Indian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Jeff Head said:

The aircraft in question was photographed during a test flight at Boeing Field in Seattle by a well known aviation photographer named Josh Kaiser, as shown in the photos. it is a test flight of an aircraft that will be delivered to India..

It is some kind of antenna farm and housing. I suppose it could be some kind of SIGINT/ELINT Pod, or some kind of Comm Pod (like BACN for example), but I do not know.

It will be interesting to see if this is a new Indian requirement or not.

Here's another pic:

View attachment 18178

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The top scientist looking after the development of the Small Arms informed us that the MCIWS Assault Rifle will be ready for trials by December 2015 – January 2016 for trials. Beaming with confidence they boasted of the mastery achieved over the metallurgy that will produce the world’s one of the finest weapons in its class. The body of the MCIWS under development is made up of a single block of very high grade aluminium alloy. The rivet-less body makes the weapon more resilient to combat stress. The modular design makes the weapon unique and extremely soldier friendly. A soldier will be able to field strip MCIWS without any tool by just removing a pin.

The deadly looking weapon likely to become the basic weapon of an Infantryman has a multi calibre option between 5.56 x 45 mm, 6.8 x 43 mm and 7.62 x 39 mm. It is capable of firing different calibre ammunition by changing barrel group, breech block and the magazine while retaining 92 per cent of commonality of parts. This affords the Army a choice between going in for a multi-calibre or a single calibre weapon as the case may be.

It is lightweight and modular in design having multiple picatinny rails for sighting system and foregrip. The already under production, indigenous 40 mm Under Barrel Grenade Launcher fitted with MCIWS makes it a very lethal combination. The air bursting grenade having a range of 500 m could work havoc on the enemy defiladed behind at those ranges.

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The MCIWS is a highly impressive weapon system. On July 13, 2015, a composite team comprising Director General of Para Military and representatives of various forces under the Additional Home Secretary visited ARDE. This weapon had impressed the visiting team and they are now willing to induct MCIWS for use by the BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF and the SSB as soon as possible. The strength of Indian paramilitary forces outnumber that of the Indian Army. This move could boost the sagging morale of the scientists whose tremendous efforts have constantly been overlooked thus far. And also, the MCIWS will give a huge impetus to those fighting the Naxal insurgency and may well prove to be a game changer.

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Another ARDE official, meanwhile, informed that apart from MCIWS Assault Rifle, other weapons and weapons system are also being worked on including a Joint Venture Protective Carbine (JVPC).The user trials of which were recently conducted involved the German MP-7 and Belgium P-90, our JVPC fared better than the other two. Commenting upon the irrationality overshadowing the logic during trials, he cited the unnecessary non-critical tests responsible for delayed induction. He informed us that as that as per the GSQR laid down, this carbine was required to pass through 99.7 per cent reliability test. All the weapons (JVPC) tested were proved above 99 per cent reliable. However, six out of the lot were above 99.5 per cent thus largely bracketing them between 99.4 to 99.5 per cent reliable. All necessary changes are being incorporated to pass through the stringency of the tests. He said 50 JVPC will be provided to the Army for fresh trials in January 2016.

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Longtime Critic of LCA-Tejas program former Professor of IIT Kanpur Prodyut das in his latest report has made a case to develop Experimental Stealthy LCA MK-1 airframe for research purpose prior to commencement of India’s AMCA Stealth project.

Report prepared by das suggest converting the last six airframes to an LCA Stealth model incorporating the stealth features. six airframes can be built to an “experimental” rather than a “combat” standard to be used for testing Stealth coating currently been developed for AMCA Project.

since it will Experimental airframes then internal weapons bay need not be capable of handling all the weapons planned for use or the stress levels need not go to 9 g etc. The idea is to give everyone –designers, planners, operators much needed “hands on” stealth experience. Because the aircraft is based on a “proven” design a first flight by early 2018 and completion of field testing by early 2020 is expected particularly given the confident enthusiasm being proclaimed for the AMCA project.

These aircraft according to him will explore the following:

i) Stealth effectiveness
ii) Stealth maintainability, particularly in humid and dusty conditions
iii) Manufacturing and airframe ageing effects on stealth deterioration.
iv) Problems of stealth in LLXC profiles.

According to das Since only three countries are in stealth technology it would be arrogant to presume Indian scientists “know stealth”. to make a case for Experimental Stealthy LCA MK-1 he shows a sketch for the possible adaptation of the LCA Mk1 to an LCA Stealth Research Vehicle.

According to his research changes to the fuselage will allow some of the problems mentioned above show up in actual conditions. Similarly should be the approach to developing Sensor fusion. Sensor fusion has applicability even in ordinary strike sorties and so has priority over supercruise. The capability can be developed using a flight of Embraer145s or Dornier228s. These are roomy aircraft and will allow much space for a “breadboard” approach and will confirm the technology and its bugs before final packaging.

CABS and team would be an obvious resource given the work they have turned in on the Embraer AWACS. The obvious advantages of using a proven platform are that the testing is not held up whilst the platform itself is getting rid of its sinuses as happened with the LCA.

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DRDO's CHESS (Center for High Energy Systems and Science), Hyderabad is developing Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) systems for use by the Indian Armed Forces (AFs).

Laser Science and Technology Center (LASTEC) is developing laser source technologies for Directed Energy Weapon (DEW), as also for dazzling and imaging applications.

LASTEC Capability Development

LASTEC has developed core technologies including Gas Dynamic Laser (GDL) and Chemical Oxygen Iodine Lasers (COIL) and demonstrated 100 kW (multi mode) GDL and 20 kW (single mode) COIL sources.

