The DRDO signed two major contracts on 22 July 2026, moving India’s Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) MKII programme into a decisive execution phase. The Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS) awarded AI Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) the task of converting six retired Airbus A321 passenger jets into green-configuration airframes while naming Adani Defence Systems and Technologies (ADSTL) as the Development Cum Production Partner (DcPP) for the mission systems. Together, these agreements bring the Indian Air Force closer to inducting six next-generation surveillance aircraft by 2032-33, dramatically expanding India’s ability to detect and track aerial threats over extended ranges.
What Is the AEW&C MKII Programme?
An Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system is a flying radar station. It carries a powerful radar mounted on an aircraft to detect enemy aircraft, missiles, drones, and ships from hundreds of kilometres away, well beyond the range of ground-based radars. It also acts as a command-and-control hub, directing friendly forces during combat.
The AEW&C MKII (also known as Netra Mark 2) is the successor to India’s successful Netra AEW&C system, three of which are already in service with the IAF. While the earlier Netra is mounted on the smaller Embraer EMB-145I platform and offers 240 degrees of radar coverage, the MKII uses the much larger Airbus A321 as its base. This gives it more space, power, and endurance, allowing for a more capable AESA radar that will cover nearly 300 degrees of airspace.
The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the project at a cost of ₹19,000 crore on 17 July 2025. The programme is led by CABS, a DRDO laboratory established on 1 February 1991 and headquartered in Bengaluru. CABS was originally set up to lead India’s first airborne surveillance platform project, Airawat.
The Two Contracts Explained
The contracts were signed by the Director of CABS with the CEO of AIESL and the Head of Airborne Platform at ADSTL in New Delhi on 22 July 2026. The signing was overseen by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, who also serves as the Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of DRDO.
AIESL Contract: Preparing the Airframe
AI Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL), headquartered in New Delhi, is India’s largest aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) organisation. It was formerly known as Air India Engineering Services Limited and was carved out of Air India before the airline’s privatisation.
Under this contract, AIESL will strip down six Airbus A321 aircraft that were previously operated by Air India and are now with the Air HQ Communication Squadron of the IAF. These airframes will be converted from their commercial passenger configuration into a “green” configuration. This involves removing all passenger seats, galleys, lavatories, and cabin furnishings, stripping the interior down to the bare metal. The aircraft also undergo structural modifications including bigger fuselage fuel tanks for extended endurance and additional wiring for military-grade systems.
The green airframes will then be sent to Airbus Defence and Space in Spain, which will modify them to full military standards before returning them to India for mission systems integration.
ADSTL Contract: Mission Systems Partnership
Adani Defence Systems and Technologies Ltd (ADSTL), based in Ahmedabad, has been designated as the Development Cum Production Partner (DcPP) for the mission systems. This is a significant role that goes beyond a simple supply contract. As DcPP, ADSTL will co-develop, integrate, and produce the electronic warfare suites, mission computers, communications systems, and radar subsystems that turn a stripped-down airliner into a fully functional battle management platform.
CABS and ADSTL together will integrate the indigenous mission systems onto the modified A321 platforms delivered by Airbus. They will also conduct flight testing alongside the IAF and secure certification from two airworthiness authorities: the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) and the Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA). The contract also covers integrated logistics, MRO, and technical support for up to 30 years.
What Does “Green Configuration” Mean?
In the aerospace industry, a “green” aircraft is one that has been delivered from the factory or converted back to a bare, unfurnished state. The term comes from the appearance of the unpainted metal or the protective green primer coat applied to the airframe. A green aircraft has no interior fittings, no passenger seats, no galley, no cabin panels, and no commercial avionics. It is essentially an empty shell with flight controls and engines.
For military conversion programmes, starting from a green configuration is standard practice. It allows defence engineers to install custom military-grade wiring, mission-specific avionics, operator workstations, secure communication racks, and environmental control systems designed for sensitive electronic equipment. Everything is built from scratch to military specifications rather than adapted from a commercial layout.
