black eagleDuring the last five years (2002-2006), 1007 scientists have left their jobs from DRDO due to increased opportunities available in private sectors The rate of attrition is marginally higher compared to private sector industries.
There has been no substantial impact of such attrition on completion of DRDO projects. The deficiencies are made up through regular recruitments.
A comprehensive proposal of incentives to arrest exodus of scientists has already been submitted by DRDO and is under active consideration by the Government. Comprehensive proposal has also been submitted to the Sixth Central Pay Commission.
DRDO has adopted a dynamic approach for recruitment of talented people with desired competency. DRDO conducts campus interviews in reputed institutions, like Indian Institute of Technology and Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. DRDO also recruits scientists through Scientists Entry Tests (SET) and fresh Ph. D scholars under Registration of Students with Scholastic Aptitude (ROSSA). Image building exercise has been strengthened to attract young talents.
This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Asaduddin Owaisi and Smt Sumitra Mahajan in Lok Sabha today
black eagleUS offers advanced missile system to Indian Navy
The United States has offered India one of its most advanced ship-board missile defence systems, capable of tracking and neutralising up to 100 attacking missiles.
The equipment on offer — the Aegis ship-board missile system — has the potential of being integrated with country`s indigenous missiles like the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and nuclear-capable Agni missiles.
“An American company made a presentation to the Indian Navy in November 2006,” Defence Minister A K Antony informed the Lok Sabha today.
“This presentation was made in respect of three ship-board missile systems,” he said in a written reply.
Though Antony did not name the systems on offer, top defence sources said the US had made a presentation on the Aegis missile system made by Lockheed Martin.
The Ageis can track over 100 missiles, including sea-skimming versions, with its supercomputers and engage them according to priority, depending on their velocity and height. The system, according to Lockheed Martin, is designed for multi-pronged and simultaneous warfare to engage targets in the air, on sea, on the surface and also sub-surface.
black eagleSubmarine version of BrahMos test next month
BALASORE: After the successful test-firing of the `Army’ version of surface-to-surface missile BrahMos, Defence scientists are planning to conduct the first-ever test of its submarine version shortly.
According to a top Defence scientist, the success of the test will be a watershed in Indian Defence programme. “The submarine version of BrahMos is ready to be tested, but we are actually waiting for the platform,” A Sivathanu Pillai, CEO and MD of BrahMos Aerospace Limited, said.
Pillai was here to witness the successful test of the Army version of the supersonic cruise missile.
Reliable source told this paper that the missile would be tested as early as next month from Visakhapatnam. Scientists are on a high after tasting success in the test-firing of `Asta’ and Dhanush missiles in March and April. While the test of Astra missile in two rounds had successfully met all mission parameters, the successful trial of Dhanush from a naval ship was a great experience for the scientists.
India’s most powerful intermediate range Agni-III missile also was successfully tested earlier this month.
The sources said BrahMos Aerospace has already started talks with Indian Navy to get a kilo-class submarine on loan to launch the missile from under the sea. “The submarine variants alternatively could be tested in Russian waters from a Russian submarine,” sources revealed.
For the air-launch version, the missile would be integrated with Sukhoi MKI multi-role fighter aircraft. BrahMos is currently being configured for aerial deployment with the Su-30 MKI as its carrier.
The air-launch version has a smaller booster and additional tail-fins for stability during launch.
Sources further said the missile had already been inducted into the Navy. After the Navy, which has procured the missile for its warships, the Army will be the second major customer to add the missile to its arsenal.
“The BrahMos, with a range of 290 km and Mach 3 speed, will be inducted into the Army this year,” Pillai said. “We are going to deliver the missile to the Army this year as orders have been placed with us,” the CEO said.
Many countries have also evinced interest in the missile, which has no equivalent in the world in terms of precision, speed and power, he added.
black eagleICBM with 5,500-km range can be developed in three years: DRDO
With the successful launch of the nuclear-capable Agni-III, India has achieved the capability to develop an inter-continental ballistic missile to strike at targets 5,500 km away within the next two to three years, top defence scientists said today.
“We have achieved the capability to make missiles with a range of 3,500 km to 5,500 km but the decision (to develop an ICBM) has to be taken by the political leadership,” Defence Research and Development Organisation chief M Natarajan said here.
