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Israel And India Boosting Defense Partnership | AVIATION WEEK
Indian Foreign Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishnas visit to Israel in January marked the arrival of the highest-ranking Indian official there in 11 years, and is all the more significant as the Indian governing coalition is now headed by the Congress Party, a faction that traditionally has paid close attention to Muslim sensitivities.
But the visit is even more important financially. Defense business between the two nations amounts to around $5 billion but could reach an estimated $15 billion. It is no longer a secret that Israel has become one of Indias top defense suppliers and partners.
Among recent big-ticket Israeli arms sales to India were Rafaels $1 billion contract in 2009 to provide 18 Spyder surface-to-air missile systems by 2012, as well as Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) $1.1 billion deal that same year for the advanced Barak 8 tactical air-defense system for warships. India launched an IAI-built Risat-2 all-weather spy satellite from the Sriharikota site in southern Andhra Pradesh state, forging strategic cooperation in space projects. Meantime, the Indian air force (IAF) is seeking government approval to order two additional Il-76 Phalcon AWACS aircraft for $800 million, expanding the current fleet of three aircraft procured by the IAF under the previous $1.1 billion program. And Indian Air Chief Marshal P. V. Naik said the IAF would buy two more Phalcons. Phalcon AWACS are tremendous force-multipliers. We are having an excellent experience with them, he said.
The system comprises an Israeli Elta EL/M-2075 active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar mounted on an Il‑76. The Elta system mounts three radar antennas, each providing 120-deg. coverage, in a non-rotating radome on top of the aircraft. It is capable of simultaneously tracking 60 targets, including ballistic missiles rising into the sky, low-flying aircraft and cruise missiles up to 400 km (250 mi.) away. The aircraft also can be used to direct air defense fighters during combat operations. The Phalcons are being inducted into the newly raised 50 Squadron based at Agra air base.
India also has expressed interest in Israels Arrow 2 anti-ballistic missile system jointly manufactured by IAI and Boeing. But the technology transfer involved could impede the sale since U.S. approval would be required and the countries have had past differences about such matters.
The IAF and army are planning to field guided missiles under several parallel programs currently in the acquisition process. To enable Rafael to participate as a sole bidder in the open tender, the Indian army obtained a special permit. Another obstacle for other competitors was Indias insistence on unique performancedemanding that the system entail an active-passive fire-and-forget guidance system, which only Rafael can offer. Off-the-shelf third-generation (3G) missiles employ passive sensors to lock on the target before launch, and perform fire-and-forget engagement. Only Rafaels Spike can offer active-passive 3G fire-and-forgetincluding the ability for the user to correct the missiles aiming while in flight. The Indian requirement sidelined the standard laser-guided Hellfire missiles carried on Boeing Apache Longbow attack helicopters. Still, since Indias services favored the Apache for their next high-performance gunship, it is likely they will take it with its standard weapons, rather than make a significant investment in modifying its avionics and fire-control system to integrate other missiles.
A parallel acquisition by the Indian army is a lightweight guided missile for the infantry. Rafaels Mini-Spike could become a contender for this program. As far as industrial participation and technology transfer, if Rafael eventually wins the order, the Indians will get the first deliveries of the missiles made in Israel but Rafael is likely to shift production to India, as it has done in other markets like Poland and Spain.
Likewise, Rafael and Bharat Dynamics have recently stepped up their dialog with plans to establish a local joint venture. The companies are currently seeking a private sector, Indian-based partner to join the company. This selected company will become the local entity to acquire the know-how and production technologies to deliver the weapons critical subsystems, including missile seekers for air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles and the Spikes electro-optical seekers.
Photo: Boeing
Indian Foreign Minister Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishnas visit to Israel in January marked the arrival of the highest-ranking Indian official there in 11 years, and is all the more significant as the Indian governing coalition is now headed by the Congress Party, a faction that traditionally has paid close attention to Muslim sensitivities.
But the visit is even more important financially. Defense business between the two nations amounts to around $5 billion but could reach an estimated $15 billion. It is no longer a secret that Israel has become one of Indias top defense suppliers and partners.
Among recent big-ticket Israeli arms sales to India were Rafaels $1 billion contract in 2009 to provide 18 Spyder surface-to-air missile systems by 2012, as well as Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) $1.1 billion deal that same year for the advanced Barak 8 tactical air-defense system for warships. India launched an IAI-built Risat-2 all-weather spy satellite from the Sriharikota site in southern Andhra Pradesh state, forging strategic cooperation in space projects. Meantime, the Indian air force (IAF) is seeking government approval to order two additional Il-76 Phalcon AWACS aircraft for $800 million, expanding the current fleet of three aircraft procured by the IAF under the previous $1.1 billion program. And Indian Air Chief Marshal P. V. Naik said the IAF would buy two more Phalcons. Phalcon AWACS are tremendous force-multipliers. We are having an excellent experience with them, he said.
The system comprises an Israeli Elta EL/M-2075 active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar mounted on an Il‑76. The Elta system mounts three radar antennas, each providing 120-deg. coverage, in a non-rotating radome on top of the aircraft. It is capable of simultaneously tracking 60 targets, including ballistic missiles rising into the sky, low-flying aircraft and cruise missiles up to 400 km (250 mi.) away. The aircraft also can be used to direct air defense fighters during combat operations. The Phalcons are being inducted into the newly raised 50 Squadron based at Agra air base.
India also has expressed interest in Israels Arrow 2 anti-ballistic missile system jointly manufactured by IAI and Boeing. But the technology transfer involved could impede the sale since U.S. approval would be required and the countries have had past differences about such matters.
The IAF and army are planning to field guided missiles under several parallel programs currently in the acquisition process. To enable Rafael to participate as a sole bidder in the open tender, the Indian army obtained a special permit. Another obstacle for other competitors was Indias insistence on unique performancedemanding that the system entail an active-passive fire-and-forget guidance system, which only Rafael can offer. Off-the-shelf third-generation (3G) missiles employ passive sensors to lock on the target before launch, and perform fire-and-forget engagement. Only Rafaels Spike can offer active-passive 3G fire-and-forgetincluding the ability for the user to correct the missiles aiming while in flight. The Indian requirement sidelined the standard laser-guided Hellfire missiles carried on Boeing Apache Longbow attack helicopters. Still, since Indias services favored the Apache for their next high-performance gunship, it is likely they will take it with its standard weapons, rather than make a significant investment in modifying its avionics and fire-control system to integrate other missiles.
A parallel acquisition by the Indian army is a lightweight guided missile for the infantry. Rafaels Mini-Spike could become a contender for this program. As far as industrial participation and technology transfer, if Rafael eventually wins the order, the Indians will get the first deliveries of the missiles made in Israel but Rafael is likely to shift production to India, as it has done in other markets like Poland and Spain.
Likewise, Rafael and Bharat Dynamics have recently stepped up their dialog with plans to establish a local joint venture. The companies are currently seeking a private sector, Indian-based partner to join the company. This selected company will become the local entity to acquire the know-how and production technologies to deliver the weapons critical subsystems, including missile seekers for air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles and the Spikes electro-optical seekers.
Photo: Boeing
