China aims to become the fifth major player in commercial aircraft manufacturing

By Leithen Francis

China is trying to become the fifth major player in commercial aircraft manufacturing, but it is unclear whether the "China-made" product can be a commercial success.No-one doubts that commercial aircraft can be manufactured in the country, but whether its aircraft can succeed against established players such as Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer is another question. The newly formed Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac) is spearheading the initiative. This Shanghai-based company is headed by two political heavyweights - chairman Zhang Qingwei and president Jin Zhuanglong.

Zhang was previously minister of China's Commission of Science Technology and Industry for National Defence and Jin was a vice-minister. Both men are credited with managing China's successful space programme, which in September 2008 put the first Chinese astronauts into space. Zhang is higher on the political ladder than Lin Zuoming, China Aviation Industry Corporation's president, and Comac was formed in May 2008 by taking key businesses from AVIC. These were AVIC I Commercial Aircraft (ACAC), Shanghai Aircraft (SAC) and aircraft design outfit First Aircraft Institute.

ACAC is responsible for China's ARJ21-700 regional jet programme. So far three ARJ21s have been built for the test programme and six test aircraft will be built, including one for fatigue testing and one for static testing. ACAC has recently transferred an ARJ21 to the national flight test centre in Xian.

ORDER CLAIM

The company claims to have orders for more than 200 ARJ21s, but some are letters of intent or memoranda of understanding. Its largest customer is Shenzhen Airlines' Kunpeng Airlines, which on 21 December 2007 - during a nationally televised roll-out of the ARJ21 - signed a firm order for 50 ARJ21s with options for 50 more. In March, Kunpeng disclosed that it will be the launch operator of the ARJ21 and is due to receive its first ARJ21 by the end of 2010.

The launch customer was to have been Shandong Airlines, which has a firm order for 10 aircraft, but it has delayed getting ARJ21s. A new timeframe for delivery has yet to be determined. There are also doubts over Shanghai Airlines' order for five ARJ21s now that China Eastern Airlines is taking over the smaller Shanghai carrier. China Eastern has a mandate from the government to do whatever it takes to be profitable, even if it means delaying or cancelling aircraft on order.

Shenzhen Financial Leasing has a firm order for 20 and GE Commercial Aviation Services has ordered five. But Shenzhen Financial Leasing in 2000 ordered 60 Xian MA60s, although received only a handful because it was unable to find customers for the aircraft, particularly in China. It is unclear whether Shenzhen Financial Leasing and GECAS can find customers in China for the ARJ21 because of the impediments that inhibit the growth of regional aviation in the country. Today there are about 1,300 commercial aircraft in China, but only 110 are regional aircraft, accounting for 7-8% of the total commercial fleet. In the USA and Europe regional aircraft account for 43% and 36% respectively.

Beijing has told carriers that there needs to be more air services in western China and other remote regions. Governments, particularly provincial governments in these remote areas, have been offering subsidies to those that operate on new regional routes, but the carriers appear slow to take up the offer. An analysis by Embraer China, using publicly available information from the Civil Aviation Administration of China, shows that at the end of 2008 China had 152 commercial airports, with 47 accounting for 96% of the total passenger traffic. There are 98 airports with fewer than 10 flights a day.

Embraer's analysis also reveals that there were 470,000 flights last year with fewer than 100 passengers on board aircraft with more than 150 seats. ACAC has attempted to promote regional aircraft to Chinese airlines but, like Bombardier and Embraer, faces an uphill battle, with one of the hurdles being that regional aircraft such as the ARJ21 have a higher cost per available seat kilometre than larger aircraft. Airlines in China have done little to differentiate their service and have resorted to discounting air tickets. Passengers generally book with whichever airline is the cheapest, which means carriers are focused on protecting their yields by reducing operating costs as measured by cost per ASK. On regional routes it is difficult to charge a premium to make up for the higher cost per ASK.

Because passengers are used to cheap fares on trunk routes, they are unwilling to pay more to fly on regional routes. Pilot shortages also remain a problem and inhibit the growth of regional aviation. Traditionally pilots who operate regional aircraft earn less than pilots flying larger aircraft. But because of the shortage, regional aircraft pilots are demanding the same as their counterparts who fly narrowbodies such as Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s. Some also prefer large aircraft because they can operate on longer routes, making it easier to generate the flight hours used to calculate wages. Pilots of regional aircraft, which generally fly shorter routes, must perform more take-offs and landings to generate the same amount of flight hours.

All these factors work against regional aviation and have led to Chinese airlines ordering larger aircraft from Airbus and Boeing - China accounts for 15% of Airbus's total sales. But China is no longer content to just keep ordering aircraft from the two industry giants. This explains why Comac has taken the ambitious step of starting to develop a 130- to 200-seat jet aircraft, the Comac 919. Comac aims to have the 919 enter service in 2016 and the company is working on the design and seeking suppliers for the engines, landing gear and avionics. Some industry observers are concerned Comac may be stretching its resources too thin by pursuing two commercial aircraft programmes simultaneously.

Many involved in the ARJ21 programme are also assigned to work on the 919. There are also concerns 2016 may be too soon for the aircraft. China wants the 919 to enter the market before Airbus and Boeing have a chance to launch new narrowbodies. But another goal the government has set the nation's aerospace firms is that they be more involved in the development of aircraft systems, which will take time. AVIC Engines, for example, is bidding to supply the engines to power the 919. The firm is open to partnering Western engine makers, but wants to develop new and technologically advanced engines and own the intellectual property rights.

The tight deadline for service entry means some Western suppliers are predicting Comac will end up choosing systems in existence today that are proven and tested. So far Comac has yet to secure launch customers for the 919 and Chinese carriers are more unwilling to order Chinese aircraft simply to please the government, becoming increasingly adept at getting out of aircraft deals, as evident by Shandong Airlines' handling of its ARJ21 order.

Concerns also persist over whether Comac can properly support its products in China and overseas to the level airlines have become accustomed to. As Shanghai Airlines' chairman Zhou Chi said in 2003, Chinese aircraft makers in the past have "not had a perfect [after-sales] service system" and Shanghai Airlines hopes Chinese aircraft makers can raise their game. He made the remarks soon after Shanghai Airlines ordered five ARJ21s and added that ACAC had "promised to build a nice after-sales support system". ACAC is building a customer support centre in Shanghai to support Shanghai Airlines and other Chinese customers, but it may take decades for aircraft makers to develop a comprehensive international support network.

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U.A.E participates in the Red Flag exercises

The elite F-16 pilots of the United Arab Emirates air force are honing their dog-fighting skills with the U.S. Air Force's top guns in the skies above Nevada as the Arab states of the Gulf build up their military power to confront Iran. This is the first time that the U.A.E. has participated in the prestigious Red Flag exercises in which foreign air forces join the U.S. Air Force's elite every year to simulate air-to-air combat and ground attack missions against hostile force.

Traditionally, the enemy was the Soviet Union, but these days Iran is seen as the potential adversary. Israel has repeatedly threatened it would launch unilateral pre-emptive strikes against Iran to knock out its nuclear infrastructure. The United States is seeking to engage Tehran in a diplomatic dialogue but has cautioned that the military option remains on the table should Iran refuse to abandon its alleged effort to acquire nuclear arms. At the same time, the United States in 2007 offered the Gulf Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia, an arms package worth $20 billion over 10 years to bolster their forces against the Islamic Republic.

The U.A.E., which vies with Saudi Arabia for military leadership of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, is a key element in that. Its participation in Red Flag underlines the emphasis that the Emirates' military planners place on the Gulf federation's growing air power, and long-range strike capability, to counter Iran's growing ballistic missile strength and its perceived drive to develop nuclear weapons. Previous Middle Eastern participants in Red Flag include Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.

According to Jane's Defense Weekly, the U.A.E. pilots and ground crews spent two weeks preparing for the exercises at the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International Airport. That unit has been training U.A.E. pilots for eight years, and the U.A.E. air force maintains seven F16E and seven F-16F aircraft at Tucson for training purposes. The U.A.E. is using its Lockheed Martin F-16E Desert Falcon Block 60 jets in the air combat exercises that began at Nellis Air Force Base in the Nevada desert on Aug. 22 and are scheduled to end Sept. 2. The main strike capability of Iran's air force consists of an estimated 43 Soviet-era Sukhoi Su-25K Frogfoots and Su-24MK Fencer Ds as well as 24 French-built Mirage F-1Es.

