Indian Air Force: IAF Guns for 42 operational fighter squadrons by 2022

[I-G]

IAF's microlight aircraft makes emergency landing

Muktsar (PTI): A microlight aircraft of the Indian Air Force today made an emergency landing on Muktsar-Bhatinda road in this district after it developed some technical problem.

The pilot is safe and the aircraft did not suffer any damage, Senior Superintendent of Police Gurpreet Singh Gill told PTI.

The aircraft used for training purposes developed a technical problem forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing, he said.

The microlight plane had taken off from an air force base in Bhatinda for a routine training sortie and after noticing the problem the pilot Y S Brar decided to land.

The Hindu News Update Service

 

[nitesh]

10000 cr !

Rs 10,000cr deal likely for Mirage-2000 upgrade - India - NEWS - The Times of India

 

[Sridhar]

V-22 Osprey For IAF & Indian Navy?

V-22 Osprey For IAF & Indian Navy?

Notwithstanding the efforts of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to acquire fixed-wing and rotary-winged transportation aircraft for medium- and heavy-lift operations, the Indian Navy is determined to acquire its own seaborne integral air transportation assets for the Indian Army's projected combat aviation brigade, and its 91 Infantry Brigade, which is now being reconfigured as an amphibious brigade. For enabling both these brigades to undertake all-weather expeditionary campaigns via vertical envelopment (as part of joint services power projection operations) the Indian Navy has reportedly begun seriously evaluating the performance of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey ‘tilt-rotor’ aircraft, so called because it takes off with its twin wingtip-mounted rotors set vertically like a helicopter and glides in the air with them thrust forward as on a fixed-wing aircraft. The shift requires only a pull of the lever by the pilot. The Navy is apparently convinced that in terms of weight, cargo, distance or speed (it can travel twice as fast and three times farther than any existing medium-lift utility helicopter) the once derided Osprey has finally emerged as the vital game-changing force multiplier when employed for effecting maritime/amphibious manoeuvres from the sea, as well as for high-altitude, all-weather air assault, aerial logistics and casualty evacuation over mountainous terrain of the type prevalent along India’s northern and northeastern borders (this also explains the IAF's new-found interest in the Osprey). Being able to cruise at altitudes of 25,000 feet allows the Osprey you to clear obstacles that today’s helicopters like the CH-47F Chinook or AW-101 or Mi-26T cannot even negotiate. Though such helicopters can airlift things, and probably more than the Osprey can, they still cannot arrive at their landing/drop zones from altitude. Nor can they do the transit times and ranges. Furthermore, while existing medium-/heavy-lift helicopters typically require between 24 and 40 man-hours of maintenance for every hour in the air, the Osprey requires only about 9.5 man-hours of maintenance for every hour of flight, and consequently its direct operating costs too are drastically reduced.
The V-22 is best employed as a vertical takeoff-cum-landing platform capable of rapidly deploying air assault and special operations forces to any theatre of operation over both land and sea. This will facilitate the timely build-up of combat forces while minimising the demands of sealift and airlift assets for expeditionary force projection campaigns. While the US Marine Corps is using its MV-22Bs to perform combat assault and combat support missions, the US Air Force’s Special Operations Command’s CV-22s have been configured for terrain-following, low-level, high-speed flight in a variety of special operations missions. The US Navy’s MV-22s will perform combat support missions. Boeing Rotorcraft Systems is responsible for the fuselage and all subsystems, digital avionics, and fly-by-wire flight-control systems. Boeing’s industrial partner Bell Helicopter Textron is responsible for the wing, transmissions, empennage, rotor systems and engine installation. The Osprey is presently being series-produced in three customer-specific versions--50 CV-22s are in delivery to the US Air Force, 360 MV-22Bs to the US Marine Corps and 48 V-22s to the US Navy. Although the Osprey’s per unit cost is estimated at US$100 million, no less than 15 countries (India included) are seriously considering its acquisition in the near future. The Indian Navy is believed to require about 40 Ospreys over a 10-year period (including about six platforms configured for AEW & C operations). Each such tilt-rotor aircraft can carry 24 fully-equipped combat troops, or up to 20,000 pounds of internal cargo or 15,000 pounds of external cargo, at twice the speed of a helicopter. The Osprey also features cross-coupled transmissions so that either engine can power the rotors if one engine fails. The rotors can fold and the wing rotates so the aircraft can be stored on board an aircraft carrier or LPD/LHD. It also has a fixed aerial refuelling boom for being refuelled in mid-air by aircraft like the Lockheed Martin-built C-130J-30 Super Hercules, six of which are on order for the IAF. The Osprey comes powered by twin Rolls-Royce AE1107C turboshaft engines each rated at 6,150shp, has a service ceiling of 25,000 feet (7,620 metres), and has an unrefuelled mission radius with 24 troops of 390nm (722km).--Prasun K. Sengupta

