News Story: ‘Far-fetched vision’ - India’s futuristic light combat aircraft overshadowed by predecessor

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI ― The ruling National Democratic Alliance government’s Make in India policy could suffer a major blow as the Indian Air Force mulls the purchase of 105 Mark 2 versions of futuristic, homemade light-combat aircraft for $15 billion.

Service officials and analysts say the program faces uncertainty due to a lack of clarity and other immediate priorities.

As of now, the Air Force wants to place an order with state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, or HAL, for only 83 Mark 1 versions of the LCA for a cost of about $7.81 billion to meet the immediate fighters requirement.

“LCA Mark 2 is a far-fetched vision. The service wants improvement on existing LCA to address all issues of looms, improvement in performance, interchange ability, improved U.S.-made GE 414 [engine], improved avionics and missiles to be fitted on it,” a senior Indian Air Force official said.

Daljit Singh, a defense analyst and retired Air Force air marshal, said that the Mark 2 effort ”was proposed by the IAF to ensure that the LCA complies with majority of the air staff requirements. However, that would involve major design change of fuselage to accommodate more powerful engine.”

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: Crashes Cripple Indian Already Inadequate Fighter Jet Strength Over Last 3 Years

Already short of more than 200 fighter jets from the required strength, the Indian defense ministry revelation that 37 fighter jet and helicopters were lost in accidents have further clouded the capability of Indian armed forces to tackle a hypothetical two-front attack by China and Pakistan.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The Indian defense ministry revelation comes in the backdrop of the standoff between India and China in the Doklam plateau of Bhutan. A few days ago, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa had said in an interview that the IAF does not have the required fighter jets to fight a full-spectrum war.

"37 fighters and defense aircraft have crashed during the last three years in which 55 people were killed," Subhash Bhamre, India's Minister of State for Defense told the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament. Bhamre provided details of the accidents where IAF lost 24 planes and five helicopters in the last three years.

News Story: India won't ink a single-engine fighter deal before 2019

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India's single-engine fighter program, worth $12 billion, is unlikely to be "decided before 2019," analysts and officials say, even as the Indian Air Force has decided to hold flight tests of Lockheed's F-16 Block 70 and Sweden's Gripen-E, the two aircraft competing in the program. 

Restricted expressions of interests were sent through Indian embassies to "some overseas participants" to take part in the program in October last year to elicit responses to produce single-engine fighter aircraft in India. Lockheed Martin offered to shift the assembly line of its F-16 Block 70, and Sweden offered to build the Gripen-E aircraft in India with technology transfer. 

The F-16 fighter aircraft did not come up for discussion during last month's summit talks on June 26 between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, said a Ministry of Defence official without commenting on the outcome of the talks. 

However, analysts and officials are skeptical whether the program would come to an early decision. Some analysts even say the F-16 will never be bought by the Indian Air Force, or IAF. 

"There isn't now even the slightest IAF interest in the F-16 Block 70 or any other variant," said Bharat Karnad, professor of national security studies at Centre for Policy Research. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: Indian Air Force Jets Slated to Have Beyond-Visual-Range Strike Capacity by 2018

India’s Tejas light combat aircraft is armed and ready with I-Derby missiles for downing other aircraft, according to The Diplomat.

The missiles have been integrated into the plane’s weapons suite but have yet to finish testing, which is slated to happen by year’s end, Flight Global reported. The Indian Air Force conducted tests in May “to assess the Derby integration with aircraft systems on board Tejas, including the aircraft avionics, fire-controlled radar, launchers and missile weapon delivery system and to verify its performance,” a Ministry of Defense spokesman said.

The IAF said the test was a smashing success but the missiles are not yet categorized as having full operational capability.

Beyond-visual-range (BVR) strike capability is crucial for 21st century air combat, according to military analysts. “Modern air combat is divided into beyond-visual-range combat and within-visual-range combat. BVR combat means the fighters use airborne detection equipment to search the enemy target, then use [a] remote air-to-air missile to attack it, when both of them are beyond visual range,” a 2011 Beijing University study on BVR strategy reads.

