Indian Air Force to Deploy its LCA Tejas fighters at its New Air-Base

Indian Air Force will soon have its first base at Sulur in Tamil Nadu along with a squadron of combat jets . The base will protect strategic installations and maintain Indian air superiority over the Indian Ocean.

Work is rapidly being completed at Sulur on an extended runway, control system, avionics, radar, special hangars and modern radio and navigation aids. These facilities are being built for IAF fighter jets.

Indigenous Tejas fighters will be first to be deployed at Sulur base. These fighters will be inducted in December 2010. Its range can be extended with mid-air refuelling to 1,000 km for enhanced security cover.

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Taiwan could have to wait until late 2011 for F16C/D jets

Taiwan might have to wait until the end of next year before the United States approves the sale of F16C/D jets, reports said. The government has been asking Washington for 66 of the more sophisticated C/D versions of its existing F16A/B fighters, but the Obama Administration has so far not given the go-ahead for the deal.Washington was reportedly more likely to offer upgrading Taiwan’s present F16A/B fleet, according to the paper.If the new planes had still not been approved by the end of this year, then a deal before the end of 2011 was unlikely, reports said.

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Venezuela has ordered18 K-8 Karakorum

Venezuela will spend $82 million on a second batch of Chinese K-8 military training aircraft, President Hugo Chavez said.Chavez's socialist government has ordered 18 of the light attack and training planes from China, and the Latin American country received the first six jets in March."We have approved $82 million for the second batch of Chinese-made K-8 jets. The aircraft are for the security and defense of the country," the Venezuelan president said during his regular television program.Chavez has said he wants to buy a fleet of 40 K-8s. He ordered 18 of them from China after a plan to buy similar jets from a Brazilian company fell through, apparently because they included U.S. electrical systems.

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Malaysia to Take Part in Cobra Gold Military Exercise

Malaysia will take part in the Cobra Gold joint military exercise by Thailand and the US armed forces from next year.Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia’s participation in the bi-annual military exercise was agreed upon during his meeting with US Defence Secretary Robert Gates in Pentagon last week.“Following the agreement, Malaysia will join the exercise as a participant.He said Gates also agreed to work with Malaysia in the upgrading of the Royal Malaysian Air Force Nuri helicopter and the Hercules C-130 transport aircraft after 2014, as well as to intensify training for Malaysian armed forces personnel in the United States.“We will also acquire the Airbus A-400M transport aircraft by 2012,” he added.

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US eyes new F-16 fighters for Iraq

The top U.S. commander in Iraq said he expected the United States to meet a long-standing Iraqi request for new Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 multi-role fighter aircraft, although not as soon as Baghdad had sought."We're still working our way through that, but I think they will be new ones" rather than refurbished F-16s, another option that has been under review, Army General Ray Odierno told reporters at the Pentagon on.Iraqi Defense Minister Abdel Qader Jassim said in July that Iaraq had "many alternatives" for securing such aircraft if the United States failed to supply F-16s."We have to have the right airplane to protect our skies in 2011. Iraq's Air Force is on record as hoping to buy up to 96 F-16s through 2020, the centerpiece of billions of dollars that Baghdad may spend on foreign arms in coming years...................................Source

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Indonesian Air Force to buy 4 UAVs

Indonesian Air Force chief of staff Marshal Imam Sufa'at said the Indonesian Military planned to buy four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for border surveillance."The four UAVs, among others, will be stationed at Suryadarma Air Force Base in Subang, West Java and Supadio Air Force Base in Pontianak, West Kalimantan," Imam said.

