Indian Air Force (IAF): News

Upgraded models to sport longer range radars; have improved tactical awareness

Antoine Caput, Vice-President and Country Director (India) of Thales, has said the $2.5 billion-project to upgrade 51 Mirage 2000 fighter jets for the Indian Air Force is going as per schedule and four upgraded jets have been already delivered.

In an interview with BusinessLine, he said the firm is keen to make India its global manufacturing hub and the joint venture with Bharat Electronics (BEL) is progressing well. Excerpts:


How has the progress of upgradation of the ageing Mirage 2000 aircraft been so far? Is it on track?

The project began in July 2011 and since then, Thales and Dassault Aviation have both been working on the upgradation of IAF’s Mirage 2000 fleet.

Four upgraded Mirage 2000 have been delivered to the IAF and the rest of the fleet is being upgraded by HAL with the support of Dassault Aviation and Thales teams as per the contract.

Will this upgrade enhance Air Force’s combat capabilities?

The Mirage 2000’s capabilities will be significantly enhanced and the IAF will have a capable and potent platform for the next 20 years. The upgraded Mirage 2000s will sport longer range radars and improved tactical situation awareness.

They will also have longer-range weapons to engage simultaneous targets with greater stealth. The improved fighters will have an extended operating envelope, with the capability to engage ground targets whilst countering airborne threats.

Recently, the top brass of the IAF expressed concerns over delay in the project. What was the issue?

It is on track, as per schedule. We are working with all partners and in case of any challenge, we will address them as per the contract.

Thales is a significant supplier to Dassault Aviation for Rafale combat jets. However, the $9-billion deal with the Indian government is stuck over pricing. Is that frustrating?

We are committed to India and our partners working with the Indian government. We understand each country’s situations and hence, the rules and laws are different.

Are you keen to make India an exporting hub, since Thales already has more than 30 medium-to-big sub-contracted suppliers for certain hardware components?

We are considering India as a key market for the group. We have developed a network of local partners to primarily address Indian needs. India is rich in engineering, human talent and certainly a source of competitiveness, for our group to grow. Hence, we aim at working for India and from India to extend our global performance and presence.

How much does your India business contribute to your annual revenues? Do you see it growing in the next foreseeable future?

We do not provide region-wise break-up of our revenues. However, what we can say is that we are very excited about India as it provides enormous opportunities across defence, aerospace, ground transportation and urbanisation.

We believe in ‘Make in India’ as it complements our own vision of ‘Go to India’. We will continue to respond to market requirements, build a strong ecosystem of partners and support the process of transforming India into a global manufacturing hub.

What is the current status of your JV with Bharat Electronics (BEL) on ground radars?

The JV with BEL was formed in August 2012 and formally incorporated as BEL-Thales Systems Limited in August 2014.

It is dedicated to the design, development, marketing, supply, and support of civilian and select military ground-based radars for India and global markets. While Thales holds 26 per cent equity, BEL holds the rest of the stake.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/mirage-2000-upgrade-for-air-force-on-track/article8476332.ece

A bit more on the trip to Alaska

2016/04/12 AIRheads/EH Leave a comment

Portugal welcomed some rare birds last week, as four Indian Sukhoi Su-30 Flankers and four Sepecat Jaguars landed at Beja airbase. The fighter jets were accompanied by two Ilyushin Il-78 tanker aircraft and two C-17 Globemasters whole on their long, long way to Alaska for exercise Red Flag.

India is sending the aircraft plus a contingent of 150 personnel to the prestigious military exercise within the framework of military cooperation between New Delhi and Washington. The last time India attended Red Flag was in 2008. Then, only Su-30s were involved and the stage was not Alaska, but Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

http://airheadsfly.com/2016/04/12/impressive-indian-stop-over-in-portugal/

New Super Hercules squadron to become operational at Panagarh from May

The 87 Squadron of Indian Air Force (IAF) will formally become operational at Air Force Station Arjan Singh in Panagarh on May 5 in the presence of IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha. This was announced by Air Marshal C Hari Kumar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, at the air base on Friday. The 87 Squadron will be the second one in the IAF to comprise C-130J Super Hercules aircraft. The first squadron is based at Hindon near Delhi.

"The additional C-130J aircraft will be coming in from April, 2017. All construction work, including hangers, will be completed by the end of this month and the squadron will become operational on May 5. The Super Hercules are strategic assets and Panagarh is the perfect location for them as it is deep inside the hinterland. As the newly raised Mountain Strike Corps of the Army is also headquartered in Panagarh, the location of this base is extremely crucial. Lockheed Martin has been contracted to build the hangers and other infrastructure for the aircraft. They are being constructed as per US standards," Hari Kumar said.

