Can you compare what the LCA cockpit was back then and now? Can you even give comment about Indian sitting in the JF17 cockpit and telling that it was not good…?

What he meant was, the former PAF commented on LCA in a bad way without even seeing it, while the former IAF chief checked out the JF 17 simulator and he appreciated it.

U.S may still have potential conflicts and stand off with Russia, I don’t mean an allout War or anything but heated issues are bound to happen.

How wise would it be for them to invest on Russian aircraft for their refuellers under these circumstances ?

One thing good about IL 76-78 is you can always get spares from Ukraine.

Mauritius builds global data bank, with Indian Navy help

The island nation of Mauritius wants to become a global database hub, and helping it realise that ambition is the Indian Navy.

It is pitching in to operationalise a new green technology that will keep the thousands of servers being planned on the island, to host data from business houses across the world, from getting too hot.

Keeping the servers cool was one of the biggest problems standing between Mauritius and its hopes of becoming a data centre hub. It found a unique solution in a technology that brings up cool water from depths of more than 1 mile under the ocean which could be used to run the air conditioner system for the data centres. At such depths, the water temperature is as low as 1-2 degrees Celsius.

The Indian Navy has now deputed one of its best hydrographic vessels to the island nation to help map out the sea bed, along which the system will be laid. The INS Nirdeshak, which in the past has carried out surveys of major ports in Mauritius, left for the task on Wednesday. The work will be done as a goodwill gesture by the Indian government under a cooperation agreement between the countries.

During a six-month deployment to the island nation, the Nirdeshak will survey the entire seabed and chalk out a route for the ‘Sea Water Air Conditioning’ (SWAC)’ system using its multi-beam sonars. While it has done shorter stints around the island republic in the past — it recently completed a survey of the country’s main Grand port — this is by far the most extensive deployment of the hydrographic vessel in Mauritius.

The Navy has been helping Mauritius draw up hydrographic charts for five years. Besides helping it map its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the charts would ease setting up of infrastructure and shipping routes.

While similar help has been given to Maldives and Bangladesh, this is the first time the Navy is helping someone set up a sea water air conditioning system. An officer familiar with the project said that the cool sea water that would be pumped up would also be extremely low on salinity, given the depths from which it would be drawn.

“Mauritius plans to first use the cold water to run the air conditioning plants. After that, due to the low salinity, it will be distilled and used as drinking water,” the officer said.

The Nirdeshak also has another interesting association with the region. Last year, the hydrographic vessel which was carrying out routine survey work was deployed to Seychelles on an emergency basis after the nation sent a piracy SOS to India. The vessel helped keep the waters safe till a fully armed warship was sent over and helped catch nine pirates.

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HAPP, Tiruchi develops indigenous version of RGB 60 for Indian Navy

The HAPP (Heavy Alloy Penetrator Project), Tiruchi, has developed an indigenised version of the Russian Anti-Submarine Rocket Guided Bomb 60 (RGB 60), for catering to the needs of Indian Navy.

The 110 kg RGB 60 rocket developed through in-house Research and Development process within a duration of one year, has been designed to deliver a war head mass of 25 kg to a range of 5.8 km within ten seconds. The rocket is fired in formations from the RBU 6000 (Rocketnaya Bombometnaya Ustanovka) Rocket Depth Bomb Launcher mounted on ship.

The first batch of 20 indigenously manufactured and assembled RGB 60 rockets will shortly be despatched for test trials with support from the officers and staff of the NAI (Naval Armament Inspectorate) detachment of CINA (Chief Inspectorate of Naval Armaments), the HAPP General Manager M. Ravi told presspersons here on Thursday. The hardware manufactured by HAPP will be filed with high explosives and propellents, and the fully charged Rocket will be issued to the Navy by AF Khadki, a Sister Ordnance Factory, he said.

One of the 41 Ordnance factories under the Director General of Ordnance Factories, Ordnance Factory Board, the HAPP, a production unit primarily engaged in the manufacture of High Kinetic Energy Anti Tank Projectiles of different calibers for use as Tank ammunition and various other ammunition items, successfully developed the smaller range RGB – 12 Rocket with 1.5 km range last year. Ten RGB 12 Rockets were now in advanced stage of test trials, Mr. Ravi said, exuding confidence that the bulk production of these two varieties of rockets could be started at the HAPP by this year-end. The indigenisation will reflect in enormous foreign exchange saving, he said.

On the on-going R & D initiatives and expansion plans, Mr. Ravi said the HAPP was in the process of manufacturing ammunition required for the shoulder-fired Carl Gustav rocket launcher, and co-production of125 mm IMI. The HAPP was one among the 12 ordnance factories where facilities will be expanded for scaling up manufacture of Pinaka rockets to the extent of fulfilling entire requirement of the Army, he said.

As part of celebration of the Ordnance Factories Day, Mr. Ravi earlier inaugurated an exhibition featuring the models of the RGB 60 and RGB12 and photos displaying various important events and milestones in the history of HAPP.

Mr. Ravi also honoured two recipients of the prestigious Ayudh Shri Awards. M. Ramesh, Master Craftsman, and S. Sundarapandian, Fitter, are among the 25 Ayudh Awardees identified by the OFB from all the ordnance factories on the basis of a set of parameters including innovation and cost-saving. They belong to the team that has developed the two Rockets for the Navy.

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Indian navy deploys INS Nirdeshak for hydrographic assistance to Mauritius

1. INS Nirdeshak set sail for Mauritius for a hydrographic survey mission on 17 Mar 10. The ship is likely to operate in Mauritian waters for about four weeks.

2. The deployment of INS Nirdeshak is in accordance with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Mauritian government. During the last four years about ten hydrographic surveys have been conducted by the Indian Navy in Mauritian waters. Some of the important surveys undertaken include those for Mauritian capital Port Louis harbour, Port Mathurin in Rodrigues Island, Carajos Cargados Shoals and Agalega Island. It is noteworthy that before the survey by the Indian Navy, Agalega was last surveyed over 100 years ago.

3. In addition to hydrographic survey of important ports, harbours and designated sea areas around the islands, the MoU encompasses training of Mauritian hydrographic personnel at National Institute of Hydrography at Goa and provision of expertise for setting up of a hydrographic infrastructure at Mauritius.

4. As a result of the sustained hydrographic assistance, four navigational charts of Mauritian waters have been produced and handed over. This is likely to give a boost to their sea trade. The survey will also be assisting land based ocean industries being set up in Mauritius.

5. This survey will also include collection of supporting data for the continental shelf claims of Mauritius. Surveys related to the development of the tourism industry in the islands are also conducted.

6. The regular presence of Indian Naval survey ships in Mauritius has generated a swell of goodwill and further reinforced the strong links between the two countries. The crew of the survey ships have not only been involved in surveying unchartered waters but have also endeared themselves to the local populace by participating in community building exercises during their short visits to the harbour, providing assistance in reaching supplies to far flung islands and acting as goodwill ambassadors.

7. It may be recalled that Indian Naval Ship Nirdeshak was the last ship to visit Mauritius during March – April 2009. On her return passage to India the ship was diverted to Seychelles to demonstrate Indian Naval presence and to deter piracy in the region. During her deployment off Seychelles the ship was involved in the successful capture of nine pirates in an operation which was coordinated with Spanish frigate Numancia.

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