That Embraer deal is almost ready to be signed apparently, and the 126 fighter jet deal might be announced by Sunday.

The 126 deal wont be announced or signed at AeroIndia. Its still many days away.

how do u know it hasnt passed the development stage.

Yes, in secret, right? :rolleyes:

MIG managers has now controlling stake in Phazotron and CEO sits on the board. so it is very unlikely that Phazotron radar is offered with Sukhoi unless some customer really insists.

For crying out loud, Phaza has been trying to break into the Sukhoi market for donkeys years because thats where the money was at. Only in the past few years did the MiG-29 upgrades (some 200 odd) allowed them to resuscitate their fortunes with same number of Zhuk Ms sold & coupled with the earlier Kopyo project had the relaunch projects.

You simply have NO clue of how expensive radar development is. Without a launch customer, you are running a huge risk. Phaza LOST out on the Zhuk MFE and MSFE. Perhaps their quick jump into AESA will give them the edge, but even there NIIP is developing AESAs and might well retain the Flanker and PAK-FA market (where both companiesare supposed to colloborate)

why it should not do 30/8 like Irbis. both are of newer elemental base and software.

ROTFL, both are claiming to one day get 30/8. :rolleyes:

and Zhuk-AE has advanced to 60 track.

I doubt whether it has even tracked 10 targets in real life. Yet. 😎

Arjun tank was developed for specific user. obvioulsy u wouldnt want to judge it by some other user standards and conditions.

The point is that irrespective of products, there is a huge difference between paper specs (Arjun in 1990) and a production unit on the shopfloor (2006). Your radars have not cleared the prototype stage yet (Irbis, MSF, MAE) and off you are to claim that they are ready and successful. 😎

Two questions guys.
Does anyone know the parts that i have encircled in red?
What kinda missile is that?
Thanks

Air intake for APU, avionics in aircraft rear
Airbrakes- flaps with holes in them
Missile- R73 E dummy round

I dont even know why I am responding to your drivel…

Janes report is from year 2000. As of year 2005. It is fully developed system. they are finding customer for it as this is expensive.

Ah, so how many are in production or operational service? You do realize you are once again plugging a product which may be several years from being operational.

so if 5 fails the test so it means it is not fully developed. u were putting the same thing for radar.

Duh, the point is exactly that. That fixing stuff even at production specs, takes time and is done till a serviceable product is ready. Those five were fixed and were sent back, and time and money is going into clearing the batch of production tanks. That is what meant by an in-production unit.
The T-90 was in Russian service for several years, but once it was upgraded to more modern standards, it required much more fixing! Compare & contrast to paper products which are not in production, such as the Black Eagle. You otoh, have been tomtomming radars which dont exist, but on paper! Wheres the 30 target track, 8 engage Zhuk MSF eh? Wheres the 20 target track Zhuk MSE even!

u mean operational service.
http://www.janes.com/defence/land_forces/news/jdw/jdw000329_04_n.shtml.

Yes, in production as in ordered into either limited series, or regular production, or an actual program to field a working weapon, as compared to a technology demonstration program.

how many are operationally delivered from 124.

5 delivered, and being trialled by the Indian Army to verify build reliability and consistency of production. 24 ready to be handed over, at Avadhi.

http://www.domain-b.com/aero/report_details.aspx?id=222

Aeronautics – A DRDO perspective 05 Feb 2007
M. Natarajan

Bangalore: A hearty welcome to you all to Aero India 2007, the international seminar on “Aerospace Technologies – Challenges and Opportunities” organised by the Defence Research and Development Organisation in association with the Aeronautical Society of India.
Aeronautics industry in India has been registering an exponential growth. In addition to the government sector, a number of private air Transport operators and industries are contributing to the growth. DRDO has taken a conscious decision to remain focussed and to work on the development of defence systems and related technologies.

Aeronautics-related development budget is the largest in DRDO, close to Rs.10,000 crore (about $2 billion)and expected to grow to Rs.25,000 crore (about $5 billion) or more in the next 10 years. We have allocations for programmes related to the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the Kaveri Engine, electronic warfare systems, multi sensor airborne surveillance platform, Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV) and missiles. Thus we have major thrust areas in manned aircraft, unmanned aerial systems, airborne systems and air armaments.

