Robots help fighter Jets take off

In a small factory tucked away in Peenya, a dusty industrial suburb of Bangalore, a master-robot is busy rehearsing giving commands to a ‘slave-robot’ to integrate complex engine components of Sukhoi aircraft, a multi-role fighter jet. The slave-robot obediently follows the commands in a welding chamber with no oxygen within. This is the first of its kind facility built in India by Bangalore-based Hind High Vacuum Company (HHV) for defence major Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL). 

“Sometimes these are engineering nightmares, which we engineers look at as our pleasant dreams,” said Nagarjun Sakhamuri, managing director of HHV. The robot repeats motions with a precision accuracy of a few thousandths of an inch 24 hours a day in an inert atmosphere, which is beyond human physical capabilities. Every aspect of the process, trends, and diagnostics is recorded by a computer in real-time. The facility will be shipped off to the engine division of HAL at Koraput district in Orissa. HAL has jointly developed a version of Sukhoi in collaboration with Russia.

HHV won the contract, after India decided to make their own engines for the Sukhoi aircraft instead of buying them from Russia. This aircraft is expected to form the backbone of the Indian Air Force’s fighter fleet in the next decade. “We bid against Russians,” said Sakhamuri an engineer-turned-entrepreneur, who got the idea of using robots on fighter jets after watching a few kids playing a video game.

His innovation got accepted by the defence laboratories to use it on India’s indigenous light-weight combat aircraft Tejas. They wanted to make stealth version of Tejas by using robots to sputter special coating on the aircraft. This would prevent it from getting detected by radar. HHV has built many such indigenous speciality equipment and technologies for customers such as Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Larsen & Toubro and many public sector units.

For instance it has built hyper-sonic wind tunnels and shock tubes for Isro and DRDO to test their rockets and missiles. However, Sakhamuri’s firm, established in 1965 by his father, is not growing by just riding on their core vacuum technology alone.

Diversification in industries such as solar photovoltaic energy and thin films technology has helped the firm to tap new businesses. This strategy also helped them to attract the attention of venture capital firms such as Aureos Capital and Sidbi that have pumped in a total funding of Rs 60 crore in the past five years. With around 450 employees, HHV is now clocking annual revenues of Rs 180 crore and aims to double it by next year.

“It is a family run company, but the management has a professional approach,” said Balaji Srinivas managing partner at Aureos. Experts such as Rajiv Chib, associate director for aerospace and defence at consulting firm Pricewaterhouse-Coopers, said HHV’s technologies have varied applications in night and day vision equipment used by the armed forces. The potential is yet to be tapped either by indigenous night vision device manufacturers or in the defence offset route. “All the foreign original equipment manufacturers whom I took along during the visit have come away impressed. I am happy to see that HAL has realised their worth in the field of engine assembling,” said Chib.

Seeing the opportunity, HHV is now spinning its defence technologies for industries such as automotive and manufacturing. This year in August it became a global supplier for French automotive components manufacturer Valeo to supply machines that do special coating of headlamp reflectors. These headlamps are fitted in highend cars such as Maserati, Lamborghini and Alfa Romeo. “They lived up to our expectations,” said Yannick Le Nue, worldwide industrial director at Valeo. According to AK Barua, professor emeritus at the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science in Kolkata, the oldest research institute in the country, having cutting-edge technology and making globally competitive products is not enough. “China is progressing because there the small companies get lot of government support, which is lacking in our country,” said Barua.

Source:TOI

Tejas MK-3 is it on?

Recently sources are indicating that IAF is seriously considering increasing the numbers of Tejas aircrafts, Indian air force has already committed 40 Tejas MK-1 aircrafts, along with 8 Limited serial production aircraft.

IAF had projected 5 Squadrons (100) of Tejas MK-2, but IAF is considering adding more 2 to 3 Squadrons of Tejas aircrafts in its inventory post 2020, IAF after recalculation of fleet strength and expected delays in programs like FGFA and more time given to ADA for development of AMCA, means they will be short fall of aircrafts, IAF plans to retire all Mig-21 by 2017 and will reduce it Mig-27 strength by half in 2015 and complete phase out will be done by 2020.

ADA few years back was seen keen to work on third variant of Tejas (MK-3), in cooperating 5^th generation avionics along with AESA radar. AESA radar was dropped from Tejas MK-2 since IAF and DRDO felt that it will lead to delays in the program, since radar is still in development phase; testing and production will take time. IAF is open to AESA for later variants.

AMCA which was supposed to have it first flight before 2020 will get more time for development of 5^th generation avionics and technologies, to make it a true 5^th gen fighter has demanded by its customer.

Generation shift in indian army

New Delhi, Oct. 31: When the new vice-chief of the Indian Army takes charge tomorrow, he will herald a generational change in the top brass as he will be the first officer commissioned after India’s last full-fledged war in 1971 to rise to the post.

Lt Gen. S.K. Singh takes over from Lt Gen. A.S. Lamba who retired today after 40 years in service. As a young officer, Lt Gen. Lamba became a war veteran within a couple of months of being commissioned in 1971.

He was a second lieutenant in his artillery unit that gave fire support to the Indian infantry in its dash through the Pakistani ranks on the Jessore-Khulna-Dhaka axis as the Indian Army charged into the then East Pakistan capital and forced the surrender on December 16 that year and midwifed the birth of Bangladesh.

With Lt Gen. Lamba retiring today, there are only four more officers in the Indian Army — including the chief, Lt Gen. V.K. Singh — who were commissioned into service in the year of India’s last full-fledged war.

