IAF sets up aerospace control base

[nitesh]

IIT Roorkee develops coating that can make aircraft invisible - Yahoo! India News

IIT Roorkee develops coating that can make aircraft invisible

Fri, Dec 12 02:52 AM

The Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, has claimed that it has developed a kind of coating material in their laboratory that can make aircraft invisible to any radar. It said the technology on which it worked to develop the radar absorbing nano-crystals was their brainchild and after NASA, India was only one to have successfully gained the technology.

"Even a country like Russia could not achieve this so far," said Prof R.C. Agarwala of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, who led the project. Prof Agarwala, who is known to be the first in the country to work on nanotechnology for materials development, started work on the radar-absorbing nano crystals in 1998.

His research team included his wife Prof Vijay Agarwala who is also a faculty of the department and research scholar Rahul Sharma.

 

[nitesh]

Good one:
http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/...1hIAAADkAlwL&bcsi_scan_filename=getasset.aspx

It says that phalcons ordered are 6

 

[Nihat]

Good one:
http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/...1hIAAADkAlwL&bcsi_scan_filename=getasset.aspx

It says that phalcons ordered are 6

It's certainly revising the procurement figures in my mind , I thought 4 Phalcons were on order and there were more than just 53 MKI's in service currently. I thought that close to a 100 were active.

 

[nitesh]

It's certainly revising the procurement figures in my mind , I thought 4 Phalcons were on order and there were more than just 53 MKI's in service currently. I thought that close to a 100 were active.

Yes your point is correct even I am in the thinking of at least 4 active squadrons. But the news that 3 phalcons are ordered and 3/4 about to ordered. But it seems that they are ordered.

 

[nitesh]

Russia to supply 80 helicopters to India within three years www.idrw.org / Indian Defense Research Wing

Russia to supply 80 helicopters to India within three years

Russia today said that all the 80 'M-17' helicopters, contracted this month under a whopping $1.5bn dollar deal, would be delivered to
India within the next two to three years. Director of Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Mikhail Dmitriyev said these new helicopters which would augment the ferrying capacity of the IAF considerably, would be supplied under the deal signed during President Dmitry Medvedev's maiden visit to New Delhi.

The value of the contract also includes the training of helicopter operating crew.

"Under the contract the Indian side will buy 80 M-17 military-transport helicopters on the turnkey basis. The deliveries will be carried over a span of 2-3 years and also includes the training of crews," Director of Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation Mikhail Dmitriyev was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS.

The range of action of the Mi-17 helicopters which are already in service with the IAF is over 700 kms and the chopper can transport 4,000 kgs of cargo in the cabin and another 4,500 kgs hanging outside the helicopter.

 

[nitesh]

Copter simulator to take off next year -Bangalore-Cities-The Times of India

Copter simulator to take off next year
17 Dec 2008, 0025 hrs IST, TNN

Bangalore : All aspiring helicopter pilots, including those who'd like to fly the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH), can now look forward to a hi-tech training centre. This first-of-its-kind centre in South Asia, which has received all clearances including $57 million, will come up in the new year.

The centre will be a CAE-HAL combine. CAE Canada is a world leader in helicopter simulators and will set up the centre on the outskirts, most likely in Devanahalli with HAL airport as an alternative location. "This centre will be the first of its kind this side of the Suez," a top defence official said.

The centre will train pilots in civilian and military flying. CAE will design and manufacture one full-mission simulator featuring its revolutionary roll-on and roll-off cockpit design, which enables cockpits representing various helicopter types to be used in the simulator.

CAE and HAL plan to provide cockpits for three variants of the HAL-built ALH Dhruv -- one cockpit each for the army, air force, navy and civilian variant of the Dhruv. Also, there may be a cockpit each for Bell 412 and Eurocopter if Bangalore is a good market for them. Other military and civilian helicopter platforms will be added as the market develops.

"The simulator offers both flight and maintenance training, and provides customers initial, conversion, recurrent and mission training. It will feature multimedia classrooms, computer-based training and a training management information system," defence experts said.

The simulator will be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration and Joint Aviation Authority Level D with the ability to interchange all three cockpit modules for the Dhruv, as well as any additional helicopter cockpits added in future. When a cockpit is not in the full-mission simulator, it will be used as a fixed-based flight training device (FTD).