“DRDO scientists are working on miniaturising the systems of the Agni-III so that a third stage can be squeezed into the 16-metre-long missile to enable it to go up to 5,500 km with the same 1.5-tonne payload,” Natarajan said a day after the first successful launch of the 3,000-km Agni-III.
Agni-III will also be converted into a submarine-launched ballistic missile to open more second-strike options for the country, DRDO scientists told reporters during a briefing.
Pointing out that Agni-III had been tested to almost its full range of 3,000 km, mission director Avinash Chander said the missile would become “fully operational” after two to three more launches to be carried out in the next three years.
DRDO has drawn up a busy schedule of tests for its diverse range of indigenous missiles, with the second test of its missile defence system set for August or October. The organisation is also planning user trials for its surface-to-air Akash missile and fourth generation anti-tank Nag missile.
Chander said Agni-I, with a range of 700 km, had already been inducted into the army while the country’s first fully solid-state missile, the 2,000-km Agni-II, is currently being inducted.
Asked whether the proposed ICBM would be christened Surya, Natarajan said it be given a name derived from the Agni series.
For the first time, Chander said, DRDO had acted only as an integrating agency with the Agni-III, with most of the missile’s components being made by private industry. A total of 258 private firms and 20 DRDO laboratories were involved in this venture.
“This is why there were no production delays and the next missile is being readied in parallel,” he said.
“Agni-III is the first Indian missile to have crossed the equator,” said Chander, adding that the detonation of the missile’s warhead had been recorded and would be analysed.
Asked how much composite material had been used in the missile, he said: “Left to me, I would like to make it an all-composite missile as the use of more carbon-composites can make Agni-III lighter to increase its payload and range.”
Sounding a word of caution, Natarajan said that there were “constraints” in manufacturing the Agni missiles in large numbers. The number to be made would be decided in consultation with the armed forces, he said.
The DRDO chief said his organisation had also faced a lot of constraints in rectifying faults that had led to the failure of the Agni-III’s first test last year as the country lacked adequate ground test facilities for checking critical missile components.
Chander said some of the firsts established by yesrterday’s launch included a “flex nozzle control” for the rocket motor, a specially developed composite propellant, a guidance and control system with “built-in fault tolerant avionics” and systems to withstand the “severe aero-thermal environment” experienced during re-entry.
black eagleAgni III Submarine Launched Version To Be Developed: DRDO
Top DRDO Scientists have revealed to PTI that a Submarine Launched Version of Agni III missile is going to be developed. They also revealed that Agni III range can be extended to up to 5,000 Kms but Government approval would be required for the same.
“We have achieved the capability to make missiles with a range of 3,500 km to 5,500 km but the decision (to develop an ICBM) has to be taken by the political leadership,” Defence Research and Development Organisation chief M Natarajan said here.
“DRDO scientists are working on miniaturising the systems of the Agni-III so that a third stage can be squeezed into the 16-metre-long missile to enable it to go up to 5,500 km with the same 1.5-tonne payload,” Natarajan said a day after the first successful launch of the 3,000-km Agni-III.
Agni-III will also be converted into a submarine-launched ballistic missile to open more second-strike options for the country, DRDO scientists told reporters during a briefing.
Pointing out that Agni-III had been tested to almost its full range of 3,000 km, mission director Avinash Chander said the missile would become “fully operational” after two to three more launches to be carried out in the next three years.
DRDO has drawn up a busy schedule of tests for its diverse range of indigenous missiles, with the second test of its missile defence system set for August or October. The organisation is also planning user trials for its surface-to-air Akash missile and fourth generation anti-tank Nag missile.
Chander said Agni-I, with a range of 700 km, had already been inducted into the army while the country’s first fully solid-state missile, the 2,000-km Agni-II, is currently being inducted.
Asked whether the proposed ICBM would be christened Surya, Natarajan said it be given a name derived from the Agni series.
For the first time, Chander said, DRDO had acted only as an integrating agency with the Agni-III, with most of the missile’s components being made by private industry. A total of 258 private firms and 20 DRDO laboratories were involved in this venture.
“This is why there were no production delays and the next missile is being readied in parallel,” he said.
“Agni-III is the first Indian missile to have crossed the equator,” said Chander, adding that the detonation of the missile’s warhead had been recorded and would be analysed.
