Indian Military Aviation - 21 Sept 2015

[brar_w]

The entire spec has been shared for the GE404/414 families. No major costly component is changed that frequently. I have also provided the cost of each of the replaced components so you can calculate exactly what cost is and when.

Link the post where you have provided the cost of components. In any case, I think my post is being misread. I am not saying few hundred hours as in 2-3 hundred hours but meant ~2000 hours in more than a decade. Mirage 2000 has spent 30 years flying so around 3000 hours. Difficult to believe that no hot section replacement contemplated even after another 20 years.

Here it is- viewtopic.php?t=3351&start=2920#p2011725

For even older posts on this topic, the search feature should be able to help in finding them if they are still around.

Most of your module cost is actually incurred between 3400 and 4000 hours which is well into the second decade of operations if your individual engine is used for around 300 hours per year. Fleet utilization is a factor of availability, and total fleet hours divided by the engines in the field but that at best tells us how many modules to order. An individual engine is obviously tracked to its own inspection regime and utilization pattern. Fleet availability affects total fleet hours for both engines used (EOT) and flown and you can use it to roughly calculate what the total fleet component utilization is. This information helps you or your suppliers (in case of PBL's) have the requisite inventory so that there are no disruptions due to supply.

I don't know from where you are pulling the 70 hours/year utilization on the Su-30 from.

I think my post is being misread. I am not saying few hundred hours as in 2-3 hundred hours but meant ~2000 hours in more than a decade

It is actually a few thousand hours and not a few hundred hours. Keep in mind that the data are from operational perspective and used to support GE's PBL and not the "should-last" numbers. For the HPT the should last number is 2000, but the 1850 represents the average time that it has been replaced on the USN fleet. As part of their PBL relationship, GE tests removed and replaced components to try to see whether they can get the USN to extend EOT's based on data gathered.

This works both ways and is a continuous process because demonstrating higher component reliability and getting compensated for it through an increase in EOT is one way you make money through a long term sustainment PBL contract. The operator benefits with higher EOT's and a reduced depot footprint if you have a very large number of engines in the field (which the USN does with well over 1000). On the flip side, if component reliability is lower than predicted the operator passes on the burden to improve it to the OEM since the PBL stipulates availability as opposed to raw procurement numbers.

[Austin]

Mi-25s supplied by India prevented further deterioration of security: Ghani

[Austin]

Why not give a dozen Armed Dhruv to Afghanistan ? Its built for Hot & High Operation and can do much better job in Afghanistan terrain then Mi-25 series or Mi-17

[Kakarat]

[Rahul M]

wow. simply wow.

[nirav]

Actually my calculations for Su-30MKI is coming around 60 hours per annum but I stated 75 hours to prevent hue and cry on BRF. Su-30MKI should be overhauled at 1500 hours, but what if overhaul was required earlier? Due to reasons like non-utilisation, inflated requirements, poor infra and poor spare parts inventory (each reason applicable to different aircraft), IAF aircraft are flying only 1/3rd to 1/2 of their fair peace time utilisation rates.

You sound worse than CAG.

[wig]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 254397.cms

India revives project to acquire Japanese US-2i amphibious aircraft worth Rs 10,000 crore

India has revived the stalled project to acquire a dozen Japanese US-2i amphibious aircraft, worth around Rs 10,000 crore, ahead of PM Narendra Modi's visit to Tokyo on November 11-12 to further cement the bilateral strategic partnership.
While the inking of a civil nuclear cooperation agreement is likely to be the centrepiece of the meeting between Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, sources say the declaration of India's intention to acquire the US-2i aircraft is also going to be a major highlight of the summit.
The US-2i project, with six of the huge amphibious planes each for the Navy and Coast Guard, is also slated to be taken up by the defence acquisitions council (DAC) meeting to be chaired by defence minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday. "The DAC will take up the inking of a bilateral MoU between the two countries for the procurement of the 12 aircraft," said a source
Powered by four big turbo-props, the US-2i is capable of short take-offs from land as well as water. While basically meant for search and rescue operations, the US-2i can also rapidly transport 30 combat-ready soldiers to "hot zones" in an emergency.
Though the Navy has much more critical operational requirements ranging from submarines to multirole helicopters, the proposed US-2i deal is intended to send a strong signal to an increasingly belligerent China in the Asia-Pacific region.
Both India and Japan are wary of the China's aggressive territorial claims. India has till now ruled out joining the quadrilateral security dialogue proposed by the US, with Japan and Australia being the other members. But Japan since 2014 has become a regular participant of the annual Malabar naval exercise between India and the US, which has riled China.
Negotiations for the US-2i aircraft deal, which will be the first-ever purchase of military equipment from Japan since it ended its five-decade old self-imposed embargo to export military hardware, have been underway since 2013 but were stalled on the high costs involved.
Japan has now agreed to somewhat reduce the price, which was earlier pegged at $1.6 billion or Rs 10,720 crore for the 12 aircraft, to clinch the deal and expand its strategic partnership with India