The I-Derby missiles are made by Israel-based Rafael and have a 50 kilometer range.

This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.

News Report: India’s Indigenous Fighter Jet Successfully Fires Derby Missiles in Radar Mode

India’s home-made light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas has successfully fired the beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) Derby in radar-guided mode on Friday at Chandipur-on-sea. The aircraft took off from Kalaikunda base in the eastern state of West Bengal.

New Delhi – Tejas manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was assessing the Derby integration with aircraft systems onboard Tejas including the aircraft avionics, fire-control radar, launchers and missile weapon delivery system and to verify its performance. It is expected that all tasks for the final operational clearance will be achieved by the end of this year.

“The missile launch was performed in Lock ON after Launch mode for a BVR target in the look down mode and the target was destroyed. A safe separation was followed by missile guidance towards the radar-acquired target. The flawless launch was demonstrated with all onboard systems performing satisfactorily and the missile scored a direct hit on the target with a complete destruction of it,” India’s Ministry of Defense said.

HAL has so far handed over four Tejas aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF). The Tejas is, however, still not combat-ready. Its final phase of weapon trials, including the firing of BVR (beyond visual range) missiles, is under way. Moreover, the fighter is to get an AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar and advanced electronic warfare (EW) suite, and mid-air refueling capability, for the Mark-IA version that the IAF actually wants. Import content in LCA is 40% by value.

This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.

News Story: Aero India 2017 - New hope for Indo-Russian fighter aircraft

PAK FA (Russia) - FGFA (India) Stealth Fighter

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

BANGALORE, India — The Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft is back on the table for co-production and shared use by Russia and India as the latter sets up a committee for a comprehensive review of the FGFA, the chairman of state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited revealed at the Aero India 2017 event in Bangalore. 

"It is now up to Ministry of Defense to take a final call now," T. Suvarna Raju said.

The FGFA program has lain dormant since the initial agreement between HAL and Sukhoi Design Bureau of Russia was signed in 2010 to jointly produce the aircraft. Under the deal, both India and Russia would use the fighter. 

When signed, the final agreement will pave the way for the release of $6 billion for development costs and the go-ahead for an order of more than 150 FGFA by the Indian Air Force worth more than $20 billion.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: India's budget figures mask a troubling trend

By: Shane Mason

The most eye-catching aspects of the recently released Indian defense budget are top-line growth and diminished spending for procurement. Top-line defense spending grew by 12 percent in fiscal year 2017 compared to the previous budget, making India one of the fastest-growing major defense markets in the world. However, the vast majority of that growth was generated by an increase in personnel costs, and an even bigger increase in pensions. Procurement spending actually declined. This trend of rising personnel costs and shrinking capital funds will decelerate India’s military modernization efforts. 

India’s defense budget in fiscal year 2017 topped $50.9 billion, which means the country now has the fourth-largest defense budget in the world behind the United States, China, and the United Kingdom. The long-term growth in Indian military spending has been remarkable. India had the 13th-largest defense budget in 1995, with spending on par with Spain and the Netherlands. Now India could eclipse British defense spending in a few years, joining the United States and China as the world’s biggest military spenders for the foreseeable future. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Wary of homemade fighter jet, Indian navy looks abroad

DRDO designed Tejas LCA during Ski Jump launch testing

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI - The Indian navy has issued a global request for information to procure 57 multirole fighters for its aircraft carriers at an estimated price tag of $15 billion.

The industry solicitation was floated by the sea service in mid-January, as the indigenously developed naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), designed and developed by state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), does not meet requirements.

The Indian navy wants new fighters for its lone aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, and another carrier currently under construction, the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, or IAC-1.

Notably, the request for information does not specify if the navy wants single- or twin-engine fighters for its aircraft carriers.

The bidding companies are asked to respond to the RFI by May 24.

