ajay_ijnFirst Phalcon AWACS delivered to IAF
http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25156§ionid=4&issueid=88&Itemid=1
The Indian Air Force’s newest force-multiplier, the first of three ‘Phalcon’ Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW) aircraft landed quietly in New Delhi on Sunday.
Confirming this, senior IAF officials said that the aircraft was at Delhi’s Palam technical area airport on a stopover from Israel. It was inspected by senior air force brass, including Air Chief Marshal Fali Major before heading out to Agra. The aircraft are to be based in Agra and form part of a new AEW squadron.
The induction of the Phalcon comes as a tremendous force multiplier in the present standoff between India and Pakistan. “It can help monitor the military build-up, troop and aircraft movements nearly 200 km inside Pakistan while flying nearly 100 km inside your own territory,” says Air Marshal A.K. Goel (retd)
The only platforms offering such a capability, albeit a limited one, are the spy planes of the R&AW’s Aviation Research Centre and the IAF’s fleet of Israeli-built Heron and Searcher-II drones.
The aircraft can do this using its Israeli-built AEW mission suite called the Phalcon, mounted on a Russian-built IL-76 transport aircraft. The system is used for tactical surveillance of airborne and surface targets and intelligence gathering to a radius of over 400 km. The solid-state phased array Elta EL/M-2075 radar is mounted on a radome above the fuselage. The electronically steered beam provides a 360 degree coverage around the aircraft and it carries air force personnel on board to analyse the data and steer fighter aircraft.
“AEWs have a three-fold advantage of flexibility-they can be deployed anywhere, provide much better coverage because they are mounted on an elevated platform and carry control systems and datalinks, which can be used to vector your own fighter aircraft,” says Air Marshal V.K. Bhatia, former western air commander.
India has signed a $ 1.1 billion deal for three Phalcons with Israel in 2004. The first aircraft were to be delivered last year but delayed by a few months. All deliveries are to be completed by next year.
The IAF is keen on acquiring three more Phalcons and with negotiations said to be in an advanced stage, the deal is likely to be signed sometime this year.
ajay_ijnPolitically, speaking the Rafale is a good compromise and while I don’t see it beating our the Americans. Its odds are likely better than all th other rivals.
one of rafales secret strength is spares parts supply/easy maintainence is assured for its whole lifetime even if India doesn’t license produce (Mirage 2000 being the examples) . After soviet collapse, India had lot of problems maintaining russian aircraft and getting spares supply, while with Americans, India faced sanctions problem. Gripen has US engine, AMRAAM while Typhoon too has US AMRAAM. I am assuming that Rafale has no US origin subsystem. Rafale is definitely unique in that sense.
ajay_ijnFlankers sent to Russia for retrofitting Brahmos
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/IAF_Sukhoi_jets_being_retrofitted_with_cruise_missile_pods/articleshow/3959938.cms
NEW DELHI: Two Indian Air Force (IAF) Sukhoi-30MKI combat jets have been sent to Russia for a retrofit that would enable them launch the
aerial version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile that India and Russia have jointly developed, an official said.“The aerial version of the BrahMos missiles will be delivered from the Su-30MKI platform. We were in talks with Sukhoi and the IAF for it. Finally two Su-30MKIs of the IAF have been sent to Russia for retrofitting,” a senior official of BrahMos Aerospace that manufactures the missile, told IANS, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“The aerial version of BrahMos is coming along very well. After being programmed, the missile will be released from the aircraft and will auto-launch towards its target when it reaches an altitude of 50 metres,” the official explained.
“The aerial version is nearly nine metres long and this requires modifications of the aircraft’s fuselage. Since the Sukhoi company is busy with designing a fifth generation fighter, (India’s) DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) scientists, along with Russian experts, will carry out the necessary modifications,” the official said.
The modifications will be completed by early 2010.
ajay_ijn24 attack helos are also in offering possibly appaches
Both Boeing and Bell quit the contest. Boeing quit for unknown reasons but bell quite coz India was asking for direct sale while Cobra is availaible through foreign military sales only.
Its the contest between Tiger/A-129/Ka-52/Mi-28.
ajay_ijnThat £1 billion pounds of ‘aid’ the UK gives them every year is coming in very handy. Just a shame it’s not spent on kit for UK Forces.
comon man India is one of the largest arms importer and also maintains one of the largest armed forces in the world. This is not first or last big purchase they have made.
ajay_ijnThat £1 billion pounds of ‘aid’ the UK gives them every year is coming in very handy. Just a shame it’s not spent on kit for UK Forces.
comon man India is one of the largest arms importer and also maintains one of the largest armed forces in the world. This is not first or last big purchase they have made.
ajay_ijn“Long” range? Compare the range of the missiles with the distance from the border to likely targets. Store them far from the border, & they will not be ready for use.
IAF doesn’t have ground launched brahmos. They have to be airlaunched from Su-30MKI.
ajay_ijn“Long” range? Compare the range of the missiles with the distance from the border to likely targets. Store them far from the border, & they will not be ready for use.
IAF doesn’t have ground launched brahmos. They have to be airlaunched from Su-30MKI.
ajay_ijnCurrent and near future carrier operators including amphibious assault ships:
China, India, Italy, Spain, Australia, UK, France, Russia, US, Thailand, Korea, Japan.Countries that don’t need carriers
Thailand. They have little use of theirs and the roles assigned to it could be done better by other units.Korea. Nothing but a show of force and arrogance to its neighbors. nice design, but little use in Korea’s strategic objectives.
