FrancisDeAssisihttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1018201.cms
Admiral’s visit fuels speculation of Su-30 MKI induction in IN
PUNE:
As a senior Navy official later confirmed, Admiral Prakash has been strongly advocating the need to enhance the Navy’s capability for maritime strikes. “A fighter pilot himself, the CNS’ visit was aimed at understanding issues related to Su-30 MKIs role in maritime operations.”
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“The formal induction date has not yet been finalised, but training and other issues are being taken care at the IAF base at Lohagaon,” said an official from the Western Naval headquarter, pointing out that compared to flying from a land base, the maritime role would require flying long distance over the sea.
Although the Indian Navy is yet to venture on a sensitive mission, as compared to the army and air force, the government’s recent decision to develop the navy as a strategic force with military importance is a clear indication that the admiral’s visit to the Pune air base was more than a courtesy one, a defence official explained.
FrancisDeAssisiBrahmos Air Force Version to Suit Sukhoi MKI Platform soon
The country is planning to make an Air Force version of the supersonic Brahmos cruise missile to suit Sukhoi MKI platform, an official said in Bangalore on the sidelines of the ongoing Aero show.
The Brahmos missile has identical configuration for land, sea and sub sea platforms. The air-launched version will have a smaller booster and additional tail fins for stability during launch.
“This involves design adaptable to Sukhoi-30 aircraft and then development effort because we have to take into account the speed of the mother aircraft and also the weight carrying capability of the aircrafts. This calls for some design improvements, which have to be carried on, and then we have to carry a mock up flight trial from another flying platform before we induct in the system. This is going to take considerable time and effort. We expect in two-three years’ time we should be available to make the first flight trial,” the Chief executive officer and Managing Director of Brahmos A. Sivathanu Pillai said in an interview.
Pillai further said that there was a plan to produce about 100 missiles every year, which would be compatible to many platforms.
Brahmos, named after India’s Brahmaputra River and Russia’s Moscow River, is primarily an anti-ship missile but can be used against land targets as well. It can be launched from land, sea and air.
FrancisDeAssisiJaguars to have second upgrade
BANGALORE, UNI:
The Indian Air Force’s newly-ordered Jaguar D-2 fighters will outshine predecessors with a quarter century of distinguished service, with a second major avionics upgradation.
After beginning replacement of the original first generation Marconi inertial navigation and attack system ‘NAVWASS’ (leading technology at that time, but becoming outdated over the years) with the DARIN-I (Display Attack Ranging Inertial Navigation) upgrade, the IAF has asked for the DARIN-II upgrade on the new Jaguars it has ordered from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
“The further upgrade of the avionics suite will extend the operational life of the Jaguars by at least another two decades. DARIN-II involves a Sagem Ring-Laser-Gyro Inertial Navigation System (INS) with integrated Global Positioning System (GPS), the combination yielding a position accuracy within 100 metres, and not degrading with flight time,” highly-placed defence sources said.
Twin mission computers for mission competency and planning, developed by DRDO’s Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE) have been installed, providing much better redundancy than in the original DARIN refit, they added.
‘Armed and dangerous’
The new Jaguar D-2 will be armed with three different types of runway-denial bombs, four types of Precision-Guided Munitions (PGMs), a sea engagement missile for the Maritime variant, and the MAGIC-II air-to-air missile.
The upgrade is in progress on the 17 two-seat Jaguars being manufactured by HAL, with at least eight of these already been delivered.
The Jaguars had performed very well in the multinational ‘Cooperative Cope Thunder’ exercise held in Alaska in July 2004
FrancisDeAssisiYr after request, US firm to clear air on Hawkeye
Invited by Naval HQ, Grumman will show how Hawkeye can be deployed from Admiral Gorshkov or INS Viraat
SHIV AROOR
Posted online: Friday, February 11, 2005 at 0152 hours IST
NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 10: US defence firm Northrop Grumman, which is looking to sell six E-2C Hawkeye 2000 airborne early warning aircraft to the Indian Navy, has been invited by Naval Headquarters to clear concerns that the system may not be suitable for the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier that India is in the process of acquiring. The company’s Director (AEW programmes) David Murray will be meeting the Navy’s controller of warship production and acquisition, Vice-Admiral J.S. Bedi, on February 14.