After the war, Lt Gen. Lamba, who was commissioned into the Regiment of Artillery, converted to a paratrooper. Packing commanding authority into his diminutive figure, Lamba went into combat again in counter-insurgency in Nagaland and Manipur and with the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka.

“When you see action at such close hand when you are so young — I was barely 19-20 years of age in 1971 — there is little to be afraid of for the rest of your life,” he told The Telegraph in a recent conversation.

Lt Gen. Lamba commanded a Mountain Brigade, the 16 Infantry Division, the elite 21 Strike Corps and the Army Training Command headquartered in Shimla.

Lt Gen. S.K. Singh, who takes over as the vice-chief tomorrow, has commanded a brigade in the Siachen Glacier, an infantry division on the Line of Control, a corps in Jammu and Kashmir and the recently created South Western Command headquartered in Jaipur.

Lt Gen. S.K. Singh could have an unusually long tenure as the vice-chief — over two years. He is from the regiment to which the late Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw belonged, the 8 Gorkha Rifles, and is its colonel commandant.

India Japan resume nuclear talks

TOKYO/NEW DELHI: Japan on Saturday agreed to resume civil nuclear negotiations with India that were stalled after the Fukushima disaster and accelerate the joint development of rare earth material deposits.


In a development that will be closely watched by China, external affairs minister SM Krishna, who concluded the fifth round of strategic dialogue with his Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba in Tokyo, said the India-Japan-United States trilateral dialogue will be held soon.


Krishna and Gemba discussed a host of issues that included jointly combating piracy and terrorism to civil nuclear cooperation, climate change and the evolving East Asia architecture. They also discussed ways to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Indo-Japan relations next year.


The discussions, which lasted over an hour, have set the stage for the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda to India in December.


Japan indicated its readiness to resume civil nuclear negotiations with India that were stalled after the March 11 Fukushima radiation disaster and the ensuing political uncertainty in that country.


"I also discussed with foreign minister Gemba the status of civil nuclear cooperation between our countries. As you are aware, we have had three rounds of negotiations on this subject," Krishna said at a joint press conference with Gemba in Tokyo.


"After my discussions today, I am optimistic on this score," he said.


The two countries "will move forward talks on the civilian nuclear cooperation pact while paying consideration to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation", Jiji Press quoted Gemba as saying.


"We agreed to resume negotiations at the working level so that we can surely move towards it," he said.


Nuclear negotiations with India have been a sensitive political subject in Japan, the only country that has borne the brunt of nuclear weapons.


In another key development, the two countries decided to spur their high-technology cooperation and collaborate in the development of rare earths. Japan has removed seven Indian entities from its foreign end user list this year, which included Indian Rare Earths Limited.


"We now look forward to greater cooperation between Indian and Japanese firms in the rare earths sector," Krishna said.


"The two countries will move ahead with a joint development," of rare earth deposits in India, said Gemba. Tokyo is seeking to diversify rare earth supplies as Beijing controls more than 90 percent of global supply.


Expressing sympathy with Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Krishna said India was "ready to help in whatever way required".


"We also discussed the India-Japan-United States trilateral dialogue. We agreed that it will be held very soon. It will cover regional and international issues of concern to all three countries," Krishna said.


Beijing is uneasy with the trilateral dialogue and sees it as an attempt to contain its rise in Asia.


Krishna also thanked Japan for maintaining the level of its Official Development Assistance (ODA) to India despite its focus on reconstruction activity after the earthquake and tsunami.


"This is a strong vote of confidence in India's growth story and exhibits the importance Japan attaches to our strategic partnership," he said.


Close on the heels of Krishna's visit, defence minister AK Antony goes on a day-long visit to Tokyo on November 2.


Source:TOI

Pak says India played big role in its bid for UNSC seat

KARACHI: India played a big role in supporting Pakistan's successful bid to become a non-permanent member of the powerful UN Security Council, Islamabad's envoy to the world body Abdullah Hussain Haroon said here today. 


Many of the countries that Pakistan had considered as friends were no longer its friends, but India "supported us in becoming a non-permanent member of the 15-member Security Council," Haroon told reporters at the Karachiairport. 


Pakistan, which was challenged by Kyrgyzstan, was backed by 129 of the 193 member states in the UN General Assembly. Kyrgyzstan polled 55 votes. 


Pakistan will replace Lebanon, which currently occupies the Asian seat, on January 1, 2012, for a two-year term. 


Haroon said that Pakistan had worked very hard in the past six months to win votes for the prestigious seat. 


"I think we should not be discouraged by the reaction by some of the nations in the UN because I can say the world wants Pakistan to play its positive role in the global scenario," he said. 


Pakistan has been on the Council six times earlier -- 1952-53, 1968-69, 1976-77, 1983-84, 1993-94 and 2003-04. It's new term would overlap with India -- which began its two-year tenure on January 1 this year -- for the fourth time. 


Pakistan and India had earlier shared terms on the Security Council in 1968, 1977 and 1984. 


Haroon said Pakistan was committed to multilateralism and promoting principles and purposes enshrined in the UN Charter. 


To a question on US drone attacks in Pakistan's tribal areas, he said he could only take up the issue if the government authorised him to do so. "But we should not be scared of these attacks." he added.


Source:TOI

Hyderabad MRO Facility To Open In November

A $70 million joint-venture maintenance, repair and overhaul facility recently completed at the Hyderabad International Airport will be operational in November.

