Manohar Parrikar to discuss next generation AWACS, French missile deal next week

NEW DELHI: The Defence Ministry is set to decide on going ahead with a Rs 5,200 crore strategic programme to develop a next generation of airborne warning and control systems (AWACS) that will act as a major force multiplier for the Indian Air Force (IAF), giving it a deep insight into enemy territory.

The large size AWACS programme, different from an ongoing Embraer-based airborne early warning and control system (AEWCS), is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation ( DRDO) and will initially be for two aircrafts, an order that will be increased after successful development.

Sources said that the strategic project is set to come up for discussion with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar at a key meeting this week in which DRDO will make its case for allocation of funds to go ahead with ordering a platform and initiating work.

The minister is also likely to discuss a partnership between France’s MBDA and the DRDO to develop a new class of Short Range Surface to Air Missiles (SR-SAM) under the much delayed Maitri programme.

The discussion will come days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Paris where the estimatedRs 30,000 crore programme is expected to be raised. The Maitri programme was first discussed as a government to government deal in 2007 but there has been little forward movement since 2013 when a Memorandum of Understating (MoU) was signed with DRDO.

On the AWACS project, a call will have to be taken on the platform that will be chosen. While the smaller AEWCS is based on the Embraer aircraft, DRDO requires a larger wide bodied aircraft for the AWACS programme.

Sources say that the only response that DRDO got to a tender for the project last year was from Airbus for the A 330 aircraft. A special sanction will be needed for the project to go ahead with a single vendor situation.