The Navy first sent a request for information (RFI) to Northrop Grumman in early 2004, the company replied with details of the Hawkeye 2000 in October. However, while the Hawkeye needs a catapult jump on an aircraft carrier, the Gorshkov has a ski jump, and so do the INS Viraat and the Air Defence Ship currently being built indigenously. The Hawkeye 2000 would be used by the Navy to guide carrier-borne MiG-29s and Harriers on fleet-defending and combat missions.
Murray told The Indian Express: ‘‘We did an assessment with the US Navy, and now believe that it is possible to launch the Hawkeye, with appropriate modifications, from the Gorshkov’s angle deck in the absence of a catapult jump. We will present our findings to the Navy next week, constituting a second order level of detail of the assessment we have made.’’
The Hawkeye is the only dedicated Naval carrier-borne fixed wing AWACS aircraft in the export market today.
While Northrop Grumman will have to prove through a demonstration that the Hawkeye can be deployed from the Gorshkov or Viraat’s angle decks, for now it will use ‘‘existing US Navy performance charts, engineering models, open source information on Gorshkov’s dimensions and meteorological conditions in the Indian Ocean — since we know the dimensions and statistics of MiG-29 fighters used off the Gorshkov, we will use that data as well in our study’’.
FrancisDeAssisiLockheed Martin says it has won licenses to export military planes to India
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/financial_markets/10867258.htm?1c
S. SRINIVASAN
Associated Press
BANGALORE, India – Lockheed Martin Corp., the biggest U.S. defense company, said Thursday it has won export licenses to sell Georgia-built C-130J military transport planes and P-3C Orion naval surveillance aircraft to India.
The U.S government granted the licenses after New Delhi urged Washington to allow the sale of the aircraft to India’s military, said Dennys Plessas, regional vice president of Lockheed Martin. The C-130J is built at a plant in Marietta.
“You cannot answer those letters of request unless you have (issued) the export license,” Plessas said, alluding to the U.S. administration’s strict rules for exporting military technology.
“Our understanding is that India would need eight to 12 P-3Cs and a small number of say, six to eight, C-130Js,” he told reporters on the sidelines of an air show in southern India, where aircraft makers from around the world were exhibiting their products.
Although the U.S. government has already provided New Delhi with price and technical details of the planes, Plessas said, the information won’t be disclosed until a firm deal is reached.
India faced U.S. sanctions following nuclear tests it conducted in 1998. The United States banned the transfer of sensitive technology to India and made it mandatory for American companies to obtain export licenses before selling certain high-technology items to the country.
The sanctions were gradually lifted beginning in 2001, but the export-control list – which predates the sanctions – remains in effect.
India is also considering buying the single crew fighter aircraft, F-16 Fighting Falcon, as its front-line fighter aircraft.
Plessas said if India buys the jets, Lockheed Martin would be a reliable supplier of spares and technology, and that the United States was keen to allow joint production of the F-16 in India.
India wants state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. to produce its future needs for spares.
Lockheed Martin shares rose $1.25, or 2.1 percent, to close at $59.70 in Thursday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
FrancisDeAssisihttp://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2005/02/09/ap1814780.html
U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. said Wednesday it will share with India the know-how to build and maintain its P-3C Orion patrol plane if the country’s navy agrees to buy the aircraft.
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As a condition of a possible sale, New Delhi has asked for technical information to maintain the P-3C and produce its own local version of the plane.
FrancisDeAssisiBANGALORE, DHNS:
Snecma and HAL are planning to form a joint venture company on a 50:50 partnership to produce parts of engines for both partners in India, said Chairman and CEO Snecma Jean-Paul Bechat.
Addressing a press conference at Aero India, Mr Bechat said the initial investment of the joint venture will be around Rs 30 crore. The production will start within a year once the venture is approved by the government, he said.
