Key facts
- The Final Operational Clearance (FOC) ceremony for the Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system is set for June 25.
- The event will occur at the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) in Bengaluru.
- FOC indicates a military system is fully mission-ready after trials and validations.
- The Netra system integrates sensors on an aircraft for early warning of airborne and sea surface targets.
- India currently operates Netra AEW&C alongside IL-76-based Phalcon AWACS.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is set to declare the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) for its Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system on June 25 at the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) in Bengaluru. This clearance marks the system as fully mission-ready after completing all necessary trials and validations, following the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) stage.
The Netra AEW&C system is designed to provide early warning of airborne and sea surface targets, detect hostile emissions, and offer comprehensive situational information to controllers. The project involved integrating mission systems onto Embraer EMB-145 platforms, with all three aircraft already delivered in IOC configuration.
India currently utilizes Netra AEW&C systems alongside the IL-76-based Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS). AWACS platforms are considered force multipliers in modern air operations, enhancing surveillance, command and control, and situational awareness to support coordinated air defence.