Many of these are former Iraqi air force jets that were flown to Iran during the 1991 Desert Storm war to prevent their destruction by U.S.-led forces liberating Kuwait. Tehran has refused to return them to Iraq. Iran also has 25 aging MiG-29A and MiG-29UB Fulcrums, also formerly owned by Iraqi air force, that comprise its main fighter interceptor force. It still deploys U.S.-built F-14 Tomcats that were acquired during the reign of the shah in the 1970s. But these are no longer considered to be a match for the cutting-edge F-16E/Fs and French Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000 combat aircraft flown by the U.A.E. air force. The U.A.E. is also considering the acquisition of a new aerial strike force of as many as 80 Dassault Rafale multirole combat jets that will give it an even greater punch than it has now.

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Prez chopper landed without ‘ATC clearance’

An experts’ committee, which probed the near-miss incident between a Presidential helicopter and an Air-India plane at Mumbai this February, has found that an IAF chopper of the VVIP entourage landed on the runway making a short circuit and without clearance from the Air Traffic Control. The three-member committee, headed by Director-General Civil Aviation SNA Zaidi, found that one of the three helicopters of the Presidential entourage narrowly missed collision with an Air-India Airbus A-320 that was given clearance to take off from runway 27. The Delhi-bound plane, carrying 155 people, was asked to abort take-off when the chopper landed on the same runway.

The panel found that the Air-India aircraft was “at very high speed of approximately 120 knots” when it rejected take-off, swerved to a taxi track to avoid collision with the helicopter and, in the process, got its main wheel tyre deflated and brakes damaged. The committee has recommended closure of airspace three minutes before and after the take-off and landing of a VVIP aircraft at an airport and strict adherence to instructions in the Bluebook, meant for VVIP security procedures.The panel has also recommended mandatory coordination meetings with the airport and other officials prior to a VVIP flight.

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MiG-29K fighters ready, but no carriers

Vishnu Som

Brand, spanking new MiG-29K fighters for the Indian Navy are ready for delivery after years in development, except there's one major problem -- the aircraft carrier they were meant to be deployed on the Gorshkov, is no where near ready. As India and Russia continue negotiations for a final price on the Gorshkov, these jets will be based at Goa with no carrier to be deployed on.

The saga to fix a final price on the Gorshkov, a second hand carrier being refurbished for the Indian Navy, is now having a clear impact on the Navy's capabilities.These MiG-29s are not designed to be deployed on its existing carrier the Viraat -- a 50-year-old ship which simply must be retired in the next three years. At that stage neither the Gorshkov nor the indigenously built aircraft carrier, being constructed in Cochin, will be ready.

Four years after they signed a 1.6 billion dollar contract with India for the Gorshkov and its planes, the Russians went back on their word, saying, "We underestimated the work needed" and have since upped their demand to a whopping 3 billion dollars. For India, cancelling the deal is a no-win situation since we have already pumped in hundreds of millions of dollars into the deal. As India and Russia try and close out the Gorshkov deal there is every possibility that by 2012, for the first time in more than 50 years, the Indian Navy will be without an operational aircraft carrier.

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U.S. weighing F-16 options for Iraq

By Jim Wolf

The U.S. Air Force is crafting several options designed to meet an Iraqi request for Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) F-16 fighter aircraft, a senior Air Force official said on Wednesday.Whether new or refurbished, the F-16 is a potential key to fostering U.S. and Iraqi ability to operate together in the future, said Bruce Lemkin, the Air Force's point person for international affairs.

"It is extraordinarily important," he told Reuters by telephone. "It's not just the airplane. It's the partnership that comes with it." France, Russia, China and others have been jockeying to help fill Iraq's multibillion-dollar arms wish list, which features multi-role fighters to defend its air space after U.S. forces are due to leave by the end of 2011.

"Flying the same airplane that we do becomes not only the centerpiece of the relationship," but aligns maintenance, logistics and operational concepts among other things, Lemkin said. He said the sale of new F-16s was one of the possibilities being weighed in an "air sovereignty assessment" being carried out in Baghdad by the U.S. Air Force with Iraqi counterparts. Another possibility is declaring certain retired U.S. Air Force F-16s as "excess" inventory, a step toward providing them to Iraq at little or no initial cost, he said.

Iraq, however, would have to pay for refurbishing the aircraft, pilot training, spare parts, building facilities and possibly putting in new engines, Lemkin said. The U.S. Air Force assessment of Iraq's needs is being carried out by Lieutenant General Mike Hostage, head of the U.S. Central Command's Air Force component. Lemkin said he expected it to be sent to Defense Secretary Robert Gates "much sooner" than the end of this year. Authorities in Baghdad have said they must have a multi-role aircraft to defend Iraqi sovereignty before U.S. forces complete their phased withdrawal.

Defense Minister Abdel Qader Jassim said in July that Iraq had "many alternatives" for securing fighter aircraft if the United States failed to supply F-16s. "We have to have the right airplane to protect our skies in 2011," he said at a July 28 joint news conference with Gates while the U.S. defense secretary was visiting Baghdad. "Wherever we can get it, we are going to obtain it."

In March, Lieutenant General Anwar Ahmed, the head of the Iraqi Air Force, told Reuters that Iraq hoped to sign an initial contract for 18 advanced F-16 models as part of billions of dollars Iraq is expected to spend on arms in the coming years. His goal, he said, was to acquire up to 96 F-16s through 2020, citing perceived threats from Iran and Syria after U.S. forces leave. Lemkin, in the interview with Reuters, declined to say whether he was confident that the United States could supply F-16s before 2012.

"I think we ought to wait until we complete this air sovereignty assessment," he said. "And then, what are the capabilities (Iraq needs). And what are the optimal means of meeting that."Among issues that must be factored in is the F-16s' offensive capability, said Kenneth Katzman, a Middle East expert at the Congressional Research Service. Iraq's ethnic Kurds "fear that this type of weapon might be used against them," he said.

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F-16Is grounded after one suffers engine failure

By YAAKOV KATZ

Israel Air Force commander Maj.-Gen. Ido Nehushtan decided Wednesday night to temporarily ground all F-16I fighter jets from training operations after a jet experienced engine failure earlier in the day and made an emergency landing.

The F-16I - called the Sufa (storm) in the IAF - is one of the most-advanced fighter jets in the air force, the last of which arrived in Israel earlier this year.The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon when the engine of an F-16I, on a routine flight, experienced an unusual engine malfunction. The pilot decided to shut down the engine and made an emergency landing at the Ramon Air Force Base in the Negev.

Israel bought 102 two-seater F-16Is, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, in 2001. The plane reportedly has a 2,100 kilometer combat radius. After the emergency landing, Nehushtan decided to ground the planes so they could all be inspected. Military sources said the grounding would be lifted on Thursday morning.

This is the second time that the plane has been grounded. In March 2008, the IAF decided to ground all F-16Is after formaldehyde was found in the cockpit of one of the aircraft.The decision to suspend training flights was made after a number of pilots complained of a bad smell coming from the cockpit of one of the planes. The IDF Medical Branch conducted tests and discovered that the smell was caused by a type of formaldehyde known to be carcinogenic in high concentration.

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Saudi Arabia interested in the S-400 air defense system from Russia?

Saudis eyeing more than Russian choppers

As Russia closes in on a $2 billion deal to sell arms to Saudi Arabia, reports reveal Riyadh's shopping list could include more than combat helicopters. "All technical and financial issues have been practically coordinated," an undisclosed source privy to the negotiations told the Moscow-based Interfax news agency. The source did not elaborate or refer to the military equipment Saudi Arabia is eyeing from Russia.

Still, the major deal with Rosoboronexport State Corp., Russia's state-owned arms export monopoly, is said to include up to 30 Mi-35 attack helicopters and up to 120 Mi-171B, the export take of the popular Mi-17 Hip multipurpose helicopter.

Defense analysts say the deal also consists of some 150 T-90s main battle tanks and about 250 BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles. Russia's state-of-the-art S-400 triumph missile system was also on the Riyadh's charts. "It took Saudi specialists and experts quite a while to study the opportunities of the Russian arms before they decided to buy them for their nation's armed forces," Pravda reported from Moscow.

With Saudi Arabia spearheading the Middle East arms race, the country's defense spending is forecast to increase next year to $44 billion. The lucrative arms deal breaks the United States' decades-long stronghold on Saudi Arabia's arms purchases. Meantime, Russia is bent on tapping into new arms markets. Its arms industry is one of the most successful sectors of the country's economy despite widespread budget cuts in the wake of the global economic recession.