He said the country had never operated any UAVs but that they would be strategic additions to the military's air force fleet.The aircraft could be used to monitor illegal activities that occur in border areas, such as illegal logging and fishing.Apart from the UAVs, the air force also plans to develop a radar plant in Merauke, Papua, which is expected to be operational in November. - JP

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Indian Army suspends Major in fake encounter case

All eyes on visit n PM last visited state in October 2009 to inaugurate last section of Qazigund-Baramulla rail link n Likely to renew offer to separatists for talks What Hurriyat wants n Comprehensive political package on autonomy n Release of political prisoners n Withdrawal of troops n Revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act Srinagar, June 6 The day before Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh begins a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, his second in the last seven months, the Army responded today to allegations of a fake encounter at Machil by removing a Colonel from command and placing a Major under suspension.............................Source

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US-India Strategic dialogue will take process forward

The three-day strategic dialogue between India and the US that concluded in Washington DC last week drew attention to the key areas in which the two must cooperate in their own interest as well as that of global peace and progress. Counter-terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation, trade and investment, science and technology, energy security, environmental sustainability, among others, found special mention when the two nations committed themselves to working together with more openness. Through the customary joint statement they pledged to freely consult each other on most issues of regional and global significance and “remain sensitive to each other’s interests”.......................................Source

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Turkey launches Criminal Investigation Against Israeli Leaders

Turkish newspaper Zaman says prosecution has begun compiling evidence against Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Ashkenazi following deadly raid on Gaza-bound flotilla.The İstanbul Bakırköy Prosecutor’s Office has launched a criminal investigation against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi over the deadly raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla, Turkish newspaper Zaman reported Saturday.

According to the report, if the prosecutor’s office can compile enough evidence against Israel at the end of its probe, it will charge the Israeli officials with various crimes, including murder, injury, taking hostages, attacking Turkish citizens on the open seas and piracy. The Turkish newspaper reported that one of the prosecutors interviewed all the injured on Wednesday in a hospital in Ankara except for intensive care unit patients. In addition, the hundreds of activists deported from Israel were examined at the Council of Forensic Medicine (ATK) to provide more evidence about the incident.

The ATK was said to also be running tests to see whether any chemical weapons were used against the activists. The prosecution is also expected to use the results of an autopsy performed by doctors in Turkey on the nine Turkish men killed in the raid. The Guardian reported Friday that the nine were shot a total of 30 times and that five of them were killed by gunshot wounds to the head.

According to the Turkish report, the country's foreign and justice ministries are closely following the investigation. To demonstrate that Israel’s intervention was illegal, the prosecutors will emphasize that the ships were in international waters, that the people aboard had waved a white flag of surrender, that the ships were carrying humanitarian aid, and that the passengers did not threaten Israel.

It was also reported that should Israel appoint an investigation committee into the deadly incident, the Turkish prosecution plans to use its findings. Meanwhile Saturday, a Turkish government official said his country wanted the upcoming summit for a 20-member security group for the Asian region to condemn the recent Israeli raid, which he said would be discussed during the June 7-8 Conference on Interactions and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, or CICA. He added that Turkey considered Gaza as well as the situation in Afghanistan as test cases for the security group that includes Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and South Korea.

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Turkish navy to break Israel's siege of Gaza

“As part of the open conflict between Turkey and Israel following the massacre against the ‘freedom sail’ to Gaza and the protest sparked in the world, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is considering going to Gaza himself in order to break the blockade imposed on the Strip.” Al-Mustaqbal also reports that Erdogan has informed the US Administration of his plan to send a Turkish naval escort with another flotilla of aid, but that the Americans have requested the Prime Minister delay the plan.

It is not clear whether Erdogan would actually board the flotilla himself, but Al-Mustaqbal (Future) newspaper describes the source of the story as “knowledgeable”.The prospect of the naval confrontation between Turkey and Israel is a dangerous escalation of the crisis, potentially resulting in open conflict between the two states, which could easily draw in Israel’s traditional enemies.The move could be seen as an attempt by Turkey to force the hand of the UN and US to act on the Israeli blockade of Gaza.

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Tejas Light Combat Aircraft LSP-4

 As two approaching dots rapidly enlarged into the menacing delta-wing shapes of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, an animated murmur arose. Test pilot, Wing Commander Suneet Krishna was bringing in a brand new Tejas fighter from its inaugural test flight.In those 40 minutes, both fighters had climbed to 36,000 feet; broken the sound barrier; turned and twisted sharply; and checked several parameters as part of the Tejas flight test programme.LSP-3, which first flew on 23rd April, was the first Tejas with a multi-mode radar (MMR); and with electronic systems to differentiate friendly from hostile aircraft. LSP-4 has all that and also flare and chaff dispensers to confuse enemy radars and missiles: a Counter Measure Dispensing System.LSP-4 will be only the eighth Tejas in the flight test programme, which has done 1,300 sorties, amounting to more than 700 hours of flying.“I am pushing for LSP-5 to fly by June-end,” says D Balasunder, the managing director of HAL’s Bangalore Complex. The ADA plans to build LSP-6 and LSP-7 quickly and then hand those two Tejas fighters to the IAF.

