Indian Build Up

[Contrarian]

EADS confirms 2 billion euro investment in Indian defense sector

European aerospace and defence group EADS said on Tuesday it would invest up to 2 billion euros ($2.57 billion) over the next 15 years in India in production and research and development facilities.

India, Asia's fourth largest economy, is already a hub for global corporations to outsource software and engineering design services. The country's booming civil aviation and defence sectors are also attracting dozens of overseas companies.

"Over the next 15 years, the volume of investment and high tech activities generated, thanks to the EADS technology centre including the Airbus engineering centre and other cooperation programmes, will reach approximately 2 billion euros," a company statement said.

The technology centre had the potential to create 2,000 jobs in the Indian defence and aerospace sector, it said.

EADS, the maker of Airbus aircraft and Eurocopter, has longstanding ties with Indian military and defence research organisations.

EADS said its Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft was an "excellent candidate" for the Indian Air Force, which is looking to modernise its mainly Soviet-origin fleet by buying up to 126 fighter jets.

EADS's global competitors, including United Technologies Corp. and Boeing Co., are also strengthening their presence in India.

http://www.india-defence.com/reports/2424

 

[Contrarian]

DRDO to Undergo Structural, Organizational and Operational Reforms

The Government is looking at "substantial changes" in the existing model of developing advanced defence products, Defence & Research Development Organisation (DRDO) chief M. Natarajan said on Tuesday.

"We have therefore proposed greater involvement of stakeholders by sharing project expenditure and management. DRDO is not a manufacturer. Its primary job is to create capacity. The industry is also realising that this would be possible if there is some mechanism of assured minimum quantity and there is some partnership with foreign entities," he told a seminar on defence finance and economics here.

The DRDO was under fire for delays in developing missiles, fighter planes and tanks. While agreeing that cost and time overruns were "disturbing us," he said the fine print of such criticism was "uninformed reporting".

Interaction with foreign weapons and sensor builders "clearly" indicated an opportunity for building products for the Indian and overseas markets.

The problem was that the armed forces and the public sector became used to the "comfortable culture" of licence production and foreign purchases.

The Indian defence sector was good in repeat manufacturing and tooling but research was necessary for advanced products.

The industry, however, was preoccupied and had little time for in-house R&D. Test and evaluation facilities were totally absent in many areas, leading to snags in the complete range of the development cycle.

Cost overruns

On cost overruns, M. Natarajan gave two instances to deflect the current criticism. The first of a weapons system that was developed from 1976 to 1998 at an original cost of Rs.16 crore at 1973 prices.

It finally cost Rs. 320 crore. But in real terms Rs.16 crore would have meant over Rs.500 crore at 1998 prices. On the efforts to develop the light combat aircraft (LCA), he said would cost Rs.120 crore against over Rs. 200 crore for imported planes.

The DRDO chief also referred to the funds crunch and the need for defence finance to consider the intangible benefits of R&D.

Indigenous research

Two-thirds of the current year's defence R&D budget were for strategic systems, wages of technical personnel and infrastructure development.

This left just two per cent for an entire spectrum of R&D activities from life sciences to LCA.

M. Natarajan strongly supported indigenous research as otherwise the Indian defence sector could fall into one of the "triple traps" — what is developed abroad may not suit local requirements, what is suitable may be denied and what is not denied could be unaffordable. In the early 1980s, the DRDO took up R&D in a range of weapon systems because the Government felt that after a decade of experience in reverse engineering, ordnance factories were not generating new designs.

"Capacity building in systems concept and designs for better understanding and execution of projects can't be done on an imaginary plane. This was the rationale for going forward with development of capabilities in main battle tank, LCA, electronic warfare systems, integrated guided missile development programme and strategic systems."

http://www.india-defence.com/reports/2672

 

[Contrarian]

India may alter Arms Purchase Policy: Defence Minister

A day after the Comptroller and Auditor General dug holes in the country's arms procurement process, Defence Minister AK Antony today indicated a mid-term review of the policy might be carried out to leave no scope for corruption.

"If we feel that there is an urgent need to review the policy, we will not wait for two years" Antony told members of Parliamentry Consultative Committee attached to his ministry.

