Bharat Rakshak

Kartik

I thought Tejas' main long ranged AAM was the iderby extended version? Isn't this like a meteor lite? We don't have any i-Derby ER. What the IAF has is ex-Navy stocks of the standard Derby BVRAAM that were bought with the Sea Harrier LUSH upgrade. Astra Mk1 and soon Astra Mk2 will be the Tejas Mk1 ...

Kartik

I am not sure of that, I think the plan is still GAS based Uttam from the 41st Aircraft, the 97 order will get GAN based Uttam No, the plan now is for the Uttam to be used only starting from the new batch of 97 Tejas Mk1As. The entire lot of 73 Tejas Mk1A single seaters will be equipped with the El...

Kartik

Aditya_V wrote: ↑19 Nov 2025 11:10 Ideally we should have some with Uttam- AstraMk2 before Sindoor part 2 starts - they way things are going this will definitely be round the corner.

The first Uttam AESA radar will appear on the next batch of 97 Tejas Mk1A and Tejas trainers that have been ordered.

Kartik

What I've seen is the 5th GE F-404-IN20 engine ready, at what appeared to be GE's Lynn Massachusetts facility. But it appears 4 have been delivered to HAL so far and this 5th one too would be on it's way. 5th and 6th last month only.. 5th & 6th engines are ready !! and that’s 2 in a month with ...

Kartik

Shiv and other reporters make statements like this for TRPs. They need viewers to watch and then they only answer their own question. Later in the video, he does state that France will keep its crown jewels (on the Rafale) to itself. I am sure you saw the promotion of NDTV throughout the video. Oh ...

Kartik

ashthor wrote: ↑14 Nov 2025 11:01 How many more engines have come? Everyone has gone silent.

What I've seen is the 5th GE F-404-IN20 engine ready, at what appeared to be GE's Lynn Massachusetts facility. But it appears 4 have been delivered to HAL so far and this 5th one too would be on it's way.

Kartik

That's Airbus which does it. Not IAI Bedek, which specializes in converting Boeing 767s into MRTT and has done so for other air forces. They have converted Airbus A330 civil variants into freighters but not into a tanker as yet. That adds new complexity as it'll require new developments to be made ...

Kartik

If the IAF is going ahead with the Boeing 767 conversion based tanker transport, then it will be supported for a fairly long time. KC-46A essentially has a high degree of commonality being based on the B 767 and there are adequate numbers of the B 767 in freight service world wide to ensure that it'...

Kartik

Maitya sir, what do you think of the offer of 117S engines for the Su-30MKI upgrade program?

Kartik

Convert used AirBus 330s then... Excellent point. Airbus transforms A330s into Multi Role Tanker Transports through an optimised conversion process https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/stories/2020-07-airbus-transforms-a330s-into-multi-role-tanker-transports-through-an 07 July 2020 That's Airbus whic...

Kartik

VIDEO : https://x.com/akki_bauer22_/status/1987019390659739810?s=20 ---> BREAKING NEWS: Def Min Rajnath Singh confirms India will pursue more S-400 if they are available . Also says India will make its own jet engines within a year… hinting at Safran-DRDO jet engine co-development having made lot o...

Kartik

1) The main sticking point with the Rafale is the access to the source codes or mission computer or whatever name it goes by. Dassault and MBDA will not relent on that, because that will stop the money flow into their coffers. Indian munitions (Rudram, Astra Mk2, SFDR, BrahMos-NG etc) will obviousl...

Kartik

1) Air HQ definitely wants more Rafales, especially after its performance during Op Sindoor. But any large scale purchase (i.e. 114) of the Rafale is risky politically, due to the scandal drummed up by the opposition in the first Rafale deal of 36 aircraft. And without HAL's involvement (reportedly...

Kartik

If R-77 was a stopgap, why was it ordered instead of Astra-Mk1 *post* Balakot, when it was hopelessly outranged? PL-15E threat is known but its quite irresponsible for the IAF to say that "Till we have a longer ranged missile than PL-15E, we won't induct anything" . Abhinandan took down a...

Kartik

Some people are saying that SIPRI data shows that all Meteors were received between 2020 and 2022... The new order is only for additional missiles... Not sure if the quoted article is factual... The missiles displayed for the President Murmu are only MICA variants. No Meteor missile. That also stre...

Kartik

QRSAM is now getting massive orders worth billions. Nag Mk2 just got orders for over 2000 missiles along with NAMIS. More orders will come along with the Zorawar that just displayed it's ATGM capability with successful test firings. Now that Nag Mk2 has gotten a big order, HELINA won't be far away ...

Kartik

Is Shiv Aroor stupid to even ask whether France would shift Rafale production to India "Lock Stock and Barrel"?? Is he unaware of the fact that the existing backlog for the Rafale is nearly 200 fighters and that is without even considering the upcoming order for 60 more Rafales from France...

Kartik

Who is to blame HAL or the Israelis for the radar...whose job is to integrate the missile? Elbit would've supported HAL in the integration. This isn't the first time either. HAL did it for the Jaguar DARIN 3. The issue isn't necessarily with the radar integration with Tejas Mk1A but with the Astra ...

Kartik

Sorry but I disagree. This aircraft was designed and delivered due to a need i.e. a requirement that exists for this product not because this is the limit of our industrial and technological capability. In other words don't conflate the delivery of this aircraft with this being the limits of our ca...

Kartik

https://x.com/FinestYew/status/1980680811751043503 @FinestYew > unescorted night strike into enemy airspace. What was rumour, mentioned in hushed tones in the dominion of twitter spaces is now recognised as fact. https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1980649902272311784 @alpha_defense Group Capt Manis...

