New Delhi: The Indian air force is gearing up to field a raft of new air defense equipment and address long-standing concerns about the existing inventory.
New Delhi has long worried about gaps; and in areas where it has fielded air defense systems, the equipment is often out of date. Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Naik, the Indian air force (IAF) leader, says half of the equipment at his command faces obsolescence, with that label applying to the majority of air defense weapons.
That situation is now being remedied. By next March, the IAF will begin receiving the first of 18 Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)-Rafael Spyder quick-reaction medium-range missile systems. The offshore deal became necessary in 2006 because of development problems and delays in the indigenous Akash surface-to-air missile (SAM) program.
However, Akash has since turned the corner, and the IAF decided to order six more Akash batteries worth $925 million—each with 125 missiles—in addition to the two systems already on order. The service will receive its first two Akash batteries in February, and is likely to deploy them in India’s Northeast.
The IAF also anticipates joint development work kicking off in earnest on the 15-km.-range (9.3-mi.) Indo-French Maitri short-range SAM (SR-SAM), which is aimed at filling the void created when the Indian government decided to wind up the Trishul point-defense weapon program in 2006 and effectively de-link it from IAF and Indian navy requirements. A workshare agreement between the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and European missile maker MBDA has been concluded. IAF sources suggest a formal accord sanctioning the program is likely soon, possibly when French President Nicolas Sarkozy visits New Delhi later this year.
An MBDA official says the SR-SAM would finish development work and the first phase of testing within three years of program go-ahead. While no official timelines have been revealed, the IAF expects the system to be available for deployment by late 2013.
Even higher on the IAF’s priority list is the 70-km.-range MR-SAM that the DRDO is developing with IAI. The IAF has revealed plans to raise at least two regiments that will use the MR-SAM, each with 40 launchers and support equipment. In India, the MR-SAM will progressively replace the IAF’s antiquated Soviet-vintage SA-3 Pechora and SA-8 OSA-AK SAM systems. A proposed foreign-assisted upgrade of the Pechora fleet was shelved two years ago, with the IAF deciding it was more economical to pursue a limited ground-equipment modification by Bharat Electronics Ltd. The Pechora, OSA-AK and 9K38 Igla man-portable SAM systems are effectively obsolete, and the IAF admits it has had to cannibalize equipment to keep a minimum number operationally effective.
The raft of modernization activities should remedy a situation that, in June 2006, was strongly criticized by the Indian parliamentary committee on defense, which accused the defense ministry of taking a “lackadaisical approach” to existing needs and being responsible for “derailed modernization and critical voids.” Shortly after the committee’s stinging report was released, the government began prioritizing air defense purchases and development programs.
But these activities to not address all of the air force’s concerns; radar coverage is another worry. The IAF currently has fast-track tenders out for long-range surveillance radars, high-powered radars, three-dimensional C/D band air surveillance radars, low-level transportable radars and radars for mountain surveillance in India’s northern and eastern sectors.
Naik notes that “10 years ago we had very little money for modernization, which led to major delays. The equipment we are contracting now will come to fruition by 2014-15. So . . . over the next three years, areas of concern will be progressively addressed.”
MADRID: As India seeks to boost its strategic reach by inducting more mid-air refuellers, European defence major EADS has announced that it would aggressively bid for the multi-billion reopened contract by offering latest technology.
India is seeking to buy six more air-to-air refueller to augment its fleet of six Russian IL-78 tankers and the European consortium Airbus Military said it would offer its new state-of-the-art Multi-role Transport Tanker aircraft A330 MRTT "at competitive prices."
The European tanker would come with Aerial Refueling Boom System (ARBS), a technology which only the Americans have so far. The ARBS system enables refueling even in adverse weather and day or night.
It uses the stereoscopic vision and laser based infrared lighting system -- a distinct advantage for India as it is set to acquire 126 advanced fighters. "The Russian refuellers with IAF don't have this capability," Airbus officials said.
"We are offering the new A330 MRTT as it provides the best value for money," said Peter Scoffham, Vice President, Defence Capability Marketing for Airbus Military.
"No other aircraft comes close to A300 MRTT as aircrafts designed in 1970's cannot be compared with those being built now," Scoffham told PTI at the Airbus Military facility in Getafe, a metropolitan area in southern zone of Spanish city of Madrid.
"The new technology on offer to India bridges the gap between strategic and tactical tanker," he said.
India has so far relied on the Russian technology in acquiring its first air tankers, but the defence planners are now insisting that the IAF be armed with the most updated technology.
India has issued Fresh Request for Proposals (RFP) for six in-flight refuelling aircraft, reviving the tender worth around Rs 6,000 crore that was cancelled in January.
Besides the Airbus, the American Boeing and Russians are in the contention for one of the biggest military tenders to be floated by India.
Even as Scoffham refused to give details of the new RFP, he said "India has emerged as one of the largest defence market in the world", and like all other major defence industries, "Airbus Military is looking to India to sell its products which are the best in its categories".
A300 MRTT has comprehensive AAR system, including both Hose and Drogue and the ARBS.
Following its last-minute failure to ink the lucrative deal earlier this year, Airbus Military, a business unit of Airbus responsible for all military transport aircraft, said the civil and military certification for the A330 MRTT strengthens its case.
