Falcon Air Meet 2011 [Part-2]

Royal Jordanian Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from Squadron One at Shaheed Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan, U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from the 4th Fighter Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, execute a fingertip formation during an air refueling mission in support of Falcon Air Meet 2011, Oct. 17, 2011. FAM is a multinational exercise and operational activity in Jordan that enhances regional partnerships and interoperability as well as demonstrates U.S. commitment to regional security and stability.

Falcon Air Meet 2011 [Part-1]

Royal Jordanian Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from Squadron One at Shaheed Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, Jordan, U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from the 4th Fighter Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, execute a fingertip formation during an air refueling mission in support of Falcon Air Meet 2011, Oct. 17, 2011. FAM is a multinational exercise and operational activity in Jordan that enhances regional partnerships and interoperability as well as demonstrates U.S. commitment to regional security and stability.

BAE Systems careful in expanding HAL role in Hawk

Public sector aeronautical giant Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is in talks with BAE Systems about an expanded role in building Hawk jet trainers for the global market. A month after the UK-headquartered giant effectively shut down a decades-old UK production line for Hawks, HAL says that a share of that could move to the Hawk production line in Bangalore.

Transferring production to Bangalore is logical, says HAL’s chief, with the Indian Air Force emerging as the largest operator of the Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) outside the UK. Close to 150 Hawks will wear the IAF roundels: an initial order for 66 Hawks, bought for Rs 6,600 crore in 2004; and another 57 contracted last year for Rs 5,500 crore. A third order for 21 more Hawks is currently being processed. Other than the first 24 Hawks that were imported ready built, HAL Bangalore will be manufacturing the rest.

“Last year, while negotiating the contract for 57 Hawks, BAE Systems wanted to give HAL additional work in building Hawks in the future. If BAE Systems gets a fresh Hawk order, HAL is looking for a large role in that build. What exactly, is still being discussed,” HAL chief, Ashok Nayak, told Business Standard.

The stakes are enormous for BAE and HAL. Up for grabs is the US Air Force’s “T-X program”, potentially the world’s largest-ever overseas aircraft procurement. With the USAF replacing its 40-year-old fleet of Northrop T-38 Talon trainers, BAE Systems is eyeing an order for at least 350 Hawks, with that initial order possibly rising to over 1,000 aircraft. The Hawk’s rivals in this contract are expected to be the T-50 Golden Eagle, built by Korean Aerospace Industries and Lockheed Martin; and the M-346 Master built by Alenia Aermacchi.

BAE Systems confirms to Business Standard that it is in discussions with HAL, but the company is keeping its cards close to its chest. There is sensitivity in transferring manufacturing to India at a time when BAE has just laid off 3000 skilled aerospace workers in the UK. Furthermore, if the Hawk is selected for the T-X programme, the USAF would probably insist that the initial, ready-built aircraft be sourced from the UK.

Says Andrew Gallagher, Managing Director and Chief Executive, BAE Systems India: “BAE Systems retains the capability to build Hawk in the UK to manage any additional export orders which may arise and will also continue to work closely with HAL on both current and future Hawk activities.”

According to the BAE website, “the Company has commenced consultation on ending (Hawk) manufacturing capability at (Brough).” But that capability will now be kept alive at two other BAE facilities --- Warton and Samlesbury --- which build the Eurofighter Typhoon and components for the F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter.

HAL is understanding of BAE Systems’ sensitivities, but also confident that there is a business case for HAL to play an expanded role in building Hawks. Says Nayak: “Naturally BAE Systems is worried about the comfort level of potential customers, who might prefer a made-in-UK Hawk. After all, you would want to buy a Mercedes only from the original dealer… not from a sub-vendor. For now, BAE Systems is looking at getting only a part of the production work done in HAL. But we have a fully up-and-running line… and we’d be happy building the entire Hawk.”

Notwithstanding the HAL chief’s confidence that HAL’s role will expand as a major Hawk production centre, industry sources point out that the USAF will insist that the bulk of the T-X order be built in America. Only the initial aircraft might be imported fully built.

