Sniperz Blog: IAF

Showing posts with label IAF. Show all posts

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Youtube Terry & the Viral Video from Hell

If you've been following the defence aviation grapevine for the past week or so, you'd have surely heard about the so-called controversial video (Part 1 & 2) and comments by Col. Terrance Fornof of AFB Nellis about the Indian participation at Red Flag Nellis. Bharat-rakshak also had a lively discussion about the videos. Vishnu Som of NDTV, who was present at the exercise then gave a rebuttal to some of the points raised by the good Col on another BR thread. The other Indian DDM's obviously had a field day trying to rake in the TRPs by piggybacking on some of Fornof's "offensive" remarks about the Exercise and IAF.

I just saw the video (2 parts- 18 min), and disagree with most of the hyperbolic hyperventilators on the Indian side. The video was clearly an informal dinnertime discussion (listen to the clinks and clanks in the background) about the exercise, and given the video quality, location and steadiness I'm pretty sure it was an official video for USAF posterity that unf0rtunately (or fortunately??) got out.

Pilots are known to be a spirited and frisky bunch, and the language and enthusiastic tone of the talk, and the racuous response by the audience are indicators of this. Given that, its wholly unreasonable to expect these pilots to speak among themselves with a drollness reserved for diplomatic banquet-parties.

I will not talk about the factual mistakes that the Col. made, namely about the Su-30's engines, the Bison Radar, datalink and a few others... they are small errors that any pilot can make about an unfamiliar aircraft, and make no difference to the discussion itself. We can hardly expect our pilots to know what engine or datalink the F-16 has.

The major thrust was on three issues:

1. Su-30MKI, MKI vs F-22.

TVC - Su-30 vs Raptor
Size - big aircraft, big RCS
Comparison with the F-15

2. Indian pilots and their experience with the Mig-21 Bison.

3. Issues faced during the exercise by both planes and pilots.

MKI vs Raptor:

I find this the most complimentary portion of the video itself, unlike most who saw it in negative light. The fact that a senior USAF pilot is acknowledging that the IAF has bridged a massive gap and is slightly better than the USAF itself is a big admission from a very gung-ho and egoistic bunch of people (pilots in general, and not the USAF itself. Just to clarify, Thats a good thing to be as a pilot).

More importantly, that Fornof was constantly comparing the Su-30 with the F-22 and talking about how reassured he was that the F-22 was a way better aircraft is amazing. We already knew that the MKI is nowhere close to the Raptor, which is really a revolution in aviation design, and to think that the USAF was worried that the Su-30 might be as good, or close to it till they saw it in action speaks volumes of the MKI's capabilities. Remember that the F-22's capabilities have been touted as much for its radar and sensors, and the American's have not got a look at the Su-30s 'tronics at all. So we still have a lot of hidden cards.

The major point that people found contentious was the "drill-his-brains-out" comment. Too bad they didn't see it for what it was - just a passionate and air-force way of describing tactics. Having faced and developed tactics for the F-22 (which again, Fornof pointed out, was really a very long shot), they were able to apply these tactics to the Su-30 against new pilots. And here, Fornof pointed out that this advantage was a long shot anyway, and you'd have to hope that the opposing pilot was dumb enough to do that. And some of the inexperienced Indian pilots did (according to Fornof) do that on an inferior aircraft (to the F-22) and got killed as a result.

The big thing is - Fornof himself states that the INDIANS WOULD FIX THIS FAST as they learnt and then, we'd beat the F-15s and F-16s "ON A REGULAR BASIS". Its a compliment to our pilot's, especially considering his disdain for the French and sympathy for the Korean's inexperience. Seems like there were only two real forces at Nellis - US and IAF. The fact that the only chink the USAF could find in our armor was a long shot that would be fixed anyway is a testament to our strength.

Of course, it has been pointed out that no 1vs1s were flown at Nellis. And the Cope-India thing also, there was no chest thumping by the IAF (Fornof does not mention the IAF, but only says Indians - the DDM and media obviously thumped their chests till it hurt, so Fornof could be referring to them as well, with good reason).

A small point about the TVC on the F-22 - Fornof points out that the F-22's TVC is only for Post-stall maneuvering, while the MKI's can be used for normal maneuvering as well... I'm no expert, but that does sound to me like an advantage to the MKI.

And if the USAF is saying that the only way to fight the Su-30MKI is the Raptor, god help the Pakistanis and Chinese who won't have either.

Indian pilots & the Mig-21 Bison

I'll start with the Mig-21 Bison, which Col. brought up to talk about the experience our pilots have come out of. Given the admiration he had for the capabilities of this 50 year old jet against even the modern F-15s and 16s, I think is a compliment.

The 1-vs-1, Fornof correctly pointed out (and most ppl missed) took place at Mount Home (as mentioned by Vishnu Som as well), but his points about having been drilled out has been rebutted by Som. I guess its a matter of perception, but even Vishnu has agreed that "there were days when several Su-30s were shot down". No aircraft is invincible, but as I mentioned above, given that the only chink (that we know of) that they could find was in the temporary inexperience of our younger pilots should be reassuring.

Just to point out, even in Cope India, 1 on 1 wasn't the main focus, as both USAF and IAF have mentioned. Another point to note is that Fornof was almost certainly talking about the sustained non-TVC rate, and talked about the F-15 being able to follow the MKI better than against a Raptor, after which the Pilot engages TVC on the turn to get an advantage. Again a case of not hearing the good Col. closely.

More importantly, he is extremely respectful and amazed at our zero error rate, which again shows the respect IAF has earned among their pilots.

Issues & Random points:

The point about fratricide has been explained by Vishnu, and is clearly not a fault. Fornof has not talked about the Frats by their aircraft, but the fact that our pilots have taken this issue so seriously is obviously another pointer that Fornof also notes.

