India completes modalities of S-400 deal with Russia worth $10.6 billion

IAF to test a low RCS Glide Bomb, Waghnakh (Sanskrit: tiger claw), first of three inhouse concept weapons this month. The other two are antishipping cruise missile concept ‘Varunastra’ (Sanskrit: Varun’s weapon; not to be confused with torpedo of the same name) and land attack cruise missile Vel (Sanskrit: motion).

Pictures here:
http://www.livefistdefence.com/2015/10/iaf-to-flight-test-in-house-stand-off.html

Waghnakh: 100+km; weight unknown. Already in flight trials on Su-30Mki.
Varunastra: 270 KM; 225 Kg with 108 Kg warhed; Cruising speed 850Km/hr; 200Lbs/90Kg thrust.
Vel: 270 Km; 208 Kg; 90 Kg thrust.

The Varunastra and Vel seem to be variants of each other. All three are concept weapons and likely to be further developed with DRDO.

Nice! I saw these weapons’ full scale models at Aero India 2015 and had spoken to an IAF guy standing there who said that these were in-house concepts developed by a few IAF engineers. To be honest, I didn’t think that these would see the light of the day as far as actual testing is concerned.

India proceeds with Apache and Chinook purchase

India’s Cabinet Committee on Security has approved the purchase of 22 Boeing AH-64E Apache and 15 CH-47F Chinook helicopters worth an estimated $2.2 billion.

A formal contract is expected in the next couple of weeks, according to informed sources. Flightglobal understands that deliveries will commence within 36 to 48 months of a deal being signed.
…

India will become the fourth international customer for the AH-64E Block III Apache. As per Boeing’s proposal, the platform, spare parts, logistical support and services will be supplied through a direct commercial sale to India.

Munitions and components including engines, electro-optical/infrared sensors, fire control radars – which will not be carried on all of India’s Apaches – and training, along with aircraft certification, will be provided via the US government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) mechanism.

The Chinooks will be acquired through a direct commercial sale, with no FMS element.

India’s original request for proposal contained options for an additional 11 Apaches and seven Chinooks. Both types will be operated by the Indian air force, although the government has mandated that future attack helicopter inductions will be vested with the army.

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Pakistani F-7PG fighter crashes near Mastung. Pilot ejected

PAF F-7PG crashes near Mastung

Airbus pulls out of Japanese tanker programme

IJT Sitara set for spin test

Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), which is being developed as the second rung of the Indian Air Force’s three-level training programme for rookie pilots, is set to undergo its most critical ‘spin’ test this month, according to a top executive of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL).

The spin test, which is at least eight months behind schedule, is seen as an ‘agnipariksha’ when it comes to safety of the pilot and the aircraft during combat.

Success will mean HAL can start planning series production “and we are confident of it (success),” HAL Chairman & Managing Director T. Suvarna Raju told The Hindu .

Work on the twin-seat IJT (or HJT-36) started in 1999. Admitting that the spin test had been an issue, Mr. Raju said, “We expected to spin the aircraft about eight months ago and clear it for series production. We could not spin or stall the aircraft. It is a very crucial job that should be done very carefully, as there is a lot of risk for men and material.”

In the last few months, HAL consulted UK aerospace major BAE Systems on certain design changes. The aircraft was modified and assessed many times over by mathematical modelling and wind tunnel tests.

After the engine stall test, “we are re-assessing the spin characteristics. We are close… after carrying out modifications. I am waiting for the happy news [in the next 20-30 days],” Mr. Raju said.

The IAF requires 85 IJTs. Currently into limited series production, the two prototypes have flown around 1,000 hours since the first flight in March 2003.

Delayed

The spin test was planned for 2013, but was delayed over deciding the engine, delivery from Russia and accidents in 2007, 2009 and 2011. “Today, we are confident that that every problem has found a solution. The aircraft that is going to come out of all this is going to be really worth flying,” Mr. Raju said.

http://www.oneindia.com/india/lch-becomes-first-attack-helicopter-to-land-at-siachen-1857693.html

LCH undergoes testing at Forward Landing Base at Siachen, highest for any attack helicopter. IOC is close now. Weapons trials in 2016.

From the article

HAL said that the trials were carried out on the third prototype of LCH (TD3) at Leh. The temperatures during the trials ranged from 13 to 27 degree centigrade.

27 deg C at those elevations is the very definition of hot and high..even with 10 deg C, the Cheetah helis could barely carry anything at all when landing at helipads on Siachen..and that too when they were flying on the margins of the performance envelope for the Cheetah. Would be quite remarkable if an attack helo managed to land at those heli pads at bases like Amar base in Siachen.