Air Force may choose quick delivering US over lethargic Russians to fly AWACS

Late delivery can be quite a turn off and the Russian defence establishment may soon learn it the hard way.

Air Force may choose quick delivering US over lethargic Russians to fly AWACS

Late delivery can be quite a turn off and the Russian defence establishment may soon learn it the hard way.

For decades Russia has been the biggest arms supplier to India but late delievery and escalating costs have made India to look for better options.

The latest is the Indian Air Force desire to integrate its newly-acquired Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) on a better than the Russian warhose IL-76.

"The induction of AWACS got delayed due to the delay in the delivery schedule from Russia and though IL-76 is a formidable aircraft it's time to look for better alternatives," a senior official in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said, requesting anonymity.

Russian-made IL-76 are the largest transporters in the IAF and though they have proved their mettle with years of service, the defence ministry is keen on choosing aircrafts which promises timely delivery schedule unlike the IL-76s.

The two most important reasons behind the decision are the availability of better aircraft in the international market followed by the cumbersome delivery process from the Russia.

Defence Minister AK Antony, while officially inducting the AWACS into the Air Force, also made it clear that price escalation is in important issue in defence deals with Russia and other countries. "But real issue is timely delivery," Antony said.

"There is some improvement in delivery schedules due to constant monitoring from our side but it is a serious issue," he said.

Sources in the Defence Ministry said that the Brazilian Embraer and the Gulf Stream from the US are the frontrunners in the race to replace IL-76.

"These planes are comparatively smaller in size but are equally effective with more endurance capability," said an MoD official. Apart from that both aviation companies ensure timely delivery, he added.

However, the new platforms for the state-of-the-art airborne surveillance system will take some time as two more AWACS are yet to be inducted in the IAF as per the deal with Israel.

The next two AWACS, to be integrated on IL-76, are expected to join the force in another two years.

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