BY : TNN

The Indian Air Force appears to be optimistic about acquiring the Phalcon AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) this year.

Significantly, the $1.1 billion deal for the systems was signed with Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) way back in 2004.

"The IAF is hopeful of getting delivery of the first of the three Phalcon systems this year, probably by September," PK Barbora, AOC-in-C, Western Air Command, told TOI on the sidelines of a press conference on Tuesday.

Earlier, the delivery was scheduled for last November. Barbora's statement is significant given the backdrop of the Phalcon deal coming under the defence ministry scanner following some reports in a section of the Israeli media suggesting a "kickbacks" angle.

It is relevant to mention here that the CBI is already probing alleged kickbacks paid in the multicrore rupee Barak antimissile defence system contract. Incidentally, Barak too is an Israeli system.

As many as three Phalcon systems are being mounted on Russian heavy-lift IL-76 military aircraft under a tripartite agreement between India, Israel and Russia. The systems have been touted as "eyes in the sky" that can detect hostile missiles and aircraft much before ground-based equipment.

Barbora stated the Western Air Command would get two squadrons of Sukhoi fighters by 2010. He also accepted there was a shortage of nearly 1,200 pilots in the IAF due to their exodus to commercial aviation. However, trying to dispel apprehensions, he asserted most of the pilots who quit the force were no longer in the "active mode".

"Most of the pilots were past the stage of active flying. As such there is no emergency before the IAF," he said.
When questioned about any specific "alert" given the situation in Pakistan, the officer said there was no heightened state of alert and only some "sensors" (read intelligence sources) had been activated.

Importantly, the IAF has been invited for the first time to attend the prestigious 'Red Flag' exercise in the United States, in which NATO countries will take part.