MAS-GMR Aerospace Engineering is a joint venture of Malaysian Aerospace Engineering Sdn. Bhd, a subsidiary of Malaysian Airline System (MAS), and GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd., a subsidiary of GMR infrastructure Ltd. in India.

“MGAE has obtained all the necessary statutory approvals besides key in-principle commitments from its potential customers and is expecting to be in operation beginning Nov. 1 this year,” CEO R.V. Sheshan tells Aviation Week. He did not elaborate on the identity of the potential customers.

Earlier this month, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation completed an audit of the MRO center. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) will audit the facility in November.

“If it meets EASA’s standards, it will be able to attract European-registered aircraft for MRO services,” Malaysian Airlines says.

The partners also say the joint-venture MRO will be the “first of its kind of its scale, located in the special economic zone at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad.”

The facility has one widebody hangar, one narrowbody hangar with three bays, and another for aircraft painting with associated workshops.

Because of its strategic location close to the cities of New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, the center is expected to help make the Hyderabad airport an integrated aviation facility for its business partners.

“MGAE can provide maintenance services to five aircraft simultaneously with wide- and narrowbody aircraft configuration. These hangars are backed up with the necessary workshops to handle aircraft maintenance, painting, avionics upgrades, interior refurbishment, structural repairs, component replacements, etc,” Sheshan says.

Currently, MGAE has nearly 350 employees, mostly local skilled workers, but also retired engineers and technicians from Malaysian Airlines. In addition, Malaysian Aerospace Engineering has trained 72 Indian engineers hired by MGAE.

Demand for MRO services in Asia has been rising because of growing fleet sizes and lower costs than can be found in the European Union and North America.

Source:Flightglobal

Russian Mi-28N loses Indian attack helicopter tender to American AH-64D Apache

Russian Mi-28N Night Hunter has lost a tender on the delivery of 22 attack helicopters to the Indian military in strong competition with the American AH-64D Apache, an Indian Defense Ministry source said on Tuesday.
“We decided not to choose the Mi-28 for technical reasons. Our experts believe that the Mi-28N did not meet the requirements of the tender on 20 positions, while the Apache showed better performance,” the source said.
The future contract, worth at least $600 million, envisions an optional delivery of additional 22 helicopters.
Russia is still taking part in two other Indian helicopter tenders: on the delivery of 12 heavy transport helicopters and 197 light general-purpose helicopters.
The first tender includes the Russian Mi-26T2 and the American CH-47F Chinook helicopters, while the second involves the Russian Ka-226T and the AS550 Fennec helicopter, developed by Eurocopter.
Meanwhile, Russia continues the deliveries of Mi-17-B5 transport helicopters to India under a 2008 contract for the supply of 80 helicopters worth $1.4 billion.
The Indian military helicopter market, with its potential demand for 700 helicopters in the next decade, fuels fierce competition among foreign manufacturers.
SOURCE: RIA Novosti

Tejas LSP-7 all set for its launch

Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots will officially get a taste of home-grown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas with the 12th aircraft from the project flight-line and the seventh from the limited series production (LSP-7) block set to kiss the skies soon.
Sources told Express that the crucial engine ground run (EGR) was over and the fighter was now being put on low-speed taxi trials (LSTT). “We will do the LSTT before October 24 and the high-speed taxi trials (HSTT) after that. Finally, we will do the nose-up trial leading to the first flight,” sources said.
The aircraft is expected to do the LSTT at 150 kmph and the HSTT at 250 kmph.
Though the LSP-7 was scheduled to fly in August, the project hit an air pocket when fuel leak was noticed in one of the aircraft during taxiing. “We had to ground the entire Tejas fleet as safety was our top-most priority. We lost the months of May, June, July and August with not much of testing happening,” sources said.
Engineers had to re-arrange the butting of fuel and hydraulic pipes to avoid them coming into contact.
In the meantime, the IAF minced no words about quality concerns of Tejas user versions, putting its makers Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in a spot of bother. “HAL took too much time in absorption of changes suggested by the user. We have definite issues with the pace of the programme. Each aircraft is now taking 24 months right from the part assembly stage. Once, Tejas is inducted into the IAF, we want HAL to put in an improvised production line,” a senior Indian Air Force official said.
To iron out all the issues, a top-level Tejas review meeting was held in New Delhi this week with all the project partners in attendance.
The IAF, which has already begun the preparations for the Tejas squadron, will have to wait for some more time before taking Tejas for the user trials. The No 45 Tejas Squadron, to be based in Sulur near Coimbatore, will be known as Flying Daggers.
FIRE POWER
Team Tejas is back in Bangalore after a two-week successful weapon trials in Pokhran and Chandan ranges of Rajasthan. For the first time, three aircraft from the Tejas flight-line have dropped a laser-guided bomb (LGB), 1,000 lb bombs and practice ammunition.
The aircraft also performed a 1,200-litre drop tank release (jettison) to test the accuracy parameters. “Close to 30 flights to check improvements and accuracy of hitting the targets were performed. The LGB trail was very critical,” sources said.
The team will now head for advanced high-altitude weapon trials in Jamnagar and Leh. Sea trials will take place at INS Hansa in Goa with Russian-made R-73 air-to-air close combat missile.
THE STORY SO FAR
? First flight of Tejas TD-1: 2001
? First flight of PV-2: 2005
? First order for 20 aircraft: 2006
? Order for 20 more: 2010
? Initial Operational Clearance: 2011
? Total flights: 1,713
? Total hours: 1,000-plus
? User evaluation: Before 2012 March

SOURCE: EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

A tribute to APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India and founder of the JV “BrahMos Aerospace”

Dr. Kalam is known as the “father of the Indian missile program”, having established a number of centres for the research of missile technology and commissioned numerous defence systems.

