Indian Air Force News & Discussions

[Mig-29]

FLIR Systems Announces $7.2 Million Order for IAF


FLIR Systems, Inc. announced that it has received a $7.2 million U.S. Government Foreign Military Sale (FMS) order for the Indian Air Force. The order includes FLIR System's Star SAFIRE® III infrared multi-sensor surveillance systems, training and related services. The units delivered under this award will be installed on C-130J Fixed Wing Surveillance Platforms in support of Indian Ministry of Defense airborne missions.This FMS order represents the first fixed-wing sale of FLIR's multi-sensor systems to the Indian Ministry of Defense. Work on this order will be performed at FLIR's facility in Wilsonville, Oregon and deliveries are expected to be completed by 2011."This order, the result of FLIR's world-class products and significant investment in regional support and training, demonstrates our ability to penetrate new international markets," said Earl R. Lewis, President and CEO of FLIR Systems. "We are pleased the Indian Ministry of Defense has chosen FLIR products for their critical homeland security and national defense missions and look forward to collaborating with them in the future."
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Forward-Looking Statements

The statements in this release by Earl R. Lewis, and the other statements in this release about the order described above, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about the Company's business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in such forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, including the following: the ability to manufacture and deliver the systems referenced in this release, changes in demand for the Company's products, product mix, the timing of deliveries under the order discussed above, the impact of competitive products and pricing, constraints on supplies of critical components, excess or shortage of production capacity, the ability of the Company to manufacture and ship products in the time period required, actual purchases under agreements, the Company's continuing compliance with US export control laws and regulations, the timely receipt of export licenses for international shipments, the continuing eligibility of the Company to act as a federal contractor, and other risks discussed from time to time in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports. In addition, such statements could be affected by general industry and market conditions and growth rates, and general domestic and international economic conditions. Such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release, or for changes made to this document by wire services or Internet service providers.
About FLIR Systems

FLIR Systems, Inc. is a world leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of thermal imaging and stabilized camera systems for a wide variety of thermography and imaging applications including condition monitoring, research and development, manufacturing process control, airborne observation and broadcast, search and rescue, drug interdiction, surveillance and reconnaissance, navigation safety, border and maritime patrol, environmental monitoring and ground-based security. Visit the Company's web site at FLIR Thermal Imaging, Night Vision and Infrared Camera Systems.

ASIAN DEFENCE: FLIR Systems Announces $7.2 Million Order for IAF

 

[Screaming Skull]

IAF pays rare tribute to Kargil martyr​

Saturday, Aug 08, 2009

NEW DELHI: In an unprecedented tribute to the martyrs of the Indian Air Force in recent times, its pilots on Friday flew an iconic four-aircraft ‘missing man’ formation to honour a brave pilot – Squadron Leader Ajay Ahuja, who laid down his life during the Kargil operations.

A ‘finger-four’ formation in MiG-21s operated by the Number 17 Squadron “Golden Arrows” was also flown on the occasion. The pilot flying in the ring-finger position of the formation pulled up vertically over the spot where floral wreaths were to be placed on the War memorial. The manoeuvre signified the spiralling away of the fallen aviator heavenwards, an official release said.

A ‘missing man’ formation is the ultimate tribute reserved for a military aviator — a tradition believed worldwide to have originated from the halcyon days of aviation, dating more than a century back — to honour the dead or a missing comrade, at a solemn memorial service, the release said.

The ceremony was held at the Killi Bhisiana airfield of Bhatinda, Punjab. The Squadron was decorated with the highest number of gallantry awards in the IAF for his role in the operations.

A tribute was also paid to Wing Commander R.S. Dhaliwal, a former Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team pilot who died in an air crash in January 2009. Wg Cdr. Dhaliwal was also a former member of the “Golden Arrows” Squadron as a Flying Officer. He was the youngest-ever pilot in the history of IAF to have taken part in night-strike missions in Operation Safed Sagar in May 1999. He also flew the maximum number of sorties during the operations.

