Indian defence industry exports watch

[sorcerer]

well source code does not give you waveforms technology which is the most imp thing in Mil standard radios.

ohkay!! I thought thats something that DRDO perfected in the meanwhile...its in the same article or did I miss the concept!!

 

[charlie]

ohkay!! I thought thats something that DRDO perfected in the meanwhile...its in the same article or did I miss the concept!!

well if you give such a big contract worth of 900 C of course it should be the contractor responsibility to make sure that it works with Indian equipment. Why would Army or Drdo should take headache ?

I don't want to say it's spec are of Legacy radio it's is a decent radio but when you compare to Falcon III that's coming out it makes it look like Legacy radio by the way falcon series have upto 120Kbps where this one has upto 115kbps.
http://elbitsystems.com/media/CNR9000HDR-IP_Radio.pdf

If you are interested about radio, it's kind of add for radios it's a bit old things changed in last 2 years as every year you get 2 new releases
read this http://armadainternational.com/assets/images/pdf/4-Compendium-Aug-Sep-14-low-res.pdf

The main issue is Elbit does not provide many solutions which can be built on or attached later(I mean modular), well anyway Indian army is not as much network oriented as much as US army is but this is something that will be changed in future.

 

[Prashant12]

HAL-Safran JV looks beyond helicopter engine MRO

PANAJI: While Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL) maintenance, repair and overall facility in Honda is primarily for helicopter engines, its partnership with French aerospace giant Safran, makes it a likely candidate to repair Dassault Aviation's Rafale multi-role fighter aircraft engines. Speaking to TOI, HAL's chairman Suvarna Raju said that setting up a facility in Goa was a natural choice given that several aircraft were already operating at the state's defence airbases.

Defence public sector unit HAL and Safran have formed a dedicated joint venture to setup a dedicated helicopter engine support center.

"Even if you are looking at the joint venture itself, these are the possibilities. We know that the Rafale deal has been inked. Now the Rafale engine is the Safran aircraft engine (Snecma M88). You never know what bit of it we could get. HAL being the expert in the aerospace industry and with the Snecma or Safran aircraft engines together we already have a lead," Raju told TOI.

HAL will formally take over the assets of Goa Auto Accessories Limited (GAAL) on October 23 and lay the foundation stone for the Rs 170 crore helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul facility at Honda. This facility will provide maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) services for Safran TM 333 and HAL Shakti engines that power HAL-built helicopters.

The Shakti engines currently power HAL's advanced light helicopter (ALH), the Dhruv, and will also power the indigenous light combat helicopter (LCH).

"It's not only the helicopter engines which we are trying to do on MRO but we want to bring in other engines as well. We have teams working at the naval base in Goa. They take care of the Dorniers, they take care of the Cheetah, Chetak helicopters. We have the Mig-29K aircraft that is flying here. There are certain requirements which the Navy wants us to handle and we can use this place more effectively," Raju said.

Given that HAL has been in operation in Goa for the last 20 years and already services Indian Navy and Coast Guard helicopters in Goa, setting-up a base here was a "natural choice." Initially, HAL expects to train technicians in Goa and then move them out to forward operating military bases where the helicopters are in service. The overhauling of helicopter engines is expected four-five years later.

Besides the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters, HAL says the Kamov 226T light utility helicopter engines could also find their way to Goa for repairs, though it is still early to draw such conclusions. After the Indo-Russia bilateral meet ahead of the BRICS 2016 summit, HAL and Rostec inked an agreement to jointly produce 200 Ka-226T helicopters in India. The Ka-226T helicopters are powered by Turbomeca Arrius 2G engines, which is again manufactured by Safran.

"Fundamentally, the core business in India for this engine MRO is with HAL. Possibly we wouldn't have required any partner but then we are bringing in the original equipment manufacturer to India. The best way to do it, is through a joint venture so the man who made it (the engine) in France is here in India," Raju said to sum up the prospects of the joint venture.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...elicopter-engine-MRO/articleshow/54985868.cms

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Reliance identifies two locations for defence manufacturing in MP: Anil Ambani

Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani. | Reuters

INDORE: Reliance Group Chairman Anil Ambani today said with 90 per cent of defence equipment being imported, there is huge opportunity for domestic manufacturing and his group has identified two locations in Madhya Pradesh for setting up production facilities.