It is Dr. Kalam who is responsible for developing and putting into operation the Agni and Prithvi missiles and, together with the Ministry of Atomic Energy, for conducting the tests that made India a nuclear power. He also acted as the impetus for defence research and development and the implementation of coordinated defence projects such as the development of light combat aircraft.

Dr. Kalam organised collaborative R&D projects with a number of Russian organisations. In particular, as head of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), he initiated the creation of BrahMos. In September 1993 the Indian government, under the initiative of Dr. Kalam, contacted the chairman of the State Committee for Defense Industry with a proposal (memorandum) to create a joint venture with NPO Mashinostroyenia for the development and sale of guided anti-ship missiles to member-states, as well as third-party countries.

In August 1994 negotiations took place in India to establish the joint venture, during which Dr. Kalam and Gerbert Yefremov signed an agreement of intent and a working protocol.  In February 1998 an agreement was signed between the two governments to develop, manufacture and sell anti-ship missiles. It was Dr. Kalam who signed on the part of the Indian government. The creation of the joint venture marked the dawn of a new era in Indian and Russian cooperation. And it is from here that the close personal and professional relations between Abdul Kalam and NPO Mashinostroyenia began.

The first launch of the BrahMos cruise missile was on June 12, 2001, and it was a complete success.

On July 25, 2002, Dr Kalam became the President of India. While in office, he continued to pay great attention to the Russo-Indian friendship, in particular to the BrahMos project, which in many ways contributed to its successful development.

Over the years the project has fully justified the hopes that were pinned on it. All technical targets that were set for the BrahMos cruise missile at the time of the project’s creation have been met or surpassed. And we can now see the mass production and delivery of BrahMos missiles for the Army and Navy of the Republic of India. Experts from both countries are engaged in promising work to adapt the BrahMos missile for use on aircraft carriers and submarines.

Based on materials of the Moscow Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade.

India among C-130 plane operators at Lockheed meet

NEW DELHI: India, among the new operators of Lockheed Martin's C-130 Hercules cargo planes, is attending a three-day conference being hosted by the American major company in the US beginning Tuesday. 

The meet has attracted about 800 representatives from 34 nations, including India and Qatar that are new among the nations operating the aircraft, along with 90 supplier companies for the cargo plane. 

India, represented by Indian Air Force (IAF) officials at the conference, has bought six C-130J Super Hercules for its special military operations. The fleet operated by the IAF from the Hindon air base in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, carried out its first humanitarian assistance mission during the Sikkim earthquake last month by carrying disaster relief material and rescue workers. 

The 23rd Hercules Operators' Conference in Marietta, US, will focus on C-130 Hercules support, operations, upgrades and new fleet acquisition, a release fromLockheed Martin said here. 


Source:ET

"This year's theme of 'Relevance and Affordability' provides insight into how the C-130 Hercules can meet the needs of multiple operators from a single baseline," the release said. 

"As C-130 production continues at a high rate, Lockheed Martin seeks additional ways to keep all C-130 models viable through cost-effective modifications and upgrades," Lockheed Martin director of C-130 International Operations John Cottam said during the opening ceremony of the conference. 

"We know that the C-130 will be here for decades to come and we want to make sure we support all airframes according to our operators' needs," Cottam said 

"There is nothing like a Hercules and nothing that can replace a Hercules. Some have tried and some are still trying, but the reality is that the aircraft's concept, design and proven capabilities have been, and still are, the standard for airlift throughout modern history," he added. 

The US Air Force has recently received HC-130J Personnel Recovery and MC-130J Special Operations aircraft.

At the end of this month, Lockheed Martin will roll out the 250th C-130J Super Hercules, destined for Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, which will be the world's largest C-130J feet operator with 28 aircraft.

India to base anti-piracy patrol plane in Maldives

India will base a Dornier maritime patrol aircraft in the Maldives from Wednesday to carry out surveillance of the Indian Ocean island nation's exclusive economic zone and also maintain an anti-piracy vigil in its waters. The Indian Navy plane will operate from Male and will stay there

for three weeks, a navy spokesperson said here Tuesday.

India has been sending a warship or a naval plane to perform security roles for Maldives in the last two years, with Somali pirates becoming active close to island nation.

It has also gifted a fast attack craft to the Maldivian maritime forces. India serviced the craft and returned it to the Maldives.

A Indian Navy ship also carries out hydrography surveys in  Maldivian waters to aid navigation. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has also set up a chain of coastal radars for the island nation, apart from training its personnel in operating the equipment.

The assistance is provided by India as a goodwill gesture towards its neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and is in consonance with what Defence Minister AK Antony told naval commanders during their conference last week.

"The Indian Navy has been mandated to be a net security provider to the island nations in the Indian Ocean Region. We would like to assure our maritime neighbours about our unstinted support for their security and economic prosperity," Antony had said.

Similar assistance is provided by India to Mauritius too, with a speedboat being gifted to the Mauritian maritime force by the Indian Navy. A coastal radar chain and automated identification system too have been set up by India in Mauritius for maritime surveillance of the island nation.

Mauritius has also placed an order for an offshore patrol vessel with Kolkata-based defence shipyard Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers.

India has also gifted a fast attack craft to the Seychelles. It was involved in anti-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean a few months ago.

India Plans Next GSLV Launch In 2012

Still recovering from repeated failures of its heavy-lift Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) in 2010, the Indian Space Research Organization is eyeing the next flight of the vehicle in 2012.