Government carries out a review of the Defence Procurment process every two years to make changes gained from experience and to incorporate new contract clauses for probity.

"Our effort will be to make the procedure foolproof and to avoid any scope for corruption", the Minister told the members who cautioned that with some big-ticket purchases of weapon platforms coming up, utmost transparency should be ensured.

Agreeing with the members of Parliament, Antony said defence acquisitions was a "complex and intricate process" and each step had to taken with care to ensure the armed forces get the best value for money.

Stressing that the time frame for weapons acquistions had to be cut, the Defence Minister said to help achieve this, the process of evaluation as well as acqusition would henceforth be taken up simultaneously by the Defence Acqusition Council which is headed by him.

Patting the Defence Procurment Policy (DPP) framed in 2002 and revised by present UPA government in 2006, Antony said far reaching reforms had been carried out.

He said generic requirements of the three services were now be placed on defence websites to enhance transparency and generate vendor registration through internet.

Antony said similarly increasing transparency was also being done in the conduct of field trials for equipment evaluation.

Cutting across party affiliation, members asked the government to put in place suitable mechanism to ensure that no corruption took place in defence deals.

Expressing serious concern over the revealations coming out in the Naval war room leak case, members suggested security be beefed up in all defence establishments.

The members said that in changing global and national scenario, private sector should be encouraged to play a greater role in production of defence equipment.

http://www.india-defence.com/reports/2678

 

[Contrarian]

Air Force To Build India's First Aerospace Museum

The Delhi based Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force (IAF) is building an Aerospace museum on a 50 acre land acquired from the government near the domestic airport here, the first of its kind to be built in India.

With plans to complete the project before the Commonwealth Games 2010, the museum is being built at an approximate cost of Rupees 100 crore, with plans underway to shift the existing Air Force memorial at Palam in the museum's premises. The foundation stone of the museum will be laid on November 30 by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi.

The state-of-the-art museum being built on the lines of the Smithsonian Museum of Washington, will have audio-visual presentations of the functionality of the various aircraft presently operational in the IAF as well as the ones phased out of service.

Aircraft of all types will be on display with a brief literature of their history and operational capabilities available. Old phased out aircraft will be hooked on to the roof, for a live in-the-air demonstration. Entry and exit to all the aircraft on display will be made available for the spectators.

Amongst the various stalls there will be a section dedicated to the Marshal of the IAF, Arjan Singh, with his brief history, achievements and photographs along with an e-mail facility for spectators to ask him questions and receive direct answers from him.

To make the museum more interactive and lively for the common public, there will be a runway inside the museum to give the people a feel of an airport, besides facilities for children like a picnic spot and special facilities for physical challenged spectators.

With a thrust on presenting scientific facts with an aim to educate spectators, the museum also plans to incorporate the history of all the wars fought by the IAF along with the details of all their squadrons, their roles and activities being undertaken, with a motive to create awareness among the common public. There will also be a section on the activities of the Air Force Wives Welfare Association (AFWWA).

Group Captain R.Vijay Kumar in-charge of the museum project revealed that an Expression of Interest (EoI) was sent across the country to attract the best talent for the design of the museum, for which 20 architects responded.

The phase I of the architect design was completed and now the second phase of the concept design and discussions would take place, he added. The committee for the museum construction comprises IAF personnel, engineers from the private sector, the Director of the National Museum and members of the Architect Association of India.

With simulators for visitors of all kinds of aircraft in the IAF's inventory, the museum sure seems to be a hit among spectators and notch up tourism revenue, considering the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.

This is not related to any purchase, but it comes in defence , so i thought i'd post it anyway lol.

 

[Contrarian]

Air Force Chopper Carries Out First Night Evacuation Operation

Carrying out its first-ever night evacuation, an MI-17 helicopter of the Indian Air Force landed in pitch darkness in thick jungles near Tinsukia to airlift six badly injured personnel of CRPF and Assam police and bodies of colleagues killed in a suspected ULFA ambush.

"The helicopter piloted by Wing Commander S Kundu had to land at an unlit helipad in thick jungles to evacuate the personnel who were flown to Dibrugarh military hospital," IAF spokesman Wing Commander Mahesh Upasani said here.