Defense experts say Russia's S-400 missile system is unrivaled in the West, having outflanked the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot. The system -- considered also by Turkey, Egypt and Iran -- features twice the target range of the Patriot, capable of intercepting and knocking down airborne targets at distances of up to 250 miles, according to the Defense Professionals Web site.

It was not immediately known how many S-400 systems had been ordered from Russia, although the Interfax agency said Saudi Arabia was interested in purchasing "several dozen." Defense experts believe that the system is also capable of thwarting cruise and ballistic missile attacks as well as those waged by most stealth aircraft. Each S-400 system includes at least eight launchers, 32 missiles and a mobile command post.

However successful, the estimated $2 billion weapons deal would make Russia's T-90 the highest selling combat vehicle, "showing again that the days of U.S. and European domination over new production are long gone in the international market for main battle tanks," Defense Professionals reported. It said the BMP-3 infantry combat vehicle was also on Saudi Arabia's Russian arms shopping list.

Although first built in 1987, the BMP-3 -- nicknamed Troika -- has gained fresh prominence in the market with nations seeking a state-of-the-art system in combination with heavy armor and protection, Defense Professionals said on its Web site. Saudi Arabia's neighbors Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have already integrated the BMP-3 into their armed forces.

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HAL blames BAE Systems for Hawk delays

Ajai Shukla / Hal & Bangalore

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is desperately short of aircraft for training its flight cadets. With the entire fleet of basic trainers — the HPT-32 Deepak — grounded after a series of crashes, advanced training is suffering equally due to unexpected delays in the manufacture of the Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) in India.

Now Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), under sharp attack for the delays, has unequivocally blamed BAE Systems, UK, for failing to properly honour its contract to transfer technology, design drawings, tools, manufacturing jigs and components essential for smoothly rolling out the Hawk in India.

BAE Systems had signed a $1.2-billion contract with India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) in 2004 to supply 24 ready-built Hawk-132 AJTs (already delivered) and transfer the technology for building another 42 in HAL, Bangalore.

According to the contracted schedule, the first 15 Hawks should have already been built in Bangalore. Instead, only five have been completed.

HAL Chairman Ashok Nayak has listed out for Business Standard a string of lapses by BAE Systems, which, he alleges, is behind this delay. “This is the first time that BAE Systems has transferred technology for building the Hawk-132 AJT abroad. Some of the jigs (frames on which aircraft parts are assembled) and tooling that they supplied HAL relate to earlier models of the Hawk, which has gone through several versions over the years.”

BAE Systems last transferred the Hawk technology abroad more than a decade ago, when Australia built 21 Hawk-127 trainers — an earlier version of the Hawk — in the late 1990s.Nayak also says that when HAL pointed out the discrepancy to the BAE Systems team stationed at the Hawk assembly line, “they had to refer back to the UK for everything. They weren’t able to address these issues themselves.”

While most issues have now been resolved, there are still some continuing delays. Hawk windscreens, manufactured by Indian vendors must be sent to BAE Systems for certifying their strength and clarity. This procedure, says HAL, is taking unduly long.

Guy Douglas, BAE Systems’ spokesperson in India, strongly refutes HAL’s version. In an emailed response, he states “BAE Systems does not accept that the programme delays being experienced by HAL, on their contract with the government of India, are materially down to BAE Systems. BAE Systems has completed all hardware deliveries to support the licence-build programme. BAE Systems has repeatedly made clear that it stands ready to assist HAL, should they require it. In this respect, a number of proposals have been made by BAE Systems to HAL and we await their response.”

Nayak denies that HAL has had any difficulties in assimilating the technology needed for manufacturing the Hawk in India. The HAL chairman states, “We have assembled the Jaguar and other aircraft. That is not the problem. Why were the jigs and fixtures that (BAE Systems) supplied incorrect? We have their Technical Assistance Team’s signatures on each and every one of them. I can quote you minimum 300 such examples, and some of them took weeks to sort out.”

Nor is the MoD impressed with BAE Systems’ execution of the Hawk contract, signalling its disapproval earlier this year by floating a fresh global inquiry for India’s requirement of 57 additional trainers. That was an unambiguous rap on the knuckles for BAE Systems; with an assembly line already producing AJTs in Bangalore, the additional requirement would normally have been added on to the ongoing licensed production. Now, however, BAE Systems is back in talks with South Block over the order for 57 more Hawks.

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South Korea To Develop Airburst Machine Gun

By JUNG SUNG-KI

South Korea plans to develop an indigenous machine gun system that can fire air-bursting munitions with laser-target acquisition and opto-electronic fire control, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced. The new machine gun will be able to penetrate light armored vehicles, it said in a news release. A total of 27.3 trillion won ($22 million) will be spent over the next few years for research and development of the 2,000-meter-range machine gun, to be initially deployed by 2015, it said.

The agency has selected S&T Daewoo as the preferred bidder for systems integration and gun development, EO System for fire control development, and Hanwha Corp. for munitions, according to the release. Contracts will be made by September, it added. South Korea already has developed an airburst rifle. The DAPA announced in April that it would soon start producing the K11 rifle that can fire both standard 5.56mm NATO-compatible ammunition and a 20mm airburst round, selected by a single trigger.

The multipurpose rifle, developed by the state-funded Agency for Defense Development (ADD), is modeled on the U.S. XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon, whose development was canceled in 2004. The weapon consists of a semi-automatic 20mm smart grenade launcher, an underslung assault carbine firing a standard 5.56mm NATO round, and a top-mounted computer-assisted sighting system with integrated laser rangefinder, and thermal infrared night vision capabilities, according to ADD officials. Under a self-detonation system, the 20mm round from the rifle can trace its target and explode three to four meters above it, and it is also capable of penetrating walls of buildings, they said.

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Turkey Pledges More Noncombat Soldiers for Afghanistan

As Turkey prepares to take control of the regional command at the multinational peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, the Ankara government has pledged to send 805 more noncombat troops to the war-torn country, increasing the number of Turkish soldiers in Afghanistan to 1,600. Turkey will take control of NATO's Afghan force in November.

At a joint press conference Aug. 28 in Ankara with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Turkey had always been an important strategic partner of NATO and thanked Davutoglu for Turkey's support and contributions in Afghanistan.

NATO's only Muslim member, Turkey had objected to Rasmussen's appointment as NATO's secretary-general during the nomination process. Rasmussen, as Danish prime minister, aroused concerns in the Muslim world in 2005 by backing the publication of cartoons insulting the Prophet Mohammed. Turkey dropped its objections in April after being assured that Rasmussen would work for reconciliation with the Muslim world and appoint a Turk as his deputy. Rasmussen officially took office early in August.

Davutoglu said Turk-NATO relations were sound and would further develop with Rasmussen undertaking his term in office. Rasmussen called on all NATO member states, including Turkey, to contribute to the mission to train Afghan security forces. He said Afghan security forces need to be strengthened and that the international community should reserve more resources to develop Afghan society.

About 3,500 schools enrolling 7 million children, including 2 million girls, have been built in Afghanistan, while 85 percent of Afghans now can directly use health services, compared with 6 percent in the past, Rasmussen said. Rasmussen arrived in Turkey on Aug. 27 for a two-day visit to discuss the alliance and boost relations with the Muslim world.

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China to Unveil New Missiles At National Day Parade

China will showcase five new types of domestically designed missiles at the Oct. 1 National Day parade, a leading missile expert from the Second Artillery Force, revealed Tuesday. A number of advanced weapons of air and sea forces will also be on display, other sources said.

Five types of missiles, including nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles, conventional cruise missiles and medium-range and short-range conventional missiles, will be displayed for the first time at the highly anticipated military parade, said the expert, who asked to remain anonymous and has been closely following the preparations of the strategic force of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

"These missiles are domestically designed and manufactured and have never been officially reported before," he said, adding that they belong to a second generation of missiles that have already been distributed to the military and are ready for operation.

He declined to disclose the model numbers of the missiles, citing state-secrecy reasons. "The third generation is still under development and is unlikely to be displayed this time," he said. Military aficionados have been expecting to see the Dongfeng 41, known as the DF-41, and the CSS-X-10, which is said to be a third-generation, solid-fuel, intercontinental ballistic missile.

While China is a late starter in the missile development, compared with the US and Russia – countries equipped with fifth-generation missiles and in the process of developing sixth-generation missiles – it has made rapid progress, the expert said. "Our second generation can match their third and fourth generations, and the third generation under development is comparable to their fifth and sixth generations," he said.

