New Delhi: According to official sources, the government is on the final stage of approving the acquisition of two Phalcon airborne warning and control systems (AWACS) for the Indian Air Force from Israel.
The cost of the systems is estimated around USD 1 billion.
“The process of approval for two more Phalcon AWACS is nearing final stage,” a source told news agency Press Trust of India, adding that the proposal is expected to be discussed in the next meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).
The AWACS is mounted on Russian-origin Illyushin-76 transport aircraft and it is called an “eye in the sky” because of its superior surveillance capabilities.
The Phalcon AWACS is capable of tracking enemy aircraft, hostile missiles, movement of troops across the border without crossing territorial limits.