The joint convoy of the CRPF and Assam police was ambushed at 5.30 pm yesterday and a number of personnel were badly injured, he said.

The Mi-17 was sky-borne soon after when the Eastern Air Command headquarters in Shillong received an SOS from the Additional DIG of CRPF in the Meghalaya capital.

This is for the first time that IAF helicopter pilots have carried out such operation after addition of night vision capability in Russian acquired MI-17 helicopters.

IAF sources said a majority of helicopter pilots of the force and air crew had now been trained to operate the night vision devices on the Russian helicopters.

http://www.india-defence.com/reports/2661

 

[Contrarian]

TCS develops Advanced Material Management System for Air Force

Indian Air Force today became the first force in Asia to field a integrated materials management online system (IMMOLS), which will enable it to tide over persistent problem of aircraft's critical spares.

The advanced IMMOLS project, designed by software giant Tata Consultancy Services which was inaugurated by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, would also give improved inventory management and for the first time electronic audit facility to the IAF.

Describing it as an example of industry-military cooperation, Mukherjee said "the system which would connect Air Headquarters with 130 airforce bases, would be a backbone of critical support system for the force."

He said this will also enable country's fighter commanders to have total asset visibility at the push of a button.

Mukherjee said his vision was of much larger private sector participation in the country's defence industry. "My dream is that in defence production private sector should show more maturity and forthcomingness in protecting nations security interests."

Responding S Ramadorai referred to Tata group making substantial investments in the defence sector. He hoped that with IAFs help TCS would like to offer similar online inventory management to the two other services Navy and Army and the Paramilitary forces.

He also saw in IMMOLS system a great potential for replicating among friendly foreign countries.

Recently IAF faced lot problems related to spares management for its Russian-made aircraft which often led to only part of the squadren being able fly.

this is last months news, but i did not remember if it had been posted, so i posted it anyway.

 

[Contrarian]

"Next test of Agni-III in early 2007"

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: With defence scientists getting critical inputs on what went wrong with the maiden test flight of Agni-III, which tumbled into sea after a smooth takeoff on July 9, the next trial of the long-range missile is being planned early next year by taking "corrective action".

Disclosing this to reporters here on Thursday, Avinash Chander, program director Agni and director, Advanced Systems Laboratory, a nodal Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) institution, spearheading the missile's development, said "Within a year, we will have two to three tests. Our aim is to push it as fast as possible".

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=7759

 

[Contrarian]

http://www.india-defence.com/reports/2692

It has a table, so it would take lot of web page area, its bout DRDO's deadlines.

 

[Bull]

A missile v/s missile test on Sunday

Balasore (Orissa), ians:


India will for the first time fire two home grown missiles against each other on Sunday to validate the capability of the weapon to achieve its design parameters, officials said.

Termed the Prithvi Air Defence Exercise, one missile will be fired from the shore-based Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea and the other from Inner Wheeler Island, both of which are located 150 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, sources said.

“If their trajectory is perfectly aligned, it would be termed a success of the operational status of the Prithvi-II missile,” they added. The aim of the exercise is to test the missile’s ability to provide an air-shield cover to important Indian metros of India against hostile attacks.

 

[Neo]

Saturday, November 25, 2006

India to conduct missile versus missile test tomorrow

* Exercise to test air-shield cover for train stations under hostile attack

BALASORE: India was scheduled to fire two home-grown missiles against each other to measure weapon capability and secure design parameters, officials said on Friday.

The Prithvi Air Defence Exercise (PADE), the first ever of its kind, was expected to take place on Sunday, a defence official told the IANS news agency.

Under this framework, he said, one missile would be fired from the shore-based Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-Sea and the other from Inner Wheeler Island, both of which are located 150 kilometres from Orissa’s state capital of Bhubaneswar.

“If their trajectory is perfectly aligned, the operational status of the Prithvi-II missile would be termed a success,” the official said.

The aim of the exercise was to test the missile’s ability to provide an air-shield cover to India train stations under hostile attack, he added.

