Indian Air Force News & Discussions

[GORKHALI]

PANDORA VERSION OF PAK FA

 

[MINK]

IAF plans to acquire amphibious aircraft

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to purchase amphibious aircraft for the first time in the history of the organization. These aircrafts are most likely to be deployed at the Nicobar and Andaman archipelago.

The IAF has requested information for the aircraft which can takeoff not only from land, but also from sea. The contestant aircrafts are the Canadian Bombardier 415, the Dornier Sea Plane and the Russian Beriev Be-200.

This is the first the the IAF has planned of having an amphibious capability and the main reason for this drastic step is the dynamically changing security demands around the isles.

Nicobar and Andaman is the only tri-service command of the IAF and the amphibious aircrafts will be used to boost the forces capability to secure and constantly keep an eye on the maritime boundary around the isles.

The official information about this case, says that the IAF are planning on purchasing six of these aircraft for maritime reconnaissance and search and rescue operations. The IAF have some requirements for the amphibious aircraft – their main goal is to purchase a machine with a short take-off capability and a range of at least 800 nautical miles.

The proposal to purchase amphibious aircraft for the IAF isn’t an old idea and it has been an important question for the Indian government since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Since then the Indian authorities have been considering different options to augment the security of the 7,516km long coast. In 2009 the Indian Navy made the first step to reinforcing the security by buying eight long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft P-8I.

Source: Indian Defence

 

[Veeru]

C-130J to be inducted into Indian Air Force on Feb 5: Air Chief

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal P. V. Naik today said C-130J, which is capable of landing on all terrains and in varied altitudes, would be inducted into the Indian Air Force on February 5.

"The aircraft is capable of landing on all sorts of terrains and altitudes. C-130 J has been made capable of special operations, missions also. So all these are the reasons why we went in for the aircraft," said Naik.

"Yes, all kinds of special missions, but I would not like to specify any of them," he added, when asked about the capability of the aircraft.

Meanwhile, former Air Chief Shashindra Pal Tyagi said: "C-130 J is for a special tasks. Situations arise with demand for moving troops' material, cargo in specific areas. For example, an aircraft gets hijacked in Kandahar. Kandahar airfield might not be available to you. We might have to land on an unprepared surface. We need an aeroplane for special tasks."

"I don't want to get into great details about what these special tasks are. But C-130 J will perform well. It can land anywhere virtually, almost all unprepared areas, by day or by night," he added.

Lockheed Martin Corporation delivered the first of six 'C-130J Super Hercules' for the Indian Air Force in December last year.

The 1.2 billion dollars new fleet was ordered in late 2008, and was the first US Foreign Military sale to India in many years.

The contract includes six aircraft, training of aircrew and maintenance technicians, spares, ground support and test equipment, servicing carts, forklifts, loading vehicles, cargo pallets and a team of technical specialists who will be based in India during a three-year initial support period.

The package also includes India-unique operational equipment designed to increase 'Special Operations' capabilities. The first two C-130Js will be flown to India early next year, followed by the remaining four aircraft deliveries later in 2011.

The Indian Air Force's C-130J Super Hercules is a highly integrated and sophisticated configuration primarily designed to support India's special operations requirement. Equipped with an Infrared Detection Set (IDS), the aircraft can perform precision low-level flying, airdrops and landing in blackout conditions.

C-130J to be inducted into Indian Air Force on Feb 5: Air Chief

 

[truthseeker2010]

Air Force MMRCA Competition Contenders to Turn Out at Aero India 2011

All six fighter jet contenders for the USD 11 billion Air Force Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal will showcase full flight displays at Aero India 2011 scheduled to be held between February 9th and 13th at Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bangaluru (Bangalore).

The six contenders -- Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin F-16, MiG-35, Dassault Rafale, EADS Eurofighter Typhoon and SAAB Grippen -- will each bring two to three aircraft along with elaborate teams and flight simulators for display. India is expected to make its choice around July 2011 and will ink the USD11 billion deal. The contenders for the MMRCA contract for 126 aircraft will be making a final attempt to impress the Indian Air Force and the Indian public at the upcoming Aero India 2011.