LOL, even Anil Ambani needs to be here on DFI to learn stats. It's 60%, not 90%.

Ambani said India has relaxed FDI norms in the defence sector and hoped that Madhya Pradesh gets the benefits of the same.

"I am confident that Madhya Pradesh will move ahead, and under Prime Minister Narendra Modi we have seen opening on defence sector. Reliance Group is participating in that, we hope that for Make in India programme, Skill India programme, we will invest in the defence sector in Madhya Pradesh," he said.

Speaking at the Global Investors Summit, Ambani said his Group has identified two locations - one in Pithampur and another in Bhopal -- for defence manufacturing.

"Defence is a key priority (of government). 90 per cent of our equipment is imported and there is a huge huge opportunity for us to do things in India," he said.

Moron

Talking about the Group's investment in the state, Ambani said, "We have one of our largest investments in MP...we have investment of nearly USD 6 billion".

The Group has set up a 4,000 MW power plant in MP and it makes the state competitive in terms of its overall energy cost to attract future investments specially in capital intensive industries.

"Fiscally it helped Madhya Pradesh saving about Rs 5,000 crores a year and over Rs 1.25 lakh crore will be the saving for MP because of the Sasan 4,000 MW plant," he said, adding the Group is committed to looking at future investments in the energy sector.

"Madhya Pradesh like other states is on the treadmill and everytime the speed is changing. I think the industry is spoiled for choice today which at one level is a good thing. I don't think that we are spoilt for choice in terms of leadership, we still believe that Madhya Pradesh is one of the leading states," he said.

Industry, Ambani said, is interested in clarity, stability and a timeline. "If states decide not to do certain things, it is better you tell us upfront so that we can look at other options... Instability in the minds of investors is always a troubling point".

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Manohar Parrikar to inaugurate copter maintenance plant tomorrow

Manohar Parrikar will inaugurate Helicopter Engine MRO Pvt Ltd, a joint venture company of HAL, Bangalore and SAFRAN Helicopter Engines, France, an official release said.

PANAJI: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will tomorrow inaugurate a helicopter maintenance plant, a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and a French company, in Sattari taluka of Goa.

Parrikar will inaugurate Helicopter Engine MRO Pvt Ltd, a joint venture company of HAL, Bangalore and SAFRAN Helicopter Engines, France, an official release said.

The plant has been set up at Honda village, where the company had purchased assets from the state government-run Economic Development Corporation (EDC).

It has been built at an investment of Rs 170 crore and will service military helicopter engines, an EDC source said.

HAL and Safran, an aircraft engines manufacturer, had earlier announced they will form a joint venture for maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of helicopter engines used in the country as well as those from other countries.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Manohar Parrikar to inaugurate copter maintenance plant tomorrow

Manohar Parrikar will inaugurate Helicopter Engine MRO Pvt Ltd, a joint venture company of HAL, Bangalore and SAFRAN Helicopter Engines, France, an official release said.

Manohar Parrikar inaugurates helicopter engines maintenance plant in Goa

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Private shipyards to build vessels for Indian Navy

 

[Raj Malhotra]

There is a reason behind the acquisition!


The Army insisted on the Israeli product saying the Indian radio sets would not be able to be used with the existing inventory as their source code was not provided to India by Tel Aviv.

Seems like a made up Rubbish pretext for import. How can someone import Radio equipment which cannot talk with each other. Also source code can be obtained by negotiating or barring Israelis from other deals. Frankly these JVs, Single vendor upgrades, tying up multiple deals etc are all Dalal Strategies to modulate public opinion but have blessing of higher up.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar Hails Navy For Indigenisation

Manohar Parrikar praised Navy for its capability of integrating weapon systems of different origins.

New Delhi: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday praised the Indian Navy for embarking on the Make in India initiative in a big way, and expressed hope that whatever lacunae are there would be overcome soon.

Talking to journalists on the sidelines of the Naval Commanders' Conference in New Delhi, the Defence Minister also praised the navy for its capability of integrating different weapons and weapon systems of different origins.