The AOC-in-C was in Panagarh to rename Air Force Station Panagarh as Air Force Station Arjan Singh in honour of the first and only Marshal of the Air of the IAF. Singh turned 97 on Friday. This is the first time that an operating air base in the country is being named after a personality, that too living. According to Hari Kumar, it is a proud moment for the base as well as West Bengal, Singh being an icon and a guide to all those who join the air force.Facilities at AFS Arjan Singh will be unlike most other air bases in the country.



Though the Super Hercules is classified as a transport aircraft, it is utilized as a tactical asset by defence forces across the globe. One of its most important features is the aircraft's ability to take off and land from airfields that have runways of shorter length. This makes the aircraft ideal for take-off and landing from several of IAF's Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in the northeastern states, close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).


The hangers being constructed by Lockheed Martin are not normal ones. According to a source, they have space in the basement where Special Forces personnel can stay and train till they are ordered for operations. As the troops are based directly below the aircraft they are to use with all equipment, valuable time is not wasted when deployment for a Special Operation becomes necessary. The aircraft can take off at a moment's notice. While the 'Veiled Vipers' squadron based at Hindon takes care of operations in the western sector, the new one at Panagarh will deal with threats in the east.


Hari Kumar would not give out details but said that the facilities are advanced. No wonder, a lot of impetus is is on security. "This is quite natural. When one builds a house today, it has better features than one built several years ago. We have taken lessons from the Pathankot incident. We have not only refreshed our training but increased reliance on technology. We also have better tie-ups with agencies like the Army, central paramilitary forces and the police. We have also managed to get the local population on our side to keep a watch out for suspicious movement," the AOC-in-C added.

The Indian Air Force has prepared a 10-year modernisation plan that identifies technologies and services that it requires and is set to share it with the private sector. But just 10-15% of the over Rs 2.5 lakh crore projected acquisitions are expected to be from domestic manufacturers.




The plan is to share details of its requirements — from aircraft tyres to rotor blades and 3D printing technology, with specific quantities needed over 10 years — to enable private sector players to set up manufacturing facilities and replace imports.The Indigenisation Roadmap (2016-2025), which is set to be released at a CII event on Tuesday, also lists out 174 parts — from subsystems for Jaguar fighter aircraft to parts and spares for the An 32 transport fleet — that are in dire need of being indigenised.

The roadmap, a copy of which has been accessed by ET, says the concept of indigenisation is being transformed from being dependent on public sector units to “participative collaboration with Indian industry”.

On the anvil are acquisition projects worth more than Rs 2.5 lakh crore, it says. “Unfortunately, only 10-15% of these are expected to be from indigenous sources as the technologies needed are not available indigenously.” The report lists maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) as a major area for industry participation, as “creating a defence MRO in private sector has not only become a reality but it is also well facilitated by liberal government policies”.

The areas that the private sector can contribute in MRO range from airframe and aero engines to airfield safety systems like crash tender and arrester barriers, it says. The paper suggests a cluster of industries — particularly of micro, small and medium enterprises — to be set up to meet the needs of the air force.

“There is a huge potential for indigenisation of capital equipment as well as maintenance spares in IAF.

Economic and optimal exploitation of this potential by Indian industry can lead to greater self-reliance,” the paper says.

On future technologies needed, there is a detailed chapter that lists out requirements, from modern 3D printing technology to advanced weaponry and sensors where the private sector may have opportunity to collaborate.


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/indian-air-force-prepares-10-year-modernisation-plan/articleshow/51870418.cms

Ukraine wants to enter the lucrative market to upgrade India’s Soviet era weaponry, but New Delhi must stay away from this dysfunctional country.

A year after the fiasco of losing five IAF aircraft sent to Ukraine for upgrades, the dysfunctional country is making a renewed pitch to re-enter the Indian defence sector. At the recently concluded Defexpo in Goa, Perto Fedoruk, chief adviser to Ukraine’s largest defence industry consortium, Ukroboronprom, offered to break the “Russian monopoly” in the maintenance and upgrade of India’s Soviet era weapons system.

Considering that the overwhelming majority of India’s defence hardware is of Soviet origin, their future refurbishment could translate into tens of billions of dollars. Ukraine’s defence industry, which has been hit hard by the ongoing civil war in the country, would no doubt like a slice of this pie.

But are the Ukrainians in a position to serve India’s growing and increasingly complex requirements? For, currently they can’t even serve the needs of tiny Croatia.

According to a report in Croatia’s Jutarnji List, the country’s military police is conducting a major investigation into the refurbishment of MiG-21s, which were bought and refurbished in Ukraine. Initial investigations have revealed a number of irregularities and there is suspicion that bribes were paid.