Each company is expected to bring along at least two competing aircraft as well as competent teams and flight simulators for display. Russia's contender, the MiG-35 Fulcrum-F, is an export version of the MiG-29M OVT fighter jet. It is a highly maneuverable air superiority fighter, which has already won high acclaim among aircraft industry and military experts.

The fighter is powered by RD-33 OVT thrust vectoring engines. The RD-33 OVT engines provide superior maneuverability and enhance the fighter's performance in close air engagements. India is expected to make its choice in July this year. Moscow earlier said if MiG-35 wins the tender, Russia is ready to transfer all key technology to India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. and provide assistance for the production of the aircraft in the country.

Aero India-2011, which will be held in the southern city of Bangalore on February 11-15, is most likely to attract the record number of leading manufacturers, vendors and suppliers from 63 countries.

Air Force MMRCA Competition Contenders to Turn Out at Aero India 2011 | India Defence

 

[truthseeker2010]

'No secrets compromised by misplacement of file'

NEW DELHI: Defence minister A K Antony on Monday said "nothing sensitive was compromised'' by the mishandling of a "secret'' file connected to the $10.4 billion project to acquire 126 new fighters. Consequently, the procurement process for the 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) will now go ahead with full steam.

"We have received the MoD report. All the agencies, including IAF, have reported nothing was compromised. So, hereafter the MMRCA acquisition process will again start,'' said Antony.

The long-drawn acquisition process, which has already seen extensive negotiations and IAF submitting its technical evaluation report after conducting gruelling field trials of the six foreign fighters in contention over the last two years, had come under a cloud after the secret file went missing and was then found by a roadside last month.

The file, mishandled by two IAS officers of MoD, dealt with offsets proposals submitted by the six global aviation majors. The MMRCA contract specifies an obligation of 50% offsets, under which the foreign aviation major who is finally selected will be required to plough half of the contract forex value back into India.

Antony, on his part, had asked IAF, directorate general (acquisitions) and the department of defence production to find out if the missing file episode had in any way "vitiated'' the procurement process.

Asked about the project's current status, Antony said, "It will take some time. Who will get the deal, I can't say now. The process has started again after the inquiry report was submitted and it will take a few more months.''

The fighters in contention are the American F/A-18 `Super Hornet' (Boeing) and F-16 `Falcon' (Lockheed Martin), Russian MiG-35 (RAC MiG), Swedish Gripen (Saab), French Rafale (Dassault) and Eurofighter Typhoon (consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian companies).

The Times of India on Mobile

 

[truthseeker2010]

Nambiar new commander of Jamnagar IAF Station

AHMEDABAD: Air Commodore Raghunath Nambiar on Monday took over the command of Air Force Station, Jamnagar - a premier frontline fighter air base of the Indian Air Force.

Nambiar, commissioned in the Indian Air Force in 1981, is a fighter combat leader and an experimental test pilot. He has held many significant appointments, including the command of a fighter squadron. He has a long experience of flying Mirages. He has been awarded Vayu Sena Medal for gallantry twice for his meritorious service to the nation apart from other awards and appreciations.

He was posted at Directorate of Offensive Operations at Air Headquarters prior to taking over the command in Jamnagar. He has been posted as air attach é to Israel on deputation for air force assignments and has been instrumental in military procurement, an official release said.

Nambiar new commander of Jamnagar IAF Station - The Times of India

 

[truthseeker2010]

Battle royale for India's MMRCA crown

An air show on the scale of next week's Aero India is bound to throw up surprises, but one certainty is a massive push by the six contenders in India's pivotal medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) competition.

Delegations from Boeing, Dassault, Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin, RSK MiG and Saab will number in the dozens, if not hundreds, and no expense will be spared on chalets, booths, flight simulators and pricey flight demonstrations.

It is hard to overstate the importance of the $10 billion MMRCA competition. With an order of 126 fighters on the cards, and likely follow-on orders, the winning programme could see its life extended well into the next decade. As for the losers, most will end their production runs in the middle of the decade as the world's major air forces enter the era of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.


