DRDO signs contracts with AIESL, Adani Defence for six AEW&C Mk II aircraft
New Delhi, July 23. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has signed two contracts aimed at advancing the indigenous Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) Mk II programme and strengthening India’s defence manufacturing capabilities.
The Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS), a DRDO laboratory, on July 22 signed a contract with AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), New Delhi, for the conversion of six A321 commercial aircraft into a configuration suitable for the development and production of the AEW&C Mk II system.
In a separate agreement, CABS engaged Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Limited (ADSTL), Ahmedabad, as the Development-cum-Production Partner (DcPP) for the mission systems being developed for the AEW&C Mk II programme.
The agreements were signed in New Delhi by the Director of CABS, the Chief Executive Officer of AIESL and the Head of Airborne Platform at ADSTL in the presence of Defence Secretary and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D, and DRDO Chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh.
Under the programme, CABS, with ADSTL as its development-cum-production partner, will be responsible for integrating the mission systems onto the modified AEW&C Mk II platform. The modified aircraft will be delivered by Airbus Defence & Space, the original equipment manufacturer.
CABS and ADSTL will also conduct flight testing of the AEW&C Mk II aircraft in collaboration with the Indian Air Force. The aircraft will subsequently undergo certification by the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification and the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance.
The AEW&C Mk II system, with CABS serving as the nodal laboratory, is expected to offer greater endurance, advanced airborne surveillance, secure communications, improved situational awareness and enhanced command-and-control capabilities. These capabilities are aimed at significantly strengthening India’s air defence architecture and enabling the armed forces to detect and respond to threats over extended ranges.
The involvement of Indian industry in the programme is in line with the government’s push for ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-reliant India) and is expected to contribute to the development of a stronger domestic ecosystem for defence innovation, research, development and manufacturing.