The refurbished MiG-21s were handed over to the Croatian Air Force (CAF) in July 2015 and, ever since the planes arrived, problems started to emerge. Eight months later the CAF has just three planes available for operations, while five are not operational. What seems to have happened is fraud and duplication on a brazen scale. The serial numbers on the MiGs have been changed and the parts that were changed do not match the ones listed in the paperwork, raising serious suspicion that the planes could be five years older than their accompanying documentation claims.

Worse, the refurbishment of the MiG-21s may not have been carried out at all and that this was one of the reasons why the planes kept breaking down. “We do not know if the planes that were sent to Ukraine for refurbishment are the same ones that came back,” a source told Jutarnji List.

Now you’d think the stink has got bad that it couldn’t get any worse. But it really does. A year before the refurbishment contract was signed, Ukraine offered to sell eight MiG-21s to Croatia. When the Croatians conducted a few enquiries, they found out that the MiGs were apparently owned by Yemen and not Ukraine.

Jutarnji List says even the five planes that Croatia did end up buying from Ukraine were put together using parts from all over the world - the hull is Bulgarian, wings from Algeria, and only the gas tanks have Russian insignias on them.

And there could be more scandals to come. Says Danni Matijaca of of Total Croatia News: “We believe many other shady dealings will be uncovered as time passes.”

How can you lose an aircraft?
Well, you can if you are a Ukrainian company. A major crisis involving Ukraine erupted in April 2015 when the Ukrainians – believe it or not – lost five AN-32 transport planes belonging to the Indian Air Force. These aircraft were part of a batch of 40 AN-32s that had been sent to Ukraine’s state-owned Ukrspetsexport for upgrades and refurbishment.

The remaining 64 An-32s were to be upgraded at the IAF’s Kanpur air force base, under a technology transfer from Ukraine, but the planned upgrade was halted as Ukrainian engineers walked out of the job and supplies of spare parts stopped. While you are entitled to laugh, the IAF brass didn’t find it so funny. They raised an almighty fuss and told the Ukrainians: “Find our planes.” The An-32s were ultimately found and flown back to India.

A diplomat from the Ukraine embassy told the Indian side that the IAF must resolve this issue with Ukrspetsexport, and that the Ukrainian government “cannot help”. Financial portal Zero Hedge comments: “We wonder if that rather unhelpful attitude has anything to do with India not imposing sanctions on Russia.”

пустым не оставлять!!
“Open Partner” Russia has advantage in Indian defence arena
Tanks for Pakistan
In 1996, Ukraine announced the sale of more than 300 T-80 tanks to Pakistan. It also decided to manufacture medium guns for the Pakistani tanks. In June 2002, the two countries signed a $100 million contract for producing transmission equipment for Pakistan’s Al-Khalid tank.

Ukraine is participating in the implementation of over a dozen projects in the military-industrial sphere in Pakistan. Contracts have been signed for establishing two repair test bases for T-80s in Pakistan. Kiev may also avail of an opportunity to export new air defence units which were recently tested in Pakistan.

More recently, Ukraine attempted to play spoil sport in a major India-Russia defence deal. New Delhi and Moscow are circling around a $3 billion contract for new Talwar class frigates. In line with the Narendra Modi government’s ‘Make in India’ push, the production of these frigates will involve an Indian partner, most likely Pipavav Shipyard owned by the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group.

The only potentially problematic issue with the Talwar deal is the ship’s engine, which is built in Ukraine. Initially, the Ukrainians refused to work with Russia, but subsequently are said to have agreed to supply the engines if they are meant for use by the Indian Navy.

Ukrainian involvement could be a tricky affair. The engines will need to be serviced at some point in time and if Ukraine is flat broke or simply decides to play spoiler – at American instigation, in order to make Russia look unreliable – the Indian Navy could be staring down the abyss.

According to Ukroboronprom’s Fedoruk, “For nearly a decade, Russia has forcefully blocked our entry. We have offered multiple solutions to give new life to Soviet-era weaponry, as we are the original equipment manufacturer.”

Since a number of defence systems that India acquired from the former Soviet Union were entirely or partly built in Ukraine, there is a good chance that the Ukrainians will make a bid for upgrading such equipment.

