> subsonic or transonic

that will need a change of engine imo. ramjets dont operate in that regime (?)
the russians do have a family of turbofan engines for cruise missiles like kh-55.

the sooner this is done the better. chinese are already supplying 500km range “babar”
GLCMs to their friends.

P17 or korean designs will be cheapest for them compared to EU FFGs and US has no FFG design in works. the koreans can probably deliver it a lot faster though.

> Matt

none. though the russians do have such a proposal :p

article below is from Janes missiles and rockets. seems the P15A will get MF-STAR housed in a APAR type mainmast from what I see in brochure if it goes for Barak-2 oops 8. what I like is the MK41 VLS part. proven system, high density.

—–
Israel, India pursue advanced Barak missile system

Richard Scott and Rahul Bedi

Israel and India are to collaborate on the development of a next-generation Barak (‘Lightning’) shipborne area air-defence missile system, sources in Tel Aviv and New Delhi have confirmed.

Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) concluded a deal in New Delhi on 27 January 2006 after almost two years of negotiations. The joint development programme is valued at about USD330 million, to be split equally between the two nations.

It will be the first joint weapons development between Israel and India, the former having become India’s second-largest supplier of defence equipment after Russia.

The original Barak-1 point-defence missile system was developed by IAI MBT Systems and Space Technology in association with IAI Elta Systems and Rafael, Israel’s Armament Development Authority, and entered service in the mid-1990s. It is currently in service with the navies of Chile, Israel, Singapore and India. Vertically launched from eight-cell launcher modules, the Barak-1 system uses command-to-line-of-sight radar guidance to guide the missile out to a range of up to 10 km.

The Israel Navy plans to acquire a long-range air warfare capability for which it has studied an evolved Barak system – known as Barak-8 – alongside the Standard Missile SM-2 Block III. “We have now made our choice to proceed with the Barak-8,” a senior naval source told JNI in early February.

Although adopting an aerodynamic configuration essentially similar to the earlier Barak-1, the extended range Barak-8 active radar homing missile will be approximately 4.5 m in length (twice the size of Barak-1) and will have a maximum range of 70-80 km. “Barak-1 is capable of intercepting incoming missiles at close range,” said the source. “With Barak-8, we want to be able to take out surveillance aircraft or the launch platform before it has released its weapons.”

According to the Israel Navy, Barak-8 will be compatible with the Lockheed Martin Mk 41 tactical-length vertical-launcher system. After launch, the missile will initially receive mid-course guidance updates from an E/F-band multifunction radar, with Elta’s new EL/M-2248 MF-STAR active phased array radar understood to be the preferred solution. During the terminal phase, the missile will fire a second motor and fire up its active radar seeker to home onto the target.

The Israel Navy plans to fit Barak-8 to two projected next-generation surface combatants, with feasibility studies currently exploring a ship design based on the semi-planing monohull seaframe proposed by Lockheed Martin for the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme. It is also looking to retrofit the Barak-8 system aboard its three existing Saar 5 corvettes.

excerpt from a post on BR by a indian TV anchor:

Hello friends …

Had a remarkable experience last week … I flew a Sea Harrier sortie off the deck of the INS Viraat. Its part of several programmes we plan on the importance of carriers to the evolution of the Indian Navy.

There is little on the SHAR I can add to what a lot of you actually know but I will say that a “substantial” number of the jets have been fitted with in-flight refuelling probes. The upgrade process to the Elta/Derby fit will take 2 more years. Extensive exercises with IL-78s have been going on as the pilots work towards proficiency on hook-ups with the tankers.

As many of you would know … I have flown previous fighter sorties as well … in the Mirage 2000 at the end of the Kargil war. Just a few elementary comments …

For starters … the rear cockpit of the SHAR twin-seater is far more spacious than that of the Mirage 2000. Also, forward visibility is nothing short of incredible. The take-off experience of the deck is violent … and doesn’t feel too unlike doing a cat shot off one of the American super-carriers. The landing is pretty brutal … the aircraft literally crashes down the last few feet.

I flew with a SHAR flight instructor … and he was kind enough to demonstrate quite a few relatively high-g maneuvers … including loops and hard turns… The previous experience of having pulled more than 5 g on the Mirage 2000s came in handy … and I knew what to expect.

The Navy wouldn’t, however, allow me to fly on the jet until I cleared basic ocean dunking drills … and a comprehensive medical. This involved everything from ECGs to spinal X-rays to swimming out in the open ocean … attaching myself to the harness of a hovering helicopter and being winched in. The training also included being winched back out to sea … swimming out some more (the seas were not entirely smooth) … and then dragging myself onto a one man life-raft … boy that was tough …

Anyway … do watch a small report tomorrow on India This Week … 9 pm … More programming details on other programmes later. The piece tomorrow is NOT analytical but describes the experience of flying the jet.

[snip snip]

Thanks
Vishnu Som
Associate Editor (Defence)
NDTV

the superstructure will be quite a bit different it looks like.

from the Hindu newspaper:

A lethal combination of stealth and strength

Arunkumar Bhatt

INS Kolkata is the most complex multi-role destroyer

MUMBAI: Armed with supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles, INS Kolkata is the l argest and most lethal multi-role destroyer of the Indian Navy. It will be the first of Project 15 Alpha. Though of the Delhi class, it has been modified extensively to add stealth.

As Roopa Byce, wife of Vice-Admiral Sangram Singh Byce, Flag Officer Commanding-In-Chief of the Western Naval Command, pressed a button on Thursday, the warship slid down the slipway of the Mazagon Dock into the Arabian Sea to the tune of Sare jehan se achchha.

Ms. Byce named the destroyer, resplendent in colourful buntings, Kolkata.

The destroyer’s keel was laid in September 2003. It is likely to be commissioned in the Navy in 2010. Two more Kolkata class vessels will be inducted in the subsequent two years. The Kolkata has 16 BrahMos launchers — eight on each side.

The destroyer is likely to get long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM). The Mazagon Dock has not named the missile but indicated that it is being “co-developed” by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

Vertical launch system

A defence source said the destroyer might have a 24-cell vertical launch system for SAMs in its forward and aft areas, making it a total of 48. Four AK-630 rapid-fire guns would back the missiles. The ship will have a gun for surface targets. There are also twin-tube torpedo launchers and anti-submarine rocket launchers.

Besides a multi-function radar system, the destroyer has the Humsa-NG hull mounted sonar and a Nagin active towed array sonar.

Like the Delhi class, Kolkata will be able to operate two multi-role helicopters.

All sensors and weapons are integrated in a state-of-the-art system; the networking of the weapons and censors will enable the warship to combat multi-threats in different dimensions simultaneously.

INS Kolkata’s sides are covered and rounded, making detection difficult. All missile launchers and bases of the superstructure are covered for the same reason. A four reversible gas turbine propulsion system will afford the warship to cruise in excess of 30 knots.

Chief of the Army Staff Gen. J.J. Singh, who was the chief guest, stressed the need for an advanced and strong navy in the emerging geo-political scenario.

In the welcome address, Vice-Admiral S.S.K. Krishnan, Chairman and Managing Director of the Mazagon Dock, said the shipyard was building three lines of warships for the Navy.