Among those who witnessed the flypast included Alka Ahuja, wife of Sqn Ldr. Ahuja, and their son Ankur, Rubina Dhaliwal, wife of Wg Cdr. Dhaliwal and his father, a retired Wing Commander.

The others present included Air Commodore Amit Aneja, Air Commodore B.S. Dhanoa, a former Commanding Officer of the Squadron and the Station Commander of Air Force Station, Bhatinda.

The Hindu : National : IAF pays rare tribute to Kargil martyr

 

[Mig-29]

India scouts for HALE UAVs.


The Ministry of Defence has put out a Request for Information (RFI) to initiate the procurement of an unspecified number of High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the Army, Navy and Air Force. The RFI specifies that the companies interested in bidding for the contract should field UAVs with a minimum baseline capability configuration of 35,000-feet ceiling altitude, 24-hour endurance, 250-km direct line-of-sight data link, 350-km relay line-of-sight data link and with a SATCOM capability.

The RFI's system overview specifies that the package should contain day and night sensor payloads, ground/aerial data relay terminals, mobile receiving stations and intra-communication systems. The RFI specifies that the fielded UAVs must demonstrate profiles including (but not limited to) all-weather day/night reconnaisance of area, axis or point, transmission of radar/IR charge couple device imagery pictures of a benchmark (to be decided) resolution, real-time engagement of targets by directing artillery fire, and as a communication relay platform to facilitate multimode and multiband communication over a wide area.

Detailing the payload requirements, the RFI lists out electro-optical payloads, laser designator of terminal homing projectiles, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), payload for electronic and communication intelligence and radar warning.

LiveFist - The Best of Indian Defence: India Scouts For HALE UAVs

 

[sudhir007]

Avionews

Helicopters
06:11 pm - Tuesday
Boeing to propose helicopters to India
New Delhi, India - New Delhi is planning to purchase 22 attack aircraft and 15 heavy lift ones
(WAPA) - The American company Boeing has decided to participate in the tender launched by India for the purchase of 22 attack helicopters and 15 heavy lift ones. The deadline for the combat aircraft proposals is September 22, while the one for the lift helicopters is the following day.

Concerning in particular the 22 attack choppers, this is the second attempt performed by New Delhi's government for this tender worth more than US$1 billion. The first, launched in May 2008, had been cancelled last March. In that case neither Boeing nor Bell Helicopters took part in the race. Bell, a Textron group subsidiary, is not going to participate to the new tender.

To the race, launched in May, have also been invited the Europeans of the EADS consortium with their subsidiary Eurocopter. Last year's tender had been scrapped because the offers didn't match New Delhi's requirements

 

[sudhir007]

:: Bharat-Rakshak.com - Indian Military News Headlines ::

Political card in aircraft dogfight
- Makers of Eurofighter up the ante on the ground to beat American contenders in the race for $11-billion air force contract

New Delhi, Aug. 17: The great duel in the skies for an Indian Air Force order that could top $11 billion for 126 fighter aircraft began in Bangalore today, but the real action is being worked out in boardrooms of aviation majors.

At least one of the six competitors in the race, EADS, is saying upfront that it will gift-wrap its offer of the Eurofighter Typhoon for the IAF with a “political package”.

“All such deals have a technical dimension as well as a political dimension,” chief executive officer of EADS defence and security, Bernhard Gerwert, told The Telegraph recently. EADS had flown Indian journalists to the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford, the UK, and to the German assembly plant at Manching last month to demonstrate the capabilities of the Eurofighter Typhoon.

“What that package will be is still being worked out. But an association with EADS means that India is associating with the governments of four countries in Europe and that can go a long way,” said Gerwert. The governments and the air forces of the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain collaborate to make the Eurofighter Typhoon.