RF Nellis, as the Col. mentions, is not like Alaska, which is a goodwill pageant, but a serious exercise aimed at creating coalitions - anybody says we're not respected by the US?? Fornof does mention (in a somewhat brusque manner), that we are not yet integrated with their forces. No one on this side of the world disputes that.

The FOD point itself was not so much an insult, but a matter of fact way of putting the point across. Fornof has explained about our reasons for the 60" spacing, and does mention quite clearly that a satisfactory workaround was found. Quite clearly no insult to anyone.

The major thrust of the talk was about how professional our pilots were, how good the Su-30 and even the Bison is, and how the ONLY way to be better is to get the Raptor. Simple. Nothing more, nothing less. What Fornof has said does corroborate to a large extent with what is coming out from our side. If it was only the casual and spade-a-spade manner of talking, too bad people listening didn't know a pilot's get-together from the Miss World pageant.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Daily pill of Defence - 6 April 2008

LCA to fly at Berlin Air Show-2008
ILA press release

ILA2008 likely to set new records:

- Over 1,000 exhibitors from more than 40 countries expected.
- Partner country India announces its largest presentation abroad.
- Over 300 aircraft expected.

The partner country at the ILA2008 is India, which has announced its largest-ever presentation at any foreign aerospace show.
....
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) of this year’s partner country, India, intends to display its single-engined HJT-36 “Sitara” jet trainer, the light military and civil helicopter “Dhruv” and the “Tejas” light combat aircraft for the first time in Europe.
....
The Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO will be making its first appearance at the ILA with a review of its wide-ranging work. (read more)

Related Report: IDRW.org

Agni-III ready for retrial on April 27
Hemant Kumar Rout, Newindpress

After the successful test-fire of Agni-I missile by the Army, defence scientists are all set to testlaunch the indigenously developed sophisticated long-range ballistic missile Agni-III in the last week of April. (read more)

'Top' Kashmir militant arrested
BBC

Police in Indian-administered Kashmir say they have arrested a top leader of a leading militant group. Junaid-ul-Islam is the third in the hierarchy of the Hizbul Mujahideen and was its spokesman for 15 years. (read more)

Friday, April 4, 2008

Daily pill of Defence - 4 April 2008

Tejas: ADA looks to Boeing to provide help
Ravi Sharma, Hindu

The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the defence laboratory behind the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), could soon be turning to global aerospace major Boeing to help them with the aircraft’s flight testing programme. (read more)

NATO invites Albania, Croatia, Georgia and Ukraine into NATO
FIDSNS

Allied leaders decided to invite Albania and Croatia to begin accession talks with NATO. The decision was announced at the Summit meeting of NATO Heads of State and Government in the Romanian capital Bucharest. The Heads of State and Government of the 26 NATO countries held an extraordinary session in the presence of their counterparts from Croatia and Albania to welcome these two new members. (read more)

Its an extremely slippery slope that the heads at Brussels are leading NATO down. Looks like they need to get their priorities right and their heads checked. Or it may just be that they're living 20 years in the past.

New SPG unit to combat snipers
Vishwa Mohan, ToI

In a bid to strengthen its defences against a Lee Harvey Oswald type incident or a 'Day of the Jackal' scenario, the Special Protection Group (SPG) — the elite force providing close security to serving and former prime ministers and their families — will soon have a counter-sniping unit. (read more)

Better late than never... they should have had such a unit a long time ago.

For 4 yrs, VIPs flying unsafe: CAG indicts IAF
Vijay Mohan, The Tribune

While pointing out several infirmities in the acquisition process of aircraft for the Indian Air Force’s VIP squadron, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has revealed that the IAF has been ferrying the country’s leaders in aircraft that have been unsuitable for VIP flights for the past four years. (read more)

INS Kesari (Shardul-class) to be commissioned on April 5
Shiv Aroor, Livefist

INS Kesari (see photos), the Navy's latest amphibious vessel of the Shardul-class will be commissioned into service on April 5 at the IN Jetty at Naval Base, Vizag. The GRSE-built vessel is the second in the Shardul-series of landing ships. (read more)

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

30 Fighter jets crashed in past 4 years

The Ministry of Defence released the details of fighter crashes over the past 4 years, from 2004 to 2008.

The numbers are not nice to see... almost 2 squadrons lost over the past four years. This, not counting losses of helicopters or other aircraft. 2004-2005 seems to have been the worst year, with 11 crashes, followed by 2006-07.

More concerning is the loss of relatively newer aircraft like the Mirage and Mig-29s. The silver lining is of course that we no longer have the large accident rates of the early part of this decade, when birds were dropping out of the sky at alarmingly regular intervals.

However, even at the reduced attrition rates, the numbers make a compelling case for quick upgradation and new acquisition of combat aircraft. These birds aren't getting any younger, and unless the Government wishes to see the Mirages, Mig-29s and Mig-27s drop dead like the Fishbeds before them, they must quicken the pace of acquisitions like the MRCAs, and even more importantly, upgrades. These aircraft form the bulk of the IAF's strike fleet, and obsolescence of these birds will create a gaping hole in our defence readiness. Pakistan and China are inducting new aircraft at alarming rates, and our Air Force must not have to face them will 30 year old, blind and gout-stricken birds.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

The real LCA story

Former SA to PM Ashok Parthasarathi and Vice Adm. (retd) Raman Puri have explained what really happened to the LCA program in this extremely well written piece for The Hindu.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/03/09/stories/2008030958701000.htm

The case to support the indigenous LCA programme
Ashok Parthasarathi and Raman Puri

The facts with regard to perceived cost and time overruns and performance shortfalls in perspective

