Netra AEW&C system. (Photo: IAF)
New Delhi: In what is seen as a major milestone for India’s indigenous airborne surveillance capabilities, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is set to grant final operational clearance (FOC) for the Netra airborne early warning-and-control (AEW&C) system to the Indian Air Force at a ceremony in Bengaluru on June 15.
The event will be held at the DRDO’s Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), marking the culmination of a long development and evaluation process for one of India’s most important airborne force-multiplier programmes.
The Netra AEW&C system is India’s indigenous airborne surveillance platform designed to provide early warning, situational awareness, and command-and-control capabilities during air operations. Mounted on the Brazilian-made Embraer EMB-145 regional jet, the aircraft has been equipped with Indian-developed radar, mission systems, communication suites, and electronic-support equipment.
The IAF has already inducted three Netra aircraft in an initial operational configuration. The award of FOC will formally certify the platform for full operational employment after the successful completion of all developmental, validation, and user trials.
Read also: India plans major boost to Indian Air Force’s airborne early warning fleet
What is final operational clearance?
FOC signifies that the armed forces are satisfied with the system’s performance and that it has met all operational requirements laid down by the user. The certification follows extensive testing of various mission-critical subsystems, including software-defined radios, radar warning receivers, and other avionics and mission equipment.
The IAF remained closely associated with the programme throughout its development, contributing to the refinement of operational requirements and performance parameters.
The Netra AEW&C serves as an airborne surveillance and battle-management platform capable of detecting and tracking airborne as well as maritime targets at long ranges. Equipped with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the aircraft can generate a comprehensive air picture and relay real-time information to airborne controllers and ground-based command centres.
In addition to surveillance, the platform integrates electronic-support measures and secure communication systems, enabling it to coordinate air operations and enhance network-centric warfare capabilities. Such aircraft significantly extend an air force’s situational awareness beyond the reach of ground-based radar networks and are considered critical assets in modern air warfare.
Next-generation Netra
The FOC milestone comes as India simultaneously pursues a more capable successor under the Netra-Mk2 programme.
In July last year, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved a ₹19,000 crore project for the development and induction of six next-generation AEW&C aircraft based on the Airbus A321 platform. The larger airframe will allow the integration of more powerful mission systems and radar arrays than those carried by the EMB-145-based Netra fleet.
The proposed Netra-Mk2 aircraft are expected to feature advanced AESA radar systems offering near-360-degree coverage and substantially enhanced detection ranges. The larger platform is also expected to provide greater endurance, expanded mission capabilities, and improved operational flexibility, strengthening the IAF’s airborne surveillance and command-and-control architecture in the coming years.
The impending grant of FOC to the current Netra fleet represents a major achievement for India’s indigenous defence aviation ecosystem and provides the IAF with a fully certified homegrown airborne early-warning capability as development of the next-generation system gathers pace.
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