IAF sets up aerospace control base

[nitesh]

The Hindu News Update Service

Indo-US air force transport exercise at Agra next year
New Delhi (PTI): Ramping up the forward-moving interaction between their airforces, India and the US will hold a high-level joint exercise of their transport aircraft and helicopter fleet at Agra in the first half of next year.

"The 2009 exercise will include both the transport aircraft and helicopters, and will concentrate more on logistics and air maintenance manoeuvre," a top Indian Air force (IAF) officer told PTI here on Monday.

The Agra exercise will witness the USAF's Chinooks and Bell helicopters and the C-130J Hercules multi-role transport aircraft vying with the IAF's workhorses An-32 mediumlift, IL-76 heavylift aircraft and its transport choppers Mi-17 and Mi-26.

Incidentally, Chinook is a competitor for the IAF's heavylift helicopter tenders, where airforce is looking to procure 12 heavylift choppers.

Bell choppers have also received the Request for Proposals from India for the IAF and Army requirement for 197 light utility helicopters.

India has already bought six of the C-130J Hercules for its special forces and a follow-on order of another six Hercules is in the pipeline. Delivery of the C-130J will begin in 2010, according to IAF sources.

Just about a week ago, the IAF's Su-30 MKIs multirole air superiority aircraft returned from US after participating in the world's most advanced 'Red Flag' air wargame.

India and the US air forces have earlier exercised twice in 2004 at Gwalior (in Madhya Pradesh) and Alaska (in US), and once in 2005 at Kalaikunda in West Bengal, all of which have been fighter fleet exercises.

 

[nitesh]

IAF vice-chief praises UAE air force pilots

IAF vice-chief praises UAE air force pilots

September 22nd, 2008 - 9:34 pm ICT by IANS -

Abu Dhabi, Sep 22 (IANS) Pilots of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force have come in for high praise from the vice chief of staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Air Marshal P.V. Naik, for displaying a high degree of professionalism.In a statement to the UAE’s Emirates News Agency (WAM), Naik said the Indian pilots were highly impressed by the professionalism displayed by the UAE Air Force pilots.

Naik’s statement came in the wake of a joint air exercise conducted by the air forces of the two friendly nations earlier this month.

Eight SU-30 MKI aircraft of the IAF engaged in friendly air-to-air combat with six squadrons of the UAE Air Force’s F-16 and Mirage 2000 aircraft in an exercise dubbed Desert Eagle at the Al Dhafra airbase here.

 

[nitesh]

New Delhi, Sep 22 (IANS) A team of Indian defence officials will be visiting Israel to resolve issues leading to the delay in the delivery of the Phalcon airborne warning and control systems (AWACS).The team, which comprises deputy chief of air staff Air Marshal N.A.K. Browne and director general acquisition Shashi Kant Sharma, will go to Israel on a three-day visit beginning Tuesday, a defence official said Monday.

“The team will discuss the issues pertaining to the delivery of Israeli Phalcon AWACS, whose delivery has been delayed,” the defence official said on condition of anonymity.

The first of the three AWACS, being installed by Israel Aircraft Industries on Russian II-78 platforms, was expected to be delivered by October. But certain technical issues have delayed the delivery of the system, termed India’s eye in the sky.

The AWACS will bolster India’s air-surveillance capability multi-fold by enabling early detection of incoming hostile aircraft and directing suitable counter measures.

The $1.1 billion deal for the AWACS was signed in 2004. “Integration and training issues are involved before the AWACS could be inducted,” the official said.

The three aircraft, which were taken from Russia to Israel by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), are being modified in a hangar at Tel Aviv Ben-Gurion international airport.

The Indian Air Force is likely to purchase three more AWACS, taking the number to six. The delivery is slated to be completed by 2012.
Indian team to visit Israel to discuss AWACS delay

 

[nitesh]

Honeywell looking to strengthen its military aerospace presence in India

23 September 2008

New Delhi: With a view to secure a larger share of the Indian defence budget, US-based aircraft equipment manufacturer Honeywell Aerospace is planning to enhance its presence in India by ramping up operations.

Honeywell is reported to be mulling relocation of some of its operations of its military aerospace division to India from its home-base in the US. Media reports suggest that Honeywell plans to increase the headcount by 20 per cent to 6,000 over the next four years. Most of the resources would be located at the company's design and development centres in Bangalore and Hyderabad.

