Indian aircraft to keep an eye on Straits of Malacca

[soumya1989]

The Indian Navy plans to deploy its medium-range Dornier surveillance aircraft at its furthest air station at Campbell Bay in the Andaman and Nicobar islands to keep a regular watch on the oil and cargo traffic passing through the strategic Malacca Strait and two other crucial sea lanes used to ferry these materials to China and South East Asia.

Almost a year after a 3,500 ft runway was made operational at the “INS Baaz” – the Navy’s eastern most air station in the Campbell Bay – Defence Minister AK Antony told the navy commanders on Tuesday to go ahead with improving the infrastructure in the Andaman and Lakshwadeep islands.

The Navy needs to construct repair depot, hanger, fuel dump and residential complexes at Campbell Bay before basing its Dornier aircraft for continuous surveillance of Malacca, Sunda and Lombok straits.

The latest long-range surveillance aircraft P8I – the first one to arrive in India on Wednesday – will be based at Aarakkonam on the Tamil Nadu coast but will add to the Navy’s surveillance capability.

The islands, particularly the Andaman, are getting more strategic attention to counter China’s growing expansion in the Indian Ocean region.

An “arc of democracy” spanning from Djibouti to Port Blair to Yokosuka is being conceived in the strategic circle as a counter-measure to tackle China’s “String of Pearls” which is basically a set of ports with considerable Chinese influence encircling India.

“Few other places bear more strategic importance than the Andaman and Nicobar islands. The Indian Ocean region will certainly gain strategic importance even more in future,” Tara Aso, Deputy Prime Minister of Japan stated at a function in the capital earlier this month. Japan has its first-ever overseas base in Djibouti.

Aso’s statement assumes significance in the wake of the USA repositioning its assets and force-level in the Asia-Pacific with the aim of countering China.

Washington is shifting 60 per cent of its naval assets in this region and investing in new platforms and technologies suitable for the Indian Ocean. Antony said construction of additional bases and naval air stations in the Andaman and Nicobar islands as well as the Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands was necessary to extend India’s operational reach.
The approval, sources said, would lead to acceleration of infrastructure creation at forward operating bases like Kamorta (Nicobar Islands) and Diglipur (Andaman) and naval air enclaves at Agati (Lakshadweep) and Androth (A&N).

The defence minister also reminded the commanders on the “operational constraints” in terms of shortage of submarines, mine counter-measure vessels and ship-borne helicopters. While six French Scorpene are being manufactured at Mazgaon Dock, the Navy is negotiating the price with foreign vendors to buy 12 mine sweeper vessels.

Indian aircraft to keep an eye on Straits of Malacca | idrw.org

 

[AUSTERLITZ]

Like the term 'arc of democracy'.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

This deployment is inevitable. So far the Dorniers were on permanent deployment at Port Blair; now the Dorniers will move to Campbell Bay on Permanent deployment while the P-8Is will move into Port Blair, with capability to operate from Campbell Bay. Good development.

 

[sancho]

This deployment is inevitable. So far the Dorniers were on permanent deployment at Port Blair; now the Dorniers will move to Campbell Bay on Permanent deployment while the P-8Is will move into Port Blair, with capability to operate from Campbell Bay. Good development.

After the Tsunami the forces have turned the aims on builing up fully fledged air bases at A&N, especially not for the advanced and costly aircrafts. That's why IAF will not base any fighters there anymore and plans to cover the area with MKIs from Kalaikunda and Thanjavur. That's why it's doubtful that they would "base" any fighters or important MPAs, there, which also is a matter of available space to park and maintain bigger aircrafts, which is different than being able to refuel and repair them if necessary in short stop overs.
Btw, moving the Do 228 to Campbell Bay is not a big deal since these aircrafts are too limited in capability and mainly serves surveillance reasons, which is why IN plans to add some UAVs there too. If the base would be used to base MRMR MPAs with ASW capability at such a forwarded location, it would be more interesting.