"I am quite happy that the navy on the force level is progressing quite well. It is a leader in Make in India, as all 42 ships being made here are indigenously designed ships and lots of efforts have gone into it," Mr Parrikar said.

"On sensors, weapon system and integration of different countries' weapons and weapon systems, it is a specialty that only Indian Navy possesses. You may have a Russian and American equipment and fire system or missiles on an Indian platform and both can be operated through an integration by the Indian Navy," he said.

"It's quite an achievement," he said, adding, however, that there are some lacunae which would be addressed.

The Indian Navy currently has around 90 per cent indigenisation in float component, 60 per cent indigenisation in move component, and 30 per cent in the fight component. The fight component constitutes around 60-70 per cent value of the ship.

Asked about the recently-signed agreements with Russia for the supply of Kamov helicopters and four frigates, the minister underlined that the choppers would be built in India by the Kamov and the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).

On the agreement for the four frigates, the minister said the plan was in pipeline for long, but was stuck as the power plant on the ship was to be imported from Ukraine. Ukraine stopped defence trade with Russia after 2014.

"Discussions started long back. Only problem was because of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, as the ship's power plant is Ukrainian. Now, we will buy the power plant and fit it on the ship," Mr Parrikar said.

Two of the four frigates are to be built in Russia and the other two in India.

"All Indian equipment will be fitted on the frigate. So, it is a stealth variety where we are in position of designing," he said.

Top commanders of the Indian Navy are meeting in the national capital from October 25 to 27 to review the prevailing as well as emerging operational and functional issues at the Naval Commanders' Conference.

 

[sorcerer]

New Defence Purchase Policy To Open Doors To Finmeccanica: Sources
New Delhi: As the Central Bureau of Investigation looks into how kickbacks were routed when India purchased three Embraer jets from Brazil at a cost of $208 million, the Ministry of Defense is all set to announce a policy for "black listing" firms that indulge in corrupt practices. And with it, the once banned Italian Defense manufacturing giant Finmeccanica -- (now called Leonardo-Finmeccanica) may be able to do business with India again.


The key elements of the new policy accessed by NDTV shows unlike the previous policy of a blanket ban on a Defense conglomerate followed by the previous UPA government, ban under the new policy will be product specific and company specific.

Company representatives suspected to be involved in the wrongdoing and bribery, however, will be banned for a life time from India.

"After the new policy comes in, we will not buy helicopters or have any business relationship with AugustaWestland - a subsidiary of the Finmeccanica that is suspected to paid bribes when India bought AW-101 helicopters. But India will be free to negotiate with other companies within the conglomerate for other platforms," a top Defense Ministry source told NDTV.

Explaining the rationale, he said Defense manufacturing companies are often interlinked through cross holdings. So banning a conglomerate can lead to a situation where India no longer can source critical Defense platforms or spares. "It only hurts India's interest and preparedness," he said.


The Navy, for instance, sources critical equipment like main guns for warships, heavy torpedoes from companies owned by Finmeccanica. It hasn't been able to procure these since Finmeccanica as a conglomerate was banned.

"Banning Defense conglomerates creates a single vendor situation and monopolies and that is not in our interest," the official said.

In a major shift from the previous policy, the new policy will allow defense manufacturers to employ middle-men. But companies will not only have to declare who their middlemen is, the money paid to them and payments cannot be linked to the outcome of the contract.
"Violation of these conditions will lead to very heavy financial penalties and criminal prosecution," the official said.

The new black listing policy is likely to be announced by the government next week.
http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/new-...ccanica-sources-1491755?pfrom=home-topstories

 

[Indx TechStyle]

DRDO, Assocham sign MoU for transfer of defence technology

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Tata Motors inks pact with Indonesian entity on defence business
BY: PTI | NEW DELHI |Published On:November 3, 2016 7:37 PM

Tata Motors has inked a pact with Indonesia’s state-owned enterprise PT Pindad to explore market potential of Tata-armoured vehicles in Indonesia and other agreed regions of ASEAN. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) also includes a study to check the feasibility of locally assembling Tata-armoured vehicles at PT Pindad’s facility in Bandung in West Java province of Indonesia.