TRISHUL: V-22 Osprey For IAF & Indian Navy?

 

[John]

Its a good aircraft comes in AEW variants as well, can be refueled by C-130J or even the SH if we go for it.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_44d3OT-xI3U/SkJ13u-VwQI/AAAAAAAAAxI/Tq4Bgx2Fpm4/s1600-h/Osprey+AEW-3.jpg

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_44d3OT-xI3U/SkJ2X8eU70I/AAAAAAAAAxQ/ZkCutuFSJ3Q/s1600-h/Osprey+AEW-2.jpg

long range, multirole and can be used in Siachen and places like it...i say go for it.

 

[I-G]

Full-fledged IAF fighter base likely in Kayathar

S. Anandan

Kochi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) is in talks with the Tamil Nadu government for the transfer of a World War II airfield at Kayathar, about 60 km from Tirunelveli, for developing it into a full-fledged fighter base in South India.

“While Sulur and Thanjavur are being built up as fighter stations, Kayathar is the next one in our mind,” Air Marshal S. Radhakrishnan, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command (SAC), told The Hindu

Significantly, ambitious plans are on the cards for the relatively smaller Thiruvananthapuram-based command which, in its silver jubilee year of establishment, does not have much in terms of assets. That, however, will soon change in view of the evolving geopolitical situation and the increasing strategic pertinence of the peninsula. “Sulur, to begin with, is going to be the country’s first Tejas LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) base and will be operational by the end of next year or the beginning of 2011. Despite hiccups pertaining to its engine, the aircraft should be a very potent platform,” the Air Marshal said.

“Thanjavur is coming up quite fast; runway is the only thing left. What we have there is a World War II runway. The money is being released shortly and then the work will start. It should also be ready in a year-and-a-half. Kayathar, when operational, will be the southernmost fighter base in the country, with capability to defend the entire southern strip, including Lakshadweep. It could station Su-30 MKI or the Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA), whose procurement process is under way,” he said. The case of Thanjavur is pending with the Ministry of Defence, but the Air Force is hopeful that it would get the nod in a month or two.

It is likely to station Su-30 MKI or MRCA, if not another LCA squadron. Kayathar will, however, be the command’s principal base with an area of about 1,700 acres.

“It will be full-fledged with all facilities, including weapon storage,” said Air Vice Marshal Rajinder Singh, Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of the Command.

The internal turbulence in Sri Lanka had the Southern Air Command deploy reporting radars to shore up air defence in the peninsula.

“Now, more radars will be put in place with this aim, with Lakshadweep having one. The command will also have an aerostat radar,” said Air Marshal Radhakrishnan.

The Hindu : Front Page : Full-fledged IAF fighter base likely in Kayathar

 

[SATISH]

It is a very good platform for the IAF and the navy. I always supported the Osprey and the Bell 402. It is a very versatile aircraft. This aircraft in its AEW&C configuration will be a great addition to the IAC. Can a erieye like radar and control post be installed in it?