But here’s the rub. It seems Ukraine’s primary preoccupation is to spite Russia at all costs, to play spoiler. Winning business or making friends in India is secondary, as the An-32 incident bears out. Considering that everything Ukraine touches turns to rust, it would be a brave commander or bureaucrat who sticks his neck out and allows Ukraine to enter the Indian defence sector.

http://in.rbth.com/blogs/stranger_than_fiction/2016/04/13/fake-migs-missing-antonovs-why-india-must-keep-away-from-ukraine_584145

"OIS Advanced Technology (OIS-AT) and Sagem (Safran) of France have signed an MoU to create a Joint Venture for the manufacturing of Sagem's AASM Hammer Bomb Guidance and Glide Kit in India. With this Sagem has declared OIS-AT as the Indian Manufacturer for this weapon system. Considered to be the most advanced, precision Bomb Guidance and Range Extension kit, the AASM Hammer originally designed and manufactured by Sagem for the requirements of the French Air-Force and Navy on-board the Rafale aircraft, is intended to cater to requirements of the Indian Air Force's high precision munition requirements. The AASM Hammer has been extensively proven in combat, and the version that will be manufactured in India will be customized to specifically meet Indian Air Force requirements.

"We are pleased that Sagem is collaborating with us with their combat proven, world leading, high precision munitions guidance and range extension kit. With its impressive list of advanced features, Sagem's AASM Hammer is the foundation for our joint venture to specifically cater to the requirements of the Indian Air Force under the government's Make In India program. This collaboration further endorses our corporate strategy of becoming the Industrial Partner of Choice for leading global companies", said Sanjay Bhandari, Chairman and Managing Director of OIS Advanced Technology.

"We are pleased to collaborate with OIS-AT with our combat proven, high precision, AASM Hammer Guidance and Range Extension kit for aerial munitions for the Indian Air Force. With OIS-AT we have a partner with a core focus and appreciation of advanced technologies and innovation to advance our joint interests for the Indian Air Force", said Martin Sion, CEO of Sagem.



With modern combat moving to high precision weaponry, it has become necessary for traditional blast fragmentation munitions, and the more modern penetration munitions, to be guided with high precision to their targets from standoff ranges. The AASM Hammer from Sagem is an extremely high precision Guidance and Range Extension kit which is attached to aerial launched munitions to meet the high precision targeting needs of modern warfare."

Source: http://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/archive-world-worldwide-news-air-force-aviation-aerospace-air-military-defence-industry/global-defense-security-news/global-news-2016/april/2608-ois-at-sagem-create-joint-venture-for-aasm-missile-production-in-india.html

NEW DELHI:

India is keen on manufacturing a second line of fighters besides Tejas, and within 6 months, will begin the process of deciding which foreign manufacturer will make the jets in India, sources told NDTV.

The Ministry of Defence has already had several rounds of discussions on this issue.

The second line of fighters will be in the category of the medium multi-role combat aircraft, or MMRCA, sources said. The Tejas is a Light Combat Aircraft. The second line of fighters will be chosen so that besides meeting the requirements of the Indian Air Force, they can also be exported.

There are only about half a dozen fighter jet manufacturers in the world. The manufacturer chosen will most likely have to partner with an Indian company under the "Make in India" programme. The Indian company will be the government's strategic partner for the fighter programme.

Over the next 20 years, the Air Force will need at least 250-300 fighters besides the Tejas, as the aging fleets are phased out.

Starting July, the Air Force will induct 120 single-engine Tejas fighters. Besides, India is buying 36 Rafale jets from France.

But apart from just maintaining the current strength, "we also need to increase the numbers of fighters," a top Defence Ministry official told NDTV.

India needs 42 fighter squadrons, but currently has 33 and the numbers are likely drop drastically over the next few years, when the Russian-made aging MiG-21 and MiG-27 fleets are retired. By the end of next decade, most of the French-made Mirage 2000 and the British-made Jaguars will also be ready for retirement.

During the recent visit of US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar asked what kind of technology US companies can share.

Before his visit, US defence manufacturing giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin, which manufacture the F-16, met top defence ministry officials and proposed to manufacture F16 "Super Viper" and a customised version F/A-18 Super Hornet.

"They will be eligible for consideration once US clarifies the kind of the technology they will share with us," a top Ministry of Defence official told NDTV.

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/move-over-tejas-india-wants-a-second-line-of-fighter-jets-1397555

"IAF Jets Arrive In Alaska To Red Flag 'Aggressors'

Lots of planespotter buzz around Eielson AFB, Alaska in the run up to Red Flag ALASKA 16-1 that begins April 28. The Indian Air Force's contingent (4 x Su-30MKI, 4 x Jaguar Darin II, 2 x Il-78M & 2 C-17 Globemaster III) that arrived on April 16 have been on routine practice runs at the base with USAF jets.

Squaring off with mostly US Air Force 354th Operational Group 'aggressor' F-16s and other support jets, the joint exercise will involve simulated interdiction, attack, air superiority, defence suppression, airlift, air refueling and reconnaissance aircraft -- all profiles the IAF has proven to be formidable at in past Red Flags/Cope India/Thunder exercises.