 

[surya kiran]

After the Tsunami the forces have turned the aims on builing up fully fledged air bases at A&N, especially not for the advanced and costly aircrafts. That's why IAF will not base any fighters there anymore and plans to cover the area with MKIs from Kalaikunda and Thanjavur. That's why it's doubtful that they would "base" any fighters or important MPAs, there, which also is a matter of available space to park and maintain bigger aircrafts, which is different than being able to refuel and repair them if necessary in short stop overs.
Btw, moving the Do 228 to Campbell Bay is not a big deal since these aircrafts are too limited in capability and mainly serves surveillance reasons, which is why IN plans to add some UAVs there too. If the base would be used to base MRMR MPAs with ASW capability at such a forwarded location, it would be more interesting.

Are there any plans being made to convert any of the existing Do228s to remote controlled surveillance systems from an R&D perspective? In fact, are there any attempts being made to build remote controlled planes?

 

[sancho]

Are there any plans being made to convert any of the existing Do228s to remote controlled surveillance systems from an R&D perspective? In fact, are there any attempts being made to build remote controlled planes?

There were reports about unmanned helicopters, not sure if they want similar for Do 228 or Saras, I don't think it would be really useful, since MALE UAVs have a similar size, but will be far more effective in surveillance roles.

 

[surya kiran]

There were reports about unmanned helicopters, not sure if they want similar for Do 228 or Saras, I don't think it would be really useful, since MALE UAVs have a similar size, but will be far more effective in surveillance roles.

Can MALE UAVs carry the same kind of payload of a Do288???

 

[sancho]

Can MALE UAVs carry the same kind of payload of a Do288???

Payload of techs? Not sure, but their range and endurance is far longer than such converted manned aircrafts, since UAVs are designed and developed from the start for these requirements. Piaggio presented an unmanned MPA conversion, will be interesting to see if it gets some exports:

 

[Abingdonboy]

Payload of techs? Not sure, but their range and endurance is far longer than such converted manned aircrafts, since UAVs are designed and developed from the start for these requirements. Piaggio presented an unmanned MPA conversion, will be interesting to see if it gets some exports:

Most likely go the same way as the Indo-Israeli NRUAV that used the Chetak as the platform. As you've said UAVs that start out life as UAS are built from the ground up to be such and ar eoptimsied for this role. In many cases a manned aircraft is just incompatible with a UAS.

India was interested because it thought it could put its soon to be retired Chetak airframes to good use after they had been phase out of operational service.


I don't know what Piaggo's reasons are- it just seem like a lazy and cheap way of coming up with a UAS without going back to basics and designing a UAS from the ground up.

 

[sancho]

Most likely go the same way as the Indo-Israeli NRUAV that used the Chetak as the platform. As you've said UAVs that start out life as UAS are built from the ground up to be such and ar eoptimsied for this role. In many cases a manned aircraft is just incompatible with a UAS.

India was interested because it thought it could put its soon to be retired Chetak airframes to good use after they had been phase out of operational service.


I don't know what Piaggo's reasons are- it just seem like a lazy and cheap way of coming up with a UAS without going back to basics and designing a UAS from the ground up.

There is a bid difference though in unmanned helicopters and unmanned MPAs, the earlier can not only be used for surveillance reasons, but also for uttility transport, or fire support roles. Especially in the navy such roles gets more and more interesting on board of naval vessels and nearly any major helicopter manufacturer is developing such a version now. We sadly missed the chance with the Israelis and the Cheetak and even future Dhruv versions are questionable now.

 

[Abingdonboy]

There is a bid difference though in unmanned helicopters and unmanned MPAs, the earlier can not only be used for surveillance reasons, but also for uttility transport, or fire support roles. Especially in the navy such roles gets more and more interesting on board of naval vessels and nearly any major helicopter manufacturer is developing such a version now. We sadly missed the chance with the Israelis and the Cheetak and even future Dhruv versions are questionable now.

IIRC the issues with the NRUAV were with the Chetak as a base platform so it's no ones "fault" per se.

And yeah, apparently they were going to transition to the ALH as a NRUAV platform- I winder what happened with that?