AT THE TRAINING CENTRE

* Simulator that gives the feel of flying a helicopter

* Cockpits of various helicopters in one simulator

* Cockpits of three variants of India's ALH

* Will help pilots use weapons and shoot

* Will help pilots in altitude stability

* Will help pilots move from one cockpit to another

 

[nitesh]

IAF plan to link civilian, defence radars takes off-India-The Times of India

IAF plan to link civilian, defence radars takes off
20 Dec 2008, 0629 hrs IST, Rajat Pandit , TNN

NEW DELHI: After an excruciating 10-year delay, the critical requirement for the country to have a fully-automated network to integrate the wide array of military radars with each other as well as with civilian radars is finally making some progress now.

The first of the five nodes of IACCS (integrated air command and control system) will be operational in the western sector facing Pakistan by early-2009, said defence ministry sources on Friday. IAF, in fact, wants 10 IACCS nodes to cover the entire country but the government has approved only five so far. IAF had moved the IACCS case as far back as December 1998 since Indian airspace is far from impregnable. But government apathy hampered its timely implementation.

Something like IACCS becomes even more crucial today in light of intelligence reports holding that terror could strike through the aerial route after the maritime one. As earlier reported by TOI, India’s air defence coverage has several gaping holes, especially over central and peninsular India, which can be exploited by ‘‘hostile’’ aircraft quite easily.

At present, command and control of air defence operations is exercised manually from ADDCs (air defence directional centres) located in different sectors.

The automated IACCS, once it comes up, will enable quick transfer of data from low-level transportable radars (LLTRs), high-power static radars and medium-power radars as well as ground stations of AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) and aerostat radars to one central place. With multi-sensor tracking and data fusion ensuring ‘‘a filtered and composite real-time air situation picture’’ at one central place, air defence operations will be much swifter.

 

[nitesh]

http://news.webindia123.com/news/articles/India/20081220/1133444.html

Hyderabad | Saturday, Dec 20 2008 IST

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal F H Major today said the Aerospace Power had revolutionised all other forms of warfare and had undergone profound changes with ever accelerating advances in technology.

Addressing the newly-commissioned officers after awarding the President's Commission to flight cadets on behalf of the President of India, he said the present decade was likely to see even more rapid changes in weapon technology, which might fundamentally alter the very nature of warfare.

''You, being a part of these changes, should acquire full understanding and knowledge of application of new technology to exploit the true potential of Aerospace Power. The nation is proud of the Indian Air Force and its dedication. It is now your privilege to join this fine service and serve the nation,'' he said.

Earlier, the Chief of the Air Staff reviewed and witnessed the combined graduation parade of the flight cadets of all branches of Indian Air Force, who completed their basic and professional training at the Air Force Academy at Dundigal on the city outskrits.

At least 97 flight cadets passed out from the Academy and had joined active duty in the rank and file of the Indian Air Force to ensure security of the skies. Five officers from Indian Navy and one officer from Indian Coast Guard also got their flying wings at the function.

 

[nitesh]

India Today - India's most widely read magazine.

26/11 prompts India to seek cluster bombs
Shiv Aroor
New Delhi, December 23, 2008

India has sought over 500 advanced technology cluster bombs from the US. This is a clear sign that the government wants to arm itself to take on large targets, including terrorist camps.

Cluster bombs attracted controversies during their extended use in Iraq, Afghanistan and the former Yugoslavia.

India requested for them in September.

But, after the Mumbai terror attacks, South Block has asked the Pentagon to fast-track the request, sources said.

According to documents listing India's request - an exclusive copy of which lies with Headlines Today - India has specifically asked the US to provide 510 units of the American CBU-105 cluster bomb and full logistics support services. If Washington approves of the sale, it will cost New Delhi $375 million (Rs 1,700 crore).

Headlines Today also has a copy of the notification made by Pentagon's foreign arms sales division to the US Congress about India's request and proposed sale.

According to it: "This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to strengthen the US-India strategic relationship and to improve the security of an important partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace and economic progress in South Asia."

Cluster bombs are a conglomeration of weapons. When released from an aircraft, they splinter into hundreds, even thousands, of individual 'bomblets'. These land over a large geographic area. The technique is also called carpet bombing.

All bomblets don't explode when they hit the ground. But they can go off later.

This creates an indefinite minefield which poses a severe threat to civilians and children long after the conflict is over.

