India's 'eye in the sky' Netra AEW&C system gets Final Operational Clearance

📌 Summary:

• The indigenous Netra Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) system was accorded Final Operational Clearance (FOC) on 25 June 2026
• Developed indigenously by DRDO's Bengaluru-based Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS); integrated on the Brazilian Embraer EMB-145I aircraft platform
• It acted as a force multiplier for the Indian Air Force in the 2019 Balakot strikes and in Operation Sindoor (2025)
• Mission suite includes an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), mission computer, secure communication networks, and electronic support measures (ESM)

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 (Science & Technology / Defence) — indigenisation of defence technology, force multipliers, and self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat) in critical military systems.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• AEW&C provides airborne radar surveillance, early warning and air-battle management ("eye in the sky")
• Netra is built by CABS, a DRDO laboratory in Bengaluru
• Platform: Embraer EMB-145I; key sensor: indigenous AESA radar

🔑 Key Term: Final Operational Clearance (FOC) — certification that a defence platform has met all performance requirements and is fully cleared for operational induction (it follows Initial Operational Clearance).