Indian Air Force News & Discussions

[sudhir007]

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



In a move to beef up air defence capabilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is going to station all its MiG 29 squadrons at Adampur Air Force Base in Punjab.



The IAF also plans to induct upgraded MiG 29 aircraft sometime next year. The first lot of six upgraded MiG 29s is expected to reach Adampur by mid-2010, said an Air Force officer.



“We consider ourselves to be a strategic air power establishment of the IAF in the western sector, ever ready for operations. We are fully geared up to operate in any given time frame like any other Air Force station of the country,” said Air Commodore H S Arora, Air Officer Commanding of the Adampur air base.



The Adampur base, the second largest IAF base in the country, already has two frontline fighter squadrons and will see another squadron moving from Jamnagar in Gujarat soon.



The IAF is also working on extending the service life of MiG 29s from 25 to 40 years, for which the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG has signed a contract with the MoD to upgrade over 60 fighters in service with the IAF since 1980. The upgrade is taking place under the $950-million contract signed in March 2008.

 

[sudhir007]

Jesus..I just realized the the additional Mig 29K's will cost around 40 million dollars each.That's the price of a Sukhoi 30 MKI!!

No my dear friend today MKI cost around 55-60 Million dollars

 

[AVIAN]

Are you kidding me..the deliveries of the Mig 29 K will be finished only by 2015 when the indigenous carrier is supposed to be in service. So if the LCA is not in service even by then, when will it be in service...2030?

When you see a lemon,you should recognize a lemon. The LCA is a lemon.

Oh my god, another ignorant soul. IN has already projected the need for LCA tejas and that is the reason why Naval version of Tejas is taking shape at HAL. Extra delivery of Mig-29K's was already on the table much before five years when Admiral Gorhkov was negotiated.

 

[Ingis]

Some more data about the MiG-29K -

Take-off weight, kg: normal 18,550; max 24,500

Powerplant: RD-33МК

Afterburning thrust, kgf: 2 х 9,000

Max g-load: 8.0

Max airspeed, km/h
at ground level: 1,400
at high altitude: 2,100

Service ceiling, km: 17.5

Flight range, km:
w/o EFT: 2,000
with 3 х EFT: 3,000

Max external payload
with 3 х EFT and one in-flight refuelling, kg: 6,500

Rosoboronexport cataloque Aircraft

 

[bigmoneymaker]

just recently after i surfed the forums so i discovered that indians are so despicxxxx!!! when facing pakistan they weilded their big sticks threatening the people to submit to him, and by this way india subdued the surrounding immediate weak neighbours to make him the unchallengeable big brother!!!
But when facing china, it pretended to be the innocent victim to draw international sympathy to gain aids and assistance to contain china. such weaklixx.. if you dont want to confront with china, then dont make any aggressive stance to your neighbours or someday you shall get your retribution. the one oppresses others may get oppressed by stronger one eventually..stop this vicious cycle of hatred, if you truly has the will to abandon the hegemonic mindset !!! just a piece of sincere advice.

firstly, the aids may include the tot by another advanced country when you are still unable to probe or reverse engineering by yourself on your own brainpower and efforts. in such case , aids in form of the rewards of tech and political support is much needed.

secondly, geopolitic is a mere concept introduced by the west to create distrust between traditional neighbouring countries in asia..dont you see eu are united to play at the victims believing this? even a bigger country can have political amnesty to her weaker neighbours in need of help and development, you know only about fighting each other?

thirdly, will you believe a smaller and weaker country will become more aggressive than the bigger ones?? even if the smaller ones may have gained the support from one superpower? or the propaganda by your free media of making yourselves innocent prevailing in your minds??

 

[Tejas-MkII]

http://www.forceindia.net/coverstory7.aspx

On Fast-Track
Long overdue plans take shape

By Prasun K. Sengupta

Since the past two years the market for new-generation radars in India has been witnessing double-digit growth rates over the next five years as all three armed services have begun implementing their respective long-overdue plans for upgrading and expanding their surveillance envelopes, be it for airspace surveillance in search of airborne targets (like manned aircraft, ballistic and cruise missiles, attack helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles), or coastal surveillance or ground surveillance. The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) is presently developing a layered, hardened and in-depth air defence command, control and communications network, called integrated air command, control and communications system (IACCCS), which will be a robust, survivable network-centric C4I3 infrastructure that will receive direct real-time feeds from existing space-based overhead reconnaissance satellites, ground-based and aerostat-mounted ballistic missile early warning radars and, and the first three A-50E PHALCON manned airborne early warning & control (AEW & C) platforms. The IACCCS will also coordinate the early warning and response aspects of a layered two-tier ballistic missile defence (BMD) network that is now in an advanced stage of development.

