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I think IAF will be force to reckon with in the near future say around 2017 but the steps have to be taken asap :pop:
 
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'IAF to deploy multi-role fighters in Eastern sector'
Last Updated: Jan 08, 2010

SHILLONG (PTI): The Indian Air Force has indicated that the ageing fleet of its fighter planes is a matter of concern and hopes that the massive deal to purchase the 126 multi-role combat aircraft would come through.

“A number of older generation aircraft like MiG-21 are operating since early sixties. We have problems with the ageing fleets and their maintenance,” Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Indian Air Force's (IAF) Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal Kishan Kumar Nohwar told a press conference here Thursday.

The Soviet-era MiG 21 fighters have been in operation in the IAF since 1963 and have been involved in a spate of crashes in recent years.

Under the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) programme, IAF plans to induct 126 fighter aircraft at an estimated cost of $12 billion. Currently, trials are being conducted with aircraft of six manufacturers vying for the deal.

Once the deal is through, the IAF would deploy some of the squadrons in the Eastern sector which currently bases Sukhoi fighters, Nohwar said.

He said when a country has newer aircraft, the percentage of share of human error is more than technical defect. “Presently, the ratio is tilted more towards technical defects,” he said in the backdrop of frequent fighter jet crashes in recent times.

Nohwar said it was to the credit of IAF that the ageing aircraft, particularly MiG-21s, were being maintained in “flight-worthy condition and were ready to face challenge”.

“We have the technical capability to thwart any attack from any quarter. The old fleets are being replaced with newer aircraft,” he said.
 
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Govt set to ink record $2.2bn arms deal with US
NEW DELHI: The stage is being set for what will be the largest-ever Indo-US defence deal till now. New Delhi has now formally approached
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Washington for a direct government-to-government deal for acquiring 10 C-17 Globemaster-III giant strategic airlift aircraft, each of which comes for over a whopping $220 million.

This would well supplant the $2.1 billion contract for eight Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft inked last year and the $962 million one for six C-130J `Super Hercules' planes clinched in 2007.

With US aggressively muscling into the lucrative Indian market, often bagging deals under its direct Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme instead of vying in global tenders, the Europeans are getting increasingly upset.

Some of them even see "American influence'' at work behind the Indian defence ministry's scrapping of the almost-finalised deals like the $1 billion contract for 197 Eurocopter light utility helicopters and $1.5 billion project for six Airbus-330 MRTT mid-air refuelling aircraft.

Defence ministry officials, however, dismiss such `fanciful' claims. The biggest prize, of course, is still to be awarded: the $10.4 billion project to acquire 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft for IAF.

Two American fighters, F/A-18 `Super Hornet' and F-16 `Falcon', are competing with French Rafale, Russian MiG-35, Swedish Gripen and Eurofighter Typhoon in this hotly-contested race.

As for the Globemaster project, India sent `a letter of request' for the acquisition of 10 C-17s to the US government last week after getting the nod from the Defence Acquisitions Council headed by defence minister A K Antony. "Under FMS, we will get C-17s at the same price the US government buys them from Boeing, plus some service charges,'' said an MoD official.

IAF certainly needs to augment its strategic airlift capability to swiftly move large combat systems and troops over large national and international distances, given that it has barely a dozen Russian-origin IL-76 `Gajraj' aircraft. IAF's medium-lift fleet, in turn, includes 104 Russian AN-32 aircraft.

The massive four-engine C-17 dwarfs them all. Capable of carrying a payload of up to 170,000 pounds, it can transport tanks and troops over 2,400 nautical miles.

With mid-air refuelling, the C-17 can go even longer distances. Rugged as it is, a C-17 can even land at a small forward airbase on a semi-prepared runway or airdrop over 100 combat-ready paratroopers directly into a battlezone. "It can take-off and land in 3,000 feet or less,'' said an official.

There are 212 C-17s in service around the globe at present, with the major chunk of them deployed with US Air Force. Other customers include UK, Qatar, Canada, Australia and Nato.

Incidentally, India and US have already finalised the End-Use Monitoring Agreement (EUMA), and the inking of the Communication Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) is now on the cards, to smoothen defence deals. The two pacts are required under US domestic laws to ensure compliance with sensitive technology control requirements.