Airbus Military, which is fighting to shake off negative publicity from the delayed hulking gray A400M turboprop, has positioned the A300 MRTT as "bridging the gap between strategic and tactical" aircraft.
European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), had almost bagged the contract earlier, but the finance ministry had reservations labelling the contract as too.
The Indo-Russian Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), already planned to be loaded with top-end combat features like advanced stealth and super-cruise capability, could also be plugged, uniquely, into a network of satellites. With Moscow willing to grant India unprecedented access to military signals from Russia’s constellation of GLONASS (GLObal NAvigation Satellite System) satellites, the FGFA could access real-time details of its own and enemy positions, terrain information, and have the ability to communicate with Indian forces anywhere on the globe.
A senior Russian diplomat, speaking anonymously to Business Standard, reveals that after extended negotiations with India, Moscow has okayed the provision of military data from GLONASS, in the form of digitised signals. So far, Russia had only agreed to provide India with civilian-grade navigation signals, which permitted an accuracy of 25-30 metres. Now, the military grade signals will allow a far higher accuracy, crucial for military operations.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the New Delhi-based Russian diplomat explained, “India is the only country that Moscow is willing to supply GLONASS military data to. Russia has recently okayed an agreement which officials from both sides have been negotiating for some time. From our side, we are ready to sign, even during (Russian president Dmitry) Medvedev’s visit to India this December.”
Business Standard first reported (Sept 11: ‘India, Russia to ink gen-5 fighter pact’) that India and Russia were set to sign a Preliminary Design Contract to co-develop the FGFA during Russian president Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to India this December. The FGFA programme, towards which each partner will contribute an initial $6 billion (Rs 26,600 crore), aims to develop the world’s premier fighter. The Russian and Indian air forces each plan to buy 250-300 of these aircraft.
Providing satellite navigation and communications to the FGFA would place the aircraft at a higher technological level than even the F-35 Lightning II, the futuristic fighter that America is currently developing. The F-35 uses satellite communications, but not satellite navigation.
Says the Russian diplomat, “It is next-generation features like real-time satellite navigation that will take the FGFA technologically far beyond Sukhoi’s T-50 prototype fighter, which made its first flight in January.”
Russia’s GLONASS network will provide navigational signals worldwide through a constellation of 24 satellites, 18 of which are already operational. America already has an operational satellite navigation system, called the Global Positioning System (GPS). The European Union is implementing its own Galileo system, while India is planning its own network, called Gagan.
India and Russia had earlier agreed to cooperate on the civilian aspects of GLONASS. In January 2007, during President Putin’s visit to India, Russia’s Federal Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organisation signed agreements to launch GLONASS satellites on Indian booster rockets and to jointly build new-generation satellites.
With President Medvedev’s visit a month after President Obama’s, Moscow has successfully lined up a slew of high-profile signings and events that underscore the strategic nature of the Russia-India partnership. Besides signing of the FGFA development contract and the possible GLONASS agreement, Russia is racing against time to hand over during this period an Akula-class nuclear attack submarine to the Indian Navy. INS Chakra, as the Indian Navy will call this submarine, has been provided by Russia on a 10-year lease for an estimated $900 million (Rs 400 crore).
“All this shows the depth of the Russia-India strategic relationship,” points out the Russian diplomat. “There are other countries that might be having better technology than Russia, though I cannot say for sure. But they are not willing to part with it.”
Tejas MK-1 is fast approaching its IOC which will happen in December 2010 , but ADA officials have already done their premilanary design of Tejas Mk-2 , and to avoid further delays , Two Tejas MK-2 were designed keeping in mind the dimensions provided by two Engine manufactures who were in race to provide 100 + plus engines to the Tejas Mk-2 program .
Ge’s F414IN engines were logically chosen for the Tejas Mk-2, since they had same dimensions and length of F-404 engines which were powering Tejas MK-1 .but Tejas Mk-2 as per sources will incorporate advance technology developed keeping in mind MCA over a decade has a parallel in house development now officially known has AMCA.
India currently is working on Indigenous AESA again with inputs from a international partner. Officials close to the program have told www.lca-tejas.org that major avionics will be ready for the aircraft within next two or three years, Tejas Mk-2 will have lot of key elements which will find its way into AMCA and FGFA later.
Tejas MK-2 will also have a newly laid out cockpit layout with better computing power since it also be housing new mission control computer, Samtel Display Systems (SDS) is also working on touch based Multi Function Displays (MFD) for Tejas Mk-2 , which will later find its way in AMCA too .
Tejas Mk-2 will also see structural changes in the aircraft which will be noticeable in wider wing span to carry extra weapons load along with extra fuel, aircraft will also have large air intakes to let the high thrust engine generate additional power for the aircraft, engine change for Tejas Mk-2 will result in the rear fuselage being changed too .
Commonality between Tejas Mk-1 and Tejas MK-2 will be digital Fly by Wire (FBW) Flight Control System (FCS) along with some avionics which both aircraft will share, but sources also told us that FBW Software will require some modification in them to support structural changes which Tejas MK-2 will have.
When asked about development of Tejas MK-3 sources told us that it all depends how Tejas Mk-2 develops and how IAF responds to it , further development can happen but AMCA will be logical choice if it comes out in time for IAF rather then Tejas MK-3 .
