Overview
- DRDO formally handed Final Operational Clearance for the Netra system to the Indian Air Force on June 25, 2026, certifying it for full operational use after years of testing and upgrades.
- Netra is an indigenous AEW&C package mounted on an Embraer EMB-145 that uses an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar to scan wide areas, detect and track aerial targets, and share real-time data with fighters and ground units.
- Officials say the platform has proven its utility in operations such as the Balakot strikes and Operation Sindoor and that the IAF currently operates two Netra aircraft alongside larger Phalcon AWACS.
- The FOC ceremony in Bengaluru included a formal dedication to the eight DRDO and IAF personnel killed in the January 1999 ASP test-flight crash, linking the milestone to a decades-long development effort that began under Project Guardian in the 1980s.
- Beyond the immediate certification, officials and DRDO leaders say Netra strengthens India’s ability to modify and upgrade airborne surveillance domestically, lowers reliance on imported systems, and precedes plans for a higher-end A321-based next-generation AEW&C.