Indo-US defence deals

* 2002: $190 million for 12 AN/TPQ-37 firefinder weapon-locating radars

* 2006: $53.5 million for amphibious transport vessel USS Trenton, with another $39 million for six UH-3H helicopters to operate from it

* 2007: $962 million for 6 C-130J `Super Hercules' aircraft

* 2009: $2.1 billion for 8 P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft

* And now, stage set for $2.2 billion acquisition of 10 C-17 Globemaster-III aircraft
 
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Refueler tender cancellation will delay plans: Naik

IAF chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik today said the Air Force's plans to buy six air-to-air refuelers will be "delayed" with the government cancelling the tenders recently, as it would have to go through the procurement process once again.

"I am not talking about strategic reach, but we need more refuelers, which will be delayed now. We will have to restart the action now," Naik told reporters when asked if the IAF's strategic reach might be adversely impacted by the withdrawal of the tenders.

The Defence Ministry has last week cancelled the tenders worth Rs 6,000 crore after Finance Ministry objected to the price of the Airbus A330 multi-role transport tanker (MRTT) aircraft that the IAF had chosen to buy after a two-year procurement process, in a major setback to its plans to expand its long reach capabilities.
fullstory
 
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Road to be named after fighter pilot - Mangalore - City - The Times of India


MANGALORE: In recognition of the services of Flight Lieutenant Ronald Kevin Serrao, the Kuchikad Road at Kulashekhar here will be renamed Flight
Lieutenant Ronald Kevin Serrao Road.

The road renaming ceremony organized jointly by Dakshina Kannada District Ex-Servicemen's Association and MCC will be held at Kulashekhar here on Sunday. Mangalore City South MLA N Yogish Bhat, mayor M Shankar Bhat, deputy commissioner V Ponnuraj and others will take part in the programme.

Ronald was the winner of the President's Silver Medal at the National Defence Academy and joined the Indian Air Force following his graduation from the Air Force Academy.

Kevin was selected to fly Jaguars in one of India's most elite fighter squadrons. However, his career was cut short when he was killed while practicing bombing sorties at Pokhran field firing ranges in Rajasthan on January 18, 2007.

The road leads to Kevin Serrao's house where his father retired Lieutenant Colonel John Serrao and family lives. A memorandum to name the road after him was placed before the district administration in 2007. The MCC passed a proposal in this connection on July 29, 2008 and sent it for approval from the state government. The state government gave its approval on December 10, 2008.
 
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IAF MI-26 attains 100% serviceability status idrw.org

after more than a decade Mi-26, the largest helicopter in the world, possessed by IAF and being operated from this Chandigarh base have attained 100 cent serviceability and flown all together for more than 45 min over the bright sun shined city sky here.

Speaking on the occasion Air Cmde Rajeev Sachdeva , AOC 12 Wing expressed his satisfaction and stated that this is achieved because of most efficient planning .Last such serviceability status was held during the year 1996.

Wg Cdr KK Gurao, Commanding Officer 126 Helicopter Flight given all credits to the maintenance staff of 126 Helicopter Flight and called it as a perfect ‘Maintenance show’. He further mentioned all the technicians worked their optimum best during the severe inclement weather what the city has faced for last few days.Wg Cdr Gurao said they will try to go with this status for a three weeks target.

MI-26 was inducted into the Air Force at Chandigarh on 15 May 86. The birth of the Featherweights operations started with the earmarking of a handpicked team of 16 officers and 39 airmen in Oct 85. The officers and airmen after undergoing successful training in Russia returned to India in 86. On formation, the unit was established for MI-26 Helicopters, subsequently in Dec 88 the establishment was raised to four.

The helicopter has distinguished itself by undertaking a total of 16 live Underslung operations in the high mountain reaches of J&K (at times under enemy shelling), the plains of central India and the seas of Kutch. As a part of sustaining our troops they operate to the Ladakh sector. While doing so it has achieved the sole distinction of landing a MI–26 at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) and other high altitude airfields carrying wheeled vehicles, field guns (Medium), Heavy – duty generators, mobile Satcom stations and Bulldozers. MI-26 is the only helicopter in its class, which has carried the Bofors gun. On 09 Sep 86 the MI-26 landed at the world’s highest landing zone (DBO), and in the following weeks the MI-26 air landed a one tonner, a jonga, prefabricated huts, petrol and supplies. Thus the unit achieved the feat of landing the first ever-tracked vehicles at Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO).