EADS is upping the ante in the race for the IAF order because of a perception that the US, with its clout and the growing proximity of Indian and US military forces, could swing the deal towards one of the two American competitors —- the F-16 IN Super Viper made by Lockheed Martin or the Boeing F/A-18 E/F Superhornet.

Lt General Klaus-Peter Stieglitz, the chief of staff of the Luftwaffe, the German air force, was also forthright: “The political package has to be negotiated; as we did with Austria and Switzerland. But it is still quite early.”

The Eurofighter is a precious customer in Austria and is vying for an order from Switzerland for which the flight trials are over. The clinching of the End-User Monitoring and Verification Agreement between America and India is being seen by the competitors of the US as the latest symbol of the political closeness between the two countries and their militaries.

What the “political package” can be is yet to be defined. But EADS, at least, and the French government — which recently hosted a contingent of the Indian armed forces and the Prime Minister on Bastille Day — are convinced that it has to be a substantial concession. This could be, for example, a re-alignment of the European position on Jammu and Kashmir, bringing it closer to India’s stand. But no one is talking about that yet.

In Bangalore today, the IAF’s principal director, Air Staff Requirements at the Air Headquarters, Air Commodore Rakesh Dhir, began supervising the flight tests on the F/A-18 Superhornet.

Boeing Integrated Defence Systems has flown two US aircraft to the south Indian city that is also home to Hindustan Aeronautics and the Aircraft Systems and Testing Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organisation. This is one of the seven schools of its kind in the world, to which the IAF seconds its test pilots.

Two test pilots, a group captain and a wing commander, will take turns flying the Superhornet and, later in September, the F-16 and the Russian MiG 35. Two other top guns will put the Eurofighter, the French Rafale and the Swedish JAS-39C Gripen to tests.

The flight evaluations are scheduled to be completed by April next year, after which the IAF evaluation team will fly to the home countries of the manufacturers, or any other designated site, to test weapon systems and armaments.

The flight evaluation tests begin after the technical paperwork of each of the six contestants is found to be in order by the defence ministry. A senior officer at Air Headquarters said the aircraft would be flown out of Bangalore, Jaisalmer and Leh for testing in normal, hot and cold weather conditions.

The performance of each of the aircraft will be quantified for take-offs, sustained turns and tight turns.

Sample missions will be assigned to the aircraft for ground strike, maritime strike, air-defence/air-superiority, acceleration and climb performance.

“We might assign, for example, an aircraft to accelerate from 0.8 mach to 1.42 mach within a specified time (seconds),” the officer said. One mach is the speed of sound.

The evaluation will also assess systems navigation, radar abilities, self-defence suits, electronic warfare systems and the ability of the aircraft to carry extra load (weapons, bombs).

One of the requirements to evaluate the “multi-role” ability of the aircraft is whether they are capable of carrying and dropping big 2000-pounder bombs at designated ground targets.

“The tests have to be tabulated and the results brought out statistically,” said the officer.

After this, the IAF will ask for the MTBF — mean time between failures — to arrive at the cost of operating each of the aircraft over the period they are to be in service, an estimated 40 years. This is the first time that the IAF has adopted “lifecycle costing” or “cost of ownership” to conclude the expenses to be incurred on each aircraft.

This is primarily because of the IAF’s experience with Russian equipment, so far the Indian military’s mainstay. The top brass and the defence establishment adopted the cost-of-ownership method because they concluded that Russian equipment were cheaper off the shelf but more expensive in service life because of shortages in spares and back-ups.

A major concern of the competitors has been how the IAF will attempt to fix the cost-of-ownership of twin-engine aircraft like the Superhornet, the Rafale, the MiG 35 and the Eurofighter with single-engine aircraft like the Super Viper and the Gripen.

The single-engine aircraft will clearly be much cheaper. But air headquarters sources say the costs will also be offset against performance because twin-engine aircraft will be more powerful and are expected to be more versatile, if heavier.

