AEW&C Mk-II

Six commercial passenger jets are being turned into flying radar stations. Together, they cost more than Rs 19,000 crore.

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AEW&C Mk-II

DRDO’s next airborne radar fleet, built on 6 converted Airbus A321 jets.

6

Airbus A321 aircraft being converted into AEW&C Mk-II platforms

Rs 19,000 Cr

Programme outlay, approved by the CCS on 17 July 2025

CABS

Centre for Air Borne Systems, DRDO’s nodal laboratory

300°

Radar coverage from the dorsal-mounted AESA radar

2

Industry contracts signed on 22 July 2026

Two names, one programme: “AEW&C Mk-II” and “Netra Mk2” refer to the same system. Both are the successor to the smaller, EMB-145-based Netra Mk1, already in Indian Air Force service.

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Must Know

• AEW&C Mk-II stands for Airborne Early Warning and Control, Mark II.
• It is DRDO’s next-generation airborne radar programme, for the Indian Air Force.
• The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the programme on 17 July 2025.
• Its total outlay is about Rs 19,000 crore.
• The programme will convert 6 Airbus A321 aircraft, from commercial to military use.
• The Centre for Air Borne Systems (CABS), a DRDO laboratory, leads the programme.
• AEW&C Mk-II succeeds the smaller Netra Mk1, which flies on an Embraer EMB-145 airframe.

Good to Know

• The system uses a dorsal-mounted AESA radar, giving roughly 300-degree coverage.
• It adds a separate nose antenna, to extend detection further.
• Airbus Defence and Space supplies the base A321 aircraft as the original equipment manufacturer.
• AEW&C Mk-II aims to deliver longer endurance, better surveillance, and stronger command-and-control than Netra Mk1.
• All 6 aircraft are expected for delivery by the early-to-mid 2030s.

Test Yourself

Please wait…

1. The AEW&C Mk-II programme converts commercial aircraft of which type into military platforms?

Boeing 737

Embraer EMB-145

Airbus A321

Boeing 777

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Great to Know

• Don’t confuse AEW&C Mk-II with the AEWACS already in Indian Air Force service. That older, EMB-145-based system is Netra Mk1. AEW&C Mk-II, on the larger A321 platform, is its successor.
• “AEW&C Mk-II” and “Netra Mk2” name the exact same programme. Different sources use either term.
• The programme leans on both a foreign OEM (Airbus, for the airframe) and Indian industry partners (for mission systems). This reflects DRDO’s usual mixed model, not a fully indigenous build.

Current Affairs

• 22 July 2026: DRDO’s Centre for Air Borne Systems signed a contract with AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL), New Delhi. It covers converting 6 A321 aircraft from commercial to military configuration. (Source: PIB)
• 22 July 2026: A separate contract was signed with Adani Defence Systems and Technologies (ADSTL), Ahmedabad. ADSTL becomes the Development-cum-Production Partner for the Mission Systems. (Source: PIB)
• CABS and ADSTL will jointly flight-test the aircraft with the Indian Air Force. Certification will come from India’s military airworthiness agencies. (Source: PIB)