In Feb 89, MI-26 helicopter undertook the only of its kind underslung operation taking Pontoon bridge form Ludhiana to Sirhind canal. In Apr 96, two helicopters proceeded on their first overseas flight to Konotop. It took the helicopters 39 hrs of flying and 09 night halts to achieve this task flawlessly. While doing so the unit for the first time flew the longest ever formation flight (4.45Hrs) over high seas.

In Jul 02 the MI-26 recovered the first civilian aircraft (Beach Craft), which had met with an accident at Kangra airfield. Another first was achieved as the unit flew the longest ever underslung flight (3:15 hrs). Subsequently in the coming months the unit recovered a MI-35, MI-17 and a MIG-21 to Pathankot, Srinagar and Ambala respectively from their crash sites. The unit for the first time in history of IAF was selected to lead the “Ensign Formation” consisting of one MI-26 and two MI-17’s in Arrow head formation on the Air Force day flypast.

Seeing the flawless performance in AF Day fly-past the unit was tasked to lead a 05-helicopter Arrow head formation on the Republic day. This was the only formation of its type in the world showcasing 03 different classes of Russian helicopters. In Aug 06, the unit underslung a MI-17 IV helicopter from river bed of Markanda to 3 BRD, AF. The unit also successfully underslung a MI-17 IV helicopter from Bandipur to Avantipur in Sep 07.
 
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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...lity-at-Bagdogra-soon/articleshow/5450515.cmshttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...lity-at-Bagdogra-soon/articleshow/5450515.cms

Kolkata: Evening flights can soon start at Bagdogra. The defence ministry has given its nod to extend civilian operations at the airport, a strategic forward base of the Indian Air Force and a gateway to the tourist hotspots of Darjeeling and Gangtok.

It has been a long standing demand of the state government as well as the travel and tourism industry to allow for more flexibility in flight operations at Bagdogra. Right now, civilian flights can operate only between 10 am and 3 pm.

Buoyed by the defence ministry nod, the state government quickly announced its decision to hand over 14.5 acres to the civil aviation ministry for developing infrastructure for night landing. The state had given 8.5 acres earlier for expansion of the terminal. "We had given a portion of land that the civil aviation ministry had sought to upgrade and expand the airport. The remaining land will be handed over soon," said transport secretary Sumantra Chaudhuri. He will accompany transport minister Ranjit Kundu to oversee the acquisition at Bagdogra on January 18.

Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials said the land would be used to construct the approach landing facility for operations after sunset. "The 9,000-feet long runway at the airport has night landing facility for Air Force planes. Though civilian aircraft are allowed to use it in exigencies, in the absence of an approach, only skilled pilots can make the landing. Once the approach landing facility is in place, all pilots will be able to land here after sunset," said Bagdogra airport director R Bhoumik.

Modernization of the terminal is underway and is expected to be completed by April 2010. The number of parking bays is being increased from three to five, allowing more flights within a short span of time. "The security hold is being expanded to accommodate 400 passengers, double the capacity now. We expect a growth in traffic," Bhoumik said.

At present, five domestic airlines Kingfisher, Jet Airways, Air India, SpiceJet and GoAir operate to and from Bagdogra. Bhutan's national carrier Druk Airways operates four days a week to Paro and is keen to start daily flights between Bagdogra and Kathmandu.
 
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IAF to hold its annual show on Feb 24

STAFF WRITER 19:49 HRS IST
Jaisalmer (Raj), Jan 17 (PTI) The Indian Air Force will hold a show of its latest equipment and weapons at Chandhan Field Firing Range near here on February 24, official sources said today.

The annual show of the IAF is likely to be witnessed by President Pratibha Singh Patil and Defence Minister A K Antony, they said.

Source : fullstory
 
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ASIAN DEFENCE: AL-55I engine test flight 2010



The flight tests of the light aviation engine AL-55I, which is manufactured by NPO Saturn under a contract with India, will take place in 2010, a source in the Russian defense industry told Interfax.“The improved version of the Al-55I engine will be dozens of kilos lighter than its predecessors and will have the same haulage and fuel characteristics,” the source said.A full cycle of the light AL-55I engine tests will not be needed, the source said.



