Maarg Manthan · Topic 16.12

Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS)

Science & Technology › Defence Technology and Missile Systems · Topic 16.12

An Airborne Warning and Control System, AWACS, is an aircraft fitted with a powerful radar and communication equipment that watches the sky over a very large area, detects aircraft and missiles at long range and directs friendly fighters. The rotating or electronically scanned radar sits on top of the aircraft, which lets it see far beyond the ground based radar horizon and look down at low flying targets. The term Airborne Early Warning and Control, AEW&C, is the general name, and AWACS is the name of the American E-3 Sentry. India uses the Israeli Phalcon radar on three Russian Il-76 aircraft, called A-50 EI, since 2009, and the indigenous Netra AEW&C built by DRDO on the Embraer-145 aircraft and inducted in 2017.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Science & Technology · Defence Technology and Missile Systems

At a Glance

Function Detect and direct from the air
Indian A-50 EI Phalcon radar on Il-76, 2009
Netra DRDO radar on Embraer-145
Radar range Several hundred km
Developer CABS, DRDO
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Science & Technology: Defence Technology and Missile Systems

Where Does It Fit?

This topic follows the account of naval platforms. It moves to air power and covers the force multiplier that sees the whole air battle, which links with the next topic on the Kaveri failed)…">light combat aircraft. Previous topic: Naval Platforms: Submarines, Aircraft Carriers, Destroyers, Frigates. Next topic: Light Combat Aircraft.

What Is AWACS and How Does It Work?

Aspect	Details
Purpose	Airborne early warning, surveillance, and command and control of air operations
Radar horizon	A ground radar sees only up to the horizon, while an aircraft at 9 km altitude can see a low flying aircraft at over 400 km
Look down capacity	Pulse-Doppler radar picks out moving targets from ground clutter
Command role	The crew guide fighters, tankers and strike aircraft and share a picture through data links
Force multiplier	One AWACS raises the effect of many fighters because of better awareness
Signals intelligence	Some versions also detect radio and radar emissions
Vulnerability	Large slow aircraft are high-value targets and must be protected by fighters

What Systems Does India Operate and Plan?

Phalcon / A-50 EI: three Il-76 aircraft fitted with Israeli Phalcon radar and Russian airframe, bought in a deal of 2004 and delivered from 2009 to 2011; the radar is electronically scanned and can track many targets
Netra: Airborne Early Warning and Control System of DRDO’s Centre for Airborne Systems, CABS, Bengaluru. Mounted on the Brazilian Embraer-145. Active electronically scanned array radar with 240 degree coverage. Six aircraft in service with the Air Force since 2017
AEW&C Mk-1A: a bigger version with 360 degree coverage on the Airbus A321 with six aircraft; the Government cleared a plan for a purchase of this type in 2025, and details should be checked
Mission Sudarshan link: AWACS contribute to layered air defence
Navy: uses airborne early warning helicopters such as Kamov-31 and plans naval AEW systems
Others: United States E-3 Sentry and E-7 Wedgetail, Russian A-50, Chinese KJ-2000 and KJ-500, Israeli G550 CAEW, Pakistan’s Saab 2000 and ZDK-03
Network: inputs feed the Integrated Air Command and Control System
Use in conflict: AWACS helped in the Balakot airstrike response of 2019 and operations in 2025 according to media reports

What Else Should You Remember?

Active electronically scanned array: a radar with many small transmit and receive modules that can steer beams electronically without moving parts
Rotodome: a rotating dish on top of older AWACS aircraft
Data links: secure radio links that share target data
Embraer-145: a regional jet from Brazil
Air-to-air refuelling: Netra Mk-1A is planned with in-flight refuelling probe for greater endurance
CABS: Centre for Airborne Systems, Bengaluru, a DRDO laboratory that develops airborne radars and systems
Airborne Early Warning helicopters: rotary systems offer coverage for ships
Erieye: a Swedish radar on small aircraft that is used by Pakistan
Wedgetail: a Boeing 737 based system used by Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States
Endurance: AWACS stay in air for 8 to 10 hours or more
Crew: operators sit at consoles, detect, identify and assign targets
IFF: identification friend or foe system that tells friend from enemy aircraft
Electronic warfare: enemies try to jam AWACS radar
Anti-AWACS weapons: long range air-to-air missiles such as Russia’s R-37 are designed to hit them
Pulse-Doppler: measures target speed through frequency change
Link: fighter aircraft are in Light Combat Aircraft
Link to air defence: ground layers are in Air Defence Systems
Range figures: Netra detects fighter-size targets at about 200 to 250 km, while Phalcon covers longer ranges, and exact figures are not public
Kargil lesson: the 1999 conflict showed the need for better surveillance
Cost: each AWACS costs several thousand crore rupees, so numbers are small
Pairing with tankers: AWACS work with air-to-air refuelling aircraft to extend reach

