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HAL’s trainer aircraft headed for disaster as development costs soar

The plan to build a Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) at home is headed for a nosedive as defence ministry has to take a crucial call on going ahead with the project because of high costs involved and a shaky delivery deadline promised by the aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The IAF, which is in dire need of basic trainers for rookie pilots, had projected requirement for more than 180 of these aircraft to smoothly run its problem-ridden flying training programme. 

The government gave the go-ahead to buy 75 BTAs from foreign vendor and the remaining was to be delivered by Bangalore-based HAL which attempted to make a new aircraft, named HTT-40.

The IAF ordered 75 Swiss Pilatus PC-7 trainers last year of which 14 have been delivered on a fast-track basis as they were required urgently.

These aircraft would be formally inducted into IAF on May 31 by junior defence minister Jitender Singh, paving the way for starting training from July onwards.

All 75 aircraft are expected to be delivered by 2015, as per the contract terms.

The delay

Even as the new aircraft started arriving, the HAL’s plan to build the basic trainer has not made much headway.

As per the project report submitted by the company in 2011, it had promised to deliver two aircraft by 2019 and 10 by 2021.

At this rate, the IAF can begin training on home-built BTAs only by 2022. The delay has already forced IAF to begin the process to exercise “option clause” with Pilatus to buy another 38 aircraft.

The Defence Acquisition Council had mandated IAF to exercise the clause to buy more aircraft from the foreign vendor only if HAL’s HTT-40 does not take off before the delivery of first Pilatus PC-7.

With first Pilatus arriving in February and HTT-40 nowhere in sight, the IAF will go for 38 more PC-7s. The defence ministry has also been made aware that HTT-40 is going to cost at least the double the amount charged by the Swiss company for PC-7.

A detailed cost analysis showed that a Pilatus PC-7 was purchased for Rs 30 crore per aircraft.

Whereas HAL’s own cost structure showed that at 2011 price for 106 aircraft, each HTT-40 will cost Rs 34.9 crore. If capital cost is added then the price tag goes up to Rs 37.95 crore.

By adding design and development cost along with per annum escalation, the final cost of HTT-40 comes to Rs 67.6 crore per aircraft, double the price of PC-7.

The HAL insists that unlike Pilatus PC-7, its BTA will have a multi-role capability as it could be armed for weapon training.

It raises a question if a multi-role capability was required at all in a basic trainer. The defence ministry will also have to grapple with the issue of duplicity of trainers, which will escalate infrastructure costs further.

It will also go into the aspect if HTT-40 is based on a Beechraft aircraft which had lost bid to Pilatus. The IAF has been managing its pilot training programme without a basic trainer for some years

SOURCE: MAIL TODAY

Production of Dhruv ALH for Indian Army Gets Rolling At HAL

After years of indecision and delayed certification from the Army, state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has started work on the production of 159 Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) to be handed over to the Indian Army. The helicopter division of HAL has already produced ALHs which have been handed over to the Border Security Force and exported to foreign nations.

In a recent media report, top HAL officials indicated that close to 100 ALH helicopters that are flying in India and abroad. HAL has already handed over seven ALHs to Border Security Force (BSF) with a firm order in hand for 159 ALH for the army, HAL will now be focusing on the production and the delivery of these choppers is expected to begin next year. HAL officials added that it is focusing on producing Weapon System Integrated (WSI) ALH and the work is gaining good momentum on that front. HAL will also offer the Dhruv ALH for homeland security and police forces.

According to HAL’s helicopter division, the Dhruv ALH is one of the most superior choppers for pilot comfort and its handling features. HAL’s helicopter division has manufactured over 100 Dhruv ALHs. Besides handing over seven ALHs to Border Security Force (BSF) recently for anti-insurgency operations, the helicopter division has also produced ALHs which have been exported to Ecuador, Mauritius and Maldives. The helicopter division of HAL has also produced more than 600 Cheetah and Chetak helicopters and has several orders lined up.

The Indian Army had been skeptical on confirming the order for a while due to various pertaining to Dhruv’s performance level in the long run. However, the Indian Army Chief recently indicated that the army is satisfied with the Dhruv ALH and is going for 159 choppers. The Army Chief V.K.Singh has indicated earlier that they were dissatisfied due to maintenance and serviceability factor of the choppers. The Indian Army had to request the Defence Ministry for greater improvement in the helicopter's design and more efforts by HAL to ensure that the serviceability of the helicopter remains much high.

While the Dhruv ALH is considered an indigenous chopper, there has been much speculation on the indigenous content of the Dhruv ALH. According to HAL, while more than half of the raw material is imported, the percentage of the number of components that are made in India for the Dhruv ALH is over 85 per cent. The raw material is sourced from abroad but its design, development, testing, qualification and manufacturing occurs in India. Besides, the entire avionics is also produced locally. While basic raw materials from which the helicopter is made has to be exported, HAL proposes to do value-addition to the material. 