“This is a very important milestone for Tata Motors operations in Indonesia and is a matter of pride to be able to co-operate with PT Pindad, which is held in high esteem by the Indonesian community,” Biswadev Sengupta, President Director of Tata Motors Indonesia, said in a statement on Thursday. “I am sure that through this arrangement, we can create a lot of value in Indonesia, a market which we are committed to in the long term.”

This foray into the defence business in Indonesia is in continuation with the strides made in the logistics business in the country, where more than 3,000 Tata vehicles are already on the road, covering pick-ups, light trucks, buses and heavy trucks, he added. Tata Motors is among the top ten truck and bus manufacturers globally and a leading manufacturer of defence and military vehicles since 1958, catering to the light to heavy vehicle requirements of military and peacekeeping missions across the globe.

The company has created a focused division to design and develop defence technologies and products at its facilities in Jamshedpur and Pune. PT Pindad specialises in military and commercial products. It also produces several industrial products for other aspects such as transportation and commercial explosives.

Its activities cover design, development, engineering and fabrication as well as maintenance.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India to get technology to unlock any mobile phone

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), the country’s premier forensic institute located in Gandhinagar, will be buying the technology from Cellebrite.

GANDHINAGAR: Indian law enforcement will soon get the technology to unlock notoriously hardto-crack iPhones and other electronic devices with top-notch encryption. And India’s forensic facilities could become the global go-to place for law enforcement agencies seeking to unlock highsecurity devices.

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), the country’s premier forensic institute located in Gandhinagar, will be buying the technology from Cellebrite, an Israeli company that was sought out by US’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for unlocking a terrorist’s iPhone.

According to Israeli media reports, the digital forensics company has worked with major intelligence and law enforcement agencies around the world.

FBI and iPhone-maker Apple had fought a public battle over unlocking the iPhone of Syed Farook, who along with his wife had killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California, last December. FBI unlocked the iPhone with the help of Cellebrite, paying the firm a million dollar-plus fee. Now, FSL is in negotiations with the company to obtain this highend decryption technology.

“We are likely to have the technology within a month or so. India will become a global hub for cases where law enforcement is unable to break into phones,” said a senior FSL official. All officials spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The official said devices such as iPhones with operating systems iOS 8 and above are virtually impossible to break into without this technology. In iPhones, failed attempts to guess the passcode results in data deletion or turns data into gibberish. Another FSL official said the laboratory had sought help from the Israeli firm for a few cases. But now the “entire tool” will be obtained. Only FSLGandhinagar will have this technology. Requests for cracking encrypted devices from the country’s other forensic institutes will be entertained at a fee.

 

[jadoogar]

Reliance identifies two locations for defence manufacturing in MP: Anil Ambani

Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani. | Reuters

LOL, even Anil Ambani needs to be here on DFI to learn stats. It's 60%, not 90%.




Moron

If I remember Reliance Power (Anil Ambani group) had purchased Chinese thermal power equipment (maybe Shanghai electric) using USD loans from Chinese banks. The rupee has probably weakened 30% since then and Chinese equipment being what it is one wonders about the financial status of his business empire!?

http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-52506320101028

 

[charlie]

If I remember Reliance Power (Anil Ambani group) had purchased Chinese thermal power equipment (maybe Shanghai electric) using USD loans from Chinese banks. The rupee has probably weakened 30% since then and Chinese equipment being what it is one wonders about the financial status of his business empire!?

http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-52506320101028

All Thermal power equipment that is installed currently in India are from China, specially the boilers their quote are so cheap that there is just no competition.

My dad commissions new thermal power plant in India and he said that once to me.

 

[charlie]

ohkay!! I thought thats something that DRDO perfected in the meanwhile...its in the same article or did I miss the concept!!

My company is pitching for the Radio, No doubt the Radio they are pitching for is the best in the world and the second best company Radio is at-least 5 or more years behind.