This will also be the second time that the IAF gets to stretch its legs in the US Department of Defense's largest airspace -- the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC), which according to the Eielson page, contains 67,000 square miles of airspace, 11 military operating areas, and three weapons ranges.

As you know, it's been a big month for Eielson AFB, which has been chosen to be the USAF's first F-35A operational base in the Pacific Air Forces' Area of Responsibility. The first aircraft are expected to arrive in 2020.

Will have a full report up here on the exercise during and after. Enjoy these pictures by U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joshua Turner."











Source: http://www.livefistdefence.com/2016/04/iaf-jets-arrive-in-alaska-to-red-flag.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

"The Indian company Reliance Defence Limited and Ukrainian state-owned enterprise “Antonov” signed a memorandum of cooperation with the purpose of placing on the market of India of aircraft of different purposes on the basis of the AN-148 / AN-158 aircrafts.

ANTONOV or An class of aircraft have long served the Indian Air Force and Navy for over five decades. Currently, the IAF has more than 100 An-32 aircraft on its inventory having completed its last life cycle upgrade will be due for replacements. The partnership agreement would provide the benefits of quality and low cost solution for 50-80 seater aircraft through its core competencies.

The partnership of Reliance Defence and Antonov envisions design of fixed wing Military Aircraft configured for use in tactical as well strategic roles. Powered by two turbofan high fuel-efficiency jet engines, the medium lift aircraft is capable of short field runways operating from remote airfields with unpaved surfaces.



In the Indian civil aviation market, this medium category aircraft could effectively plug the gap in regional air transport connectivity to around 350 unused airstrips currently available across the country and is in consonance with the new draft Civil Aviation policy by MoCA.

Reliance Defence Limited, together with Antonov will participate in the tender of the Government of India for supply of aircraft. In case of winning the tender, which is scheduled for this summer, it plans to create a joint venture with the further localization of production in India."

Source: http://defence-blog.com/news/antonov-has-signed-a-memorandum-of-cooperation-with-india.html

The Indian Air Force (IAF) had been increasingly involved, of late, in lifting critically injured victims from road accidents involving a large number of passengers from various spots in Chhattisgarh during the past one-and-a-half months.

On Wednesday, the IAF sent its two MI-17 choppers on a request made by the Chhattisgarh Government to airlift victims of a major bus accident which occurred 200 km north of Raipur in Balrampur district , a Defence Ministry press release informed.

The mishap had left 12 persons dead and 35 injured when a bus carrying them fell off a bridge on Balrampur Ambikapur National Highway late on Wednesday night.

Previously, the MI-17s airlifted mishap victims from the accident spots in Antagarh region of Kanker district on April 15 and Sukma district on April 18 for bringing them to Raipur for advanced medical treatment.

The request for casualty evacuation was received and IAF responded promptly wherein two Mi-17 helicopters were launched within an hour to evacuate critically injured passengers from the accident site in Balrampur district, the press release informed.

The Advanced Landing Ground at Ambikapur was used for this purpose. Thirteen critically injured passengers were evacuated to Raipur, it informed.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Raman Singh on Thursday morning visited Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Hospital here and met injured passengers of a bus accident that took place in Balrampur-Ramanujganj district late on Wednesday night.

Singh enquired doctors about health condition of the injured victims and directed them to provide best possible medical treatment to the patients.

The Chief Minister went to each patient and asked them about their health. As a doctor himself, he also checked their pulse to know about their health.

Late on Wednesday night a private passenger bus coming from Gadwa area of Jharkhand State fell from a bridge near District Headquarters Balrampur of Chhattisgarh, in which 14 passengers died on spot and many passengers were injured.

The Chief Minister has expressed profound grief on the accident and has empathized with the families of the deceased. Three of the critically injured victims succumbed to the pain while on the way to hospital.

Singh has announced financial aid of Rs 25 thousand for family of each of the deceased in the accident. As soon as the incident was reported, the Chief Minister asked CRPF personnel to reach the accident spot in helicopter of Indian Air Force for rescue and relief operations and for bringing injured victims to Raipur.

Soon after the incident was reported late night, Chief Minister Raman Singh called up his counterpart Chief Minister of neighbouring state Jharkhand Raghuvar Das on telephone and assured that the injured passengers of Gadhwa will be provided complete medical treatment. Most of the injured passengers are from Jharkhand state.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Secretary Public Relations Santosh Misra and Collector Raipur OP Choudhary.

Singh praised District Administration of Balrampur-Ramanujganj District Administration, Indian Air Force and CRPF for their immediate action and coordination in rescuing the injured passengers and bringing them to Raipur via helicopter.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/raipur/iafs-mi-17s-becoming-lifeline-for-mishap-victims.html

"In two years (2014-16) there were 34 occasions of single engine failure on Su 30 MKI fighters: Parrikar shares alarming fact in parliament."