Former Indian Air Force Western Commander Air Marshal V. K. Bhatia said: "The CBU-105 that India is looking at is an improved cluster bomb. Unlike the older ones, it is sensor-fused and guided by global positioning systems.

"Their effectiveness against terror camps is still debatable. But that they are lethal is beyond doubt."

Cluster bombs, like landmines, continue to be deeply controversial in the global arms control discourse. They are notorious for their indiscriminate nature of destruction and for the collateral damage they cause in almost all war theatres where they have been used.

Control Arms Foundation of India vice-president Anuradha Chenoy said: "These weapons are extremely dangerous. They continue to be harmful for civilians, especially children, long after a conflict and they should be prohibited across the world.

"India should base its anti-terror policies on intelligence, not cluster bombs." On December 3, the UN opened the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) to ban their use across the world.

So far, 94 countries have signed the CCM - including countries like Afghanistan, Laos and Lebanon - that have suffered the consequences of their use.

The prominent countries which have either opposed the convention or refused to sign or ratify it include India, Pakistan, the US, Israel, Russia and China.

 

[nitesh]

Saab recently received two serial production orders for the Integrated Defensive Aids Suite (IDAS) for the Indian Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv. The combined value of these orders from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is approximately SEK 196 million.

The IDAS will be installed on India’s weapon systems version of Advanced Light Helicopter, also known as Dhruv, to provide these platforms with Electronic Warfare self-protection. The helicopter features a modern glass cockpit with which the IDAS system is fully integrated.

IDAS is the world’s most comprehensive integrated Electronic Warfare suite for airborne platforms and has been the choice for the Denel Rooivalk and Oryx, NH Industries NH90, Agusta Westland Super Lynx 300 and A109, Boeing CH47 Chinook, Eurocopter Cougar and Super Puma.

Designed from the outset as a fully integrated modular system, IDAS combines radar, laser, UV missile approach warning and countermeasures dispensing functions in a single system controller.

More at *****************

 

[nitesh]

Agreement signed:

HAL, Russia's UAC ink pact on 5th generation fighter aircraft-India-The Times of India

HAL, Russia's UAC ink pact on 5th generation fighter aircraft
23 Dec 2008, 1830 hrs IST, PTI

BANGALORE: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) inked a pact to jointly develop and produce a fifth generation fighter aircraft, a top HAL official said on Tuesday.

"We (HAL and UAC) are moving forward as per schedule. We (have) just done the general contract yesterday. I went to Delhi and signed the general contract," HAL Chairman Ashok K Baweja said.

HAL officials noted that under a preliminary inter-governmental agreement signed in October last year, the advanced multi-role fighter is being developed by Sukhoi, part of UAC, along with the Bangalore-headquartered defence PSU.

According to reports, Russia and India would simultaneously develop two versions of the aircraft -- a two-seat version to meet the requirements of India and a single seat version for Russian Air Force.

UAC had begun building a prototype of the jet fighter which would feature high manoeuvrability and stealth to ensure air superiority and precision in destroying ground and sea targets, reports said.

Asked about the proposed investment in the venture, Baweja said it was very difficult to say at this stage and added: "It will be quite a lot".

He told reporters on the sidelines of the celebrations of HAL Day that the Navratna company has put on the backburner its MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul of civil aircraft) venture plans at HAL airport following a slowdown in the world civil aviation market.

 

[nitesh]

Powered by new engine, IJT to perform at Aero India

BANGALORE: When the Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) performs at the Aero India-2009, it will sport a brand new powerful engine.
Designed and developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the IJT prototype which is now powered by the French-made Larzac engine, will be replaced by the Russian AL-55 engines which is a scaled down version of the AL-31FP engine that flies the Su-30 MKI.
“The trials are on, the highspeed taxing tests are over and most issues concerning evaluation are solved with the AL-551 engine. The IJT which will perform at the Aero India- 2009 in February next year, will have a powerful Russian engine,” said HAL Managing Director (Bangalore complex) Ashok Nayak.
He was speaking to reporters on Monday. IJT will replace the ageing Kiran Mark- II trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the next five years. IAF has placed an order of 75 IJT aircraft with HAL.
Nayak added that the naval version of ALH Dhruv, will also get a new powerful engine.
HAL is currently evaluating the GE engine and the EJ- 200 engine for replacing the existing engine of the naval version of Dhruv.
On the Light Combat Helicopter, he said that the first prototype will be ready by the latter half of 2009 and that HAL was currently carrying out the technical evaluation of the three-tonne Light Utility Helicopter.
The much-delayed Light Combat Aircraft is expected to get its intermediate operation clearance by December 2010, he said.
© Copyright 2008 ExpressBuzz

