Indian Air Force News - IV

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wild goose

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MoD to resolve IAF-HAL spat over trainer aircraft for rookie pilots


NEW DELHI: Even as the criticality of imparting proper training to rookie pilots hangs in the balance, IAF and defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics have locked horns on the acquisition of new basic trainer aircraft (BTA). The defence ministry will soon have to step in to resolve the tussle.

Upset with the huge delay in development of the indigenous BTA, IAF has now formally asked MoD to approve its acquisition case for 37 more Swiss Pilatus PC-7 trainers to add to 75 such planes already ordered for Rs 2,896 crore last year.

A miffed HAL, however, wants MoD to reject the proposal. Contending its under-development HTT-40 aircraft will meet all the BTA requirements of IAF, the indigenous aircraft manufacturer says it will prove cheaper than the Swiss aircraft in the long run.

But IAF is very doubtful about HAL delivering BTA either in time or in a cost-effective manner. "As per our calculations, each HTT-40 will be costlier than Pilatus by Rs 2-5 crore,'' said an IAF officer.

The force says it would be better if HAL "junked'' its fledgling HTT-40 programme to "fully concentrate'' on the Sitara intermediate jet trainer (IJT), which has been in the making for over a decade now but is still not operational yet.

Overall, IAF requires 181 BTA, 85 IJTs and 106 advanced jet trainers (AJTs) for Stage-I, II and III training of rookie pilots. The advanced training issue is already settled with India progressively inducting 123 British Hawk AJTs contracted in an overall project worth around Rs 16,000 crore.

IAF went in for Pilatus after its training went haywire when all the 114 piston-engine HPT-32 aircraft, which long served as BTA, were grounded in August 2009 after a crash killed the pilot.

Equally obsolete Kiran Mark-II aircraft, numbering around 80, are being used for both Stage-I and II training. "We can stretch the Kirans for Stage-II till 2014-2015. If the IJT is not ready by then, we will be forced to send batches abroad for intermediate training,'' said the officer.

IAF will begin its first course on Pilatus trainers in July, by when it would have received 14 of them. The force wants to gradually ramp up training for each fighter pilot to 254 hours, with the first 65 on Pilatus, 82 on IJTs and 107 on Hawks.

Over 39% of the 1,010 crashes recorded by IAF since 1970 have been attributed to "human error (aircrew)'', often the result of inadequate training. "Technical defects'', caused by ageing machines and shoddy maintenance, is the other equally big killer.



MoD to resolve IAF-HAL spat over trainer aircraft for rookie pilots - The Times of India
 

arnabmit

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IAF waiting for clearance of dues amounting over Rs 64 cr

Various ministries owe over Rs 64 crore to the Indian Air Force in outstanding dues for using its aircraft and choppers, Defence Minister A K Antony said today.

In a written reply to Lok Sabha, he said, "Amount of Rs 64,29,57,372 is outstanding against various Ministries as fares on use of aircraft/helicopters of the IAF as on March 31, 2013."

He added that during 2012-13, "IAF aircraft/helicopters were used on 133 occasions and amount of Rs 9,48,02,751 is outstanding."

In reply to a separate question on complaints received from the Central Vigilance Commission, he said, "During the last three years, 74 complaints were received from CVC for investigation and reporting to CVC."

These complaints were mainly pertaining to alleged irregularities in award of contracts for procurements, execution of contracts, recruitment and personal conduct of officials, Antony said.

"Top priority is attached to the complaints received from CVC and utmost urgency is observed to investigate and bring such complaints to the logical conclusion within the time stipulated by CVC," he said.

On whether the government is considering changes in the Defence Procurement Procedure, Antony said, "The review of DPP, which deals with capital acquisition cases, is a continuous and an ongoing process."

He also informed the House that amendment proposals based on the current review have recently been approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).

"These amendments aim at enhancing indigenisation, reducing processing time and bring further clarity in the capital acquisition process"¦Efforts are at hand to promulgate the amended DPP within the current quarter of the financial year 2013-14," Antony said.
 

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India Aims To Create New Company To Build 748 Replacement | Aviation International News

The RFP for the five-ton and above, 50-seater transport aircraft with a rear ramp has been released to eight OEMs–Airbus Military, Alenia, Antonov, Boeing, Embraer, Lockheed Martin, Rosboronexport and Saab. Airbus Military's C-295 and Alenia Aermacchi's C-27J are expected to be the finalists for the contract.

Sixteen flyaway aircraft have to be delivered within two years of contract signing, followed by another 16 in semi-knocked-down kit form starting in the fifth year. Delivery of the final 24 transports that will be manufactured in India is to be completed within 10 years.
 

cobra commando

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IAF to get BrahMos by year-end



BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which can travel three times faster than sound, is expected to be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) by end of 2013, said A Sivathanui Pillai, chief executive officer and managing director of BrahMos Aerospace, in his address at Vellore on the occasion of the 22nd convocation day of Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology on Sunday.

"Two Su-30MKI aircraft will be equipped with the missiles, which will enable them to hit targets on the ground accurately," Pillai said. The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, said Pillai, who is also the chief controller (research and development), Defence Research and Development Organisation.

"Today, the Indian Army is the only army in the world to possess the supersonic cruise missile," informed Pillai, adding,"In the next stage, we will be developing hypersonic cruise Mach 7 missiles. This is expected to be completed in five years."