Underlying BAE Systems’ continuing interest in HAL is a strategic logic that extends beyond the Hawk to the Eurofighter Typhoon. Having partnered HAL in setting up the successful Hawk line in Bangalore, BAE Systems (a major partner in the Eurofighter programme) believes that it has a credible argument that the Typhoon production line will also be set up smoothly.

“If Eurofighter is selected as the MMRCA solution for India there will be further opportunities to strengthen our relationship through Typhoon manufacturing and support,” says Gallagher.

Eurofighter-affiliated executives also argue that the Hawk is the natural trainer for fighter pilots who will fly the Typhoon. But this logic cuts two ways; in the T-X procurement, this argument is deployed by BAE Systems’ rival, Lockheed Martin, who argue that their T-50 Golden Eagle is the natural trainer for pilots who will eventually fly their F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightening II, both built by Lockheed Martin.

The sixth F-35A Lighting II multirole fighter was delivered to the F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin AFB, Florida

The sixth F-35A Lighting II multirole fighter was delivered to the F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin AFB, Florida, on 26 October 2011. The aircraft (Air Force serial number 08-0751) was flown from the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas, to the base in near Valparaiso by Marine Corps pilot Maj. Joseph Bachmann. The ferry flight took ninety minutes. This F-35A will be used for pilot and maintainer training at Eglin. The aircraft, a conventional takeoff and landing variant, is the twelfth Lightning II to be delivered in 2011.

E-2D Advanced Hawkeye launches successfully using the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS)

E-2D Advanced Hawkeye launches successfully using the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) at the full-size shipboard-representative test site at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J

Eastern Bridge – II: Indo Oman Air Exercise – Eastern Bridge – II Concludes at Jamnagar

A four day joint exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) concluded today at Air Force Station Jamnagar. The exercise, named “Ex Eastern Bridge - 2011” marks the second of the series, the first was held in Oct 2009 wherein six IAF Jaguars had operated at RAFO Thumrait, Oman. It is the first time that the RAFO Jaguars have participated in a Joint exercise held in India.

The RAFO contingent comprised of six Jaguar aircraft and 115 personnel. The IAF’s Jaguars and MiG 29s based at Jamnagar have participated in the exercise.

RAFO Jaguars had ferried in directly from Thumrait and landed at Jamnagar. Two years back when the IAF contingent visited Oman, their Omani counterparts had expressed keen interest and desire to fly over Indian terrain which has a vast variation quite unlike the Omani flatbed desert. After having flown from Air Force Station Jamnagar, they would understand the challenges the IAF routinely encounters flying over the varying Indian landscape with deserts to the North and dense vegetation and hills towards South Gujrat.

After the familiarization of RAFO contingent with local flying operational procedures at the base, the exercise commenced on 17 Oct 2011. The 04 day long exercise involved a variety of flying missions from each other’s best practices in terms of operational, maintenance and administrative procedures. The exercise gave vast exposure to the aircrew of RAFO and IAF, towards missions involving long duration sorties with in flight refueling, large force strike packages, air to ground bombing and maritime strike roles routinely performed by the IAF both independently and in mixed operations.

This exercise did not only enrich the IAF and RAFO professionally but culturally also as the Omani people and Indians share a similar culture. The Ex provided an opportunity of rich interaction between the personnel of both countries. Veterans of EX- Eastern Bridge-I in 2009 also got a chance to meet old friends from RAFO. This has strengthen the bond between the Air Forces, IAF and RAFO.

At the culmination of the exercise an informal social interaction and a friendly football match between the teams of the participating contingents have been played with an aim to enhance mutual understanding and bonhomie. The Omani’s have shown a fondness for Indian cuisine and have especially liked the Khakras, samosas and Dhoklas.

Eastern Bridge – II: Joint Indo–Oman air exercise ‘Eastern Bridge–II’ begins at Jamnagar

A Joint Exercise christened ‘Eastern Bridge–2011’, second of the series by the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), is being conducted at Air Force Station Jamnagar from 17–21 Oct 2011. RAFO contingent of six Jaguar aircrafts & 115 are taking part in the Ex with Jamnagar based Dragon Squadron of Jaguars & First Supersonics of Mig 29s. It is the maiden visit of the RAFO Jaguars to India.