There have been several articles in the press critical of projects of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in general, and specifically the programme relating to the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), now named Tejas, and the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. Indeed, whenever a significant event that involves indigenous R&D, particularly defence-related, occurs, or a crucial decision is set to be taken, articles originating from within the defence “system,” or from vendors who see their business prospects threatened, appear. The real facts relating to the programme need to be put in context.
Performance shortfalls
The two issues on which the LCA project is criticised are cost and time overruns, and performance shortfalls. As regards the so-called time overruns, when the zero/go date for the project is taken as 1983, the critics fail to mention that what was sanctioned in 1983 was an ad hoc Rs.560 crore, pending full preparation of the Project Definition Document (PDD) — which is a fundamental step even to start the design and development process. The costs were to be finalised based on the PDD. This required the setting up of infrastructure in a hundred academic institutions and R&D laboratories and building up expertise to undertake the fundamental and application-oriented R&D required, and harnessing the design and engineering effort available largely in the public sector units for such a complex, state-of-the-art aircraft. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) discussed with Air Headquarters the Air Staff Requirement (ASR). Air Headquarters had requirements added to what was originally to be a replacement for the MiG-21. As a result, the ASR that was finalised was practically that for a Mirage 2000. But in the public perception the LCA remained as a replacement for MiG 21.

It look seven years, till 1990, to formulate the PDD. Based on this the ADA, in a report to the Ministry of Defence in 1990, gave a time-frame of seven years to develop the LCA and projected a financial requirement of Rs.4,000 crore. This included the building of four prototypes also. There had been a 25-year gap since the only fighter aircraft ever indigenously designed, developed and manufactured, namely the HF-24 Marut, had entered squadron service. So the period of seven years to set up a more advanced R&D infrastructure and build up even the core personnel needed to develop the technologies that the LCA’s ASR and PDD called for, was modest.
“Go-ahead”
After consideration, including by special committees, the Indian Air Force and the government gave the real operational go-ahead only in late-1993. Even that “go-ahead” covered the development of only two Technology Demonstrator Aircraft (TDA) without weaponisation. The funding approved was only of Rs.2,000 crore — half the amount requested for full-scale development. The first TDA flew in 2001, eight years from the real operational ‘go’ date, despite much additional R&D work that had to be undertaken due to the U.S. sanctions imposed in 1998.

Comments appeared in the media in 2001 quoting IAF sources to the effect that what the ADA had achieved was just a flying machine that was yet to be weaponised. Considering the nature and scope of the approval accorded in 1993, what else was to be expected? Using the money sanctioned for two TDAs, the ADA built four. Full-scale development, for which another Rs.2,000-plus crore was finally sanctioned, thus started only in late-2001. Some 1,200 hours of flight testing was to be undertaken to secure Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) from the IAF.

At that point, apart from the weaponisation requirements the project had to undergo extensive redesign to accommodate an air-to-air missile chosen by the IAF, which was considerably heavier and longer than what had been specified till 2000. The IAF had again changed its mind. This necessitated the complete redesign of the wing structure, using only composite materials in order to keep the weight within limits. The period of this redesign was also utilised to upgrade the avionics, to a completely open architecture.

Consequently, in “generational terms” the LCA is a fourth generation-plus aircraft with full networking capabilities. This made it more than comparable to anything the IAF had, and possibly would have, even after it acquires the 126 Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) now on tender, with first deliveries due eight years hence.
On the engine
It is true that the Kaveri engine for the LCA that the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) of the DRDO has been developing for 12 years has not yet met its technical performance targets and requires redevelopment. So far the GE 404 engine from the U.S., which powers the F-16 fighter-bomber, has been used to power the LCA. The problems the GTRE has with the Kaveri are not unusual in a complex fighter aircraft engine project being undertaken for the first time. Moreover, the financial sanction of about Rs.320 crore given for engine development was possibly only to cover the Project Definition Phase and some high-risk technology development effort. We do not know of a first-of-type high-technology fighter aircraft engine being developed anywhere in less than a multi-billion dollar programme and a 20-year-plus development cycle. Even Snecma, the sole fighter aircraft engine manufacturer in France, despite decades of experience in developing and manufacturing engines for Mirage III, V and F-1, took about a decade and $2.2 billion to develop the M-88 engine for the Mirage 2000. The development of the Kaveri is unlikely to cross $1 billion.

The LCA with a GE 404 engine has done 800-plus hours of flight-testing. Even with that engine the performance has been not only vastly superior to that of even the recently upgraded MiG 21 BIS (the IAF is operating almost 400 of the series), but it has shown itself to be comparable in many critical parameters to the Mirage 2000. Modifications to the aircraft structure are under way to reduce weight and improve engine performance. When the GTRE’s joint venture with a leading foreign engine manufacturer for further development is completed in the next four years, the Kaveri will be brought up to a performance level, superior to the GE 404. Fitted with it, the LCA will be truly comparable to the Mirage 2000 and in many respects even superior. And all this in an aircraft much lighter than the Mirage 2000.
Superior
As for network-centric capability, which intrinsically needs indigenous systems for secrecy, security and inter-operability, it is superior in the LCA compared to any aircraft in the IAF’s inventory.

So it is a fallacy to think that we can continue the importing spree and still have such network-centric capability.

As recently as in 2005, the IAF’s requirement for 126 new aircraft was only for an upgraded Mirage 2000. At Rs.120 crore to Rs.140 crore a plane, compared to at least double that amount for any of the aircraft types now bidding for the 126 MRCA, is not the LCA a highly cost-effective fighter for volume induction into the IAF?

As for development costs, the LCA has remained well within the sanctioned $1.2 billion — which is about the lowest anywhere. Time overrun in the strict sense is only by a year or two, despite the sanctions. A first-of-type aircraft of this degree of complexity has not been developed anywhere in the West or in Russia in less than two to three decades.

