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Friday, May 8, 2009

IAF to get first Phalcon AWACS on May 20


The long wait is finally over. IAF will get its most potent force-multiplier in the shape of the Phalcon AWACS (airborne warning and control systems), or "the eye in the sky'', from Israel on May 20. IAF chief Air Chief Marshal F H Major on Thursday confirmed that the first of the three Phalcon AWACS, under the $1.1-billion deal signed in March 2004, will be landing in India in the third week of this month, as was earlier reported by TOI. The Phalcon AWACS will bolster IAF's capabilities to detect and track troop build-ups or aircraft movements deep inside Pakistan, much further than ground-based radars, while flying well within Indian airspace. AWACS are primarily used for detection of incoming hostile cruise missiles and aircraft from hundreds of km away in all-weather conditions as well as directing air defence fighters during combat operations against enemy jets. "Phalcon AWACS, for instance, will be able to detect a two square metre target from over 200 km away. Bigger targets can be spotted from 400 to 500 km away. They will be based at the Agra airbase,'' said a senior officer. Under the March 2004 deal, the first AWACS was to be delivered to India in December 2007, the second in September 2008 and the third in March 2009. But the complex integration work of mounting the Israeli Phalcon early-warning radar and communication suite on Russian heavy-lift IL-76 military aircraft, under a tripartite agreement among India, Israel and Russia, led to the long delay. "The other two AWACS should reach India sometime next year. We have been awaiting them for quite some time now, having already exercised with the US and French air forces to get a feel of AWACS. Our teams have also been to Israel to get properly trained,'' said another officer. Incidentally, IAF and Navy are also on course to induct nine more Israeli Aerostat radars as a "follow-on'' order to the two such EL/M-2083 radars procured in 2004-2005 for $145 million. Aerostat radars, basically sensors mounted to blimp-like large balloons tethered to the ground, and AWACS together will go a long way in boosting air defence capabilities, making the country's airspace much more impregnable. India, too, is pursuing a mini-AWACS project indigenously. Under this, the indigenous AEW&C systems developed by DRDO will be mounted on three Embraer-145 jets, being obtained from Brazil for $210 million. The Rs 1,800-crore project, however, is running quite late and the first flight-testing of the AEW&C plane is unlikely to take place as scheduled in 2012.

18 comments:

isn't su30mki equipped with irbis e radar can do the same job which phalcon can

irbis e radar can detect 1 meter square target over 200km ,but su30mki is much cheaper to operate and much more survivable than phalcon

Simply, SU 30 MKI pilot and co pilot would be overwhelmed by the work, if they tried to do, what a dedicated Awacs crew job is. I wish, I could go into detail, but I am no expert in this particular area. I think AD and others will better explain it.

Very simple matter is that a phalcon can give us 360 degree radar coverage continuously which is not possible for ibris AESA radar, beside flight endurance of A-50E is 18 hrs. where for sukhoi it is 10 hrs.(maximum).

First of all let me say that currently uses NIIP N011M Bars passive electronically scanned array radar and it was speculated that SU-30MKI might start using the passive phased array Radar Irbis-E by 2010 for new build aircraft and later on current aircraft will be updated with IRBIS-E but now another option of AESA is explored for last batch of SU-30MKI
Maximally effective detection range for No-11M :
a. 245 km for RCS = 10 m2 target (F-15, Su-27)
b. 137 km for RCS = 1m2 target (F-16, MIG-29 SMT)
c. 78 km for RCS = 0.1m2 target (F/A-18 E/F, Rafale)
d. 45 km for RCS = 0.01 m2 target (NG stealthy cruise missies)
e. 25~30 km for RCS = 0.001~0.002 m2 target (F-35 A/B/C)
f. 14~21 km for RCS = 0.0001~0.0005 m2 target (F/A-22)
And these ranges will decrease in lookdown shoot down mode
In simple words, as Type99 have said that there is too many things going on and these can’t be handled by the just two man who have to control and navigate the aircraft and its weapons too. Phalcon Airborne Early Warning radar can stay in air for up to 10 hours without any need for air to air refueling due to improved engines and can hold radar that provides 360 deg coverage and lot of processing power and space for dozen or more operator with individual workstations. Beside radar Phalcon also have ECM and intelligence capabilities through passive means. It has rest area and basic facilities for the crew that can’t be matched by the Su-30MKI
So basically what su-30 offers is a very basic capability of forward controller incase a true AEW&C is not present and has no match for the capabilities of a AEW&C.

That are good information about the effective detection, did you have other detection rates?
from the greek erieye and the turkish AEW 737 ?

I want to make a comparison.

To, ASIAN DEFENCE -
From where you get these horrible information about the range of N011M ?

Well due to time webpage with direct link has expired by graphical presentation is still available at

http://www.ausairpower.net/0830-ASPI-Rebuttal-HR.pdf

i think su30 is able to carry 6 r37 missiles and N011 radar is able to provide guidance to r37 missiles

and if 10 su30 carry 60 r37 missiles and if those missiles are fired towards from 250-275 km
1
even after intense jamming if out of 60 missiles 10 can still hit hit its target that is AWACS ,this is my view

and an awacs must be costly than those r37 miisiles

To, anonymous at 4:38 PM -
My dear friend, N011M ables to engage only 4 missiles continuously, besides r-37's range is not 300 km., a sukhoi can be tracked by AWACS at a range 300 km. & the enemy will get enough time to counter(by SAM or fighters) sukhoi. In maximum times when AWACS gets threat signal it changes it's location .