The first Ex between the two Air Forces was held in Oct 2009 at RAFO Thumrait, Oman wherein six Jaguars had operated and then the Omanis had expressed their keen interest and desire to fly over Indian terrain which has a vast variation quite unlike the Omani flatbed desert. As the RAFO pilots take off for various exercises from AF Stn Jamnagar, they would understand the challenges the IAF routinely encounters flying over the varying Indian landscape with deserts to the North and dense vegetation and hills towards South Gujarat.

After the familiarization of RAFO contingent with local flying operational procedures at the base, exercise commenced on 17 Oct 2011. The week long exercise involves a variety of flying missions from each other’s best practices in terms of operational, maintenance and administrative procedures. The exercise will expose the aircrew of RAFO and IAF, to missions involving long duration sorties with in flight refueling, large force strike packages, air to ground bombing and maritime strike roles routinely performed by the IAF both independently and in mixed operations.

The progress of the Ex will be reviewed by the senior officials of both the Air Forces. This exercise will not only enrich the IAF and RAFO professionally but culturally also as the Omani people and Indians share a similar culture. Veterans of Ex ‘Eastern Bridge-I’ held in 2009 also got a chance to meet old friends from RAFO. This has strengthened the bond between the IAF and RAFO. Informal social interaction and a friendly football match between the teams of the participating contingents have been planned with an aim to enhance mutual understanding and bonhomie.

IAF to induct 214 fifth generation fighter jets

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will induct a total of 214 single and twin-seater variants of the advanced Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) being developed jointly by India and Russia. The fighters are likely to be inducted by 2017.

"We are looking for 166 single seater and 48 twin-seater versions of the aircraft," IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne said in New Delhi.

He was asked to comment on the project which will be reviewed by India and Russia during Defence Minister AK Antony's meeting with his Russian counterpart AE Sardyukov in Moscow.

He said the contract was in the preliminary contract stage and was expected involve more efforts by two sides when it enters design phase next year.

"By 2012, negotiations will start for the design phase of the aircraft," he said.

The IAF Chief said India would also discuss basing air force, Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL) and DRDO teams in Russia to monitor the progress of the joint venture project.

He said by 2017 the first lot of the aircraft were expected to join the IAF and that will depend on the progress of tests and trials of the aircraft.

Commenting on the international commitments of the IAF, Browne said it will hold aerial wargames with the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) from October 14 at the Jamnagar air base where the two sides will field their Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft.

Asked about its plans to take part in Red Flag exercise held in the US, Browne said participating in such wargames involves a lot of effort as it was a trans-Atlantic affair.

He said the IAF will now go there in 2013 only. Red Flag is a US-led NATO exercise and India had taken part in it in 2008.

Need for tri-service aerospace command

The IAF also said there was a need for having a tri-service aerospace command to look after the military issues related to space.

"Time has come that we look into the realm of an aerospace command. It would be a joint command where all the three services have to put their hands together," IAF Chief said while addressing the annual Air Force Day press conference in Nedw Delhi.

All the three services have been talking about creating a joint command for management and creation of a space command to tackle military threats and utilising space-based capabilities.

Asked about the status of the dedicated satellite programmes for the IAF, Browne said, "Both the GSAT-7 and GSAT-7A satellites are delayed by a year. That is a delay from the ISRO part."

He said the payload and other systems to be launched with the satellite have been finalised.

On the functioning of the IAF space cell, Browne said the Integrated Defence Staff has come up with a Defence Space Vision and was the point of contact for all the three services.

Pleased With C-130Js So Far, India Eyes More

Impressed by early deliveries and the aircraft’s performance in recent operations, the Indian air force (IAF) is actively considering a proposal to acquire more than the 12 Lockheed-Martin C-130J Super Hercules tactical special mission aircraft already expected.

With the last of six C-130Js from an original 2008 contract to be delivered in November, and a follow-on order for six more to be signed shortly, the IAF has lavished unusual praise on the program and indicated it will ultimately need more than a dozen. The IAF has not released an official figure, but Indian sources have said it could be as many as 24 aircraft.