“We have a major task ahead of us ... [the] development and perfection of [the] indigenous cryogenic stage,” ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan says. “We are making good progress and we plan to have the next flight of GSLV ... in the second quarter of 2012.”

ISRO also plans to have two more Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) missions before launching the GSLV. On Oct. 12, ISRO successfully launched its PSLV-C18 rocket carrying four satellites, including the Indo-French collaborative weather satellite Megha-Tropiques.

In December 2010, the homegrown GSLV-F06 vehicle was destroyed by its flight termination system when it veered off course less than a minute after liftoff. The GSAT-5P communications satellite, carrying 24 C-band and 12 extended C-band transponders, plunged into the Bay of Bengal. Before that, the GSLV-D3 mission carrying GSAT-4 failed in April 2010.

Now under development, GSLV-MK III is designed to make India fully self-reliant in launching heavier communication satellites weighing 4,500-5,000 kg (9,900-11,000 lb.), boosting its status as a key player in the global commercial launch market. According to a senior ISRO official, GSLV-MK III is being designed to place a 4-ton-class satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit.

S. Ramakrishnan, director of ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems Center, says the agency has identified the issues with the GSLV upper-stage engine. “We have studied the design of booster pumps and redesigned it. The computer simulation was done and validated. One more long-duration test of the cryogenic engine will be made by the end of this month,” he says. 

India to announce jet fighter within weeks

 NEW DELHI, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Dassault and Eurofighter will go head-to-head this month to win a $10.4 billion contract to supply India with a medium multi-role combat aircraft.
The winner is expected to be announced in November, The Times of India reported
Defense Minister A. K. Antony, who is chairman of the Defense Acquisitions Council, made the announcement. He said the council approved the offsets evaluation reports of the Eurofighter Typhoon -- backed by EADS that includes British, Germany, Spanish and Italian companies-- and the French group Dassault's Rafale jet.
The announcement signals the final stage of the controversial competition that has seen India reject bids from four other major fighter manufacturers.
India is in "the last lap" for making a decision, Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne said.
"In the middle of November, we shall be able to announce to the whole world which plane we have selected," he said.
India is hoping to have the plane operational by 2015.
India also evaluated proposals for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet from Boeing, Lockheed Martin's F-16, the Russian-made MiG-35 and the Gripen from Swedish firm Saab.
DAC began evaluating all the proposals in April, looking at each bidder's value-for-money tender, although trials of the aircraft began last year.
The U.S., Russian and Swedish bids eventually were rejected after technical evaluation and field trials, The Times of India report said.
Indian media reported in April that one unnamed bidder had made a final pitch to upgrade its offer but the DCA rejected any last-minute changes to bids.
"No offers for upgrades or changes in the original bid submitted by the six aircraft companies would be allowed as their aircraft have been judged on the basis of capabilities offered in the original bid and their performance in the field trials," an unnamed air force source said at the time.
Many of India's nearly 800 fighters are aging Soviet-era and Russian aircraft, including the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, MiG-27 and MiG-29 and some Sukhoi Su-30MKI planes. The air force also has Anglo-French SEPECAT Jaguar and French Mirage 2000 aircraft produced under license.
The MRCA deal is imperative for the air force because of the age of its largest aircraft by numbers, the MIG-21, a 1970s fighter.
The long-awaited aircraft deal -- the tender was issued in August 2007 -- will be one of India's largest capital military expenditures likely in the next several years.
The purchase is reflected in the country's boosted defense budget, announced earlier this year -- an increase of more than 11 percent in the face of China's growing military might.
The jump to $36.5 billion for 2011-12, from $32.74 billion, includes a 12 percent boost in capital spending for equipment and services.


Source: http://www.upi.com

Megha-Tropiques satellite in good health

The Megha-Tropiques satellite, put in orbit by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C18) on October 12, is in good health and its four scientific instruments have been energised.

The satellite is a joint contribution from India and France to the global scientific community engaged in research on climate and weather systems that affect the daily life of humanity the world over and particularly in the tropical region, a press release from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on Friday.

Three co-passenger satellites, the SRMSat from the SRM University, near Chennai, the Jugnu from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and the Vesselsat-1 from Luxembourg were put in orbit by the PSLV-C18. The user-institutions have confirmed establishing contact with their satellites.

“It has been confirmed that the satellite [Megha-Tropiques] has been placed precisely in its intended circular orbit,” the release added. While perigee in the targeted orbit was 865 km above the earth and the apogee 867 km, the perigee achieved was 864 km and the apogee 865 km. The inclination achieved was 19.99 degrees to the equator against the targeted inclination was 20 degrees

Source:The Hindu

GLSV with indigenous cryogenic engine likely in 2012

RIHARIKOTA (AP): The next flight of theGeostationary Launch vehicle (GSLV) with indigenous cryogenic engine is likely to be launched in the second quarter of next year, ISRO Chairman K Radhakrishnan said. 

"We have a major task ahead of us... development and perfection of indigenous cryogenic stage. We are making good progress and we plan to have the next flight of GSLV with indigenous cryogenic engine in the second quarter of 2012," the ISRO Chief said. 

Before the GSLV launch, ISRO plans to have two more missions of PSLV, Radhakrishnan said after the successful launch of Indo-French satellite Mega-Tropiques and three nano satellites from here. 

"..we plan to have two more missions of PSLV. One, for launching India's first microwave remote sensing satellite and the other a joint mission of India and France to look at the oceans," he said. 

