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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Saudi Arabia to ASsk for 72 F-15 Eagle Fighters Jets

Saudi Arabia's king is due to travel to Washington to meet Barack Obama, the US president, to discuss Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking, the nuclear standoff with Iran, and economic co-operation.The two sides could also agree on arms deals to build Riyadh's defensive capabilities against Iran's threat, including a long-pending request for as many as 72 F-15 Eagle tactical fighters, according to defense industry sources.

Monday, June 28, 2010

USA to Offer Both F-35B and F-35C for Indian Navy RFI for Carrier-Borne Fighters

Lockheed Martin Vice President Orville Prins said his company will offer the B and C model of the F-35 for the Indian Navy RFI on carrier-borne fighters.
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Indian Military Asked to Prepare for Two-Front War Scenario with China and Pakistan

In an unprecedented move that has confirmed India’s concerns about China’s growing military might, the Government has for the first time given a directive in writing to the armed forces to enhance their military capabilities vis-a-vis the neighbouring country and prepare for a two-front war scenario with China and Pakistan. Asking the armed forces to prepare themselves to fight simultaneous wars on the eastern and western fronts with China and Pakistan, Defence Minister AK Antony has directed the chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force to rapidly modernise and upgrade their weapon systems and tone up operational preparedness.  Explaining the significance of the directive, the sources maintained that it came against the backdrop of the armed forces’ apprehensions about the rapid modernisation programme of their Chinese counterparts.

IAF feels DRDO Fronting for French Engine

IAF feels DRDO fronting for French engine, citing ‘joint development’. The IAF report, currently with the highest levels of the MoD, makes two points. First, since the DRDO has been unable, for over two decades, to deliver a Kaveri engine that can power the Tejas, the ongoing procurement — of either the General Electric (GE) F-414, or the Eurojet EJ200 engine — should go ahead.The IAF’s second objection is even more damning for the DRDO: Snecma, the IAF charges, has already developed the heart of the engine it is offering, an uprated derivative of the M88-2 engine that powers the French Rafale fighter.Further, says a top IAF source, a Kaveri engine based on Snecma’s new core will leave the Tejas short of performance, providing barely 83-85 Kilonewtons (KN) of maximum thrust.

IAF Gets Feel of PAF’s Most Modern F-16 Block 52 Fighter Aircraft

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has got a feel of Pakistan’s most modern fighter aircraft during a multi-nation exercise in France even before the aircraft have been delivered to the Pakistani Air Force (PAF). Later this week, Pakistan will get its most modern fighter aircraft when the US delivers the first four of the advanced Block 52 F 16 aircraft as part of a deal to upgrade its military. However, the IAF has sparred with the Block 52 version of the fighter — which is considered to be a generation ahead of the existing F 16 fleet of the PAF — during Exercise Garuda that is currently underway at the Istres Air Base in France. The IAF, which has deployed its SU 30MKI fighters for the exercise, has conducted aerial duels and joint missions to fully gauge the capabilities of the ‘enemy’ fighter. Pakistan is to get 18 of the Block 52 versions of the F 16 fighters under a deal with the US.

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Iran has Enough Low-Enriched Uranium for Two Weapons: CIA Director Leon Panetta

Iran has enough low-enriched uranium to make two weapons, which it could have prepared and ready for delivery as early as 2012, CIA director Leon Panetta warned."We think they have enough low-enriched uranium for two weapons," Panetta told the ABC network's "This Week" program.

Tehran would need a year to enrich it fully to produce a bomb and it would take "another year to develop the kind of weapon delivery system in order to make that viable," he said.Iran is under mounting international pressure over its suspect nuclear program, which the West fears masks a covert weapons drive.The Islamic republic vehemently denies the charge, but has been flexing its military muscle mainly in the strategic Gulf region by staging regular war games and showcasing an array of Iran-manufactured missiles.

Mahindra & Mahindra to Start Manufacturing RG-31 Mine Protected Vehicle

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) and UK’s BAE Systems will soon start manufacturing the RG-31 — a mine-proof vehicle — in the country for the Indian Army and police forces operating in Maoist strongholds. Sources in M&M, which has entered the defence automotive business, said the automobile major was also looking at producing the FH77 B05 Advanced Howitzer, already in use in the country. BAE Systems has supplied 165 mine-proof vehicles to the Indian Army and another 600 to the US, UN and Canadian forces. The monocoque hull of the RG-31, made of welded armour steel, is supposed to protect occupants against anti-tank mines and has a modular interior layout. The vehicle can be configured as an armoured personnel carrier, ambulance and surveillance vehicle. The air-conditioned vehicle can carry up to 10 people.

Sunday, June 27, 2010

C-130J-30 Super Hercules on Order for Indian Air Force is Ready for Flight Test

The first of six C-130J-30 Super Hercules on order for the Indian Air Force is ready for a flight test.The first C-130J Super Hercules in IAF colours ''The aircraft now enters flight test in preparation for delivery at the end of the year,'' Lockheed says. ''The six C-130Js will give the Indian army and air force new special operations capabilities.'' The six C-130J-30s will cost the IAF $1.059 billion. The stretched-fuselage C-130J-30 will be delivered to the IAF in approximately six months time.
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F-16 C/D Block 52 Fighter Aircraft Handed Over to Pakistan Air Force

Latest version F-16 C/D Block 52 fighter aircraft, which arrived yesterday, were handed over to Pakistan Air Force in an august ceremony held at PAF Base, Shahbaz (Jacobabad), today. General Norton A Schwartz, Chief of Staff, United States Air Force who is specially visiting Pakistan for the occasion attending the ceremony.

Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, Chief of the Air Staff, PAF, US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson, Vide Admiral Michael LeFever, US Defence Representative in Pakistan, along with other senior PAF, USAF, civil and military officials were also present on the occasion. Lt Gen Hostage of USAF (Centcom) handed over the documents of the newly inducted aircraft to Air Marshal Mohammad Hasan, Deputy Chief of Air Staff (Operations), Pakistan Air Force.

Air Chief while addressing at the occasion said, “PAF Base, Shahbaz has been developed into a modern Base capable of handling state of the art and most modern fighter aircraft of the world in less than one year. Completion of this task in a record time reflects the spirit of PAF, which is used to working against heavy odds and meeting the assigned tasks within the available limited resources. These new aircraft will begin a new era of hitech environment in the PAF. This technology will not only eliminate our existing limitations
of precision night operations but also enable the PAF to meet its mission more effectively.

The mission of the PAF is to Maintain Peace with Honour in the Region: should this primary effort of maintaining peace fail, we will use our resources including these aircraft to defend our country against any internal or external threats.” This handing over formally starts the delivery of the fleet of 18 F-16 C/D Block 52 fighter aircraft to Pakistan. PAF would receive these state-of-the-art aircraft from the US Govt in different batches. AIM-120 C5 BVRAAM for these F-16s have already been delivered to Pakistan. The delivery of all 18 aircraft would complete by the end of this year.In addition to delivery of 18 aircraft the US would also help Pakistan in upgrading existing lot of F-16s matching to the latest version.

Royal Air Force Helicopter Crews Train in Jordanian desert to Prepare for Afghanistan

Royal Air Force helicopter crews have been training together for the first time in the Jordanian desert. As many prepare to go to Afghanistan for the first time, over 300 personnel from RAF Benson and RAF Odiham took part in Exercise Desert Vortex.

