Indian Navy to equip it's aircraft carriers with EMALS

[Lions Of Punjab]

Navy to boast US' modern launch system | idrw.org

The Indian Navy will soon equip its domestically-built aircraft carriers with US-based General Atomics' (GA) new-generation catapult Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) — a quantum leap for the navy that currently relies on Russian ski-launch technology.

Talking to FE, Vivek Lall, CEO, US and International Strategic Development General Atomics Electromagnetics, said: "After concurrence from the US navy and permission to export, the system could provide key benefits to advance the Indian Navy."

Lall, who visited India as part of the CEO delegation that accompanied US President Barack Obama last week, added: "The system's flexible architecture allows for integration into a range of platforms with differing catapult configurations, enabling the launch and recovery of a wide variety of aircraft, including unmanned aerial vehicles, to enhance situational awareness. Our integrated system requires fewer personnel to operate and maintain, and provides a more fuel efficient alternative to legacy catapult systems."

The US government's permission to export the system to India probably came after PM Narendra Modi and Obama said they would explore ways of sharing aircraft carrier technology, said Lall, whose company has pioneered the technique.

While responding to a question, the CEO acknowledged that a significant amount of progress has been made, especially in the defence sector.

"There is potential for GA to establish a joint venture with an Indian counterpart and for this we have been in talks with several companies."

Modi and Obama called for identification of new areas of technology cooperation through the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI).

The co-development and co-production element also fits into the PM's 'Make in India' development model. "Now defence minister Manohar Parikkar will seek a list of technologies from various departments and which the US can share," a source said.

GA's launch system can be used for a variety of warplanes, including jets and drones, unlike existing technology that is more restrictive, Lall said, adding, "We need to design, build, launch and support systems that keep services mission ready, we must develop systems that utilise electric energy more efficiently and are designed to ease maintenance and reduce lifecycle costs. Our products push the boundaries of energy and fuel efficiencies, harsh operational environments, and high reliability standards."

The existing carriers have a ski-jump design that depends on a warplane's own thrust to get it aloft, limiting the jets that can be deployed. GA's system uses electromagnetic force to help propel planes into the sky. It's being fitted to the Gerald R Ford (CVN 78), the latest generation of US carrier. The system is a highly redundant, modular design with few moving parts.

 

[sorcerer]

What is surprising the pace of follow up on the defence deal agreed up on just a week back. Nice move GoI.

India proposes a deal and there is a prompt 'making it happen' from the other party. This is good for business and Indian defence. If everything goes this way India can fill the void in defence capabilities pretty soon from manufacturers.
India being a large market for defence deals and is a country that pays very promptly to settle its deals should be taken by countries with defence export very seriously to deliver the deliverables on time and competitevly so as not to lose the on time reliability factor .

With some countries its double the foreplay before the nirvana; the only problem is the deal turns numb meanwhile.

 

[sorcerer]

US-India Cooperation on Naval Aviation: Game Changer?

One of the potentially most interesting developments to emerge from President Obama's recent trip to India was news that the United States and India have decided to embark on cooperative efforts with respect to naval aviation. Of course, India and the United States already enjoy some degree of collaboration, as the U.S. has assisted the Indian Navy with pilot training and deck management for several years. Still, the open discussion of this relationship implies a more expansive, longer-term cooperative framework than has previous been clear.

India has taken a much different road with its carrier force than the United States. It's current carriers are transplants from the United Kingdom and Russia, albeit with significant modification. Instead of pursuing a common design for its three carriers, the Indian Navy has settled on three different designs, with potentially serious implications for compatibility and air crew training. Both INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant will use a ski-jump to launch aircraft, a system never employed on a U.S carrier.

It will be interesting to see whether the discussion about carrier cooperation and development simply reaffirms the existing degree of collaboration, or whether it extends to operations and even naval architectures. In particular, the transfer of data and technology associated with the EMALS catapult system would be of tremendous assistance to India, even though we're likely beyond the point at which it could affect the design of INS Vikrant. INS Vishal, a 60,000 ton carrier expected to enter service sometime in the 2020s, is a different story. EMALS technology could potentially alleviate some of the problems generated by steam catapult design, if India decides to move in that direction.