Moderators/ Administrator,
I posted this in the thread, termed; Indian Military Aviation. But it is getting posted here. don't know what went wrong. In any case, the machines will empower the nation's air power

[Rishi Verma]

^^ Sir wrong thread. I think the purchase is for navy and Coast Guard

[shiv]

Actually my calculations for Su-30MKI is coming around 60 hours per annum but I stated 75 hours to prevent hue and cry on BRF. Su-30MKI should be overhauled at 1500 hours, but what if overhaul was required earlier? Due to reasons like non-utilisation, inflated requirements, poor infra and poor spare parts inventory (each reason applicable to different aircraft), IAF aircraft are flying only 1/3rd to 1/2 of their fair peace time utilisation rates.

You are being too kind to the illiterate morons of BRF by fudging numbers to make them happy. Philanthropy notwithstanding, the fact is that after Red Flag the Su 30s that took part have been parked at Lohegaon and will remain there for 2 years because they completed 2 years worth of flying in Red Flag. You can see them on Google earth. They do not move day after day if you monitor Google earth

[wig]

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation ... 19084.html

President’s Standards for IAF sole Aerostat unit

he IAF’s sole Aerostat operating unit, 501 Signals Unit (SU), along with No. 30 Squadron that operates the SU-30 fighter, will be awarded the President’s Standards at a ceremonial parade scheduled to be held at Ambala Air Force Station on November 10.
Standards or Colours are presented to a military unit or establishment in recognition of exceptional service rendered by it during war and in peace.
Raised in August 1964 and based at Barnala, 501 SU is responsible for defending the airspace over Punjab Sector against the western adversary. It is equipped with French-made high powered radars and aerostats, which are large fixed balloons carrying radars, sensors and electronic intelligence gathering gadgets that can be raised to a height of 15,000 feet for aerial surveillance.
Presently commanded by Gp Capt Vineet Jindal, it is also the first IAF radar unit to receive the Standards.
Giving details, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, Air Marshal SB Deo said that the 49-year-old 30 Squadron that is based in Pune has a vast operational role ranging from the Andamans to the northern frontier.
Raised initially on MiG-21FL and then charged with conversion training of new pilots, it was the first squadron to be equipped with the SU-30. Presently commanded by Wg Cdr Arun Phansalkar, it was involved in six protracted phases of user trials of the SU-30 and has also been associated with integration trials of indigenously developed systems and weapons.

[Rakesh]

The article is wrong. The first squadron to be raised with the Su-30MKI is No 20 Lightnings on 27 Sept 2002 @ Lohegaon AFS.

The first Su-30K squadron was raised again at Lohegaon AFS in 1997 and that was No 24 Hawks which now flies the Su-30MKI @ Bareilly AFS.

[Paul]

Are there any Miltary airfields in Uttarakhand or HP currently?

Centre orders to set up new Air Force Base at Gaggal - Himachal Pradesh
.
Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and Kangra MP Shanta Kumar on Friday hailed the decision of the Indian Government to set up a new Air Force base at Gaggal airport in Kangra district.

Shanta Kumar said that the Air Force base at Gaggal Airport would prove strategically important decision in view of increasing tensions with neighbouring countries, Pakistan and China. “This would not only prove beneficial from security point of view but it would also benefit tourists and locals as the civil airport would also get expanded,” he said, adding that it would also contribute towards the development of the state.

The Kangra MP said that the Centre had also given its go ahead for construction of Pathankot-Leh-Ladakh railway line and four laning of Pathankot-Mandi state highway.

