Context: India’s indigenous Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system has received Final Operational Clearance (FOC) after years of development and operational use. The milestone confirms its full operational capability and paves the way for induction of more advanced indigenous AEW&C aircraft.
Explanation:
- Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) is a flying radar station that detects, tracks, identifies and monitors enemy aircraft, drones, cruise missiles and other airborne threats over long distances while simultaneously directing friendly air operations.
- Unlike ground-based radars, AEW&C aircraft fly at high altitude, enabling them to detect low-flying aircraft beyond the radar horizon created by the Earth’s curvature.
- AEW&C acts as a force multiplier, providing early warning, surveillance, command and control, battle management and supporting network-centric warfare.
- Major AEW&C/AWACS systems include the E-3 Sentry (USA/NATO), Saab Erieye/GlobalEye (Sweden), KJ-2000/KJ-500 (China), A-50 Mainstay (Russia) and E-2 Hawkeye (USA Navy).
- Netra AEW&C has been developed by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is mounted on the Brazilian Embraer EMB-145I aircraft platform.
- India is among a select group of countries possessing indigenous AEW&C capability and is developing larger Netra Mk-1A systems to further strengthen long-range aerial surveillance.
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