The air force base in Agra is gearing to receive the first lot of three advanced Israeli Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).

The station has initiated construction of a new avionics lab and has elongated the existing runway to accommodate the new system. A process to integrate the ground has also begun.

“The sophisticated radar system is currently being integrated by the Uzbekistan-based manufacturers of the IL-76 plane. There are some delays to ensure that the aircraft functional displays do not disturb the radar readings once mounted on the IL-76 platform,” said Air Commodore Shouvik Roy, following his visit to Russia.

A team from Israel had recently visited the station

and expressed satisfaction over the preparations. The AWACS are likely to arrive in February 2009. “The air station will be fully prepared by November to receive the three planes,” Roy said.

The existing runway that is 9,000 feet long is being extended to 10,500 feet. Work is also going on in full swing to set up three new hangars. “Even after the arrival of the state-of-the-art radar warning system, our earlier radar systems will still be operational. Some of them will even be integrated with the new system to achieve formidable net-centric operational capability,” Roy added.

The air base is in the process of becoming the nodal centre for service of the AWACS and IL class aircraft.