India to receive second Phalcon AWACS system in March

New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will get its second Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) in March this year almost a year after taking delivery of the first. The system provides the capability to 'look' beyond enemy lines and also to detect incoming airborne threats.

IAF's Phalcon Awacs

Indian Air Force officials have apparently confirmed this development. They say that though the delivery is a ''little'' delayed, arrival of the modified Il-76 platform, which hosts the Israeli Phalcon AWACS system, is set to enhance IAF's capabilities tremendously.

However, there may be reasons to be a little wary of such reports, for even last year imminent arrival was announced in January. This was then subsequently shifted to March by the then IAF chief, with actual arrival taking place only in May.

That aircraft, KW-3551, is now based at Air Force Station Agra. The second unit, KW3552, is currently undergoing trials in Israel, where the modified Il-76 airframes are sent for final integration with the radar and electronics of the Phalcon system.

The IAF has contracted for three such systems from Israel and is reportedly in negotiations for the supply of an additional three.

The AWACS system is capable of detecting aircraft, cruise missiles and other flying objects at ranges far greater than is possible through existing land-based systems. It can also gather surface information about troop movements and missile launches even as it snoops on electronic communications and surveys electronic radiation of different kinds.