He assured the local residents whose land would be acquired for setting airbase, of adequate compensation of their land and said that Centre government would work towards their rehabilitation so that they would not have to face much inconvenience.

“The locals would face inconvenience due to acquisition of their land but they should understand that it would not only strengthen India’s strategic position in northern region and also lead to develop of the area,” he added.

[Karan M]

Su-30 pilots average 180 hours plus a year. The top guys can go to 250 plus. The MiG-21 in contrast was around 300 sorties, 150 hours on account of its short legs.

[Rishi Verma]

SU-30MKI Or Gajraj landing at Trishul AFS invariably pass over Nainital / Haldwani in Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand terrain is very mountenous and won't be able to accommodate a vast base. But other than Pant airport I doubt there are any other mil type airports in kumaon / gerhwal hilly areas.

[jamwal]

There is an air force base a few km from Nainitaal. No idea if there is any airstrip there.

[Paul]

So these areas must be covered from Bareilly.

Even Sikkim does not have an IAF airfield, or even an airport

[rohitvats]

Are there any Miltary airfields in Uttarakhand or HP currently?

Centre orders to set up new Air Force Base at Gaggal - Himachal Pradesh <SNIP>

There is presently a civilian airport at this place which has flights from Spicejet and Air India. This is the airport which cricketers use whenever IPL match is played at Dharamshala. Its about 15 km from Dharamshala. ATR category planes fly at present to this airport.

In fact, if people remember, the short landing performance of the C-17 was trialed at this very airport.

Pathankot is about 80 km by road from this place.

The reason for having an AFB at this place could be two-fold - (a) build back-up for Pathankot AFB. (b) air-lift point for troops in general area of Dharamshala.

[Paul]

If Pathankot is only 80km from this place, conceivably the border from Tibet to Pathankot should not be more than 200 Km approx. What is the possibility that PLA and PA in a joint op will try to cut across this area and link up like Pakis try to do to NH1A.

All they need to do is to cut off the NH going into JK and Manali-Leh.

Hope IA has gamed this possibility

[Indranil]

8 IAF fighter jets to touch down Agra-Lucknow Expressway on Nov 21

[Kartik]

Beginning the thread with the news of the Rustom-2 MALE UAV's successful maiden flight

India's indigenous Rustom-II UAV completes maiden flight

India's locally developed Rustom-II medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (MALE UAV) completed its maiden test flight at the aeronautical test range in Chitradurga, near Bangalore, on 16 November.

Official sources told IHS Jane's that the test flight was limited to a 100 km range even though the UAV's operational range to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions for all three of India's services is expected to reach to 250 km.

India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement that the test flight achieved the main objectives of testing the platform's capabilities such as take-off, banking, level flying, and landing.

Developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment of India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Bharat Electronics Limited, the first prototype of the 1.8-tonne multimission UAV - known as TAPAS 201 - has a 21 m wingspan, a capacity payload of 350 kg, an endurance of over 24 hours, and an operational ceiling of 10,660 m (34,776 feet), according to the MoD.

The public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is also a production partner in the programme.

The MoD said that the Rustom-II/TAPAS 201 is capable of carrying medium- and long-range optic sensors, synthetic aperture radar, electronic intelligence, communication intelligence, and situational awareness payloads for round-the-clock operations.

The UAV is powered by two Russian NPO Saturn 36T turboprop engines rated at 100 hp each. The UAV's airframe, landing gear, digital flight control, avionic, and navigational systems have all been sourced locally from public and private sector companies.

DRDO officials said the Rustom-II/TAPAS 201 would undertake further trials to validate its design parameters before conducting user trials with the respective services.

The UAV is a derivative of the Rustom-I, which conducted its first test flight in October 2010 and was designed primarily as a test bed for more advanced variants. However, DRDO sources said that the Rustom-I is also expected to enter limited service, possibly with the Indian Navy.

[Kartik]

And from AW&ST

NEW DELHI—India’s Rustom-II UAV successfully completed its first flight on Nov. 16, “meeting all expectations,” a defense ministry official says.
The Rustom-II, or Tapas 201 medium-altitude/long-endurance UAV, was developed by the Defense Research & Development Organization’s Bengalaru-based Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), with Hindustran Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) as production partners.