But one radio would cost anywhere from $4000 to 7000 depending on user requirement and you can see the staggering number, so you can guess

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India is keen to design and build more of its own military kit

The Russian president, Vladimir Putin, left, and India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, in Goa state last month. India has signed defence deals with Russia worth billions of dollars. Mikhail Metzel / AFP

A military professional tries out a Zen Technologies anti-aircraft air defence simulator during a defence exhibition. The company plans to increase its exports business. Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg

On an industrial estate in Hyderabad in south India, work is underway on developing advanced technology that replicates the experience of driving a tank through a war zone or using firearms against enemies in jungle terrain.

Zen Technologies is a two decade-old Indian company that designs and manufactures training equipment used by the country’s armed forces, including flight, combat vehicle and hand grenade systems.

But India is keen to see firms designing and building more home-grown military equipment beyond simulators.

India is one of the world’s largest importers of weapons and manufacturing is still at a nascent stage, but there are strides being made in the defence sector as the country finally starts to try to break away from its dependence on imports.

"For the first time in the history of Indian defence procurement the importance of design and development has been recognised by the ministry of defence," says Ashok Atluri, the managing director of Zen Technologies, who is very optimistic that India can transform itself into a top producer of weapons. "This is going to ensure huge inflow of funds into research and development and will ensure that the scientific talent in India is engaged in developing cutting-edge technologies in defence. India can become a hub for trail-blazing defence exports from being a destination for outdated defence equipment."

He says Zen has its own plans to "grow its exports business and emerge as a reliable indigenous defence player for supplying products to the Indian and global market".

New Delhi has hugely ambitious targets to reduce its defence imports. Narendra Modi, the prime minister, has said that its aim is for India to manufacture 70 per cent of its weapons at home by 2020. Currently, it relies on imports for about 70 per cent of its equipment, which is extremely costly for the country.

Bolded line is true but struck line is factually incorrect. It's 50-60% as of new stats.

Mr Modi is pushing for India to become a global manufacturing centre under his "Make in India" campaign, and the defence and aerospace industry is a key part of this. Two years ago, India opened up the defence sector to 49 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) from a previous limit of 26 per cent. In June this year, the government liberalised the rules even further, permitting FDI of 100 per cent in the sector.

The role of the private sector in India’s defence industry is growing and Indian firms are eager to cash in the opportunity.

"Tata, Mahindra, Hero and Reliance are spending a lot on enhancing the defence manufacturing in India, bidding for big contracts and partnering with foreign companies to assemble or manufacture in India," says Ajay Pal Singh, who used to work as a scientist for India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation before becoming an entrepreneur.

Larsen and Toubro (L&T) and Godrej are other Indian firms that have entered into weapons manufacturing.

But Mr Singh says that for the time being at least Indian armed forces need to keep buying from abroad to "stay modern".

Over the next eight to 10 years, about US$200 billion is to be spent on defence capability expansion, and a further $150bn on ramping up homeland security capability, according to Roland Berger Strategy Consultants.

"India is seeing significant growth in the aerospace and defence opportunity currently," says Wilfried Aulbur, the managing partner for India at Roland Berger. "On an extremely broad level, this growth is due to the combination of three major factors, which are sustained geopolitical threats, increasing internal security threats and significant spends needed to address the need for new equipment as well as for addressing obsolescence related issues."

India recently proposed a $15bn deal where it would buy up to 300 fighter planes from abroad on the condition that the aircraft are made in India with a local partner, Reuters reported a week ago, citing air force officials. India’s air force desperately needs to boost its operational strength after it reduced an order with France’s Dassault for fighter jets to just 36 planes from an original order of 126. In a major development for India’s defence industry, Reliance a month ago announced a joint venture with Dassault to help build the planes.

American military industries firm Lockheed Martin is talking to India about partnering with the country to produce its F-16 jets in India, according to reports. The US is the second-biggest supplier of arms to India after Russia, which India has been heavily dependent on for arms imports since the Soviet era.

And Sweden’s Saab has indicated that it would be keen to make its Gripen fighter jet in India.

The Reliance Group chairman Anil Ambani said a couple of weeks ago that Reliance has identified two sites in the central state of Madhya Pradesh for setting up defence manufacturing facilities.