Asked how much composite material had been used in the missile, he said: “Left to me, I would like to make it an all-composite missile as the use of more carbon-composites can make Agni-III lighter to increase its payload and range.”
Sounding a word of caution, Natarajan said that there were “constraints” in manufacturing the Agni missiles in large numbers. The number to be made would be decided in consultation with the armed forces, he said.
The DRDO chief said his organisation had also faced a lot of constraints in rectifying faults that had led to the failure of the Agni-III’s first test last year as the country lacked adequate ground test facilities for checking critical missile components.
Chander said some of the firsts established by yesrterday’s launch included a “flex nozzle control” for the rocket motor, a specially developed composite propellant, a guidance and control system with “built-in fault tolerant avionics” and systems to withstand the “severe aero-thermal environment” experienced during re-entry.
black eagleactual AGNI-3 launch footage
the missile looks awesome
black eagleIAF has plans to give force global combat reach: Major
Indicating that an Aerospace Command to give India means to exploit its space assets for military purposes would take shape soon, the new Air Force chief Fali Homi Major today said IAF has chalked out a plan to give it a truly global combat reach.
In his maiden interaction with the media after taking over as the Air Chief on March 31, he said a time-bound plan was already underway to induct top of the shelf fighters, force multipliers and other strategic assests to help the force on its way to have worldwide reach.
Denying that delay in floating international tenders for purchase of 126 Medium Range Combat Aircraft(MRCA) could hit the country’s defence preparadeness, Fali Major said that all theat perceptions in the present geo-political scenario around the country has been “catered to”.
Saying that the RFP for the fighters would be out soon, the Air Chief said the tenders involved certain complex issue like Life Cycle costs, transfer of technology and framing of integrity pact, which were being worked out.
“It is for the first time that IAF as well as Ministry of Defence has come up with concepts like Life Cycle costs. So it is taking a little longer”, he said.
But, he asserted that IAF was going in for upgradation of its top of the shelf fighters like MiG-29 and Mirage 2000 to ensure the country’s air power retained the cutting edge in the region in the meantime.
Along with purchase of fighters, Major said IAF was in various stages of acquiring more radars, surveillance platform and other strategic assests. On Aerospace Command, he said it would become a reality soon.
black eagleBHPV to make components for naval combat plane
VISAKHAPATNAM: Bharat Heavy Plates and Vessels Limited (BHPV), which had successfully developed heat exchangers for the prototype Light Combat Aircraft, is now making 13 sets of similar components for the LCA’s naval variant – Tejas.
BHPV has been assigned with the design and development of Precoolers and Full Authority Digital Electronic Controller Coolers (FADEC).
The heat exchangers will reduce the ‘engine bleed temperature’ to safe levels and cool the FADEC.
According to officials sources, BHPV is also developing oxygen concentrator for the Onboard Oxygen Generating System, which provides oxygen- rich air at all altitudes to the pilots of Tejas.
It may be recalled that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Defence Bangalore- based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) have awarded the contract for manufacturing of series of heat exchangers for LCA the BHPV amidst stiff global competition.
A top official of the BHPV told this website’s newspaper that emphasis was being laid on developing new products which would help the company in getting more orders.
The LCA project came as boost for the BHPV which required such prestigious orders to enhance its profile at a time when speculation was intense that it (BHPV) would be taken over by BHEL.
black eagleAgni-III flight test soon
HYDERABAD: The crucial flight trial of Agni-III, the nuclear capable long-range missile (beyond 3000 km), is expected to take place early next week, according to defence sources.
It will be launched from Wheeler Island of the Interim Test Range at Chandipur in Orissa. The maiden flight of the surface-to-surface missile on July 9 last year failed after it nose-dived into the sea within seconds of a smooth lift-off due to non-separation of the first and second stages. DRDO sources later attributed the failure to “material-related fault,” besides problems with protective heat shield and propulsion.
The indigenously-built Agni-III, capable of carrying warheads weighing up to 1.5 tonnes, is 16 metres tall and weighs 48 tonnes. It belongs to the Agni series of missiles and is expected to be the mainstay of India’s nuclear deterrence programme when fully operational by providing the country with strategic second-strike capability.