What does the United States get out of this relationship? It's unlikely that the U.S. carrier force will depend on India for transfer of key technologies. Rather, the advantages to the United States are political and operational. These include:

A full understanding of the capabilities and operational procedures of a major partner
A set of relationships between military and civilian defense officials in both countries, relationships that can serve to lubricate cooperation on operational and political levels
A potential market for US defense products, and a means of undercutting the procurement relationship between India and Russia

The politics of the partnership between India and the United States remain complicated, albeit more so in India than in the United States. Establishing a collaborative framework around one of the most expensive and important features of the Indian and American military complexes suggests a high degree of political cooperation, and a long term vision of the bilateral relationship. Undoubtedly, China and Pakistan are taking note.


US-India Cooperation on Naval Aviation: Game Changer? | The Diplomat

 

[Dark Sorrow]

From what I understand power requirement for EMALS is very high and only Nuclear Reactor make it economically feasible. Are their even pans to help IN with nuclear reactor or have developed technology for one.

 

[Compersion]

can we buy a second hand aircraft carrier from USA

 

[syncro]

Nope... is prohibited the sale of American aircraft carriers

 

[sorcerer]

From what I understand power requirement for EMALS is very high and only Nuclear Reactor make it economically feasible. Are their even pans to help IN with nuclear reactor or have developed technology for one.

I suppose more than the EMALS US Wants

A full understanding of the capabilities and operational procedures of a major partner
A set of relationships between military and civilian defense officials in both countries, relationships that can serve to lubricate cooperation on operational and political levels
A potential market for US defense products, and a means of undercutting the procurement relationship between India and Russia

This is what it is.

and it is a loong shot for INS Vishal..

Defence officials said this could lead to direct US participation in building the 65,000-tonne INS Vishal carrier.

NEW DELHI: India wants to use state-of-the-art US technology to boost the range and potency of a planned aircraft carrier, defence sources said, in a move that would tie their arms programmes closer together and counter China's military influence in the region.

The proposal, referred to only obliquely in a joint statement at the end of President Barack Obama's recent visit to New Delhi, is the clearest signal yet that Washington is ready to help India strengthen its navy.

Although the aircraft carrier in question would not be ready for at least another decade, such cooperation could act as a balance against China's expanding presence in the Indian Ocean.

It would also represent a shift away from India's traditional reliance on Russian military hardware, particularly if, as some experts expect, it leads to knock-on orders for US aircraft in the longer term.

After years of neglect, India's navy is in the midst of accelerated modernisation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

It inducted an old aircraft carrier from Russia in 2014 to add to an ageing British vessel likely to be decommissioned in 2018. Last year, soon after taking office, Modi cleared funds to ensure another carrier being built domestically was ready for service in 2018.

He also endorsed navy plans for a further carrier which would be its biggest, and it is this one that may be built with US technology, a defence ministry source and two former navy vice admirals with ties to the naval establishment said.

The joint statement by Obama and Modi spoke of a "working group to explore aircraft carrier technology sharing and design" as part of the Defense Trade and Technology Initiative.

Defence officials said this could lead to direct US participation in building the 65,000-tonne INS Vishal carrier.

"The US navy is the only one that operates large carriers today, so we are looking at what they can offer, what is possible," the defence source said.

MORE, BIGGER AIRCRAFT

Former vice admiral Arun Kumar Singh said naval planners want a carrier that can launch heavier planes, and the only way to do that is from flat decks which US carriers have instead of Russian "ski-jump" decks.

"The Americans, I believe, have said 'ok, we will help you design a ship and you also buy our catapults' to launch aircraft," he said.

Former rear admiral Ravi Vohra said the Indian navy's ultimate objective was a five-carrier fleet comprising a mix of large and small carriers.