The naval prototypes of India's own LCA jet have multiple design deficiencies making them unsuitable for the intended aircraft-carrier role, a senior Indian navy official said. Those include endurance and weapons-carrying capability, according to the official. "It will continue to be DRDO program but funding from Indian Navy will stop and DRDO will have to fund this program now by itself to bring improvements," the official added.

Read the full story at  DefenseNews

News Story: Indian Navy Releases RFI for New Carrier-borne Fighter

F/A-18E Supper Hornet Fighter

by Neelam Mathews

The Indian Navy has released a detailed Request for Information for procurement of 57 Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighters (MRCBF). The move follows the navy’s rejection of the naval version of the indigenous HAL Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) for its planned IAC-2 (Indian Aircraft Carrier) that is designed for catapult launch and arrested recovery, and the existing IAC-1, which has a ski-ramp for launch. The Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet would appear to be the leading contender, with the Dassault Rafale M another possibility.

The RFI states that the MRCBF should be a day and night capable, all-weather multi-role combat aircraft that can be used for air defense; air-to-surface operations; buddy refueling; reconnaissance; and electronic warfare missions. The life-cycle cost of the aircraft (post warranty) is an important consideration, with two depot-level repair facilities. India wants the transfer of critical technology and the participation in that process by Indian second-tier suppliers and those who can contribute to the supply chain.

The deadline for responses to the RFI is May 17. The Request for Proposal will be released once the RFI is reviewed. The deliveries of the aircraft should start within three years of signing the contract, and be completed within a further period of three years.

Read the full story at AINonline

News Report: Indian Navy Pitches for Three More Multirole Fighter Squadrons

A Navy MIG-29K on Aircraft Carrier Deck

Global military aviation majors to square off as India sets stiff parameters for the selection of 57 combat jets that are able to operate from aircraft carriers.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – The Indian Navy has finally decided to rest speculation whether it will opt for a home-developed combat jet or import them for its aircraft carriers.

It has sought information from global manufacturers for 57 multi role carrier-borne fighters. "Multi role fighters are intended as day and night capable, all-weather multi-role deck based combat aircraft which can be used for air defense, air-to-surface operations, buddy refueling, reconnaissance and EW missions from Indian Naval aircraft carriers," reads document issued for global suppliers.

Apart from some basic guidelines for procurement, Indian Navy has sought answers on the configuration in 55 pages on a range of issues like electronic warfare capability, endurance and payload. Indian government is desirous of license production of the aircraft after acquiring Transfer of technology in the case.

News Story: India displays military might at Republic Day parade

NEW DELHI, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- India displayed its military might and cultural heritage Thursday at a grand parade in the heart of the national capital to mark the country's 68th Republic Day.

The parade was witnessed by President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who was the chief guest at this year's Republic Day ceremony.

A flypast by Indian Air Force choppers marked the commencement of the parade. Subsequently, a number of contingents from three wings of the Indian armed forces -- the Indian Army, Navy and the Air Force -- marched past the parade.

For the first time, a contingent of the elite National Security Guard (NSG), which guards the country's VIPs and stages high-security operations, took part in the parade in its black gear and gave President Mukherjee a ceremonial salute.

The NSG's anti-hijacking van - Sherpa - a bulletproof armored vehicle that can withstand powerful explosions and can be driven underwater - also made its debut at the parade.

Read the full story at Xinhua

Related Story: India celebrates 68th Republic Day with parade

News Story: More Rafales for India Still Likely

by Neelam Mathews and Chris Pocock

Contrary to some previous indications, India is considering an additional 36 Dassault Rafales, a senior Ministry of Defence official said. The contract is likely to be signed in 2019 with deliveries to start by 2022, when the existing $8.8 billion order for 36 Rafales is completed, AIN has learned from sources close to the long-running procurement process. The two orders would add five squadrons of new fourth-generation fighters to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