The F16 series that was inducted into the U.S. Air Force in 1975 is today at Mark 60. That is how aircraft of this level of complexity are improved after induction. That this imperative applies even more to the LCA has to be recognised.

It is for the Prime Minister and the Defence Minister to ensure that this effort is not belittled or scuttled, and that the LCA programme is given all-out support — as successive Prime Ministers have ensured for our atomic energy and space programmes.

(Ashok Parthasarathi was Science Adviser to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Vice- Admiral (retired) Raman Puri was Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Committee of Service Chiefs, remaining closely involved with the inter-service weapons acquisition process from October 2003 to February 2006).

This sums up what all the detractors of the 'DDM' have been saying for the past decade or more, and far more eloquently than I could have ever hoped. (for the uninitiated, DDM - "Desi Defence Media", more usually abbreviated perjoratively as "Desi Dork Media")

The LCA compares extremely well with similar programs when you look at the challenges that had to be overcome. Even with regards to time, it is as good as the other 4.5 gen combat aircraft. The article makes that extremely clear.

Even with regards to the time, it blows to smithereens the myth that LCA has overrun its cost of 560 crores (which was only the initial allocated sum, and not the total project cost).

Rajiv Singh of domain-b has written an even more brutal repartee to the Media lies, and mauls apart all that the English language press uses to cover their fabrications, without even leaving them a fig leaf of credibility or truth to cover their shame with. This five page bloodbath at http://www.domain-b.com/aero/20080218_duds01.html has been aptly titled "India's Light Combat Aircraft: When duds begin to fly news". Makes for extremely interesting reading. Take a look.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Indian AEW&CS Pictures

Some pictures of the AEW&CS raar being developed by DRDO. The platform will be an Embraer-R99 aircraft.

The full set
can be found at http://www.flickr.com/photos/20125521@N02/sets/72157603941498395/.

AEW&CS Mockup

AEW&CS Mockup, originally uploaded by Sniperz11.

A full scale mockup of the Dorsal Unit (DoU) of the Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS) radar under development by CABS, Bangalore.

This mockup uses the actual Radar antenna panel plates that will be put on the radar. The final radar will have 10 panels on either side. To shorten the length, this mockup uses 3 panels.

the big white panel just below the radar is another antenna panel in the final protective casing made of Kevlar.

Also note the small air intakes at the front of the DoU. The air will be used to cool the Radar.

The Radar will weigh 1350 kg totally, and has a lifetime of 30,000 flying hours over 20 years of operation.

AEW&CS Information board

AWACS Brochure, originally uploaded by Sniperz11.

S-Band TR Module

S-Band TR Module, originally uploaded by Sniperz11.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Tejas goes abroad

Chacko Joseph from Frontier India handed me this very interesting story from Avionews (link).

With India's presence in the Aviation world increasing in leaps and bounds with the MRCA tender, as well as indigenous aircraft programs, its logical that Indian presence at air shows too increase. Confirmation of this came with the news that the shining star of Indian Aviation, the HAL Tejas will be travelling to Germany and will be displayed at the Berlin Air Show, ILA-2008. Read more below.

Avionews, 25th Jan 2008, Friday.

"ILA 2008": India announces strong presence as partner country at the air show

Berlin, Germany - Numerous delegations from politics, business and the military expected to attend

(WAPA) - "India will be the partner country at the ILA2008 and has announced a strong presence at the show. From 27 May to 1 June , in reply to an invitation by Federal Minister of Defence Dr. Franz Josef Jung, representatives of one of Asia’s fastest growing markets will be organising an attractive combined national display at the International Aerospace Exhibition. This was confirmed by India’s defence minister Arackaparambil Kurian Antony in talks with his German counterpart.

Some 25 Indian companies will be presenting their displays in an area covering 1,200 square metres. They include Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), companies and organisations such as Bharat, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), DRDO (Defence Research & Development Organisation) and India’s aerospace association SIATI. Among other exhibits, HAL is planning to show a single-jet trainer, the HJT-36 Sitara, as well as a lightweight fighter, and a lightweight civilian and military helicopter, the Dhruv, displaying it on the ground and in the air. The Suryakiran (Sun Ray) aerobatics display team of the Indian Air Force will also be demonstrating their skills. High-ranking delegations from politics, business and the military will also be visiting the ILA.
....
....
The ILA2008 is organised jointly by the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) and Messe Berlin GmbH, and takes place every two years at Berlin-Schönefeld Airport". (Avionews)

So, thats the news folks... our baby, the LCA Tejas is finally going abroad. You may remember the plans to display the Tejas in the Paris Air Show last year. Those plans didn't fructify, much to our disappointment. Of course, DRDO had something else in store for us, conducting intensive flight trials at Dabolim in Goa.

If you're wondering which is this ILA which we've never heard of, its the German name for the Berlin Air Show - "Internationale Luft- und Raumfahrtausstellung" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlin_Air_Show).

In a way, the LCA's debut in Germany is befitting. After all, it was the great German aircraft Designer, Dr. Kurt Tank, who helped design our first aircraft, the HF-24 Marut.

Unlike last year, when the LCA was still an unfinished aircraft, this time, the LCA goes prepared. It has fired a missile, been integrated with the LITENING targeting pod, and having made a night flight. It will be joined by the HJT-36 'Sitara' and the Dhruv, both wanting to shake off their ill-fated displays at Aero India-2007. They have impressed international audiences before. Let us hope that the Tejas too does that.

In addition, the air show will give an opportunity for IAF Pilots and DRDO Scientists to check out the Eurofighter Typhoon, which will participate in the 126 Aircraft MMRCA tender. Also expected to attend will be the Swedish Gripen, which was also present at Aero India-2007.