While Agni-I is a short-range missile of 750-800 km, Agni-II has a range of more than 1,500 km.
black eagleDefense Deals With Russia In Trouble; Russia Refuses To Sign Integrity Pact
India’s weapons purchases have hit a major roadblock with its biggest defence supplier, Russia, refusing to sign the mandatory integrity pact for defence contracts.
Under the present defence procurement procedures, every defence contract worth more than Rs 100 crore must be accompanied by an integrity pact, an undertaking that no arms agents are involved and no commissions have been paid.
Authoritative sources in the Ministry of Defence told DNA that intense negotiations are underway between the Ministry of Defence and Russian representatives to ensure that the latter’s stand do not “delay” India’s defence modernisation and massive procurement programmes.
The Russians have told the MOD that some clauses of the integrity pact “collide with” the domestic laws of the country. However, sources are refusing to confirm if the Russian reservations has got to do with the pact demanding an explicit commitment against payment of commissions and appointment of agents.
Under the integrity pact, if it is found that either side had agents or paid commissions then criminal cases can be initiated by India and the other side has to cooperate. Arms dealers are banned under the defence procurement policy 2006.
“We are trying to find a via media,” a source told DNA when questioned about the stand off.
Russia is India’s biggest defence supplier and most dependable partner. Some $10 billion worth of defence contracts are now in the pipeline. However, any ‘fresh contracts’ will have to wait till India and Russia resolve the standoff over the integrity pact.
“We can not give up the integrity pact because it is integral part of the DPP (Defence Procurement Policy) 2006. So, we will have to find an amicable settlement without compromising on our procurement policy,” a source said.
Partly because of the complications arising out of the complications thrown up by Russian stand, India is now only pursuing existing contracts and “repeat orders”.
The proposed purchase of 40 more Sukhoi 30 fighters and more than 300 T-90 tanks may go through because they are “repeat orders”, and may only require a negotiation about the present prices based on the original contracts signed earlier, sources said. But a final word can be said only after “negotiations are carried out,” they added. India has allocated Rs 41,922 crore in this fiscal for defence purchases.
A slew of major purchases are in the pipeline, including 126 multi-role combat aircraft for IAF, substantial number of helicopters for all three forces, over Rs 30,000 crore worth of battleships, massive radar and other surveillance equipment purchases, etc where Russian equipment are leading contenders.
black eaglehttp://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=8462
The IAF’s MRCA contract: A three way shoot-out
Rajiv Singh
Given the spate of announcements regarding fresh procurements for a range of defence equipment by India’s defence services, the long pending request for proposal (RFP) for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) order has now come strongly into the spotlight. The IAF had projected its requirement for these aircraft as far back as 2001. Six years later, with scores of fighter aircraft crashes and pilot deaths behind it, the service is still waiting for the RFP to be issued.
The high drama attending the recently concluded Aero India 2007 show, at Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bangalore, has also served to bring the issue into the public domain. It was indeed a unique experience for this country to find all the big guns of the global arms market making their anxiety about bagging the IAF contract so obvious.
A discerning observer would have been amused by the incredible variety of arms and systems that were now available for India’s asking. Nothing, it seemed, was taboo any more – for a ‘pariah’ nation that not so far back in time was struggling under sanctions imposed by these very same Western countries. Companies, and countries, tripped over themselves on a daily basis offering the very best of the goodies that they possibly could – AWACS, Patriot missiles, AEGIS, Eurofighter, AESA radar – nothing was sacrosanct anymore. All available, if only India should say yes.
Underpinning all the offers, however, was one overriding anxiety – the IAFs MRCA contract. The tender, possibly the most sought after in the global arms market today, is now set to become alive as the ministry of defence goes about preparing the RFP.
Soon after the air show concluded, a media report, quoting sources, said that the ministry of defence was hastening to put the finishing touches to offset clauses in the RFP and that the revised RFP would be ready by March 31 this year, as promised by the defence minister. The revised RFP would be expected to emphasise lifecycle costs, air refueling capability as well as the aircraft’s long-range characteristics.
The contract itself is expected to be worth at least $11 billion over its lifetime.
A steady depletion …
The IAF’s demand for new fighters, to replace gradually eroding force levels, is not only one of long standing – a matter that would have merited concern in its own right – but the fact that the force has lost a large number of fighter pilots over the years has also added an urgency as well as an emotive tinge to the issue.