Wing Commander John Watson was the Detachment Commander during the month long Exercise at King Faisal Air Base, near Amman in Jordan. “This is the first bi-lateral training Exercise between the Royal Jordanian Air Force and elements of our Joint Helicopter Force. We have had 6 Chinooks from RAF Odiham and 3 Merlins from RAF Benson, along with aircrew, engineers and support staff from the two Stations. There were three main reasons to use Jordan; to develop relationships with their Air Force, to carry out pre deployment training for Afghanistan and to provide environmental training in realistic and similar conditions to those we will face on Operations.”

Saturday, June 26, 2010

Soldiers from US Army, US Air Force, Iraqi Army Teams to Conduct Exercise

Soldiers from the 1st Advise and Assist Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division and Air Force F-16 fighters teamed for four days with the 17th Iraqi Army Division conducting a full-scale defensive-fires exercise at the Besmaya Range Complex outside Baghdad.

The exercise was designed to show the full training possibilities available from individual weapons qualification to full-scale exercises to Iraqi Army and Iraqi Federal Police commanders from across the city.

"The main purpose was to show the Iraqi Security Forces how they can best utilize the range," said Maj. Robert Olszewski, the 1st AAB information operations officer. He said the joint training also helps the ISF develop and tailor itself to meet future needs.

INS Sindhurakshak to be Delivered in Severodvinsk for Refit

Indian diesel electric submarine Sindhurakshak (stands for "Sea Giant") will be delivered to Zvezdochka shipyard (Severodvinsk) for modernization late July, said Nadezhda Scherbinina, the head of Zvezdochka press service.According to her, a dock vessel with the submarine on board sailed off Indian port last weekend and laid a course for Severodvinsk. "Estimated time of the cruise is 40 days", specified Mrs. Scherbinina.Delegations of Zvezdochka shipyard and Indian defense ministry signed a contract on June 4 in Delhi providing overhaul and modernization of INS Sindhurakshak which will take 2-2.5 years.

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Induction of F 16 Block 52 will Enhance the Effectiveness of PAF

Adding potency to PAF’s fleet, three most modern F-16 aircraft would be inducted at the newly upgraded base under the Southern Air Command of the country on Sunday.Delivery of Block-52 type of F-16 aircraft, especially designed to ably meet with the country’s present and future needs is a part of goodwill gesture by the United States.Pakistan is the second country after Israel to get these state of the art aircraft from the US.

Total 18 aircraft, equipped with Modern Electronic Warfare gadgets like Sniper Pods, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Threat Warning System (TWS), Beyond Visual Range missiles, and Night Precision Guided missile have to be supplied to Pakistan by the end of the current year and three of them would be reaching as part of the first batch at the newly upgraded airbase Shahabaz (Jackobabad) of the PAF.

The Base, prior to this was being used as Forward Operating Base (FOB) by the PAF but very recently it has been upgraded to home F-16 Block 52 aircraft by installing state of the art gadgetry, equipment and radar system.

The aircraft including two D class and one C class would directly fly from the USA (Tuscon) and after making almost 8 hours flight would land at the Shahbaz base on Saturday.

“The induction of the F 16 Block 52 into PAF’s arsenal would go a long way in enhancing the potency of the PAF and would offset the technological superiority of the adversary in the domain of air power,” a spokesman of PAF told mediapersons while briefing about the induction of the aircraft.
The effects of inclusion of this aircraft and the associated weapons in PAF’s inventory would be further boosted by the addition of the Mid Life Update (MLU) modified F16s in early 2012.

PAF’s F16 fleet along with the locally developed JF 17 and the recently acquired Airborne Early Warning fleet would pose a formidable challenge to the enemy’s offensive designs.

He said that the aircraft can simultaneously carry a variety of arms and ammunition with the capability to engage the adversary in different types of attack and combat environment.

About the technical training for the repair and upgradation of F-16, he said a total of 113 PAF personnel including 32 Officers and 81 technicians have already completed their training at USA and are waiting to manage and operate these aircraft in Pakistan.

In addition to that, he said 8 pilots of PAF have been imparted operational training of the aircraft in USA and they will transfer the skill to other pilots in the country by performing as master trainers.

Meanwhile, he said that a Technical Support Team of the US comprising, technicians, engineers and experts from Lockheed Martin (the manufacturer of the aircraft), besides other officials of the US Air Force.
For the existing fleet of 40 F-16 aircraft MLU programme would also start in the current year.

APP

Mi 28 ‘Havoc’ & AH-64D Apache Longbow in Race for IAF Attack Helicopters Deal

The US and Russia will face off for the deal to supply the Indian Air Force crucial attack choppers after two major competitors from Europe pulled out citing technical reasons. The mainstay attack helicopters of the two countries will arrive in India within two months and will be put through several rounds of gruelling tests.

What has left many surprised is that Eurocopter’s Tiger and Agusta’s A129 Mangusta have pulled out of the estimated $600 million contest and will not be coming for the field trials.The surprise exit of the two European choppers — considered to be highly competitive — will give an advantage to Boeing’s AH-64D Apache Longbow, which will compete with the Russian Mi 28 attack chopper.“We hope to begin trials within the next 60 days.Russia is offering its latest-generation Mi 28 ‘Havoc’ helicopter, that was inducted by its armed forces in 2006.

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INS Vela,Indian Navy's Oldest Submarine, Decommissioned

INS Vela, the Navy's oldest submarine, decommissioned here at a ceremony held during sunset on Friday.INS Vela has completed 37 years of service and is the oldest unit in the Navy, probably the oldest submarine in the world, according to an Eastern Naval Command press release issue.The submarine was commissioned Rear Admiral (retired) J.M.S. Sodhi at Riga in Latvia of the erstwhile Soviet Union, on August 31, 1973.It was first of the Vela class of submarines to be commissioned into the Navy.The submarine was commanded by 26 Commanding Officers in all these years during its 37 years of service

Delivery of F-16 Block 52 to Pakistan Shows Deepening Relations

Lisa Daniel and Donna Miles

The Air Force is set to deliver the first of 18 new F-16 Fighting Falcon jet fighters to the Pakistani air force in a sign of deepening relations between the United States and Pakistan.

Three F-16s are scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on June 26, with 15 more to be delivered later this year and next, Air Force Maj. Todd Robbins, the Pakistan country director in the office of the undersecretary of the Air Force for international affairs, said in an interview with American Forces Press Service.

“This is the most visible part of a strong and growing relationship between the two air forces that will benefit us both near-term and long-term,” Robbins said.

This sale of F-16s to Pakistan renews new aircraft sales that existed between the United States and Pakistan in the 1980s, but were halted in the 1990s. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and other U.S. military and civilian leaders have spoken out about “not repeating the mistakes” of the U.S. halt in relations with Pakistan in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

In March, the United States and Pakistan held their first ministerial-level strategic dialogue here, co-chaired by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Pakistan Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi. High-level officials from both governments participated in the dialogue, including Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Gates said then that the talks included discussion of “how we can help Pakistan in dealing with the security challenges that face them, but also face us and NATO as well.”

The two countries held follow-up meetings in Pakistan in early June that focused on improving military-to-military relations and security cooperation, officials said.

Relations with Pakistan improved after Sept. 11, 2001, Robbins said, “and this is just one very tangible example of the currently strong and growing relationship between the U.S. Air Force and the Pakistan air force and, in the larger context, between the United States and Pakistan.”

The F-16 is a multirole jet fighter sold to 24 countries around the world, according to its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin. The 18 being sold to Pakistan are the Block 52 versions of the aircraft, Robbins said, which will give Pakistan new capabilities, including day-night, all-weather and precision-attack capabilities.