 

[Yusuf]

Cost is a major factor here. It's a good idea but wonder if all the issues about this bird have been resolved. At first no one was interested in it. I wasn't aware that so many numbers have been ordered by the US forces.

 

[John]

The Naval Institute guide to the ... - Google Books

nice read about the V-22, page 447-448,

AEW version would carry the APS-145 radar

AN/APS-145 Advanced Early Warning Airborne Surveillance Radar | Lockheed Martin

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/data/assets/ms2/pdf/APS145-0308.pdf

ASW version could carry APS-137 radar which is also known as APY-10 same sensor onboard the P-8A, gr8 commonality.

Raytheon Company: AN/APS-137B(V)5 Radar System

http://www.raytheon.com/businesses/rtnwcm/groups/sas/documents/content/rtn_sas_ds_anapy10.pdf

cost is high but utility and capability is high as well.

 

[nitesh]

Seems like MiG 35 has to face lot of problems:

Antony spills the beans, says MiG-29 structurally flawed

The Russian-made MiG-29 has a tendency to develop cracks due to corrosion in the tail fin. Russia has shared this finding with India, which emerged after the crash of a Russian Air Force MiG-29 in December 2008.


"There was a MiG 29 accident in Russia in December 2008. RAC MiG has intimated that corrosion on the fin root ribs has been identified as the cause of the crack development,"

"A repair scheme and preventive measures are in place and IAF has not encountered major problems concerning the issue,"

 

[venom]

HAL looking for global partner to design trainer aircraft

BANGALORE: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has decided to rope in an international partner for the design and development of the much needed ab initio turbo trainer for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Navy.

The public sector aerospace company has sent out a request for information (RFI) to a number of companies that have designed and manufactured basic turbo trainers, including Embraer (for their Tucano), Pilatus (PC-21), Raytheon (T-6 Texan), Finmeccanica (M-311), Grob Aircraft Company (G-120TP) and Korea Aerospace Industries (KT-1).

The RFI is for 200 aircraft, with HAL being the sole worldwide manufacturer. The trainer, which will be named Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40), will replace the HAL-designed Hindustan Piston Trainer-32 (HPT-32) Deepak, an aircraft which has been used by the IAF and, in smaller numbers, the Navy for their primary pilot training since 1984. But the reliability of the HPT-32 has always been in question.

The basic piston-driven aircraft has faced a number of technical issues, including a sudden switching off of the engine in mid air. Since its induction, the HPT-32 has had over 70 incidents.

HAL’s efforts to make modifications have been thwarted by a design mismatch between the HAL-designed airframe and the trainer’s Lycoming AEO piston engine. After a series of accidents a few years ago, a worried IAF almost declared the aircraft “too dangerous to fly solo.”

The IAF is hopeful that HAL will come out with a replacement for the HPT-32 by 2013-14 and has indicated its qualitative requirements: a trainer with good spin characteristics, a reliable turboprop engine, an ejection seat, a glass cockpit, a retractable undercarriage, modern navigational equipment and global positioning system. The IAF would also like an interchanging of the trainer’s cockpit layout with the instructor seated on the left and the trainee pilot on the right.

Justifying the decision to rope in a partner, a senior HAL official explained that it could take four to five years if they were to develop a trainer on their own. “Roping in an established partner who has already designed a trainer of this sort will not only mean compressing timelines, but also offering the IAF a top-of-the-line product incorporating most of what the IAF wants. The RFI is the first cut in the process of finding a partner. We hope to finalise the trainer’s specs and our partner by March 2010.”

He said a collaborative effort would also allow HAL to use the global marketing reach and technical reputation of their partner to sell a HAL-designed product in the world market.

The Hindu : National : HAL looking for global partner to design trainer aircraft

 

[venom]

HAL looking for global partner to design trainer aircraft

BANGALORE: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has decided to rope in an international partner for the design and development of the much needed ab initio turbo trainer for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Navy.