The Prithvi is one of five missiles being developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). First tested in 1988, Prithvi-I has a range of 150 kilometres and can carry conventional or low-yield nuclear warheads for use against troops or armoured formations.

Its two variants, the Prithvi-II and Prithvi-III, have a range of 250 kilometres and 350 kilometres, respectively.

Prithvi-II was first tested in January 1996. It flew 250 kilometres and is said to have accurately landed at a pre-determined point. The Indian army has already inducted Prithvi I and II.

Prithvi-III was successfully test-fired for the first time in October 2004.

Prithvi-II was again test fired on Nov 19 of this year and a scientist involved in the mission said that its meeting of all test parameters “has prompted us to conduct the air defence exercise and we hope the first ever experiment will also be fruitful”.

“While the missile from the ITR will be the attacker, the missile from Wheeler Island would act as the defender and will be fired five seconds later,” he added.

The air defence exercise would be followed by a three-day national conference on range technology, scheduled to be held from Nov 28-30 at the ITR and inaugurated by President APJ Abdul Kalam.

Fifteen renowned scientists from the United States, Britain, France, Germany and Denmark are also expected to attend the conference. online

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\11\25\story_25-11-2006_pg7_4

 

[Bull]

In a major breakthrough, country's defence scientists on Monday successfully carried out a surface to surface missile interception over the Bay of Bengal, brightening the prospects of development of an indigenous anti-missile shield.

A target Prithvi missile was launched from the Interim Missile Test Range at Chandipur at 1015 hours, its trajectory continuously monitored and then successfully intercepted by another missile fired from the Wheeler Islands.

Though, the Navy has successfully conducted missile interceptions over sea using Israeli Barak missiles, this was for the first time that defence scientists successfully carried out interception of surface-to-surface missile, which could bring some relief as India actively faces a threat from the presence of nuclear capable missile in the neighbourhood.

The interceptor missile, which was in anti-missile mode, was not identified by the Defence Research and Development Organisation officials. "The interceptor missile had inertial guidance mid-course and active-seeker guidance in its terminal phase," they said.

The DRDO had for years been working on making Trishul missile into an indigenous anti-missile system, trying to incorporate into it the capability of taking on multi-targets at the same time. But the missile had failed many of its critical tests.

"The country has achieved a significant milestone in missile defence system," a Defence Ministry official said in New Delhi after the reports of successful interception came in.

"We have acquired air defence capability against incoming missile," the official said, adding: "The success of the mission assumes significance as DRDO scientists were able to 'continuously track the missile and feed its trajectory into computers to launch its interception."

Officials said the target missile interception time was programmed at 170/175 seconds while the missile from Wheeler Islands blasted off roughly 60 seconds later with interception time of 110/117 seconds. The distance between Chandipur, which is on the shoreline, and Wheeler Islands off the Dhamra coast in the Bay of Bengal, is about 72 km.

Faced with the failure of its Trishul project, India had been in negotiations with the US, Israel and Russia for procurement of an alternative anti-missile defence system.

"Notwithstanding the success of Monday's interception," Defence Ministry officials said, adding: "We will continue to observe the development of the US Patriot anti-missile shield as well as other competing systems."

Though the range of Prithvi missile system in its various marks ranges between 150 to 350 kms, DRDO officials said: "What is important was to validate the capability of interception. Once we develop this we can incorporate it in country's surface to surface missiles of various ranges."

Defence Minister A K Antony immediately patted DRDO scientists on the achievement, which comes in the midst of widespread criticism of the organisation over time and costs over-runs in its major projects, including the integrated guided missile development programme.

"Heartiest congratulations," Antony said in a message to the country's top missile scientists, including V K Saraswat, working on the key project.

Success with the missile interception could prove a shot in arm for the DRDO scientists who are now feeling confident to go ahead with re-testing of the country's most prestigious surface to surface missile, 3000-km range Agni-III. The maiden test of the missile ended as a dismal failure couple of months back.

Saraswat has been quoted as saying that DRDO might go ahead with the second trial of the missile early next year.

