There’s been some frenetic activity at the Center for Airborne Systems (CABS) in Bangalore, where scientists are developing India’s indigenous airborne early warning & control (AEW&C) system. According to the latest DRDO newsletter, there has been a flurry of senior-level visits to the lab recently ostensibly to validate what’s been done so far, and right before the next big step is taken. The visitors included Air Vice Marshal Daljit Singh, Asst Chief of Air Staff (Operations) on July 17, Air Vice Marshal RK Sharma, Asst Chief of Air Staff (Plans) on July 22 and finally Air Marshal NV Tyagi, Deputy Chief of Air Staff on July 29. That’s quite a few visits in quick succession, and certainly suggests that CABS finally has something to “show”. A team from Embraer has been embedded with CABS ever since DRDO and the Brazilian aircraft and systems manufacturer formally teamed up back on February 5, 2005.
CABS Director Dr S Christopher writes in the latest issue of Vayu that the CABS/Embraer AEW&C aircraft is expected to be available and operational in 2012.
Photo by Shiv Aroor / Aero India 09
This is great news! But don't quite think the jets have been delivered yet. So it could be something on the RADAR front. Is the Brazilian team here to help us with RADAR too? I guess its here for the integration with the jets only.
Dear Folks ,
Kindky forgive me if I am hurting some feelings but have you read the TOI expose on the Insas Rifles and our hand grenades ?
According to the report, our tecnos do not evevn have the capability of :-
a) Changing the color of the rifle's "furniture" from its hidious existing " dogs excreta" color to a better camouflaged brown.
b) The sling breaks during training and the guns fall to the ground .
c) The magazine cracks on single fall.
d) The oil leaks during firing .
e) The night sights give a blurred vision
f) 30 percent of the grenades are duds.
So how can any soldier have any reliance on our engineers and scientists? All this talk of our own Aew/Awacs seems to be just eyewash.
Today I really felt ashamed at the callousness of our leaders, intelligencia and everyone who sleeps under the security provided by our brave jawans .
Dr. Christopher "LEE" has to deliver this time. unfortunately the top brass who makes a cerimonial visit gets fooled by power point presentations and some guest house lunches and exhibits of future fossil remains of so calles AESA elements , systems, subsystems. Nobody really bothers to do a realistic project review and try to catch the shortfalls.so another saga continues for ever!
Rome was not built in a day or a year for that matter. Patience is a key to advanced technological achievements. India, for all its folly, allows free media coverage of defense. No wonder that is bound to expose a lot of irregularities. United Kingdom, for instance, despite having phenomenal armed forces, faces similar problems of obsolescence, poor quality etc. Take SA-80 assault rifle project for instance. Add Nimrod project to that. What I mean to say is we Indians don't praise ourselves for good things we do. Determination, patience and self confidence are inseparable elements of a nations development. Let me tell you, I live in US and people here indeed praise India for the remarkable development of her IT, Nuclear fields and her solid, stable, secular government.
@dhagash
And still those MORONS call us SLUMDOGS.No big deal for u…or is it??
Don't compare Rome to defence equipments. Rome is a standard for anything we build unlike CABS.
@Shiv
Perhaps someone's kid might have passed some sort of exam at CABS.So these high-officials are going for sweets.U never know.
Ahh, great. Maybe we'll see this one operational in LESS than 20 years. One can only hope…
As usual Indian chest thumping at its best. Even before anything tangible is achieved they come out with their drivel.
Trumpet as much as you want after the fact. On successful completion of a project that has met all projected parameters, go on a road show if that is what you need to portray your excellence. BUT until then please spare us your nonsense.
As an Indian I feel embarassed whenever I hear of a project (eg. the Kaveri aero-engine) to have been completed after so many decades but still not inducted because it falls far short in requirements of the end-users.
I only wish GTRE was more like ISRO in its work culture and achievements.