Friday, November 16, 2007

ISRO - Singin' in the Rain

ISRO has taken giant steps in the past year or so. The successful launch of the AGILE, recovery of the SRE-1, the opening of the IIST and the successful GSLV-F04 rocket carrying the 2 ton INSAT-4CR. Day before yesterday, India and Russia signed a agreement to jointly launch a lunar mission. We've taken Russian help in the past, but this time, we work as equals.

Yesterday brought even more good news- The Full duration test of the indigenous Cryogenic Engine, and ISRO's plans for a Mars mission in the near future. This flurry of activity and announcement of ambitious plans is a pleasant surprise from ISRO, and demonstrates its newfound confidence in its abilities.

Here are the reports:

frontierindia.net/indigenous-cryogenic-engine-qualified/

Indian indigenous Cryogenic engine successfully qualified
Indian Space Research organisation (ISRO) has achieved a significant milestone through the successful test of indigenously developed Cryogenic Stage, to be employed as the upper stage of India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). The test was conducted for its full flight duration of 720 seconds on November 15, 200, at Liquid Propulsion test facility at Mahendragiri, in Tamil Nadu. With this test, the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage has been fully qualified on the ground. The flight stage is getting ready for use in the next mission of GSLV (GSLV-D3) in 2008.
on August 4, 2007, a ground test for 480 seconds of the complete stage was conducted .
The indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS) is powered by a regeneratively cooled cryogenic engine, which works on staged combustion cycle developing a thrust of 69.5 kN in vacuum. The other stage systems include insulated propellant tanks, booster pumps, inter-stage structures, fill and drain systems, pressurisation systems, gas bottles, command block, igniters, pyro valves and cold gas orientation and stabilisation system. Liquid Oxygen (LOX) and Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) from the respective tanks are fed by individual booster pumps to the main turbo-pump, which rotates at 39,000 rpm to ensure a high flow rate of 16.5 kg/sec of propellants into the combustion chamber. The main turbine is driven by the hot gas produced in a pre-burner. Thrust control and mixture ratio control are achieved by two independent regulators. LOX and Gaseous Hydrogen (GH2) are ignited by pyrogen type igniters in the pre-burner as well as in the main and steering engines.

.....
..... (read more)

And today's report:

http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/nov/16isro1.htm

ISRO plans mars adventure, comet flyby
November 16, 2007 15:30 IST

India has drawn up plans to send a spacecraft to Mars and have flyby missions to comets and asteroids over the next five years.
The Indian Space Research Organisation will also ramp up the number of transponders on its communication satellites to 500 from the current 175 to meet the growing demand in the various sectors.
Government has also proposed to more than double the plan outlay ISRO to Rs 27,305 crore to enable it achieve its ambitious programmes, including facilitating tele-medicine and tele-education services.
The Eleventh Plan has identified building capabilities in space communications and navigation, developing navigational satellite systems, research in satellite communications and self sustenance of INSAT/GSAT systems as major areas of focus.
ISRO is expected to operationalise the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III capable of putting four ton satellites in orbit and develop technologies to recover spacecraft after completion of missions.
India's maiden moon mission Chandrayaan-I will take to the skies on April nine and ISRO has already begun finalising details for a second lunar mission with a possible launch in the next three years.
While Chandrayaan-I will orbit the moon, following mission would be an advanced one with lander and rover for collection and analysis of lunar samples.

The draft plan document also lists advanced space endeavours like mission to Mars, and flyby missions to comets and asteroids as thrust areas for the next five years.

These add to the already overflowing cup of good news- the DRDO and ISRO projects for a hypersonic demonstrator vehicle, Chandrayaan, the Indian Regional Navigational System, the local GPS system that will come up soon, and GAGAN. More projects of equal importance and ambition are on the anvil.

So whats with ISRO's new dynamism? Well, for one, it has a lot to do with the maturing of projects being undertaken. The newfound enthusiasm in India's global role has led to an awareness of the importance and use of space missions. Then, there are obvious strategic uses for space that India has lagged behind in, till now. The armed forces have woken up to this and are working overtime to get us up to speed in these areas- spy satellites, an Indian GPS constellation, dedicated secure communications and navigation. These will aid not only missiles becoming more accurate, but will aid in tactical situations as well, as repeatedly demonstrated by the US armed forces. Then, there is the fear of being left behind in another space race- US has already successfully tested exo-atmospheric missile intercepts, and China's ASAT test woke up a lot of snoring people. Space is no longer another world- it has become another territory to be controlled and conquered, and if India is not preparing for it, we'll be overrun.

Global events are also shaping ISRO's vision. The two decades ahead represent a new space-age, a far more inclusive one that will carry the common people in its folds as it shoots forward. Unlike the previous missions where the only public interest was one of starry-eyed wonder and hope, space has now become another territory to be explored and used. Space vacations are already a viable option for the rich and famous and in the years ahead, will be accessible to more people. Then, there are the technologies- Satellite TV, GPS and Google Earth, which have directly benefited the common man. All these have made space attractive and romantic again, at least in developing nations like China, India and Brazil. If you don't believe me, just check out the enthusiasm among students to join ISRO's new College in Trivandrum.

The next good news to look forward to will be the launch of Chandrayaan and the integration of the indigenous Cryogenic engine. It would certainly be a good way to cock a snook at the countries that tried so hard to prevent us from getting this technology.

Some more News Reports about ISRO:

Watch out for ISRO’s eye in the sky - Manoj das, New India Press
Space launches and the cost factor - T.S. Subramanian, The Hindu
Indian study on manned moon mission in 2008 - Indrani Bagchi, Times of India
ISRO eyes Mars, flyby missions to comets in next five years - Daily News and Analysis (DNA) India.
To The Moon, For India & Russia - SatNews Daily.