 

[sms]

HAL and Irkut’s Joint Tactical Transport Project

The Indian government’s DDI News reports that India and Russia are expected to sign the MRTA contract deal during Defence Minister A K Antony’s September 2009 Moscow visit. HAL General Manager V. Balakrishnan told DDI that the Russian government has cleared the formalities for the creation of 50-50 JV, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has allocated funds for financing Russia’s share.

In late December 2006, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) announced a $700-million joint venture (JV) agreement with Irkut Corporation of Russia for manufacturing 60-tonne multi-role transport aircraft (MRTA). Under this 50/50 arrangement with HAL, Ilyushin Design Bureau of Russia will design the MRTA and Irkut corporation of Russia will develop the aircraft, while series production would be taken up by the transport aircraft division of HAL at Kanpur. Irkut is a major investor (40% of project expenses), and will be the coordinator of the Russian side. For HAL, the move is part of an effort to forge new partnerships with global aviation majors for military and civil projects, with an eye on trebling their annual turnover to $3 billion by 2011.

The MRTA has been described in news reports as a 60-ton, 100-seat aircraft aimed at the military freigter market, creating some confusion about its ultimate carrying capacity and competitive niche. Is it destined to replace the Ilyushin IL-76s India flies? Compete with the 120-troop capacity A400M? Further research with Irkut shows it to be a 60-ton total takeoff weight aircraft with a cargo capacity of around 18,500 kg/ 20 tons, giving it similar capacity and dimensions to the Russian An-12 or the USA’s C-130J Hercules. Illustrations show a jet aircraft whose requirements produce a design somewhat reminiscent of the canceled 1970s US AMST Program that eventually led to the much larger C-17.

 

[xebex]

 

[Mig-29]

Russia formalizes su -35 offer to india.


After mentioning India last July among three countries to which the Sukhoi Su-35 would be pitched for export, sources reveal that Rosoboronexport has now formalised an offer to the Indian government. The United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) is understood to have conveyed officially to the Indian government just days ahead of the MAKS 2009 aero-show at Zhukovsky that India has the option of purchasing 16-20 Su-35 fighters -- about a squadron's worth. According to the offer, the production would be prioritised along with the Russian order for 48 jets, a deal that was finally struck once the show opened, but had obviously been finalised many weeks ago. The air forces of Brazil and Venezuela are also considering options with involving unspecified numbers of the Su-35. More details soon.

LiveFist - The Best of Indian Defence: 08/01/2009 - 09/01/2009

 

[ratolz]

Russia will deliver 26 engines for upgrading the MiG-29 combat jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF), with another 120 to be assembled in India, following an agreement with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) at the ongoing MAKS 2009 air show near Moscow, officials said on Friday.

The RD-33/series 3 engine, being delivered by state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport, is an upgraded version of the powerful RD-33 turbofan with thrust vectoring for the MiG family of fighters. The engine provides superior maneuverability and enhances the fighter's performance in close air combat.

In 2005, Russia signed a $250 million deal to modernise the MiG-29's engines. According to the terms of the deal, HAL will make 120 RD-33/series 3 jet engines at its Koraput plant for the upgrades of the fighters.

The contract will help HAL master the assembly of the RD-33 jet engines and use the experience in the assembly of next generation jet engines.

"These engines are installed on MiG aircraft, including the MiG-35 fighters that are participating in the tender for 126 fighters for the Indian Air Force," a Rosoboronexport official said.

Six aircraft majors - Lockheed Martin and Boeing from the US, Russia's MiG, France's Dassault, Sweden's Saab and the EADS consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian companies - are in contention for the $10 billion contract.

Russia will fly in two MiG-35 aircraft to India later this month for the test flights that have begun of the six contenders in the fray. A series of trials with live firing will be conducted for an IAF delegation at a testing ground in Russia late this year.

Russia has also said it is ready to transfer all key technology to HAL and provide assistance for the production of the aircraft in India if the MiG-35 wins the tender.



