Letter To Indian Media - By SarojKharel

To Indian media,

I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart for the help your country has provided at this time of crisis in my country, Nepal. All the Nepalese in and outside of the country are thankful to your country.

However, me being a Nepali outside from my motherland, when saw your news and news reports, my heart cried and hurt more than those destruction caused by 7.9 Richter magnitude of earthquake. Like all the medical personnel are taught and trained for potential disasters in future, as a reporter, I hope there is some kind of training on how to report different events. Your media and media personnel are acting like they are shooting some kind of family serials. If your media person can reach to the places where the relief supplies have not reached, at this time of crisis can’t they take a first-aid kit or some food supplies with them as well?

There has been one viral news report going on where a reporter presented how people were fighting for food and one women got injured badly. Thanks to the reporter who had enough time to grab the victim and bring to the camera to show the victim hurt badly on her head. But how surprising, he did not have a minute to grab a piece of cloth to stop bleeding . That reporter did not have a minute to grab the wrist of that person who was beating others with helmet. There was of course a cameraman who does not want to miss a second so that a dramatic news could be presented. I think you are a human before you become a media person. As a responsible person, it was your duty to save someone.

Next, there was this one reporter who had so much time to disturb the rescue workers on asking about technology. If you cannot save one life on that spot, could you please stop bothering others? It looks like , the reporter is new to the world of technology. A show where these technology launching program happens would be better for him to host. Thanks to tons of reporters who came to Nepal from those rescue planes of India, you took a seat where a victim could be transported to hospitals/ health camps. Thanks to you all reporters, you took a seat where a bag of food and supplies could be placed to send to those hardly hit places.

As a human, show your humanity. There are enough programs in this world of television where people can see dramatic shows, family serials, horror shows and nonsense reality shows. You do not have to add more at least in this time of crisis.

MESSAGE TO ALL THE MEDIA PEOPLE WHO ARE ON GROUND NOW IN NEPAL:

Your duty as a reporter is not just to capture the scenario and interview people. If you have access to these critical areas hit hard by earthquake, please take some first-aid kit with you. Take some food supplies, tent and water with you. You don’t have to show how government is not able to send supply there. At least you could reach there, so why can’t you all team up. We Nepali people have already seen and experienced weakness and selfishness of our government all our years. At least this time, everyone show your duty as a human.

MEDIA IS A POWER, IF USED CAREFULLY. OTHERWISE IT COULD ACT LIKE A WEAPON KILLING THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE.

I hope my message will reach out to all the reporters out there.

Thank you,
Sunita Shakya

Source:http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1238314

Astra missile from sukhoi

A fighter aircraft's lethality in air-to-air combat is governed by the air-to-air missile that it carries. Since the Independence, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has mounted French, Russian and British missiles on its fighters. On Sunday, an IAF Sukhoi-30MKI fighter conducted the first test launch of the indigenous Astra air-to-air missile, which the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) is developing at its missile cluster in Hyderabad.

The Astra air-to-air missile is the smallest missile on the DRDO's menu, which has achieved notable successes in giant ballistic missiles like the Agni Series. Yet the Astra is among the DRDO's biggest technological challenges.

The Astra, tested over the sea off Goa on Sunday, was launched by a Sukhoi-30MKI fighter that slung the missile on an under-wing pylon. Already travelling at several hundred kilometres an hour (the speed of the aircraft at the time of launch), the missile's smokeless propellant quickly accelerates it to about 4,000 kmph in an operational launch, as it screams towards the target fighter. A data link with the Sukhoi-30MKI continuously updates the missile, steering it towards a target that might have detected the missile and is manoeuvring to get away. At 15 km from the target, the Astra's on-board seeker picks up the target and homes in on it. Reaching near the target, a radio proximity fuse detonates the Astra warhead metres from the target, shooting it down.

The launch at Goa on Sunday tested only the separation of the missile from the Sukhoi-30 fighter. As testing continues, the missile will be launched against an actual target, and perform increasingly difficult manoeuvres that ensure the target cannot get away by twisting and turning at high speeds.

The near impossibility of escaping from an air-to-air missile that has a "lock" on a fighter was memorably depicted in the Hollywood film, Behind Enemy Lines.

"The air-launch was captured by side and forward-looking high-speed cameras and the separation (of missile from aircraft) was exactly according to the simulation," said a DRDO press release, after the Sunday test.

Key components of the Astra missile - such as the seeker head - remain imported. A seeker is being developed, but will take a decade to be usable.

The air launcher, a rail on which the missile hangs and from which it is launched, is a Russian Vympel launcher that is being built in India. It will allow the Astra to be fired from all four of India's current generation fighters - the Su-30MKI, MiG-29, Mirage 2000 and the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft.

Astra components that the DRDO has successfully developed indigenously include the data link between aircraft and missile, its on-board computer, inertial navigation system, the radio proximity fuse and the fibre-optic gyroscope.

The current version of the Astra will be followed by a longer-range Astra Mark II, which can be launched at enemy fighters 80 km away. The Mark II, which will have a state-of-the-art ring-laser gyro, is expected to be flight tested later this year.

The Astra Project Director Dr S Venugopal, said multiple agencies, including private Indian companies, had contributed to the missile. He said, "The air launch of Astra was perfect in all respects… HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd) carried out the modification in Su-30 along with IAF specialists, and many Indian industries have an important and enabling role in the production of reliable avionics, propulsion system, materials, airframe and software."

Source:BS

INS Vikramaditya video

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