“They’ve not had [these capabilities] before, so this is a major milestone in the U.S. providing this capability, which older models [of F-16s] don’t have,” he said. “This will enable them to strike terrorists within their borders while helping them to avoid collateral damage. It’s an increase in capabilities that are beneficial to us all.”

Pakistan is paying $1.4 billion for the 18 new aircraft, in addition to $1.3 billion in upgrades to its existing F-16 fleet, which are to begin being delivered in 2012, Robbins said.

The Air Force also is training Pakistan air force pilots. The first eight recently completed training with the Arizona National Guard in Tucson, with additional training done by Lockheed Martin, Robbins said. The Air Force also is training Pakistanis in night-attack training and recently completed training for four instructors and five flight leads, he said.

American Forces Press Service

Indian Air Force to Buy Additional 42 Sukhoi-30 MKI Fighters

The Cabinet Committee on Security earlier this month quietly cleared one of the biggest defence orders of recent times. The almost Rs 15,000 crore order for an additional 42 Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters would add up the total number of these modern Russian fighters for Indian Air Force to 272. When the entire Sukhoi-30 MKIs, including the 42, are delivered to IAF by around 2018, it would become the single largest type of fighters in service, marking a huge technological transition from the dominance of MIG-21 fighters today.
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Latest Russian Sukhoi-34 Ffighter Complete Non-Stop 6000 km Flight Test

A wing of latest Russian Sukhoi-34 fighter bombers has successfully accomplished a non-stop 6-thousand-kilometre test flight from the region of Lipetsk south of Moscow to the region of Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East. The Sukhoi-34’s predecessor in the niche, the Sukhoi-24, cannot fly further than 3 thousand kilometres.
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Boeing Applies to Export F-15SE Silent Eagle to South Korea

Boeing has applied for an export licence to brief South Korea on sensitive details of a stealthier version of the F-15E that is within a few months of its first flight.The US government approved an export policy in the second quarter for the F-15SE Silent Eagle after Boeing submitted details of its radar cross-section about six months earlier, says Brad Jones, Boeing programme director for F-15 development programmes.
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Australian air force to Get Six New F/A-18F Super Hornets Early Next Month

The Australian air force said it will fly six more new F/A-18F Super Hornets from the United States to Australia in early July.The planes will be stationed at the Royal Australian Air Force base in Amberley in the northeast state of Queensland.
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Lockheed reveals first C-130J in Indian colours

The Indian air force’s first C-130J tactical transport has emerged from the paint shop at Lockheed Martin’s Marietta plant in Georgia, roughly six months before its scheduled delivery.“The aircraft now enters flight test in preparation for delivery at the end of the year,” Lockheed says.
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Korea Utility Helicopter (KUH) "Surion" Demonstrates Capabilities

The prototype of the troop-carrying Korea Utility Helicopter (KUH) demonstrated its capabilities to the public Tuesday after three months of flight tests.In a ceremony to mark the KUH's successful initial test flights from March 11 to June 7, the locally developed aircraft, named "Surion," gave a 20-minute performance which showed it soaring, stationary hovering, S-shaped maneuvering and diving. The ceremony was held at an air base in Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, before a crowd of 400 guests.
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Indonesian Air Force KT-1B South Korean Basic Trainer Crashes

It was supposed to have been a joyous flight, but it ended disastrously. An Indonesian Air Force KT-1B exercise plane participating in a “Terbang Gembira” (“Joy Flight”) activity crashed and burned on Thursday afternoon at the eastern tip of Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport. The pilot, Lt. Col. Ramot Sinaga, and his passenger, Udayana Regional Military Commander Maj. Gen. Rachmad Budianto, both managed to eject from the cockpit safely. Rachmad, who was named the regional armed forces chief three months ago, suffered light injuries to his legs.
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Israeli Air force Aircraft Landed at Military Base in Saudi Arabia

Islam Times says Israeli jets unloaded military equipment in Islamic country ahead of possible Iran strike. Israeli Air force aircraft landed during the past weekend at a military base in Saudi Arabia and unloaded large quantities of military gear, according to a report published Wednesday by Islamic website Islam Times.The report, which has questionable credibility, claimed the equipment was unloaded at a base in the city of Tabuk, in the north western part of the country, ahead of a possible strike on Iran.

Australia will Pay $US60 Million Each for F-35 JSF

Australia will pay around $US60 million ($A70 million) each for advanced Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft and all bugs will be fully sorted by the time the first aircraft arrive, the head of the JSF program says.Lockheed Martin JSF program general manager Tom Burbage, in Canberra to update the government and Defence on JSF progress, said he could guarantee the price would not be as high as the claimed $US133 million per aircraft.

Indian carrier's deck systems tested with MiG-29K prototype

A non-flying MiG-29K naval strike fighter prototype is being used to test aircraft handling systems in the former Soviet aircraft carrier being refitted for the Indian Navy at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk, northern Russia.Sevmash announced on 9 June that the MiG-29K was brought on board Vikramaditya (ex-Admiral Gorshkov ) to trial flight-deck hardware, in particular the restraints that are designed to hold an aircraft in place until its engines generate sufficient thrust for take-off.
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Test pilots flying India’s LCA Tejas will Experience Compact Cockpit

Test pilots flying India’s much-debated home-grown fighter Tejas (Light Combat Aircraft-LCA) will soon experience a cool and compact cockpit.The fifth limited series production (LSP-5) platform of Tejas, set to fly in the first week of August, will have an onboard “re-arranged and modified cockpit” to increase the comfort levels of the pilot.Program director (combat aircraft) and director of Bangalore-based Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) PS Subramanyam told DNA that the layout changes will make the glass cockpit more pilot-friendly and even enhance its night flying capabilities.
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Saturday, June 19, 2010

Hull of the second Project 1135.6 frigate built for Indian Navy to be launched on June 23

Hull of the second Project 1135.6 frigate built for Indian Navy will be launched on June 23 from slipways of Yantar Shipyard (Kaliningrad).

"The shipwrights are completing last preparations for launch the hull of frigate Tarkash (stands for "Quiver") which is the second in series being built for Indian Navy", reported Interfax citing Sergei Mikhailov, the shipyard's press secretary. He underlined that "this event will become another evidence that Yantar masterfully executes the important contract between Russia and India in the area of military industrial cooperation".

According to him, the yard actively works on the first frigate Teg (stands for "Saber") which was launched in Dec 2009. The work on the hull of third frigate Trikand (stands for "Bow") is also in progress at the shipyard's slipways.

"Building of these three ships is a principal task for the yard which is being thoroughly performed by whole staff of Yantar", S. Mikhailov said.Delivery of the frigates to the orderer is scheduled in 2011-2012. The shipbuilding contract of three frigates was signed on July 14, 2007 in Delhi; its overall cost is about $1.6 bln.

Yantar shipyard is specialized in building of various warships and civil vessels with launching weight up to 10,000 tons; and also in ship-repair works. Totally, the yard has built over 100 large and about 400 small ships, and repaired over 430 vessels.

