Bharat Rakshak

what video ?

If you saw the SLAMRAAM then its not a CGI. It actually exists. But totally wrong thread.

amraam on hummer is routinely deployed I believe on washington mall for guarding important events like july4.

The missile truck is supposed to be the next gen version of the B1 bomber which will be modified to carry a huge number of newer AAMRAAMs with a longer range. The idea is that while the Raptor will be the advance guard the limitation of its missile load will be overcome by AAMRAAM trucks firing long range from a safer distance while guided by the Raptor.

Saw a bright orange and white IJT take off today

Doctor - so you recovered from viral? And back on the greens?

plz keep a lookout for grey Tejas too.. no updates on website for a month now..

Well I nearly got into an accident yesterday trying to stick my head out the car to catch a glimpse of what i thought was a (grey) Tejas. But I can't confirm if it was Tejas or Jag sadly.

Saw a Jag, a Bison, a yellow Hawk and an IJT taking off today but I got chased off the course by heavy rain 20 minutes later.

Boeing shows off sub-seeking Poseidon jet

Reminds me of the time I was riding my bike on the wrong side of the road all the while staring up at an Mi-17 landing at dads office.
Sorry for going OT.

Sirjee,,, it was a Tejas.

I walked right into traffic on Gandhi Bazaar while tracking the thing... beautiful sight, that gray..

Does Tejas conduct sorties everyday above south Bangalore ?? I live real close to Gandhi Bazar but seldom do I see those things in the sky.

Not really... I see mostly Jags, with an occasional LCA. After some time, you can make out the difference from the sound of the engines.

Btw, Krish saar, could u mail me at sniperz11s AT googel mail DAT com...

http://in.news.yahoo.com/139/20090731/808/tnl-iaf-trainee-aircraft-crashes-in-andh.html

A HPT-32 crashed. Two instructors killed...wonder when we will replace these aging workhorses...

I live near about there too and it is the worst place in the universe for aircraft observation because of all the trees and buildings. Typically the sound of a jet is heard after it has reflected off some building so you end up looking at the wrong part of the sky though the only gap in the trees available to you. And then there's the clouds.

I have stopped running out to look for anything except when it sounds like a Jag/Tejas. I am generally able to "diagnose" a MiG 21 from its sound - although the Hawk is nowadays causing confusion. But the problem is - if you wait till you can recognise the sound - you have already missed it..

I get a superb view over the vast greenery of the army lands
adjoining HAL airport, with a 360 vista.

the Hawk has a liquid warbling note to its engine. plenty of hawk flights.

Lucky dog. Let me make sure I put a golf ball through your window out of jealousy and sheer Pakiness.

Not sure how new/accurate this is:

http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/02/stories ... 450900.htm

MiG-29 upgrade may be delayed




If it's just an 8 month delay that's not bad, but issues often start accumulating . . .

Not sure if posted earlier. Seems like another half a dozen C-130J's are coming

Lockheed eyes more deals after India-US defence pact

First thread to cross half million hits.

The old Naval disc thread would have been the first - but it got locked.

Bell says not bidding for $1 bln India helicopter deal,another twist in the already delayed 22 attack helicopter contest


NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Bell Helicopters, a unit of U.S.-based Textron company said on Friday it will not participate in a bid to supply 22 attack helicopters to India's air force in a deal worth more than $1 billion.
In May, India invited bids to five vendors, including Bell, Boeing Co and Eurocopter, a subsidiary of European aerospace and defence group EADS for the helicopter deal.

"We were planning to offer our AH-1Z Cobra to the air force, but since it is still undergoing an operational evaluation, we have decided not to participate," a Bell official said in New Delhi.

Boeing, keen to offer its Apache AH-64 helicopters, said on Friday that it was still internally reviewing the tender details issued by the government before taking a final decision.

India is looking to spend more than $30 billion over the next five years to modernise its defence systems.

But its plans to overhaul and replace its fleet of military helicopters amid growing security risks in the region, especially after last November's Mumbai attacks, has been dogged with pullouts and cancellation of tenders.

Last June, India asked seven international companies to submit bids for supplying 22 attack helicopters, but the government cancelled that tender this March, saying the bidders did not meet requirements. A fresh tender was issued in May.

India relies on an ageing fleet of Russian MI-25 and MI-35 helicopter gunships designed by Russia's Mil.