The contenders are diverse. US airframer Boeing is offering its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and arch-rival Lockheed Martin the F-16IN Super Viper - essentially an F-16 Block 60. Sweden's Saab has the Gripen IN, Dassault is seeking its first foreign order for the Rafale, Eurofighter is pitching the Typhoon, and Russia is offering the RSK MiG-35.

Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh's recent appointment diary underlines the stakes. Foreign leaders including UK prime minister David Cameron, French president Nicholas Sarkozy, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev and US president Barack Obama have all trooped to New Delhi recently, intent on building business and defence ties with the subcontinental superpower.

No winner will be announced at the show, however - a shortlist is due to be drawn up in April or May, although some reports suggest this could be delayed until later in the year.

"All the technical evaluations are done," says an industry source. "The next stage will be a downselect some time after the Aero India show. This will determine which aircraft go into contract negotiations."

An already tight and fiercely fought competition could get even messier, however. Another source says there is no fixed number of aircraft for the downselect, and that all six aircraft types could, in theory, advance to the contract negotiation stage. "After Aero India, they will open the commercial envelopes and see who is cheapest," says one executive involved in the competition.

TESTING DEMANDS

The evaluation process has been long and arduous. An initial tender stipulated 660 requirements, and the first proposals issued by the airframers ran to 5,000-6,000 pages each. Comprehensive field tests of each aircraft were then undertaken, including flying the aircraft - borrowed from various air forces - to India at the manufacturers' expense.

There they were subjected to batteries of tests reflecting India's varied geography of tropical, desert and mountainous regions. Tests took place at Bangalore (a tropical region), Jaisalmer (desert) and the Himalayan air base of Leh, said to be the highest operational air base in the world.

"We spent quite a lot on the tests with no guarantee of a sale," says another executive involved in the race. "That said, the air force got a very good impression of all the aircraft."


As with any competition on such a scale, the merits of aircraft alone will not determine the winner. Politics will play a part, and that could hurt Boeing and Lockheed.

India's defence ties with the USA are improving rapidly. Long gone are the Cold War days of frosty relations between the two nations, or the chilly ties after India's nuclear tests in 1998. In response to India's help in the war on terror, the then-US president George Bush lifted sanctions in the mid-2000s. In 2008, India purchased six C-130J Hercules aircraft from Lockheed and is considering six more. It has also signed up for eight Boeing P-8I Poseidons and has committed to ordering 10 C-17 strategic transports.

But although impressive in themselves, these orders are small compared with the MMRCA contract. In addition, India's military has not forgotten the sanctions Washington imposed after the 1998 nuclear tests.

One former member of the Indian navy was a junior officer and helicopter pilot at the time of the sanctions. "The US sanctions made a strong impression on us," he says. "They penetrated very deeply. At that time, we had sent some helicopter gearboxes to the UK for repair, but these repairs ceased with the sanctions, and it hurt our operational readiness."

"Operational sovereignty" is a phrase often heard among Indian defence pundits. Although the USA and India have reportedly agreed on the language of an end-use agreement, India has yet to sign the Communications Interoperability and Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA). In theory, this could see key technologies excluded from any F-16 or F/A-18 purchase.

RELATIONSHIP DYNAMICS

Teal Group analyst Joel Johnson says: "If the Indians want access to top-level US weapons systems, and given that the USA wants to deepen its defence relationship with India, then an agreement will be reached that satisfies US security concerns and lets India save face. The CISMOA could well get another name, but it will in fact be a CISMOA."

Also, many commentators say that although the US vendors make much of interoperability, some Indians see it as an impingement on sovereignty.

"India has its own systems and is proud of them," says one industry source close to the race. "The country is unique, and templates that apply elsewhere simply don't apply there." The source points out that India initiated the Non-Aligned Movement of nations in 1954. "India prides its sovereignty," he adds.

Indeed, Eurofighter and Saab executives stress the operational independence they feel their respective products offer.

On the other hand, both US aircraft have performed well in combat. In terms of joint exercises and training, Indian air force pilots will have the most opportunity to train with pilots from the US Navy, which operates F/A-18s from aircraft carriers that are often on station in the Arabian Sea.

As Teal Group analyst Richard Aboulafia points out, the Super Hornet comes with the Raytheon APG-79 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. Although other aircraft being pitched have AESA radars, the APG-79 is used by the US Navy, providing an excellent long-term upgrade programme.