Russia to deliver MiG-29 engines to India- Hindustan Times

 

[sancho]

The RD-33/series 3 engine, being delivered by state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport, is an upgraded version of the powerful RD-33 turbofan with thrust vectoring for the MiG family of fighters. The engine provides superior maneuverability and enhances the fighter's performance in close air combat.[/url]

Great news, that confirms RD33 MK (90kN) with TVC (so the exact same of Mig 35) for our older Migs and our Mig 29K of the navy will get them for sure too. The only thing that is missing is, Zhuk AESA radar and to make them technically on Mig 35 standard.

 

[ratolz]

The trials for 126 jets are just started, and in coming 2 years we all will hear many other good news. May be about Zhuk AESA radar also. So lets wait and enjoy mate...

 

[HolyZebu]

This is good news. Indian MiG-29s will now have thrust vectoring engines.

 

[HolyZebu]

HAL to supply Sukhoi fighter to Russia - PTI

Zhukovski, Aug 20 (PTI) The Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) will supply components to Russia for its Sukhoi range of combat jets for export to third countries, even as India's premier aviation giant prepares to roll out the first fully indigenous Su-30MKI multi-role fighter next year.

India and Russia are expected to sign an inter- governmental agreement on supply on components by the end of this year, a top HAL executive has said.

"We are already supplying navigation and communication equipment for installation on the Su-30MK series of fighters exported by Russia to other countries," GM of HAL's Nasik based Aircraft Manufacturing Division, V Balakrishnan told PTI on sidelines of the International Aerospace Show-MAKS-2009.

The new agreement would provide for expanding the inventory to include the supply of airframe components for the multi-role jets to be exported by Russia, he said.

 

[TaimiKhan]

Naval vessel rammed and sunk a fishing boat in the sea off Chennai

A naval vessel has rammed and sunk a fishing boat in the sea off Chennai, critically injuring a fisherman and wounding his four mates. Worse still, the officers on board agreed to pick up the fishermen from the waters and reach them to the shore for medical help only after obtaining a written assurance that they would not report the mishap to the police. The Navy men even paid Rs 20,000 for the fishermen’s silence.

According to one of the injured fishermen Rathnavel (49), they had anchored their mechanised fishing boat (TN-02-FRB-152) some 18 nautical miles off the Kasimedu fishing harbour and were waiting after casting the net. Around 11.30 am on Thursday, the fishermen sighted the huge naval ship sailing in their direction.

This is funny

 

[HolyZebu]

Indo-Russia to ink transport aircraft JV pact in Sep.

In line with the BrahMos cruise missile project, India and Russia are expected to ink a deal during Defence Minister A K Antony`s Moscow visit next month on setting up of a joint venture for production of state-of-art multi-role transport aircraft (MTA) for their air forces.

The `formal agreement` for floating the MTA JV is expected to be signed in September during Antony`s Moscow visit for the session of Joint Commission on military- technical cooperation, said V Balakrishnan, general manager of Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) aircraft manufacturing division.

The Russian government has cleared the formalities for the creation of 50-50 JV and prime minister Vladimir Putin has allocated funds for financing Russia`s share, he said.

From the Indian side HAL will hold 50% equity in the JV.

The inter-government agreement for the joint development and production of MTA was inked in 2006 during the then President Putin`s India visit, as the air forces of both the countries are seeking to replace their ageing Soviet-era Antonov series transport aircraft.

Balakrishnan said IAF has evinced interest in acquiring 40 MTA aircraft for transporting troops, military hardware and military cargo with option of buying more aircraft, while the Russian air force has confirmed readiness to acquire 100 planes.

According to earlier reports under the USD 600 million JV, a highly advanced transport aircraft with the capacity of 20 tons and capable of landing on any type of runway, including in the high Himalayan altitudes, would be developed on the basis of Ilyushin Il-214 aircraft.

HAL and Ilyushin are to co-design and develop the aircraft.