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Indian Marcos at Seychelles


India has also been a regular with navy personnel parading in the annual carnival in Seychelles. This year a delegation of Indian Marines were flown to Seychelles to ensure that the Indian navy flag was again flown in the 2013 carnival parade. It is also the third consecutive year that the Indian Navy joins in the parade alongside the Seychelles Armed Forces and the navies from the Community of Nations wanting to be seen to be standing in solidarity with Seychelles and the African and Indian Ocean islands in their ongoing fight against the Somali bandits on the seas of the Indian Ocean.

Russian navy ship leads the way in Seychelles during Carnival 2013 in show of solidarity in fight against Somali bandits
 
Firms line up as Navy reaches for the skies


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With fifth-generation fighter aircraft, attack helicopters, heavy-lift choppers and VVIP copters, the IAF’s modern aircraft story has just taken off. But the Navy isn’t far behind. Shortly, the Indian Navy will be floating a ‘Request for Proposal (RfP)’ to buy 120 naval multi-role helicopter (NMRH), for about Rs 35,000 crore — considered the biggest helicopter deal in the world.

The Navy is in all poised to acquire over 200 helicopters in different categories, including the NMRH. These include 16 multi-role helicopters, for which field trials are complete with contenders waiting for declaration of the lowest bidder. An RfP for 56 naval utility helicopters (NUH) has also been issued.

At the Aero India show that concluded here Sunday, there were several global contenders trying to sell their machines for the Indian skies and shores.

On Friday, Vice Admiral Pradeep Chatterjee, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, in-charge of the directorate that looks after aviation procurements, visited the helicopter manufacturers at the show.

Sikorsky: Pitched its S-70B Seahawk helicopter for NMRH, besides three other variants — S-60R, S-60S and CH-148 cyclone. While the specifications on offer would vary as per requirements, the manufacturer said the ability to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers gave its helicopters multi-role operability. It touts S-70B’s anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and search and rescue capabilities, as well as its state of the art avionics and automatic flight control systems.

“We have suggested four platforms to best suit the Navy’s requirements. All the platforms have been used by a number of forces across the world,” said Air Vice Marshal (retd) A J S Walia, regional executive, India and South Asia, Sikorsky. It has evinced interest in supplying helicopters to meet shore-based requirements, as well as ship-borne choppers and helicopters for dry lease for the Indian Coast Guard.

Eurocopter: A 100 per cent subsidiary of EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company), Eurocopter has identified its long-range tactical transport helicopter — the EC725 Caracal — for NMRH. The Caracal is a combat-proven platform which has seen operations in Afghanistan as French deployment since 2007. Lutz Bertling, Eurocopter president and CEO, said the company will offer this platform with a complete systems package, equipped with all-weather capability, range and heavy-lift capability besides others.

The company will also be contesting for the Navy’s order of 56 NUH with its AS565 MBe Panther. The double-rotor machine that was a major attraction at Aero India 2013 is capable of anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.

Russians: Having lost out to the US on two major IAF contracts, the Russians were at the Aero India with four helicopters. “Russia has identified Kamov-226, twin-engine, co-axial rotor-helicopter, besides medium helicopters Kamov Ka-28, 31 Early Warning Helicopter and Ka-22. All of these will be supplied with anti-submarine warfare suits, electronic jammers besides other weaponry and surveillance systems,” said the head of the Russian delegation at the show, Alexander Fomin.

Calling Russian helicopters the most modern and potent platforms in the world, Fomin hoped that the “mistake” India had made in rejecting Russian helicopters for the IAF wouldn’t be be repeated in the case of the Navy.

Finmeccanica: The Italian conglomerate fielded its NH-90 platform for the Navy’s multi-role helicopter requirement as well as NMRH. According to the company, the NH-90 is specifically configured for submarine hunting, search and rescue operations besides dominating the sea surface. With a limited Airborne Early Warning capability, the chopper can be used for casualty evacuation, special operations, counter-terrorism and anti-piracy operations. “The NH- 90 is a modern, 21st-century helicopter with the most advanced Fly By Wire system, the most modern flight control system… What we are looking for is a strategic association with India,,” said Geoff Russell, head of media relations, Agusta Westland, which is owned by Finmeccanica.

Firms line up as Navy reaches for the skies | idrw.org
 
If Ajmal Kasab’s cousins come calling again or pirates strike over choppy seas, India’s marine commandos (Marcos) will take just over an hour to launch a counter-offensive. Leading the charge will be two Marcos squadrons, deployed in Mumbai and Port Blair, equipped with “duck drop” systems fitted on Ilyushin-76 aircraft.

This is a “force-multiplier”, said a scientist from the Aerial Delivery Rese-arch and Develop-ment Establishment, the Agra-based outfit that designed the system. Once paradro-pped from aircraft, it all-ows marines to assemble inflatable motorised boats in 10 minutes and race towards ships in distress.
“Once commandos are near the target, they can dismantle the boats and travel underwater to mount a surprise attack. The marines can be deployed in an hour, unlike earlier when it took up to 48 hours to reach targets as they had to travel on ships. Each system (two boats) can take 32 commandos, weapons and fuel,” the scientist told this newspaper.
The scientist said the “duck drop” system was inducted recently by the Navy after several trials in the Indian Ocean. “It took us two years to develop the system; it’s a cost-effective way to rush commandos for rescue operations. It costs less than a tenth of a similar system that US marines use onboard C-130J Super Hercules. It is also impossible to acquire these as the US has banned their sale,” he added.
The “duck drop” system will be on display for the first time at Aero India 2013.

