Airborne Early Warning & Control: News & Discussion

[Cybaru]

So when does the procurement tender go out? EMB will need time to rework these platforms as well and make ready for DRDO...

[Avinandan]

Why do we waste time in looking for aircrafts elsewhere. We have 4 of them for Airforce VIP transport. Just use them up and replace the transports aircrafts with some other aircraft which are cheaper to operate.

Reference : https://khalsavox.com/news/two-decades- ... -overhaul/

[Vayutuvan]

And plenty of growlers

VKumar ji, what is a growler?

[Rakesh]

And plenty of growlers

VKumar ji, what is a growler?

EA-18G Growler ---> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_EA-18G_Growler

[Khalsa]

Are the Airbus based Mk2s on top of the Mk1A or has the order for Mk1A been scrapped ?

MK1–> EMB-145 (2+1)
MK1A—> EMB-145 (6)
MK2–> A321 (6)

MK1A may be more complicated because they have to find the spare EMB-145 airframes laying around the world that are trusted enough to be converted for this role

Hi KSingh. Thank you for clarifying Saar. Elaborate the trusted bit please. Trusted so they have not been pre-wired to spy back on us. or we trusting the age left in them. Why would we not go for new frames.

[SRajesh]

https://swarajyamag.com/defence/operati ... nd%20Spots
Wow!!
Is this really true!
If as per the article our 'Eye in the Sky' (our own desi Roti vision) is so poor that we actually lag behind the Jihadis, then how in the 'Bloody Jhumboodvipa' did we nanage to knock off the jihadi Eyerie!!
Are stil in the Bean Counting mode or Chai Biskoot mode vis-a-vis acquiring Desi Chapati or Jugad-Roti (and the Roti maker!!)

[Manish_P]

... then how in the 'Bloody Jhumboodvipa' did we nanage to knock off the jihadi Eyerie!!...

An AEWACs, even a small one like the Eyerie, is not exactly low observable. It has to fly high to do it's job, exposing it to detection and tracking by ground based radars.

[Prem Kumar]

The Swarajya article is scathing & accurate. It lays the blame on 2 key doctrinal blindspots of the IAF:

1) Choosing perfect over practical: instead of ordering more Netra-Mk1 (battle proven in Balakot), they let the Embraer line go idle and wanted Chappatti-radar on Airbus. Now, they are scrambling for after-market Embraer. And even now, they want an Mk1a, which will take more time to certify. They have also belatedly realized that Netra-Mk2 (Airbus) need not have a chappatti but a beam-mounted radar will suffice, which is practical. So, they were twiddling their thumbs in anticipation of a platform that was 3 steps ahead of where they were. It also betrays that the IAF has no idea of how incremental improvements & mass-manufacturing works. End-result: PAF is years ahead of us in AEW&C, which is shameful!

2) Choosing shiny-platforms over architecture: the MRFA being parroted like the Kalma by different chiefs. As if 36 Rafales will magically solve all our problems! Unable & unwilling to do better networking of our existing platforms, which would be a much better force-multiplier. As the article points out, our Mig-21s getting jammed due to lack of SDRs during Balakot is a crying shame. The IAF ran for emergency-imports of SDRs from Israel, as usual. Just like they are doing now for Rampage, Scalp, LORA and what-not

There are many more biases I can add: import-bahaduri, infinite trials, piecemeal ordering, lack of prioritization (losing BVR edge vis-a-vis Pakistan), lack of planning/reactivity, pathetic understanding of budgets, jock-mentality (why risk air-launched Brahmos, when ground-launched Brahmos & Pralay can do the same job?)

The IAF rightfully deserves a pat on the back for their brilliant conduct of Op Sindoor. But it will be found wanting against an equal/superior adversary like PLAAF in a protracted war. IAF's individual heroes repeatedly save the day for them (just like the IA), but they are institutionally messed up & suffer from poor leadership (again, like the IA). They don't come across as a serious warfighting sword arm of an emerging superpower. They sound more like petulant children

War is too important to be left to our Chiefs

[SRajesh]

^^^
Prem Kji
This is what flummox's me!!
All our retired War Lords come on this TV or that TV and pontificate about this achievement or the other.
Be it a Land-Lubber or Ocean-goer or a Air Warrior!!
Yet during their watch they let these happen and have no qualms about the mess that has been left behind for the poor fighters to make do with what they have.
And then we scramble to fight the PR war that the jihadis unleash!!
I defintely feel that RM is a bit ineffective in getting both the Defence Personnel and the Baboos to fall in line.
Late Mr Parrikarji had he been alive and controlled the R ministry for 10 yrs things would have been lot better
And Op Sindoor would have had lot more impact!!