Monday, November 12, 2007

India steps up production of Prithvi and BrahMos

This interesting report from Times of India caught my eye:

With Pakistan rapidly moving towards enlarging its missile arsenal with China’s help, India is slowly but steadily stepping up production of Prithvi surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, as well as BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. Sources said facilities were now in place to produce around 20 Prithvi missiles every year, while the annual production rate of BrahMos missiles is geared towards touching 50 in the near future.

In 2006-2007, for instance, Hyderabad-based defence PSU Bharat Dynamics Limited for the first time managed to produce 15 full-fledged Prithvi missiles and four training missiles, apart from 18 warheads, said sources. While different Prithvi variants have strike ranges varying from 150-km to 350-km, the BrahMos missile developed with Russia can hit targets over 290-km away.

"Similar plans to step up production of the strategic missiles (700-km Agni-I and 2,000-km-plus Agni-II ballistic missiles) are in the pipeline," said a source.

While Army has had its 150-km Prithvi-I missiles for some years now, IAF and Navy operationalised their longer-range variants of the same missile recently. Navy, for instance, is weaponising its Sukanya-class large patrol crafts with Prithvi’s ‘Dhanush’ variant, which has a strike range of 250-km to 350-km. IAF, in turn, has started moving its Prithvi-II missile squadrons from Hyderabad to some airbases closer to the western front.

As for the air-breathing BrahMos missiles, which fly at a speed of 2.8 Mach, Navy was the first service to equip its frontline warships like Rajput-class destroyers with their vertical launch systems. The Army, which already has missile groups to handle Prithvi, Agni-I and Agni-II, is now also operationalising BrahMos land-attack cruise missiles (LACMs) as its "precision strike weapon."

Work on BrahMos’ air-launched version for Sukhoi-30MKI multi-role fighters, however, had been hit by delays. Consequently, this missile will be integrated with the naval IL-38 maritime patrol aircraft as the first step.

Incidentally, Pakistan tested a new air-launched 350-km range cruise missile, ‘Hatf-8’ or ‘Thunder’, a couple of months ago. Moreover, its ‘Babur’ cruise missile, said to be capable of carrying nuclear warheads to 500 km, is already on course for large-scale induction. Indian defence scientists, too, are working on a wide array of missile programmes, which interestingly also include submarine-launched versions of both Prithvi (K-15) and BrahMos missiles.

The Agni-III missile, with a 3,500-km strike range meant for China, will be ready by 2010 after a few more tests. Then an advanced 5,000-km range Agni missile, with a third mini-stage being added to the two-stage Agni-III, is also on the anvil.

Similarly, work is also in progress to develop submarine-launched cruise and ballistic missiles under the ‘Sagarika’ project to complete India’s ‘nuclear triad’ — the ability to fire nuclear-tipped missiles from the air, land and sea.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Newsflash: LCA Fires Missile

This is a newsflash from Chacko Joseph of Frontier India, who has confirmed that the LCA PV-1 has successfully fired a Vympel R-73 Air to Air Missile during Missile Trials in Dabolim, Goa.

This is a HUGE step forward for Indian Aerospace, and marks a turning point in the Operational Clearance process for the Tejas, and marks the first milestone of the weaponization process. Many more trials will have to be conducted, but this is a first step.

I saw a picture of the first LCA test flight. The whole team was up in the air, like little schoolboys cheering in a cricket match, without thought of the VIPs and VVIPs around (many of whom were also jumping up and down in glee). Today would have been the second of such cheerfully tearful days. Congratulations to the LCA team, and all those who poured their heart and soul into the program, which is finally bearing fruit. And Congrats to Chacko Joseph who first reported this news. Keep it up all.

Heres the report from Frontier India (link):

LCA firing the R-73 (Pictures courtesy DRDO, taken from Frontier India)

Tejas fires its first missile
Written on October 25, 2007 – 6:53 pm | by FIDSNS |

The Light Combat Aircraft ‘TEJAS’ program achieved the most significant milestone yet when it successfully test fired the Close Combat Missile R-73 today at the air to air range off Goa coast. The historic event marks the beginning of weaponisation, which is the focus of the current initial operational clearance (IOC) phase of the program. Air to Air missile integration and testing especially on a fly by wire aircraft is a very complex task involving interfaces with aerodynamics, engine air intake, control laws, flight control system, avionics system, electrical and other general system of aircraft. Today’s successful test firing is the culmination of preparatory work under the guidance of Mr. JJ Jadhav, DPD (Weapon Systems) and Mr. Balasubramanyam, AGM (HAL). Accordingly the main objectives of test firing were to validate:

•Safe separation of the missile from the parent aircraft.
•Effect of missile plume on engine air-intake
•Functionality of store management system (SMS) including safety interlocks
•Effect of missile plume on composites structures
•Handling quality assessment during missile launch

The historic flight was done on Tejas prototype vehicle PV-1, piloted by the Chief Test Pilot of the National Flight Test Centre ADA, Gp Capt. N. Harish. The test firing was done at 7 km altitude and 0.6 Mach.... (read more)

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

75 years: Soaring hopes and Ambitious plans

At the 75th Anniversary Celebrations of the Indian Air Force at Hindon Air Base, the rows of VVIPs (Including the president, Vice-prez, PM and group) were enthralled by our hi-flying boys-in-blue. And what better occasion to trumpet the achievements and plans of the IAF. Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Major's address did just that; and in the process, helped clear up a lot of confusion, and provide a checklist (almost) of the Force's plans for the next few years.