“It is historic,” Air Chief Marshal Norman Browne says of the current order. “This is the first time in history that we have received aircraft earlier than the stipulated date. This has never happened before and is a new experience.” Speaking at his first public press conference since taking office at the end of July, he added that two C-130Js that had been pressed into earthquake relief duties in late September had performed “extremely well.” The C-130Js flew in bad weather typical of India’s northeast, ferrying tons of equipment and supplies to remote, quake-hit areas.

The IAF’s C-130Js operate as part of the 77 Veiled Vipers squadron at the Hindon air force base just outside New Delhi. It was recently decided that the follow-on six aircraft would join a newly formed squadron in Charbatia in the eastern peninsular state of Orissa, giving the IAF reach across the Bay of Bengal to its island territories, chiefly for deployments to the operationally significant Car Nicobar island base. Browne says the new aircraft will have “certain improvements” over the ones currently being delivered, but did not specify what those were.

Interestingly, the IAF chief says Lockheed would pass on certain cost benefits from the original contract, resulting from early execution of the contract, to the follow-on order for six more. This, the IAF chief says, would translate into a discount of $60-$80 million on the follow-on foreign military sales (FMS) contract, scheduled to be signed before January 2012 (Aerospace DAILY, Oct. 4).

For an armed service used to time and cost overruns both from indigenous and foreign military purchases, chiefly from Russia, the IAF hopes that the other aircraft it has contracted for from the U.S. will deliver similar results. In June, the IAF contracted for 10 Boeing C-17 Globemaster III strategic lift aircraft for $4.1 billion.

Still, one defense ministry acquisitions team officer who worked on the C-130J procurement tempers the IAF’s enthusiasm. He suggests that the higher price of U.S.-built equipment, compared to Russian, for instance, more than balances out “perks” like early deliveries, roll-over price benefits and efficient program execution.

Meanwhile, the IAF also is eyeing the expansion and modernization of two crucial forward bases in the north in Nyoma, close to the disputed border with China, and Kargil, where India and Pakistan had a brief but intense border skirmish in 1999. Browne says he wants both bases to be able to operate the C-130J with full payloads, which is critical to high-altitude logistics operations currently undertaken by the IAF’s Antonov-32s. The IAF’s C-17s, which begin delivery in 2013, will also operate at these forward bases when runway extension and base upgrades are complete.

By contrast, things do not seem to be going as well for a related Russian deal. In Russia to attend the 11th Indo-Russian military cooperation meeting this month, Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony criticized “tardy progress made in the design and development of the Multi-Role Transport Aircraft (MTA).” Ministry sources said Antony was not pleased with the status report of milestones achieved in the development phase since the two countries formally agreed to jointly develop the aircraft in September 2010.

Biggest defence deal proposal okayed

The defence ministry on Friday approved the offset proposals for India’s biggest defence deal to buy 126 fighter planes at an estimate price of Rs 42,000 crore ($ 10.4 billion) paving the way for opening the commercial bids around Diwali.

Two European fighters – French Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon – are in the fray after the first round of selection overtaking four other competitors including two US fighters. India wants to close the deal before March 31, 2012.

Indian Air Force chief N A K Browne, who attended Friday’s Defence Acquisition Council meeting, stated on Monday that the DAC meet is the last internal defence ministry meeting before the bids are opened by the third or fourth week of October.

Even though defence ministry officials are tight-lipped about the details of the DAC decisions, the panel headed by Defence Minister A K Antony is understood to have taken the final decision on the controversial offset issues associated with the medium multi-role combat aircraft deal.

Procurement norms

According to Indian defence procurement norms, 30 per cent of all foreign military purchases worth more than Rs 300 crore are reinvested in Indian defence industry to spur growth in domestic military industry. For the MMRCA deal, the offset was fixed at 50 per cent, which sparked resentment among the competitors.

This means the winning firm has to reinvest more than Rs 21000 crore in India, either alone or in partnership with an Indian company, in military, homeland security and civil aviation.