ExpressBuzz-Print

 

[nitesh]

excerpts from:
http://www.hal-india.com/MinskSquareMatters-Issue67.pdf

Dhruv: Whirring saviour in icy battlefield

Leh: Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, on the Indo-Tibet border, is the coldest part of the country, where blizzards can last for weeks. At a height of approximately 22,000 ft, the glaciers here stretch over a length of 75 km with widths ranging up to two km. With more than two trillion cubic feet of ice, the temperature here drops
down to as low as -55 degree Celsius. Here, the brave soldiers of the Indian Army
guarding the nation are facing a lethal enemy — the weather. The hardships faced by these troops can be gauged by the fact that more soldiers here have lost their lives due to the inclement weather conditions rather than to enemy attacks. The cost of operations in Siachen is also unimaginably high, with one chapati delivered to a soldier
costing more than Rs 500! Air support is the lifeline in this freezing white desert, as survival of the troops is entirely dependent on this. And the helicopters serving this region are practically saviours in the sky, helping in the movement of troops, evacuating casualties, fetching rations and all other supplies for the troops deployed at the base camp and other forward posts. The heroes of this story are the Cheetah and the Dhruv helicopters, which are maintaining the supply chain to the entire area. The 666 Army Aviation Squadron of the Indian Army and 114 HU of the Indian Air Force at Leh have been operating the Cheetah helicopters. While the Army operates 18 Cheetahs, 13 are
operated by the Air Force. Recently, Dhruv helicopters of the 203 Army Aviation Squadron were also inducted at Leh to enhance support to the Army. The first detachment of two Dhruvs has started operations from Leh from October 4, 2008 and more will be inducted by April 2009 in phases. The Army eagerly awaits Dhruvs here after their very successful and effective role in Manasbal. The Cheetal helicopters,
a variant of Chetak manufactured in HAL, Barrackpore Division, especially for high altitude operations, will also be introduced in the area. Chairman checks in: Chairman, HAL, Mr Ashok K. Baweja visited Leh recently. Mr Baweja met the Director, Army Aviation Project Team, Commanding Officers of 203 and 666 Army Squadrons, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Engineering Officer of 121 Air Force Station and discussed various issues related to flying operations. He also addressed the engineering officers of
the Army and Air Force. The Senior Technical Officers of the 666 Sqn gave him a presentation on issues pertaining to repair and maintenance. Mr Baweja assured them that HAL would take all possible action to maintain an acceptable serviceability in all the units. He also outlined HAL’s support plans for the units operating in the area. He also said that HAL would be positioning customer support teams with all the units. These
would be capable of carrying out repairs in-situ, obviating the need to send equipment back to the Divisions of the Company for repair.

 

[nitesh]

