Air strikes on JeM camps: How IAF's Made in India eye in the sky 'Netra' guided Mirage 2000s, kept tab on Pak jets

In response to the terror attack in Pulwama twelve days ago that killed 40 CRPF soldiers, top decision makers in the Government green lit an air operation to conduct aerial strikes on Pakistan Army supported terrorist camps, particularly that of the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camp in Balakot deep inside Pakistani territory in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. 

Once the formation of 12 Mirage aircraft took off from their respective locations in Agra and Gwalior, another support formation of Sukhoi fighter jets took to the air to defend Indian air space if the need arose.

AWAC (Advanced warning and control system) aircrafts led by the indigenous Netra played a significant role as well with their radars pinpointing position and activity of Pakistani fighter aircraft on all their bases and gave a go-ahead to the Indian planes to get a window to penetrate inside Pakistani air space.

(Photo: PTI)

'Netra' is an indigenously developed airborne early-warning and control system aircraft 'Netra' with state-of-the-art early warning radar and a host of advanced electronic warfare equipment. It is a multi-sensor early warning system for the IAF for target acquisition and surveillance.

The DRDO started working on the development of Netra in 2007 and delivered the first system in 2017. It was developed at a cost of Rs. 2,460 crore. The DRDO terms Netra an eye in the sky.

(Photo: MOD)

The primary sensor of the Netra are: the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, Mission Sub-Systems like Identification Friend or Foe, Electronic Support Measures, Communication Support Measures, Line-of-Sight and SATCOM Data Links, etc. These contemporary technologies make AEW&C India a world-class surveillance system. It is mounted on a Brazilian Embraer-145 jet.

(Photo: PTI)

The Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) System was developed by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), a laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) headed by woman scientist J Manjula. It was developed with the well-coordinated efforts of DRDO, IAF, DGAQA, CEMILAC, and a large network of national R&D and industrial establishments.

(Photo: DRDO)

Netra has the capability to detect hostile missiles and jets at land, sea and air within the range of 200 kms. DRDO sources say that the Netra can track targets 450-500 km deep into enemy territory without crossing the border. When in the air, the state-of-the-art AEW&C system has an almost 120-degree view of the enemy territory.

It does not carry any active cameras but can intercept all electronic signals which can be beamed back to the command centre. The plane can accommodate five flight controllers who can directly communicate with ground controllers and airborne pilots as they fly towards the target, an NDTV report said. The plane can fly for five hours at a stretch and can stay airborne for nine hours with air-to-air refuelling.

(Photo: DRDO)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) inducted the first Netra at the Aero India 2017 in Bengaluru. The IAF currently has two Netra planes and will soon acquire the third one which is undergoing tests ad DRDO facility which is upgrading the system further. 

(Photo: DRDO)