The public sector aerospace company has sent out a request for information (RFI) to a number of companies that have designed and manufactured basic turbo trainers, including Embraer (for their Tucano), Pilatus (PC-21), Raytheon (T-6 Texan), Finmeccanica (M-311), Grob Aircraft Company (G-120TP) and Korea Aerospace Industries (KT-1).

The RFI is for 200 aircraft, with HAL being the sole worldwide manufacturer. The trainer, which will be named Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40), will replace the HAL-designed Hindustan Piston Trainer-32 (HPT-32) Deepak, an aircraft which has been used by the IAF and, in smaller numbers, the Navy for their primary pilot training since 1984. But the reliability of the HPT-32 has always been in question.

The basic piston-driven aircraft has faced a number of technical issues, including a sudden switching off of the engine in mid air. Since its induction, the HPT-32 has had over 70 incidents.

HAL’s efforts to make modifications have been thwarted by a design mismatch between the HAL-designed airframe and the trainer’s Lycoming AEO piston engine. After a series of accidents a few years ago, a worried IAF almost declared the aircraft “too dangerous to fly solo.”

The IAF is hopeful that HAL will come out with a replacement for the HPT-32 by 2013-14 and has indicated its qualitative requirements: a trainer with good spin characteristics, a reliable turboprop engine, an ejection seat, a glass cockpit, a retractable undercarriage, modern navigational equipment and global positioning system. The IAF would also like an interchanging of the trainer’s cockpit layout with the instructor seated on the left and the trainee pilot on the right.

Justifying the decision to rope in a partner, a senior HAL official explained that it could take four to five years if they were to develop a trainer on their own. “Roping in an established partner who has already designed a trainer of this sort will not only mean compressing timelines, but also offering the IAF a top-of-the-line product incorporating most of what the IAF wants. The RFI is the first cut in the process of finding a partner. We hope to finalise the trainer’s specs and our partner by March 2010.”

He said a collaborative effort would also allow HAL to use the global marketing reach and technical reputation of their partner to sell a HAL-designed product in the world market.

The Hindu : National : HAL looking for global partner to design trainer aircraft

 

[venom]

India signs pact with Ukraine to upgrade An-32 aircraft

New Delhi (PTI) The Government has signed a pact with Ukraine to upgrade Indian Air Force's fleet of An-32 transport aircraft, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said on Monday.

"A contract for upgradation of An-32 aircraft has been signed with State Foreign Trade Enterprise 'Spetstechnoexport' (STE), Ukraine on June 15, 2009 for total technical life extension (TTLE), overhaul and re-equipment of the aircraft in IAF fleet," Mr. Antony said while replying to a Lok Sabha query.

The Minister said that the upgrades will enhance IAF's An-32 fleet's life by another 15 years.

"The calendar life of An-32 aircraft will be enhanced from 25 years to 40 years," he said.

He added that the aircraft will be upgraded between 2009-17 and USD 397.7 million would be spent on the process.

The IAF has a fleet of around 100 An-32s, which were procured from the erstwhile Soviet Union in the 80s.

Meanwhile, replying to another question, Mr. Antony said that the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited has approved a new campus for its management academy in Bangalore.

The Hindu News Update Service


As part of the deal to upgrade 105 Aviant/Antonov An-32 of the Indian Air Force will involve a comprehensive engine and integrated avionics updation that will push the workhorse fleet for at least another two decades.

The upgrade will be undertaken by Antonov/Aviant and IAI jointly. The qualitative requirements as formally listed by the IAF for the upgrade are "extending service life, enhancing operational capabilities, easing workloads on crew and reducing maintenance costs".

LiveFist has learnt that the avionics of the An-32 will be replaced with an IAI-LAHAV-ELTA developed package, including a full glass cockpit with standard multi-function displays (MFDs) and a control display unit (CDU).

