India to build AWACS |
India has cleared the Defense Research & Development Organization (DRDO) project to build advanced eyes in the sky or next-generation AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) to detect incoming aerial threats like hostile fighters, drones and cruise missiles from 400-km away. Led by Manohar Parrikar, the Defense Ministry Acquisitions Council (DAC) approved the building of two AWACS to mount indigenous 360-degree coverage AESA (active electronically scanned array) radars on Airbus A-330 wide-body jets, at a cost of Rs 5,113 crores or US$ 650 million. It will take at least 5-7 years to build the first two AWACS, and 6 more will be ordered when the project is mid-way. The decision, incidentally, comes ahead of PM Narendra Modi`s visit to France and Germany, which primarily house the European Airbus consortium, in early-April.
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