Progress made by the Second Artillery Force in the decade since the last military parade in 1999 will be highlighted at the Oct. 1 event, with marching soldiers and vehicles carrying missiles, three for every type. "The force has created weaponry and equipment with nuclear and conventional missiles, both solid-fuel and liquid-fuel missiles, with different launching ranges, quick emergency response and precision strikes," he said.

The Second Artillery Force is a strategic unit under the direct command and control of the Central Military Commission, and the core force of China for strategic deterrence, according to a white paper entitled "China's National Defense in 2008," issued earlier this year by the Information Office of the State Council. One of the force's responsibilities is "conducting nuclear counterattacks," the paper said.

"The statement indicates that the force can survive a nuclear attack before carrying out a counterattack. Any country that attempts to attack China with nuclear weapons must get ready for revenge, even if it has an anti-missile system," the expert said, adding that China's nuclear missiles, though few in number, have a high strike accuracy and formidable power.

A new submarine-launched ballistic missile, Julang 2, also known as JL-2 and CSS-NX-4, is also highly anticipated by fans of military hardware to make an appearance at the parade. It is said to have a maximum range of 8,000 kilometers and be designed to be installed onboard current and next-generation Chinese nuclear-powered submarines.

Li Jie, a naval expert, didn't exclude the possibility of Julang-2's appearance on Oct. 1. Li told the Global Times that the navy would showcase some types of ship-to-ship missile, ship-to-air missile and multiple rocket launchers at the parade. "Maybe two to three of them will be unveiled for the first time," Li said. "The new weapons will help enhance the navy's combat capability in any future sea war."

Dai Xu, an air force colonel and military strategist, told the Global Times that a large part of the weaponry and equipment of the air force would be showcased at the parade, including third-generation warplanes, land-to-air missiles and sophisticated radar equipment.

"The backbone warplanes of the major military powers in the world are third generation. The qualities of some of our warplanes are at a level that is advanced in terms of the rest of the world," Dai said. Li Daguang, a senior military expert at the PLA University of National Defense, emphasized that the military parade is not for saber rattling but aims to promote national pride, confidence and awareness of national defense.

"Some countries, observing China's parade with colored glasses, show off their weapons around the world on the battlefield instead," Li said. Li Jie argued that the parade can reflect the current situation and tendency of China's military weaponry, as well as a way of showing China's military openness and transparency, and how it is aligned with international military standards.

According to the arrangement, President Hu Jintao will offer a keynote address at the huge celebration at Tian'anmen Square on Oct. 1, followed by the military parade and a mass pageant involving 200,000 people, 60 floats and a fireworks display.

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Algeria Prepares to Receive Final Batch of Su-30s

Last month, head of the Irkut Corporation Oleg Demchenko said that the company had delivered 22 of the 28 two-seat Sukhoi Su-30MKA combat aircraft ordered for the Algerian Air Force. He said that the remaining six aircraft would be delivered in September.

The aircraft are part of a comprehensive $7.5 billion arms package signed in March 2006 between Algeria and Russia aimed at modernizing all elements of Algeria's People's National Army (PNA), with a specific emphasis on improving the capability of its Air Force.

Among the aircraft included in the arms deal are 28 MiG-29SMTs, 6 MiG-29UBT trainers, and the 28 Su-30MKA multirole fighters customized to Algerian requirements. In addition, Algeria retains options on up to 30 more MiG-29s. The combined value of the MiG-29 and Su-30 acquisitions is estimated at roughly $2.8 billion.

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Korea National Police Agency Order An AW119Ke

AgustaWestland

AgustaWestland and UI International (UII) are pleased to announce they have been awarded a contract by the Korean Public Procurement Services to supply the Korea National Police Agency (KNPA) with one AW119Ke law enforcement helicopter as part of an on-going programme to modernise the Police helicopter fleet. This is the first AW119Ke to be purchased by the Korean Government and the third law enforcement helicopter sold into the Korean market. It will join two KNPA AW109 helicopters that have been in service for a number of years. The AW119 Koala enhanced is a spacious 8 seat single engine helicopter developed to enhance safety and provide high productivity and performance at a competitive price. The large unobstructed cabin permits rapid re-configuration for a variety of missions such as utility, passenger transport, emergency medical services and the very popular law enforcement role. The high power margins deliver outstanding performance that makes the AW119Ke the most cost effective helicopter in its class.



AgustaWestland and United Industries International believe that this latest addition to the KNPA fleet of law enforcement helicopters will represent a step up in capability for the Korean Law Enforcement service in the country. To support the role the helicopter will be equipped with a powerful search light and cargo hook for utility operations. UI Helicopter (UIH), a subsidiary of the UI Group has established a fully approved AgustaWestland Customer Support Facility in Korea to provide local support to the KNPA.

Earlier this year the first AW139 helicopter was delivered to the Gangwon Fire Fighting Department marking the first delivery into Korea of this popular new generation medium twin engine helicopter. Three more AW139 helicopters are scheduled to be delivered into Korea before the end of this year and AgustaWestland has high hopes that the Korean market will provide an excellent opportunity for the AW139 and other AgustaWestland products.

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Northrop Grumman offers E-2D Advanced Hawkeye to Indian navy

Last month’s export authorization from the U.S. government now permits Northrop Grumman to have discussions with the Indian navy on the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, a platform that provides a highly adaptive form of airborne early warning and control (AEW&C).

A U.S Navy representative, E-2 New Business Manager John Beaulieu, last week made an eight-hour presentation to the Indian navy on the E-2D after a request for more technical clarifications following a request for information last year.

“We’ve been building up to this ... The partnership between the two governments could not be closer,” Beaulieu said. “We are here for preliminary briefings to the Indian navy for E-2D.” India is said to have requirements for six aircraft.

India has been interested in the AEW&C capability for years. “Interoperability is a very, very important aspect,” Beaulieu said.

“It’s fine to have this airborne early warning system up in the air, but if you cannot communicate with not only our own forces, but our allies around the world, it does not do us, or them, much good. If India desires to be interoperable with the U.S. Navy and NATO through datalink systems, this is the platform of choice.”

Northrop has been asked to present a shore-based version, as Indian naval aircraft would require ski-jump compatibility and not the conventional catapult-launched version. “It is a decision the Indian navy has to make,” Beaulieu noted.

Currently, shore-based operations are the way to go as India’s INS Viraat — a Cold War British aircraft carrier — is close to retirement and delivery of the Adm. Gorshkov from Russia has been delayed.

Gorshkov, however, is capable of deploying both vertical-takeoff-or-landing and catapult-launched aircraft. This has led the Indian navy to look at a redesign for its future ships.

As the U.S. Navy’s carrier-based AEW&C, officials have focused on the E-2D’s newly developed AN/APY-9 radar, which works in concert with surface combatants equipped with the Aegis combat system to detect, track and defeat cruise missile threats at extended range.

Former Indian Chief of Naval Staff Sureesh Mehta helped lead the navy in pursuit of more robust overhead surveillance capability.

India already has ordered eight P8-I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft to replace its aging Tupolev Tu-142M maritime surveillance turboprops.

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More Indian scientists question 1998 nuclear tests

More Indian scientists have started questioning New Delhi’s nuclear capability. Former chairman of India’s Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), PK Iyengar, said he had conveyed to the government in 2002 that the 1998 nuclear tests were inconclusive and ambiguous.

His comments came as nuclear scientist K Santhanam, who was associated with the nuclear tests at the time, said they had not been as successful as claimed.

Another scientist Homi Sethna, known as the guiding force behind India’s first nuclear test in 1974, on Tuesday slammed former president APJ Abdul Kalam saying he had no authority to reject former defence scientist K Santhanam’s claim that the explosion was only partially successful.

Iyengar alleged that the nuclear tests of 1998 had been a hasty decision. A Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government, headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee had just assumed office when India conducted the tests. “They might have received a tip-off that Pakistan was ready for tests, so they went in to take a lead,” he added.

The comments by Sethna, the energy commission chairman in 1974, came notwithstanding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and APJ Kalam settling the controversy over the 1998 nuclear tests.

Kalam, who was Santhanam’s boss as head of the Defence and Research Development Organisation (DRDO) in 1998, said the only thermonuclear device (hydrogen bomb) tested produced the “desired results”.

“What did he (Kalam) know about extracting, making explosive-grade material? He didn’t know anything. He appeared to wear the stature only by being a president. He relied on atomic energy to gain additional stature,” Sethna said while talking to the CNN-IBN channel.