Friday, June 18, 2010

Prithvi-II Ballistic Missile Successfully Test-Fired

The nuclear-capable, medium-range ballistic missile, Prithvi-II was successfully test-fired from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the Orissa Coast on Friday. The missile which was fired from a mobile launcher at 6.50 a.m. zeroed in on to the pre-designated target with a high degree accuracy as it splashed down into the sea. Although, the indigenously-built system is capable of hitting targets at a range of 350 km, it was tested for a lesser distance, an official from DRDO told.After a flight of about six minutes, the missile impacted within a few metres of the target, the official said. The launch was carried out by personnel of the Strategic Forces Command as part of regular training exercise, the official added. The surface-to-surface Prithvi-II had already been inducted into the Air Force. The nine-metre tall missile is a single stage, liquid-propelled system. It weighs 4.6 tonnes and is capable of carrying a 1,000 kg warhead upto a distance of 350 km.
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ADA is Set to Start Negotiations for LCA Tejas Engines

The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) is set to start commercial negotiations with aircraft engine makers Eurojet Turbo GmbH and General Electric Aviation for 99 aircraft engines for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.The new engine will power the Mark II variant of the Tejas, which currently runs on F-404 engines made by GE. An upgraded and more powerful Kaveri engine is being seen initially as a replacement engine for the first batch of Tejas aircraft, Subramanyam added. “Every aircraft in its lifetime needs two replacements. Some of those engines are already looking for that. By the time Kaveri gets developed and demonstrated, those engines can start coming as replacement engines for the first 20, 40 (aircraft),” he said. “There is full scope of what their profile is. It is very clear in our mind. The Kaveri engine profile for the next 30 years has a very strong dovetailing into the LCA programme,” he added.
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Severodvinsk is World Most Silent Nuclear-Powered Submarine: Russia

In spite of being built for 17 years, nuclear-powered submarine Severodvinsk will be armed with most advanced weapons and, perhaps, will become the world most silent sub, said Capt 1 rank Alexei Poteshkin, Northern Fleet (NF) submarine force executive officer."State trials of the submarine will be held this year. Hopefully, upon their results Severodvinsk will be recognized the most advanced and silent – which is the main feature of submarines – ship in the world", said A. Poteshkin at Tuesday's press conference.
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ROKAF F-5F Fighter Jet Crashes

Two crewmembers of an F-5F fighter jet were killed Friday as the aging jet crashed into waters off the country’s west coast during a routine training mission. The Air Force immediately suspended operations of its fleet of F-5. It was the second accident involving the F-5 in three months. In March, two F-5 aircraft plunged into a mountain in the eastern part of Gangwon Province. Three pilots were killed in the crash.

The F-5E aircraft took off from an airbase in Gangneung at around 9:43 a.m. for an air-to-ground strike mission and was returning to base, according to an Air Force spokesman. The jet disappeared from radar screens at around 10:33 a.m., he said. Search-and-rescue helicopters later found the bodies of the two pilots. The helicopters continued searching for debris, said the spokesman.

Chinese Nuclear Deal with Pakistan Could hit Ties: India

China Defended its Civilian Nuclear Cooperation with Pakistan

China Thursday vowed to take its military ties with Pakistan to a new height and defended its nuclear cooperation with Islamabad to build two new reactors for the country. Gen Kayani heading a high level Pakistani military delegation is currently on visit to China.“Cooperation between the Chinese and Pakistani armed forces is exemplary and has been fruitful,” Liang said during the meeting.The Minister also said that the two countries should make continuous efforts to boost their joint defence programmes.

 His remarks assume significance as Pakistan and China are collaborating in the manufacture of advanced fighter aircraft.As the two countries were holding military level talks a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Qin Gang commenting on the US reaction on the deal, told reporters “China and Pakistan have maintained cooperation in recent years in the civilian use of nuclear energy.”

“This cooperation is in line with our respective international obligations and totally for peaceful purposes and under the safeguards and supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” Qin said.In Islamabad, the Foreign Office Spokesman said, Pakistan-China civilian nuclear cooperation is under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards and concerns, if any, are misplaced.

UAV Can't Track Maoist Movements in Monsoon


US and European Aerospace Companies are Recognising India as Critical Market

The aerospace and defence sector in the country is growing leaps and bounds and is fast emerging as a key participant in the Asia-Pacific region. The US and European aerospace companies are now recognising India as a critical market as well as a potential manufacturing partner.Major procurement programmes are going to take place in next few years. India is seeking to acquire some of the most globally advanced systems for its Navy — SLBM nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers, Army — large numbers of T-90 main battle tanks and other assets to equip eight divisional sized battlegroups) and Air Force — Su-30 advanced fighter aircraft and a follow-up state of the art air superiority fighters in about 2017. Overall, the acquisitions budget will grow from around $17 billion in 2011 to $19.20 billion in 2015, an increase of nearly 15%.
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Russia's PAKFA be '3 Times Cheaper Than Foreign Analogs'

Russia's fifth generation fighter will be about three times as cheap as its foreign analog, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.He observed the test flight of a prototype fighter and later talked to the pilot, Sergei Bogdan."It will be a machine superior to our main competitor, the F-22, in maneuverability, armament and range," Putin said."Also in morale," the pilot added."Above all else," Putin said smiling.

Russia to Buy 50 Fifth-Generation PAK FA Fighters After 2016

Russia's Defense Ministry will order at least 50 fifth-generation fighters from 2016, a senior official said on Thursday."At the first stage, there will be dozens of planes, more than 50," said Vladimir Popovkin, deputy defense minister for arms procurement.He was on hand as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin observed the test flight of a prototype fighter and later talked to the pilot, Sergei Bogdan, who said it was the fighter's 16th test flight and more would follow shortly.Popovkin said that based on the outcome of initial tests, the Defense Ministry would purchase the first six to 10 aircraft after 2012.
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UAE Reopens Advanced Jet Trainer Talks

Lockheed Martin has confirmed that the United Arab Emirates has resumed talks with rival bidders for a contract to supply a fleet of advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft, about 16 months after signing an agreement with Alenia Aermacchi.Asked whether Lockheed believes the UAE trainer/light attack jet deal is back in contention, Lockheed director of T-50 business development Doug Miller said: "Yes, I believe so."
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US Defense Secretary Gates Defends Arms Sales to Taiwan

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates defended US arms sales to Taipei on Wednesday, citing China's "extraordinary" deployment of cruise and ballistic missiles opposite Taiwan.

Both Gates and Admiral Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged concern over China's suspension of military contacts with the United States because of the arms sales.But the secretary said the US arms sales were in keeping with the Taiwan Relations Act, and suggested the improvement in relations between Beijing and Taipei had not diminished the need for them.

"We certainly applaud the growing links between Taiwan and the Peoples Republic," he said."Another piece of that is the extraordinary Chinese deployment of all manner of cruise and ballistic missiles opposite Taiwan on the Chinese side of the strait," he added.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Indian Army training 50,000 men to tackle Naxals

The government may have decided not to draft it for the anti-naxal offensive, but the Indian Army has started preparing for the possibility of being called upon to tackle what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh calls India's gravest internal security threat. Army Headquarters has drawn up a plan to keep about 50,000 soldiers - approximately 5 divisions - in readiness to help the civilian authorities deal with the growing Naxal threat.
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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

India and South Korea to Discuss Nuclear Deal‎

India and South Korea will discuss the contours of a bilateral civilian nuclear deal and map out steps to achieve a $30 billion trade when the foreign ministers of the two countries hold talks in Seoul on Friday. External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna will hold the sixth meeting of the joint commission with his South Korean counterpart Yu Myung-hwan on a wide range of issues, including expansion of economic, defence and cultural ties between the two countries. India has signed civil nuclear accords with seven countries - the US, France, Russia, Kazakhstan, Namibia, Argentina and Mongolia. India has finalised a nuclear deal with Canada, which is expected to be signed later this year.
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South Korea, US to postpone naval drills again

Defense Minister Kim Tae-young said Tuesday that South Korea and the United States have postponed joint naval exercises again as the two allies are stepping up diplomatic efforts to censure North Korea for sinking a South Korean warship in March. "The South Korean and U.S. authorities are readjusting the timing for the joint drills, given such moves could place a burden on our diplomatic efforts," Kim said during a National Assembly interpellation session.
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South Korea as a Global Arms Developer

By Jung Sung-ki

Cutting its teeth on component manufacturing and licensed production of U.S. weapons over the past decades, South Korea has emerged as a global arms developer, the head of the nation’s weapons development agency, said.