The Economic Times, in a report, quoted Honeywell president for defence and space, Ed Wheeler as saying that in order to remain competitive Honeywell would have to move to developing countries. He said the company would increase its presence in India in the field of military aerospace, employing at least a thousand engineers at Honeywell's research and development centres in India.

Honeywell is looking at Indian Air Force's multi-billion dollar order of re-engineering its F125 engine, which propels the IAF's Jaguar fighters. The order has the potential for re-adaptation of 275 F125 engines for the Jaguar fighters. The IAF is yet to kick into motion the process of awarding the contract.

Honeywell makes the TPE 331 engines only in India, which are manufactured under licence by Indian public sector aviation major Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL). The TPE 331 engines power turbo-prop aircraft. Around 15 per cent of Honeywell's manufacturing activities are outsourced. Honeywell also has a significant presence in commercial aviation in China.

Amongst other plans for India, Honeywell plans to make navigational radio systems here, though that would only be after the government decided to rethink the existing foreign direct investment norms, as Honeywell does not se itself as a minority equity partner in a joint venture.

domain-b.com : Honeywell looking to strengthen its military aerospace presence in India

 

[nitesh]

Not worried about US upgrading Pak F-16s: Air Force chief

New Delhi, Sep 24 (PTI) Amid reports that the US is upgrading Pakistan's F-16 fighter fleet, Indian Air Force chief Fali H Major today said the development was not very worrisome.
"Not very (worrisome)," he said when asked about the US proposal to upgrade the fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft it sold to Pakistan a few decades back.

The US has agreed to upgrade the Pakistan Air Force fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft at a cost of over USD 230 million, which will bring the aircraft to the the advanced Block 50/52 level, an advanced version of the F-16.

Major admitted that China had a better air force in terms of size and capability but said it would not be proper to compare it with the Indian Air Force.

"China has been ahead of us and has developed immense capabilities in aerospace and space technologies because of many other factors ... They have a different form of government, different form of judiciary and bureaucracy.

"It is difficult to compare China with a vibrant democracy like ours," the Air Chief Marshal said releasing the brochure on the 3rd International Conference on 'Energising Indian Aerospace Industry: New Partnerships, New Opportunities'.

On the the Indian private defence industry, Major said the indigenous industry needed to develop its capabilities to gain from the new defence procurement policy.

"The Indian industry has been found wanting in terms of capability and it would be difficult for it to absorb offsets that would worth over 15 to 20 per cent of the USD 100 billion being spent by the Defence Ministry in the next plan period," said Major. PTI

http://www.ptinews.com/pti/ptisite.nsf/$All/78EEEB68B5FD784F652574CE0041B0E9?OpenDocument

 

[nitesh]

Lakshya test flown successfully-India-The Times of India

BALASORE (ORISSA): Lakshya, the micro-light pilotless target aircraft (PTA), developed indigenously in India, was on Thursday successfully test flown to check the validity of its engine and duration enhancement, defence sources said.

Fitted with an advanced digitally controlled engine, Lakshya was test flown at about 12.15 pm from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, about 15 km from here.

Usually the flight duration of the six feet microlight aircraft is 30-35 minutes.

Lakshya, a sub-sonic, re-usable aerial target system, is remote controlled from the ground and designed to train both airborne and air defence pilots.

The PTA has been developed by India's Aeronautic Development Establishment (ADE), Bangalore for aerial reconnaissance of battle field and target acquisition.

Lakshya has been inducted in the Indian Air Force in 2000.

 

[nitesh]

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=471939

IAF to procure MI-17 V5 choppers from Russia
Chandigarh, Sept 25: The Indian Air Force is likely to add MI-17 V5 medium lift helicopters in its fleet as negotiations to procure them from Russia are in final stages, a senior IAF official said on Thursday.

"Our negotiations are in the final stages with Russia. In the next three months, we will sign a contract with them. After two-three years of signing of the contract, we will start the procurement of these helicopters," Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Maintenance Command, Air Marshal Gautam Nayyar told reporters here.

These would replace MI-8 helicopters, which have outlived their life, he said, adding once these machines are procured, they will help tide over the problems faced by helicopters in high altitudes of Siachin and Ladhak.

He said the MI-17V5 will have modern avionic equipment and their engine performance will be better than the existing helicopters.

"They will be very effective in the high altitude areas. MI-17V5 will gradually replace the MI-8 helicopters of IAF," he said, adding at present "we have 50 MI-8 and their estimated life span is 35 years. However, they all are 38 years old and we will replace them with 80 MI-17V5."

