By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service
Bangalore: India's foray into
developing a homegrown Airborne Early Warning Control System (AEW CS), being
built on a modified Embraer aircraft (EMB145 I), is seen as an ideal
opportunity to ward off conflicts.
The Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS), a Defence Research and
Development Organisation lab in Bangalore, has made inroads into the indigenous
development of systems for a compact AEW CS, which would complement the IL76
AWACS, currently being operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF).
"The EMB145 I will add more teeth to us (IAF) with our
network-centric warfare operations warding off any potential conflicts. Hence,
all our assets will now get a new dimension and their operations a new meaning
- be it on the ground or while flying," sources told The New Indian Express.
With the maiden flight of EMB145 I scheduled in Brazil on December
7, Embraer is ensuring stringent safety tests. One of such tests is to put
aircraft in steep drive or in a stall condition. Putting in stall condition
means to reduce the aircraft speed to such an extent that the aircraft will no
more sustain the flying and will start falling down. “When the aircraft starts
falling due to any reason, then it falls rapidly owing to the earth’s gravity.
Hence during the stall and spin tests, the test pilots then will have to
respond fast and reverse the stall process to recover the aircraft flight,” sources
said.
Hence in order to slow down
the diving of the aircraft due to stall or spin during the testing, the modern
aircrafts are tested with parachutes. These parachutes are deployed when the
aircraft enters into steep dive, which then slows down the dive process, giving
the pilots adequate time to increase the throttle, bring the aircraft out of
the dangerous dive process.
Tech marvel: Once operational,
the EMB-145 I will be a multi-sensor system providing for all aspects of
air-borne surveillance. Here is a quick glance at some of the features:
- · The primary radar (PR) detects, tracks and identifies targets, the other sensors carry out different functions.
- · The secondary surveillance radar (SSR) helps identify the target as friend or foe. The electronics support measures (ESM) provides the bearing and location of hostile emitters and analyses their characteristics.The communication support measures (CSM) intercepts communication signals and scrutinizes them.
- · The mission communications system (MCS) provides air-to-air and air-to-ground V/UHF voice and data channels.
- · The self protection system (SPS) warns of enemy radars as well as approaching missiles and offers countermeasures.
- · The data handling and display system (DHDS) facilitates total interfacing with the AEW&CS and deriving operational information.
- · The Line-of-Sight ‘C’-Band and SATCOM Ku-Band data links (DL) help inter-operate with friendly fighters, other AEW&C aircraft and air-defence systems on the ground.
- · The mission system controller (MSC), the heart of the AEW&CS, integrates data from all the sensors and facilitates the surveillance operations.
In In addition to CABS, the AEW&CS programme is pursued by a core team comprising various DRDO laboratories, including Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE), Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE), Defence Electronics Research Laboratory (DLRL) and Defence Electronics Applications Laboratory (DEAL) with close participation of Indian air force (IAF), Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) and Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA). Embraer, ANAC (the Airworthiness Certification Agency of Brazil) and a number of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for the aircraft are linked to the programme.
Copyright@The New
Indian Express
NAME INDIA'S EYE-IN-THE-SKY
While chasing the EMB-145 I story (post here), the blogger was informed by IAF sources that they have asked the DRDO to name the platform before it enters the Indian airspace next June. Tarmak007 invites its members and visitors to name the aircraft keeping in mind the role the tech beast would play, once operational. It has to be an Indian name and if your suggestion(s) is selected finally, you will receive some books in the form of prizes from the blogger. Email the names with your full address and telephone number to anantha.ak@gmail.com. Tarmak007 will forward the names to IAF/DRDO. (In the last two days, the blogger has received 65 names.)