You can check out the full address at Press Info. Bureau of GoI. (Link)

The Press releases for the MoD can be found here.

Some juicy tit-bits provided by the CAS are:

Aircraft Entering Service:

- Hawk AJTs- Will arrive next month.
- Phalcon AWACS- Will be here next year.
- LCA - 1st sqn operational by 2010 (IOC)

Contracts to be signed soon:

- 6 C-130J 'Super Hercules' Tactical Transport Aircraft for the Special Forces.
- 80 Mi-17 1Vs.
- 54 ALH Dhruvs.
- Aerostats for Air Defence and over-the-horizon Surveillance {{Obviously from Israel}}.

Upgrades:

- Jaguar & Mig-27 - Upgrades almost done
- Mirage-2000 & MIg-29 - Being Negotiated
- Il-76, An-32, Helos - Will start after that

Other:

- Integration of Civil Radars.
- 'Combat Communications Network' to be set up.
- Joint Design & Development of 5th Gen Fighter Aircraft and MTA (Medium Transport Aircraft) being negotiated. {{This is probably the clearest indicator that the FGFA project is not the PAK-FA being developed by Russia, since its design has been frozen.}}

Friday, June 29, 2007

MRCA Tender- RFP cleared for Release

MRCA Contract Update- June 29

Over the past week, theres been a flurry of activity on the MRCA scene. Last week, AK Antony said that the Defence Acquisition Committee (DAC) would meet and approve the Request for Proposal (RFP) for release within the fortnight. That report was on the 18th. Luckily, the DAC met the deadline. Yesterday, the DAC met in Delhi and cleared the purchase of the 126 fighter jets.

The big news was reported by various newspapers. Unfortunately, its hard to trust most of these reporters (for reasons well known), and so, an official MoD source was needed. That press release is given below.

An Analysis of this news is on the way. The press release by itself is quite detailed, and a lot can be inferred from it. The most important observation is the name "Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft", which suggests that the IAF is no longer looking for a Mig-21 replacement, but is looking to boost the number of medium weight class (Max. Takeoff Wt. of 20-25 tons) aircraft, which do the bulk of "Earth-mover" work in strike roles. That is, in any mission, these aircraft would be the bomb carriers and the core of the formation, while other aircraft, like the LCA and Su-30 would provide air cover. This class, capable of carrying over 6 tons of weapons (9-10 tons
of load, i.e. Weapons + Fuel), is crucial for the IAF, which has been looking to shore up the numbers and replace the Mig-27s and Jaguars that are getting old.

This also means that the MoD is no longer worried about the progress of the LCA project. Reports before would regularly talk about the MRCA being floated due to delays in the LCA project. But, considering the progress of the Tejas, that doesn't seem to be a worry any more.

The MoD Press Release:
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=28894

DEFENCE ACQUISITION COUNCIL CLEARS PROCUREMENT 126 MMRCA

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by the Defence Minister Shri AK Antony has cleared the process for the procurement of 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force. During its meeting here today, the DAC debated various issues related to the initial purchase, transfer of technology, licensed production and life time maintenance support for the 126 MMRCA and gave the final go-ahead for the project.

In pursuant to the recent assurance given by the Defence Minister for an early issue of the much awaited Request for Proposal (RFP) for the 126 fighter jets, the Ministry of Defence and Indian Air Force officers have been working overtime to scrutinize all aspects of the RFP. In view of the size and operational importance of the likely purchase, the criteria for selecting the final MMRCA contender from amongst some of the best combat aircraft offered by American, Russian and European companies, has been fine tuned. The RFP would contain a selection model that would involve an exhaustive evaluation process as detailed in the Defence Procurement Procedures — 2006.

The proposals from the likely contenders would first be technically evaluated by a professional team to check for compliance with IAF’s operational requirements and other RFP conditions. Extensive field trials would be carried out to evaluate the performance. Finally, the commercial proposal of the vendors, short-listed after technical and field evaluations, would be examined and compared. The aircraft are likely to be in service for over 40 years. The vendors are required to provide a life time support and performance based warranty for the aircraft. MoD officials have confirmed that great care has been taken to ensure that only determinable factors, which do not lend themselves to any subjectivity, are included in the commercial selection model. The selection would be transparent and fair.

The DAC has approved that a majority of the MMRCA would be produced in India under transfer of technology. The vendor finally selected would also b e required to undertake offset obligations in India. It is expected that the ToT and offset contracts would provide a great technological and economic boost to the indigenous defence industries, which would include DPSUs, RURs and other eligible private sector industries. Foreign vendors would be provided great flexibility in effecting tie-up with Indian partners, for this purpose.

There are three guiding principles for this procurement scheme. First, the operational requirements of IAF should be fully met. Second, the selection process should be competitive, fair and transparent, so that best value for money is realized. Lastly, Indian defence industries should get an opportunity to grow to global scales.

With the decks finally cleared, the RFP is planned to be issued in the near future.

Sitanshu Kar

An earlier report by the Indian Express, dated 18th June is given below.

http://www.indianexpress.com/story/33998.html

PANEL MEET SOON TO DECIDE ON IAF’S 126 FIGHTERS CONTRACT

New Delhi, June 18: The decks have been cleared for India’s biggest ever global defence tender to acquire 126 multi role combat aircraft. Defence Minister A K Antony on Monday said the Defence Acquisition Committee (DAC) will meet within a fortnight to finalise the tender document.

“The DAC will meet within a fortnight and decide on the RFP. All negotiations are over and now it is a question of formalities,” the Minister told media persons after inaugurating a two-day annual Unified Commander’s Conference.

He indicated that issues like factoring in life-cycle costs and clauses of the offset policy have been resolved by saying that the final Request for Proposals would be issued within “one or two months”.