The offset proposals from Dassault Aviation (Rafale) and the Eurofighter consortium (Typhoon) were presented before the DAC by director general acquisition Vivek Rae.

Asked about the falling values of rupees on the MMRCA deal, Brown stated that availability of funds would not be a problem in realising the contract. Once a contract is signed, it will come under the category of “committed liability” of the government, for which provisions are made in the budget.

Subsequent to the DAC approval, the deal has to be cleared by the Finance Ministry and the Cabinet Committee on Security.

Together with Su-30 MKI, indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, Indo-Russian fifth generation fighter, the 126 MMRCA will be the mainstay of Indian Air Force in the coming decades.

The winning company is also likely to receive a follow-on order of 80 odd MMRCA.

21 more Hawks for IAF's Surya Kiran aerobatics display team

The addition is to replace the vintage Kiran Mark II trainer aircraft and help SKAT fly faster.

The Indian Air Force’s vaunted aerobatics display team, the Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team (SKAT), could soon be enthralling spectators with cutting-edge aircraft. The IAF has initiated the procurement of 21 additional Hawk aircraft, built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bangalore. Hawk advanced jet trainers would allow SKAT to fly faster, turn tighter and manoeuvre more spectacularly, than was possible with the vintage Kiran Mark II trainer aircraft that they have flown since 1996.

With the additional Hawk procurement underway, HAL chief, Ashok Nayak told Business Standard that HAL would build another 21 Hawks as soon as it completes the 123 aircraft, ordered by the IAF and the Indian Navy. “The IAF has initiated the follow-on procurement of 21 additional Hawks from BAE Systems. These are mainly for its aerobatics team, but also to replace the couple of Hawks that have been lost in crashes,” says Ashok Nayak, the HAL Chairman. The SKAT, highly regarded despite the old aircraft it performs in, is one of the few aerobatics teams that fly nine aircraft in close formation. To stage its heavy and technically demanding routine of nine-aircraft performances, the SKAT is authorised 18-19 aircraft.

The only other military aerobatics teams that fly nine-aircraft formations are the UK Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows, which also fly the Hawk; and the Snowbirds, from the Royal Canadian Air Force. Other aerobatics teams perform with fewer aircraft. The Thunder Birds (US Air Force), with six aircraft; Blue Angels (US Navy), with six aircraft; the August 1st Aerobatics Team (China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force, or PLAAF), with six aircraft; and the Patrouille de France (French Air Force), with eight aircraft. The Russian Knights (Russian Air Force) have flown varying numbers of aircraft, but never nine.

For the pilots of SKAT, the transition to Hawks represents a generational shift. Before SKAT was formed with the Kiran Mark II in 1996, another IAF aerobatics team, “The Thunderbolts”, flew the Hawker Hunter fighter. The Thunderbolts, too, performed nine-aircraft routines. Besides the advantages of switching to the Hawk, the withdrawal of the Kiran Mark II from SKAT is driven by another pressing reason: the IAF’s shortage of trainer aircraft. The entire IAF fleet of HPT-32 Deepak basic trainers has been grounded since July 09, after 19 pilots died in 17 Deepak crashes over the years. Today, IAF rookies are herded for their first flying lessons into the relatively complex Kiran Mark I aircraft. For the next stage of intermediate training the IAF requires all the Kiran Mark IIs that it can muster. In the circumstances, maintaining an entire squadron (the SKAT team comprises the IAF’s No 52 squadron) for aerobatics seemed unjustifiable.

But, given SKAT’s glamour quotient, the IAF is keen to get it back in the air. Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne has demanded the team starts performing again in their new Hawks within three years.

Going by HAL’s projections, that seems unachievable. HAL is projected to finish building IAF’s first order of 66 Hawks (contracted in 2004 for Rs 6,600 crore) by mid-2012. Thereafter, 57 more Hawks have to be manufactured for the IAF and the Indian Navy as per a Rs 5,500 crore contract signed last year.

“Next year we will build 13-14 Hawks; and then step up production to 19 Hawks from 2013 onwards. That means 57 Hawks will be delivered by late 2015. Then we can build 21 more Hawks by the end of 2016,” says Nayak.

