Talks between Israel and India on the sale of three Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) Phalcon airborne early warning (AEW) systems mounted on the Ilyushin Il-76 are nearing conclusion, after US opposition to the deal relented.
"We hope to sign the deal by the end of this year," says an IAI source. Observers suggest Washington's about-face is linked to a change in US attitude and an improvement in relations after Israel accepted President Bush's "road map" for settling the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.
Israel recently managed to reach an agreement with Russia on the purchase of the Il-76 transports that will serve as the Phalcon platform. The AEW systems Israel plans to sell to India will be more advanced than the Phalcon version that was being developed for China, which Israel cancelled under intense US political pressure.
IAI will not release details of the system, but it is understood the phased-array antenna will be capable of detecting and identifying targets at longer ranges. The electronically steered array will feature an uprated antenna and transmit/receive modules for better performance. The Indian package will also include electronic and communication intelligence gathering sensors.
Source: Flight International