At the heart of the proposed collaboration is a US offer to share the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) developed by General Atomics and which is now being installed on the Gerald R. Ford class of carriers that are joining the navy.

The new system means jets can launch off a flat deck at a faster rate and with less fatigue to aircraft.

US defence and industry officials said sensitivities over selling advanced EMALS technology to India meant any major movement on the carrier question was unlikely in the near term.

Two sources familiar with the issue added that the US response to Indian overtures had been cool until very recently.

India eyes US aircraft carrier technology as arms ties deepen - The Economic Times

 

[s002wjh]

Nope US is not gonna sell EMALS to anyone, anytime soon. its in the same category as F22. steam maybe, but then it needs a flatbed type carrier.

 

[SajeevJino]

can we buy a second hand aircraft carrier from USA

Nope... is prohibited the sale of American aircraft carriers

I don't think so. Back in the 2008 Kitty Hawk played a Game with Indian Navy

Information Dissemination: Kitty Hawk To India Discussion Hits the US Media

 

[SajeevJino]

Nope US is not gonna sell EMALS to anyone, anytime soon. its in the same category as F22. steam maybe, but then it needs a flatbed type carrier.

I don't think they will sell the EMALS or any ToT ..

I think the a US Company who build EMALS for US carriers can build the same in INS Vishaal. we can use it but do not inspect what kinda tech that is

once F 22 too offered to Israel and Japan

 

[karn]

I don't think so. Back in the 2008 Kitty Hawk played a Game with Indian Navy

Information Dissemination: Kitty Hawk To India Discussion Hits the US Media

Well the author was wrong . The navy went with the mig29s and that had no bearing on the mig 35 selection.

 

[Dark Sorrow]

Nope US is not gonna sell EMALS to anyone, anytime soon. its in the same category as F22. steam maybe, but then it needs a flatbed type carrier.

EMALS is not in same league as F22. You can say Railgun being tested is in same league. Also US is confident that India doesn't have the mentality and capability to reverse engineer such items.

 

[Dark Sorrow]

I don't think they will sell the EMALS or any ToT ..

I think the a US Company who build EMALS for US carriers can build the same in INS Vishaal. we can use it but do not inspect what kinda tech that is

Sir EMALS is an item that you don't need in hundreds or thousands. Couple of them are more than enough and under no condition we would require them in tens. So why cry about ToT for such small amount. We should buy of the shelf and buy enough spares. Ware and tare in such system is system is also less.

 

[Bheeshma]

If the US sells catapults it will be as a quid pro for buying E-2D's. Otherwise IN does not need it for Mig-29k or NLCA.

 

[salute]

Also US is confident that India doesn't have the mentality and capability to reverse engineer such items.

you mean india too dumb or dont have a habit of coping tech.

 

[asianobserve]

If the US sells catapults it will be as a quid pro for buying E-2D's. Otherwise IN does not need it for Mig-29k or NLCA.

In other words, the IN is really going to buy CATOBAR carrier based aircraft (fighters and support). I suspect that will include F-35B aside from E-2D.

 

[Dark Sorrow]

you mean india too dumb or dont have a habit of coping tech.

I would say both but mainly later.

 

[salute]

I would say both but mainly later.

dude they have such hugh tech and defence companies and aerospace giants,it is part of their economy,strategy,

and indian defence complex was hopeless right from the start because of scum-s***ing-khangressi-fake-gandhi-corrupts and their leaders,their corruptions and wrong policies.

 

[Bheeshma]

In other words, the IN is really going to buy CATOBAR carrier based aircraft (fighters and support). I suspect that will include F-35B aside from E-2D.

No I mean I don't see IN buying EMALs from US. There may be some technical knowledge sharing but beyond S-70B I doubt IN would buy anything. E-2D will not fly off the current 2 AC's and F35B is a dud and IN will not waste its money on it.

 

[s002wjh]

EMALS is not in same league as F22. You can say Railgun being tested is in same league. Also US is confident that India doesn't have the mentality and capability to reverse engineer such items.

Emal is new technology US is not gonna sell that to anyone let along non nato ally