“I don’t like politicians to interfere, especially lay politicians. I firmly believe that they should stay out. When we did the tests... It was a raw one,” Sethna said.

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Iran nuclear threat ‘hyped’: ElBaradei

Mohamed ElBaradei, the outgoing head of the UN atomic watchdog, called the threat from Iran “hyped” and said there was no evidence that the Islamic republic will soon have nuclear weapons. In an interview released Tuesday, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) hit back at critics who accuse the Egyptian of covering up Iran’s nuclear ambitions. In many ways, I think the threat has been hyped,” ElBaradei told the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a Chicago-based magazine critical of nuclear weapons.

Yes, there’s concern about Iran’s future intentions and Iran needs to be more transparent with the IAEA and international community,” he said. But the idea that we’ll wake up tomorrow and Iran will have a nuclear weapon is an idea that isn’t supported by the facts as we have seen them so far,” he said. In a report last week, the IAEA said that Iran had slowed production of enriched uranium, which can be used to make a nuclear bomb, and agreed to tighter monitoring of its enrichment plant.

The United States downplayed the report, saying that Iran was still not cooperating fully with the UN inspectors. Israel’s Haaretz newspaper said that the IAEA report did not include a classified annex incriminating Iran. Israel has long been critical of ElBaradei and asked in 2007 that he be fired. ElBaradei, who along with the IAEA as an institution won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005, rejected the criticism.

About Iran, I’ve been told, ‘Mind your own business; you’re a technician.’ And yet, at other times, on other matters, I have been told that I’m the custodian of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty — sometimes by the very people who tell me to mind my own business when it comes to Iran,” he said. I don’t put much stock in either designation. I’m neither a custodian nor a technician; I’m merely someone who is trying to do his job,” he said. ElBaradei steps down at the end of November, handing over to Yukiya Amano, a veteran Japanese diplomat.

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Indian Army tanks battle night-blindness

A majority of Army tanks continue to grope in the dark, stricken as they are with an acute case of night blindness, in yet another example of the Indian defence establishment’s sheer inability to take timely decisions in tune with strategic concerns.

Army’s long-standing objective to equip its mechanized forces, including the over 1,600 T-72 tanks which form the backbone of the country’s armoured might, with advanced night-fighting capabilities is still a long distance away from fruition, say sources. For instance, Army’s case for acquiring 700 TISAS (thermal imaging stand alone systems) and 418 TIFACS (thermal fire control systems) for its T-72 fleet at a cost of around Rs 1,150 crore is still hanging fire at the commercial negotiations stage.

This when the ‘‘acceptance of necessity’’ for the TISAS equipment was approved as far back as in March 2001. ‘‘The capability to conduct effective operations to hit the enemy after sunset is crucial,’’ said a source.

‘‘But the TISAS case has been stuck for a long time, resulting in continued inadequacy of night-fighting capability of the armoured corps,’’ he added. Similarly, the infantry too continues to grapple with only second-generation thermal imaging (TI) systems when actually third-generation ones in large numbers are required to conduct operations after sunset.

The defence ministry, on its part, says the contracts for TISAS and TIFCS for the T-72 fleet are ‘‘likely to concluded’’ within the 2009-2010 fiscal. One of the main reasons for the long delay has been the failure of defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd to resolve technology transfer issues with the foreign supplier.

The Army did get 300 Israeli TISAS for its T-72 tanks in 2001, which were followed by 3,860 image intensifier-based night-vision devices. But the experience with them has been uneven, with even the integration of some of these thermal equipment with fire control systems running into problems.

Even the 310 T-90S main-battle tanks (MBTs) imported from Russia, for over Rs 3,625 crore under a February 2001 contract, have faced problems with their French Catherine TI cameras.

Not being ‘‘adequately tropicalised’’, the Catherine TI cameras have often malfunctioned in the extreme heat of the Rajasthan deserts at temperatures of 55-60 degree Celsius. Incidentally, Army’s requirement for 1,781 MBTs to replace the older T-55 and T-72 tanks is going to be met through the progressive induction of 1,657 T-90S tanks and 124 of the indigenous Arjuns.

In November 2007, India signed another Rs 4,900 crore deal with Russia to import 347 T-90S tanks. The Avadi Heavy Vehicles Factory factory, in turn, is slated to manufacture an additional 1,000 T-90S tanks under licence.

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Challenges from China: Need for defence modernisation

by Kamlendra Kanwar
India’s just-retired naval chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta’s recent warning that China will become a “primary challenge” for India in the future and that “in military terms, both conventional and non-conventional, this country has neither the capability nor the intention to match China force for force” was a candid statement of fact though it caused many eyebrows to rise in policy-making circles. The Chinese threat has generally been talked of in hushed tones. During NDA rule the then Defence Minister, Mr George Fernandes, had disturbed a hornet’s nest when in 1998 he stated that China was India’s enemy number one. Though he later expressed regret over the remark, suspicion of Chinese intentions has been a reality in the Indian foreign affairs establishment for long.

Admiral Mehta’s prediction that Beijing’s territorial claims would become more assertive as its military capabilities continue to develop cannot be taken lightly. He surely knew what he was talking about when he addressed the National Maritime Convention in New Delhi earlier this month. As Admiral Mehta was dwelling on Chinese assertiveness, Beijing was all set to launch its largest-ever military exercise involving 50,000 troops not far from the Indian border.

While China holds on to 38,000 sq km in the western sector occupied during the 1962 hostilities, its growing assertion of its claim over nearly 90,000 sq km in Arunachal Pradesh has a history to it. The legendary first chairman of the Communist Party of China, Mao Zedong, had once termed Tibet as the palm of a hand with its five fingers as Ladakh, Sikkim, Nepal, Bhutan and the North-East Frontier Agency. He had claimed that these were Chinese territories that needed to be ‘liberated’. Mao often quoted a famous Chinese saying, “…If the east wind does not prevail over the west wind, then east wind will prevail over the east wind.” This was interpreted as an obsession to dominate other nations in their vicinity.

Though the spurt in Sino-Indian trade in recent times has encouraged the view that the economic inter-dependence of the two Asian giants would ensure that they don’t go to war again as they did in 1962, China’s consistent support to Pakistan, both overt and covert, and its fanning of Naxalism in large parts of India leave no room for complacency.

It is no secret that nuclear weapons and missile technology were transferred to Pakistan by China in an effort to build it up as a bulwark against India. Likewise, Maoists in Nepal supported on the sly by the Chinese are in cahoots with the Indian Maoists who now control 40 per cent of India’s territory.

The Chinese have also seen to it that all of India’s neighbours —Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and even Sri Lanka — remain under their spell. India has indeed come a long way from the days when the shadow of China evoked great fear in the establishment but there is still much ground to cover.

A recent manifestation of this country’s new-found confidence was the deployment of a full squadron of 18 Sukhoi fighter aircraft a bare 370 km from the last post on the India-China border. Considering that China had earlier deployed ground troops on a major scale in this sensitive area, this was a much-needed Indian response to Chinese hegemonistic activity on the northeastern border with India.

Earlier, in June last a leading Chinese newspaper, Global Times, which is the official organ of the Communist Party of China, had editorially described the Indian decision to station 60,000 troops in Arunachal Pradesh as a “military provocation” and warned India that it “needs to consider whether or not it can afford the consequences of a potential confrontation with China”.

The editorial linked this move to a statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that his government would “make no concessions to China on territorial disputes” despite cooperative India-China relations. Said the editorial: “This ‘tough posture’ may win Dr. Singh some applause among India’s domestic nationalists, but this is dangerous if it is based on a false anticipation that China will cave in.”

Apparently, the Chinese have been unaccustomed to India’s show of confidence and their reaction stems from unhappiness over the growing clout that India enjoys in the world at large.
While border talks have been continuing with both sides reiterating their position, there is an undercurrent of strain that surfaces from time to time. The latest flashpoint was the Asian Development Bank’s nod to the funding of an irrigation project in Arunachal Pradesh late last year.

In the face of China’s objection, the ADB recently approved a $60 million loan for a watershed development project in Arunachal, as part of its $2.9 billion India development plan for three years to 2012. The Chinese claim that the area that India calls Arunachal Pradesh belongs to it and that the ADB had no business including it in the India aid plan.

India’s stand was that while Arunachal was an integral part of its territory, China’s objection on political grounds was a clear violation of the ADB’s charter which prohibits the Bank from evaluating any proposal on grounds other than economic. China angrily rejected India’s assertion that Arunachal Pradesh was its integral part, insisting that Beijing never recognised the “illegal” McMahon Line and that the status of the border state was “never officially demarcated”.