Of all the contenders, the MiG-35, essentially an updated MiG-29, is seen as the outsider. Although India has been a long-time buyer of Russian arms, it is now inducting a large fleet of Sukhoi Su-30MKIs in the heavy fighter category. State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics has built about 100 of a total order of 180 Su-30s, and expects a deal for 42 more.

India also bought 40 Su-30s from Russia as flyaways in 2010. Over-reliance on Russian aircraft hurt the Indian air force's operational readiness in the early 1990s when the Soviet Union collapsed, choking vital spares for India's vast fleet of MiGs.

Apart from aircraft performance capabilities, another crucial element in the MMRCA competition is the offset package. Typically, India seeks offsets of 30% for defence programmes, but for high-value programmes such as this, the figure is 50% as India targets job creation and technology transfer. Only 18 aircraft will come as flyaways, with the remaining 108 produced by HAL.

HAL chairman Ashok Nayak says development of the production capacity required to produce the eventual MMRCA winner is already under way.

"We will have to set up new infrastructure for this," he says. "It will not happen in one of our existing factories, but hopefully will still be in Bangalore." He estimates Hindustan Aeronautics alone will employ 3,500 workers to produce the MMRCA, and it will take about three years to set up the facility.

Hinting at frustration, several MMRCA contenders say the rules governing offsets in India are something of a moving target. Offset rules continue to evolve, mainly because of changing and evolving technologies. Technology transfer is, of course, a critical aspect of the MMRCA competition. One peculiarity, say some race contenders, is that the offsets apply only to the defence sector, rather than the broader aerospace industry.

NEW TO OFFSETS

"They are very new to offsets," says one industry source, who tells the story of one Indian defence specialist relishing the idea of $30 billion in MMRCA offsets. "I reminded him that there will be only $5 billion in offsets, as there can be only one winner. Some of them see the offsets as free money."

Naturally enough, the various suppliers are reluctant to discuss intricate details of their bids, although all insist they comply with India's offset requirements. India's defence ministry is also tight-lipped on how the different aircraft and their offset packages are faring at the evaluation stage. Whatever India's final decision is, the aviation world is unlikely to see a repeat of the two-decade procurement saga of India's BAE Systems Hawk.

Vivek Lall, Boeing's country head for defence, space and security, says the P-8I deal took just two and a half years from India's request for proposals to a decision to purchase the aircraft. "There is a paradigm shift here in terms of embracing technology, and what the world has to offer," says Lall.

Conversations at Aero India 2011 will, inevitably, turn to the MMRCA battle, the biggest jet fighter export deal in history. A heady mix of fighter performance, weapons, technology, offsets, politics and luck will decide which aircraft move on to the next round. All this in a fervid Indian media environment, with reporters desperate to generate "scoops" about the competition.

THE CONTENDERS

* Lockheed Martin F-16IN Super Viper

Essentially an F-16 Block 60, the F-16IN is one of two single-engined aircraft in the competition. Powered by the General Electric F110-132A, the F-16IN has a Northrop Grumman APG-80 AESA radar. Lockheed Martin makes much of its combat record: more than 100,000 missions flown, and a 72-0 record in air-to-air victories.

Given that more than 4,000 units have been built, ramping up production would not be a problem - 928 F-16s have been produced by licence partners. F-16 variants are also flown by India's arch rival, Pakistan.

* Dassault Rafale

The Rafale has yet to win orders outside France, but its single-engined predecessor, the Mirage 2000, reportedly performed well for India in the high-altitude Kargil conflict with Pakistan in 1999. In French service the Rafale has been successful in Afghanistan.

* Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

In late October, Boeing said it was optimistic of making the MMRCA shortlist. One possible point in the Super Hornet's favour is its General Electric F414 engine, which will also power the indigenously developed Mk II version of India's Tejas light combat aircraft.

Boeing has offered India its Super Hornet International Road Map, which includes conformal fuel tanks, an enclosed weapons pod and other systems.

* Saab Gripen IN

The Gripen IN is essentially the Gripen NG, a successor to the Gripen C/D used by the air forces of Sweden, the Czech Republic, Hungary and South Africa.