ABHINABA is completely right as AWACS carries lot of passive intelligence systems along with its active radar and these passive systems can detect at almost twice the range of radar. Saab 2000 Erieye AEW&C able to incorporate high-speed dash with low-speed loitering capability, with inherent fuel efficiency that meets demanding AEW&C requirements for performing a 180-degree turn in less than 30 seconds with an endurance of more than 9 hours. It carries self protection system not to forget the fighter escort. Pakistan's aircraft has five on-board operator stations, versus three on modified EMB-145s and Sweden's two upgraded Saab 340s, a service ceiling of over 30,000ft (9,150m) and a mission endurance of 9.5h. It carriesSaab HES-21 electronic warfare suite comprising laser, radar and missile approach warners and countermeasures dispensers.Erieye radar provides 150 Deg coverage to each side of its conformal array.Saab-2000 AEW&C uses new-generation radar transmit/receive modules with 60% higher output allowing Saab-2000 AEW&C to have increased the AEW range of over basic Erieye design.
And india don’t have R-37

Some additional information about the Saab 2000 AEW&C
Virtually all of the radar components have been replaced since the Erieye was first fielded in 1996, and all of the computer systems are COTS-based for cost-effective and rapid upgrade. Power output is around 20 percent greater than it was previously, although power requirements, and thus cooling, for the mission system have decreased by 30 percent. The effects of improvement can also be seen in a 53-percent reduction in system weight and 78-percent reduction in floor space. At the same time, computing power has increased a hundredfold.Backing up the radar is a sophisticated Saab Avitronics HES-21 ESM/protection suite that uses interferometer antennas and digital receivers for highly accurate tracking and ranging of emitters. HES-21 data is fused with that from the radar to provide detailed tracking, and it can generate its own tracks at ranges greater than that possible with the radar. The system also includes a comprehensive self-protection function, automatically controlling the launch of chaff and flares.Although the aircraft are pre-owned, structural life is not a factor. The airliner was designed with an initial structural life of 75,000 hours, and on average, the fleet has used less than 20 percent. Based on typical use rates, the remaining life of the AEW&C is more than 35 years, with options for further re-lifting. Another point to be noted is the fact that Saab 2000 AEW&C will be operating at higher altitude then the Saab 340 AEW&C allowing it to detect over the horizon targets at longer ranges.

To, ASIAN DEFENCE-
Thanks for elaborate explanation about Saab-2000 AEW&C. Now, please compare those parameters with Phalcon.

ABHINABA I will do it before the end of next week

to abhinabha

My dear friend, N011M ables to engage only 4 missiles continuously, besides r-37's range is not 300 km., a sukhoi can be tracked by AWACS at a range 300 km. & the enemy will get enough time to counter(by SAM or fighters) sukhoi. In maximum times when AWACS gets threat signal it changes it's location
==============================================
su30 sees AWACS from 500km ,and yes r37 has range of 300km and how long it takes to fire 6 r37 ,and yes there will be more su30 to fight with fighters defending AWACS besides 10 su30
carrying r37

besides 6 r37 which weigh 4200kg su30 still has roome to carry upto 4 r77+2 r73
and if fighters defending AWACS come to counter those su30 which carry r37 then su30 still can engage them with r77 or r73

and if AWACS changes its location it can't out run r37 which is coming towards it at mach 6

su30 can engage 4 targets means it can 3 targets with two r37 per target

now if 20 missiles fired at each awacs and even 3-4 survive after heavy jamming and countermeasure it will make kill

for the same reason su30 carry more missiles with different types of seekers so that it can fire more missiles per threat to increase kill
kill probability


my main point is number matters because there are various counter countermeasures nowdays and to increase kill probablity against these EW systems one needs to fire more missiles per target

To, anonymous at 6:01 PM- In a realtime war as India & Pakisthan both will use PGM like BrahMos,Babur so both army's 1st target will be destruction of airfields that will host AWACS.It is true AWACS is used effictively where enemy lacks AWACS. In a war where both AF armed by AWACS will not use their AWACS close to border,but keeping a distance up to 100 to 150 km. with continuous updating from spy satellite, UAV etc.So, when a fighter will start for taxy it will be detected by AWACS & it will sent MRCA in the enemy airspace to shoot down it before locking the AWACS.

ABHINABA good points

I completely agree with your views here.

where is AWACS it may 20 today

Barring any last-minute hiccups, Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots will fly home the first of the three Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and
Control Systems (AWACS) on Sunday, making India the first country in the South-Asian region to have such a capability. "It's ready to leave on May 24 for Jamnagar," defence sources said here today. The delivery of the multi-billion dollar aircraft was scheduled on May 18, but last minute technical check-ups delayed its departure.

The AWACS will provide India means to track incoming missiles and look deep into the neighbouring countries under all weather conditions.

AWACS are primarily used for detection of incoming hostile cruise missiles and aircraft from hundreds of kms away in all weather conditions, as well as directing air defence fighters during combat operations against enemy jets. It also helps detect troop build up in hostile territories. With the induction of the Phalcons, the frontline IAF fighters like Sukhoi-30MKIs, Mirage-2000s and Jaguars will now be backed by "eyes in the sky" to look much beyond country's borders through direct data linking. The delivery of the first of the three aircraft, bought at a whopping price of 1.1 billion USDs, is almost a year and a half behind schedule. As per the tripartite deal between India, Russia and Israel, the aircrafts should have been delivered by the end of March this year.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/India-to-receive-first-Phalcon-AWACS-on-May-24/articleshow/4555588.cms

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