Though the Chinese are now clearly upping the ante on Arunachal, their designs were clear nearly three years ago when, on the eve of the visit of their president, Hu Jintao to India, China’s ambassador Sun Yuxi created a diplomatic flutter by reiterating Beijing’s claim to Arunachal Pradesh. Significantly, China is setting rail tracks very close to Arunachal Pradesh whereas the nearest Indian railhead is far away.

All this may not presage war both because India is no longer weak and helpless as it was in 1962 and trade between the two countries is on an upward spiral to the benefit of both countries, but it does not bode well for relations between the two neighbours. India can hardly ignore the fact that the Chinese worked assiduously behind the scenes to block the Nuclear Suppliers Group from allowing access of nuclear fuel and technology to this country. That it failed to achieve its goal is quite another matter.

Clearly, India can ill afford to lower its guard. Beijing deploys the world’s biggest army, and its defence spending is rising faster than any other power. According to official figures, Beijing’s military budget in 2008 was 418 billion yuan — £35 billion — a rise of 17.8 per cent on 2007. This already exceeds Britain’s defence budget of £34 billion and places China’s military spending second only to the US.

According to figures from Jane’s, the military specialists, the Chinese defence budget has risen by 178 per cent in the past seven years, even after adjusting for inflation. At this rate, China will spend £180 billion — half of the Pentagon’s current budget and five times Britain’s — by 2020.

India has to match up to Chinese preparedness through its own military modernisation programme and also through strategic alliances. After the huge outgo on salaries of defence personnel, there is sadly little left from the budgeted amounts for the modernisation of the armed forces. But even that remains partially unspent. There is indeed a long way to go before this country can consider itself duly equipped to face up to the Chinese threat.

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HAL has a solution to IAF's pilot training crisis

Not since the dark decade of the 1990s, when the Indian Air Force crashed 177 aircraft -- losing 54 young pilots and some Rs 1,000 crore worth of equipment -- has the air force faced such a pilot training crisis.

The long-delayed Hawk trainers, which began arriving in India in 2007, have improved advanced training for IAF flyers. But the crucial introduction to flying, conducted in antiquated HPT-32 Deepak and HJT-16 Kiran aircraft, is taking a growing toll on pilots' lives.

On July 31, after two senior flying instructors from the Air Force Academy near Hyderabad, died in a crash, the IAF halted all "Stage-1" training, which is done on Deepaks.

Chronically prone to engine failure (100 engine emergencies reported in recent years), 10 Deepak trainers have crashed this last decade. A recent CAG report has slammed the aircraft as "technologically outdated and beset by flight safety hazards".

But "Stage-2" training, which is done on the HJT-16 Kiran trainer, is an even grimmer story: 13 crashes over the last decade have taken a deadly toll on pilots' lives.

Now Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has stepped into the breach, renewing an offer to develop a modern replacement for the Deepak. Ashok Nayak, chairman of HAL, told Business Standard: "Two years ago, we offered the IAF a replacement for the Deepak. This single-engine aircraft, which we call the Hindustan Turbo Trainer -- 40 (HTT-40), can be delivered within six years."

But a flustered IAF, short of pilots and keen to recommence training, is demanding immediate purchase of Stage-1 trainers from the global market. The Ministry of Defence is evaluating whether the IAF's immediate requirement can be bought off-the-shelf, while HAL goes ahead with a programme to design and build the HTT-40. A total of 200 basic trainers is the estimated requirement.

The last purchase of trainer aircraft, the BAE Systems Hawk, took 18 years to materialise.

HAL executives are confident that the HTT-40 can be delivered in six years. They point to the success of HAL's ongoing project to develop and build an Intermediate Jet Trainer, which will replace the Kiran as a Stage-2 trainer. Powered by a custom-designed AL-55I engine from Russia [ Images ], the first Sitara trainer from the production line is scheduled to fly next week.

Says the HAL chairman: "The IJT project has demonstrated HAL's capability to design, build and deliver trainer aircraft on time. We will deliver the IAF's current order of 12 IJTs by the end of next year."

If the HTT-40 enters service as a Stage-1 trainer, the entire spectrum of fighter training for IAF pilots will be conducted on HAL-built aircraft. After Stage-1 training on the HTT-40, Stage-2 will be conducted on the Sitara IJT; Stage-3 training will be done on the Hawk advanced jet trainer, now being produced in HAL Bangalore, under Transfer of Technology from BAE Systems, UK.

Meanwhile, HAL is pushing the concept of Phase-4 training on a supersonic fighter: its newly developed twin-seater Light Combat Aircraft. So far, the IAF hasn't bought the idea.

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India Struggles to Keep Navy Afloat

Siddharth Srivastava

India's defense procurement and modernization processes are infamously slow, and mired in red tape, corruption, and lack of long-term strategic planning. One prominent result has been the country's unsuccessful quest to either procure aircraft carriers internationally or build them at home.

The delays have forced India to refit its sole aircraft carrier -- the 50-year-old INS Viraat, which according to earlier plans should have been junked by now -- to operate for five more years, by which time India hopes to have procured more.

The irony is that, over time, Viraat's air fleet has also been substantially depleted due to accidents, which makes the ship essentially a "toothless tiger," as an anonymous army official was recently quoted as saying. In the 1980s, the Indian navy inducted roughly 30 British Sea Harriers for the 28,000-ton Viraat. More than half have been lost to crashes, with the latest going down in August in Goa, killing the pilot and resulting in the grounding of the jets pending an inquiry.

Viraat, a Centaur-class aircraft carrier, was originally commissioned in the British Royal Navy as HMS Hermes in 1959. The Indian navy acquired the platform in 1987.

Sources say that the vessel's 18-month refitting schedule would probably have taken even more time had it not been for the November Mumbai terror attacks, in which militants used a sea route from Pakistan. Since the 40,000-ton carrier being built at Cochin Shipyard will not be ready before 2015-2016 due to years of political and bureaucratic indifference, the need to keep Viraat operational became more urgent.

Despite India's efforts to hasten the procurement of the refurbished 44,570-ton Admiral Gorshkov from Russia, that ship -- currently undergoing a refit at the Sevmash Shipyard in North Russia -- will only be available by 2013, assuming existing differences are sorted out. India and Russia have yet to work out the final cost of the Gorshkov's refit, with Moscow wanting nearly $3 billion, while India hopes to spend a little more than $2 billion.

Indian navy commanders have long tried to impress the political leadership about India's need for at least three aircraft carriers to secure strategic interests that stretch from Africa's eastern coast to the Malacca Strait, in order to assure that two remain active -- one each for the eastern and western seaboards -- even if the third must be refitted and upgraded.

A growing rivalry has emerged between India and China to control the waters of the Indian Ocean. China has spoken of developing three ocean-going fleets, to patrol the areas of Japan and Korea, the western Pacific, and the Malacca Strait and Indian Ocean region.

On paper, at least, manning the seas is a crucial element in India's ongoing defense modernization exercise, estimated at over $100 billion. The Indian Navy is looking to produce at least 25 submarines valued at $20 billion to meet challenges across the Indian Ocean. The government also has plans to invest more than $15 billion over the next 10 years on warships.

There has been some progress as well, especially in efforts to meet heightened threats from Pakistan and to balance the advanced military capabilities of China. The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India has reported that over the three years from 2004-7, India has spent $10.5 billion on military imports, making it one of the largest arms importers in the developing world.

India launched its first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine, the INS Arihant, for trials in July. Part of a $3 billion plan to build five such submarines, the Arihant would complete the triad of nuclear launch capability from air, land and sea platforms. The project, conceptualized in the late 1970s, is already long-delayed. Built under the Advanced Technology Vessel project with Russian help, Arihant is expected to be commissioned around 2012, making India the sixth country -- after the U.S., Russia, China, France and Britain -- to possess a nuclear-powered submarine.

Meanwhile, the construction of the highly advanced Scorpene submarine is progressing at the upgraded Mazgon Dock in Mumbai, under a $3.5 billion deal for six such French vessels.

India has also developed a submarine-launched supersonic missile using a modification of the BrahMos cruise missiles, a capability limited so far to advanced nations such as U.S., France and Russia. Ship- and land-launched versions of the BrahMos cruise missiles are also being inducted in the navy and army. The state-controlled Defense Research and Development Organization is also undertaking a joint development project with Israel Aerospace Industries for a surface-to-air missile for use from land and ship.