To a question, he said in India there are 13 Base Repair Depots (BRDs) that look after the maintenance of air crafts and other related equipment and Rs 500 crore would be pumped in over the next few years for their upgradation and modernisation.

To another question, Nayyar admitted that IAF was not getting enough quality engineers as IIT graduates are not forthcoming. But he hoped that with the implementation of the sixth pay commission, things would change and graduates from premier institutions would choose IAF as a career.

He also said that the IAF was also planning to open a Rs-200 crore world class engineering college in Bangalore.

Bureau Report

 

[Contrarian]

Did some research on the Mi-17 V5, apparently its pretty good. Good to see IAF increasing their transport heli strength rather than going for one to one replacement!

 

[bernard]

The Hindu News Update Service

Indo-US air force transport exercise at Agra next year
New Delhi (PTI): Ramping up the forward-moving interaction between their airforces, India and the US will hold a high-level joint exercise of their transport aircraft and helicopter fleet at Agra in the first half of next year.

"The 2009 exercise will include both the transport aircraft and helicopters, and will concentrate more on logistics and air maintenance manoeuvre," a top Indian Air force (IAF) officer told PTI here on Monday.

The Agra exercise will witness the USAF's Chinooks and Bell helicopters and the C-130J Hercules multi-role transport aircraft vying with the IAF's workhorses An-32 mediumlift, IL-76 heavylift aircraft and its transport choppers Mi-17 and Mi-26.

Incidentally, Chinook is a competitor for the IAF's heavylift helicopter tenders, where airforce is looking to procure 12 heavylift choppers.

Bell choppers have also received the Request for Proposals from India for the IAF and Army requirement for 197 light utility helicopters.

India has already bought six of the C-130J Hercules for its special forces and a follow-on order of another six Hercules is in the pipeline. Delivery of the C-130J will begin in 2010, according to IAF sources.

Just about a week ago, the IAF's Su-30 MKIs multirole air superiority aircraft returned from US after participating in the world's most advanced 'Red Flag' air wargame.

India and the US air forces have earlier exercised twice in 2004 at Gwalior (in Madhya Pradesh) and Alaska (in US), and once in 2005 at Kalaikunda in West Bengal, all of which have been fighter fleet exercises.

Preparing for a big action

 

[nitesh]

guys check this, interesting development:

domain-b.com : Russian Sukhoi and Malaysian SKS Ventures offer Rs54,320 crore investments at Nagpur's MIHAN facility


Russian Sukhoi and Malaysian SKS Ventures offer Rs54,320 crore investments at Nagpur's MIHAN facility

Nagpur: Famed Russian aircraft designer and manufacturer Sukhoi and Malaysia-based SKS Ventures, a diversified Group involved with power and energy sectors among others, have offered to set up an aircraft manufacturing plant and a special economic zone for production of renewable energy equipment components, it was announced here Friday.

The two companies would like to move through their Indian partner, the Knowledge Commission chairman Sam Piroda-backed Vavasi Group. The projects are intended for the MIHAN (Multi-modal International Hub Airport at Nagpur) project, currently being executed by the Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC).

These developments were revealed by the new and renewable energy minister, Vilas Muttemwar, who has been elected to the Lok Sabha from the Nagpur constituency. The proposals have emerged in discussions held by the Vavasi Group with the minister.

According to the minister, Sukhoi would like to partner with the Vavasi group to set up an aircraft manufacturing plant in Nagpur at an investment of euro 2 billion (Rs13,580 crore). He revealed that the Russian aerospace giant is likely to sign an MoU with the Maharashtra government on 10 October.

Initially, Sukhoi expects the plant to manufacture between 25-50 civilian aircraft on an annual basis with production rates being ramped up to 100 aircraft a year, in four years. The aircraft will be the 90-130 seater Sukhoi 100 Super Jet medium-haul passenger aircraft.

The plant alone is expected to create 15,000 direct and 75,000 indirect jobs. The minister also said that Sukhoi was prepared to spend whatever it took to compensate people whose land would be acquired for the project.

As for SKS Ventures, it has proposed a mammoth renewable energy SEZ in the MIHAN facility. ''The group has initially sought 400 hectares land in the MIHAN-SEZ operational area to set up a mono-crystalline growing facility, a 2,000-megawatt mono-crystalline TV (photo-voltaic) module and a float-glass plant. It will later seek 3,000 hectares in the (nearby) Butibori industrial estate to create the world's first renewable energy park,'' the minister said.