LASTEC's Aditya Gas Dynamic High Power Laser based Directed Energy System

LASTEC's Aditya project was an experimental test bed to seed the critical DEW technologies. The Gas Dynamic High Power laser based Directed Energy System can be broadly divided into two major subsystems:

1. Laser Power Source
2. Beam Delivery System

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The Laser beam used in a DEW is subject to attenuation (loss of intensity) due to atmospheric air and jitter due to the turbulence within the atmospheric air. The damage caused by the beam progressively reduces with target distance.

In order to cause the stipulated damages at 0.8 km and 2.5 km distance using a 0.7 m aperture telescope, laser power of the order of 100 kW is required . The beam delivery system has to simultaneously perform several roles. It acquires and tracks the distant static and moving target in real time and points and focuses the laser beam on the target. The adaptive optical system has to compensate for the jitter and wave front distortion of the laser beam from the source.

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The technology related to laser source, beam delivery and issues related to system integration on mobile platforms were addressed during the execution of the Aditya project which will provide useful input to future laser weapon programs of DRDO

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You can read more about the Aditya project

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DEW for Use Against UAVs

One of the DEW weapon systems being developed would target UAV's.

Project Progress

In July 2015, CHESS invited tenders for 3 radio control (RC) aero models with minimum wingspan of 1600-mm, min. wing area of 800 sq in., and min fuselage length of 1200-mm. The aero-models should be able to fly at altitudes in excess of 400-m.

It's likely that the procurement is aimed at field testing the IIR sight CHESS has developed for its anti UAV weapon. Typically battlefield mini UAVs fly at around 1000-ft AGL in order to stay clear of small arm fire.


Earlier on March 2, 2015 CHESS invited tenders for Off-axis concave and convex parabolic mirrors.

The concave mirror is required to have a parent focal length of 2000mm and mirror diameter of 150mm, while the convex mirror is required to have a parent focal length of 200mm and a mirror diameter of 25mm.

In early July 2015, DRDO's IRDE (Instruments Research & Development Establishment), Dehradun invited tenders for supply of High Resolution thermal imager for CHESS platform.

The IRDE tender seeks a Thermal Imager based on Pelican-D 640x512 MWIR IDDCA with 14.5X zoom capability. The Imager is required to have recognition range capability of 5-km against a 1.5m x 3m UAV target.

IDDCA (Interleaved Double Dynamical Clustering Analysis) is a sampling algorithm based on clustering.

It appears that the imager being sought by IRDE would be used to aim a DEW developed by CHESS for use against UAVs.

Indian Navy's Interest in DEW

An HT report dated July 20, 2015 quoted a senior navy officer as saying that the Navy plans to develop and deploy high-energy lasers and high-power microwave weapons on Navy ships.

"The navy’s policy and plans wing has identified directed-energy weapons as a key long-term development project. We are sharpening focus on it,” said another officer familiar with the plan.

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aksha said:

thank you Jeff,

i haven't seen any other indian or USN P8 pics with it.

since the P8 programme is a spiral developement programme , perhaps it is a new developement for the P8's

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Plane-maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) said on Thursday that it had successfully carried out the hot and the high-altitude trials of home-grown attack platform - the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) -- at Leh. HAL Chairman and Managing Director T Suvarna Raju told OneIndia that the latest set of trials were crucial for the programmes Initial Operational Clearance (IOC).

"We are extremely satisfied with the trials and the programme is on the expected flightpath. The flight trials at Leh have established hover performance and low speed handling characteristics of the helicopter under extreme weather conditions at different altitudes (3200-4800 m)," Raju said. HAL claimed that LCH has proven its capability to land and take off at Forward Landing Base in Siachen.

"We are happy to announce that LCH is the first attack helicopter to land in Forward Bases at Siachen," Raju said. LCH's 3rd prototype did the Leh duties HAL said that the trials were carried out on the third prototype of LCH (TD3) at Leh. The temperatures during the trials ranged from 13 to 27 degree centigrade. The trial team included pilots from the Indian Air Force, Army and representatives from the certifying agencies -- CEMILAC and DGAQA. Among the tests conducted includes, assessment and validation of flight envelope in ‘hot-and-high' conditions, culminating in landing at forward bases at geographic elevations of 13,600 feet to 15,800 feet. "The landings and take-offs were demonstrated with reasonable amount of weapon load and fuel. This is another critical feature of the current trials," Raju added. Leh trials are always packed with challenges HAL officials say that the Leh trails are always packed with many challenges and surprises. "The upper reaches of the Indus river and its tributaries, Nubra and Shyok are home to the mighty Ladakh and Eastern Karakorum Ranges, with multiple lofty peaks over 25,000 feet and an average ridgeline elevation of 20,000 feet. It is also home to the largest glaciated area outside the Polar Regions and is sometimes called the Third Pole," says an official. The Siachen is the largest glacier here and is central to this region. The area experiences a period of summer during July-August in which temperatures soar to 30 degrees above standard atmosphere conditions. "This mix of extreme altitudes and relatively high temperatures (‘hot-and-high') saps helicopter performance and as such, a few types of helicopters are able to operate effectively all year around," he adds.

The LCH story so far Then programme has so far witnessed all the three prototypes of LCH being extensively used for the trails in the last couple of years. In additional to the routine trials in Bengaluru, LCH had its sea level tests at Chennai in November 2013, cold weather missions in Leh during January/February 2015, hot weather at Jodhpur in July 2015 and hot and high altitude trials at a few days ago again at Leh. "The performance and handling qualities of the helicopter have been established for basic configuration, including electro-optical pod, rocket launchers, turret gun and air-to-air missile launchers," add the official. The development activities are under progress and the weapon firing trials are planned during in the middle of 2016.

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