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Function: detect and control
Indian systems: Phalcon A-50 EI, Netra
Developer: CABS DRDO
Current affairs link: AEW&C Mk-1A and Netra Mk-2
Common errors: saying Netra is a missile or built on Il-76

As an analytical point, airborne early warning is a force multiplier, and having many such aircraft improves resilience. Indigenous radars and platforms reduce dependence, but numbers remain small compared with the size of India’s borders.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Role Early warning
India Two systems
Plans Mk-1A

What Came Next?

The next topic covers the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. Next topic: Light Combat Aircraft.

Key People and Terms

AWACS Airborne Warning and Control System
AEW&C Airborne early warning and control
AESA Active electronically scanned array
CABS Centre for Airborne Systems
IFF Identification friend or foe
Phalcon Israeli airborne radar

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Phalcon on Il-76, from 2009.
Netra on Embraer-145, from 2017.
Developer: CABS, DRDO.
Netra radar covers 240 degrees.
Mk-1A on Airbus A321.

Do Not Confuse With

AWACS and AEW&C Brand name versus general term
Netra and Phalcon Indigenous versus Israeli
Rotodome and AESA Mechanical versus electronic scanning

Memory Hook

High eyes see far: Phalcon on Il-76, Netra on Embraer, CABS builds.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for names, platforms and developers. These points help.

Role Force multiplier
Indigenous Netra
Gaps Numbers

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Explain the role of airborne early warning and control systems in modern air warfare and India’s progress in this field.”

How to Answer

Role Early warning.
Mechanism Radar height.
India Two systems.
Gaps Numbers.

GS Relevance

Prelims: AWACS function, Indian aircraft, Netra, Phalcon. GS Paper 3: defence technology, air power.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is AWACS?

AWACS, or Airborne Warning and Control System, is an aircraft carrying a powerful radar and command equipment that detects aircraft and missiles at long range, and guides friendly fighters. Because the radar is high in the air, it sees far beyond the horizon of ground radars and can spot low flying targets.

What is the Netra AEW&C?

Netra is an indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control System developed by DRDO's Centre for Airborne Systems. It uses an active electronically scanned array radar on a Brazilian Embraer-145 aircraft, covers 240 degrees, and was inducted by the Indian Air Force in 2017, with six aircraft in service.

Which AWACS does India use besides Netra?

India also operates three A-50 EI aircraft, which combine the Israeli Phalcon radar with a Russian Il-76 transport airframe. They were bought under a 2004 contract and delivered between 2009 and 2011. The radar provides 360 degree coverage and a long detection range.

What is the difference between AWACS and AEW&C?

AEW&C, airborne early warning and control, is the general name for aircraft with a radar and command system. AWACS is the name of the American E-3 Sentry system and is also used loosely for all such aircraft. Both do the same job of detection and control of the air battle.

Why is AWACS called a force multiplier?

An AWACS gives commanders a wide, real time picture of the air battle and directs fighters, tankers and strike aircraft. This makes each fighter more effective, as they can intercept targets early and avoid threats. As a result, a smaller force with AWACS can match a larger force without it.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Netra is based on the Embraer-145 aircraft.

True

Developed by CABS.

2 The A-50 EI uses a Russian Il-76 airframe.

True

With Israeli Phalcon radar.

3 AWACS radar is placed inside the nose of a fighter.

False

It sits on a large aircraft.

4 Netra was developed by the Navy.