Now under development, GSLV-III is designed to make the country fully self-reliant in launching heavier communication satellites, weighing 4,500 to 5,000 kg, besides boosting its capability to be a key player in the global commercial launch market. 

In December 2010, homegrown launch vehicle GSLV-F06 fitted with Russian cryogenic engine carrying communication satellite GSAT-5P on-board failed when the rocket was hit by a snag seconds after lift off from here. 

Describing the successful launch of Megha Tropiques as 'truly global mission' Radhakrishnan said it was the beginning of a 'new phase' of cooperation between India and France. 

"What this cooperation has given to the world is a satellite which is going to provide us lot of information and knowledge about tropical regions," he said. 

He thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for all the support and encouragement.
Source:ET

Coming soon: An 'agile, lethal, versatile' Indian Army

The Indian Army [ Images ] will move from a "command-based" deployment to a "theatre command" format where the "front" or the spearhead will be seamlessly integrated with resources in the "depth" or the rear, says RS Chauhan

The exact contours of the long-awaited transformation of the Indian Army will be finalised at the end of October after Exercise Sudarshan Shakti, a massive desert operation to be conducted by 21 Corps, one of the three strike formation India possesses, concludes.

The transformation, however, seeks to break down these artificial boundaries to minimise losses and increase optimal utilisation of resources. So in the years to come, the Indian Army will move from a "command-based" deployment to a "theatre command" format where the "front" or the spearhead will be seamlessly integrated with resources in the "depth" or the rear.Conceptualised in 2010 after a two-year study by a group of top generals under the current army chief, Gen VK Singh [ Images ], when he was the Eastern Army commander, the transformation envisages seamless integration of available forces without the constraints of limiting the resources in water-tight compartments of "commands". So far, each command and formation operated well within its prescribed boundaries and deployed the combat as well as support services only within its own jurisdiction.

In other words, when fighting formations get busy in taking on the enemy, the support elements dealing with food supplies, ammunition, spares etc -- usually based towards the rear -- will have total synergy with the frontline troops, thereby increasing their effectiveness.

The basic idea is to turn the lumbering Army into "an agile, lethal, versatile and networked force, which is capability-based to meet future challenges". Gen VK Singh has said the transformation must be 360 degrees and "enhance operational capability through reorganisation, restructuring, force development and relocation".

The concept is based on 13 transformation studies. These range from ways to consolidate strike capabilities and "flatten" HQs, to "synergising" all resources. Some of the Army's new transformative concepts are already being "test-bedded".

The chief in fact told the Army commanders in the ongoing commanders' conference in New Delhi [ Images ] which began on Monday that proposals for "theatrisation" of combat and combat services support have been completed and they would be test-bedded during the forthcoming Southern Command Exercise with troops. Once the efficacy is ascertained, it would be implemented.  Processes are also on for re-structuring of the Army headquarters, so that it becomes a more responsive and synergised organisation.

All these steps undertaken would ensure that our Army is more agile, responsive and effective, the Army chief said.   

The five-day conference is focusing on various macro-level issues pertaining to operational preparedness, equipment sustainment for mission readiness and maximising combat power generation capability of the Army, enhancing professional military education for scholar warriors, logistics and other administrative aspects. Procedures to ensure efficient 'budgetary management', 'improvement of habitat in high altitude areas'  and 'night landing capability for airfields in the northern and western theatres' was deliberated on the first day of the conference. It was brought out that due to low temperatures at night, the carrying capacity of the IL-76 would increase, thus helping in winter stocking as also for operational logistic build-up.

Source:Rediff

ISRO launches four satellites from Sriharikota

New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched four big satellites on Wednesday from theSatish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.

Two of the satellites have been made by the students of IIT Kanpur and SRM University.

Guruditya Sinha, Student, SRM-SAT Project, said, "The main objective is to measure carbon dioxide and water vapour in the cities above India. To check how much Indian cities are contributing to climate change."

After Anusat and Studsat, it's the third student satellite to go up in the air.

Vishal Latha Balakumar, Student, SRM-SAT Project, said, "This chip is used in our cell phones. We are using it in our satellite. We are also using a flash memory very similar to a normal USB drive in the satellite. The objective is to use commercially available equipment and see how they survive in the radiation of space.

Tiny student satellites are a cheap, quick way of testing new ideas. For example, this satellite uses magnets, not motors to control its space flight.

Anushree Mahapatra, Student, SRM-SAT Project, said, "We have copper coils on three sides of the satellite. When we send electricity through them, a magnetic effect is generated. Since the earth already has a magnetic field, both fields cancel each other to keep the satellite exactly aligned.

THE SRM project employed fifty four students. But only four of them are women. Is it tough being outnumbered?

Anushree Mahapatra, Student, SRM-SAT Project, said, "Since we are all here on the basis of our ability, my male friends treat me like a colleague. There is no problem."

M Loganathan, a retired ISRO scientist, who taught these students, says lack of industry support was a big problem. We wanted some components from the industry and they asked for almost 40 lakh rupees. How can students afford so much?

But don't students have to be geniuses to make a complex satellite?

Loganathan, Project Architect, SRM-SAT Project, said, "Space works on simple laws of physics, mainly Newtons law. If you are good in the basic concepts of space, you can be a space scientist."

Source:IBN 

China Maps Original Defense Plan

While China is not a specific target of Washington’s war planning, it does have the most impressive military force outside the U.S. As a result, Beijing’s aircraft, sensors, ballistic missiles, spacecraft, and fleet and missile defenses have become the standard against which U.S. tactics and technology are measured.