“The test, which took place from a newly developed flight test range near Bengaluru, accomplished the main objectives of proving the flying platform, such as takeoff, bank, level flight and landing, among others,” the official says.

With an endurance of 24 hr., the 2-ton UAV can “carry different combinations of payloads like medium-range electro-optic, long-range electro-optic, synthetic aperture radar, electronic intelligence, communications intelligence and situational awareness payloads to perform missions during day and night,” the official says.

Unlike the Rustom-I UAV, which flew for the first time in November 2009, Rustom-II can also be armed like the U.S. Air Force Predator UAV.

“Though the program was delayed by over two years, it has heralded a new era in the indigenous development of UAVs,” the official adds.

Rustom-II will now undergo further flight testing to validate its design before transitioning to user validation trials.

An ADE official recently said India’s military could require 76 Rustom UAVs to replace the Israeli Heron. The aircraft is named after former Indian Institute of Science professor Rustom Damania, who pioneered aviation research in India in the 1980s.

Almost all of the UAV’s critical systems, including its airframe, landing gear, flight control and avionics subsystems, are being developed in India.

[DavidD]

*delete* wrong thread.

[Viv S]

Boeing in fray for Indian Air Force’s tanker contest

By Ajai Shukla
Everett, USA
Business Standard, 16th Nov 16

The Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) withdrawal of a tender earlier this year for the $2 billion purchase of six multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) aircraft has set the stage for the entry of Boeing into this contest. The American company had not responded to two earlier tenders, since it did not have a suitable aircraft to field.

Now, having developed a brand new MRTT for the US Air Force (USAF), Boeing is poised to compete with Airbus and Ilyushin, the two vendors who have vied for the IAF order for a decade.

An earlier IAF tender, floated in 2006, attracted bids from Airbus, Spain, which offered a modified Airbus 330-200 aircraft; and from Russia’s Ilyushin, which offered the Ilyushin-78 tanker --- six of which were already in the IAF since 2003-04.

Yet, despite successive IAF chiefs emphasising the urgency of buying tankers quickly, that tender was withdrawn in 2010. A second tender, issued by the IAF soon after, was withdrawn in May.

The reason for withdrawal was a conflict between “procurement cost” and “life cycle cost”. The Russian tanker was cheaper to buy; but the Spanish tanker worked out cheaper when life cycle costs were evaluated --- considering not just the acquisition cost, but also the cost of operation, maintenance and spare parts over a service life of 30-40 years.

Tankers are valuable force multipliers for air forces that operate combat aircraft for long distances. Mid-air refuelling almost doubles the capability of fighters. Refuelling them mid-mission saves a trip back to base, and a landing and take-off.

At Everett, outside Seattle, USA, where Boeing builds commercial airliners in the world’s largest building --- a hangar one kilometre long and half a kilometre wide --- the first few KC-46A Pegasus tankers are being built on the airframe of the long-haul Boeing 767-200 airliner. The USAF has already ordered 179 KC-46A, and that order would increase incrementally to 400 or so, as the USAF’s vintage KC-135 --- built on the Boeing 707 airframe and already over half a century old --- are progressively retired.

In contrast, the Airbus 330 MRTT has just 51 tankers on order. Boeing believes its economy of scale would create an unbeatable cost advantage.

Says Glenn Hanbey, the Pegasus marketing head: “The KC-46A is not just a civil airliner that can carry extra fuel. It has been developed as a military aircraft, to the demanding specifications of the USAF.”

Hanbey is referring to the Airbus 330 MRTT, which carries more fuel than the KC-46A Pegasus --- 111 tonnes, as against 96 tonnes --- but which remains in many respects a civilian airliner that retains commercial-style seating inside for 291 passengers.

In contrast, the KC-46A Pegasus has military style “palletised” seating that can be quickly bolted on for up to 160 passengers. In a medical evacuation role, it can carry 54 stretchers with patients, along with on-board emergency oxygen. To permit large cargo loads, the Pegasus has giant side doors, the size of those on the C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane.