 

[Contrarian]

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=7804


The supersonic cruise missile BrahMos has been inducted into our Defence forces. After a series of successful flight trials, the missile has proved its accurate performance against ship and land targets with devastating destruction capability. Indian Navy and Army have accepted the BrahMos system and paced for production of the systems. The induction process on naval ships in progressing and will start for the Army in 2007.

BrahMos missile system being the best in the class has tremendous market potential in international arena. There are countries showing considerable interest in the product. Both the Indian Russian Government will take joint decision on the countries whom the missile will be exported.

BrahMos, being a joint venture, the production is being shared by the consortium of industries from India and Russia. The Indian Armed Forces will have the superior fire power and the best cruise missile in the world, by inducting BrahMos.

This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri BJ Panda in Rajya Sabha today

SKS / RAJ

 

[Contrarian]

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=7806

Sino-India boundary settlement put on fast track

Hu Jintao, Manmohan Singh have directed Special Representatives to intensify work, says Pranab

NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 28: Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee said in the Lok Sabha today that President Hu Jintao of China and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had directed the Special Representatives “to intensify work to expeditiously explore the framework of a boundary settlement.”

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The minister, who was making a statement on the recent visit of the Chinese President, said both sides had also agreed that pending the settlement of the boundary question, they would maintain peace and tranquility in border areas and expedite the work of clarification and confirmation of Line of Actual Control. “Both leaders agreed that an early resolution of the boundary question would not only advance the basic interests of the two countries, but also invest our strategic partnership with further strength and dynamism, and should therefore be pursued as a strategic objective,” he said.

Regarding the controversy triggered by the remarks of Chinese ambassador Sun Yaxi on Arunachal, he said he had “unambiguously rejected the Chinese contention, stating that Arunachal is an integral part of India.” Besides, Indian envoy in Beijing had also taken up the issue immediately with the Chinese Government and conveyed “our disappointment and concern”.

On the issue of reform of UN Security Council, he said Hu had reiterated the assurance given by the Chinese Premier to the Prime Minister in April last year that “China understands and supports India’s aspirations to play a bigger role in the United Nations, including in the Security Council, and that China would be happy to see India succeed in its endeavour to become a permanent member of the UNSC.”

Both sides, according to Mukherjee, noted that India-China relations “had transcended their bilateral dimension and acquired a global and strategic significance.” He said Hu had characterised the present phase in the relationship as a “new historic beginning” and had conveyed that his visit would send out a strong signal to international community that India and China were willing to work hand-in-hand for long-term friendship and common development.

Describing continuity and consensus as the twin features of India’s China policy, the External Affairs Minister expressed the hope that “our engagement” with Beijing at the highest level will speed up the process of resolution of “outstanding differences” and sought the support and endorsement of Parliament to that end.

 

[Contrarian]

Boeing Forecasts $15 Billion Indian Defense Bidding

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a75DiN5kowtQ&refer=home

By Anand Krishnamoorthy

Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Boeing Co., the second-largest U.S. defense contractor, said it may bid for $15 billion of Indian military orders in the next decade, benefiting from growing ties between India and the U.S.

The aerospace group and its suppliers have contacted some 40 Indian state-owned and private companies about forming defense- related ventures, Boeing President James Albaugh said in New Delhi today. He declined to name the partners.

``India has the potential to emerge as a very big market,'' Albaugh said. ``Given India's military requirements and given the growing relationship between India and the U.S., we see exciting opportunities here.''

Boeing, Lockheed Martin Corp., the world's biggest defense contractor, and Raytheon Co. can compete with Russian and west European suppliers for the first time in half a century after U.S. President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed on a deal to lift a three-decade ban on supplying nuclear equipment to India.

``The Soviet era is long over and India is looking at different sources for military purchases,'' said Suba Chandran, assistant director at New Delhi-based Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies. ``That is good news not just for Boeing, it's good for Raytheon and Lockheed. If you open the nuclear establishment, then there is no issue for defense.''

Lifting Restrictions

The U.S. Senate last month approved the civilian nuclear plan that lifts restrictions imposed on India after it tested an atomic bomb in 1974. India may pay suppliers including General Electric Co. 1.8 trillion rupees ($40 billion) to build nuclear reactors in the next 14 years to meet rising energy demand.