India last month signed defence deals with Russia worth billions of dollars, including for Russia’s S-400 air defence missiles and for four warships, as well as an agreement for Russian Helicopters and India’s Hindustan Aeronautics to jointly produce military helicopters to be used by India.

Ketan Makhania, the head of India defence collaboration at Cyient, an Indian engineering company, says that the ratio of imports to indigenous production is improving and that defence exports are set to grow as India increasingly focuses on ramping up manufacturing within the country.

But there is more that will need to done to inspire confidence in Indian defence equipment, experts say.

"The absence of credible quality assurance and a certification agency and process is one of the main challenges when we talk of defence manufacturing in India," Mr Makhania says.

There are promising signs that there is scope for much growth, with the UAE showing interest in India’s defence manufacturing industry. Last year, India and the UAE revealed plans to cooperate on defence issues and manufacturing following a visit by Mr Modi to the UAE, when the two countries announced plans for a $75bn fund to invest in Indian infrastructure and production of military equipment and space technology. Reliance Defence and Abu Dhabi Ship Building last year signed an agreement to look at a possible strategic partnership to build naval ships for the GCC.

With British prime minister Theresa May’s three-day visit to India starting today, there are expectations that defence deals between the UK and India could emerge.

But there are hurdles that the sector is facing.

Mr Singh says that the "massive corruption involving imports results in more inclination to buy [from abroad rather] than build" weapons in India.

Creating indigenous technologies is also difficult, he says. India for the past 30 years has been trying to produce its own single-engine fighter plane, but only two of these Tejas combat jets have been delivered, despite there being an order for 140 aircraft.

"Our neighbourhood is one of the most disturbed ones in the world, so India prefers to be prepared all the time, rather than affording a gestation period for development and manufacturing of new technologies," Mr Singh says. "And the research and development budget is too low compared to any other large country."

India lags very far behind Russia, France and China as a defence exporter, he adds. Still, he does see potential for the market. "I think India will slowly increase its share of global defence exports, but it will still remain small for the next few years."

 

[republic_roi97]

Privatize Defence Industry to a certain limit and let them do their R&D in collaboration with public organisations like DRDO in terms of ToT under some kind of government surveilance so that they can not sell their designs to enemy nations or third parties, also have a command over their deals that they make. Like this, we will have a lot of burden removed from govt organisations so that they can focus on more complex technologies.

 

[sorcerer]

Aircraft, Helicopters And Drones Worth 75,000 Crore On Parrikar'S Agenda In Dac Meeting


The biggest item on agenda is expected to be the approval for the procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft for the Indian Air Force as part of the government's effort to push Made in India equipment for the armed forces to reduce dependence on imports.
Highlights

• Deals worth over 75,000 crore are e on the agenda for the Defence Acquisition Council.
• It includes fighter aircraft, combat helicopters and mini-drones for the Army.
• Also on the agenda is the the procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
• Deals worth over `75,000 crore are expected to be on the agenda for defence minister Manohar Parrikar-led Defence Acquisition Council including fighter aircraft, combat helicopters and mini-drones for the Army.

ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
During the meeting, the minister, top military brass and senior bureaucrats are also likely to discuss the final version of the policy to decide on blacklisting of firms and individuals indulging in wrongdoings and corruption in defence deals. The biggest item on agenda is expected to be the approval for the procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft for the Indian Air Force as part of the government's effort to push Made in India equipment for the armed forces to reduce dependence on imports.

The 83 LCAs, expected to be cleared by the DAC, would be procured from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and would make for the Mark 1A version of the plane. The project cost is expected to be over `48,000 crore, senior defence ministry sources told Mail Today. The IAF has already placed orders for 20 LCA Mark 1 aircraft which would be more of technology demonstrators but the IAF was more interested in having the LCA Mark 2, which would be a more capable and upgraded version of the indigenous plane in the making for the last over two decades. The HAL would first deliver the Mark 1 aircraft to the IAF and then would produce the Mark 1A in the interim till the time it is ready with the Mark 2 version. The project would give a strong push to the indigenous fighter aircraft industry as this would be the first major bulk production order for the plane.