Meanwhile, Air Chief Marshal F H Homi left on Monday for a five-day France visit. He will attend the Paris Air Show that will showcase contenders for the contract like the American F-16 and F/A 18 Super Hornet, the French Rafale, Russian MiG 35 and the Swedish Gripen.

Speaking on the LTTE threat, ... (unrelated issues continued).

More Reports:
(note- links shown here may have been shortened. If you're not able to see, right click and copy link location.)
http://www.hindu.com/2007/06/29/stories/2007062954320900.htm
http://www.indiaprwire.com/businessnews/20070628/23165.htm
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/India_to_buy_126_fighter_jets
CNN Money Report
International Herald Tribune Report
Reuters India Report
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/77788.html
For more reports, see Google News. A Collection of reports like the ones above can be found here.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

A flicker of 'Radiance'

President Abdul Kalam in a lecture in 2005 had spoken about his fond desire to see the LCA 'Tejas' ("Radiance") achieve greater heights and international recognition.

And what better way to do this than display our very own bird at the biggest aviation fair in the world- The Paris Air Show, a biennial show held on odd years at Le Bourget Airport in Paris.

It was this desire that Kalam articulated in the following verse, entitled "Soaring Dream", which he wrote in 1990.

Fabulous air show of Paris in motion

My thought too in flight and yearns for my Nation

When will the planes designed in my land

Pierce the sky as lightening in action

And gracefully land as angels in full boom

All to the envy of spellbound spectators

Yes we can !!

When we are united in action and addicted to deeds

Sky can't be limit for my nation in action !!

An ambitious dream it would have been when he wrote it. And impossible it would have seemed in 1999, when the LCA was on the verge of being shut down. Now, those difficulties are far away; the LCA is a reality, and a beautiful and powerful aircraft as well. Seeing it fly on foreign shores wouldn't be a surprise.

A lot of people were hopeful that this would happen this year, especially after the amazing displays at Aero India. Mutterings of the LCA flying were all around. Airshowtrips had a tentative list of aircraft being displayed at Le Bourget this year, and, guess what, the LCA was on it- both Static and Flying display as well. That wasn't confirmation enough, since they themselves stated that it was a tentative list. Even then, the prospects of an LCA flying over foreign shores was mouth watering. India-Defence and Bharat-Rakshak both latched onto this news with gusto and came out with these reports ([1] [2]). Then, the Paris Air Show Official Website released an 'Official' list (download the Excel sheet here...) of aircraft taking part, and I was overjoyed to see the LCA on it- both on static and flying display.

Alongside the LCA would have been our very our very own ALH Dhruv, which made a splash at Farnborough last year, along with the HJT-36 'Sitara' and the Lancer upgrade for the IAF Cheetah helicopters. Unfortunately, this years accident at Aero India ruled out the Sitara, after only one more aircraft was left.

Of Course, considering that the LCA has not yet made a night flight, nor been equipped with drop tanks as yet, there was a tingling sensation in the back of my neck that suggested that this was too good to be true. Mails to both HAL and ADA didn't bring any replies. Apparently, others felt the same tingling. Shiv Aroor spoke to the HAL guys, who denied that the LCA was taking part. If that wasn't enough, the Show organisers released an updated list of aircraft (excel sheet) taking part, which removed the Tejas from the list. Even the Airshowtrips.be site shows the LCA as cancelled. Well, the bubble did finally burst. One wonders why the LCA was cancelled from the show. Well, I'm pretty sure it was cancelled, for the Le Bourget guys could scarcely have made any mistakes in their list.

For those who want to share the dream, heres the screenshot of the previous version, showing the LCA. It shows 2 aircraft taking part- Static Display, and flying Display. =>

When I check out books about the latest aircraft, its painful to see even the chinese aircraft discussed, but not a word about the LCA. Thats probably because its till now been a quiet, local project that has not garnered much attention. Most of the talk has only started after the Aero India showing this year. As for the Chinese aircraft, we have to admit, they do have a larger base than ours. Hell, they have exported their aircraft to other nations (third world or not), and that does earn them some attention.

The Tejas, with its excellent performance and handling characteristics, as well as small size and cost is something that should catch some eyeballs. And, as the flagship venture of our aerospace industry, it must be shown to the world. The best way to do that is at the Air Shows. Lets hope that the LCA does fly next year, at Farnborough. That would certainly be a fitting end to Kalam's dream, and the collective wishes of the nation.

Side note:
The news about the LCA is not all bad or disappointing. Apparently, the reason the LCAs were pulled from the show was because PV-2 and PV-3 are undergoing rigorous sea-level trials at INS Rajali in Arakkonam (Bharat-Rakshak report, India-Defence report). Arakkonam has the country's longest runway (4100 m) and is the second largest naval base in Asia. It is also home to the Navy's Tu-142 'Bear' aircraft.

Apparently, these two aircraft are being put through a gruelling series of tests that would hasten the Initial Operating Clearance for the LCA. Its heartening to see the program steaming ahead as planned. The tests will not only test reliability of the LCA systems under the hot and humid conditions, but will also test low level flight characteristics, as well as maritime navigation.

This is probably the first time that the Tejas is flying outside Bangalore, and given the Maritime security role that the IAF envisages for it initially, these test flights are vital. Given the Navy's commitment to the LCA-N program, that too makes these flights important, since they would help give the mariners an idea of the Tejas capabilities. the IAF had formed a core of pilots and engineers into an "LCA Induction Team", which has really helped the LCA induction along, as well as creation of tactics and maintenance plans for the aircraft engineers.

Side note 2:
Lots of pictures from Paris-2007 can be found at these sites: futura-sciences.com, militaryphotos.net, airshowtrips.be and many many more places. I'll try to add as many links as I can.