Source:DefenceNow

India to present Dornier aircraft to Seychelles

India will gift a Dornier DO-228aircraft to Seychelles to carry out surveillance and anti-piracy missions.

Defence minister AK Antony will present Hindustan Aironautics Limited’s Dornier DO-228 aircraft to Seychelles President James Michel on January 31.

Seychelles and HAL had signed a contract for two aircrafts on February 2012, and promised to deliver by 2014. However, HAL is handing over one of the aircrafts a year in advance.

General manager of HAL, Kanpur D Balasubramaniyam said at a press conference here on Thursday that HAL has manufactured a total of 117 Dornier DO-228 aircrafts till now, and presented to regional air services, defence forces — Coast Guard, Navy and Air Force.

In 2013-14, HAL is planning to make 30 Dornier DO-228 aircrafts for Air Force, Navy and DRDO, and 10 aircrafts for South Africa, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Philippines, Thailand and Ecuador, he said. India has also presented two Dornier aircrafts to Mauritius.

The GM said since the central government is planning to connect small cities to metros and bigger cities, they have asked HAL to increase manufacturing of Dornier to be used as civil passenger aircrafts.

This highly fuel-efficient and low maintenance aircraft can fly for 5.5 hours upto 2,500 kilometres and needs only 750 meter space for runway.

Dornier 228 aircraft has two Garrett TPE Engines and fuel efficiency of 2,859 ltr with maximum speed at 428 km per hour.

HAL was given the licence by Dornier GmbH of Germany to manufacture Dornier as a light transport aircraft on November 29, 1983.

Two crew members and 15-19 passengers can sit in the aircraft.

The Dornier DO-228 aircraft can be used for air taxi, utility, corporate, aircrew training, apart from maritime surveillance, search & rescue and for observation & communication duties.

HAL will provide diesel auto pilot facility and glass cockpit aircrafts to Indian Air Force and foreign countries.

Source:PTI

Aero India-2013 to begin at Bangalore Feb 6

The ninth edition of Aero India will be held Feb 6-10 at Bangalore with over 53 civil and military aircraft from leading manufacturers across the globe expected to participate in the event, an official said Monday.

“I hope it will be bigger show compared to earlier editions… We are getting support from various stakeholders. Hope it will turn out to be very good show,” Secretary (Defence Production) R.K. Mathur told reporters here.

Mathur said China has been invited but no had been received confirmation as yet.

He said the aero show provides an ideal window of opportunity to companies to not only network with Indian industries but also benefit from the sharing of expertise in research and development and product support with other global players.

“The show has its own merits for development of defence industry in the country,” Mathur said.

Aerobatic teams from India, Russia and the Czeh Republic will take part in the event.

He said leading engineering colleges from the country would display designs of their students.

Mathur said that so far participation of 53 aircraft in the event has been confirmed. However, he said more confirmations were expected. “We expect the number to be higher than the last year.” Aero India-2011 had featured 63 aircraft.

The official said of the aircraft participating, 55 percent were civilian.

Mathur said business done due to Aero India shows had led “to offsets of Rs.19,000 crore”. He said business opportunities of Rs.14,000 crore have already been generated for the private sector. Since 2006, all defence deals above Rs.300 crore require the vendors to reinvest 30 percent in India’s defence industry

Aero India is a biennial air show held at Yelahanka Air Force Station in Bangalore and aims to bring under one roof exhibitors from around the globe to showcase the best in aviation.

India is projected to become the third largest defence spender after the US and China. The total defence capital budget in 12th Five Year Plan is estimated to be Rs.4,45,500 crore with capital acquisition budget ranging up to 85 percent on average.

Source:IANS

Military ties on mind, Beijing set to attend Aero India show

Beijing is likely to send a team for the Aero India show being held in Bangalore next month after an invitation was sent to the Chinese Air Force chief by the IAF. While it is unclear if the officer will attend, a senior-level delegation is expected to come.

The mega event attracts prominent aerospace companies of the world.

The invite comes amid indications that Beijing is reaching out to New Delhi and wants a new kind of engagement. It marks a change from 2011 when India had excluded China from the event but had sent out a last-minute invitation to its embassy in New Delhi. At the time, military relations were at a low over the denial of a visa to an Indian lieutenant general, as he was commanding troops in Jammu and Kashmir.

However, that seems to be a thing of the past with India going all out to ensure a cordial atmosphere at Aero India for the visit.

A detailed note is said to have been prepared to ensure that there was no discomfiture on account of the Taiwanese participation. So while Taiwan-based companies are welcome, they will be participating in their individual capacity and not as part of a national delegation. Neither will the name of Taiwan as a nation be allowed to be mentioned at individual stalls, nor will its flag or national anthem figure anywhere.

There is an assessment that China is reaching out to India given its recent engagement on the eastern side, including the island disputes.

