Motto | Meet the technological challenges of Airborne Surveillance Systems |
---|---|
Established | 1 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.
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)].
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]
An airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system is an airborne radar early warning system designed to detect aircraft, ships, vehicles, missiles and other incoming projectiles at long ranges, as well as performing command and control of the battlespace in aerial engagements by informing and directing friendly fighter and attack aircraft. AEW&C units are also used to carry out aerial surveillance over ground and maritime targets, and frequently perform battle management command and control (BMC2). When used at altitude, the radar system on AEW&C aircraft allows the operators to detect, track and prioritize targets and identify friendly aircraft from hostile ones in real-time and from much farther away than ground-based radars. Like ground-based radars, AEW&C systems can be detected and targeted by opposing forces, but due to aircraft mobility and extended sensor range, they are much less vulnerable to counter-attacks than ground systems.
The Raytheon Sentinel is a retired airborne battlefield and ground surveillance aircraft formerly operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). While based on the Bombardier Global Express ultra long-range business jet, the prime contractor for the Sentinel was the American defence firm Raytheon, which supplied most of the mission systems and performed the integration work.
The HAL Tejas is an Indian single-engine, delta wing, multirole combat aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy. Tejas made its first flight in 2001 and entered into service with the IAF in 2015. In 2003, the aircraft was officially named 'Tejas'. Currently Tejas is the smallest and lightest in its class of supersonic combat aircraft.
An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a type of phased array antenna, which is a computer-controlled antenna array in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the antenna. In the AESA, each antenna element is connected to a small solid-state transmit/receive module (TRM) under the control of a computer, which performs the functions of a transmitter and/or receiver for the antenna. This contrasts with a passive electronically scanned array (PESA), in which all the antenna elements are connected to a single transmitter and/or receiver through phase shifters under the control of the computer. AESA's main use is in radar, and these are known as active phased array radar (APAR).
The Embraer R-99 is the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) military designation of the EMB-145-RS. Various models of the aircraft have been produced to perform special mission duties, including the E99 for airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) missions, the R-99 for remote sensing, and the P-99 for maritime patrol.
The Erieye radar system is an Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&C) developed by Saab Electronic Defence Systems, formerly Ericsson Microwave Systems, of Sweden. It uses active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology. The Erieye is used on a variety of aircraft platforms, such as the Saab 340 and Embraer R-99. It has recently been implemented on the Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft as the GlobalEye.
ELTA Systems Ltd (ELTA) is a leading Israeli defense technology company specializing in designing, developing, and producing advanced electronic systems and sensors. A group and subsidiary of the government-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) offers an extensive product portfolio encompassing Radar, ELINT, COMINT, C4STAR, Electronic Warfare, Communications, Autonomous Ground vehicles and Cyber systems. The company's products are utilized by Defense forces, Homeland Security, and law enforcement organizations utilize the company's products worldwide.
The Combat Aircraft Systems Development & Integration Centre (CASDIC) is a laboratory of the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Located in Bangalore, Karnataka, India, It is one of the two DRDO laboratories involved in the research and development of airborne electronic warfare and mission avionics systems.
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.
Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) is a laboratory of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), India. Located in C.V. Raman Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka, its primary function is research and development of radars and related technologies. It was founded by S. P. Chakravarti, the father of Electronics and Telecommunication engineering in India, who also founded DLRL and DRDL.
The DRDO Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS) is a project of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation to develop an airborne early warning and control system for the Indian Air Force. It is also referred to as NETRA Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS).
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.
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.
The Indian Air Force has been undergoing a modernization program to replace and upgrade outdated equipment since the late 1990s to meet modern standards. For that reason, it has started procuring and developing aircraft, weapons, associated technologies, and infrastructures. Some of these programs date back to the late 1980s. The primary focus of current modernization and upgrades is to replace aircraft purchased from the Soviet Union that currently form the backbone of the air force.
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.
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.
The Tactical Airborne Platform for Aerial Surveillance Beyond Horizon-201 or TAPAS BH-201(Sanskrit: तपस्; lit. Heat) is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) being developed in India by Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) on the lines of General Atomics MQ-1 Predator.
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. It is a liquid cooled AESA radar featuring quad band modules that can be stacked to form a larger unit. This allows the manufacturer to scale the radar to be used in larger aircraft.
This article consists of projects of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).