Interestingly enough, seems that only Indians have severe issues with SU30 engines.

NEW DELHI: Grappling with a drawdown of its fighter jet fleet, India has firmed up a plan to plug the capability gap over the next 10 to 15 years. A top defence ministry source said the Indian Air Force was working towards the target of inducting around 400 warplanes by 2030 to buttress its depleting force levels that set off alarm bells about the country’s ability to tackle a combined threat from China and Pakistan.

T he count of IAF’s fighter squadrons ha s shrunk to 33 (a round 640 fighters) compared to a desirable strength of 42. T he squadron strength is likely to come down to a mere 19 (around 380 warplanes) by 2027, as revealed in a Parliamentary panel report earlier this month.

The source said the IAF would get 120 Tejas light combat aircraft, another 120 twin-engine mediumweight aircraft to be built in India in collaboration with a foreign manufacturer, and an equal number of single-engine fighter planes. India is currently negotiating a deal with France for buying 36 Rafale fighters and 72 Sukhoi-30 fighters are on order. B ridging the capability gap is vital for the IAF that is saddled with ageing Soviet-era fighters.

T he IAF also wants to deploy a total of 15 AW AC S (airborne warning and control system) over the next decade. T he IAF currently operates three Israeli Phalcon AW AC S mounted on Russian IL-76 heavy-lift planes. The system has a range of 400km. Itis also on course to induct two Brazilian Embraer airborne early warning and control (AEW &C ) system aircraft. The AEW &C systems developed by the DRDO are being installed on Embraer-145 jets imported from Brazil.

In M arch 2015, India took the first step towards developing an indigenous AW AC S, with the defence acquisition council giving its go-ahead to a ` 5,113 crore project involving mounting two such complex surveillance systems on the European Airbus A330 platform. Airbus Defence &Space was the only bidder for the AW ACS India programme, making it the first single vendor project to be cleared by the NDA government.

“T he finance ministry has raised some objections but the defence ministry has given a clarification emphasising the operational need for more such platforms,” the source said. As per IAF’s plans, eight AW AC S are required for the eastern border, and five for the western boundary. The IAF wants these monitoring systems to provide 360-degree coverage, which is far more than that offered by (AEW &C ) system aircraft.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/nation/400-more-fighter-jets-in-iaf-s-vision-2030/story-VTRviJ0xb4E3EPA6Uzc3HL.html

NEW DELHI, MAY 24:
Ukrainian state-run Antonov has emerged as the frontrunner for Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.’s (HAL) medium military transport aircraft programme.

HAL had received five proposals on its proposal to select a partner to manufacture a 50-80 seater aircraft in India. Out of the five bids, Antonov emerged as a clear winner as it met all the requirements set by HAL, sources told BusinessLine.

The Ukrainian firm, which had signed an agreement with Reliance Defence in April for joint production of their platforms in India, makes aircraft that can play both civil and military roles.

Apart from Antonov, GKN Aerospace, IAI, Ilyushin and ATR had also placed bids for the project. What worked in Antonov’s favour is that compared to all the other entrants, its series of aircraft are of recent design with state-of-the-art aviation systems like fly-by-wire, high-efficiency engines and all-weather operations.

According to estimates, the demand for 50-80 seater aircraft is expected to increase owing to the focus on tier II and III cities under the new Civil Aviation Policy. “HAL intends to leverage this opportunity through a partnering arrangement with an OEM under the Make in India programme,” officials said.

Antonov or AN class of aircraft have been part of the Indian Air Force (IAF) for over five decades. The IAF has more than 100 AN-32 aircraft recently upgraded on its inventory.

HAL is also looking at Antonov for additional military functions such as troop carrying and cargo, maritime patrol and reconnaissance, search and rescue operations.

A country with 7-8 b $ per year as defense budget can never replace India-Ruissa time tested friendship of last 5 decades

"The Israeli Spyder air defence system has emerged as the “favourites” for the Indian Army’s air defence requirements, the Economic Times reported, citing sources.

The Army’s Rs. 18,000 crore worth short-range surface-to-air missile (SRSAM) programme, which started in 2011, is on the verge of being completed. Apart from Rafale Advanced Systems (Israel), other competitors like Rosoboronexport (Russia) and SAAB (Sweden) have faced compliance issues after being unable to perform during the technical trails that the Army conducted in 2015, the report noted.

The next step for the Army is to go forward with the programme by opening the price bid. This programme has already seen several delays, with the Army going in for the indigenously developed Akash surface-to-air missiles. However, the Akash missiles are reportedly tasked for stationary or defencive units. They have a very limited mobility and its reaction time is comparatively larger.

