Centre for Airborne Systems

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Centre for Airborne Systems
Motto Meet the technological challenges of Airborne Surveillance Systems
Established1 February 1991
Field of research
Airborne electronic systems
Director Dr K Rajalakshmi Menon, OS
Location Bengaluru
Operating agency
DRDO

The Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) is a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India. Located in Bengaluru, its primary function is development and evaluation of airborne electronic systems for military applications.

Contents

History

CABS was set up in 1991 to lead the Airborne Surveillance Platform (Airawat) project. Its task was to develop airborne electronic systems on a flying platform for early warning, command and control functions. [1] The programme was carried on until 1999 when the flying platform HS 748 crashed in Tamil Nadu killing all the eight people on board [4 from IAF and 4 from DRDO out of which two were from CABS (Mr P Elango and Mr Shaju)].

EMB 145 AEW&C project

Embraer and the Indian Government have signed a deal for three Embraer 145 AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) jets. The contract includes a comprehensive logistics package comprising training, technical support, spare parts, and ground support equipment.

The ERJ 145 platform, currently being used on Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions in Brazil, Mexico and Greece, will join the AEW&C programme under the responsibility of India's Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). [2]

On 17 August 2012, India received the first Embraer 145 Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft, built with Indian technology. It is claimed as a major breakthrough in mounting an electronic eye in the sky for India. [3] [4] [5]

The aircraft is fitted with Indian airborne Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, giving it the capability to detect missiles and hostile fighters at all angles. Programme Director, Christopher was quoted by the media as saying, "The new EMB 145 would have airborne Active Electronic Scanned Array (AESA) radar designed by DRDO’s Bengaluru-based Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS). DRDO will integrate other mission systems in India and deliver the aircraft to the Indian Air Force". [3]

Dr Elangovan, Chief Controller Research & Development of DRDO, said the aircraft was upgraded to have major capabilities such as "in-fight refuelling system, significant increase in electric and cooling capacity and a comprehensive set of structural changes to allow installation of advanced mission systems." [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surveillance aircraft</span> Aircraft designed for sustained observation over time by onboard persons or sensors

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Airborne early warning and control</span> Airborne system of surveillance radar plus command and control functions

An airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system is an airborne radar system designed to detect aircraft, ships, vehicles, missiles, and other incoming projectiles at long ranges and perform command and control of the battlespace in an air engagement by directing fighter and attack aircraft strikes. AEW&C units are also used to carry out surveillance, including over ground targets and frequently perform battle management command and control (BMC2). When used at altitude, the radar on the aircraft allows the operators to detect and track targets and distinguish between friendly and hostile aircraft much farther away than a similar ground-based radar. Like a ground-based radar, it can be detected by opposing forces, but because of its mobility and extended sensor range, it is much less vulnerable to counter-attacks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raytheon Sentinel</span> Airborne battlefield and ground surveillance aircraft formerly operated by the Royal Air Force

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Active electronically scanned array</span> Type of phased array radar

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Embraer R-99</span> Airborne early warning and reconnaissance aircraft based on the ERJ-145

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erieye</span> Airborne Early Warning and Control System used on a variety of aircraft platforms

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">EL/M-2075 Phalcon</span> Airborne early warning and control radar system

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The Airborne Surveillance Platform (ASP) is an Indian defence project initiated by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with the aim to produce an Airborne Early Warning System. Two prototypes were developed and flight tested for three years. The project was cancelled in 1999 after the prototype aircraft crashed, killing eight scientists and the aircrew. After four years of inactivity, the project was revived in 2004 with a new platform and radar.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">DRDO AEW&CS</span> Airborne early warning and control aircraft

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saab 340 AEW&C</span> Airborne early warning and command aircraft

The Saab 340 AEW&C is a Swedish airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft; a variant of the Saab 340 aircraft is designated S 100B Argus by the Swedish Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EL/W-2085</span> Airborne early warning radar system

The EL/W-2085 is an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) multi-band radar system developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Elta Electronics Industries of Israel. Its primary objective is to provide intelligence to maintain air superiority and conduct surveillance. The system is currently in-service with Israel, Italy, and Singapore, and in the future, the United States.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">EL/W-2090</span> Airborne early warning and control radar system

The IAI EL/W-2090 is an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) radar system developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Elta Electronics Industries of Israel. Its primary objective is to provide intelligence to maintain air superiority and conduct surveillance. The system is currently in-service with the Indian Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GlobalEye</span> Type of aircraft

GlobalEye is a multi-role airborne early warning & control (AEW&C) platform from Swedish defence and security company Saab. GlobalEye consists of a suite of sensors using Saab's Erieye ER radar and mission system, installed in the Bombardier Global 6000/6500 long-range business jet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uttam AESA Radar</span> Indias indigenous AI AESA Radar programme.

Uttam is a solid-state gallium arsenide (GaAs) based active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar under development by the Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), a laboratory of the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is a low probability of intercept radar intended to be installed on the HAL Tejas Mark 1A, HAL Tejas Mark 2 and HAL TEDBF aircraft with plans to implement a larger and more powerful variant on-board India's 5th Generation fighter aircraft, HAL AMCA.

This article consists of projects of the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

References

  1. John Pike (12 January 1999). "Airborne Surveillance Platform". Globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  2. "India's flying Testbeds". Acig.org. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 "India gets first Embraer jet with Indian airborne radar tech" . Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  4. "India gets first Embraer jet with Indian airborne radar tech". 17 August 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  5. "DRDO takes delivery of aircraft designed for AEW&C". Business Standard. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2018.