''Once the SEZ gets fully operational, it would account for almost 50 percent of the current global production of renewable energy components,'' Muttemwar said.

He added that Vavasi had sought land in the existing MIHAN-SEZ to begin with because the proposed renewable energy SEZ would take time to get all mandatory clearances.

According to the minister, these proposals provide a viable solution to the problem of providing acceptable compensation to project affected people in the MIHAN-SEZ area and their rehabilitation.

Like Sukhoi, the minister said, SKS Ventures too is ready to share compensation expenses for acquisition of land. The Malaysian company also wants to set up a 2,000 MW captive power plant for the entire cluster of facilities it will create with an investment of euro 6 billion (Rs40,740 crore), he said.

According to Muttemwar, the renewable energy SEZ will create an estimated 20,000 direct and 150,000 indirect jobs. Both Sukhoi and SKS Ventures are willing to accommodate one suitable candidate from each affected family at their facilities, he said.

SKS Ventures is a privately held company owned by billionaire businessman Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary. It controls Malaysia Mining Corporation (MMC), has stakes in Malaysia's Johor Port, the country's largest independent power producer Malakoff; and natural gas distribution company Gas Malaysia. It has invested in MPH, a book retailer in Singapore and Malaysia.

The firm also signed an agreement last year with Iran where it will partner the country's state-owned firm to develop a $16 billion gas project in the Golsahn and Ferdos gas fields.

Vavasi describes itself as a multi-faceted group with diverse interests including, telecommunications, real estate, renewable energy, aviation and steel and cement. It says that over the years it has grown to become a global company with partners and associates in all the geographical areas including south east Asia, CIS, the Middle East and North Africa, South America and the USA.

 

[Contrarian]

Thats awsome news, if it goes through.

 

[nitesh]

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=472500



AWACS delay throws IAF network-centricity plans awry
New Delhi, Sept 28: The Indian Air Force's (IAF) plans to go network-centric has gone haywire as the Israeli airborne early warning systems delivery gets delayed further.

The PHALCON Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) will arrive only in February next year, about 15 months behind its original schedule of November 2007.

Consequently, the IAF efforts to establish an advanced Integrated Air Command and Control Systems (IACCS) through the Air Force Net (AF Net) communication network would be hit.

"AF Net, may be (delayed by) a month or two. We were expecting it around December. Now it is coming around February," IAF chief Fali Homi Major said on Sunday.

"Two months is no delay as far as we are concerned," Major added, suggesting the IAF would strive to offset the delay from their side.

Meanwhile, IAF Vice Chief Air Marshal P V Naik, referring to the escalation in delivery schedule of AWACS till February 2009, said some technical glitches were the reasons behind the delay.

AWACS, a major force multiplier for the IAF, is a vital link in the Air Force Net, a communication network that is key to IAF's dreams of emerging as a network-centric force.

The USD 1.1-billion deal was signed by India in March 2004 for three AWACS from Israeli Aerospace Industries for mounting the systems on three Russian-made IL-76 heavy lift transport aircraft.

IAF's Agra air base is readying itself to receive the AWACS by improving its infrastructure, including extending the runway, establishing an avionics lab and integrating ground systems for future operations of the radar-mounted IL-76s aircraft.

 

[nitesh]

outlookindia.com | wired

A flurry of activity is underway at the Agra air force base here as it readies to receive the first lot of three advanced Israeli air-borne early warning and control radar system (AWACS) that will act as the Air Force's eye in the sky.

The station has initiated construction of a new avionics lab, lengthening the present runway and a process to integrate the ground systems before they welcome the AWACS in February next year.

The AWACS mounted on IL-76 aircraft are being readied at Uzbekistan.

"The sophisticated radar system is currently being integrated by the Uzbekistan-based manufacturers of the IL-76 planes.

There are some delays to ensure that the aircraft functional displays do not disturb the radar readings once mounted on the IL-76 platform," said Air officer Commanding at Agra Air base Air Commodore Shouvik Roy, following his visit to the aircraft manufacturing facility.

After Roy's visit to Russia, a team from the radar manufacturers Israel-based Elta had visited the air station recently and expressed satisfaction over the preparations.

"Some stringent integration process is underway for which Elta is assisting the aircraft manufacturers. We had expressed that the air station would be ready in full preparedness by November to receive the three planes in the first batch," Roy said.