Besides reducing the mass of the engine by using new materials, the engine will undergo construction changes, the source said.“Specifically, the changes will affect the engine software,” the source said.The AL-55I engine is created for the Indian light training one- engine plane HJT-36 Intermediate Jet Trainer (owned by the HAL corporation) and the heavier two-engine HJT-39 Twin Engine Combat Attack Trainer. The AL-55I has the main version with 1,760 kilo haulage for HJT-36 and increased haulage (2,200 kilos) for HJT-39.
 
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ASIAN DEFENCE: New Fazotron Zhuk-ME radars enter production

The Fazotron-NIIR corporation has launched the serial production of Zhuk-ME onboard radar systems designed to be installed on the export version of Russia’s MiG-29 fighter jet.“The enterprise is expected to deliver approximately ten Zhuk-ME onboard radar systems in 2010,” Anatoly Kanashchenkov, Fazotron-NIIR first deputy general director and general designer, told Interfax-AVN.



Before the end of the year, the corporation will also have to manufacture spare parts sufficient to make “another ten Zhuk-ME radars,” Kanashchenkov said.Newly made MiG-29K/KUB and MiG-29SMT fighter jets will be fitted with such radars, he said.Fazotron-NIIR has also been “participating in the modernization of 64 MiG-29 fighter jets owned by the Indian Air Force,” he said.



“Flight tests of India’s modernized MiG-29 planes are expected to begin in Russia at the end of 2010 or at the start of 2011,” Kanashchenkov said.“In 2010, the corporation will also continue efforts to fine-tune Zhuk-ME radars installed on MiG-29SMT airplanes under a contract with Algeria,” he said.“The aforementioned MiG-29SMT planes have been returned to Russia by Algeria and will be sent to the Russian Air Force’s units after all the necessary adjustments are made,” he added.
 
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The New Nation - Internet Edition

Indian air chief place wreath at Shikha Anirban


Chief of Indian Air Force Marshal PV Naik paid tributes to the memory of the members of the armed forces martyred during the War of Liberation in 1971 placing floral wreath at the "Shikha Anirban" at Dhaka Cantonment Sunday.

He also signed visitors' book there.

Later, the Indian air chief called on Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rahman at Air Headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment. He spent some time with the Bangladesh air chief and discussed matters of professional interest.

Earlier, on his arrival at Air Headquarters, a smartly turned-out BAF contingent presented him a guard of honour. He took salute and inspected the guard.

The Indian air chief also planted a sapling on the Air Headquarters premises.

Later, Marshal PV Naik visited National Defence College (NDC) at Mirpur Cantonment and called on NDC Commandant Major General AKM Muzahid Uddin.

He also visited Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) at Mirpur Cantonment and called on DSCSC Commandant Major General Mohammad Ashab Uddin.

Marshal PV Naik, who arrived here on a six-day visit to Bangladesh Saturday, is expected to leave Dhaka January 21.
 
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New batch of Indian peacekeepers arrive in Sudan - SudanTribune

January 15, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — A group of Indian Air Force arrived in Khartoum from New Delhi to join the ten thousand UN peacekeepers deployed in the African nation following a peace agreement signed since five years.

The United Nations Mission in Sudan is established by the United Nations Security Council in March 2005 to support the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed on January 2005 between the Government of Sudan and former rebel Sudan People’s Liberation Movement.

The Indian contingent consists of 196 personnel and includes six Mi-17 utility helicopters and will replace an aviation group based in Kadugli, South Kordofan State in central Sudan.

"Their role will be peacekeeping under UN charter 6, to carry troops and supplies from one place to another. We also have a medical detachment to help the casualties," said Air Marshal T S Randhawa Director General (Inspection and Safety), IAF, who flagged off the contingent.

India, the UN’s third largest contributor of peacekeepers with 8,767 troops and police personnel, had already contributed air assets to the peacekeeping operations in Congo, which were very effectively used by the UN mission.

The UN last year said in October last year it had asked India to contribute helicopters for the hybrid peacekeeping mission in the restive Darfur region.

UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Alain Le Roy, during a visit to New Delhi told reporters that the Indian government is studying a demand to provide helicopters to Darfur mission.