While meeting user perspectives and requirements remain the major objective in the DRDO’s aeronautical programmes, we are equally conscious of the need to do research on emerging technologies, drawing on talents and skills from academia and industry and augmenting our own human resources besides building requisite infrastructure for research and development.

The Indian Light Combat Aircraft — Tejas — incorporates many new avionics and glass and display systems. It is clearly a leap from the HF 24 base the country had as its maiden design. The Tejas has completed nearly 600 flights without any incident and we have orders in hand for 20 LCAs for the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) besides eight being built as part of the development phase. It is clearly a significant milestone and the order symbolises faith in DRDO by decision makers. With this strength on our side, there are now prospects for international collaborations for design and development of future aerospace vehicles and systems and we are looking forward to meaningful discussions with leading aircraft designers and manufacturers at the Aero India show.

The LCA is already evolving into its variants — the LCA Naval Version and LCA Trainer, with the potential to become an advanced jet trainer beyond Hawk. The naval version will have about 70 per cent parts in common with the LCA Air Force trainer. It shall meet with specific requirements of the nose drop for improved cockpit vision, LEVECON for improved aerodynamics, strength enhancement to airframe and carriage for resisting arrestor gear loads, a fuel dumping system and capability to operate from aircraft carriers. We see opportunities to build an MCA and eventually an UCAV as a continuation for our efforts in this direction. I believe a succession of LCA-based platforms is what we need to preserve and keep improving avionics, EW systems and sensors such as multi mode radar and weapons package towards meeting the country’s defence needs well over the next 25 to 30 years.

We have ambitious plans on the UAV platforms, thanks to significant achievements under the Lakshya and Nishant programmes at the Aeronautical Development Establishment. We have taken action already to develop a medium and long endurance UAV to be jointly developed with the Indian industry partner. In fact we have already requested “Expression of Interest” from Indian industries to partner with us. We have hopes that the Indian industries would cater to the needs of services for mini-UAVs. We will support all our manned and unmanned aircraft programmes with engineering simulation facilities and ground rigs to fix all problems on the ground.

The Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) is the lead laboratory spearheading research and development in airborne electronic warfare and mission avionics, very significantly contributing to self reliance in these critical technology areas. DARE has successfully equipped aircraft fleet of Indian Air Force and Indian Navy with Radar Warning Receivers and EW suite. The public sector unit M/S Bharat Electronics manufactures the TEMPEST, TRANQUIL and TARANG Systems. Mission computers for SU 30 MKI, Jaguar and MIG 27 and of course LCA have been successfully developed and are being used. A Core Avionics Computer has been developed as part of MiG 27 upgrades as also a similar system for Jaguar. A supersonic electronic pod as a high accuracy direction finding system for SU 30 MKI aircraft has been developed. Digital radio frequency memory with a built-in ECM jammer has also been developed against radar threats. Programs on the anvil include development of advanced EW systems for LCA and futuristic MCA.

We are also developing the Airborne Early Warning and Control System with the Centre for Airborne Systems as the lead laboratory. The original proposal envisaged an executive Jet based platform. During the last 2 years, changing scenario as well experience gained through AWACS being procured has resulted in additional insights into the operational requirements. After detailed and thorough analysis, a baseline configuration has been evolved and finalised. The scope of AEW&C programme is to deliver two fully qualified systems to the IAF as part of Phase I. Additional 6-8 systems are contemplated as part of Phase II of this programme.

As far as Kaveri engine (to power LCA) is concerned we have worked on the gas turbine engine technology and this has enabled GTRE to develop Kaveri engine and in realizing the dry thrust, re-heat thrust almost 90-93 per cent of the expected performance. Our current plan is to leverage the hard earned knowledge and invite risk sharing partnership in completing the development and certification processes. Efforts are being made to formalise this partnership programme as early as possible with leading engine houses that have responded. In parallel, we are also working on the marine version of the Kaveri engine and have made substantial progress in this.

One of our DRDO labs, namely the ADRDE is involved in development of parachutes, arrester barriers, floatation systems, balloons and other arial delivery systems. Our current and long term plans include private sector participation in development and production of these items.

The Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) is in charge of seeing through certification of products and processes under all our programs. The centre has developed tremendous expertise in the complex methodology of certification on par with international organisations.

We have identified key technology areas in aeronautics. We will stay focused on emerging technologies such as newer materials for single crystal blade, electro optic sensors and active electronically scanned array radar, long range precision guidance systems, ring laser gyros and MEMS based sensors and navigation systems, BVR missiles, stealth and Supercruise. We will invest in significant training programmes that focus on refreshing and enhancing design skills of our young scientists. We sincerely believe all these measures will get the requisite governmental support.

The aerospace seminar, undoubtedly, is the best forum to share our vision and experience and learn from those with record of achievements and accomplishments and seek professional alliances on topics of mutual interests and business pursuits.

May I, therefore, wish the deliberations over the next three days to be productive and purposeful for all the participants. I particularly give my best wishes to young scientists, who are here in numbers to seize the opportunity to meet with the challenges of the future with innovative and creative ideas and efforts and user in a growth in aerospace technology and products akin to the growth in our automotive industry.

(Speech delivered by M. Natarajan, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister

Winged warhorse – R. Prasannan

Vladimir Valentinovich Kavinsky, academician in the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, is not flying down to Bangalore where some of the world’s most accomplished pilots will be flaunting their skills and that of their flying machines next week. But as chief designer at the once-supersecret Ramenskoye Design Bureau, an aerospace lab outside Moscow, he would be listening to every soundbite made and sound-barrier broken at Aero-India, India’s biennial aerospace show. “We are interested in all the aerospace projects you have. You name it, and we have something to offer,” said Kavinsky, who integrated the avionics for the Indian Navy-ordered MiG-29K which maiden-flew last week at Zhukovsky flight centre near Moscow.
Kavinsky and his team did have some difficulty with Indians. A team of Indian naval aviators have been staying in Moscow for the last few months breathing down their necks. Said a MiG official: “In some cases, their requirements were well above world average. But in the end both sides are satisfied. Your pilots have always been the best users of our equipment. Now your scientists and engineers are becoming our best partners in developing futuristic systems. We know that from the Brahmos (the cruise missile developed jointly by Indian and Russia) experience.”

Ramenskoye’s general director Givi Dzhandzhgava, who is also president of Technocomplex which coordinates the activities of nearly 20 Russian aerospace companies and labs, will be in Bangalore with 30-odd air force chiefs. “India is emerging as one of the hubs of aerospace activity,” said Dzhandzhgava, who is eyeing a share of the $8 billion aerospace market in India.

Most of the aerospace scientists point to the much-maligned (often unjustly) LCA project for being the turning point in India’s aeronautical capability. Didn’t LCA take nearly 20 years after approval before it could fly? “Yes,” said Narasimha in an Aero-India seminar. “But the point is that we have more than LCA out of these overruns, namely a solid foundation to build a whole aeronautical industry in the country.”

As Dr A. Sivathanu Pillai, who has co-developed with the Russians the world’s fastest and only supersonic cruise missile Brahmos, said, “For the aeronautical community, the real milestone was the successful demonstration flight of the LCA prototype.” Though the programme has been delayed, it gave the confidence to the aeronautical community to graduate from being recipients of technology to developers of technology.This confidence prompted them to think of developing a futuristic multi-role transport plane with Russians, the protocol for which was signed by Defence Ministers A.K. Antony and Sergei Ivanov last month.

Yes it did, Black Eagle has been displayed at Russian defence shows. Close up photos have been posted here of it before. I think you are reffering to the yet to be publicly shown T-95.

There is no in production Black Eagle.

What is the engine situation with Arjun? I know the indigenous engine was a complete faliure

As mentioned repeatedly, no serious effort was launched for any indigenous engine program. It should have been, but wasnt. Some thought was given to reverse engineering the MTU 1400 HP engine, but it was deemed too risky and abandoned.

and that the Germans are no longer producing the current Arjun engine?

They have restarted production after India paid them.

So what are the plans for any future procurement beyond the measly 120 or so that have been ordered?

A few hundred more, after the first 124 prove themselves. The Arjun is an expensive tank, and demands completely new logistics and engineering support.