Navy
 
If Ajmal Kasab’s cousins come calling again or pirates strike over choppy seas, India’s marine commandos (Marcos) will take just over an hour to launch a counter-offensive. Leading the charge will be two Marcos squadrons, deployed in Mumbai and Port Blair, equipped with “duck drop” systems fitted on Ilyushin-76 aircraft.

This is a “force-multiplier”, said a scientist from the Aerial Delivery Rese-arch and Develop-ment Establishment, the Agra-based outfit that designed the system. Once paradro-pped from aircraft, it all-ows marines to assemble inflatable motorised boats in 10 minutes and race towards ships in distress.
“Once commandos are near the target, they can dismantle the boats and travel underwater to mount a surprise attack. The marines can be deployed in an hour, unlike earlier when it took up to 48 hours to reach targets as they had to travel on ships. Each system (two boats) can take 32 commandos, weapons and fuel,” the scientist told this newspaper.
The scientist said the “duck drop” system was inducted recently by the Navy after several trials in the Indian Ocean. “It took us two years to develop the system; it’s a cost-effective way to rush commandos for rescue operations. It costs less than a tenth of a similar system that US marines use onboard C-130J Super Hercules. It is also impossible to acquire these as the US has banned their sale,” he added.
The “duck drop” system will be on display for the first time at Aero India 2013.

Navy
I believe this is the system (poster is from Aero India 2013):

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GSL designs pontoon for INS Vikramaditya
SOURCE: NAVHIND TIMES

Last in the series of five pontoons indigenously designed and being built by Goa Shipyard Ltd for the Indian Navy’s prestigious aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya left GSL on February 21, more than two months ahead of delivery schedule. The pontoons are intended for mooring and berthing the 40,000 ton Aircraft Carrier INS Vikramaditya on a jetty and for providing services alongside the aircraft carrier.

Significantly, GSL had bagged the order for design and construction of the five special purpose Pontoons from Indian Navy against stiff open competition from private players and the contract for the same was signed between GSL and the Indian Navy on June 2011.

GSL has already completed delivery of four pontoons to Indian Navy ahead of schedule. Two pontoons have been delivered at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai while the balance two at Naval Base, Karwar. With receipt of the Service Barge pontoon at Mumbai, the Indian Navy would be ready to receive the prestigious Vikramaditya.

The 40 mt pontoons are non-self propelled craft designed to serve as spacers between the berthing structure and the aircraft carrier to absorb the high energy of the Aircraft carrier as she comes alongside the pier.

They have been designed to be efficiently towed at sea with a streamlined hull form. The delivery marks a small but nonetheless yet another milestone in GSL’s contribution to indigenous defence preparedness at economical cost, with on time delivery and meeting the customers’ qualitative requirements.
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The Indian Navy may stand a good chance of boosting its helicopter fleets with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (SAC) having received a request for information (RFIs) from it for buying and developing 123 multi-role helicopters. Sikorsky is also working on a futuristic helicopter, the technology demonstrator of which -- called X-2 -- has recorded 250 knots in airspeed as against 160-180 knots recorded among conventional helicopters. The company has indicated that India would stand in good stead doing business with it to gain the latest in helicopter technology enhancement in future.

Air Marshal (retd) AVM Walia, regional executive (India & South Asia region), SAC,said on Thursday at the second day of Aero India 2013 that the Indian Navy was looking for 123 multi-role helicopters. It is specially looking for one of two varieties of helicopters -- the MH-60R or the MH-60H. "The RFI has been responded to and we are now waiting for a request for proposal so that we can take the matter forward," he said.

SAC has also received RFIs from the Indian CoastGuard for 14 shore-based helicopters and 16 ship-borne ones for which the company is waiting for RFPs.

But while Walia and SAC president, Mick Maurer, provided details about doing business with Indian defence and civilian companies, what could not be missed was their presentation made on the X-2 technology helicopter,the future of helicopter which flies with double tilt rotors for enhanced lift.

Having achieved its goal of flying the X2 Technology demonstrator helicopter at more than 250 knots (287 mph), Sikorsky will design, build and fly two more X2 Technology aircraft, and offer one of the aircraft to the US military for flight test and evaluation. Both prototypes will become the first of an all-new light tactical helicopter category — the Sikorsky S-97 — and will carry the designation “S-97 Raider” helicopter.

SAC is developing two prototypes for the US military, which is scheduled to carry out the first test flight of the Sikorsky S-97 in late 2014.

The Sikorsky X-2 helicopter, which features increased speed with maneuverability and agility, incorporates several new technologies and has successfully demonstrated them in a flight environment. These technologies include an integrated fly-by-wire system that allows the engine/rotor/propulsor system to operate efficiently, with full control of rotor rpm (rotations per minute) throughout the flight high lift-to-drag rigid blades, low drag hub fairings, and active vibration control at such high speeds.

In addition, the aircraft was used as a 'flying wind tunnel' to determine the main rotor to propulsor aerodynamic interaction, shaft angle optimization for performance, and blade tip clearance for a range of maneuvers. This will allow optimization of the X2 Technology suite for future products.
SAC's website says about this future of helicopters: "Historically, vertical flight has required a compromise between hover performance and forward speed...With X2 Technology, Sikorsky is focused on providing increased speed over conventional rotorcraft designs without compromising the essential attributes that make helicopters valuable."
The future of helicopter technology at India's doorsteps - India - DNA


 
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MIG 29K Landing on INS Vikramaditya :enjoy:

The pilot was Sergey Korotkov, General Director of JSC "Russian Aircraft Corporation "MiG", Look How effortlessly he did the Landing on the deck.



 
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