For the struggling UK aerospace industry, that opens an intriguing prospect: will the IAF insist on building its latest order of 21 Hawks in the UK, arguing a pressing need to get the SKAT performing again? Industry sources say, given the recent budget cuts in the British aerospace industry, this would be a welcome proposal.

Russia loses $600 mln Indian attack helicopter tender

Russian Mi-28N Night Hunter has lost a tender on the delivery of 22 attack helicopters to the Indian military in strong competition with the American AH-64D Apache, an Indian Defense Ministry source said on Tuesday.

“We decided not to choose the Mi-28 for technical reasons. Our experts believe that the Mi-28N did not meet the requirements of the tender on 20 positions, while the Apache showed better performance,” the source said.

The future contract, worth at least $600 million, envisions an optional delivery of additional 22 helicopters.

Russia is still taking part in two other Indian helicopter tenders: on the delivery of 12 heavy transport helicopters and 197 light general-purpose helicopters.

The first tender includes the Russian Mi-26T2 and the American CH-47F Chinook helicopters, while the second involves the Russian Ka-226T and the AS550 Fennec helicopter, developed by Eurocopter.

Meanwhile, Russia continues the deliveries of Mi-17-B5 transport helicopters to India under a 2008 contract for the supply of 80 helicopters worth $1.4 billion.

The Indian military helicopter market, with its potential demand for 700 helicopters in the next decade, fuels fierce competition among foreign manufacturers.

India Likely To Open MMRCA Bids On Nov. 4

India is likely to open the commercial bids of the two shortlisted vendors for the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) in the first week of November.

A Defense Ministry official said the vendors – French Rafale International and European consortium Cassidian Eurofighter – will be invited to witness the opening of their bids on Nov. 4.

Meanwhile, reports quoting industry sources said the shortlisted vendors have received a letter from the ministry and told the date on which the commercial bids for procuring 126 fighter jets will be opened.

The lowest bid in the tender may become the winner. However, the associated costs in terms of spares and support over two years, as well as for maintaining the aircraft over a lifetime of 6,000 hr. of flying or 40 years, will also be considered.

The Defense Ministry in early October approved the offset proposals of the two vendors.

Eurofighter and Rafale were shortlisted for tender after offerings from Lockheed Martin and Boeing, as well as the Russian MiG 35 and Swedish Saab Gripen, were rejected from the race in April.

European firm offers missiles for IAF's Su-30

Naples (Italy): European consortium MBDA has offered their 300 km-range Taurus stand-off missile system to the Indian Air Force (IAF) for its fighter jets such as the Su-30MKI.

"We have received a Request for Information (RFI) from the IAF for a stand-off long range missile from the IAF and we have offered the Taurus missiles as we feel that it meets all the desired requirements," Anders Axebark, the business development manager for the missile systems told a group of Indian journalists here.

The Taurus air-to-ground missiles are manufactured by the Germany-based Taurus Systems GmbH, which is a joint venture between MBDA and and Swedish defence major Saab.
The Taurus air-to-ground missiles are manufactured by the Germany-based Taurus Systems GmbH.

MBDA Systems

MBDA is a missile manufacturing firm based in Italy, Britain, France and Germany.

India is going to upgrade the first batch of its Sukhois in collaboration with Russia and is looking to enhance the capabilities of the aircraft by equipping it with new radars, long-range weapons and avionics.

Axebark said the IAF has already been briefed by the company at the Air Headquarters in New Delhi about the operational advantages that the missile would provide.

"The German Air Force is also planning to carry out a test-firing of the missile for the IAF in November at one of the field-firing ranges in South Africa," he said.

Axebark said that his company has also briefed the DRDO about the system and is looking for opportunities to co-develop anti-ship, surface to surface and transport aircraft-launched versions of the missile with the research organisation.

The Taurus GmbH is also offering the ground-launched version to the Indian Army.

The company claimed that the missile system can be used to take out hard targets such as bunkers and concrete shelters from a stand-off range of 300 km and it can track its target without using the GPS navigation system.

The MBDA has also offered its MICA and Meteor missiles to the IAF and said that they can be integrated with various types of aircraft operating in the IAF.