As with the Super Hornet, the Gripen IN will use a GE F414, potentially creating synergies with the Tejas Mk II. Interestingly, the original Gripen was designed to operate from roads with basic logistics support, under the assumption that in an invasion by a "larger neighbour", the Swedish air force would not have access to airfields.

Saab plays up the affordability of single-engined fighters, its complete openness to technology transfer, and Sweden's practical, common-sense design traditions.

* Eurofighter Typhoon

"Enthusiastic support" for the Indian government's 50% offset target and technology transfer ambitions are a cornerstone of the Eurofighter bid, says consortium member BAE Systems.

Eurofighter touts the Typhoon's "swing-role" capabilities, which enable the aircraft to perform simultaneous air-to-air and air-to-surface missions. It is also actively wooing India as a full partner in the programme. With that status, India would take a share of future Typhoon sales.

* RSK MiG-35

Formerly known as the MiG-29OVT, the MiG-35 is touted as a generation 4++ multirole fighter. It can carry a weapons load on nine external stations and is also configurable for use as a tanker.

"Upon customer request, the fighters can be equipped with all-aspect thrust-vectored RD-33MK engines, ensuring superiority in a manoeuvring dogfight," says RSK.

India has been a long-time buyer of Russian aircraft. Many observers see the MiG-35 as an outsider because the Indian air force already operates a number of Russian types, including the Sukhoi Su-30MKI at the heavy end of the fighter spectrum.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/01/31/352411/battle-royale-for-indias-mmrca-crown.html

 

[truthseeker2010]

U.S. MMRCA fighters 'formidable best buys' for India

As the competition for obtaining a $10 billion contract to sell India 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) reaches its final stages, an influential think-tank in Washington has pressed the case for India selecting U.S.-made fighters.

This week a report by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace argued that although European aircraft are “technically superb,” their U.S. competitors could be considered “formidable best buys,” so long as Washington offered New Delhi generous terms on the transfer of technology that assured India access to fifth-generation fighters and provided “strong support for India’s strategic ambitions.”

While eight countries and six companies are in the race to win the lucrative contract, India has so far not indicated any strong preferences between the competitors and some experts have noted that it may decide to carve the contract up between several vendors, partly out of political considerations.

However in the CEIP report “Dogfight! India’s MMRCA Decision,” its author Ashley Tellis argued that this may be a less than optimal outcome because “While Indian leaders may be tempted to split the purchase among vendors… doing so would needlessly saddle the Indian Air Force with multiple airframes in return for meagre political gains.”

Mr. Tellis further underscored the significance of the ongoing tender process as it would help fill the “growing and dangerous hole in the IAF’s capabilities,” that the IAF’s “all-time low of 29 squadrons” represents.

In his report he argued that although this situation had arisen due to delays in defence procurement and accidents and retirements relating to older fighter aircraft, “India’s neighbours are aggressively modernising their own air forces,” and hence the MMRCA purchase decision was an imperative to reach the currently authorised force levels of 39.5 squadrons before 2017.

Mr. Tellis’ report concedes that political considerations would however be key in the selection process and “Indian policymakers will seek to minimise the country’s vulnerability to supply cut-offs in wartime, improve its larger military capacity through a substantial technology infusion, and forge new transformative geopolitical partnerships that promise to accelerate the growth of Indian power globally.”

The Hindu : News / International : U.S. MMRCA fighters “formidable best buys” for India

 

[SpArK]

^^^ all these news have been posted in relevant threads much earlier.

 

[GORKHALI]

Lockheed Martin theme for Aero India 2011

 

[Gene]

we need at least a full squadron of c-130's.

 

[The HBS Guy]

^^ How many are there in a squadron?

BTW, I believe we need at least 30 of these to meet our needs in case of a two-front war.

 

[Gene]

^^ How many are there in a squadron?

BTW, I believe we need at least 30 of these to meet our needs in case of a two-front war.

18-20 in a squadron.
we will have MTA in future.but c-130s are best suited for covert operations.

 

[The HBS Guy]

How many MTA's are we going for? Is it capable enough?

 

[tallboy123]

^^it's still in development