The MRCA also acquired an added edge with the US Government decision to sell 36 new F-16C/Ds to Pakistan. This fresh batch will add to the 40 F-16s originally supplied to Pakistan – 32 of which are still flying. For the first time, these new F-16s will also be equipped with beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has already phased out about half a dozen of its MiG series of combat squadrons in the past couple of years – the latest phase out being one of an MiG-23MF squadron in the second week of March this year. Consequently, the present strength of the IAF fighter squadrons is now down to about 30, down from 39, which was declared as a minimum requirement a couple of years ago by the then chief of air staff. A much smaller country, Pakistan, fields about 18 fighter squadrons, or about two thirds of what India has. Given China’s vastly expanded, and upgraded, capabilities on the other side of our frontiers, this is a tricky situation for the air force.
According to some estimates, the current ratio for fighter aircraft vis-à-vis Pakistan favours India by 1:2.17. If the Indian Air Force’s aged MiG fleet is discounted, the ratio comes down to 1:1.79. The crunch lies in the fact that the induction of 40 new F-16s by Pakistan will further reduce the ratio to 1:1.15. If you factor in China, which fields similar Su-30s (the MKK version) as the IAF, you can guess the predicament that the IAF finds itself in.
…but also an accretion
“While there is a lag in the procurements vis-à-vis the phasing out, it is not alarming,” says air chief marshal SP Tyagi. “The proposed compression of the delivery schedule of HAL-built Su-30MKI aircraft will help check the depletion. We also plan to procure additional squadrons of fighter aircraft. We are upgrading our older fleets to effectively utilise them over their remaining service life.”
The IAF has received Government sanction for an additional 40 Su-30MKI aircraft, over and above the numbers originally ordered for these aircraft, last year. Though no dates have been announced for their arrival it would appear that they would be put on a fast track delivery mode.
Delivery of the HAL assembled MKI versions will also be speeded up, with some reports suggesting that the numbers produced would be increased from eight per annum to 12. The number of MiG-21 BiS squadrons (upgraded versions) will be increased, while deliveries of the upgraded Darin II Jaguar ground attack jets by HAL have begun.
Induction of force multipliers like laser-guided and other precision guided munitions, standoff weapons, better radars and longer-range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has also been speeded up.
The IAF is already operating six Il-78 Flight Refuelling Aircraft (FRAs), which extend the range and staying power of the SU-30MKIs, Mirage 2000s, Jaguars and MiG-29s. The pending induction of three Israeli Phalcon AWACs, mounted on Uzbek supplied IL-76 aircraft, starting later this year, are the other force multipliers.
Critically, as far as the MiG-21 ‘Flying Coffin’ controversy goes, the IAF would appear to have licked the problem. It reported no MiG-21 crashes for 2006 and now boasts of the lowest accident rates, at par with the best maintained air forces in the world.
In the running
A request for information (RFI) was sent out for four jets in 2004 – the Lockheed Martin’s F-16, the MiG-29OVT, the Dassault Mirage 2000-5 and the SAAB JAS-39 Gripen. The list subsequently expanded and now includes Boeing’s F/A-18 Hornet and the four-nation Eurofighter Typhoon. Dassault’s Rafale is a likely contender in place of the Mirage 2000-5, while the MiG-29 OVT has been replaced by the re-designated MiG-35.
The Europeans and the Russians have a presence of long standing in the country. If the Russians are banking on their long-standing relationship with the Indian armed forces, and the manifest capabilities of the MiG-35, to help them land the MRCA contract, then their long standing rivals, the US companies, are pinning their hopes on a freshly developed coziness in the relationship between the two countries to see them through. The US administration and companies have made their intentions to enter the strategically and commercially important Indian market very clear.
So, the face off for the MRCA contract is now between West European, Russian and the US companies – and by extension, the nations backing them. Converting, what at best had always been a two-pony race between European and Russian manufacturers, into a three way face off, with US companies now stepping in as the spoilers, could also be considered as a singular achievement for the Indian defence planners.
If arms deals provide technologically advanced nations the wherewithal to arm-twist client nations in times of crisis, the forthcoming Indian contract is making them sweat. Contracts as big as the IAF tender not only spell big money for companies but also translate into a lot of jobs for national economies and so it is not surprising that nations are throwing their weight behind ‘national’ companies. The arm-twisting can happen now – by India.
By the time they sign on the dotted line, it is likely that these countries, and companies, would have given away enough to preempt any arm-twisting in the future. This would, of course, depend on the integrity and commitment of our defence planners. So far, as the game is playing itself out, the signs are good – but then, as they say, there is always many a slip between the lip and the cup.
If the MRCA order should be issued now the new planes are expected to arrive only by 2010. A order starved MiG RAC, however, promises a shorter delivery schedule, for there are no backlogs for it to clear – it has no orders other than the 18 odd MiG-29K for the Indian Navy. It also says that the MiG-35 is ready for series production.
The cost estimates range from $6-11 billion (Rs265-485 billion) over the life of the contract.
More than the money, it may be the strategic value of the contract – with India emerging as a likely super power – that competing nations may actually be hankering after.
black eaglehttp://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=8230
Outside superintendence for defence R&D body
New Delhi, Feb 14 (IANS) After stiffly resisting the move for years, India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that has been blamed for huge cost overruns and delivery slippages in its multifarious projects, is finally to get outside superintendence in a bid to improve its functioning.
Two premier scientific bodies will henceforth be represented on the DRDO board, Defence Minister A.K. Antony announced Wednesday.
“It has been decided to have representation from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation),” Antony said at a function here where he gave away excellence awards to defence public sector undertakings and ordinance factories.
“We are of the firm view that there should be accountability and transparency in every sphere of the defence industry,” he added.
The government had last month established an eight-member group to examine the functioning of the DRDO and recommend measures to make it more effective.
“The committee has met once. It has been asked to submit an interim report within a reasonable timeframe,” the minister stated.
Headed by P. Rama Rao, a former secretary of the department of science and technology, the panel has been tasked with reviewing DRDO’s administrative and financial procedures and conducting an audit of the research undertaken by its 49 laboratories across the country.
There have been huge delays in key DRDO projects like the development of the main battle tank (MBT), the light combat aircraft (LCA), and key missile systems that had prompted imports in these areas.
The DRDO has, for long, been resisting the appointment of an outside audit body.
Among the other members of the review body are former Indian Air Force (IAF) vice chief Air Marshal Ajit Bhavnani, former Indian Navy chief of materials Vice Admiral Pravesh Jaitly, former director general (Artillery) Lt. Gen. C.S. Cheema, former Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) chairman Krishnadas Nair and former defence ministry financial advisor A.K. Ghosh.
The DRDO had last year told the parliamentary standing committee on defence that it had adequate internal mechanism to oversee its operations and did not consider it necessary to add another.
Antony did not agree, telling parliament in November 2006 that a new system of accountability would be put in place to prevent delays and cost overruns.
black eagleRussia offers co-development of high-altitude gunships to India
Russia is set to unroll its new high-altitude light helicopter gunships and has offered its co-development to India as a package deal, which could also forsee cooperation in building 10-tonne-class choppers.
The offer comes as the country is also ready to unveil its new Kamaov-60 and next generation 10-tonne-class MI helicopters, which can be used as heavy lift troop carriers.
“We know Indian Air Force’s urgent requirements for 10-ton-class helicopters and we have conveyed our readiness for joint development through the establishment of a joint holding company,” Givi Dzhandzhgava, director general of the Ramenskoi Design company, told PTI.
“The Kamaov group by end of this year expects to roll out its new KA-52 helicopter gunships, which can be used at altitudes exceeding 5,000 to 6,000 metres,” Dzhandzhgava said.
India has desperately been seeking to induct light helicopter gunships for use in mountainous terrain following its experiences in the Kargil conflict when the absence of such firepower forced it to use fighters firing missiles from stand off distance.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has been conducting trials on light helicopter gunships by modifying the Chetak and Cheetah helicopters and indigenous Advance Light Helicopters.
black eaglehttp://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=8062
Satellite killer technology within reach
Tuesday January 23 2007 00:00 IST
KOCHI: It may be little known, but India possesses the essential space technology to build a satellite killer concept similar to the one that China experimented last week to shock the global space community.
Top sources told this website’s newspaper that India has gained enough experience in space science to engineer a head-on collision with a low-orbiting satellite but would never want to use its prowess for military purposes. The claim comes when ricochets of the Chinese ‘killing’ of its ageing satellite is still refusing to die down with all countries flaying the move.
China had guided a rocket launched from its Xichang spaceport into a high-speed head-on collision to shatter the Feng Yun 1C satellite into shreds. This is the first time that the idea of a kinetic killer was used to destroy low-orbiting satellites.
The kinetic kill mechanism ensures that a killer rocket crashes head-on into a target moving at 28,000 km/hr. It adds its own speed to impact, creating a hypersonic shock wave that shreds the target into metallic confetti. The killer is positioned in the collision course by tracking the target with the help of radars and other monitoring equipment.
“We use same type of calculations before every satellite is launched. This is done to position our satellite in a crowded space without causing inconvenience to other vehicles using the same area. The same method can be used to position a killer vehicle near a target to destroy it,” top ISRO sources said.
In its space war exercise, China used similar methods to pinpoint the target and launched the killer using a ballistic missile before homing it into it. “With the existing technology India can also perfect this mechanism within no time. But we believe that space must be kept out of military dreams,” sources said.
Though the world discussed such concepts during the Cold War, interest in space war possibilities has been renewed following the Chinese threat. And, in spite of Chinese argument that the test was a signal to Taiwanese political manoeuvres, India and others feel the contrary.
“What worries us most is the presence of debris. Such collisions can leave millions of metallic particles in low orbits widely used by all countries. And such orbiting particles can damage satellites,” ISRO Chairman G. Madhavan Nair said and added these shrapnels could remain there for the next 10 years.
On the possibility of converting the Indian space engineering to achieve a similar feat, Nair said the country was against militarising space.
“We can do it. But we don’t want to give up our declared policy,” he affirmed.
And the day this policy is given a rethink will begin the countdown of an Asian edition of space war thrillers.
black eaglehttp://www.idrw.org/index.php?categoryid=1&p2_articleid=587
India, Russia may join hands for stealth fighter
India is finalising plans for a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, which will have a lethal mix of beyond-visual range combat capabilities, reduced radar tracking signature, super-manoeuvrability and supersonic cruising ability. A detailed presentation on the futuristic fifth-generation fighter project was made to defence minister A K Antony on Friday by a high-level team of officials from defence ministry, Indian Air Force and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), said sources. India is likely to collaborate with Russia in this multi-billion dollar programme since it’s still to completely master the technology behind the manufacture of advanced fighter jets despite the ongoing indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft project. The presentation to Antony, which was led by secretary (defence production) K P Singh and included HAL chairman Ashok Baweja, comes barely a month before Russian President Vladimir Putin comes to India. Russia has been hard-selling its fifth-generation fighter project to India for some years now since it desperately needs some infusion of funds in its programme touted to be a rival to the American F-35 Lighting-II Joint Strike Fighter project. The two main Russian aviation majors, MIG Corporation and Sukhoi Design Bureau, submitted their plans for joint development of the fifth-generation fighter with HAL in end-November. “Both presented their concept papers and blueprints about the aircraft configuration, workshare in co-development and cost of development. India might make the choice of its partner public during Putin’s visit,” said a source. The most potent fighters in India’s combat fleet at present are the Sukhoi-30MKI “air dominance” fighters, being manufactured indigenously by HAL now under transfer of technology from Russia, which can be placed a little over fourth-generation fighters. Incidentally, HAL has been directed by Cabinet Committee on Security to “compress” the manufacture of 140 Sukhoi-30MKIs by three years to finish the project by 2013-2014, instead of the original 2017-2018. Sources said the fifth-generation fighter, likely to be developed with Russia, will be “50% to 100% superior” to Sukhoi-30MKI in terms of “avionics, radius of turn, accuracy of weapon delivery and other combat capabilities”. The only operational fifth-generation fighter in the world as of now is the new American F/A-22 Raptor, the most expensive combat jet in history, priced as it is at $258 million apiece. Fourth-generation fighters like MiG-29s, F-15 Eagles, F-16 Fighting Falcons, FA-18 Hornets and Mirage-2000s were developed from 1970 onwards, with superior avionics for multi-role capabilities than previous jets. The intermediate stage between them and the fifth-generation fighters is represented by Sukhoi-30MKIs, F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets, F-16F Desert Falcons, Eurofighter Typhoons, Rafales and the like.
Sign In