A key feature of the KC-46A is its tanker-specific avionics, with the twin-pilot cockpit fitted with state-of-the-art displays developed for the 787 Dreamliner. In accordance with USAF demands, the “boom operator”, who operates the attachment that protrudes from the tail of the Pegasus and pumps fuel at 1,200 gallons per minute into the aircraft being refuelled, has a three-dimensional view of the operation from seven cameras that look to the rear. The pilots too view the operation, allowing them to position their tanker aircraft suitably.

For now, the Airbus 330 MRTT enjoys a first-mover advantage, having already logged orders from the air forces of Australia (seven tankers), United Kingdom (14) France (nine), Saudi Arabia (seven), The Netherlands (two), Singapore (six), South Korea (four) and UAE (three).

But Pratyush Kumar, Boeing’s chief in India argues: “Those orders were placed when the KC-46A hadn’t entered service. Now, it provides India an additional option --- one that consumes 30 per cent less fuel, is 20 per cent cheaper to operate, and that is derived from an aircraft with a despatch reliability rate of 99.7 per cent.”

(Broadsword was in the US at the invitation of The Boeing Company)

[Viv S]

It seems likely that a refueling boom will be a requirement for the aircraft. Making it a KC-46 vs A-330MRTT fight, and leaving the Il-78 out in the cold.

Air to air refueling capability among P-8 upgrades.

Indian Navy to get additional P8I submarine hunter, reconnaissance aircraft in 2020

SEATTLE: The Indian Navy will get its additional P8I submarine killer, maritime reconnaissance aircraft starting July 2020, with work being initiated at the Boeing facility here to deliver an updated version of the combat plane.

The boost to the Indian fleet will come at a time when the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which has been growing at a scorching pace over the past decade, is projected to have over 70 submarines in service.

India, which already operates eight of the long range sea patrol aircraft, has placed an order for an additional four planes in July this year and the Navy has shared an undisclosed list of upgrades and new features that it requires on the new planes, a senior Boeing executive has shared.

"We are looking forward to delivering the options in the July 2020 timeframe. We also have a long list of upgrades that the Indian Navy is interested in, we are working on that," Mark Jordan, Chief Engineer of the P8 program said.

While the Boeing official did not share details of the upgrades being discussed, the Indian Navy is also likely to contract for a simultaneous upgrade of its existing fleet of eight plans to the latest standard. The P8 aircraft are being flown by the US Navy and Australia has got deliveries of its first aircraft last week. In addition, the Royal Air Force is also placing an order for the unique maritime patrol and combat aircraft.

One of the projects being worked on the aircraft – which is equipped with Harpoon anti shipping missiles – is to give it the capacity to take in fuel while flying. While the Indian P8Is are equipped with aerial refueling system, it was not a contracted requirement from the Indian side.

Boeing officials said that the P8 planes are likely to be certified for aerial refueling by next year, giving a tremendous increase in range for maritime missions. While India does not have a tanker that is capable of refueling the P8I, it can take in fuel from American tankers – missions that have been made easy with the recent signing of a logistics sharing pact between the two nations.

India has been using its P8I fleet extensively for missions ranging from patrolling and spotting passing submarines and ships to search missions in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea. Large scale search missions were recently carried out by the aircraft in search of the missing An 32 transporter off the Chennai coast. India is also looking to placing some aircraft at the Andaman islands to give them more reach to patrol regions of interest.

While 12 P8Is are now contracted by the Indian Navy, Boeing is hopeful for more orders with a top executive saying that the Indian side has expressed its willingness to look at adding additional planes in the future.

(This correspondent is in Seattle on the invitation of the Boeing Company)

[Cosmo_R]

Well, there's the use case I never thought of for LEMOA:

"Boeing officials said that the P8 planes are likely to be certified for aerial refueling by next year, giving a tremendous increase in range for maritime missions. While India does not have a tanker that is capable of refueling the P8I, it can take in fuel from American tankers – missions that have been made easy with the recent signing of a logistics sharing pact between the two nations. "

I along with many others simply assumed that it would be the USN/USAF using Indian facilities. If the arrangement works, it certainly reduces the need to immediately procure IN tankers.

[Aditya G]

Well, there's the use case I never thought of for LEMOA:

"Boeing officials said that the P8 planes are likely to be certified for aerial refueling by next year, giving a tremendous increase in range for maritime missions. While India does not have a tanker that is capable of refueling the P8I, it can take in fuel from American tankers – missions that have been made easy with the recent signing of a logistics sharing pact between the two nations. "

I along with many others simply assumed that it would be the USN/USAF using Indian facilities. If the arrangement works, it certainly reduces the need to immediately procure IN tankers.

