Sixteen years ago, India purchased from Israel three Phalcon AWACS developed by Israel Aerospace Industries. The $1.1 billion deal was inked in 2004 and the aircraft delivered in 2009 and 2011. Next week, the Indian Cabinet is expected to approve another such deal, valued at around $1 billion.
The Israeli airborne warning and control system is mounted on Russian-origin Illyushin-76 transport aircraft. Experts call the plane an eye in the sky because of its surveillance capabilities for tracking enemy aircraft, hostile missiles, drones and troops on the ground.