Driven by the growing demand of the armed forces for new aerial tankers, airborne early warning platforms, electronic warfare and maritime patrol aircraft, the Indian market holds substantial potential for manufacturers of special mission aircraft

Air defence capa bility of the Indian Air Force (IAF) received a shot in the arm in August this year with the delivery of the first of the three Embraer 145 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. In 2008, India had signed a $300 million ( Rs. 1,500 crore) contract for the supply of three Embraer 145 aircraft modified as special mission platforms. Apart from the price of the aircraft, the contract included modifications to the airframe for installation of the antenna and other systems developed by the Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The remaining two aircraft are to be delivered by 2013.

Special Mission Aircraft

Special mission aircraft all over the world employed by the military cover a wide range of roles to increase the effectiveness of forces deployed in combat operations. Special mission roles range from airborne early warning, maritime patrol and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) to commercial applications such as aerial photography, air ambulance, flight inspection and weather modification. Essentially, in the regime of military aviation, special mission platforms serve as “force multipliers” and constitute a respectable segment of the military aircraft market in the world.

A business jet or a regional transport aircraft makes a good special mission platform. When compared with large airliners, these offer excellent operational capabilities, lower acquisition cost and better fuel economy resulting in lower operating cost. Unless the payload for the mission requires larger cabins, a business jet would be the preferred option over larger aircraft.

Special mission aircraft may also be employed for alternative tasks outside their basic mandate such as for logistic support by aerial tankers or disaster relief by AEW&C aircraft. Special mission platforms are identified on the basis of the tasks undertaken and are categorised as follows:

• Aerial tanker
• Airborne early warning (AEW)
• Electronic warfare (EW)
• Electronic/signals intelligence (ELINT/SIGINT)
• Maritime patrol and anti-surface warfare
• Search and rescue (SAR)

The Indian Market

Today, India is one of the largest defence markets in the world. The nation is now embarked on a drive to modernise its armed forces replacing its outdated and ageing military hardware with modern and futuristic systems. This exercise would entail expenditure of billions of dollars over the next two decades. The Indian defence market has been offering lucrative opportunities to both domestic and foreign manufacturers of weapons and other supporting systems as India has been importing approximately 70 per cent of its requirement of military hardware. However, in the Indian armed forces, it is only in the recent times that there has been increased focus on the employment of special mission aircraft to enhance operational potential. The market in India for special mission aircraft is just about beginning to open up.

Aerial Tankers

In order to enhance the operating radius of its combat fleet and long-range strategic strike capability, in 2003, the IAF inducted the first Ilyushin-78 aerial tanker aircraft and today the fleet strength stands at six. In 2006, the IAF projected a requirement for another six aircraft for which as per latest reports, the Airbus A330 MRTT appears to have emerged as the preferred platform. However, there is still a possibility that selection of the Airbus-330 MRTT may not be endorsed by the financial authorities as it is considerably more expensive.

Airborne Early Warning

Airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft have now become an indispensable capability required for warfare and more so in the future, especially for a nation seeking to establish itself as an aerospace power. In the year 2004, the Indian Air Force (IAF) placed an order for three IL-76 heavy-lift transport aircraft from Russia mounted with the Israeli Phalcon airborne warning and control system radar at a total cost of $1.1 billion ( Rs. 5,500 crore). These systems would provide long-range detection capability to the nation’s air defence organisation. In 2011, the IAF has signed a follow-on contract worth $800 million ( Rs. 4,000 crore) for another two such systems to be delivered in 2015.

With the aim of providing the IAF with an option at lower cost though with a shorter detection range, as also to augment the fleet of five IL-76 based EL/W-2090 class systems that have long-range detection capability, in 2003, the DRDO initiated a project to design and develop an airborne surveillance platform jointly with Embraer of Brazil based on the proven Embraer 145 jet. The IAF already has five Embraer-135 Legacy business jets, four with Air HQ Communication Squadron for VVIP travel and one with the Indian Border Security Force.

Estimates are that to provide air defence surveillance on the western borders, the IAF would need a fleet of 18 AWACS and AEW&C aircraft in order to have the minimum number on station round-the-clock to provide gap-free detection and early warning capability. The IAF has so far only four such aircraft on the inventory i.e. three Phalcon equipped IL-76 and one Embraer 145 AEW&C aircraft. Delivery of six additional AEW&C systems ordered in October 2010 is to commence in 2015 and by the end of this decade, with two more Phalcon based, the total fleet strength would go up to 14.

Given the security scenario in the region and the emerging status of the nation as a regional power, the IAF needs to enhance its fleet strength of AWACS/AEWC&S aircraft to a minimum of 36 to cater to the possibility of outbreak of hostilities simultaneously on two fronts, i.e. against China and Pakistan. However, given the requirement of surveillance of the nation’s maritime borders and the huge exclusive economic zone, the IAF would need many more of such platforms. In June 2010, it was reported that the IAF was considering acquiring up to 20 additional systems over and above those already on order. Clearly, the IAF is moving forward there and would be opportunity for global aerospace majors engaged in the manufacture of special mission aircraft. Other possible contenders for the enhanced requirement of AEW&C aircraft would be the conformal airborne early warning (CAEW) G550 developed by Gulfstream for the Israeli Ministry of Defence and the Saab Erieye 2000 AEW aircraft. Apart from capability, cost will be an important consideration.