“Now, we have enough technology to build almost all weapons systems independently or in partnership with foreign countries. The thing is a matter of ideas, not the lack of technology," Park Chang-kyu, president of the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), said in an interview at the ADD headquarters in Daejeon, June 11.

The ADD is responsible for the research, development, testing and evaluation of weapons, defense equipment and related technology. The agency marks their 40th anniversary of its founding in August. Park, 59, took office in May 2008.

F-15K Eagle Fighters to Replace ROKAF's Decommissioned F-4D Phantom Fighter Jets

A squadron of F-4D Phantom fighter jets conducted its last flight Wednesday, ending its 41 years of service with the ROK Air Force. A ceremony for the decommissioning of the aircraft was held at the 11th Fighter Wing in Daegu, about 300 kilometers south of Seoul.Boeing-built F-15K Slam Eagle fighters will replace the older aircraft. In 2002, the F-15 aircraft was selected for the 40-plane, $4.2-billion first-phase plan of the F-X fighter modernization program aimed at buying 120 high-end fighter jets by 2020.The Boeing Company won the second-phase deal in 2008 to provide 20 more aircraft. The deal was valued at $2.3 billion.
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Russia to Offer Turkey S-300 and S-400 Surface-to-Air Missile Systems

Russia is ready to participate in a tender to offer Turkey S-300 and S-400 surface-to-air missile systems, the state-controlled arms exporter said on Wednesday.The advanced version of the S-300 missile system, called S-300PMU1, has a range of over 150 kilometers (over 100 miles) and can intercept ballistic missiles and aircraft at low and high altitudes, making it effective in warding off air strikes.The S-400 (SA-21 Growler) is capable of simultaneously engaging six targets to a range of 400 km (250 miles) and an altitude up to 30 kilometers, including aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles.
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Pakistan is Seeking AH-1W and Apache-64 D Attack Hhelicopters

Pakistan is seeking advanced U.S. attack helicopters and other weapons as part of a comprehensive arms package to bolster preparations for what its military is calling a "silent surge" of more than 100,000 troops into the mountain lairs of al Qaeda's senior leadership in the country's Northwest Frontier Province.The $2.5 billion in arms that Pakistan has requested includes new helicopter gunships, including AH-1W and the Apache-64-D; armed helicopters, such as the AH-6 and MD-530 Little Bird; and utility and cargo helicopters, such as the UH-60 Black Hawk, the CH-47 D Chinook and the UH-1Y Huey.But the Pakistani wish list also includes equipment that is not traditionally associated with counterinsurgency or mountain warfare. The Pakistanis are also requesting M1A1 tanks and M113A3 armored personnel carriers, as well as air-defense missiles, such as the Stinger, the Javelin and the Hawk.
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Rafale Fighters Sale Talks with UAE Moving Forward

Technical talks on the sale of Rafale fighters to the United Arab Emirates are wrapping up, Defence Minister Herve Morin said Tuesday, adding that France was likely to pick up part of modernisation costs.Morin said the costs of the modernisation was in the order of two billion euros, not four to five billion euros as has been speculated, and that France would likely absorb some of the costs as it had planned to carry them out anyway.
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Turkey To Buy 9 A129 Mangusta Attack Helicopters

 Turkey will launch urgent talks to buy nine A129 Mangusta attack helicopters from the Italian-British manufacturer AgustaWestland to fight separatist Kurds operating in an area near the country's borders with Iraq and Iran, a key Turkish official announced late Tuesday."In an effort to meet the urgent needs of the Turkish Land Forces Command and as part of the ongoing attack helicopter program, negotiations for the procurement of an additional nine attack helicopters will be launched with TUSAS." The T129s are expected to become operational by 2014. The latest announcement for additional gunships represents a stopgap solution until the first deliveries.

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IAI & Elbit Recalls Teams Supporting Heron UAV in Turkey

Israeli defense industries have recalled employees from Turkey amid growing concerns that they could be targeted in retaliation for the botched naval raid on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla two weeks ago.According to a report in the Turkish daily Today’s Zaman, in response to the withdrawal of the Israeli teams, the Turkish military has implemented “Plan B” and instead of the Heron drones is now using a Turkish-made drone called IHA, which is manufactured by Bykar.The IHA, the report said, has a range of 15 kilometers and can fly at altitudes of about 12,000 feet. It is inferior to Israel’s Heron, which can fly for up to 50 hours and at altitudes of about 35,000 feet.
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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Russia and India may Produce Navigation Equipment for Glonass

Russia and India might establish a joint venture to produce navigation equipment for GPS and its Russian equivalent Glonass, the head of the Russian federal satellite navigation operator said on Tuesday.Glonass - the Global Navigation Satellite System - is the Russian equivalent of the U.S. Global Positioning System, or GPS, and is designed for both military and civilian use. Both systems allow users to determine their positions to within a few meters.India will be able to use the civilian signal, allowing users to determine their position to within five to 15 meters.
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New Generation Submarine for the Russian Fleet

Russia is facing a very challenging task to modernize its naval forces. To achieve this, the country’s experts are working on a program for military and civil ship building. To launch a series of Severodvinsk-class submarines is one of the priorities of this program, the President Dmitry Medvedev said attending the official float-out ceremony at the port of Severodvinsk.The fourth generation Severodvinsk, the Yasen (Graney) class submarine, was built at the Sevmash shipyard. Graney class nuclear submarines are designed to launch a variety of long-range cruise missiles with nuclear warheads, and effectively engage submarines, surface warships and land-based targets. The new submarine's armament includes 24 cruise missiles, and is also equipped with eight torpedo launchers, as well as mines and anti-ship missiles such as SS-N-16 Stallion.
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Indian Army defends Armed Forces Special Powers Act

Indian Army is refusing to play ball with human rights activists amidst rising clamour to dilute or altogether scarp the contentious Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), a senior General, in-charge of counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir, has described the legislation as a holy book for the forces. "I would like to say that the provisions of the Armed Forces Special Power Act are very pious to me and I think to entire Indian Army...We have religious books, there are certain guidelines which are given there, but all the members of the religion do not follow it, they break it also, does it imply that you remove the religious book or you remove this chap.
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Russia to float out new nuclear submarine after delay

Russia on Tuesday launches a new nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine after a short delay caused by technical reasons, the Sevmash shipyard said.The construction of the Severodvinsk, the first Project 885 Yasen (Graney) class submarine, began in 1993 at the Sevmash shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk but has since been dogged by financial setbacks. Russia planned to float out the submarine on May 7 to mark the 65th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in May 1945.