Snecma looks at India as a priority in strategic development and the Snecma investment is based on hi-tech centres of excellence available in India, he said.
Mr Bechat said that Snecma was keen on helping Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) with the Kaveri engine.
FrancisDeAssisiBreaking News: IAF and HAL to sign a memorandum of understanding on induction of the LCA (Light Combat Aircraft).
Indian Air Force places a firm order for 40 Light Combat Aircraft from HAL to be delivered from 2008.
Add ltr: IAF air chief Air Marshal Tyagi said that induction of 20 Light Combat Aircraft into the IAF would be completed by 2008.
Induction of LCA would reach a squadron level strength by 2010.
FrancisDeAssisiIndo-Us defence ties lack trust
Vishal thapar
Bangalore, February 9
____________________
DEFENCE MINISTER Pranab Mukherjee has asked the Us to correct its dependability deficit if it is to emerge as a major arms supplier to India. Addressing the media at Aero India 2005 on Wednesday, Mukherjee said US laws leave buyers of American equipment sanctions-prone. India is to be reasonably assured its defence preparedness won’t be affected by sanctions.
The Us has sought to make a splash in the Indian arms bazaar by putting up its biggest-ever presence at Aero India. Lockheed Martin is represented by its Vice President Dennis Plessas and 30 other LM representatives. Among the US aircraft on display are the F-15E fighter, P3C Orion maritime reconaissance aircraft, KC-135 mid-air refuellers and C-130J hercules transport aircraft.
For some time now, India has been considering the acquisition of the Orion and Hercules, and asked for information on the F-16 fighter. But Mukherjee acknowledged that trust is lacking. “Defence cooperation is a long-term thing. Dependendability of the source of supply is critical,” he said. He, however, said India is keen on Us Equipment and on “diversifying” its equipment suppliers.
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Submarine-Launched missile in the offing
INDIA HAS officially acknowledged it is engaged in a project to build a submarine-launched ballistic missile(SLBM). The project, codenamed Sagarika, is a Defence Research Development Organisation project, defence minister Pranab Mukherjee said at a press conference after inaugurating the Aero India 2005 air show in Bangalore on Wednesday.
FrancisDeAssisiDRDO-Embraer sign MOU for purchase of 3 EMB-145 aircraft for indigenous AEW&C
India has signed an agreement with Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer to buy three EMB 145 aircraft for its indigenous airborne early warning and control system (AEW&C) programme.
The Brazilian firm said in a statement here that the MoU was signed between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Embraer for the three aircraft.
Indian government analysts and Embraer engineers are collecting necessary technical data on the aircraft for the study. At the request of the Indian government, an Embraer team recently visited DRDO and held in-depth discussions to support DRDO personnel in their tasks, it said.
“The analysis is expected to result in an initial contract for three EMB 145 AEW&C aircraft and technical support during the development effort,” Embraer said.
“Besides the upcoming contract to supply of EMB 145 ISR platform, we could be involved in some engineering work,” Embraer Executive Vice President for Defence market, Romualdo Barros said.
Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), the Bangalore-based DRDO unit, has revived the airborne early warning (AEW) system programme that it had scrapped following a crash of a rotodome radar-fitted Avro aircraft near Arakkonam in Chennai in 1999.
CABS will acquire three Brazilian Embraer aircraft in which it will integrate phased array radars in the current Rs 1,800-crore programme, which the cabinet committee of security sanctioned last year.
Embraer last year signed a deal to sell five Legacy aircraft for VIP transport to the government, officials said.
FrancisDeAssisiBreaking News: Lockheed Martin signs agreement with HAL on the P3-C Orions…
FrancisDeAssisi😎 I WISH ALL THE NERDS ON THIS FORUM A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS. 😎
FrancisDeAssisiAL-37FU is also an AL-31 varient.
Future versions of Su-27/MKI would sport these engines.
FrancisDeAssisiI would think of putting Monica’s open mouth … to more pertinent uses. Thinkin of one ! How about a fly catcher….err some missile decoy/laser/teaser ?? :rolleyes:
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