharing some of our technology is going to be the price of business...that is just the way it is.....

what you do is make them say they will not resell the stuff on pain of losing our cooperation or war, depending on the ally in question....

[GretchenM]

I have this hope that as the USA becomes stronger and stronger allies with both India and Pakistan, that, as each finds more common ground with us, it will help those two countries move closer to one another and assist them to bury the hatchet.

[catbertz]

meanwhile they're doing arms deals with russia and china...easy to pass our tech on for favors

[spetznaz]

For instance, an AWACS flying over Amritsar will be able to detect a Pakistani F-16 as soon as it takes off from its Sargodha airbase.

Although I've known of this budding Indian advantage for some time, it nonetheless makes me ecstatic with glee everytime i read about it. Pakistan simply cannot match India's qualitative or quantitative edge ....not to mention the monetary advantage and eclectic (Israeli, European, Russian ...and soon American) systems.

[MikefromOhio]

which, under what I said would mean they wouldnt get our AWACS....but honestly you can't convince me that the Russians nor the Chinese don't already have an idea of what AWACS can and will do....

[rmlew]

Are we trying to get the the Indians to purcahse the E-3?
The Phalcon is a nice system.

The US Air Force has a replacement for the AWACS, Multi-Sensor Command and Control Aircraft (MC2A). It will have a phased-array radar system.

[MikefromOhio]

That would make sense...if that is what they are doing...

whether I agree or not though...

[Spirited]

"sell them to others" Or use them against us long term.

[republican2005]

face it, we don't have any REAL allies in this world. Even after 9-11 most of our supposed allies turned their back on us... and the rest only sent in a token force.

Even Great Britain who is supposed to be our closest ally hasn't even sent that many troops in to help us. I bet Great Britain sent more troops into the Falklands than they have sent to help us in the war on terror.

[Oztrich Boy]

I bet Great Britain sent more troops into Iraq than the US sent to the Falklands.

[republican2005]

that's not the point.

the point is we have spent Billions for 50 years now helping to protect europe, and the first chance they get to repay that help... most of them turn their backs on us.

they make me sick

[Spirited]

And I'll bet more US men died to protect Britain than Britain has sent anyplace on our behalf (none protecting us directly).

The name of one who is a relative of mine is enrolled BY THE BRITS in a roll of honor as protectors of that Isle in St. Pauls in recognition of their sacrifice.

[Arjun]

I believe India is interested in the PAC-3 but has already ordered 3 Phalcon systems due to be inducted in 2007

[Arjun]

I heard the chinese are going to supply Pakis with some sort of Awacs killer.

[El Gato]

sure they can have AWACS, right after we figure out something better

We already have. But there is no money to produce it though. Boeing is building a scaled down version for the Australians and possibly others. The system is called Wedgetail, and is built on a late model 737 airframe.

Our own AWACS is getting pretty long in the tooth, even considering the recent (last 5 years and continuing) upgrades. The Israeli Phalcon, mentioned in the article, is a more recent design, which uses an electronically steered antenna. The Israili's own version is on a 707 platform, but the Indian version would be on an Ilyushin Il-76 airframe.

The Swedes produce a similar, but less capable, system, Ericson's Erieye system that is deployed on different types of aircraft for various countries in Europe and Latin America. The Mexicans , yes the Mexicans, have one mounted on an Embraer EMB-145 regional jet.

Wedgetail

ERJ-145

Even the Red Chinese have an advanced AWACS, at least in prototype form. Although the redar dome appears similar to that on the US (or Russian) AWACS, it does not rotate, instead using a three faced elecronically steerable arrary.

Chinese KJ200.

[El Gato]

Britain has sent anyplace on our behalf (none protecting us directly)

Actually there were Brit, and other NATO, airmen up in NATO owned AWACS over the US in the months following 9-11. (Our AWACS being involved in the middle east at the time).

[Doe Eyes]

we need to stop all sales of military tech to everyone, even allies.

If they don't buy from the USA, they will buy elsewhere.

That may be more harmful in the long run as it encourages (and funds) the development of military technology in nations that may not be our allies (think China).