South Korea to Buy Two Signals-Intelligence Aircraft by 2014

 South Korea aims to have two new, advanced signals-intelligence aircraft flying near North Korea by 2014, procurement and industry sources say.Korea Aerospace Industries, South Korea's only aircraft maker, and the national flag-carrier Korean Air will bid to perform the systems integration."The project is designed to further improve the nation's ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] capability against North Korea," one source said. "The new airplanes will have more advanced signal and communications intelligence equipment than those for existing Baekdu reconnaissance aircraft."The Republic of Korea Air Force currently flies four Raytheon Hawker 800XP aircraft, code-named Baekdu. The service also operates four Geumgangs, 800XPs that collect imagery with synthetic aperture and moving target indicator radars.
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Indian Air Force's MiG-21 Fighter Aircraft Crashes Near Halwara Air Base

A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force on Tuesday crashed near Halwara air base in Punjab, but the pilot bailed out safely.The crash took place at around 11.15 hours just outside the Sidwan Khas Range in Halwara, 33km from here.

"A MiG-21 aircraft crashed around 11.15 hours near S K Range near Halwara air base. The pilot ejected from the cockpit safely," an IAF spokesperson said in New Delhi."The pilot had flown the plane from Pathankot air base for a routine armament training sortie at the range in Halwara when the mishap occurred," he said.

Monday, June 14, 2010

Russia to Complete Delivery of Pantsir-S1 Air Defense Systems to UAE This Year

Dzirkaln has confirmed that Russia will finish delivering Pantsir-S1 short-range air defense systems to the United Arab Emirates by late 2010."This year the delivery will be completed. Two more shipments of these vehicles will be delivered and the contract on the delivery will be fulfilled," he said.Russian signed a $734-million contract with the United Arab Emirates in 2000 on purchasing 50 Pantsir-S1s.It is designed to protect point and area targets and carries up to 12 two-stage solid-fuel surface-to-air missiles in sealed ready-to-launch containers.The system also has two dual 30 mm automatic cannons that can engage targets at a range of up to 4 km.The talks in Abu Dhabi are to focus on the "full modernization of a large number of BMP-3s in an effort to seriously increase their combat capability," the Russian official said.
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Indian Nag Anti-Tank Missile Hits Target in 3.2 Seconds at Range of 500 Metres

Anti-tank missile Nag on Sunday was successfully test-fired from the Army's Field Firing Range at Shamirpet, near here. This time it hit a moving object. Last Sunday (June 6), it destroyed a stationary target and proved its capability of destroying a target at a close range of 500 metres in three seconds.This Sunday, Nag smashed the moving target in 3.2 seconds after its launch at 10.30 a.m., a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) official told TheHindu.The official said the first flight-test of air-borne version of Nag, called HELINA, was expected to be conducted by the year-end. Having lock-on after launch capability, the air-borne variant would be deployed on Advanced Light Helicopters.

Indo-French Air Exercise Garuda Begins in Istres, France

The Indo-French Air Exercise began today at Istres Air Base in Southern France. The fourth round of Air Exercise ‘GARUDA’ which began today would conclude on 25 of Jun 2010. During the Ex Garuda, the Indian Air Force and French Air Force would be engaged in various missions ranging from close combat, engagement of large forces, slow mover protection, and protecting and engagement of High Value Aerial Assets. According to the contingent commander of IAF, Gp Capt J Mishra. These would take place in AWACS and non-AWACS environment. The intensity of the exercise would be gradually increased throughout its duration so that we learn and absorb maximum from the exercise”.



India's nuclear deterrence lacks capability

India's nuclear deterrence lacks capability and the country needs to build up its stockpile of fissile material to correct this, a leading defence analyst said. "We need to build up our fissile material stockpiles because our deterrence lacks capability," Brig. (retd) Gurmeet Kanwal said at a seminar here on "Nuclear Arsenals post 2010" organised by the Indian Navy-funded National Maritime Foundation.


Bulava (SS-NX-30) Test Launches Postponed Until November

Russia will carry out its next test launch of the troubled Bulava ballistic missile in the third quarter of the year, a deputy defense minister said on Monday."In the third quarter launches will resume. The first will be from the nuclear Dmitry Donskoy submarine. Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said in May that Bulava test launches had been postponed until November.Only five of 12 Bulava launches have been officially reported as being successful. The Bulava (SS-NX-30) is a three-stage liquid and solid-propellant submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).


Crew Members from India's Nuclear Submarine INS Arihant Sailed for Week onboard USS Annapolis

The Obama administration may have yet to bridge a trust deficit with the Indian government but cooperation is galloping in the military sphere. In a first of its kind, three crewmembers from India's indigenously built nuclear submarine INS Arihant sailed for a week onboard the USS Annapolis, a Los Angeles class nuclear powered attack submarine, in the Arabian Sea last month.The Arihant crew were given complete access to all areas of the Annapolis and had a hands-on experience of life on board a US nuclear powered submarine at sea.

Indian Navy deploys four Dornier aircraft in Singapore

The Navy today deployed four of its Dornier patrol-cum-transport aircraft in Singapore for a four-day coordinated surveillance in the waters where Indian warships are currently operating."Four Dornier have landed in Singapore and these aircraft will remain there for four days to carry out surveillance sorties," a Navy officer said here.

The Dorniers would assist the Indian Navy ships INS Rana and INS Ranjit, guided missile destroyers, INS Jyothi, a fleet tanker and INS Kulish, a missile corvette, that are operating in the waters on their way back home after a month-long deployment on the eastern seaboard.

"The four aircraft would carry out coordinated surveillance along with the Indian Navy ships operating in the waters around Singapore," the officer said.
PTI

Sunday, June 13, 2010

India wary of China’s increasing role in Lanka

The growing influence of China in Sri Lanka, which may upset New Delhi’s geo-political interests in South Asia, appears to have compelled the South Block weigh the pros and cons of removing restrictions on arms sales to the island nation. Official sources said the enhancement of defence ties between India and Sri Lanka figured in talks between the two sides during the recent visit of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to New Delhi. “Both leaders agreed to promote dialogue on security and defence issues of relevance to their bilateral relationship, and enhance high-level military exchanges and training of military personnel as well as impart additional training in Indian institutions for the newly recruited police personnel.

IAI/ELTA Awarded a $57 million Contract to Supply its EL/M-2083 Radar

ELTA Systems Ltd., a group and subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI/ELTA) has been awarded a $57 million (USD) contract from a foreign customer to supply its Long Range Air Defense Radar EL/M-2083. The radar is installed on a tethered aerostat and enhances early warning capabilities.

Surface-based radars have limited line-of-sight to low flying airborne platforms, so in order to achieve longer detection range, the radar is installed at high altitude, using tethered aerostats or an aircraft.

IAI's Corp. VP and ELTA President Nisim Hadas said: "IAI/ELTA has proven experience in aerostat-based air defense radar, and we are pleased that the customer has chosen us for this program. This contract will allow us to demonstrate our capabilities and unique technologies, and we are confident our customer will benefit from our systems."

IAI/ELTA develops and manufactures a variety of air defense radars on a variety of platforms – ground, air, and sea.

Israel Aerospace Industries Blocking Multi-Million Russia Drone Deal

By Ora Coren

The brakes have been put on talks between Israel Aerospace Industries and Russia over sales and the joint production of unmanned aerial vehicles, according to Israeli defense sources who wish to remain anonymous. They say the parties are negotiating to build a plant in Russia for the pilotless aircraft to the tune of $300 million to $400 million, as well as the outright sale of IAI-built drones to Russia.

Recent news reports have said that IAI and Russia are planning a $200 million UAV factory and that the Israeli company plans to sell Russia an unspecified number of UAVs in the wake of its sale about a year ago of three such aircraft to Moscow for around $50 million.


The sources attribute the current backpedaling to hesitation about the deal in the Foreign Ministry and the Prime Ministry's Office, which have yet to give their approval. Washington has also requested clarifications about the deal, which is considered particularly sensitive.