The Agra air base that already houses an IL-76 transport squadron and a squadron of IL-78 MKI air-to-air refueler aircrafts, will also be home to the AWACS that will give a major boost to the air defence and assault tactics of the Indian Air Force.

The existing runway length of 9,000 feet at the base is being extended to 10,500 feet and work is on for setting up three new hangars.

The avionics laboratory at the station, which already handles avionics systems of the existing IL-76 and IL-78 MKI aircraft, is also readying to accommodate the calibration and the integration processes of the new radar system.

A Transport Aircraft Operations Tactics Development Cell (TAOTDC), the top gun school of transport aircraft in India, is also getting ready for future courses considering the induction of the AWACS, Air Force officials here said.

"Even after the arrival of the state-of-art radar warning system, our earlier radar systems will still be operational. Some of them will even be integrated with the new system to achieve formidable net-centric operational capability," Roy said.

The air base which is set to be the future nerve centre for the Air Force is in the process to obtain the requisite quality management certification to become the nodal centre for service of the AWACS and IL class aircraft.

Israel-based Elta would also provide the required training material and assist the Indian Air Force engineers to adopt to the hi-tech integration process.

The Israeli AWACS radar system, in addition to providing precision strike capabilities to Air Force assets, will give the much-needed strategic teeth to the forces.

 

[nitesh]

outlookindia.com | wired

India's blue-chip firm, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), will soon develop a 10-tonne class helicopter for the armed forces and is searching for foreign partners either from Russia or a France-based company.

The Defence Public Sector Undertaking (DPSU) plans to carry out the medium-lift helicopter programme in partnership with a foreign manufacturer.

"We plan to develop and build 10-tonne class helicopters in partnership with either the Eurocopter or the Russians. We are yet to finalise the partner for the programme, which would be done in the next few months," HAL Chairman Ashok Baweja told PTI today.

"Eurocopter and a Russian company have been shortlisted by HAL in its search for a partner in the helicopter development programme.

"We would zero in on our partner in next few months. This would be a joint venture between the selected company and HAL," Baweja said.

The DPSU has plans of producing around 350 helicopters in the 10-tonne class, keeping in view the market for medium-lift helicopters in the armed forces.

"We are hoping that the helicopter would be inducted by all the three services," he said.

HAL will be looking at the export potential of the helicopters also, as it would be developed with a foreign company.

"We also are looking at exporting the chopper. This will happen, as we would be working with the foreign partner," Baweja added.

The 10-tonne helicopter would be offered to the navy to meet its requirement for heavy-lift choppers. The navy had earlier refused to accept the HAL's flagship Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) 'Dhruv', as it did not meet its requirement.

Another chopper project HAL is working on is for manufacture of Light Utility Helicopters (LUH).

HAL has been asked to develop a 3-tonne light helicopter for the army and the IAF for replacing their fleet of 'Cheetah' and 'Chetak'.

"We are in the preliminary stages in the project and are working on the design of the LUH. This would be a 3-tonne helicopter with a single engine," Baweja said.

The LUH project would be completed in next five to six years and would help upgrade the helicopter fleet of the armed forces.

The army and the IAF want to replace around 300 'Cheetah' and 'Chetak' helicopters, which form the bulk of their rotary wing fleet. HAL would be producing 187 helicopters for the two forces, Baweja said.

The two forces had expressed a joint demand of 384 helicopters earlier, of which 197 would be procured directly from foreign vendors and the rest 187 developed and produced by HAL.

"The numbers can be increased in future as the navy is also looking to replace its fleet of the 'Cheetah' and 'Chetak' helicopters," the HAL chairman said.

The DPSU has also plans to sell around 100 such helicopters in the civilian sector with the demand for light helicopters has been steadily increasing in the country.

 

[nitesh]

India to reactivate another strategic airbase on China border

India to reactivate another strategic airbase on China border
Leh, October 3: An Indian Express team begins a trek to Siachen and keeps you posted, every day.
Click here for Pictures

With incidents of transgressions on the unresolved Sino-Indian border on a high, India is set to reopen another strategic airfield in Eastern Ladakh that will allow rapid induction of troops to the region.

Work on reviving the Fukche Advanced Landing Ground (ALG), situated at an altitude of 4,200 m barely three kilometers away from the Line of Actual Control, is almost complete and the first fixed wing aircraft is expected to land at the airbase within a month.