"India has not yet committed the helicopters we requested for Sudan. They are, however, considering it," he said.
 
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the heavier two-engine HJT-39 Twin Engine Combat Attack Trainer. The AL-55I has the main version with 1,760 kilo haulage for HJT-36 and increased haulage (2,200 kilos) for HJT-39.
AnyOne have the detail of HJT-39 I here first time that 2engine combat attack trainer ????
 
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Selex of Italy Challenges MOD Decision on MAFI Project | India Defence Online

A recent legal imbroglio will adversely affect the plans of the Indian Air Force (IAF) concerning the modernisation of its airfields. The Italian firm, Selex Sistimi Intergrati SPA, has legally challenged the Indian government’s move to declare Tata Power Strategic Electronics Division [SED] as the winner in the $260 million modernization of Air Field Infrastructure (MAFI) project.

Selex Sistimi Intergrati SPA, part of the Italian major Finmeccanica, has asked the Delhi High Court to quash the decision of the Indian Defence Ministry to declare Tata Power SED as the lowest bidder. While the Italian company alleges that there were lapses in the procurement process, the Indian Defence Ministry claims that no procedural lapses occurred in the procurement process and that the bid of Tata Power SED was the lowest at $238 million as, against the $248 million which Selex which quoted.
Meanwhile, the current legal tussle will only delay the modernization of the airfields, for which the MAFI project was proposed and expected to be executed at the earliest. The modernisation of airfields is of paramount importance, as IAF has acquired new platforms like AWACS and the U.S. made C 130J. Since the new aircrafts will be advanced and equipped with modern avionics, the ground systems would have to be compatible with it. The acquisition of 126 Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA), which India is currently negotiating to procure, will also lose its potential and significance if the airfields are not modernised. Another area where the MAFI programme will be applied is the North-East of India, along the Indo-Chinese border, where the airfields need upgrading.

As for the MAFI project, global bids were floated in 2008 for the $260 million project, under which 30 airfields will be modernised in a time bound manner within three years from the date of contract signature. The MAFI program involves the supply and integration of equipment, numbering in thousands, and all the vendors were told that the winner will have to prove the equipment at a Model airfield along with the necessary quality certification for all supplied equipment as per the Turnkey Project Procurement Procedure under the Indian Defence Procurement Procedures (DPP 2006).

The MAFI project includes the following:-

- Supply, testing, integration & sustenance of Instrument Landing System (ILS)
- Distance Measuring Equipments (DME)
- Digital VHF Omni Range (DVOR)
- Tactical Air Navigation System (TACAN)
- Air Traffic Management System (ATM)
- CAT 2 Airfield Lighting system.

Besides challenging the Indian Defence Ministry regarding the discrepancies in the procurement process, Selex of Italy has alleged that the equipment offered under the MAFI program were not tested before the commercial bids were opened. However, the Defence Ministry has clarified that the Technical Evaluation Committee of the Ministry had cleared Tata Power’s equipment to be technically acceptable.

With the added obstacle of the current litigation, IAF will suffer yet another setback of not having its airfields ready to prove the combat worthiness of its modern fleet. IAF has urged the Indian government to make amends in the procurement policies so that acquisitions and upgrading projects are not disrupted.
 
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DATELINE: MOSCOW Jan 18

India plans to buy more A-50EI airborne early warning aircrafts from Russia.

“The Indian Air Force has applied for another nine A-50EI, including three to be supplied under the main contract and six in an option,” a defense industry source told Interfax-AVN on Monday.

Negotiations have just begun, “nevertheless, we expect Rosoboronexport to sign the contract this year,” the source said.

The aircraft will carry Israeli radar systems, he noted.

The first trilateral contract between Russia, India and Israel signed in October 2003 is being implemented successfully. Beriyev, Ilyushin and Vega represent Russia in the contract, while Israel is represented by ELTA Electronics Industries, which supplies the Falcon radar.

The first plane was delivered to India in May 2009. The second and third planes will be supplied in the middle and at the end of the year.

“The new contract will make the production continuous,” the source said.

The aircrafts are based on the Ilyushin Il-76 platform with PS-90A engines.

Russia and CIS Defense & Policy Blog India may buy another nine A-50EI early warning aircraft

:azn:
 
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