In 2007, India scrapped advanced talks with Eurocopter to supply 197 lightweight Fennec military helicopters worth $600 million after complaints about the bidding process.

Eurocopter is a sister company to Airbus, the world's largest civil jet maker, also owned by EADS.

http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/i ... 1620090731

Armed forces to induct 800 choppers in next few years
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news ... 860953.cms


Pandit jee just cannot desist from inserting a negative comment with every mention of HAL or DRDO.

and what happens if Boeing also decides not to participate in the tender this time around as well ? does the GoI simply scrap the entire deal because "the others did not meet the specifications of the RFPs" ?

and if the 3 helicopter manufacturers who did submit their bids last time around didn't meet the requirements at that time, then did the IA water down the requirements this time around to get them in ? shouldn't this make those bean counters at CAG stand up and shout foul that "qualititative requirements were watered down" as they were doing so shrilly about the ALH ?

it appears as if the IA is already intent on either the Apache or the AH-1Z Cobra, which is why they called for the re-tendering anyway, and if Bell has pulled out again, it basically defeats the purpose of the cancelling the earlier tender and causing this delay. now if Boeing does so too, it would be almost comical, if it weren't actually causing harm to the IA's plans of restructuring and inducting new attack choppers.

IAF orders new generation FLIR equipment for its C-130J fleet. looks like this fleet of C-130Js will be out and out destined for the special forces, being optimized for insertion into enemy territory under low light conditions.

given that coast guard and marine corps are the other customers for this surveillance gear, have we been looking the wrong way? are the C130's meant for andamans? or perhaps even gujarat coast?

Andamans and Guj maybe potential areas of operation, but the SF will also be using it given the above statement.

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=51468

Any news about reason for the AN-32 crash in Arunachal. AFAIK the black box was recovered and taken to base. There have been persistent rumors that the plane was shot down by Chinese SAMs.

Can you please post any links hinting the chinese SAM's?

I have not seen EVEN ToI mention that.. !!!

http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/08/stories ... 180900.htm





http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/unc ... 30257.html



more at the links. I wish the TV channels covered this.

I found an image of the IN MiG-29KUB while reading this

scroll down, and you'll see the IN MiG-29KUB refuelling from a Russian IL-78 Midas tanker..really small sized pic though the IN's roundels are visible.

Another rendering of the IN MiG 29

Dont know if this was posted before.

Nice catch Kartik. Looks great.

CM.

whooah ! you need hawk eyes to catch that ! I'm impressed !

beautiful pic !

Missing man formation.

from livefist. http://livefist.blogspot.com/2009/08/ex ... -crew.html

Beautiful enough to put up a slightly larger version for all to see? (Can't wait to see these birds in droves): Credits to "flyboy" @ Keypubs



The camouflage provided by the color of the bird is superb imho, can hardly distinguish certain details of the bird from the bluish background. Stellar stuff.

CM.

Btw the jagged radome fitting on the MiG-29K somewhat reminded me of the F-22. You can see it here
MiG-29K
http://pilot.strizhi.info/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/konus.jpg
and here
F-22
http://www.aviation-news.co.uk/media/F-22-07.jpg

Whats is for? RCS reduction side on? Or is that the standard fit for most fighters? YOu can also see a bunch of images on the naval fulcrum prod line - gives you a good idea of the amount of composite usage - supposed to be 15% or thereabouts.

CM.

wasn't that CG done by Harry before he went AWOL ? he did some great artwork, including the single and twin-seat LCA as well..and BTW, that is not the camouflage scheme of the IN MiG-29K/KUBs..they are just plain ol' gray, with a darker gray radome, apparently optimized for higher altitude visibility reduction.

actually Rahul, its the very distinct front fuselage silhouette of the new common "family" of MiG-29M2 based derivatives (which the MiG-29K and KUB share) that gave it away..Russia doesn't operate any such MiG-29, and we have already previously seen the MiG-29KUB in light gray colours, but with Russian markings..this is the first time that the IN roundel marking was visible though, so delivery must be pretty close and this pic must've been taken during air refuelling tests for the new Naval Fulcrum.

and frankly, I think that the MiG-29K/KUB is a real looker..it'll definitely be one of the most attractive fighters in India. the MiG-35 looks far less pretty, especially so because of its smaller radome, although later prototypes will be better, because MiG is trying to address the small array by freeing up some space in the nose by reducing the size of some components of its AESA radar.