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Pakistan hikes defence spending by 17%

Pakistan has increase its defence spending by 17 per cent to $5.18 billion (442.2 billion rupees) for the 2010/11 fiscal year (July-June). Pakistani government has projected to increase its total tax revenue to 1.78 trillion rupees form 1.48 trillion rupees in the year ending June 30, 2010.

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Anti-Naxal ops Two out of three BSF copters `out of order'

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Indian Govt to oppose permanent commission women

For those pushing for gender parity in the forces, there is a mixed bag of news. Women Indian Air Force (IAF) officers can now serve their full term, made possible by a Delhi High Court order in March that directed the armed forces to give permanent commission (PC) to women in the army and IAF, which they were not doing until then. .....................Source

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Microtecnica selected to equip Turkey's Hurkus trainer

Turkish Aerospace Industries has selected Microtecnica to provide the environmental control system for its new Hurkus primary and basic trainer.Ankara contracted TAI in March 2006 to develop the tandem-seat design for the Turkish air force, and the first of two prototypes should be delivered next year for testing.Turkey's first indigenously designed military aircraft since the 1940s, the trainer will have an all-digital avionics suite, a cruise speed of over 250kt (462km/h) and be certificated to operate from +7g to -3.5g, says TAI.


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China's J-15 Carrier-Based Fighter is Inferior to Russian Su-33 fighter: Russia

China's J-15 carrier-based fighter will not be able to compete with Russia's Su-33 fighter on global markets because it is inferior to the Russian aircraft, a Russian military analyst said on Friday.

China since 2001 has been developing the J-15 naval fighter, which is believed to be a clone of Russia's Su-33 Falcon-D. China bought an Su-33 prototype earlier from Ukraine, and used it to develop the new aircraft.The J-15 is expected to be stationed initially onboard the Chinese Varyag aircraft carrier currently being fitted in the port of Dalian. China bought the unfinished Admiral Kuznetsov class aircraft carrier from Ukraine in 1998.

"The Chinese J-15 clone is unlikely to achieve the same performance characteristics of the Russian Su-33 carrier-based fighter, and I do not rule out the possibility that China could return to negotiations with Russia on the purchase of a substantial batch of Su-33s," said Col. (Ret.) Igor Korotchenko, a member of the Defense Ministry's Public Council.

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USA Accepts Modernized S-61TM Helicopters for Use in Afghanistan

Sikorsky Aerospace Services today announced that the U.S. State Department has accepted the first two modernized S-61TM aircraft that will support missions for the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan. Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS) is the aftermarket division of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

The U.S. State Department has entered into a five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) purchase agreement for up to 110 modernized S-61 aircraft for passenger and cargo transport missions in support of its worldwide operations. The accepted aircraft will now undergo completion by SAS with specialized mission equipment to meet U.S. State Department requirements before being deployed this fall.

“The U.S. State Department’s acceptance of these first two modernized S-61 aircraft marks a major milestone in the launch of the S-61TTM modernization program. The S-61T helicopter will meet the needs of customers worldwide, and we are excited about how much interest this aircraft has generated,” said David Adler, President of Sikorsky Aerospace Services. “As the State Department pursues worldwide aviation missions, we remain fully committed to supporting their helicopter requirements.”

