Israeli Cabinet approves Phalcon sale to India

Indian and Israeli negotiating teams are said to have finished drafting the agreement according to which the Israel aircraft industries will receive an advance payment of some US$ 350 million after the deal is signed.

Sources here said Israeli Air Force Commander-in-Chief Major-General Dan Halutz is working out the ‘‘final technical details’’ with India on the deal, which will be concluded in the coming weeks.

Under the AWACS deal, the Israeli Phalcon radar is to be mounted and integrated on the Russian-designed Il-76 plane made by Beriyev Aircraft Design Bureau, a unit

of Irkut Aerospace Corporation.

‘‘We hope to sign the contract with Israel, latest by April,’’ a senior official of Irkut Aerospace Corporation said. Irkut also produces Sukhoi Su-30mki war planes for India.

The payment for the planes for the Phalcon system is to be spread over a number of years, Israel radio reported.

The Indian Air Force had tried Russian A-50 AWACS planes during wargames a few years ago, but later decided to go for the Israeli Phalcon mounted on the Il-76 platform with Russian control systems.