DRDO's Netra to be IAF's 'eye in the sky'

In a major step towards strengthening the country's indigenous defence capabilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday granted the final operational nod to the Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system -- an airborne surveillance and battle-management system that detects and tracks multiple air and surface targets over long distances.

This confirms an earlier Zee Business report. The country's leading business news channel had reported this development in December.

What is AEW&C? How is it used?

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the AEW&C system combines an indigenously developed Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar with advanced mission avionics.

Mounted on an Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft, it effectively functions as an airborne radar station. The system has been designed with close collaboration among the Indian Air Force, DRDO and industry partners.

DRDO said that the development marks a major step in the country's journey towards self-reliance in defence. DRDO is the country's premier defence R&D agency that functions under the Ministry of Defence.

The system has susccessfully completed its operational evaluation after it received Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) back in 2017.

According to DRDO, Netra is an indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control system developed by its Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) -- known for building 'eyes in the sky' for the military.

The Netra system is capable of detecting and tracking multiple air and surface targets over long distances. It provides early warning against hostile aircraft, drones and missiles, and identifies targets and guiding friendly fighter aircraft in real time.

Final Operational Clearance awarded in Bengaluru

On Thursday, DRDO handed over the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) certificate during a ceremony held in Bengaluru, Karnataka. The handing over of FOC marks a crucial step in inducting a newly-developed technology to the armed forces. The ceremony marked the Air Force's acceptance of Netra after successful trials.

The event was presided over by Deputy Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti, according to an official statement.

Former Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria (Retd), former DRDO Chairman Dr S Christopher, senior serving and retired IAF officers, DRDO scientists and industry representatives were present

An equipment, system or technology wins this certificate after successfully clearing a chain of required developmental and user trials before it is deemed fit for full operational use by the armed forces.

In the Indian Air Force, normally, it marks a formal sign-off that the aircraft or system is mission-ready, with prerequisite checks and balances, and reliability standards in place.

One of Netra's primary roles is long-range airspace surveillance, enabling the Air Force to detect aerial threats beyond the range of conventional ground-based radars and providing valuable reaction time for air-defence operations.

Netra proved operational capability during Operation Sindoor

Air Marshal Bharti appreciated the successful completion of the programme. Addressing the gathering, he spoke at length about Netra's operational utilisation and reliability during Operation Sindoor and the Balakot strikes.

He reiterated that indigenous defence technologies provide the Armed Forces greater flexibility to adapt systems according to evolving battlefield requirements through timely upgrades and modifications. He noted that the synergy among DRDO, IAF and industry partners has been central to the success of the programme.

Distinguished scientist and DRDO's Aeronautics Cluster Director General Dr K Rajalakshmi Menon outlined Netra's development journey and highlighted the technical challenges overcome during the programme.

Dr Rajalakshmi said system engineering played a critical role in planning and executing the flight-test campaign, ultimately enabling delivery of an operationally capable system to the IAF.

Distinguished scientist and DRDO Electronics Cluster Director General Dr BK Das described Netra AEW&C as a defining example of the country's self-reliance in defence technology and a significant contribution towards the government's 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India) vision.