ID :
57154
Fri, 04/24/2009 - 07:18
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/57154
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India to get Phalcon AWACS on May 18 By Harinder Mishra
Jerusalem, Apr 23 (PTI) India will get its first 'eye in
the sky', the Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems
(AWACS), aircraft on May 18, which will provide the Indian Air
Force (IAF) means to track incoming missiles and look deep
into the neighbouring countries without violating any air
space.
The first Phalcon was inspected by top Indian Defence
officials who came here to check the specially modified
Russian IL-76 aircraft and set May 18 as the delivery date.
"The other two aircraft would be delivered by Mid or late
2010, if everything goes on schedule," Defence sources said
here Thursday.
The delivery of the aircraft bought at a whopping price
of USD 1.1 billion is almost a year and a half behind
schedule. As per the tripartite deal between India, Russia and
Israel, the aircraft should have been delivered by the end of
March this year.
India and Israel are reported to be in advanced
negotiations for the purchase of three more Phalcon AWACS,
which the IAF proposes to integrate with other air and ground
assets.
All the six AWACS would be linked with the country's
first military satellite proposed to be launched by mid next
year.
The Phalcons will be mounted on Russia delivered
Ilyushin-76 aircraft and the technical difficulties involved
in integrating the whole system is said to have contributed a
good deal to the delay.
The surveillance system will provide the Indian Air Force
with intelligence inputs, helping it to maintain air
superiority, improve strike capabilities and conduct tactical
surveillance deep into neighbouring countries without
violating their airspace.
It is an all weather system capable of logging 60 targets
simultaneously and has a range of 400 Km.
The US had earlier pressurised Israel to cancel a similar
deal with China in 2000 but gave green light to the deal with
India in May 2003.
Israel has recently emerged as India's largest supplier
of defence equipments and with the country's weapon sales to
New Delhi constituting about 50 percent of its exports. PTI
HM
SAK
the sky', the Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems
(AWACS), aircraft on May 18, which will provide the Indian Air
Force (IAF) means to track incoming missiles and look deep
into the neighbouring countries without violating any air
space.
The first Phalcon was inspected by top Indian Defence
officials who came here to check the specially modified
Russian IL-76 aircraft and set May 18 as the delivery date.
"The other two aircraft would be delivered by Mid or late
2010, if everything goes on schedule," Defence sources said
here Thursday.
The delivery of the aircraft bought at a whopping price
of USD 1.1 billion is almost a year and a half behind
schedule. As per the tripartite deal between India, Russia and
Israel, the aircraft should have been delivered by the end of
March this year.
India and Israel are reported to be in advanced
negotiations for the purchase of three more Phalcon AWACS,
which the IAF proposes to integrate with other air and ground
assets.
All the six AWACS would be linked with the country's
first military satellite proposed to be launched by mid next
year.
The Phalcons will be mounted on Russia delivered
Ilyushin-76 aircraft and the technical difficulties involved
in integrating the whole system is said to have contributed a
good deal to the delay.
The surveillance system will provide the Indian Air Force
with intelligence inputs, helping it to maintain air
superiority, improve strike capabilities and conduct tactical
surveillance deep into neighbouring countries without
violating their airspace.
It is an all weather system capable of logging 60 targets
simultaneously and has a range of 400 Km.
The US had earlier pressurised Israel to cancel a similar
deal with China in 2000 but gave green light to the deal with
India in May 2003.
Israel has recently emerged as India's largest supplier
of defence equipments and with the country's weapon sales to
New Delhi constituting about 50 percent of its exports. PTI
HM
SAK