European MBDA offers tactical cruise missiles to India news

Naples, Italy: European consortium MBDA has offered their 300 km-range Taurus stand-off missile system to the Indian Air Force (IAF) as inventory for its heavy platform fighter jets, such as the Russian Su-30MKI. MBDA is a specialist missile and defence systems producing firm with manufacturing facilities spread over the European region and the United States.

The MBDA Taurus in flight"We have received a Request for Information (RFI) from the IAF for a stand-off long range missile from the IAF and we have offered the Taurus missiles as we feel that it meets all the desired requirements," Anders Axebark, the business development manager for the missile systems told a group of Indian journalists here.

The Taurus air-to-ground missiles are manufactured by the Germany-based Taurus Systems GmbH, which is a joint venture between MBDA and Swedish defence major Saab.

India has announced plans to upgrade the first batch of its Sukhoi-30MKIs in collaboration with Russia and is looking to enhance the capabilities of this 4++ generation fighter aircraft by equipping it with new radars, long-range weapons and avionics.

Axebark said the IAF has already been briefed by the company at the air headquarters in New Delhi about the operational advantages offered by the missile.

"The German Air Force is also planning to carry out a test-firing of the missile for the IAF in November at one of the field-firing ranges in South Africa," he said.

Armed with 5G jet features, Super Sukhoi on the way

The Su-30MKI fighters, deployed by the Indian Air Force, will be upgraded with certain fifth generation aircraft characteristics to convert it into a “Super Sukhoi”, Alexy Fedorov, President of Irkut Corporation of Russia announced during the MAKS 2011 international aviation show held in Moscow recently. The IAF currently deploys about 100 Su-30MKI fighters, with plans to increase their number to 230 aircrafts. Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) holds a production certificate for manufacturing the fighters and will be in-charge of upgrading the SU-30MKIs to 5G Super Sukhoi jets.

The modernisation will embrace the aircraft in IAF’s military bases, fighters waiting for delivery to India and the jets that HAL will be manufacturing. The United Aircraft Corporation and HAL have signed a deal on creating substantially upgraded prototypes.

Fedorov did not specify the cost of the modernisation, highlighting that the companies were still negotiating. Su-30MKI jets are a part of two major modernisation programmes, one of which aims to adapt the Su-30MKI to BrahMos supersonic missiles, while the other seeks ways to achieve a dramatic improvement in the fighter’s performance.

India will see its fighters modernised within the framework of the so-called Super programme, which involves introduction of an upgraded pilot cockpit, new radar and several structural elements enhancing the jet’s stealth features that make it less visible to the enemy. The upgrade will cover all aircraft employed by IAF, increasing the Su-30MKI’s weapons load and list.

The modernised Su-30MKI is reported to be able to carry under its body one BrahMos missile, which is expected to weigh less than its land-based and naval counterparts. The Russia-India joint venture Brahmos Aerospace Private Limited, Sukhoi Holding and HAL are jointly engaged in developing the airborne version of the missile. Sivathanu Pillai, CEO of the joint venture, said he hoped to see BrahMos missiles launched from the aircraft in late 2012.

According to reports, the IAF plans to upgrade 44 Su-30MKI fighters to equip them with BrahMos missiles. Ruslan Pukhov, director at the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, believes that mounting BrahMos missiles on Su-30s will add export value to both the weapon and its carrier. As various modifications of Su-30 jets are in service with many armed forces all over the globe, transforming these highly-manoeuvrable air fighters into fully-fledged missile carriers appears promising – an idea that Dr Pillai supports to the hilt.

The Super Sukhoi project, therefore, will allow the latter to transition swiftly to fully capable 5th generation fighter jets. The cost of the modernisation remains uncertain but the price tag could be around $1 billion.

The HAL is optimistic about its participation in the development of technology for the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA). The prototype of this aircraft, the T-50 PAK FA, was exhibited at the MAKS 2011 air show. India will be one of three countries in the world, alongside the US and Russia, to have fifth-generation fighters.

