IAF's Mirage 2000 I/TI to be upgraded with India-made Multi-Function Displays (MFD's)

[Chanakya's_Chant]

Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft to be upgraded with multi-function displays

IAF's Mirage 2000 I/TI​

NEW DELHI: The upgraded Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft will be installed with India-made multi-function displays under an Indo-French partnership, as part of a programme to enhance the operational life of multi-role fighters by around 20 years.

Samtel Thales Avionics Ltd (STAL), a joint venture between Samtel Avionics and French firm Thales, has successfully dispatched the first batch of multi-function displays for Mirage 2000 upgrade programme of the Indian Air Force from the newly-commissioned production facility in Greater Noida.

"Samtel Thales Avionics thus becomes the only Indo-French partnership in defence space in India to have a high-technology product in production for a major offset programme, and is the only company in India eligible for more Mirage 2000 MLU displays," an industry source here said.

The potential of this project is valued at approximately Rs 100 crores, to be realised over the next 3 years.

The latest multi-functional displays are part of the programme to upgrade all of India's Mirage 2000H to Mirage 2000-5 MK2 variant with state-of-the-art avionics and latest weapon systems to enhance the operational life of multi-role fighters by around 20 years.

The sources said that the joint venture will also come into play if Thales bags contract for upgrade of Mirage 2000 from anywhere in the world.

The entire project is expected to cost about Rs 10,000 crore.

French Defence majors Dassault Aviation and Thales have already handed over two upgraded aircraft to India in March.

The rest of the about 46 aircraft fleet will be upgraded in Bangalore under the responsibility of state-run HAL with the complete support and involvement of Dassault Aviation and Thales, the French firms, who are the original manufacturers.

The upgrade on the aircraft include a night vision goggle-compatible glass cockpit, advanced navigational systems, advanced Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system, advanced multi-mode multi-layered radar, fully integrated electronic warfare warfare suite besides others.

It also includes a new firing system for Air-to-Air MICA missiles.

Earlier, Patrice Caine, Chairman and CEO, Thales, who was in India recently had said that India is at the top ten key focus nations for his company.

Source:- Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft to be upgraded with multi-function displays - The Economic Times

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

MI2Watch: Opto-electronics on Samtel radar; 100 Sukhois now flying with desi MFDs
​

AFS Yelahanka (Bengaluru), Feb 16: Samtel Avionics is among the few companies that got on to the Make in India wagon almost a decade ago, before such a concentrated campaign was launched in the country. Samtel's MoU with the Defence Avionics Research Establishment (DARE), a DRDO lab in Bengaluru way back in 2004, set the pace for the company to get into the Make in India mode, delivering home-grown products.

In a freewheeling interview ahead of the 10th edition of Aero India, set to begin at AFS Yelahanka on February 18, Puneet Kaura, Executive Director, Samtel Avionics, told OneIndia that the MoU with DARE opened up new avenues for the company.

"The MoU was to develop indigenous technologies to facilitate production of rugged multifunction displays (MFDs) in India. This technology was successfully deployed on Su-30 MKIs under the Samtel-HAL JV. Later, we formed a JV with HAL to address the avionics requirements including Test Benches and Systems for all HAL star platforms - both fixed and rotary wing," Puneet said.

An early bird to Make in India concept

"Today over 100 sets of MFDs have been delivered by Samtel-HAL JV for induction on Su-30 MKIs are already flying. Sicne 2007, Samtel has successfully teamed up with global players such as Honeywell, Curtiss-Wright, and General Dynamics Canada and became part of their global supply chain aso as to manufacture their products in India for their international customers," Puneet added.

He said while the government is stressing upon Indian companies to begin exporting to global customers now, Samtel has already been doing the exercise for many years.

"We are the sole source for Honeywell worldwide for avionics equipment for their General Aviation range in the US. These displays have been in serial production for many years with the supplies going regularly to Honeywell for integration," Puneet added.

Over the years, Samtel has developed a range of products under the aegis of DRDO, using the indigenous ruggedisation technology. "Samtel and DRDO have been able to indigenously develop the technology to ruggedize Bare AMLCD COTS panel to withstand harsh avionics environment by maintaining high level of optical and functional performance of these displays during the operation.

The technology developed over an exigent five-year long development and qualification journey, is not product specific, and can be laterally deployed on any fixed or rotary platform," he said.

Turnover to touch Rs 200 crore

Puneet, one of the youngest and visible faces in India's aerospace and defence, admitted that the gestation periods are very longer in this sector.

"Even though we started in 2004, our supplies to HAL began only in October 2010. The first full year of revenue was 2010-11, when we had a turnover of Rs 50 crore. Total consolidated growth in last five years has been 400per cent, with the turnover projected to grow to 200 crore in 2015-16," he said.

At the AeroIndia exhibition, Puneet said that the company would aim to showcase a range of its star MFDs products and advanced avionics systems for military and non-military market.

"Focusing on the Make in India theme, we plan to demonstrate our competencies and our synergies with leading Indian and international players, which underscores our strength to deliver in accordance with global standards. Our booth will provide an insight into Samtel's ‘Push and Pull' strategy of partnering with global system integrators which leverages our joint strengths to cater to the Indian and international markets," he added.

New areas on Samtel's radar

Puneet said Samtel has already moved forward from being a display manufacturing company to a multiple-product, high-end technology company.

"One area of growth which will be the future focus of Samtel is opto-electronics. We have a very strong division in opto-electronics, where there is a lot of traction. We are also developing competency in Ruggedised Military Electronics - which is going to be a major focus area in the coming few years," he said.

He said the BTP (Built-to-Print) activities are also expected to drive the business into the future.​

"We have also developed and supplied Automated Test Equipment (ATEs) to IAF, and as there is a huge demand in this domain, we are building capabilities in this as well. Our partnership with General Dynamics Canada is for co-production and co-marketing of products for military and ground market, for armoured and commercial vehicles - a relatively new area for Samtel," he added.

Products for Indian armed forces

* Samtel-HAL JV has supplied approximately 100 sets of multifunction displays to HAL which are currently flying on Su-30 MKI aircraft.

* Samtel HAL Display Systems has received the PO for supply of MFD for LCH from HAL (MCSRDC). Post development phase, there is a requirement of supplying around 750 MFDs for LCH.

* After the successful integration on LCH, Samtel says an opportunity might arise to integrate the same MFD on ALH, thus replacing the imported MFDs.

* Samtel has supplied 3ATI units to BEL for the Tarang programme. These units are meant for radar and missile warning receiver systems which will be integrated on many platforms such as Su-30 MKI, MIG 29, Jaguar, Tejas, IL-76 and MI-25.

* Supplied 19" rugged displays to BEL for the Battlefield Surveillance System (BSS) for Indian Army. These displays were required inside the command and control shelters to display a variety of information.

* Received the PO from CVRDE for Arjun Main Battle Tank's (Mk II) Commander Sight Displays. These displays would be integrated with Arjun MBT Mk II (124 Tanks) and Futuristic Main Battle Tank (124 tanks).

Products to be exhibited at Aero India 2015

* NVIS compatible Multifunction Displays
* Airborne indicators with inbuilt graphics
* Ruggedised land and naval Naval displays
* Large area, high definition ruggedised airborne displays
* Airborne Panel PC
* Wearable and hand-held displays
* Products for armoured vehicles by Samtel & General Dynamics Canada
* Live demo of TopOwl® Helmet-Mounted Sight & Display by Samtel Thales Avionics

Source:- MI2Watch: Opto-electronics on Samtel radar; 100 Sukhois now flying with desi MFDs - Oneindia

 

[[Bregs]]

Long back Samtel India came into reckoning with color pics tube for tv's and now they have amazingly came too far to make multi-function displays for fighter aircrafts

 

[kṣamā]

Existing cockpit systems look from WWII era. They needed a serious makeover.

 

[acetophenol]

Existing cockpit systems look from WWII era. They needed a serious makeover.

Cold war era bro, WWII era would be too far

 

[saurav]

Will be interesting to see the Cockpit of PAK-FA. If its as sophisticated as Cockpit-NG ?

 

[N/A]

Lets hope this project doesn't end up like the LCA Tejas

 

[Killswitch]

The Mirage 2000 was a lost oppurtunity. India could have bought the line and built them at home. Instead the airforce is short of planes and the rafale deal is going nowhere.

 

[Hindustani78]

46 aircraft fleet will be upgraded in Bangalore under the responsibility of state-run HAL with the complete support and involvement of Dassault Aviation and Thales, the French firms, who are the original manufacturers.
The upgrade on the aircraft include a night vision goggle-compatible glass cockpit, advanced navigational systems, advanced Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system, advanced multi-mode multi-layered radar, fully integrated electronic warfare suite besides others.

It also includes a new firing system for Air-to-Air MICA missiles.


The Mica missile has been designed to meet the requirements of the French Air Force for an advanced fire-and-forget air-to-air missile capable of medium and short range engagements. The Mica missiles are suitable for close-in dogfight combat, while they can engage multiple targets beyond the visual range. It can operate in heavy countermeasures environments. The Mica missile features two seekers and its own ECCM (Mica RF and IR ECCMs are different). The Mica RF is provided with an active radar homing head and the Mica IR is provided with an infrared imagery homing head. The Mica IR is an stealth missile due to its passive infrared sensor.

The target coordinates are transferred from the aircraft's sensors to the Mica missile before launching. Once fired, the Mica missile depends on the Inertial Navigation System target information can be updated from the launching aircraft via an uplink. In the terminal phase the RF/IR seeker is fully responsible for target acquisition and interception. The Mica also features a high maneuverability due to thrust vector control and effective tail control surfaces. Mica's blast fragmentation warhead detonates by proximity or direct impact.

The Mica RF is in service with the Air Forces of Taiwan, Qatar, France, United Arab Emirates and Greece. The Mica RF missile is the weapon of choice for air-to-air engagements of the Mirage 2000-5, Mirage 2000-9 and Rafale aircraft.

Rafale C firing Mica EM air-to-air missile

MBDA Mica RF air-to-air missile

 

[Capt.Popeye]

Lets hope this project doesn't end up like the LCA Tejas

What are you talking about ! Could you even read and understand the reports above ? The MFDs and other equipment are installed and in use already.

 

[rezangahir]

so now which is better Mirage 2000 or MIG 29 UPG ?

 

[Capt.Popeye]

so now which is better Mirage 2000 or MIG 29 UPG ?

In an A2G role the Mirage 2K will do better.

 

[dev_moh]

The whole process of upgrading the mirages and mig 29s , is going really really slow.

 

[rezangahir]

In an A2G role the Mirage 2K will do better.

i think mig 29 has better A2A missiles than mirage ?

 

[N/A]

What are you talking about ! Could you even read and understand the reports above ? The MFDs and other equipment are installed and in use already.

Before barking I recommend reading the paragraph referring to HAL and the installation of equipment - "The rest of the about 46 aircraft fleet will be upgraded in Bangalore under the responsibility of state-run HAL." Now I pray that HAL is competent enough to install equipment, without screwing up.