India quietly signs $1.4bn contracts for Armed Heron TP drones and AWACS with Israel amid tensions.



India quietly signed two contracts worth $1.4bn with Israel Aerospace Industries for the purchase of two
 additional Phalcon/IL-76 Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) valued at $1 billion 
and 10 Heron TP unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) during the recent visit of Israeli President Reuven Rivil 
to India.
The contracts were signed in New Delhi on 16th November in the presence of Brig. Gen. (Retd) Mishel 
Ben Baruch, Director, SIBAT, Israel Ministry of Defence and Indian defence secretary G Mohan Kumar.

An Indian Air force (IAF) official said the purchase of two AWACS has been pending for the past five 
years and the deliveries should be made within the next two to three years. “Phalcon AWACS are 
tremendous force-multipliers and we are having an excellent experience with them,” the official added.
A $400m contract for the purchase of 10 weaponised Heron TP UAVs was also signed with IAI. 
Deliveries to the IAF are expected to be completed over the next three years.
According to the IAF official, the Indian Heron TPs will have very sophisticated communication & 
intelligence systems, detection finders, signal parameters and emitter classification and geo-location 
capabilities, in addition to electronic surveillance measure for long-range automatic detection and
 identification of emitting targets. The official added that Indian Heron TPs will be capable of launching 
guided munitions and lightweight tactical missiles.

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