For ensuring all-weather low- and medium-level airspace surveillance, the IAF by 2016 will be acquiring 67 new low-level air transportable radars (LLTR) like the DRDO-developed and Bharat Electronics Ltd-built ‘Rohini’ S-band multi-function medium-range surveillance radar (MMSR), THALESRaytheon Systems-built Ground Master 400 LLTRs, plus 18 long-range EL/M-2082 3-D active phased-array airspace surveillance radars and an additional nine EL/M-2083 aerostat-mounted active phased-array radars built by the ELTA Systems subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to add to the three that were delivered in 2004.


To date, a total of 37 ‘Rohini’ MMSRs have been ordered by the IAF, of which seven of them, worth Rs 2.75 billion have been delivered since August last year. Last August, the follow-on 30 MMSRs were ordered under a Rs 20.01 billion contract awarded to prime contractor BEL. The contract for an initial 20 Ground Master 400 LLTRs is valued at USD 100 million. The radar, developed by Thales Air Systems in Limours, France, in partnership with the company’s Surface Radar business unit in Hengelo, The Netherlands, is a fully digital solid-state 3-D radar that operates in a 400MHz-wide band between 2.9GHz and 3.3 GHz (high S-band). It comprises a rotating antenna that operates at 10rpm, so that every six seconds the full volume is scanned using the radar’s multi-beam scanning principle (in which more than 10 vertically-stacked receive beams are covering the entire air defence elevation coverage). Instrumented range is 250 nautical miles, detection range against small targets is 200 nautical miles, and the radar is effective up to an altitude of 100,000 feet. The radar is credited with range accuracy of 50 metres, an azimuth accuracy of 0.3 degrees and an altitude accuracy of 2,000 feet at 100 nautical miles distance. Resolution in range is given as 200 metres and as 3 degrees in azimuth. The radar features electronic stabilisation between -6 and +5 degrees. Ground Master 400’s mean time between failures is 3,000 hours and a maintenance downtime per year is 30 hours. Maintenance periods can be planned to take place four times/year. Overall, the system fits in a single 20-feet ISO container weighing 10 tons) that can be air-lifted in C-130J-size aircraft, or as an external load underneath a CH-47F Chinook helicopter. When deployed on site, the radar can be connected to operate as part of a networked air defence organisation and can be controlled from a remote location.

 

[Tejas-MkII]

http://www.forceindia.net/coverstory2.aspx

Giant Leap
Winds of change envelope the HAL Nasik division
A FORCE Report



Ojhar (Nasik): The transformation underway in the Indian Air Force is rapidly changing the HAL Nasik division as well. On an exclusive visit to the division, it was not difficult for the FORCE team to notice the sudden spurt of technology that has come here, and how it is being harnessed in a cost-effective and timely fashion. The Su-30MKI transfer of technology is a giant leap from anything that has been done here since the HAL Nasik division was established in 1964 to license-produce the MiG-21FL aircraft and K-13 missiles. Over the years, the division has jocularly been referred to as the Russian division as all subsequently licensed-produced Soviet Union and Russian aircraft have been made there. A mini-Russian township exists within the complex and the village Ojhar where the division is located is called Ojhar-MiG. As if by a providential coincidence, spectacular changes within the HAL complex have affected the surroundings as well. Wineries meeting global standards dot the landscape around the HAL township; a visit to the Renaissance winery close to the HAL factory will be a complementary experience for wine lovers.

Since 2002, many massive buildings have been added to the HAL Nasik Aircraft Manufacturing Division (AMD) to,...

produce the Su-30MKI. In terms of technology strides, Su-30MKI is a fourth generation plus aircraft, with twin-engine and twin–cockpit, 12 hard points for weapons, thrust vectoring engine,air to air refuelling capability, and with a liberal use of titanium for machining, forming, welding, chemical milling and so on. The perception in people’s mind is that license production means that complete aircraft kits come from Russia. All that HAL does is puts them together. This is incorrect. In effect, complete designs of Su-30MKI have been given by Russia which has supplied raw material also. Thereafter, in four phases, the AMD is manufacturing the aircraft from supplied raw material. At each stage, Russian supervisors, as per the contract, are available at hand to assess that the work is being done to specifications. The only exception to this are certain items like the undercarriage and ejection seats where Russia has not transferred technology; it has been mutually agreed that doing so would lead to project delays. While HAL officials at AMD were tight-lipped, it is well known that HAL will manufacture a total of 140 aircraft of which nearly 50 have already been handed over to the customer (IAF). Considering that work on Phase IV (see interview) started beginning this year, by manufacturing a total of 110 complete aircraft from raw material, HAL will indeed accumulate enormous experience in making the state-of-the-art Su-30MKI. As the FORCE team was taken around the workshops and assembly line, it was clear that from the top to bottom, all HAL employees working on Su-30MKI are conscious of handling new technologies.