“We probably will fight their [equipment],” says USAF Lt. Gen. Herbert Carlisle, deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements. “China has the best capability, so we’ve taken their kill chains apart to the nth degree.”

But unknowns still abound.

“There is a sense of arrogance among the Chinese” that they will find their own path to a more effective military force, “so I don’t expect them to follow our lead,” says Carlisle. In particular, the Chinese have developed cyberprobing and exploitation operations that have pulled in a greater haul of stolen information than would have been possible even with a large, conventional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) force.

In response to China’s new military capabilities and cybersleuthing skills, the U.S. is beefing up its own abilities to predict foreign intentions. That shift includes ISR upgrades to U.S. fourth-generation tactical fighters and strike aircraft, as well as the introduction of more low-cost platforms like the MC-12 and a few new platforms such as the long-range strike (LRS) family of systems.

However, the possibility of deep cuts to the U.S. defense budget has created a lack of clarity about U.S. military plans, force structure and capability.

“There is a lot of discussion about sizing, so it’s not clear” what the U.S. force will be or what missions it will be required to conduct, says Carlisle. But there is no doubt that the LRS family will be a part of the future, he adds. The bomber will have a networked, integrated electronic attack (EA) capability around it. That capability, advanced weaponry and sophisticated sensors would be carried by unmanned adjunct aircraft operating in support of the projected 80-100 LRS aircraft force.

LRS is actually expected to spend more time operating as an ISR platform and command-and-control node than as a bomber. Both missions pull on its ability to penetrate sophisticated, long-range air defenses where other platforms cannot survive. There also will be a continuing need for advanced, unmanned, ISR aircraft that can combine stealth, great speed and high-altitude flight. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works advanced projects organization has been working for some time on new high-speed, high- altitude UAV designs.

LRS will be a reflection of the growing demand for more and better integrated ISR, says Carlisle. It still appears to be one of the few areas where expansion will continue despite predictions from Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz that only 10% of the ISR projects of interest will actually become new program starts.

Industry’s plan for improving ISR focuses both on high-and low-end conflicts. The low-end effort against terrorists and insurgents will involve improving sensor resolution and fields of view, adding computing power, creating advanced algorithms, fusing data and packaging those refined capabilities into snap-in, snap-out kits for use on low-cost commercial aircraft.
In the high-end conflict, manned platforms may largely disappear from the forces designed to penetrate a foe’s most dangerous threat rings. Instead, unmanned, stealthy aircraft will operate as penetrating sensor and weapons-carrying adjuncts to the manned fleet. Manned aircraft would likely occupy a middle ground where they could also replicate some missions conducted by the RC-135W Rivet Joint (signals intelligence), E-3 AWACS (command and control) and E-8B Joint Stars (radar ground surveillance), although at ranges much closer to the tactical, high-threat arena.

Legacy aircraft that survive the defense drawdown—primarily late-model F-16s, earlier F/A-18s, F-15Cs and ­F-15Es—will be upgraded with variants of sensor packages being developed for those fleets of ISR aircraft that are already operating around the world. Fighters will take on more ISR roles so they can contribute to the larger, common picture of the battlefield.

As the U.S. Air Force—and by association, many of the world’s smaller military aviation arms—become smaller and less well funded, they may actually be carrying considerably smarter payloads over the next decade.

Only two aircraft have been built for sensor fusion and as a system of systems: the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

“But we’re never going to turn a legacy platform into an integrated system, simply because their avionics are federated,” which makes the cost too great, says Jim Hvizd, Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems vice president for international strategy and business development. And because of the lack of stealth, “they would have to stand off so far from the target area to survive that the upgrades wouldn’t make sense.” The trick, then, is to identify key technologies that can increase sensor ranges and enable the use of standoff weapons to keep nonstealthy aircraft relevant to high-end combat.

“So we’re looking at getting the value and capacity of active, electronically scanned array [AESA] technology for radars into platforms like the F-16, earlier F/A-18s and other markets like the new USAF tanker,” Hvizd says. “As that takes shape, we’re continuing to evolve systems where we’ve integrated AESA, electronic warfare and even EO/IR [electro-optical/infrared] to make federated architectures relevant. Will they be an F-35? No, but they can operate effectively in a networked battlefield.”

More importantly, an AESA increases radar ranges 2-3 times beyond that of a conventional, mechanically scanned system. Exploitation of the data it collects also can be greatly improved.

“We’re being pushed to make those systems figure out things that are important to the aircrew before they have to screen all the data,” says Hvizd. “We can process an image, a frequency response or a measurement, and do more earlier so that decisions can be made about where the information should go and what we can blend with it. As the frequency spectrum in which we operate becomes wider, our advanced work is letting us [refine] cross-cueing and electronic warfare-AESA integration. We can mix and match sensor suites and put advanced capabilities into the air.”

Another focus area for Raytheon will be hyperspectral imaging (HSI).

With insurgents operating in areas with different foliage and terrain, if signals-gathering and exploitation are integrated with HSI, the capability allows operators to understand where and how the targets are moving while their communications reveal what they are likely to do. HSI in particular has proven helpful in human-activity pattern monitoring when combined with moving-target indicator technology.
AESA radar technology in particular will be a commercial battleground. Currently, some U.S. developers contend that European and Russian AESA capabilities are a decade behind those of the U.S.

The Israelis, for example, “have something that is flyable but whether it is producible is a question,” a longtime U.S. radar specialist asserts. “Producibility is all in how much power you can get out of each module and how easily you can get consistent performance.”

