JON LAKE

Russia's Beriev and IAI of Israel are reported to have agreed to collaborate on the production of three airborne early-warning aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

The final agreement is said to have been reached here at Le Bourget. The new aircraft, to be designated A-50EhI, will be produced by converting new Il-76TD transports powered by PS-90A engines. India is already a major operator of the first-generation D-30KP-2 -powered Il-76MD military transport.

India has a long-standing requirement for an AEW aircraft and was offered the A-50Eh, with wholly Russian radar and communications equipment. Two Russian Air Forces A-50s were even deployed to Chandigarh air base in India for extensive evaluation and demonstrations. But the Indians soon expressed a desire to obtain an aircraft with Israeli AEW equipment.

Beriev will fit out and flight-test three new Il-76TDs built by Ilyushin, designing and building the dorsal radome and all on-board communications equipment. IAI will be responsible for systems integration and for the installation of the Elta radar and its associated phased-array antennas. Deliveries are scheduled to be completed by 2005. The A-50EhI builds on work carried out on the aborted A-50I for China. This first Russo-Israeli A-50I contract was signed in June 1997 but cancelled last year - after the first aircraft had been delivered to Elta for integration - in the face of US pressure on Israel.

Source: Flight Daily News