HAL chairman Ashok Nayak, who visited MAKS 2011, confirmed that his company’s participation in the design of the FGFA was “the right thing to do”. In December 2010, Russia and India signed an agreement on preliminary designing of the aircraft, estimating the project at $295 million. The initial design will take approximately 18 months. The Indian model’s main difference will be a two-man crew. “HAL hopes to complete the initial design and move further,” Nayak said, adding that the use of Indian components would be determined later. The IAF will be the first foreign customer to buy the new jet. India has announced plans to buy 250-300 fighters of this type, with the first deliveries expected in 2016-2017. The cost of the project is likely to exceed $35 billion. Russia will buy approximately the same number of the aircraft.

Su-30MKI jet will be armed with BrahMos missiles by 2012.

Israel seeks to boost UAV strike power

TEL AVIV, Israel, -- The Israeli air force is expanding its wing of unmanned aerial vehicles built by Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems, some to be used as missile-armed gunships.

Meantime, The Jerusalem Post reports that state-run IAI, Israel's leading defense contractor, is working with Rheinmetall Defense of Germany to develop a new weapons system for aerial drones to cope with proliferating threats facing the Jewish state.

The air force plans to form a new squadron of medium-altitude, long-endurance UAVs consisting of Elbit's Hermes 900 and IAI's Heron 1 to enhance its drone capabilities.

The Israeli air force bought three Hermes 900s for evaluation in May 2010 and is waiting for final approval from the General Staff of the Israeli armed forces to purchase new platforms under a five-year procurement plan currently being finalized.

The 900 is based on the smaller Hermes 450, which has been in service for several years. It has been widely used to carry out assassination missions against Palestinian militants in the West Bank and Gaza Strip using missiles.

The 900 variant can carry double the equipment payload of the 450. These include electro-optic cameras, laser designators, radar systems, electronic intelligence and electronic warfare suites.

The Israeli military's moves to reinforce its UAV capabilities comes amid new security threats in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula following deadly clashes in early August in which Palestinian extremists killed eight Israelis.

A senior military official disclosed Friday that the air force has deployed a special UAV unit along Israel's porous 150-mile border with Sinai north of the Gaza Strip.

Israel has had to bolster its forces on that frontier, which has been dormant since the country's March 1979 peace treaty with Egypt.

Al-Qaida operatives have infiltrated into Sinai amid the unrest that followed the downfall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Feb. 11. They have apparently recruited disgruntled Bedouin tribesmen. More attacks are expected.

The Israelis are also preparing for possible conflict with Iran, Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, as well as unrest linked to the Palestinians' plans to declare statehood later this month.

All these fronts will require UAVs for surveillance, reconnaissance and combat missions.

The IAI-Rheinmetall joint venture to develop a loitering weapons system for UAVs would appear to fit into this conflict scenario.

The Post reported that the system is known as WABEP, the German acronym for "weapons system for standoff engagement of individual and point targets."

The newspaper's military correspondent, Yaakov Katz, said WABEP "is a combination of Rheinmetall's KZO drone and IAI's Harop attack drone." It is understood the Harop is already in service with Turkey and India.

The propeller-driven Harop, based on the earlier Harp craft, was designed to suppress radar systems linked to surface-to-air missile systems or similar high-value targets.

It "can fly to a designated loitering position where it searches for electromagnetic signals from surface-to-air missile batteries and then dives in to destroy them," Katz reported.

Such high-risk missions have in the past largely been carried out by manned "Wild Weasel" F-4 or F-16 aircraft.

"Loitering weapons systems is considered a highly classified topic in Israel, which is believed to have developed a number of systems over the years capable of loitering over battlefields and engaging static and mobile targets," Katz wrote.

"Such systems are believed to be critical ahead of a future conflict with an enemy like Hezbollah, which has deployed tens of thousands of missiles and launchers throughout Lebanon."

Harop was unveiled by IAI at the Paris Air Show in July 2009.

Jane's Missiles and Rockets monthly reported that it has an undernose turret with optical systems that include a thermal imager and color CCD camera.

"The vehicle can attack from any direction and from any angle between the horizontal and the vertical," JMR noted. "It is armed with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead."