New Delhi. India inducted its Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) aircraft Thursday My 28th with Defence Minister A K Antony handing over the ceremonial key of the aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Built on a Russian IL 76 platform, the aircraft has sophisticated Israel-built electronic intelligence and control systems linking various Indian airborne and ground-based assets. Chief of Air Staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Air Chief Marshal F H Major said on the occasion that the warfare today demanded real time and precision strike capabilities, and that the acquisition of AWACS was a milestone in this perspective.

"For the real time control of combat assets we require real time intelligence which will be provided by the AWACS.

The AWACS will form and important part of command and control system and for increasing the transparency of the battlefield," he observed.

The Indian AWACS can also be refueled midair.

Mr Antony said that the government was alive to the requirements of the armed forces, and that it would do its best to replace their outdated weapons and systems. The Indian Army, Navy and Air Force have mostly Soviet-vintage equipment, needing both replacement and augmentation to match the contemporary environment.

IAF has formed a new AWACS unit, designated Squadron 50, which will be based at Agra where other IL 76 assets of the IAF, including transporters and midair refuelers, are based. There would be commonality of maintenance, Air Chief Marshal Major told India Strategic, adding that the aircraft also had more powerful engines than the other IL 76 aircraft. “The four engines on this aircraft are equivalent to six engines of the other IL 76 aircraft.”

Ambassadors of Israel and Russia were present at the ceremony as special invitees, and Mr Antony thanked their countries for cooperation.

The Aircraft has a large dome accommodating three phased array radar antennas which observe the surface and aerial environment in its 400km+ range in a 360 degree electronic scan mode.

India ordered a total of three AWACS in a $ 1.1 billion tripartite deal signed with Russia and Israel in 2004. The remaining two will come next year.

Air Chief Marshal Major said that it would take a couple of years to master the art of electronic surveillance and depending upon the experience, India would acquire some more aircraft.