What seems to have been disjointed planning for future fighters in India is now becoming clearer. India has recently been exploring again the local production of a foreign fighter with OEMs under its “Make in India” policy, this time a single-engine design. But that does not preclude buying more twin-engine Rafales, nor their production in India, it seems. Late last year, Dassault chief executive Eric Trappier told the French newspaper Sud Ouest that “we have the will and the strategy to establish ourselves in India.” There is a 50-percent offset stipulation in the first contract for 36 Rafales, that Dassault will partly fulfill by establishing a parts production and support facility with its local partner, the Reliance Group. “This would be [further] developed if other contracts were signed,” Trappier said. In the protracted and eventually abandoned negotiations for the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) requirement, only 18 Rafales would have been produced in France, with the other 108 assembled in India.

The Indian Navy is also likely to view with favor the carrier-capable Rafale-M on grounds of commonality, having recently rejected the naval version of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) because of excess weight and other factors.

Read the full story at AINonline

News Report: India Plans to Find Foreign Single-Engine Fighters Manufacturer

HAL Tejas (File Photo)

Eleven Squadrons of Indian Air Force (IAF) equipped with Russian MiG-21 and MiG-27 aircraft are scheduled to retire by 2024 on completion of their Total Technical Life.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — India plans to replace all these aircraft with a foreign manufacturer setting up shop for a single-engine combat jet. The locally made Tejas, a single jet fighter, will also make up the numbers.

India has decided against banking only on its locally made Tejas combat fighter to make up for the shortfall in squadron strength after the retirement of mainly Russia-made fighters.

India has drawn up plans for a global tender to select a new single engine fighter aircraft that will be locally manufactured under an extensive technology transfer contract. Sources told Sputnik that apart from the indigenous Tejas aircraft, the Government will invite bids for 200 new single engine fighter aircraft once it finalizes the guidelines for choosing a strategic partner. Strategic Partnership is a concept to select the right Indian private company to jointly execute certain types of high-value defense items. India's Defense Ministry expects the Strategic Partnership guidelines to be finalized this month.

News Report: Indian Air Force Pushes For 200-250 More Medium Weight Combat Jets

French Dassault Rafale Fighter

India is staring at a startling shortage of combat jets to fight two front wars with Pakistan and China. The current strength of the Indian Air Force is 34 squadrons (18-20 aircraft per squadron) as against the estimated requirement of 42 squadrons for a two-front war.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – The Indian Air Force has once again sought more medium weight combat aircraft in its fleet strength but is happy with the support from home-grown Tejas and Sukhoi 30MKI to the forces in light and heavy combat category respectively.

“Rafale is tremendously capable in its entire role. It is a multi-role aircraft and can be used very effectively. It can prove its worth in any situation. But we have just ordered 36 aircraft and we require more aircraft in this middle weight category to give the entire spectrum of capability," said the outgoing IAF Chief Arup Raha during a farewell interaction here.

News Report: India, the New Kid in Defense Exports, Ratchets Healthy Growth

Export licenses issued to Indian domestic companies have jumped eight times since Narendra Modi became PM in mid-2014. But in absence of home grown technology, it will have to depend on global manufacturers for further breakthroughs.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – In an indication of the present Government's focus on advancing defense manufacturing, India's global sale of defense equipment has increased to almost double than last year.

The Indian government has provided a major boost to indigenous defense equipment capabilities by granting production licenses to 116 Indian companies. Defense Ministry documents suggest that India has turned its focus towards sale of aviation items to smaller countries after gaining a favorable response in selling naval equipment to countries having differences with an assertive China. Apart from government units, New Delhi has issued 54 industrial licenses to Indian private companies for the manufacture of aviation items such as aircraft, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), lighter-than-air-vehicles, remotely piloted vehicles, parts and accessories for aircraft, air flights, airframes sets, landing gears and related equipment. 

News Story: India Seeks Global Ties for Its Light Combat Aircraft Mark-1A Program

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India has floated global bids to procure state-of-the-art active electronically scanned array radars and electronic warfare self-protection jammer pods for the forthcoming modified version of the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Mark-1A aircraft. 