The LAHAV-ELTA avionics package that will go into each IAF An-32 includes a digital moving map, full NVG capability, in-flight mission rehearsal options, head-up display for both pilots (the IAF is still to communicate the the consortium if it wants HUDs for both pilots, one pilot, or none at all) and a significantly new advanced electronic warfare system (EWS), which will feature radar warning receiver, the fourth generation EL/M-2160 missile approach warning system, laser warning receiver and conventional countermeasures. Flight safety features being incorporated into the upgrade will include an advanced Terrain Avoidance Warning System (TAWS) and an Enhanced Traffic Collision Avoidance System (ETCAS), with options for a specialised weather radar.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

India to help Boeing build better aircraft

India to help Boeing build better aircraft- Airlines / Aviation-Transportation-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times


India to help Boeing build better aircraft


BANGALORE: Boeing, the world’s second-largest commercial aircraft maker, is working on some key technologies in India for improving the

aircraft’s efficiency and bringing down its operating costs.

The technology, once fully developed, will help Boeing build a fuel-cell powered futuristic aircraft, which will be lighter and more fuel-efficient. Boeing is also looking for ways to improve its 787 Dreamliner.

In India, Boeing has collaborations with several institutions for development of aerospace technology. It has a tie-up with Indian Institute of Science (IISc) for research in aerospace material, structures and manufacturing technologies.

“At IISc, we are developing and integrating advanced structural technologies to demonstrate how future aerospace structures can enhance an aircraft’s performance and reduce its weight by 25%. The new technologies will also help in cutting costs by 25%,” Boeing India VP, engineering and technology, Naveed Hussain, said.

Boeing’s Bangalore Technology Centre, the third of its kind outside the US, will function as a centralised R&D organisation for its major business units and as a focal point for collaboration with Indian R&D organisations, including universities and private sector R&D providers.

Boeing, which has six advanced R&D labs across the US, will add another 100 engineers at its Bangalore technology centre.

“Boeing’s R&D strategy will help it leverage high value innovation and contribute to its global growth and productivity goals, beneficial to all stakeholders, including Indian R&D establishments,” said Ratan Shrivastava, director of aerospace and defence practices at consulting firm Frost and Sullivan.

Boeing has entered into research and development partnerships with many an Indian organisation. It collaborates with IIT-Kanpur for integration of passive and active radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, and with National Aeronautical Laboratory (NAL) for development of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools and testing aircraft landing gear.

Boeing has a partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for developing advanced low-cost manufacturing processes for polymer matrix composite structures. “Vacuum-assisted, resin transfer moulding is one such low-cost manufacturing process,” said Mr Hussain.

Boeing’s research in India also covers advanced composites, high-strength alloys, non-destructive evaluation, and virtual manufacturing.

Boeing is part of the Aerospace Network Research Consortium (ANRC), comprising IISc, Wipro and HCL, which is developing innovative solutions for aerospace networks.

Boeing has also tied up with Tata Motors Tal Manufacturing Solutions (TALMSL), which will build floor beams using titanium and composite materials for Boeing 787. Boeing is the first airliner to have a fuselage and wings built mainly of composite plastics, making it lighter than traditional aluminium planes.

 

[Sridhar]