The SPYDER (Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby) is an Israeli short and medium range mobile air defence system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems with assistance from Israel Aerospace Industries(IAI). Rafael is the prime contractor and IAI is the major subcontractor for the SPYDER program. This system achieved a notable milestone in 2005 when missiles were fired against test targets in Shdema, Israel and scored direct hits. Since then, it has been showcased in multiple military exhibitions throughout the world.

The SPYDER air defence systems are currently operated by Georgia, India, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. During the Russo-Georgian war of 2008, it was believed that Georgia operated the SPYDER-SR. The Georgian air force could have operated up to four launchers of the SPYDER-SR and it is likely that the system was lost in the conflict."

Source: http://defence-blog.com/news/israeli-spyder-system-emerges-as-favouritefor-indian-armys-defence-needs.html

Militarov wrote:"The Israeli Spyder air defence system has emerged as the “favourites” for the Indian Army’s air defence requirements, the Economic Times reported, citing sources.

The Army’s Rs. 18,000 crore worth short-range surface-to-air missile (SRSAM) programme, which started in 2011, is on the verge of being completed. Apart from Rafale Advanced Systems (Israel), other competitors like Rosoboronexport (Russia) and SAAB (Sweden) have faced compliance issues after being unable to perform during the technical trails that the Army conducted in 2015, the report noted.

The next step for the Army is to go forward with the programme by opening the price bid. This programme has already seen several delays, with the Army going in for the indigenously developed Akash surface-to-air missiles. However, the Akash missiles are reportedly tasked for stationary or defencive units. They have a very limited mobility and its reaction time is comparatively larger.

The SPYDER (Surface-to-air PYthon and DERby) is an Israeli short and medium range mobile air defence system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems with assistance from Israel Aerospace Industries(IAI). Rafael is the prime contractor and IAI is the major subcontractor for the SPYDER program. This system achieved a notable milestone in 2005 when missiles were fired against test targets in Shdema, Israel and scored direct hits. Since then, it has been showcased in multiple military exhibitions throughout the world.

The SPYDER air defence systems are currently operated by Georgia, India, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. During the Russo-Georgian war of 2008, it was believed that Georgia operated the SPYDER-SR. The Georgian air force could have operated up to four launchers of the SPYDER-SR and it is likely that the system was lost in the conflict."

Source: http://defence-blog.com/news/israeli-spyder-system-emerges-as-favouritefor-indian-armys-defence-needs.html

"compliance issues" looks like the Indian Army also had there own MMRCA, although they're smarter than those Airforce fools, now instead of explaining why this SPIDER is better then the rest, they just have to say "compliance issues" (reasons).

So how good is this SPIDER compared to the BUK?

AlfaT8 wrote:

So how good is this SPIDER compared to the BUK?

Its more comparable to Tor rather than Buk.

Militarov wrote:

AlfaT8 wrote:

So how good is this SPIDER compared to the BUK?

Its more comparable to Tor rather than Buk.

It's inferior to the Pantsir which was offered to India for years now. The Indian military bureaucracy is laughably bad, to the point of making a sane man's eyes water.

magnumcromagnon wrote:

Militarov wrote:

AlfaT8 wrote:

So how good is this SPIDER compared to the BUK?

Its more comparable to Tor rather than Buk.

It's inferior to the Pantsir which was offered to India for years now. The Indian military bureaucracy is laughably bad, to the point of making a sane man's eyes water.

Woops, let me clarify, how good is this SPIDER-MR (the one India tested) compare to the BUK?

"The India’s home-made HAL HTT-40 Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) from the hangars of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) had its first flight in Bengaluru.

The Hindustan Turbo Trainer (HTT-40) was piloted by Group Capt Subramaniam (Retd), Chief Test Pilot, HAL. According to sources, the flight lasted for about 30 minutes. The HAL HTT-40 aircraft project is a Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) proposal for an indigenous replacement for the Indian Air Force’s retired HPT-32 Deepak as a basic trainer.



The HTT-40 trainer is expected to offer the best-in-class fuel economy and power rating. It will take-off from a short distance and have a high rate of climb. It will have a maximum speed of 450km/h and reach a maximum distance of 1,000km. The stall speed with flaps down will be 135km/h. The certified operational ceiling of the trainer will be 6,000m, the ‘G’ limits will be +6/-3 and airborne endurance will be three hours."

Source: http://defence-blog.com/news/hal-htt-40-military-trainer-took-off-for-its-first-flight.html

MiG-27 crashes in Jodhpur, both pilots safe


IAF sources said the pilot had reported a technical problem and sought priority landing.