In early 2007, India purchased the 36-year-old 16,900-ton warship U.S.S. Trenton -- re-christened INS Jalashwa -- for $50 million. Trenton is the first Indian warship purchased from the U.S., and the second-largest that India now possesses, after the Viraat.

In addition to expanding its naval capabilities, India is also intent on improving its air force. Trials began in August for India's largest-ever defense deal, the $12 billion contract for 126 medium multirole combat aircraft (MRCA). Lockheed Martin and Boeing (U.S.), Dassault's Rafale (France), Gripen (Sweden), MiG (Russia) and Eurofighter Typhoon (a consortium of British, German, Italian and Spanish companies) have begun presenting their fighter jets for flight testing by the Indian air force.

The new MRCA fleet will replace the shrinking MiG-21 interceptors, filling the gap between the more powerful Russian Sukhoi-30MKIs and the low-end indigenous Tejas LCA lightweight fighter.

The question of India's aircraft carriers, however, remains caught in a time warp.

Siddharth Srivastava is a New Delhi-based journalist covering foreign and strategic affairs, security, politics, defense, business and lifestyle issues. He has been a correspondent for the Times of India and is widely published in newspapers and magazines in Asia, Europe and America. His Web site can be found here.

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China says it did not violate Indian airspace

China on Tuesday denied that its military helicopter had violated Indian airspace in Jammu and Kashmir, saying its border patrols abide by rules and regulations.

"China does not encroach on other countries' airspace," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told reporters here.

"Chinese border patrols abide by relevant rules and regulations, and do not cross borders or enter the airspace or territory of other countries," Jiang was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency.

The statement comes a day after Indian Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor said a Chinese helicopter had violated Indian airspace two months back and that New Delhi has taken up the matter with Beijing.

The spokeswoman also termed as "groundless" Indian media reports that there had been military friction between China and India along their mutual borderline.

"China and India have reached a consensus, agreeing that the two sides would work together to maintain peace and stability in border areas before border issues are negotiated," Jiang said.

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US: Pak has agreed for inspections

Responding to “serious” American concerns about illegal modifications made by Pakistan to the US-made Harpoon anti-ship missiles that could target India, Islamabad has agreed for “mutual inspections” of the weapon system. This was disclosed today by US Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P J Crowley, who said that the Obama Administration has taken up the matter with Pakistan.


His comments came two days after the New York Times reported that Pakistan had illegally modified the Harpoon anti-ship missile to expand its capacity to strike land targets for potential use against India. “This is something that we take very seriously. We have raised the issue with the Pakistani Government. The (Pakistan) government has responded with an agreement in principle for mutually agreed inspections,” Crowley told when asked about the Times report.


“In this particular case, we have some concerns. We shared them with the Government of Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan has been responsive,” he said, adding “we would wait and see if those inspections can address the concerns that we have raised.” The newspaper, quoting unnamed Administration officials, had said the US also accused Pakistan of modifying American- made P-3C maritime surveillance aircraft for land-attack missions in a violation of the American laws, including the Arms Control Export Act.

“I am not going to talk about specific issues, brought up in the story. We watch this closely. These are important agreements. This is not about any one country. With any country with which we exchange our defence articles, we have this kind of agreement,” Crowley said.“When we have concerns about how those systems should be used, we raise these concerns with the appropriate governments,” he noted.The violations by Pakistan were first noted by the American intelligence agencies on April 23, The New York Times said, when Pakistan had an unannounced suspicious missile test, that appeared to give the country a new offensive weapon. Pakistan has denied those charges.

The modified version of the missile would be a significant new entry into Pakistan’s arsenal against India as these would enable its small navy to strike targets on land in India, this complementing the sizable land-based missile arsenal that Pakistan has developed, it had said.The Congress is in the final stages of taking a decision on providing $ 7.5 billion in civilian aid to Pakistan in the next five years. The latest expose has the potential to “derail” this, the daily said.

Crowley said the Administration is keeping the Congress fully informed. Asked if this would have any impact on the future of US aid to Pakistan, he said: “I would like to take one step at a time. We have raised some concerns. It has been done at the highest levels over lengthy period of time. As we gain more facts, (we) will understand its potential implications.”

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Turkey Specifies a Range of New Ships

The Turkish navy has in a relatively short period of time gone from being a collection of hand-me-down ships to a service that is able to make its presence felt in regional waters with advanced vessels from foreign suppliers and, increasingly, local shipyards.

The navy is neither the largest nor wealthiest of Turkey’s armed services. Nevertheless, by carefully managing resources and subjecting suppliers to extensive certification tests, it is undertaking an expansion program that will upgrade or replace most of its surface fleet in coming years with a range of ships. It also plans to procure amphibious landing and transport vessels that will enhance force-projection and relief efforts.

As part of the expansion, the navy seeks more independence from foreign suppliers and, eventually, autonomy when it comes to developing ships, weapons and sensors. Efforts are underway to increase the capabilities of local shipbuilders through cooperative programs with foreign shipyards that call for a lead ship to be built abroad and sister ships built locally under license.

Turkish shipyards are, as a result, working on increasingly complex designs. Turkey has a robust commercial shipbuilding industry, which supports almost 40 shipyards, supplies a large merchant fleet and sells many vessels abroad. Turkey’s undersecretariat for defense industries wants to qualify 3-5 shipyards for naval vessels, with contracts awarded competitively.


At stake in the buildup is Turkey’s regional position and economy. The country faces potential threats from many directions: A resurgent Russia that seeks to reestablish spheres of influence in the north; the muddle of Middle Eastern politics and conflicts to the south; an historic rivalry with Greece in the west; and an unpredictable Iran to the east. Ninety percent of Turkey’s trade moves by sea and the navy must guarantee the passage of commercial ships, monitor 8,300 km. (5,157 mi.) of coastline and protect islands it claims in the Aegean.

Turkey’s navy is a 55,000-man force with a number of vessel types. The core surface fleet is made up of 19 frigates. These include German Meko 200 ships and former U.S. Navy Perry- and Knox-class vessels. There are also six corvettes from the French navy. Littoral operations make use of 25 fast-attack missile boats and a dozen patrol boats. The mine warfare force has a number of vessels for inshore, coastal and blue-water operations, most obtained second-hand from the U.S., France and Germany. The amphibious force is small and uses old ships, as do auxiliary and support units. The submarine corps has 14 boats of German design.

The construction of new vessels nearly matches the modernization of ships in service, which relies on foreign and local technology. The service is standardizing weapon systems, sensors and electronics across the fleet.

The navy, however, is not willing to take risks in modernization. While it trusts local shipbuilders to meet long-term commitments (the program may last 20 years), it does not do so without extensively testing designs before committing to orders. In submarines, the navy expects to rely on foreign designs due to the technical hurdles associated with their construction. Nevertheless, there is a desire to develop a submarine combat system, heavy torpedo and sensors locally.


In February, the navy awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to upgrade four Perry-class and the first two Meko 200 IIA frigates. Requirements include installation of the Mk 41 vertical launching system (VLS), which will load Mk 25 quad-pack cells for Raytheon’s ESSM antiair/antimissile system, replacing the Standard SM-1 (supported by Raytheon) on the Perry. The Perry retrofit also involves a combat management system (CMS) based on the Genesis, developed by local manufacturer Havelsan with Raytheon (and initially aimed at the Knox frigates), which is to be installed on new Milgem corvettes. All Perry-class ships will have the Genesis CMS, though not all can receive the Mk 41. Two Knox-class frigates will be retired.

The navy is moving ahead with the ambitious TF-2000 antiair-warfare (AAW) frigate program (some experts say the vessels are really guided-missile destroyers), whose start has been postponed several times. The 6,000-plus-ton vessels, to be built by Golcuk Naval Shipyard, are a local effort with foreign partner assistance.

The timetable calls for completing the design by 2011, with a Batch I contract signed for two vessels in 2014, and commissioning in 2021 and 2022. Batch II, with three vessels, will proceed from 2023-28. Few details are known about weapons and sensors, but each ship will have 32 VLS cells, a Mk 41 launcher that fires Standard SM-2 and ESSM antiair missiles, two helicopters, a 127-mm. gun, antiship missiles and antisubmarine-warfare torpedoes.

