November 21, 200718 yr From Jane's India prepares for significant delay on Phalcon programme 21 November 2007 India's USD1.5 billion contract to mount Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)-made Phalcon airborne early warning radars on three Ilyushin IL-76 A-50 heavy transport aircraft has been significantly delayed, official sources said. Defence officials conceded that a delay in the delivery of the first Phalcon airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform to the Indian Air Force (IAF) by nearly a year to September 2008 was another example of Russia's growing list of delays in supplying military equipment to India. Consequently, the induction of the remaining two AEW&C aircraft to the IAF in September 2008 and March 2009, in accordance with the three-year-old agreement with the IAI, has now been deferred to April 2009 and August 2010 respectively. An IAF spokesman in New Delhi declined to comment on the delays. Official sources said the delay was due to Russia's inability to upgrade the three IL-76s in time, a programme that includes strengthening their airframes and equipping them with more powerful engines.
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