PS: Now ,140 is to be made by HAL,out of this 50 already done(140-50=90),but they are going to manufacture 110 complete AC from this year begining....

any way if they manufacture 110 then total 160 is done by HAL..which increase the current order of 230 to 250 and if we add further possible order of 50 ....then its bingooo 300

 

[Born In The USA]

India to order 29 more MiG-29Ks


New Delhi: Struggling Russian design bureau RAC MiG may indeed look forward to a happier ending for 2009 with unconfirmed reports suggesting that India may have cleared the purchase of another batch of 29 MiG-29Ks - a naval version of the MiG-29 - after the India-specific fighter underwent a successful flight-deck trials from Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in the Barents Sea at the end of September.

According to reports, the fresh order would cost the public exchequer around Rs5,380 crore (approx. $1.12 billion) and would "soon'' be sent to the Cabinet Committee of Security for sanction.

The new order would be in addition to 16 MiG-29Ks already contracted through the initial $1.5-billion Admiral Gorshkov package deal. While 12 of the first 16 fighters will be the single-seat `K' variants, the other four will be twin-seater `KUB' trainer versions.

Similarly, four of the next batch of 29 will be `KUB' trainer versions.

The first four of the contracted 16 MiG-29Ks will arrive in India sometime between now and November.

Apparently, the fresh order for 29 more MiG-29Ks was cleared by Defence Acquisitions Council, chaired by defence minister AK Antony, quite some time ago, but the decision was kept pending as the fighter was yet to be tested for landings and take-offs from a carrier deck. This took place at the end of last month with a delegation from the Indian Navy in attendance to witness the event. The MiG-29K is now due to complete weapon trials before shipment to India begins.

The MiG-29Ks will operate from both the 44,570-tonne Gorshkov -- rechristened INS Vikramaditya - as well as the 40,000-tonne Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) being built at the Cochin Shipyard, due for induction in the period 2014-2015.

The refurbished Adm Gorshkov is not expected to be inducted before 2012.

The MiG-29Ks can carry eight types of air-to-air missiles, including extended range BVR (beyond visual range) missiles, as well as 25 air-to-surface weapons for land-attack missions.

Though not as advanced as the MiG-35, currently in contention for the IAF's 126-aircraft multi-role medium range combat aircraft (MMRCA) tender, the MiG-29K is reputed to be a very close cousin with capabilities more advanced than the IAFs current crop of MiG29s. It will boast of a more advanced radar, as well as special coatings of materials that will reduce its radar cross signature 4-5 times, as compared to the standard version of the MiG-29.

The jets will also be capable of mid-air refuelling from IL-78 tankers.

MiG RAC has battled through tough times over the last decade or so with no domestic military orders as well as well as a well publicised foreign cancellation when Algeria cancelled its order of MiG-29s claiming the aircraft supplied were sub-standard.

Subsequent domestic inquiries have absolved MiG RAC from blame and the cancelled order was adjusted through placements with the Russian Air Force. The design bureau is now coming back into its own with a revived order for MiG-31s from Russia as well as other countries and a hopeful scenario with respect to the IAF's MMRCA tender where it has a re-designated MiG-35 in contention.

domain-b.com : India to order 29 more MiG-29Ks

 

[Chanakyaa]

just recently after i surfed the forums so i discovered that indians are so despicxxxx!!! when facing pakistan they weilded their big sticks threatening the people to submit to him, and by this way india subdued the surrounding immediate weak neighbours to make him the unchallengeable big brother!!!
But when facing china, it pretended to be the innocent victim to draw

international sympathy to gain aids and assistance to contain china. such weaklixx.. if you dont want to confront with china, then dont make any aggressive stance to your neighbours or someday you shall get your retribution. the one oppresses others may get oppressed by stronger one eventually..stop this vicious cycle of hatred, if you truly has the will to abandon the hegemonic mindset !!! just a piece of sincere advice.