Other U.S. analysts disagree. They note that the French company Selex has AESAs in service or full-scale development on three U.S. programs—Customs and Border Protection Citations and King Airs, and Coast Guard HC-130s.

Another point of criticism is that foreign systems often combine a mechanical with an electronic scan.

“It’s not a computing issue as much as it is trying to [create] beam agility,” the U.S. specialist says. “It’s also hydraulics and trying to move a big AESA at high speeds. [Some European developers] were moving the antennas around at 80-100 degrees per second. I don’t know if you want to do that. It’s a more complex algorithm. You have to decide, as that processing frame [functions], if the antenna is moving and in what direction, and electronically where the beam is within that physical movement.”

U.S. AESA radars don’t move physically and are limited to a field of view of roughly 120 deg. before reduction in effective aperture becomes a problem. U.S. analysts contend that the battle will take place front of their fighters and strike aircraft. By comparison, European and Russian developers want a 360-deg. scan AESA.

“It’s very much a tactics-based” decision to use a hybrid AESA, says a longtime military analyst with insight into European systems. “The idea is to get supersonic maneuvering and acceleration. You want to accelerate for maximum launch speed and range [of your weapon] and then crank [into a high-speed turn] to extend the distance the enemy’s missile will have to travel while still being able to track your own missile.”
Source:AviationWeek

Agni-5 to fly halfway to Antarctica

After three successful ballistic missile tests during the past fortnight, the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) is finalising preparations for the big one. In December, the giant Agni-5 missile will blast off from Wheeler Island, on the Orissa coast, travelling its full range of 5,000 km to a target in the southern Indian Ocean.

Agni-5 is debuting with a full-range test for two reasons. First, so that there is no question about how far it can strike. Second, to test not just the missile, but also whether the DRDO’s monitoring networks can cope with such enormous ranges, tracking the Agni-5 every moment en route to a target 5,000 km away. This will involve transporting a DRDO team and its tracking equipment on Indian Navy warships deep into the southern reaches of the Indian Ocean.

“The Agni-5 missile will travel halfway to Antarctica. The missile’s designers are certain (about the range) but we will demonstrate it for the users,” says Avinash Chander, chief controller for missiles and strategic systems at DRDO.

As director of the Hyderabad-based Advanced Systems Laboratory, he oversaw much of Agni-5’s development. Talking exclusively to Business Standard, he describes how the three-stage, 50-tonne, 17.5-metre high missile will be powered off the Wheeler Island launch pad by its giant first stage; within minutes, it will be in space, powered by a new, all-composite second stage. After heading southwards for 2,000 km, will cross the equator. Then, it will hurtle through space for another 3,000 km or so, re-entering the atmosphere over the Tropic of Capricorn and splashing down at the target somewhere between the southern tip of Africa and Australia.

Following international practice, the DRDO will issue advisories before the test, giving out the launch window and warning shipping and air traffic to stay clear of the target area.

Explains Chander: “No Indian missile has ever travelled so far, except for Isro rockets. But those remain in space and there is no requirement to monitor their re-entry. Besides, space is a collaborative environment, with establishments worldwide cooperating in tracking a rocket. For the Agni-5, we have to develop a network of tracking systems, which will do the job out to 5,000 km and beyond. And, our ships will have to be at the target area to collect the data.”

While the Indian Navy had declined to officially comment, senior sources confirm one of their Offshore Patrol Vessels would position itself at the target end, with a DRDO team on board, equipped with tracking and communications equipment.

The DRDO predicts a highly accurate missile, which will strike within a few hundred metres of the designated target, even after travelling 5,000 km. This would allow the operational version of the Agni-5 to carry a smaller nuclear warhead. “Megaton warheads were used when accuracies were low. Now we talk of (accuracy of) a few hundred metres. That allows a smaller warhead, perhaps 150-250 kilotons, to cause substantial damage. We don’t want to cause wanton damage (with megaton warheads),” says Chander.

EFFECT, FEATURES
The Agni-5’s 5,000-km range, say nuclear strategists, is carefully calibrated. It can reach targets across the globe, except for America and Australia. This prevents alarm bells from going off in friendly capitals, while establishing and strengthening nuclear deterrence against all possible enemies.

“Agni-5 will take us to the 5,000-km plus class of missile systems, which meets all our threat requirements,” said V K Saraswat, the DRDO chief, at a public function recently.

The range keeps it just in the class of intermediate range ballistic missiles, whose range is 3,000-5,500 km. DRDO sources indicate the Agni-5 could easily be ramped up into an intercontinental ballistic missile, having a range greater than 5500 km.

Agni-5 is similar in size and weight to its predecessor, the Agni-3, with a range of 3,500 km. The extensive use of composite materials allows Agni-5 to propel a warhead 1,500 km further. While the first stage remains unchanged from Agni-3, the second stage is significantly lighter, made of composites. This has allowed a third stage, also composite, to be fitted, extending the range.

Engineering the third stage was a major technology challenge. “The third stage, which slopes into the warhead stage, has a conical motor. So far, we have only been doing cylindrical motors, never a shaped motor,” explains Chander.

Another distinctive feature is its ‘canisterisation’. Hermetically sealed into an airtight canister that is mounted on a flatbed truck, the missile can be easily transported and fired quickly, by hydraulically raising the canister into the vertical firing position. Made from high-strength maraging steel, the canister must absorb enormous stresses during firing, when a thrust of 300-400 tonnes is generated to eject the 50-tonne missile The canister also provides a hermitically sealed atmosphere, in which the missile is stored safely for years.

Source:BS