Article Posted on : - Jul 29, 2009

A File Photo

BANGALORE (BNS): The Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) at Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is all set to develop a low-cost indigenous radar system on the lines of the Israeli Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), a media report said.

The Economic Times Wednesday said that they are also in the process of developing an indigenous radar system - the airborne early warning and control system (AEWC&S) - which can be used to develop radar similar to AWACS.

"DRDO is equipped to develop an indigenous radar system at substantially low-cost by using developed for indigenous AEWC&S," the daily quoting a CABS official said.

The indigenous AEWC&S will be mounted on three Embraer-145 jets, being obtained from Brazil for $210 million. The Rs 1,800-crore AEWC&S or 'Eye in the sky' is scheduled for delivery by 2011.

CABS and its other work centres at DRDO are taking the help of around 50-60 SMEs and PSUs to develop the system. Some of these include Astra Microwave, Alligator Designs, Mistral Solutions, CMC, BEL, BDL, Chaturvedi Tools, SM Creative, Cornett, Data Patterns and Ayur.

In order to help CABS optimise the time and cost involved for integrating and evaluating the AEWC&S, it is looking to engage foreign partners like Israel's Elta, European EADS, Sweden's Saab Erikson and the US' Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, the report said.