+ AFAIK the IN has shown keen interest in the FireScout and I wouldn't be surprised if they placed orders for it in the coming years. If the IN go for a US package deal wrt the IAC-2 then the FireScout will for sure be part of the deal along with helos, AWACS and fighters, EMALS etc

 

[Capt.Popeye]

After the Tsunami the forces have turned the aims on builing up fully fledged air bases at A&N, especially not for the advanced and costly aircrafts. That's why IAF will not base any fighters there anymore and plans to cover the area with MKIs from Kalaikunda and Thanjavur. That's why it's doubtful that they would "base" any fighters or important MPAs, there, which also is a matter of available space to park and maintain bigger aircrafts, which is different than being able to refuel and repair them if necessary in short stop overs.
Btw, moving the Do 228 to Campbell Bay is not a big deal since these aircrafts are too limited in capability and mainly serves surveillance reasons, which is why IN plans to add some UAVs there too. If the base would be used to base MRMR MPAs with ASW capability at such a forwarded location, it would be more interesting.

That assessment is not quite right.

Port Blair was totally unaffected by the Tsunami. The Airport/Airbase there is inside the coast and is at a safe elevation. The Airbase at Car Nicobar was affected, but no IAF fighters are based there, it is only a FOB. However, many changes have been made to preclude any repeat of the Tsunami experience. I have been in the A&N archipelago post-Tsunami and have seen both the damage and rehabilitation work carried out including the worst affected island in Nicobar; where an entire settlement/township that has been shifted to higher ground on the Western side of that island from its previous Eastern sea-front locale.

INS Baaz has all the mechanisms built in as required for the purpose. A detachment/flight of P-8Is are likely to make it to Port Blair. While the IAF will rotate detachments/flights of aircraft from the mainland on Operational Duties as required. Dorniers from Campbell Bay will get tasked with Malacca Straits surveillance only, while Poseidons will range over the entire BoB and southern IO south of Sumatera.
That is how the scheme will work.

 

[sancho]

That assessment is not quite right.

Port Blair was totally unaffected by the Tsunami. The Airport/Airbase there is inside the coast and is at a safe elevation. The Airbase at Car Nicobar was affected, but no IAF fighters are based there, it is only a FOB. However, many changes have been made to preclude any repeat of the Tsunami experience. I have been in the A&N archipelago post-Tsunami and have seen both the damage and rehabilitation work carried out including the worst affected island in Nicobar; where an entire settlement/township that has been shifted to higher ground on the Western side of that island from its previous Eastern sea-front locale.

KALAIKUNDA: The air base at Kalaikunda will now play an extremely crucial role in the country's defences.

Aircraft based here will be involved in air defence over the strategic Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Bay of Bengal. The tri-services command at the A&N Islands will be in charge of the squadrons of Su-30 MKIs and other advanced aircraft based at Kalaikunda for this specific purpose. This decision was taken when plans for basing Sukhois in the Andamans got scuttled after the 2004 tsunami in which the IAF lost assets. "Till now, Kalaikunda — while performing several other duties — has been a bridge with the Andamans. The role of the base will grow and aircraft based here will play a vital role in patrolling the skies over the Andamans and the Bay of Bengal...

Kalaikunda fighters in charge of Andaman and Nicobar Islands defences - The Times of India


IAF had operated MKIs and Jags from A&N in the past, but not in full squadron strenght, which was aimed for later stages, but after the tsunami and because of the weather conditions there, these plans were changed. In war times fighters can still be placed there, but otherwise all operations will be done from the coastal air bases.
The same is the case for the MPAs, otherwise IL 38s could have been deployed there since years, but MPAs and the modernisations of the airfields there, have mainly logistical reasons, rather than placing fighters or MPAs there, to operater all kinds of aircrafts from these bases if necessary, but not on a regular basis.
P8Is at A&N are more than doubtful, since all the operations in that area was and will be done from the Arakkonam base, which will be modernised to house them and by getting a dedicated repair and maintenance facility in Kochi, which all is not available an A&N yet.
There is not even an operational advantage by placing them there, since the aim is to extend their operations via mid air refuelling and they obviously will not be scrambled like fighters, when a target is detected, especially not the P8Is, which are meant for high altitude surveillance in first place.

 

[shuttler]

Like the term 'arc of democracy'.

even countries like india are included!

 

[IamINDIA]

i hope they develop INS Baaz as fast as possible, it could be India's trump card in any engagement with china. basically if they do something that goes against our interest we cut off their supply routes. their own navy will be too busy counter balancing the navies of Japan, east Asian countries and the soon to arrive United states navy. as long as we have a couple of P8Is in the base we should be able keep the blockade going with out worrying about Chinese subs.