Indian Navy to Commission INS Cankaso and INS Kondul FACs This Month

To provide more teeth to its coastal security and surveillance capabilities, the Navy will induct two more water jet propelled Fast Attack Craft (FACs) in Visakhapatnam by this month-end.The two FACs, built by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), will be based in the eastern coast to facilitate Navy to carry out patrols and intercept rogue ships, Navy officers said here today.

Named INS Cankaso and INS Kondul, two island territories of India, these would be the fifth and sixth FACs under the Car Nicobar class of craft that India began building in 2007.

Russian-Indian Work on PAF FA Fighter to go ahead without extra deal

Russian aircraft holding Sukhoi has no plans to sign additional agreements creating a joint venture with its Indian partners in the production of a fifth-generation fighter, the general director said on Friday.Russian Sukhoi holding and Indian Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) agreed in early 2010 to jointly develop a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.

F-15SG will Debut at This year's National Day Parade (NDP) Aerial Display

TWO planes fly parallel to each other, their wing tips just 300m apart.Each then crosses the other's flight path, and starts climbing swiftly.This thrilling move, called the shackle manoeuvre, will be performed by Singapore's latest and most advanced fighter jet, the F-15SG, which will debut at this year's National Day Parade (NDP) aerial display.

The jet will also showcase its agility by spiralling upwards in a combat turn over the Padang. Its pilot will experience up to nine times the force of gravity.Three F-15SG planes will also join five F-16 fighter aircraft to perform the traditional Presidential Salute. The F-15SGs will execute a fan-out manoeuvre, followed by the F-16s, which will perform a bomb burst with smoke trails.

Saudi Arabia gives Israel clear skies to attack Iranian nuclear sites

Saudi Arabia has conducted tests to stand down its air defences to enable Israeli jets to make a bombing raid on Iran’s nuclear facilities, The Times can reveal.To ensure the Israeli bombers pass unmolested, Riyadh has carried out tests to make certain its own jets are not scrambled and missile defence systems not activated. Once the Israelis are through, the kingdom’s air defences will return to full alert.“The Saudis have given their permission for the Israelis to pass over and they will look the other way,” said a US defence source in the area. “They have already done tests to make sure their own jets aren’t scrambled and no one gets shot down. This has all been done with the agreement of the [US] State Department.”





Canadian Airforce to Withdraw all of its Helicopters from Afghanistan

BY MATTHEW FISHER


The Canadian air force is planning to withdraw all of its helicopters from Afghanistan within a few weeks of the end of Canada's combat mission next July, the air force general responsible for generating aircraft and crews for the war in South Asia said yesterday.

The helicopters would be used until early August 2011 to help transport troops and equipment back from forward bases after the combat mission ends, said Maj.-Gen. Yvan Blondin, commander of 1 Air Division in Winnipeg.F

The general, who was in Kandahar for three days to meet with aircrews and maintainers, also said that Canada is still "at least four or five years away" from fielding attack drones.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Turkish Coast Guard Search And Rescue Ship "TCSG DOST "

Turkish Coast Guard 400- 500 Ton Ship Project

Turkish Coast Guard 400- 500 Ton Ship Project is under implementation, in addition to the 1700 ton ships, for the purpose of performing the coast guard missions more effectively in the Exclusive Economic Zone and up to search and rescue borders, under heavy weather conditions. The first one of 8 ships to be constructed under the project is scheduled to be integrated to the inventory in 2014.

Indian Navy is Developing Secret Base on East Coast for Nuclear Submarines

The navy is coming up with a secret base on the east coast, under the code name Project Varsha, to berth its upcoming fleet of nuclear submarines.

India’s first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine, INS Arihant, under project Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV), was launched for trials last year at the Visakhapatnam-based ship building centre (SBC). Arihant is still undergoing its criticality certification at the SBC.

The navy has plans to build five more such nuclear-powered submarines at SBC. The defence ministry also took over the Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in Visakhapatnam last year from the ministry of shipping, so that it could use HSL’s facilities and infrastructure to build the submarines.

Friday, June 11, 2010

L-15 LIFT version will soon be rolled out of Assembly Line

The first prototype of L-15 advanced jet trainer version rolled out of the assembly line on September 29, 2005 but first flight was postphoned to early 2006 due to the problems of AI-222-25.


  • L-15 advanced jet trainer's first prototype flew for the first time on March 13, 2006.

  • L-15 advanced jet trainer's prototype 03 made its first flight on May 10, 2008 while it was still powered by AI-222-25 turbofan with no afterburner.

  • Prototype 05 first flew on June 8, 2009.

Development of lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) version of L-15 has suffered from the slow development of  AI-222-25F engine with afterbuner.

L-15 lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) version equipped with AI-222-25F engine will soon be rolled out of the assembly line (06 prototype) and will be ready for flight testing.

Specifications of L-15:

Crew: 2

Length: 12.27 m
Wingspan: 9.48 m
Height: 4.81 m
NTO weight: 6,500kg
MTO weight 9,500kg
Max speed 1.4 Mach
Max climb rate 150m/s
G-load +8/-3
Ceiling 16,000m
Structural life 10,000 hr
Powerplant: 2× AI-222K-25F afterburning turbofans

Turkish air force bombs Kurdish rebels in Iraq: TV report

Turkish warplanes bombed Monday several Kurdish rebel positions in neighbouring northern Iraq, the NTV news channel reported, amid an upsurge in unrest between troops and the outlawed group.Six combat planes targeted Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) bases in Zap-Khakurk in Iraq's autonomous Kurdish zone, the channel said, citiAng the Internet site of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.The Turkish military did not immediately comment on the air strikes.

The raid, the second in less than three weeks, follows a May 31 rocket assault claimed by the PKK on a naval base in southern Turkey that killed six soldiers and wounded seven in one of the deadliest attacks in months.The PKK, listed as a terrorist group by Turkey and much of the international community, took up arms in 1984 for self rule in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeast, sparking a conflict that has claimed some 45,000 lives.

New Turkish Spy Chief Worries Israel

The appointment of a new head of Turkey's powerful intelligence service is causing concern in Israel because he's a close confidant of Islamist Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who's seen these days as one of Israel's main adversaries. Hakan Fidan was named chief of the Milli Istihbarat Teskilati, Turkey's National Intelligence Organization, known as MIT, 10 days ago. That was three days before the Israeli navy stormed the Mavi Maramara, Turkish flagship of a flotilla carrying 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip, and killed nine pro-Palestinian activists, all Turks.

PAF is Installing DB-110/RAPTOR Night Vision System on its Fighter Jets

Pakistan Air Force in order to further enhance its capabilities has started installing DB-110/RAPTOR  Airborne Reconnaissance Pod with night vision capability on its fighter jets. According to military sources, PAF has enhanced its night reconnaissance capability by installing the DB-110 Airborne Reconnaissance Pod.

The DB-110 reconnaissance pod is a digital, real-time, tactical reconnaissance system designed to capture images in day or night, using electro-optical sensor technology. The pod can transmit Images via datalink to the ground in real time.

DB-110 is a long-range oblique sensor to provide long-range, medium range and short-range imaging systems to support standoff and penetrating missions. It can be operated autonomously, by the pod's reconnaissance management system. Imagery is viewed on the F-16's cockpit video display, enabling the pilot to verify targets and conduct tasks such as battle damage assessment. This system allows the pilot increased flexibility over current fielded systems.