You know Copy Paste Extremely Well ( for i saw this content atleast Thrice ) .. But Be Creative.
Copying is Good, But come on spare this Forum atleast.

 

[Chanakyaa]

India to order 29 more MiG-29Ks


New Delhi: Struggling Russian design bureau RAC MiG may indeed look forward to a happier ending for 2009 with unconfirmed reports suggesting that India may have cleared the purchase of another batch of 29 MiG-29Ks - a naval version of the MiG-29 - after the India-specific fighter underwent a successful flight-deck trials from Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in the Barents Sea at the end of September.

According to reports, the fresh order would cost the public exchequer around Rs5,380 crore (approx. $1.12 billion) and would "soon'' be sent to the Cabinet Committee of Security for sanction.

The new order would be in addition to 16 MiG-29Ks already contracted through the initial $1.5-billion Admiral Gorshkov package deal. While 12 of the first 16 fighters will be the single-seat `K' variants, the other four will be twin-seater `KUB' trainer versions.

Similarly, four of the next batch of 29 will be `KUB' trainer versions.

The first four of the contracted 16 MiG-29Ks will arrive in India sometime between now and November.

Apparently, the fresh order for 29 more MiG-29Ks was cleared by Defence Acquisitions Council, chaired by defence minister AK Antony, quite some time ago, but the decision was kept pending as the fighter was yet to be tested for landings and take-offs from a carrier deck. This took place at the end of last month with a delegation from the Indian Navy in attendance to witness the event. The MiG-29K is now due to complete weapon trials before shipment to India begins.

The MiG-29Ks will operate from both the 44,570-tonne Gorshkov -- rechristened INS Vikramaditya - as well as the 40,000-tonne Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) being built at the Cochin Shipyard, due for induction in the period 2014-2015.

The refurbished Adm Gorshkov is not expected to be inducted before 2012.

The MiG-29Ks can carry eight types of air-to-air missiles, including extended range BVR (beyond visual range) missiles, as well as 25 air-to-surface weapons for land-attack missions.

Though not as advanced as the MiG-35, currently in contention for the IAF's 126-aircraft multi-role medium range combat aircraft (MMRCA) tender, the MiG-29K is reputed to be a very close cousin with capabilities more advanced than the IAFs current crop of MiG29s. It will boast of a more advanced radar, as well as special coatings of materials that will reduce its radar cross signature 4-5 times, as compared to the standard version of the MiG-29.

The jets will also be capable of mid-air refuelling from IL-78 tankers.

MiG RAC has battled through tough times over the last decade or so with no domestic military orders as well as well as a well publicised foreign cancellation when Algeria cancelled its order of MiG-29s claiming the aircraft supplied were sub-standard.

Subsequent domestic inquiries have absolved MiG RAC from blame and the cancelled order was adjusted through placements with the Russian Air Force. The design bureau is now coming back into its own with a revived order for MiG-31s from Russia as well as other countries and a hopeful scenario with respect to the IAF's MMRCA tender where it has a re-designated MiG-35 in contention.

domain-b.com : India to order 29 more MiG-29Ks

I personally feel India should go for the Su-33 for its Navel Use or Rafale if Possible.

 

[sancho]

What this means is that the Navy does not have much faith in the naval version of the LCA. The Mig 29 cannot be used from the INS viraat. So that means the new aircraft's will fill up both the indigenous carrier as well as INS Vikramaditya.So NO place for the Naval LCA.

Maybe it is time to cut the loses on the LCA program.No shame in that,pretty much all countries in the world who have attempted to build fighter aircrafts have had failures.With the lessons learnt on the LCA,a new aircraft program can be started.

It was always intended to use N-LCA alongside a bigger fighter, so that is not surprising. The only sad point is, that IN still consider about N-LCA and wasting money for it's development. I think it's mainly for the pride of an indigenous carrier aircraft, even though it is not a capable one.

 

[manojb]

Source: ChamorroBible.org: Tumaiguine (Enero) 2007, Marcos 13:24-37. Manguaguan na Palabran Si Yuus - God's Precious Words

 

[gubbi]

I personally feel India should go for the Su-33 for its Navel Use or Rafale if Possible.

The Russians themselves are retiring their fleet of Su-33s by 2015 and replacing them with MiG-29Ks - a true multi-role platform compared to the Su-33, on their aircraft carrier Kuznetzov!
Mig29Ks along with LCA-N are a better choice for IN requirements imho.
Rafales are already in the MMRCA competition. Though they are operational from USN and French aircraft carriers, they haven't been fully integrated, they have limited operational service and rely heavily on M2K-Ds for lasing their targets.