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Gates says China's People's Liberation Army May be Trying to Thwart Ties

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Thursday he believed the Chinese military was thwarting efforts to improve military-to-military relations in an apparent split with the country's political leadership.China scaled back military ties with the United States after the Obama administration notified Congress in January of a plan to sell Taiwan up to $6.4 billion worth of arms.In what some American officials took as a snub, China turned down a proposed visit by Gates aimed at mending fences during his trip to Asia this week.U.S. officials have long described China as a "hard target" for intelligence-gathering. Gates, a former CIA director, acknowledged that the Pentagon was having difficulty reading the intentions of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

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UAE to Get Letter of Agreement for Purchase of THAAD in Next Three Months

The UAE is approaching a milestone in its plans to purchase the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile system for an estimated US$7 billion (Dh25.71bn) from the US, according to officials from the American defence company Lockheed Martin.A sale would mark the first time the THAAD system has been exported by the US and underscore the deep ties forming between America and the Emirates.

The UAE could receive a “letter of agreement” from the US government later this summer after the two administrations made progress on their negotiations over the sensitive technology, said Dennis Cavin, the vice president of air and missile defence strategic initiatives at Lockheed.

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Taiwan Denies that it will Test Long Range Missile

Taiwan is to test a missile for the first time that could hit Beijing, a report said Wednesday.The island's defence ministry immediately denied the report on the medium-range surface-to-surface missile, but said research was being carried out on "various weapons systems".The missile, designed to hit targets up to 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) away, will be launched Thursday and Friday from Chiupeng, a tightly-guarded base in southern Taiwan, Taipei-based Next Magazine said.

If successful, the weapons project codenamed "Ching Sheng" would move into mass production stage, according to the usually well-informed magazine.The defence ministry plans to deploy 150 such missiles, on top of 240 existing cruise missiles, to form one of the island's main deterrents against Chinese attack, it said.

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China Tells Defense Secretary Gates Not To Visit

China has ruled out a stopover by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who had hoped to make improved military ties with Beijing the centerpiece of his trip to Asia this week.Gates leaves Wednesday for an around-the-world trip that will take him to countries in Asia and Europe, but aides said China has explained that this is not a convenient time.
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American Marine was 1,000th Afghan War Casualty

By Paul J. Weber

The 1,000th American service member killed in Afghanistan was born on the Fourth of July. He died several days before Americans honor fallen troops on Memorial Day.Marine Cpl. Jacob C. Leicht was killed Thursday when he stepped on a land mine in Helmand province that ripped off his right arm. It was the 24-year-old Texan’s second deployment overseas.

Leicht had begged to return to the battlefield after a bomb took out his Humvee in Iraq. He spent two painful years recovering from face and leg injuries, all the while pining for combat in letters from his hospital bed.He finally got back to the front lines but was killed less than a month into the tour of duty he desperately wanted.

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UK marine killed in Afghanistan

A Royal Marine has been killed in a blast in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has said.The incident took place on Wednesday and the soldier's next of kin have been informed.He was killed in an explosion in the Sangin district of Helmand province, while taking part in a foot patrol with soldiers from the Afghan National Army.This latest death brings the number of UK service personnel killed in Afghanistan to 290.

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Six Russian Kilo Class Submarines to Vietnam, Worth $3.2 billion

Last year's contract on the delivery of six Kilo class diesel submarines to Vietnam, worth a total of $3.2 billion, is the largest deal in the history of Russian exports of naval equipment, a Russian magazine says.

The contract was signed in December 2009 during the visit of Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to Russia.

"The construction cost is $2.1 billion, but the building of all necessary coastal infrastructure and the delivery of armaments and other equipment may bring the total to $3.2 bln, which makes this deal the largest in the history of Russian exports of naval equipment," the Export of Arms magazine says in an editorial published in its June issue.

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Afghan Commandos Retook District of Barg-e-Matal in Nuristan Province

Afghan commandos, backed by Coalition advisers and air support, have retaken a district in eastern Afghanistan that had been captured by the Taliban last weekend.

More than 200 Afghan commandos “assisted by a small contingent of coalition partners” retook the district of Barg-e-Matal in Nuristan province yesterday, the International Security Assistance Force said in a press release. The district was recaptured just two days after Afghan police abandoned Barg-e-Matal as part of a “tactical retreat” to avoid civilian casualties.

The operation to retake the district began early on May 31, when Coalition air support engaged the Taliban with “precision-guided airstrikes on known insurgent locations near Barg-e-Matal,” ISAF stated in a press release.

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