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First Phalcon radar system to arrive in May

BANGALORE: The first of the three Israeli-manufactured Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) radar systems that have been ordered by the Indian Air Force (IAF) will arrive in India only in May, 18 months behind schedule.

The IAF will shortly depute an ‘Acceptance Team’ that will go to Israel to receive the first Phalcon Airborne Early Warning (AEW) suite that has been mounted on a radome above the fuselage of a Russian-built Il-76 heavy lift transport aircraft.
Tactical surveillance

Ordered in March 2004 at a cost of $1.1billion, the three ‘eye in the sky’ airborne radar systems will provide the IAF with intelligence inputs, helping it to maintain air superiority, improve strike capabilities and conduct tactical surveillance over a radius of 400 km.


Confirming the impending arrival, officials from the Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Elta Systems — the two Israeli firms that have collaborated in the manufacture of the Phalcon radar system and its mating on the Il-76 — told The Hindu during the recent Aero India 2009 air show that the second Phalcon would arrive in late 2009 while the third would arrive by mid 2010.

Sources, however, said the project, which saw collaborative efforts from a range of nations and companies, ran into trouble during the integration of the plethora of European and Israeli origin systems, most notably the long-range, high-powered transmit/receive (T/R) modules, on the Russian platform.

One of the world’s most advanced airborne surveillance systems, the Phalcon’s Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar, permits 360 degree coverage, “tracking high manoeuvring targets and low-flying objects hundreds of kilometres away, under all weather conditions, in both day and night.”

The IAF, which is looking to order three more Phalcons, is planning to network them with other air and ground assets through data link and eventually the planned dedicated Air Force satellite that is to be launched by mid-2010. The Phalcons will be based at Air Force Station Agra.

Presently, the only platforms offering such capabilities in India in a limited way are the spy planes of the Research and Analysis Wing’s Aviation Research Centre and the IAF’s limited fleet of Israeli-built Heron and Searcher-II drones.



:: Bharat-Rakshak.com - Indian Military News Headlines ::
 
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JAISALMER: The Changed firing range in Jaisalmer was reverberating with loud explosions on Tuesday as the Indian Air Force showcased its firepower

as part of the Aerial Weapons Seminar, 2009.

During the exercise, the IAF fighters not only demonstrated their accurate and precise strike capability, but also displayed their amazing flying skills. Their mock strikes destroying radar targets, petrol pumps and bunkers laid in the field, left the audience spellbound.

With frontline fighters like Sukhoi-30, Mig-29 and Jaguar participating, the show had some of the best aircraft and pilots who hit the 12 specially erected targets with immaculate precision and produced a war scene at the firing range.

The day started with the fighters taking off from different airbases and hitting the targets in the border town. Some planes came all the way from Pune, Jamnagar, Uttarlai, Bikaner and Jaisalmer. While the Sukhoi-30 took off from Pune, it reached the firing range in minutes and the Mig-29 managed to break the sound barrier, vanishing to the skies in split seconds.

Witnessing the event were Lt Gen K D Singh, GOC-in-C of South Western Command and Lt Gen A S Lamba, GOC of 12 Corps, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral J S Bedi, among other high ranking officials.

Meanwhile, the border town is looking forward to the second BrahMos test-firing on Wednesday.

IAF displays strike power in Changad firing range-Jaipur-Cities-The Times of India
 
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