Kartik

Can people just stop cribbing all the time an import is made? Look at the overall situation! QRSAM is set to bag a Rs 30,000 crore order from the IA alone. Then there'll be an even bigger order from the IAF. QRSAM alone will cross Rs 1,00,000 crores in orders. That's plenty of love. The main crib h...

Kartik

" https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/india-uk-sign-468m-missile-deal-all-you-need-to-know-about-martlets-how-it-will-boost-defence/articleshow/124412109.cms" So we are now buying short range Martlet SAM's from the UK. Did not know this was even in contention. $468 Million deal - ju...

Kartik

^ Two things regarding the radar. One, the French are finicky, just like every other nation, about their radar. Weapons integration have had prolonged issues because of that. Two, Integration of Uttam may delay the project. Will the French agree to integrating METEOR, Hammer & Scalp with Uttam?...

Kartik

https://x.com/alpha_defense/status/1975625468113277310 LCA Mk-2 load out. It's amazing how much of a difference the 1.35m fuselage plug makes to the overall aesthetic appeal of the Tejas design. The proportions look so right now. The original Tejas Mk1 had a poor fineness ratio, which is improved s...

Kartik

^ Two things regarding the radar. One, the French are finicky, just like every other nation, about their radar. Weapons integration have had prolonged issues because of that. Two, Integration of Uttam may delay the project. Will the French agree to integrating METEOR, Hammer & Scalp with Uttam?...

Kartik

From MoD Annual Report 2023-24: EW Suite for LCA-MK1A (Swayam Raksha Kavach) The EW suite consists of state of the art Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) and Advanced Self-Protection Jammer (ASPJ). The RWR contains four channel wide band receivers and provides improved probability of detection and direct...

Kartik

I don’t think this has anything to do with the radome size I was talking in terms of permeability. Remember the radome is still Cobham. Only recently the DRDO quartz radome has been offered for production. The issue was identified as something that needed software changes on the Astra missile's end...

Kartik

Break up of 97 order is 68 Single seaters and 29 twin seaters... ---- Mk1 is 32 S + 8T 1st Mk1A order is 73 S + 10T 2nd Mk1A order is 68 S + 29T (I expected it to be 89S + 8T) That is total 32 Mk1 SingleSeaters, 141 Mk1A SingleSeaters and 47 TwinSeaters ---- Honestly, these numbers are confusing......

Kartik

Bharadwaj wrote: ↑25 Sep 2025 10:14 ^^^^^
With certification and firing of key weapons yet to be achieved.

Firing trials had already commenced when the HAL CMD was giving interviews to NDTV. It's possible that they were done and successful.

Kartik

Saw the interview and Uttam plus meteor confirmed for 97 batch of mk1a. Hal CMD sounded confident with things but let us wait for the Astra clearance to come through. NDTV still do not have the interview up as a separate segment on YouTube from what I can see. Integrating every missile in inventory...

Kartik

Astra-1 is the longest range AAM with the IAF today. Let that sink in! Meteor hasn't been inducted, R-77 is relatively short-ranged and R-37 induction (if any) is miniscule Which is why the anemic order for Astra-1 by the IAF is grating! So is the sloth of HAL to get the Astra-1 certification for T...

Kartik

^^^^ Look upthread and there is a reliable explanation in the HT article about what happened. is the issue with mid course guidance? Any experts in here could shed more light on the issue from the details available? https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/new-lca-deal-after-first-jets-delivered-1...

Kartik

Be great to see this going out of HAL and leading to a wider seeding of the Aeronautical industry. I wonder who is going to be partner for the rafale. Have you seen the build quality of the Tejas Mk1A? If not, just check the latest NDTV program on the Tejas Mk1A thread. It's really world class buil...

Kartik

Mitron the felon does indeed appear to be on its way. :D https://theprint.in/defence/india-takes-a-relook-at-russian-su-57-but-not-for-its-stealth-heres-why/2748520/ India takes a relook at Russian Su-57, but not for its stealth. Here’s why However, with regional tensions escalating, particularly a...

Kartik

^ Do they (the print) take questions? If yes, ask them why not the Su-34. 34 is also greater than 30. And it has lot of commonality with the Su-30. Can carry loads of weapons, including the kinzhal, over very long distances. It even has a toilet on board. And best of all the two pilots sit side by ...

Kartik

As per the latest interview of HAL chairman with Vishnu Som, Tejas Mk2 First flight will be by end of 2026 or early 2027 and from there 3-4 years, lets add 2 more year if we consider the past record of delivery, so ~2033-34, then I think may be even 120KN might be available. I hope Tejas-Mk2 and AM...

Kartik

I hope KDE ,Airbus Leap engines, flying test bed are part of this deal. Why would they be? Nothing comes for free nor are we in a position of such strength that we can demand such things to be added without paying for them separately. Look at our situation- - 180 Tejas Mk1A on order, all depending ...

Kartik

I don't understand. How is he computing cost as 2.9 billion by current price ? Eight air frames were acquired in Jan 2009 for a total of US $2.1 billion. Using that number as a reference point and to calculate the current price, you have to use an inflation calculator. The US Govt has a great one h...

Kartik

Don't Indian Rafales have a similar system? 8) The F-35’s Secret Decoy That Outsmarts Missiles Rafale is supposed to have Israeli X-Guard towed decoy system. Can anyone confirm if that has been installed ? Yes, it was integrated to IAF Rafale as per ISE, I have seen an image of it attached under a ...

Kartik

Tejas Mk2 rollout date pushed out yet again. 10 F414 turbofans have been delivered to date. HAL to deliver 2 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft in October despite engine delays https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/hal-to-deliver-2-tejas-mk-1a-aircraft-in-october-despite-engine-delays-say-sources-2781647-2025-09...

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