Advanced aircraft gives HAL a reason to party
25 Aug 2012 8:03 AM IST
A party broke out on Tuesday evening yesterday at about 10:10 PM at the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd airport in Bangalore. The first indigenous Advanced Early Warning and Control Systems (AEW&C) aircraft had just landed after a trans-continental flight of four days, from Brazil. The Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) hangar at the airport was all lit up, as if a venue of a birthday party.
The Embraer aircraft (Brazil) based system has gone through hundreds of configurations before this day arrived. This is also the first time that the CABS presented to the world India’s Active Electronically Scanning Array Radar (AESA), such a prized possession of countries around the world. The two radars are in a conformal (partly concealed and horizontal) mode on the aircraft.
Now, the AEW&C aircraft will go for a long refit by the CABS engineers who will install a large number of sub-systems, then go for further certification by CEMILAC (Center for Military Airworthiness & Certification) and be ready for a grand induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2014, for which it will act like ‘force multiplier.’ In simpler terms, this would mean that the aircraft with all its radars and other sensors would be acting like a few thousand eyes and ears in the sky.
The Indian AEW&C system will detect, identify and classify threats present in the surveillance area and act as a Command and Control Centre to support Air Defence operations. The system with its multiple Communication and Data Links can alert and direct fighters against threats while providing ‘Recognizable Air Situation Picture’ (RASP) to commanders at the Ground Exploitation Stations (GES) that are strategically located. The AEW&C system can thus support Air Force in offensive strike missions and assist Forces in the tactical battle area. Besides, the Electronic and Communication Support Measures of the system can intercept and counter unfriendly radar transmissions and communication signals.
The Indian AEW&C system thus comprises a number of major sub-systems, viz, Primary Radar (PR), Secondary Surveillance Radar – SSR (or, Identification Friend or Foe - IFF), Electronic Support Measures (ESM), Communication Support Measures (CSM), Mission Communication System (MCS) that includes the ‘C’-Band and ‘Ku’-Band SATCOM Data Links (DL) and the U/VHF Voice and Data Link, Self-Protection System (SPS), Data Handling and Display System (DHDS) and Mission System Controller (MSC).
INDIA GETS ITS TOP GUN
The Embraer aircraft (Brazil) based system has gone through hundreds of configurations before this day arrived. This is also the first time that the CABS presented to the world India’s Active Electronically Scanning Array Radar (AESA), such a prized possession of countries around the world. The two radars are in a conformal (partly concealed and horizontal) mode on the aircraft.
Now, the AEW&C aircraft will go for a long refit by the CABS engineers who will install a large number of sub-systems, then go for further certification by CEMILAC (Center for Military Airworthiness & Certification) and be ready for a grand induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2014, for which it will act like ‘force multiplier.’ In simpler terms, this would mean that the aircraft with all its radars and other sensors would be acting like a few thousand eyes and ears in the sky.
The Indian AEW&C system will detect, identify and classify threats present in the surveillance area and act as a Command and Control Centre to support Air Defence operations. The system with its multiple Communication and Data Links can alert and direct fighters against threats while providing ‘Recognizable Air Situation Picture’ (RASP) to commanders at the Ground Exploitation Stations (GES) that are strategically located. The AEW&C system can thus support Air Force in offensive strike missions and assist Forces in the tactical battle area. Besides, the Electronic and Communication Support Measures of the system can intercept and counter unfriendly radar transmissions and communication signals.
The Indian AEW&C system thus comprises a number of major sub-systems, viz, Primary Radar (PR), Secondary Surveillance Radar – SSR (or, Identification Friend or Foe - IFF), Electronic Support Measures (ESM), Communication Support Measures (CSM), Mission Communication System (MCS) that includes the ‘C’-Band and ‘Ku’-Band SATCOM Data Links (DL) and the U/VHF Voice and Data Link, Self-Protection System (SPS), Data Handling and Display System (DHDS) and Mission System Controller (MSC).
INDIA GETS ITS TOP GUN
- Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) gives India the Active Electronically Scanning Array Radar (AESA).
- CABs engineers will now install a large number of sub-systems.
- After further certification by CEMILAC (Center for Military Airworthiness & Certification), the AEW&C will be ready for induction into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2014.
- The Indian AEW&C system will detect, identify and classify threats present in the surveillance area and act as a command and control centre to support air defence operations.
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