The gift that keeps on giving.. as I had surmised, the twit Sengupta had based his entire thesis of R118 failure on the basis of HAL selecting SAAB for an integrated EW suite for the Rudra.
Fulminating against all the meanies/psychos etc who dare to puncture holes in fantasies, poor Sengupta writes:
The RWR-118 is a gold-standard RWR being developed by the DRDO (when in reality the Rudra helicopter-gunship now sports the SaabTech-built RWR as clearly shown in the photo above)
Note - the twit still cant counter the fact that the RWJ as on the MiG-27, LCA and MiG-29 by design includes a Radar Warner.. so to cover up, he has to claim the R-118 does not work, ergo its not on the MiG-29.
And that apart, it has little to do with whats on the Rudra!
It didn't even enter his brain that HAL is not DRDO and hence can choose any off the shelf solution, especially if it comes ready in an integrated package (saves time on testing & qualification)..
And not that HAL & DRDO have similar products which have been used on similar programs - eg HAL OSAMC on DARIN 3 for mission computing, whereas LCA MK2/Super 30 will use the new IMA computers from DARE..
In Sengupta world, that would mean that OSAMC is > IMA.. oh wait even IMA is on order.. so what will he do then? Remain confused, that's right, because he cannot delve into the basics of each system and realize why one has been chosen over the other for any program based on pros and cons (e.g OSAMC is for earlier federated systems, IMA changes the architecture itself).
Basically, copy paste from brochures is his forte.. detailed analysis, or even minimal effort? Naah.. too much hard work.
But it gets better..
The Nagan & Mihir sonars developed by NPOL are in service with the IN (when in reality the Nagan has been ditched in favour of the ultra low-frequency ACTAS & a competition is now underway for selecting a new-generation ultra low-frequency dunking sonar of foreign origin).
Sengupta has been claiming for a while now that Mihir etc are all stopped programs.. because well, he thinks so...otherwise how can he shill cool brochures he picks up from expos on his blog?? In his world, that the Indians will persist with programs and have the brains to improve their products and progress... not possible..
Unfortunately, for Sengupta,
the bad bad Indian Navy decided to put out this report on October 12 (thanks pragnya). Which effectively amounts to another example of how Sengupta made stuff up and got caught out within days of making it up. Poor fellow did not google up the status of Mihir before making his comments, and there you go...
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp ... 227728.ece
"Induction of indigenous heliborne sonar on cards, says Rear Admiral"
Note: The low-frequency dunking sonar (LFDS) developed by DRDO’s Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) at Thrikkakara has shown steadfast progress in trials and is on the threshold of induction into naval inventory, Rear Admiral D.M. Sudan, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Air), has said.
......
Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory Director S. Anantha Narayanan said efforts were on to simultaneously fashion an enhanced version of the sonar for fitment on the Navy’s Multi-Role Helicopter (MRH), whose acquisition is under way.
Again, this is typical of how Sengupta makes a complete and total fool out of himself by speculating on topics he is clearly out of his depth on, and then adding up 2+2=7 wherein some import will magically save the day.
He could have merely pointed out the program was in progress and info was awaited.
No, he had to fib and make a claim that it was cancelled, wouldn't be used... and here comes this report puncturing yet another hole in his vapid claims.
Wonder how much he makes for all his free advertorials for these foreign vendors.
But he's not done yet:
FIB2 (yet again) - note Sengupta's ego will NOT allow him to admit that he made stuff up. In his world, he just can't do that.
2) The Rohini/Revathi S-band 3-D radars are DRDO-developed (when in reality the radar was originally known as TRS-17 & was developed in Poland & the DRDO eventually bought this radar’s IPRs & customised its design so that it morphed into Rohini & Revathi).
Seriously, is there really no limit to this guys penchant for making stuff up?
As far back as 2003, this was DRDOs contribution to the Rohini/3-DCAR
http://drdo.gov.in/drdo/pub/techfocus/j ... ne2003.pdf
Signal Processing for 3D CAR, Transmitter, high spectral purity radar source, multi-channel receivers.
Heck, spend some more time on the topic and it becomes clear that these are even codeveloped/manufactured with local pvt vendors. Furthermore, enough exists in follow on Tech Focus articles and other literature to see the antenna & other critical hardware were further upgraded by DRDO with companies like L&T working on stabilization.
All this would require some common sense, some ability to discern basic technical stuff and of course patience. Much much easier to copy paste brochures and pretend everything is "bought out" and can be customized. Such is the state of affairs.
Never mind that PIT itself notes the original radar was codeveloped with India (as versus sold to India...).
As quoted above.
And this is besides the fact that anyone who would have discussed the topic with these folks at any public event would know the JV aspect.
....
Unfortunately, this is the sad state of affairs in Indian defence reportage with fellows like Prasun who plagiarize, cook up stuff and yet fool impressionable folks that just because they repeat a lie a hundred times, the lie is truth.