Traditionally USN aircraft have always had hose & probe refueling systems.

[SSridhar]

Through the prism of air power - Air Vice Marshal Arjun Subramaniam, The Hindu

Standing on parade alongside the commanding officer of 30 Squadron of the Indian Air Force (IAF) as the President of India presented colours to the accomplished Su-30 MKI squadron on November 10 at Air Force Station Ambala, one could not but reflect on the multiple competencies that the IAF has to offer to practitioners of statecraft. It is a no-brainer to suggest that there have been momentous changes in the nature of warfare over the last couple of decades — hybrid warfare, sub-conventional warfare and proxy war are the flavour of the day and armed forces across the world have struggled to keep pace with these changes. It is quite evident that the West has all but written off large-scale conventional conflict between nation states, barring the possibility of a confrontation between an existing and emerging superpower in the years ahead, and restructured their armed forces accordingly.

India has no such luxury considering that it has “live and active borders and seas” on multiple fronts. All three arms of its armed forces have adapted to these changes in different ways by building diverse capabilities at the lower end of the spectrum of conflict while retaining adequate conventional capability. Over the last few years, the IAF has extensively articulated what it calls full-spectrum capability by optimising roles and missions and platforms to concurrently suit the requirements of war fighting and statecraft.

A transformation with flexibility


In order to further understand the IAF through the prism of air power, it is important to dispel a few myths that have crept into the Indian discourse on air power. The four most widely propagated ones are that air power is only associated with offensive air action; that it is always escalatory; that it is most effective only in conventional warfare; and lastly, that it seeks to influence the environment on its own and operate in isolation. Nothing can be further from the truth as calibrated use of offensive air power in recent decades has often had a de-escalatory impact, particularly in our own neighbourhood and at levels of joint operations well below conventional levels. The Kargil war of 1999 is a classic example of air power acting as a critical de-escalatory and conflict termination tool. Similarly, the war on the Islamic State and al-Qaeda has been rather effectively led by air power; albeit with an increasingly clear understanding that air power has to be followed with “boots on ground” for any chances of conflict termination and resolution, and recognition that collateral is a distinct possibility. Most important from an Indian perspective is that the IAF has transformed itself in recent years as a vital cog in joint operations with the capability to influence, enable, and support multispectral operations on land, in the air, at sea and increasingly, in space. It is this flexibility that has made the IAF among the few air forces that has the ability to act as a critical tool and enabler of statecraft and it must be increasingly seen as so.

Let us look at this multispectral capability through the prism of some of the key platforms in the IAF. Within the ambit of a six to eight hour period, sustained by aerial refuelling and enabled by airborne warning and control system and robust data links, the Su-30 can attack strategic targets deep inside enemy territory, shape the tactical battle area to enable smooth-flowing armoured operations on the ground, and then protect critical airspace, all in the span of one mission. It can replicate such missions over the ocean too. In low spectrum operations, it has the capability to conduct both intrusive and non-intrusive surgical strikes against low visibility targets independently or in conjunction with special forces and supported by remotely piloted aircraft; it has the capability to discriminate and take out targets in an urban environment, if supported by real-time intelligence, and much more. The Su-30 has operational reconnaissance capability and has even been used in disaster relief situations in terms of looking for aircraft wreckage in inaccessible jungle terrain with its synthetic aperture radar.

Capability across the spectrum


What about the game changers of recent times, the IAF’s heavy lift C-17 aircraft, the versatile Mi-17 V5 helicopters, and the ubiquitous C-130 J aircraft that have given teeth to India’s special operations capability? One of the biggest challenges for the IAF’s transport and helicopter fleets in recent times was the sustenance of the Indian Army in Siachen, Ladakh and vast tracts of Arunachal Pradesh and other insurgency affected areas of the North East. With the induction of the C-17s and Mi-17 V5s, not only have all records of air maintenance been broken in the current year but there is adequate residual capacity to take on much more including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions anywhere in India’s areas of influence and interest. All these capabilities will further be enhanced in the years ahead with the induction of the Rafale, Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, the Chinook heavy lift and multipurpose helicopters and the lethal Apache attack helicopters.