HAL looking for global partner to design trainer aircraft

HAL looking for global partner to design trainer aircraft

BY :THE HINDU
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has decided to rope in an international partner for the design and development of the much needed ab initio turbo trainer for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Navy.
The public sector aerospace company has sent out a request for information (RFI) to a number of companies that have designed and manufactured basic turbo trainers, including Embraer (for their Tucano), Pilatus (PC-21), Raytheon (T-6 Texan), Finmeccanica (M-311), Grob Aircraft Company (G-120TP) and Korea Aerospace Industries (KT-1).
The RFI is for 200 aircraft, with HAL being the sole worldwide manufacturer. The trainer, which will be named Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40), will replace the HAL-designed Hindustan Piston Trainer-32 (HPT-32) Deepak, an aircraft which has been used by the IAF and, in smaller numbers, the Navy for their primary pilot training since 1984. But the reliability of the HPT-32 has always been in question.
The basic piston-driven aircraft has faced a number of technical issues, including a sudden switching off of the engine in mid air. Since its induction, the HPT-32 has had over 70 incidents.
HAL’s efforts to make modifications have been thwarted by a design mismatch between the HAL-designed airframe and the trainer’s Lycoming AEO piston engine. After a series of accidents a few years ago, a worried IAF almost declared the aircraft “too dangerous to fly solo.”
The IAF is hopeful that HAL will come out with a replacement for the HPT-32 by 2013-14 and has indicated its qualitative requirements: a trainer with good spin characteristics, a reliable turboprop engine, an ejection seat, a glass cockpit, a retractable undercarriage, modern navigational equipment and global positioning system. The IAF would also like an interchanging of the trainer’s cockpit layout with the instructor seated on the left and the trainee pilot on the right.
Justifying the decision to rope in a partner, a senior HAL official explained that it could take four to five years if they were to develop a trainer on their own. “Roping in an established partner who has already designed a trainer of this sort will not only mean compressing timelines, but also offering the IAF a top-of-the-line product incorporating most of what the IAF wants. The RFI is the first cut in the process of finding a partner. We hope to finalise the trainer’s specs and our partner by March 2010.”


He said a collaborative effort would also allow HAL to use the global marketing reach and technical reputation of their partner to sell a HAL-designed product in the world market.




IDRW.ORG Blog Archive HAL looking for global partner to design trainer aircraft

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Boeing Maintains $100 Billion Aircraft Sales Forecast for India

Boeing Maintains $100 Billion Aircraft Sales Forecast for India - Bloomberg.com

Boeing Maintains $100 Billion Aircraft Sales Forecast for India


By Vipin V. Nair

July 22 (Bloomberg) -- Boeing Co., the world’s second- biggest commercial planemaker, maintained its 20-year aircraft sales outlook in India, saying potential for air travel growth in the South Asian nation is “greatest” in the world.

Indian carriers may buy 1,000 new jets worth $100 billion in the next two decades, Dinesh Keskar, president of Boeing India, said in New Delhi today.

The country accounts for 3 percent of Boeing’s commercial jet market globally, he said.

 

[venom]

Iaf Wolfpack Sqd Mirage-2000 captures the eclipse.

The Indian Air Force today successfully undertook aerial sorties to help Indian scientists undertake study of the total solar eclipse that took place today. Two separate missions from Agra and Gwalior were flown towards the endeavour that was deemed hugely successful by scientists associated with the experiment.

While one AN-32 transport aircraft carrying scientific equipment, cameras and scientists that took off from Agra landed back after a three-hour flight, a Mirage-2000 trainer from 9 Squadron "Wolfpack", Gwalior took spectacular images of the celestial spectacle from 40,000 feet. With weather being clear at the altitudes and coordinates planned by the IAF pilots, both AN-32 and Mirage-2000 pilots were able to accomplish the mission successfully.

"The mission was a huge success. We got excellent footage of the eclipse. This was made possible by the perfect planning and execution by the IAF pilots", said Dr.Vinay B. Kamble, Director, Vigyan Prasar while addressing media persons at Agra airbase after the flight.

The AN-32 mission was flown at 25,000 feet. The aircraft flew a south-westerly course from abeam Khajuraho, descending and aligning along the central axis of the eclipse. The Mirage-2000 fighter flew at an altitude of 42,000 feet bisecting the central axis in a north-south direction to film the eclipse.

"Since flying with the ramp open involves depressurisation, inhaling of oxygen separately becomes absolutely necessary at that altitude. We flew a practise mission to train everyone for the sortie", explained Wing Commander D Singh, Captain of the historic flight. "Ensuring the Sun at six-o-clock position at the correct angle for cameras to be able to catch the phenomenon demanded a high degree of accuracy in flying", he added, satisfied with the results.