After the recent visit of Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma to Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei spoke of building “new type of military to military relations featuring lasting stability and friendly cooperation”. After the meeting, the Chinese spokesperson termed military relations between the two countries as an “important indicator of the depth of the bilateral cooperation”.

A joint army war game is also expected this year after a gap of almost four years.

Source:TNN

Russian T-50 made its first long flight – Rogozin

fifth-generation fighter T-50 made ??its first independent long flight, take to the air in the Far East and landed in Zhukovsky near Moscow said on Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin.

“Promising aviation complex tactical aircraft (PAK FA) T-50 after the first solo flight from the Far East landed in Zhukovsky,” – he wrote in his microblog on twitter.

Deputy Prime Minister noted that the aircraft is equipped with almost the full avionics and surveillance and attack systems.

“This is a major breakthrough! Machine broke 7000 miles, making the road to the capital of two landing in Abakan and Chelyabinsk. Congratulations team of developers and testers” – said Rogozin.

PAK FA – fifth generation aircraft equipped with a fundamentally new avionics, the “electronic pilot” and promising radar with a phased antenna array. The first flight took place on January 29, 2010 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, the first public demonstration of the fighter – August 17, 2011 in Zhukovsky near Moscow at the International Aviation and Space Salon MAKS-2011.

Source:RIA

India mulls huge increase in Rafale order, may buy up to 189 fighter jets

PARIS: India could buy up to 189 of the Rafale fighter jets currently being used by France to bomb Islamist militants in Mali, sources close to negotiations on the multi-billion dollar deal have told AFP.

The possibility of an additional 63 jets being added to an expected order for 126 was raised during a visit by India's foreign minister Salman Khurshid to Paris last week, they said.

"There is an option for procurement of an additional 63 aircrafts subsequently for which a separate contract would need to be signed," a source said.

"Presently the contract under negotiation is for 126 aircraft but we are talking about the follow-up."

India's contemplation of a much bigger than anticipated extension of its airpower will inevitably cause concern in neighbouring Pakistan given the permanently simmering tensions between the two countries.

The Indian press has estimated the value of the deal for 126 Rafales at $12 billion (nine billion euros).

A 50 per cent increase in the number of planes ordered would take it to around $18 billion, in a huge boost for the struggling French defence industry, although much of the economic benefit will be shared with India.

New Delhi selected France's Dassault Aviation as its preferred candidate to equip the Indian Air Force with new fighter jets in January 2012.

Under the deal on the table, the first 18 Rafales will be built in France but the next 108 will be assembled in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd in Bangalore.

"The first aircraft will be delivered three years after signature of the contract," the source added.

An industry expert said the time lag reflected India's request for two-seater jets rather than the one-seater model that Dassault currently produces.

India has insisted that the deal involves significant technology transfer and that Indian suppliers secure work equivalent to around half of the value of the contract.

"The negociations for off-sets are progressing well," the source added.

The conclusion of the deal has been repeatedly delayed, with India having initially set a target of the end of last year, which slipped to March 31, 2013, the end of the current fiscal year.

French defence sources said last week that was unlikely to be met but voiced confidence it would finally be done, a stance echoed by Khurshid on his visit to Paris.

"We know good French wine takes time to mature and so do good contracts," Khurshid said after a meeting with French foreign minister Laurent Fabius.

"The contract details are being worked out. A decision has already been taken, just wait a little for the cork to pop and you'll have some good wine to taste."

Dassault and the French government are hoping that India's decision will have a positive influence on other potential buyers of the Rafale, who include Brazil, which is in the market for 36 planes, Canada, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates.

The Rafale was used in a combat situation for the first time during the French-led Nato campaign which deposed Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011 and they have been active in Mali since the weekend.

Source:TOI

India test-fires manoeuvrable version of BrahMos missile

NEW DELHI: India on Wednesday successfully test-fired a highly manoeuvrable version of the 290-km range supersonic cruise missile BrahMosfrom a naval warship off the coast of Vishakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal.

"At 9.30 am, the missile blasted off in a pre-designated war scenario taking a 'double-manoeuvre in S-form' hitting the designated target ship just one meter above water line. The sheer velocity and power of hit made the missile rip through the ship's hull," BrahMos Aerospace CEO A Sivathanu Pillai said on Wednesday.

This is the 34th launch of BrahMos after the successful October launch from INS Teg in the Arabian Sea.

The BrahMos missile system was inducted into the Indian Navy in 2005 when it began arming the Rajput-class guided missile destroyers and inducted subsequently in many warships.

BrahMos is capable of acquiring data not only from the American GPS but also from Russian GLONASS satellite systems also, which ensures double redundancy.

In the last stage, the seeker takes over and the target is located with accuracy of a few meters which ensures no chances of survival for the target.

"This has been proved once again today and with bulls eye accuracy," officials said.

Defence minister A K Antony congratulated the warship commander and Indian Navy and BrahMos team for the demonstration of capabilities, they said.

Source:TOI