 

[Born In The USA]

AWACS showcased during Air Force Day dress rehearsal

Hindan (UP), Oct 6 (PTI) For the first time, the Indian Air Force today displayed its newly-inducted eye-in-the-sky Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) at a fly past here.

Bad weather over the National Capital Region forced the IAF to cut down on its planned aerial display over Hindan air base in Ghaziabad during the full dress-rehearsal of the Air Force Day parade to be held on October 8 as the frontline fighter aircraft such as Sukhoi and Mirage 2000 could not fly-past over the venue.

During the dress-rehearsal, Senior Air Staff Officer of the Western Air Command Air Marshal K S Karnik inspected the parade.

IAF's 'Surya Kiran' aerobatics team on Kiran MkII trainer aircraft and the 'Sarang' helicopter aerobatics team on their ALH Dhruv helicopters performed their stunts during the parade today.

fullstory

 

[indiatech]

FORCE - A Complete News Magazine on National Security - Defence Magazine

Giant Leap
Winds of change envelope the HAL Nasik division
A FORCE Report



Ojhar (Nasik): The transformation underway in the Indian Air Force is rapidly changing the HAL Nasik division as well. On an exclusive visit to the division, it was not difficult for the FORCE team to notice the sudden spurt of technology that has come here, and how it is being harnessed in a cost-effective and timely fashion. The Su-30MKI transfer of technology is a giant leap from anything that has been done here since the HAL Nasik division was established in 1964 to license-produce the MiG-21FL aircraft and K-13 missiles. Over the years, the division has jocularly been referred to as the Russian division as all subsequently licensed-produced Soviet Union and Russian aircraft have been made there. A mini-Russian township exists within the complex and the village Ojhar where the division is located is called Ojhar-MiG. As if by a providential coincidence, spectacular changes within the HAL complex have affected the surroundings as well. Wineries meeting global standards dot the landscape around the HAL township; a visit to the Renaissance winery close to the HAL factory will be a complementary experience for wine lovers.

Since 2002, many massive buildings have been added to the HAL Nasik Aircraft Manufacturing Division (AMD) to,...

produce the Su-30MKI. In terms of technology strides, Su-30MKI is a fourth generation plus aircraft, with twin-engine and twin–cockpit, 12 hard points for weapons, thrust vectoring engine,air to air refuelling capability, and with a liberal use of titanium for machining, forming, welding, chemical milling and so on. The perception in people’s mind is that license production means that complete aircraft kits come from Russia. All that HAL does is puts them together. This is incorrect. In effect, complete designs of Su-30MKI have been given by Russia which has supplied raw material also. Thereafter, in four phases, the AMD is manufacturing the aircraft from supplied raw material. At each stage, Russian supervisors, as per the contract, are available at hand to assess that the work is being done to specifications. The only exception to this are certain items like the undercarriage and ejection seats where Russia has not transferred technology; it has been mutually agreed that doing so would lead to project delays. While HAL officials at AMD were tight-lipped, it is well known that HAL will manufacture a total of 140 aircraft of which nearly 50 have already been handed over to the customer (IAF). Considering that work on Phase IV (see interview) started beginning this year, by manufacturing a total of 110 complete aircraft from raw material, HAL will indeed accumulate enormous experience in making the state-of-the-art Su-30MKI. As the FORCE team was taken around the workshops and assembly line, it was clear that from the top to bottom, all HAL employees working on Su-30MKI are conscious of handling new technologies.

PS: Now ,140 is to be made by HAL,out of this 50 already done(140-50=90),but they are going to manufacture 110 complete AC from this year begining....

any way if they manufacture 110 then total 160 is done by HAL..which increase the current order of 230 to 250 and if we add further possible order of 50 ....then its bingooo 300

what's going to happen to the production line after remaining 110 have been delivered. The experience gained during the production.
Shall we use them to do on top R&D like many countries does after a TOT and keep producing better things. Or we just let the experiences die. Do we have some visionaries or enthusiasts who has planned something regarding this?

Little off topic but we have let excellent companies die because of lack of vision and involvement of politics. Look at C-DOT in telecom or Air india in aviation where it used to be and its reputation around the world during the initial years . Other foreign companies have come up much later than these and became market leaders. If we have gained experience in supersonic and hypersonic BrahMos, why our Nirbhay still has to be subsonic ?

Our case has been our companies do good till led by some good visionary and good organisational structure like ISRO. Else barely there is an innovation in many years.