As the eclipse progressed towards the totality phase, darkness descended across the morning sky metamorphosing rapidly from bright daylight to the twilight zone, transiting to dark phase. The pilots switched on rheostats illuminating their instrument panel for a brief phase of night flying before resuming daylight flying after the total solar eclipse. For those who witnessed the rare spectacle in air, the experience was truly ethereal.

LiveFist - The Best of Indian Defence: FIRST on LiveFist: IAF Wolfpack Sqn Mirage-2000 Captures the Eclipse

 

[venom]

Air Mshl Sumit Mukerji: The Man Who Chased an Eclipse in a Foxbat

Tail-chasing an enemy jet and shooting it down from the sky remains the ultimate dream of every fighter pilot. Seldom do pilots in such aerial chases go beyond the supersonic regime, let alone beyond that.

Now imagine chasing a target at Mach 2.5, more than twice the speed of sound and yet not manage to catch up, a chase that can only be fathomed out of a scene from a star trek kind of sci-fi film. Incredible it may sound but it is just what IAF pilots did when chasing the umbra shadow during the total solar eclipse on October 24, 1995. It also heralded IAF’s participation in scientific study of total solar eclipse that continues till date.

After the total solar eclipse of 1898 over India, the next occurrence took place only in 1980. Not until the subsequent total solar eclipse in 1995, did the IAF assist the Department of Science and Technology (DST) in their quest to film this celestial alignment. With aviation speeds streaking past the supersonic barrier, the scientific experiment of photographing the images from the air was now made possible.

Air Marshal S Mukerji, Air Officer-in-charge Personnel (AOP) at Air Headquarters was the then Commanding Officer of IAF’s only Mig-25 Squadron, christened – Trisonics, based at Bareilly. Then a Group Captain, Air Marshal Mukerji had this rare opportunity to fly the Mig-25 on that day to film the Sun’s corona from an astounding altitude of 80,000 feet, straight from the Stratosphere.

“We flew at Mach 2.5 in the path of the eclipse at 80,000 feet along the planned central axis of the eclipse over Neemkathana, near Agra”, recalls Air Marshal Mukerji of his historic sortie that finds a mention in his flying log book plainly as - ‘Supersonic Profile’. Weather and other visibility were not any constraints, he says, as clarity at stratospheric levels is far better than that nearer ground.

With a manual Hasselblad camera mounted above the instrument panel, a special lead and button provided to the second pilot, Wing Commander YS Babu seated in the front cockpit, the duo with special solar filters on their visors flew straight towards the Sun for a minute and twenty-four seconds, clicking never-before images of the spectacle, during the total solar eclipse.

“A lot of preparation went in ahead of the sortie. The sortie route had to be charted, axis programmed on the inertial navigation system and briefings by scientists with NASA charts were done. The aircraft were put on jacks, the angle-of-attack or ‘alpha’ simulated on ground to harmonize the camera along the axis. In addition, the aircraft belly camera could capture the shadow beneath that was 85 kms in width”, recounts Air Marshal Mukerji of the preparations.

LiveFist - The Best of Indian Defence: Air Mshl Sumit Mukerji: The Man Who Chased an Eclipse in a Foxbat

 

[proud_indian]

Unit Procurement Cost and Program Unit Cost of 4-5 generation aircrafts

hi guyz

I was wandering around google searching for unit cost of 4th and 5th generation aircraft. After lot of searching i got a little pdf file at difence-aerospace.com. It has lots of information about Unit Procurement Cost and program unit cost and other benchmarks make it a interesting read.

i don't know if it is posted earlier
but still a nice read

here is the link

FighterCostJuly06

 

[Energon]

Thanks mate, I was hoping there was literature on this topic somewhere on the web. I'll read it when I get some free time.

 

[nitesh]

IAF men get training in aviation fuel handling - Chandigarh - City - NEWS - The Times of India

IAF to rethink on Muslim beard issue - India - NEWS - The Times of India