The most important national program is the Milgem corvettes. The navy wants 12 ships (four on option), and in the process will replace six corvettes. The first-in-class ship, Heybeliada, was launched in September 2008 and will not be commissioned before 2011. The second, Buyukada, will undergo lengthy testing with a different weapon and sensor suite. There will be a gap between the first two corvettes and series production of an additional six and the option vessels. This is part of the navy’s “test before more buying” strategy. Each corvette displaces 2,000 tons, is 99 meters (325 ft.) long and capable of 30 kt. with a combined diesel and gas powerplant. Armaments include a 76-mm. Oto Melara gun, Boeing Harpoon antiship missiles, Raytheon Rolling Airframe Missile launcher, torpedoes and a helicopter.


The navy’s fast-attack force relies on three Lurssen Kilic 57 boats from Germany and three Tufans (with three more planned), which are built in Turkey. There are also 10 Dogan Type 57 boats and eight former Jaguar boats, both from Germany, which have been rearmed with Penguin antiship missiles from Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace of Norway. Replacement of the Jaguars is underway following the acquisition of 16 patrol boats that will be delivered by local shipbuilder Dearsan starting in 2010. These 400-ton, 55-meter vessels will do 25 kt. The service is evaluating armament for the ships.

The submarine fleet has a version of the German Type-209 design. Six Atilay boats, Type 209/1200, which were to be refitted, will instead be replaced by six HDW Type 214s with air-independent propulsion systems, in a €2.5-billion ($3.55-billion) program. The 214s will be built locally, with initial delivery expected in 2015, and others at a rate of one every two years. Eight of the more modern Type 209/1400s will stay in service and could be modernized.

Turkey wants to expand its amphibious capabilities by acquiring large transport and assault platforms to support a marine brigade, which relies on old, small LSTs (landing ship-tanks) and LCTs (landing craft-tanks). The service wants amphibious craft that also deliver relief supplies. The country is earthquake-prone, and the government has ordered the services to improve relief capabilities. The goal is to acquire one or two LPDs (landing platform-docks), two LSTs and eight LCTs. A contract has been awarded to local builder Adik-Furtrans for the LCTs, which will be 1,200 tons and 80 meters long, capable of 20 kt. and able to carry 320 tons of cargo. The competition for the LSTs is in its final phase, with Adik battling RMK to supply the 5,000-ton, 18-kt. vessels, which will have a 1,200-ton cargo capacity and helicopter deck. LPD plans are moving slower, since the 20,000-ton vessels could be too big for local military shipbuilders. There is a need for a foreign partner to supply design and technical assistance.

Turkey’s navy needs modern support ships for effective operations in blue water. Plans call for acquiring a 10,000-ton submarine rescue ship, with a contract award planned for 2012, one or two 2,500-3,000-ton rescue and towing ships, with a contract expected next year, two fleet-replenishing ships and a research vessel that will replace or add to current support ships.

Mine warfare is a specialty of the Turkish navy, but budget priorities have for years forced the service to rely on old or second-hand vessels. This approach was reversed with the decision to acquire five Alanya-class coastal minehunters, with the first-of-class built by Abeking & Rasmussen of Germany. The next four will be constructed in Turkey. Additional minehunters could replace older types in service.

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Iraq may get U.S.’s used F-16s

Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons set for retirement next year could end up flying over Iraq as part of the Iraqi military, a top acquisitions official said.

“There is a lot of work to be done [equipping the Iraqi air force]. ... Our work isn’t done yet,” Lt. Gen. Mark Shackelford, military deputy for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, told reporters Aug. 27.

Last year, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense asked the U.S. government for permission to buy 36 F-16s, enough to equip two squadrons, from Lockheed Martin Corp. The aircraft manufacturer, though, can’t deliver all the planes by the end of 2011, when U.S. troops are supposed to be out of Iraq.

On a July trip to Iraq, Defense Secretary Robert Gates suggested providing used F-16s as an option to speed up equipping the Iraqi air force with its own air defense capability.

“It involves everything from figuring out a way to provide more flexible financing, to seeing if there are some of our aircraft that may be excess to our needs that could be transferred,” Gates said.

The Air Force aims to retire 134 F-16s and 112 F-15s in 2010, if Congress approves the cuts. The Air Force believes taking jets out of service will save money that can be spent on other aircraft needs, such as buying stealthy F-35 Lightning II fighters.

If the Air Force turns over retired F-16s to Iraq, the service will still have enough backup fighters, Shackelford said. He did not say whether the U.S. would lease the planes or give them to Iraq.

The Air Force is also looking at equipping its Iraqi counterpart with a light cargo airplane and a light attack fighter.

Iraq’s fighter priority is a jet fighter, not a light attack fighter that is typically a single-engine turbo-prop airplane, Shackelford said. The turbo-prop T-6 Texans that the Iraqi air force recently agreed to buy are intended as trainers, not attack planes, he said.

The search for a light cargo airplane is just beginning, Shackelford said. In July, Air Force Materiel Command asked aircraft firms to submit information on potential cargo planes.

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Iraqi planes found in Serbia, but in pieces

Jet fighters sent by Saddam Hussein for maintenance 20 years ago have been found in Serbia, but they will be of little use in rebuilding Iraq's Air Force because most are in pieces, Serbian officials said Monday.

The Iraqi Defense ministry says it discovered during a search of its files that the 19 planes — Soviet-built MiG-21s and MiG-23s — were sent in 1989 to what was then Yugoslavia, of which Serbia was a part. They got stuck there because of an embargo imposed in 1990 against Iraq following its invasion of Kuwait.

Iraqi officials say the planes could be critical in helping the country take responsibility for its own defense as most American forces prepare to leave over the next two years.

"We do need these fighters, especially the MiG-23s, because it is an active and advanced jet," Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Mohammed al-Askari told The Associated Press on Sunday.

Al-Askari said an Iraqi delegation was heading to Belgrade, the Serbian capital, to negotiate the return of the jets.

But Serbian officials say that, if Iraq plans to use them to rebuild its Air Force, their hopes will be dashed: Most of the planes, they said Friday, are cannibalized, abandoned and useless.

Only two or three of the jets are still "in one piece" — including one that was until recently stored in Belgrade's aircraft museum — the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss what they said was a military secret.

The Serbian Defense Ministry had no comment about the jets, but only said an Iraqi military delegation was in Belgrade last week to sign a $100-million weapons deal. It did not say whether the return of the MiGs is a part of that deal, which is believed to include small arms and ammunition for the Iraqi army.

Iraqi officials said they found the planes in the process of trying to trace what Saddam, the former dictator, did with the country's military assets. The 19 planes, all Soviet-built, were sent in 1989 to a Yugoslav maintenance plant in Zagreb, in what is now Croatia, but never got the overhauls they needed.

In 1991, when the Croatian war for independence broke out, the jets were transported to Serbia in parts. And there they remained.

Lt. Col. Gary Kolb, a spokesman for the Multi-National Transition and Security Command-Iraq, said that, in any event, the MiGs would do little to boost the capability of the Air Force.

"The Iraqis would still have to train up pilots for the aircraft and establish a logistics system to maintain them," Kolb said.

The U.S. would probably be unable to help with parts and maintenance, because the MiGs were designed by the former Soviet Union. Iraq has made a request to purchase F-16 fighter jets from the U.S. but that has not yet been approved.

The Iraqi Air Force was once considered the best in the Arab world. Founded in 1931, it battled the British in 1941 and Israel in 1948 and 1967.

Saddam invested a huge portion of the country's oil wealth in the Air Force, which was used to some effect during the 1980-88 war with Iran. At its zenith in the late 1980s, its inventory included nearly 750 combat aircraft, including Soviet MiGs and Sukhois and French Mirage fighters.

The Iraqi air force virtually ceased to exit in 1991: Most of its planes were flown to Iran to keep them from being shot down in the Gulf War. After the war, extensive no-fly zones were imposed over Iraq by the U.S., Britain and France.

Its remnants were officially disbanded by the Americans in 2003, after U.S. troops took control of Baghdad, ending Saddam's regime.

U.S. officials are concerned about Iraq's ability a set up and train a new force by the time most American troops withdraw at the end of 2011.

Iraq's financial crisis, caused by plummeting oil revenues, has slowed the process.

The Air Force has no jet fighters to defend against possible incursions by countries such as Turkey and Israel. Iraqi pilots are flying helicopters and smaller aircraft, such as Cessnas, which are primarily used for border surveillance and intelligence gathering.

Iraqi military officials have also shown interest in the purchase of small piston-engined training aircraft being developed in Serbia.

Associated Press writers Mazin Yahya and Chelsea J. Carter in Baghdad and Slobodan Lekic in Brussels contributed to this report.

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