The long-range telescope provides focal lengths of 110-inches and 55- inches in the EO and IR, respectively. A beam-splitter behind that telescope separates the visible and infrared wavelength energy. Independent relay optics focus this energy onto separate visible and infrared focal planes.


Picture shows a daytime visible wavelength image. The full scan is shown on the left,ranging in off-track range from 11 – 12 nm (near to far edge of scan). A full resolution enlargement of a region of interest is shown on the right. Vehicles are easily identified and people easily seen at this range.
The short-range optics are located on the opposite side of the long range telescope and consist of a 16-inch focal length EO and a 14-inch IR system. Each of these separate optics use the same focal planes as does the long-range system. In operation, either the long- or short-range system can be used. The roll gimbal rotates the DB-110 system 180o  to point the desired optic through the aircraft window.
Picture is collected at a further range, 16 nautical miles. In the enlarged image, people can still be recognized.
It is also in operation on the OP-3C aircraft flown by the Japanese Maritime Staff Office, Poland's newly procured F-16C/Ds (Peace Sky) and U.K. Royal Air Force Tornados.

According to military sources UAV 'FALCO' has also been updated and has been installed with forward locking infrared system, which will greatly help in operation against militants in Tribal Areas. PAF Mirage Jets have also been modified and installed with refueling system. -

IAF to Begin Trials of C-17 Globemaster III Aircraft by End of Month

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is likely to begin trials of the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III heavy-lift transport aircraft, of which it intends to purchase 10, by the end of the month, an official said."The trials should last about 10 days," he added of the evaluation process of the aircraft, which has a carrying capacity of 75 tonnes.The trials are likely to be conducted in the same manner as the IAF is evaluating the six combat jets in contention for an order for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft.This means the C-17, which can take off from unprepared airstrips as short as 3,000 metres, will be put through its paces in the icy heights of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, the deserts of Rajasthan and the humid conditions of south India.

Russia May Import Arms Worth $12 Billion

Russia may buy $12 billion of arms from European and Israeli companies, including DCNS and Iveco SpA, over the next five years as the world’s second-biggest arms exporter hunts for higher-quality weapons than domestic companies can provide, according to a Moscow research institute.“Russia has been an exception on military procurement, because no other country in the last 15 years tried to be 100 percent autonomous,” said center Director Ruslan Pukhov. “Now we have recognized that you can’t be competitive in all areas.”

Eurojet Consortium Offers EJ200 Engine for LCA Tejas-Mark II and N-LCA

K. V. PRASAD

Eager to join hands with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and its associates in the development of India's Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas-Mark II,' the Eurojet consortium is offering its engine that could be tweaked to work on its naval version.

“We are offering two variants of the EJ200, bidding for the India's LCA Mark-II which can be altered through a software change to suit the requirements for the naval version of the LCA,” Eurojet Vice-President Sales Paul Hermann told a group of journalists here.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Israel and the United States Hold a Massive Aerial Drill

srael and the United States simulated war this week in a massive aerial drill that included dozens of F-16 fighter jets from both countries.The exercise, known as Juniper Stallion, came as Turkey was holding its own aerial maneuvers with the US, which Israel was not a part of. The IAF holds about 10 joint exercises with the US Air Force annually, half of them in Israel.While Turkey no longer invites Israel to participate in exercises, the IAF was kicked out of a similar drill last October two days before it was scheduled to begin. Read More

US "Genuinely Concerned" About China's Military Buildup

Wednesday night Adm. Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave a speech to the Asia Society in which he said, "I have moved from being curious to being genuinely concerned" about China's military buildup.For years there has been an argument among China hands about what Beijing was up to. China's stated goal is territorial defense but it seemed to be investing in equipment such as long range missiles and even an aircraft carrier which traditionally are used to project power overseas.

Pakistan Stares at India, India at the World

When a senior security official here was asked why Pakistan was not developing long-range missiles, unlike in India, his answer revealed how these two nuclear foes' geopolitical priorities may be diverging. "We don't have ambitions like India has, so we don't need to develop any further long-range missiles," he said. "Our missiles cover the entire India, so that's it." Indeed, India has raised eyebrows developing a new long-range missile with a capacity to hit most of China, a signal of how New Delhi's focus is tentatively moving away from an obsession with Pakistan to more global issues.

ADE Flight tests of laser-guided bombs conducted

by Sarika Valecha

Flight tests of laser-guided bombs conducted Trials were set up by the Aeronautical Development Authority or ADE for laser guided bombs for the Indian Air Force. The DRDO and the IAF tested the bombs in the Pokhran region of Rajasthan for new upgrades for the Indian Army. The bombs were extensively tested for safety and working process with its last evaluation in January. The DRDO's ADE said the bombs had shows the accuracy, stability and performance expected out of the technology.

US to Double Training Aid for Pakistan Army

The US Thursday announced it would double its training aid for the Pakistani Army and assured that all the defence and military needs of the country's armed forces would be met.

"We would double the money we are providing for training the army. Pakistan-US armed forces exercises have been conducted several times and they would be held in future as well," US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence (Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia) David Samuel Sedney told journalists at the US embassy here after the four-day meeting of the defence working group, Online news agency reported.

The working group, known as Exchange and Defence Planning, was the first sectoral working group within the framework of the strategic dialogue, since the ministerial level US-Pakistan meeting in Washington in March. Pakistani Defence Secretary Lt. Gen. (retd) Athar Ali led his country's side.

India Worried Over Myanmar’s Nuclear Ambition

Reports of Myanmar’s nuclear ambition have raised concerns of international community regarding nuclear proliferation regime. A former major, Sai Thein Win, has publicised photographs of Myanmar’s nuclear programme. He was among one of the army officers who was sent to Russia for training in missile technology. He showed photographs of secret nuclear facility, 11 km from Thabeikkyan. He described it as the army’s nuclear battalion and mentioned that Burma is also trying to build nuclear reactor for uranium enrichment.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

First Three C-130J Super Hercules Airlifters Get Ready for India

The first three of six C-130J Super Hercules airlifters purchased by India from in a $1 billion deal with US have taken the final positions on Lockheed Martin's assembly line in Marietta, Georgia.Equipped with an infrared detection set (IDS), the aircraft for the first time will provide the IAF an ability to conduct precision low-level flying operations, airdrops and landings in blackout conditions.With the first C-130Js aircraft scheduled for arrival in India February 2011. To ensure 80 percent availability of the aircraft at any given time, Lockheed Martin has offered a long-term maintenance contract to the IAF on the lines of the ones it has with the US Air Force and the air forces of Australia, Britain and Canada.

Insurgents Shot Down NATO Helicopter and Killed Four American Troops in Afghanistan

By ROHAN SULLIVAN and RAHIM FAIEZ (AP)

Insurgents shot down a NATO helicopter and killed four American troops in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, the military said, in the latest bloodshed ahead of a major operation in the militants' heartland.NATO said the four died "after their helicopter was brought down by hostile fire" in Helmand province, part of a volatile region where Taliban still hold sway despite a buildup of U.S. troops.Lt. Col. Joseph T. Breasseale, U.S. military spokesman in Kabul, confirmed the four troops killed were Americans, but the military and NATO gave no other details.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi said the insurgents shot off two rockets to down the helicopter.Wednesday's casualties take American military deaths in Afghanistan to 17 since Sunday — part of a spike in violence that has included the deadliest day for NATO forces in more than seven months, according to a count by The Associated Press. Ten NATO forces died on Monday, including seven Americans. The previous most deadly day was Oct. 26 last year, when 11 American troops were killed.

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