In the case of the AEW&C MKII, the six A321s will be stripped by AIESL, structurally reinforced by Airbus Defence and Space in Spain, and then returned to India where CABS and ADSTL will install the full mission suite including the AESA radar, command-and-control consoles, electronic warfare systems, and satellite communication terminals.
Technical Capabilities of the AEW&C MKII
The AEW&C MKII represents a significant generational leap over the existing Netra Mark 1 fleet. Its core capabilities include:
| Feature | Netra Mark 1 | AEW&C MKII |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Embraer EMB-145I | Airbus A321 |
| Radar Coverage | 240 degrees | 300 degrees |
| Radar Type | AESA (GaAs-based) | AESA (GaN-based) |
| Detection Range | 250-375+ km | 500+ km |
| Endurance | ~9 hours (with one refuel) | Extended with bigger fuel tanks |
| Target Tracking | Fighter-sized aircraft | Stealth, cruise missiles, drones |
The MKII’s radar uses Gallium Nitride (GaN) based Transmit/Receive Modules instead of the older Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) technology used in the Mark 1. GaN modules are more powerful, generate less heat, and are more reliable, allowing the radar to detect smaller objects at greater distances.
The radar configuration includes a main dorsal (top-mounted) AESA array plus a secondary nose-mounted antenna, together providing 300 degrees of coverage. This eliminates most of the blind spot that exists in the 240-degree-coverage Mark 1 system.
The AEW&C MKII will be integrated into the IAF’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), a nationwide network that links surveillance radars, air defence batteries, and fighter aircraft in real time. This integration allows threat data from the AEW&C to reach commanders and combat units instantly.
India’s Growing Network of Airborne Surveillance
The AEW&C MKII is part of a larger push by the Indian Air Force to build a layered network of eyes in the sky. Currently, the IAF operates three Netra Mark 1 systems (on Embraer platforms) and three Phalcon AWACS (on Russian Il-76 platforms, equipped with Israeli EL/W-2090 radars).
The Netra Mark 1 achieved Final Operational Clearance (FOC) on 25 June 2026, confirming that the system meets all Air Staff Qualitative Requirements and is fully combat-ready. On top of this, the DAC cleared the acquisition of six Netra Mark 1A aircraft in March 2025, which will also use Embraer platforms but with upgraded GaN-based radars and improved software.
The MKII programme, with its larger A321 platform, sits above these in capability. Beyond the MKII, the IAF has also issued a Request for Information for six larger AWACS-India aircraft with 360-degree coverage, to be mounted on Airbus A330 class platforms, representing an even more powerful tier in the surveillance hierarchy.
Together, these programmes will give India over 20 airborne early warning aircraft across three tiers within the next decade, a capability that only a handful of nations possess.
The Way Forward
With the two contracts now signed, the AEW&C MKII programme has moved from the planning phase to active execution. AIESL will begin the green-configuration conversion of the six A321s while ADSTL ramps up its mission systems development with CABS. The modified airframes will then travel to Airbus Defence and Space in Spain for military-grade modifications before returning to India for the final integration and testing phase.
All six aircraft are expected to be inducted into the IAF by 2032-33, with the first aircraft likely to be delivered for testing in the 2026-27 timeframe. Once operational, they will significantly strengthen India’s air defence posture along both the China and Pakistan borders, providing persistent surveillance and battle management over the Indian Ocean Region as well.
Key Takeaways
- The Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS) signed two contracts on 22 July 2026 for the AEW&C MKII (Netra Mark 2) programme.
- AI Engineering Services Ltd (AIESL) will convert six Airbus A321 aircraft from commercial to green configuration at its New Delhi facility.
- Adani Defence Systems and Technologies (ADSTL) was appointed as the Development Cum Production Partner (DcPP) for mission systems.
- The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the ₹19,000 crore project on 17 July 2025; induction of all six aircraft is planned by 2032-33.
- The MKII features a GaN-based AESA radar with 300-degree coverage, capable of detecting stealth aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones beyond 500 km.
- CABS, established on 1 February 1991 and headquartered in Bengaluru, is the nodal DRDO laboratory for the programme.