excerpts from:
http://www.hal-india.com/MinskSquareMatters-Issue67.pdf

Dhruv: Whirring saviour in icy battlefield

Leh: Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, on the Indo-Tibet border, is the coldest part of the country, where blizzards can last for weeks. At a height of approximately 22,000 ft, the glaciers here stretch over a length of 75 km with widths ranging up to two km. With more than two trillion cubic feet of ice, the temperature here drops
down to as low as -55 degree Celsius. Here, the brave soldiers of the Indian Army
guarding the nation are facing a lethal enemy — the weather. The hardships faced by these troops can be gauged by the fact that more soldiers here have lost their lives due to the inclement weather conditions rather than to enemy attacks. The cost of operations in Siachen is also unimaginably high, with one chapati delivered to a soldier
costing more than Rs 500! Air support is the lifeline in this freezing white desert, as survival of the troops is entirely dependent on this. And the helicopters serving this region are practically saviours in the sky, helping in the movement of troops, evacuating casualties, fetching rations and all other supplies for the troops deployed at the base camp and other forward posts. The heroes of this story are the Cheetah and the Dhruv helicopters, which are maintaining the supply chain to the entire area. The 666 Army Aviation Squadron of the Indian Army and 114 HU of the Indian Air Force at Leh have been operating the Cheetah helicopters. While the Army operates 18 Cheetahs, 13 are
operated by the Air Force. Recently, Dhruv helicopters of the 203 Army Aviation Squadron were also inducted at Leh to enhance support to the Army. The first detachment of two Dhruvs has started operations from Leh from October 4, 2008 and more will be inducted by April 2009 in phases. The Army eagerly awaits Dhruvs here after their very successful and effective role in Manasbal. The Cheetal helicopters,
a variant of Chetak manufactured in HAL, Barrackpore Division, especially for high altitude operations, will also be introduced in the area. Chairman checks in: Chairman, HAL, Mr Ashok K. Baweja visited Leh recently. Mr Baweja met the Director, Army Aviation Project Team, Commanding Officers of 203 and 666 Army Squadrons, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Engineering Officer of 121 Air Force Station and discussed various issues related to flying operations. He also addressed the engineering officers of
the Army and Air Force. The Senior Technical Officers of the 666 Sqn gave him a presentation on issues pertaining to repair and maintenance. Mr Baweja assured them that HAL would take all possible action to maintain an acceptable serviceability in all the units. He also outlined HAL’s support plans for the units operating in the area. He also said that HAL would be positioning customer support teams with all the units. These
would be capable of carrying out repairs in-situ, obviating the need to send equipment back to the Divisions of the Company for repair.

 

[nitesh]

The Assam Tribune Online

IAF ready to hit targets in Pak: Barbora
Correspondent
GUWAHATI, Dec 24 – Asserting that the Indian Air Force (IAF), in the event of a war against Pakistan, is ready to cause maximum damage to Pakistan, AOC-in-C, Western Air Command, Air Marshal PK Barbora today stated that the neighbouring country is in awe of the IAF armaments.

Barbora, in a startling revelation, stated that the IAF has already prepared a plan of attack and had identified over 5,000 specific targets in Pakistan.

Besides, special groups have been formed to hit specific targets of the enemy.

“Intelligence inputs gathered, especially post-Mumbai terror strikes, indicated that the neighbouring country is more concerned about the potent nature of the IAF than that of the Indian Army, in which it enjoys parity in strength,” Barbora said during a media interaction programme ‘Pride of North East’ in the city.

Substantiating his claim, the Air Chief Marshal, who recently served as the chief of the Eastern Command, stated that the IAF boasted the most advanced aircraft in its armour, including the potent SU 30 MKI, which was eight times more effective than a MiG 31.

“Pakistan does not have SU 30 MKI, which is considered as the most powerful of the fourth-generation aircraft,” Barbora stated, adding, “The IAF is intending to induct 200 such aircraft and it currently has 100 of them.”

Barbora stated that the IAF, which was the fourth largest airforce in the world, was also the fastest reacting force and in case a war was declared, it would take just a couple of hours for the force to man its security bases.

Though the Western Command chief, who hails from Assam, opined that the IAF was ready for any kind of eventuality, he reiterated that war is still considered as the fourth and the last resort.

“The war would be declared only after the Government fails to reap the desired results from the first three available options, which are diplomatic solution, appeal to the international community for finding an amicable solution, and thirdly opting for ‘Track 2’ diplomacy,” Barbora pointed out.

Asked to react on the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remark that ‘war is not on India’s mind’, Barbora further stated, “The phase of global meltdown that every country, including Pakistan, is experiencing, could be one of the reasons for making such a statement.

“Pakistan’s economy is in turmoil and has experienced the brunt of the economic meltdown in a bigger way than India and once the war is on, the scenario would further deteriorate, the impact of which would also affect India in the long run,” Barbora pointed out, adding, “Already, the neighbouring country has deployed around one lakh troops in the West to fight the Taliban and Al Qaeda, which would further affect their firepower.”

“We need to try all options before opting for a war. As there is instability in most of the neighbouring countries, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan, war is not the preferred option,” Barbora reiterated.

He also favoured building international pressure on Pakistan for creating a better atmosphere.

On the frequent MiG 21 crashes taking place, Barbora refuted the allegation that the aircraft were not safe to fly.

“The fact that the IAF has more numbers of such aircraft, the probability of mishaps also increases with it. Under my command (Western) we still have seven squadrons of MiG 21 and I still fly them,” Barbora asserted.

He, however, conceded that the MiG 21 aircraft were not easy to fly and the training module needed to be improved.