Under the ministry of defence's directions, India's sole combat aircraft manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., on Thursday released global requests for quotations for the equipment. Two systems will be selected by April next year, according to a top MoD defense production official. 

"We cannot wait for Indian companies to develop and build these proven systems, and they will be bought off-the-shelf from overseas," the MoD official added. 

Under a fast-track program, around 100 AESA radars will be bought at a cost of $1.85 billion million, and bids have been issued to Elta of Israel, US companies Raytheon and Northrop Grumman, SAAB of Sweden, Thales of France and Rosoboronoexport of Russia. 

In addition, 100 electronic-warfare jammer pods will be procured from overseas at a cost of $200 million, and bids have been sent to Elta, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, SAAB, Thales, Rosoboronoexport, Indra of Spain and Leonardo-subsidiary Finmeccanica of Italy.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: Restricted India Tenders for AESA Radars for Home Grown Combat Jet

Currently, Indian Air Force does not have any fighters that have new age AESA radar. However, Jaguar’s DARIN III version are being equipped with AESA radar by Israel’s ELTA.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — India has issued a global tender for the purchase of about 100 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars for its 83 home-assembled light combat aircraft Tejas MK 1. The tender was issued on Wednesday to limited global firms from Russia, France, Israel and the USA.

"[A] limited tender was floated by the Aviation Research and Design Centre on Wednesday to five global aviation technology firms and a sixth one is being considered. These firms are from Russia, France, Israel and the US," a highly placed source of Hindustan Aeronautics ltd (HAL) told Sputnik. 

News Story: Indian Navy Charts Independent Course for Carrier Fighter

by Neelam Mathews and Chris Pocock

The Indian Navy has started the process of identifying twin-engine fighter candidates for its Indian Aircraft Carrier-2. It has rejected the naval version of the single-engine, domestically producted, HAL Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). India has procured Russian Mig-29Ks for its current carrier Vikramaditya (formerly the Russian carrier Admiral Gorshkov) and for its first indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC-1), which is under construction.

“The present naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft does not meet the qualitative requirements of the Indian Navy,” Chief of Navy Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba told AIN. “While the Navy will continue to support the Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO) in developing a carrier-based LCA, we will seek [alternative] aircraft elsewhere at the same time,” Lanba confirmed. They will most likely be catapult-assisted take-off but with arrested recovery designs, to match the design of the IAC-2. (The Vikramaditya and IAC-1 have ski-jump take-offs).

Read the full story at AINonline

News Report: Indian Missile BVRAAM Fails Trials Yet Again

Indian plans to produce a beyond-visual-range missile that matches French, Russian and Israeli air-to-air missiles have suffered a setback. Despite a reshuffle in DRDO and inking of the MTCR, the Astra failed yet another test.

New Delhi (Sputnik) − The Indian Air Force suffered a heart ache when its home-grown beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) failed to perform during a trial held in Balasore on Wednesday.

Sources said the 'Astra missile' exploded immediately after it was fired from an aircraft. The missile lost velocity within seconds and banked sharply downwards. It exploded on the eastern coast of Odisha. Astra is being developed by India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).

News Report: Indian Tejas Fighter Jets Too Heavy for Aircraft Carriers – Navy Chief

Chief of India’s Naval Staff said that India’s locally-built Tejas fighters are too heavy to take off from its aircraft carriers.

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) – India’s locally-built Tejas fighters are too heavy to take off from its aircraft carriers, the chief of India’s Naval Staff said.

"In the present form, the LCA [light combat aircraft] cannot take off with its full weapon load," Adm. Sunil Lanba was quoted as saying by India’s Economic Times newspaper. 

Lanba said the Navy would operate Russia-made MiG-29K multirole fighters and urged the Defense Research and Development Organization to build an alternative in the next five years. 

India has two aircraft carriers. It received Russia’s decommissioned Admiral Gorshkov in 2013, which was renamed to the INS Vikramaditya, and is building its first indigenous carrier called the Vikrant.

This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.