From a statecraft point of view, the IAF, with its flexibility and versatility, has varied options to offer policymakers ranging from coercion, deterrence, signalling, extending influence and providing succour and relief. It is committed to joint operations, creating synergies and offering its competencies to all stakeholders, and all that is needed to leverage its capabilities is a clear understanding of what it can and cannot do; in peace, in “no peace-no war” situations, in hybrid and proxy wars and during calamities; pretty much across the spectrum of statecraft, and not just the “spectrum of conflict”.

Air Vice-Marshal Arjun Subramaniam is Commodore Commandant of No. 30 Squadron IAF, faculty member at the National Defence College and author of ‘India’s Wars: A Military History, 1947-1971’ {A very delectable book, must have in one's library}.

[putnanja]

Upgraded Jaguar (DARIN III) Aircraft Gets Initial Operational Clearance

[tsarkar]

Upgraded Jaguar (DARIN III) Aircraft Gets Initial Operational Clearance

The upgrade incorporates new state of the art avionics architecture including...Fire Control Radar...

If the radar is Elta 2052 as indicated by TSR earlier here http://ajaishukla.blogspot.in/2015/10/c ... s-air.html, then its India's first AESA equipped fighter.

Congratulations to HAL & IAF for making this happen.

[Yagnasri]

Maybe we build more of these ACs to replace Mig27s.

[tsarkar]

^^ The Jaguar line at HAL was replaced by the Hawk line

[rkhanna]

The AS article is all conjecture.

[vina]

If the radar is Elta 2052 as indicated by TSR earlier here http://ajaishukla.blogspot.in/2015/10/c ... s-air.html, then its India's first AESA equipped fighter.

Congratulations to HAL & IAF for making this happen.

WOW! A Jag with an AESA radar ? That would mean that they have also incorporated a BVR missile with it ! Mercifully they didn't do the engine upgrade. That would have been such a waste of time.

[Chinmay]

According to Shukla's blog, only half (61) of the Jaguar fleet will get the Elta 2052. So the rest will get the 2032? It is also a bit disheartening that the engines havent been upgraded to the F125.

[Pratyush]

If the radar is Elta 2052 as indicated by TSR earlier here http://ajaishukla.blogspot.in/2015/10/c ... s-air.html, then its India's first AESA equipped fighter.

Congratulations to HAL & IAF for making this happen.

WOW! A Jag with an AESA radar ? That would mean that they have also incorporated a BVR missile with it ! Mercifully they didn't do the engine upgrade. That would have been such a waste of time.

AESA in not necessarily for air 2 air capabilities. It w also help the jet with accurate mapping of terrain. For weapon delivery. Plus every jag now will have the ability to conduct maritime strike.

PS I did not see a refueling probe in the plane.

[rkhanna]

Again the article only talks about a proposal. No Sale.

[tsarkar]

PS I did not see a refueling probe in the plane.

The big nose houses a neatly packed retractable probe just above the pilot's head in this photo
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MQ79vP_fG4o/U ... 744369.jpg



The images released dont match with the data that says two seater IB was flown by DCAS while the photos are of single seater IM

The chisel nose will go away and be replaced by radome.

NAL had manufactured the 10 odd radomes for Jaguar IM. Interesting to see who will manufacture the DARIN III radomes.

Anyways, we need to wait for confirmation whether the radar that is finally fitted is 2052 or 2032.

[rohitvats]

Here we've added AESA to Jaguar and to think, US and French developed this fighter as some sort of cheap mud-over to take-on Soviet Armor!

[Cosmo_R]

Good news indeed. Maybe this will be a fairy tale ending after all if HAL actually delivers the planes. One question: given our 'deep ToT' on the SU 30, is it contractually/technically feasible to integrate the 2052 on the MKI?

[tsarkar]

^^ Yes. It is being actively considered for Bars replacement since no production ready AESA is forthcoming from Russia.

The Israelis build radars compatible with Western and Russian electrical systems.

One upgrade possibility I would personally wish for is the possibility of replacing the relatively low life Al-31FP with GE F110 series and RD-33 with F-404/414 series that are similar thrust classes.