HELICOPTERS

Another major indigenous project likely to be discussed at the meeting is for the indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Helicopter by the HAL. "The Army is planning to place orders for 10 LCH choppers while the IAF would initially buy five of them," the sources said. The LCH is the first Indian attempt to develop a combat chopper for which we have so far relied only on the Russians and Americans. The Mi-25/35 are of the Russian make while the Apache choppers are being procured from America for the IAF. The meeting is also expected to discuss the project for buying 498 mini-drones for the Army which plans to use them for improving situational awareness of the troops while participating in anti-terrorist operations.

The mini-drones relay live pictures of an area to the troop commander and he can know the location of the hiding terrorists or can also see if militants are hiding at some place to ambush an Army platoon. The American forces used such drones extensively in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq to detect and locate militants and avert attacks on its own troops. The Navy's proposal for procuring 12 US-2 amphibious aircraft from Japan is also expected to come up for discussion at the meeting.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/...rmy-aircraft-helicopters-drones/1/803569.html

 

[Adioz]

Aircraft, Helicopters And Drones Worth 75,000 Crore On Parrikar'S Agenda In Dac Meeting


The biggest item on agenda is expected to be the approval for the procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft for the Indian Air Force as part of the government's effort to push Made in India equipment for the armed forces to reduce dependence on imports.
Highlights

• Deals worth over 75,000 crore are e on the agenda for the Defence Acquisition Council.
• It includes fighter aircraft, combat helicopters and mini-drones for the Army.
• Also on the agenda is the the procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
• Deals worth over `75,000 crore are expected to be on the agenda for defence minister Manohar Parrikar-led Defence Acquisition Council including fighter aircraft, combat helicopters and mini-drones for the Army.

ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
During the meeting, the minister, top military brass and senior bureaucrats are also likely to discuss the final version of the policy to decide on blacklisting of firms and individuals indulging in wrongdoings and corruption in defence deals. The biggest item on agenda is expected to be the approval for the procurement of 83 Light Combat Aircraft for the Indian Air Force as part of the government's effort to push Made in India equipment for the armed forces to reduce dependence on imports.

The 83 LCAs, expected to be cleared by the DAC, would be procured from the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and would make for the Mark 1A version of the plane. The project cost is expected to be over `48,000 crore, senior defence ministry sources told Mail Today. The IAF has already placed orders for 20 LCA Mark 1 aircraft which would be more of technology demonstrators but the IAF was more interested in having the LCA Mark 2, which would be a more capable and upgraded version of the indigenous plane in the making for the last over two decades. The HAL would first deliver the Mark 1 aircraft to the IAF and then would produce the Mark 1A in the interim till the time it is ready with the Mark 2 version. The project would give a strong push to the indigenous fighter aircraft industry as this would be the first major bulk production order for the plane.

HELICOPTERS

Another major indigenous project likely to be discussed at the meeting is for the indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Helicopter by the HAL. "The Army is planning to place orders for 10 LCH choppers while the IAF would initially buy five of them," the sources said. The LCH is the first Indian attempt to develop a combat chopper for which we have so far relied only on the Russians and Americans. The Mi-25/35 are of the Russian make while the Apache choppers are being procured from America for the IAF. The meeting is also expected to discuss the project for buying 498 mini-drones for the Army which plans to use them for improving situational awareness of the troops while participating in anti-terrorist operations.

The mini-drones relay live pictures of an area to the troop commander and he can know the location of the hiding terrorists or can also see if militants are hiding at some place to ambush an Army platoon. The American forces used such drones extensively in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq to detect and locate militants and avert attacks on its own troops. The Navy's proposal for procuring 12 US-2 amphibious aircraft from Japan is also expected to come up for discussion at the meeting.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/...rmy-aircraft-helicopters-drones/1/803569.html

Just 10 LCH for Army and 5 for Air force?????? This is making me nervous.
I know there will be follow up orders but what i had in mind was something like an initial order of 115 Army LCHs and 65 Air force LCHs with further follow up orders. With an initial order this small, it seems like they only plan to induct a total of 115 for the Army and 65 for the Air force and then halt production (until we get foreign sales orders). That seems like a disaster to me.
And which drones are in the race for the "498 tactical mini-drones" procurement? Any Indian designs?