"We have received enquiries from several friendly countries and Russia has agreed to supply it to other countries. He said ISRO could be launching its Mars mission by November this year. He said the technology developed by DRDO has several civil applications. One of them is the fiberglass technology which can be used to produce light weight callipers for those suffering from polio and cerebral palsy and find it difficult to walk.


IAF to get BrahMos by year-end - The New Indian Express
 

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MiG-21 crashes in Rajasthan, pilot ejects safely
A MiG-21 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in Rajasthan's Barmer district on Friday, with the pilot ejecting safely.

The plane crashed near Sodiyar village at 9 a.m. and the pilot ejected safely, Defence Spokesperson S.D. Goswami told PTI.

He said the aircraft took off from the Uttarlai Airbase in the western sector and was on a routine sortie.

It crashed 40 km off Barmer, he said.

A rescue mission was immediately launched from Jodhpur airbase, he said.

A Court of Inquiry has been ordered by the Air Force to ascertain the cause of the crash.
MiG-21 crashes in Rajasthan, pilot ejects safely | The Hindu
 

TrueSpirit

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@p2prada, @ersakhtivel, @Kunal Biswas

What would be the reduction in weight achieved (for Brahmos) ? Is it 2 tons now or around 2.5 tons ? What compromises were made, if any, to achieve this weight reduction?

Two Su-30MKI aircraft will be equipped with the missiles, which will enable them to hit targets on the ground accurately," Pillai said.
MKI's would carry them on under-fuselage wetpoints or pylons ? Have the modifications been completed on them ?
 
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p2prada

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@p2prada, @ersakhtivel, @Kunal Biswas

What would be the reduction in weight achieved (for Brahmos) ? Is it 2 tons now or around 2.5 tons ? What compromises were made, if any, to achieve this weight reduction?
Brahmos 1 land version is 3 tonnes. Brahmos 1 air version will weigh 2.5 tonnes. The rocket booster will be removed and hence the reduction in weight.

MKI's would carry them on under-fuselage wetpoints or pylons ? Have the modifications been completed on them ?
One missile under the fuselage for MKI. There are currently no wet points on MKI. There is no official word about the modification being complete, it should be happening as we speak.

Brahmos 3 will be a re-engineered Brahmos 1 and will weigh only 800Kg. So this missile may find its place in more than just MKI.
 
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arnabmit

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Brahmos 3 as in Brahmos Block3? Which was test fired in 2011?

Brahmos 3 will be a re-engineered Brahmos 1 and will weigh only 800Kg. So this missile may find its place in more than just MKI.
 

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IAF to close deals worth $25 bn this fiscal including MMRCA, Boeing Apache Longbow helicopters


Deals worth $25 billion are expected to be closed by the Indian Air Force (IAF) this fiscal, its largest ever procurement. These include the long-awaited $20-billion 126 MMRCA, three C-130J special-operations planes (as a follow-on order), 22 Boeing Apache Longbow strike helicopters ($1.2 billion), 15 heavy-lift Boeing CH Chinook helicopters ($1.4 billion) and six European A-330 MRTT ($2 billion) mid-air refuelling tanker planes.

Air Chief NAK Browne said: "IAF is witnessing an unprecedented phase of modernisation. Capability enhancement can be seen across the spectrum. Five major deals estimated at $25 billion are slotted to be closed this fiscal."

Sources told FE: "Talks are on for a follow-up order for six more C-130J from Lockheed Martin. Orders for three have been placed. Also, the IAF is expected to get 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III heavy-lift aircraft at $5 billion. The delivery of the aircraft is scheduled between June 2013 and June 2015. Like in the case of C-130J, IAF also plans to increase its C-17 fleet by 10 more such planes."

The IAF is also inducting 139 Russian Mi-17 V-5 medium-lift helicopters for an estimated $2.4 billion. The workhorse Mi-17 has been in service for decades, but the new-model, V-5, is a vastly superior machine with new engines, rotor blades and avionics. An IAF order for 80 Mi-17s is already being delivered, which is likely to be followed by an order for 59 more.

As part of its modernisation plans, earlier in May, the ministry of defence issued a Request for Proposals (RfP) to eight foreign aerospace vendors, inviting tenders for co-producing 56 medium transport aircraft to replace the aging fleet of Hawker Siddeley 748M Avro aircraft. The deal could be worth about R28,000 crore.

Among the companies invited to bid are Boeing of the US, Ilyushin of Russia, Antonov of Ukraine, Franco-German consortium EADS and Alenia Aeromacchi of Italy. As reported earlier by FE, the pre-bid meeting will take place on June 19. The MoD has given bidders five months to choose and tie up with an Indian Production Agency (IPA) and submit their "techno-commercial proposals".

Of the total capital outlay of R86,741 crore for new buys this fiscal, finance minister P Chidambaram has allocated the maximum for IAF (R38,558 crore), followed by Army (R17,822 crore), Navy (R9,626 crore) and Defence Reseach and Development (R5,058 crore).

IAF to close deals worth $25 bn this fiscal including MMRCA, Boeing Apache Longbow helicopters
 

p2prada

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Brahmos 3 as in Brahmos Block3? Which was test fired in 2011?
No, Brahmos 3 is a new missile. Block 3 is a Brahmos 1.

Btw, a correction, Brahmos 3 will weigh 1500Kg, not 800.
 
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