However, as the engine had failed, he had to eject, the sources said.



Time to retire Mig-27 .

max steel wrote:MiG-27 crashes in Jodhpur, both pilots safe


IAF sources said the pilot had reported a technical problem and sought priority landing.


However, as the engine had failed, he had to eject, the sources said.



Time to retire Mig-27 .

of course time to retire but where are the substitutes for it, Tejas will pick up pace only after March 2017, Rafale saga has messed up the poor planning and executions of IAF new planes. unlike indian navy which is crusing alone nicely on path of modernization with mix of indigenous and imported warships

The crash of an ageing MiG-27 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Jodhpur today has yet again raised a question mark on the need to operate such vintage aircraft.

For the IAF, operating the 1970s MiG-27 is a fait accompli — that is to keep flying outdated fighter jets just to maintain a minimum level in terms of numbers.

As of now, the IAF has three MiG-27 squadrons (14-16 planes in each). The IAF is at its lowest strength in a decade at just 33 squadrons against the mandated 42 to tackle a simultaneous two-front attack from Pakistan and China.

The Soviet-era MiG-27 jets are slated to be phased out in batches from the IAF in 2018. They are currently on an extended life — much beyond the flying capacity of the aircraft. Russia stopped flying these planes in 1994. One of the MiG-27 squadrons was phased out last year. Since 2007, a total of 11 MiG-27s have crashed, the parliamentary standing committee on defence said in its report tabled in Parliament on May 3.

Former Vice-Chief of the IAF Air Marshal PK Barbora (retd) says: “There have been engine problems with MiG-27, which no one has been able to rectify. Hence, we had stopped upgrading it after two squadrons.

”Last year, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha had said all MIG-27s that had not been upgraded would be phased out in the next couple of years after the induction of Rafale jets and the indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft “Tejas”. The MiG-27 along with the MiG-21 is one of the oldest aircraft in IAF’s fleet.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/depleted-iaf-forced-to-fly-vintage-aircraft/251389.html

India’s defence ministry is considering the acquisition of an additional batch of BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainers.

New Delhi indicates it could purchase as many as 30 examples of the Mk132 variant, which would be licence-built by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL).

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar says the requirement, chiefly for the navy, is still to be fully defined. “We are negotiating for the price and once the price negotiations are over we can announce the final numbers.”

The proposed purchase is in addition to a previously announced need for 20 aircraft to be operated by the air force’s Surya Kiran aerobatic display team. That deal has yet to be concluded, however.

Parrikar also confirms the cancellation of a 2014 request for information for intermediate jet trainers, despite continued delays to its indigenous HAL HJT-36 Sitara programme.

However, he says that production of the HJT-36 has been halted to resolve issues with the type. “The HJT-36 has a lot of the stall-related problems that have been overcome. Spin remains a problem, we will not make any more IJTs until they overcome this problem.”

It is estimated that only six early production examples have been built.

The air force had sought to acquire an imported type after repeated delays and difficulties with the Sitara. Its original schedule called for 73 production aircraft to have been delivered to the service from 2013-2017.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/india-considers-additional-30-unit-hawk-buy-426642/

New Delhi is in the final stages of a process that could lead to a contract for 36 Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft.

Negotiations between Indian and French teams regarding the final terms of the contract are now concluded, said defence minister Manohar Parrikar during a recent visit to Bengaluru.

“I should receive their report this week and the ministry will analyse it and then send it to the Government,” he said. “After the report is submitted, it may take the government four to five weeks to officially come to a conclusion as to the final terms of the contract.”

Parrikar made the remarks during a recent visit to Bangalore. He indicated that the contract would be valued at approximately $7-8 billion.

New Delhi will also look to acquire a single-engined and a twin-engined fighter type under the Government’s ‘Make-in-India’ initiative for manufacture in India.

“We also envisage acquiring single-engined and twin-engined fighter aircraft under the ‘Make in India’ programme,” he says. “Final discussions are likely to be concluded in a couple of months to decide the exact course of action, though more or less the line is decided.”

Extensive negotiations have reportedly been underway between the Ministry of Defence and the air force to decide on the final requirements and iron out the financial aspects of such a proposal.

The plans for production of a twin-engined fighter in India could tie-in with recent remarks by Dassault Aviation chief executive Eric Trappier: “At the moment we are negotiating the price for the first 36……we are already preparing the second phase of the contract, that is an additional order of some 90 aircraft but that is in the long term.”

Saab has been running a highly visible campaign in India to promote the Gripen E to be built in India. Lockheed Martin has offered its F-16V and Boeing has proposed the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet for manufacture in India.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/indian-deal-for-36-rafales-moves-forward-426617/