India. Its enemy is right next door and most of its foreign interests are next to it too.
Spain. Why do they even need an amphibious assault ship. They rarely participate in wars with the US.
Countries that need carriers:
China. China is the next super power. it has lots of business and strategic interests abroad and it needs to defend them.Indonesia. An island nation like this needs some kind of carrier and a better navy
Canada. New potential for war over the Arctic Sea, Canada needs something better to project its force.
South Africa.
India aims to be dominant power in Indian ocean or is already one. So having Blue water Navy, Carriers, Nuclear submarines is must for that.
I would agree its the British Admirals who influenced Indian leaders a lot during post-ww2 that Carriers are a must for defending such a large coast line. Since indias independence, almost every force structure proposal comprised of 2 Carriers, 2 – 3 Cruisers, 5 to 10 Destroyers, many more frigates, corvettes and missile boats. Nuclear Submarines were added later as a part of strategic nuclear detterent. maintaining atleast a force 20 diesel electric submarines is also envisaged.
ajay_ijnThe russians are killing the ‘goose laying golden eggs’ a.k.a India!!
India has been their top customer in defence equipment for the past many years! All of a sudden, it would seem like they dont like India!
When is Russia going to understand that they are no longer ‘one of the two’ superpower??
India on the other hand always liked Russian equipment because of their robustness and ability to be repaired/serviced by rough equipment.
These days its simply the case of the same old equation for business failure –
‘ Good Product+Good Marketing+Bad Support+Bad Business Ethics = Losing Market’
Soviet Collapse made it very difficult for India get spare parts and operate Russian weapon systems, this is probably the time India began drifting away from Russian arms. Better relations with Israel and US only made it more difficult for Russians to sell. but then Russia is also trying to penetrate US dominated markets like middle east etc
ajay_ijnThe russians are killing the ‘goose laying golden eggs’ a.k.a India!!
India has been their top customer in defence equipment for the past many years! All of a sudden, it would seem like they dont like India!
When is Russia going to understand that they are no longer ‘one of the two’ superpower??
India on the other hand always liked Russian equipment because of their robustness and ability to be repaired/serviced by rough equipment.
These days its simply the case of the same old equation for business failure –
‘ Good Product+Good Marketing+Bad Support+Bad Business Ethics = Losing Market’
Soviet Collapse made it very difficult for India get spare parts and operate Russian weapon systems, this is probably the time India began drifting away from Russian arms. Better relations with Israel and US only made it more difficult for Russians to sell. but then Russia is also trying to penetrate US dominated markets like middle east etc
ajay_ijnNorthrop proposed E-2 Hawkeye for Gorshy. But then Navy rejected because its endurance was found to be just 1 hour. Same thing could happen to SH. at somepoint payload, fuel, endurance becomes the main limiting factor.
Suppose if a Mig-29K carries 3 to 4 ASMs and takesoff from Gorshy and then lands back. Is it necessary to drop some or all of the ASMs for landing? something similar like this happens with USN Fighters too right?
ajay_ijnNorthrop proposed E-2 Hawkeye for Gorshy. But then Navy rejected because its endurance was found to be just 1 hour. Same thing could happen to SH. at somepoint payload, fuel, endurance becomes the main limiting factor.
Suppose if a Mig-29K carries 3 to 4 ASMs and takesoff from Gorshy and then lands back. Is it necessary to drop some or all of the ASMs for landing? something similar like this happens with USN Fighters too right?
ajay_ijnlook at the cap on Brahmos.
http://www.brahmos.com/images/missile.jpg
Its looking so similar to that of Shaurya.
ajay_ijnProject Richard and Project Thukrana – Indian Air Force to establish largest training range and missile base in Rajasthan
http://www.india-defence.com/reports-4122
The defence ministry will establish a huge Air Force base close to the international border in Rajasthan, moving aggressively to secure the country’s western frontiers. The 300-km range supersonic cruise missile BrahMos will be stored at this base, defence ministry sources said.
The ministry is acquiring land in Hanumangarh and Sriganganagar districts, where the Indian Air Force will store some of its most sophisticated long-range missiles. The base will be the IAF’s biggest practice station.
Defence Estate Officer KJS Chauhan confirmed the acquisition process of 29,562 acres at Hanumangarh, around 120-125 km from the border with Pakistan. The IAF has a station in Jodhpur, about 350 km from the border.
According to defence ministry sources, IAF has two projects proposed for the land: Project Richard and Project Thukrana.
Project Richard involves setting up a missile base. The BrahMos missiles will not only be stationed but also stocked there.
Under Project Thukrana, the defence ministry will set up an air force practice station, the biggest close to an international border in the country, ministry sources said.
Mugdha Sinha, who was collector of Hanumangarh till last week, said, “Hurdles for the acquisition have been almost sorted out with farmers.”
The defence ministry will spend more than Rs220 crore towards compensation and rehabilitation of the residents of Moter, Dhandhusur, Bannasur, Bangasur and Dheerdeshur villages.
Is it safe to stock long range missiles so close to the border and revealing the same to media. why not store them in major airbases far away from borders.
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