As part of the growing relationship between India and the U.S., the army, navy and air forces of the two countries are conducting joint military exercises.

``If you try to do a deal with Uncle Sam, and people like Lockheed are desperate to keep a production line going, they'll offer their F-16s at almost giveaway prices,'' said Andrew Brooks, aerospace analyst at the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies. ``You'll have George W. ringing up India and saying, `You want nuclear? Then it would help us if at the same time you could take some of these airplanes,''' Brooks said.

India in February increased its defense spending for the year ending March 31 to $11.6 billion, or about 15 percent of the country's budget. The defense budget includes payment of salary to soldiers and purchase of equipment.

F-18, MiG

Chicago-based Boeing and Lockheed Martin, based in Bethesda, Maryland, in 2005 were allowed for the first time to compete for an Indian order for 126 multi-role combat aircraft, a deal that may be worth $9 billion.

Boeing's F-18 jet will compete with fighters from Lockheed, Russia's MiG Corp. and France's Dassault Aviation SA. The government may call for final proposals from each of the contractors as soon as this month.

India, where the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. is separately developing fighter planes on its own, is buying new planes to replace its older combat aircraft. As many as 157 pilots have died in MiG crashes since 1971, the defense ministry said in 2004.

The Indian air force, the world's fourth-largest, has 1,700 planes and 120,000 personnel, according to its Web site. Most of the planes are Russian-made MiG fighters. It also has Russian Sukhoi and French Mirage jets.

Harpoon Missile

Mahesh Upasani, a spokesman for Indian Air Force, wasn't immediately available for comment.

Boeing has also bid for a missile order with the Harpoon cruise missile. The company and its suppliers may work with Indian partners to help cut development and production costs, Albaugh said.

Boeing will work with ``large-sized engineering companies and small niche companies'' in India as it tries to procure components. The company has in the past worked with Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., Infosys Technologies Ltd. and Wipro Ltd., India's top three software developers.

According to the Indian government's defense purchase program, the company that is selected for the aircraft order must transfer technology for local production and also do business with local private companies or state producers in the defense sector.

``There is skill, technology and labor in India that will help Boeing and its partners meet that objective,'' he added. The company's two largest Asian customers are Japan and South Korea, he said.

Boeing, which has no revenue from India's defense market, will have the south Asian nation as among its top three markets in Asia.

Shares of Boeing fell 0.4 percent to $88.53 in New York yesterday.

``Definitely, the U.S. has a very good chance,'' of selling in India, said Brooks. ``They've been supplying Pakistan with jets, and now, because of the rapprochement with India, I very much expect to see both Boeing and Lockheed Martin get in there.''

To contact the reporter on this story: Anand Krishnamoorthy in New Delhi at anandk@bloomberg.net .

 

[Bull]

NEW DELHI: To enhance its surveillance capability as it dons a much wider blue water role, the Indian Navy is the first of the three defence services to opt for inducting rotary-based Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and has put on fast track the purchase of long-range maritime spy planes.

``We plan to go in for purchase of 12 helicopter-launched UAVs which will boost the Navy's surveillance capability at sea,'' said the new Navy Chief, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, here on Saturday.

``If required, we may go in for larger numbers,'' Admiral Mehta said at a press conference on the eve of Navy Day, adding that demand for these Advanced UAVs would come from the other two services too. Asserting that the Navy had now inducted shore-based UAVs to have an effective capability of keeping an eye as far as 300 km from the country's coastline, the Navy Chief said the UAVs were also being used to mount a vigil off the Gujarat and Maharashtra coast against terrorists attempting to use sea routes to ingress.

Observing that the Navy needed to bolster its long-range surveillance capability to keep track of goings-on in the region between the horn of Africa and Malacca Straits and even beyond in South China Sea, Admiral Mehta said the Navy would speed up the process of acquisition of eight long-range spy planes.

``We have received the response on our request for proposals and will start evaluating the competing bids by next month,'' he said. Lockheed-Martin with its upgraded P3C Orions, Boeing with its under-production P8 and Russian upgraded il-38 are in contention. - PTI.