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Finally, Su-30MKI testing air-launch BrahMos!

First Su-30 MKI with BrahMos missile flies successfully :

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India on Thursday successfully test fired a new surface-to-air missile, developed jointly with Israel, from a defence base off Odisha coast.
The medium range missile (MR-SAM), a product of joint venture between India and Israel, was successfully test launched from a mobile launcher in the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur at around 08.15 hours, a DRDO official said.
"The test launch was a grand success and it met all the targets," he said.

The missile positioned at launch pad-3 of the ITR swung in to action after getting signal from the radars to intercept a moving aerial target supported by an unmanned air vehicle (UAV) 'Banshee' over the Bay of Bengal, officials said.
Apart from the missile, the system includes a Multi Functional Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar (MF STAR) for detection, tracking and guidance of the missile, they said.
"The missile along with MF-STAR will provide the users with the capability to neutralise any aerial threats," said a Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist.
Indian Defence Research Development Laboratory (DRDL), a laboratory of DRDO based at Hyderabad, has jointly developed this missile in collaboration with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), he said.
A new production facility to deliver 100 missiles a year has been established for such type of long rang and medium range surface-to-air missiles at M/s Bharat Dynamics Limited, India.
The missile, which was initially proposed to be tested yesterday, was deferred in the last moment for today.
Earlier, Indian Navy had successfully test launched the long range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM). The test was undertaken on the Western Seaboard by INS Kolkata on December 30, 2015, officials said.
Such type of medium range surface-to-air missiles (SR-SAM), having striking ranges from 50 to 70 km, can fill the gap of existing missiles that India has in its armory at present, they said.
These missiles would be inducted in all three services after user's trial is completed.
As a safety measure, Balasore district administration in consultation with the defence officials had temporarily shifted 3652 civilians residing within 2.5 km radius of the launch pad No.3 of the ITR at Chandipur to nearby shelter centres this morning to ensure a safe launch of the missile, said a district revenue official.
Fishermen engaged in sea fishing along the Bay of Bengal in three Odisha coastal districts namely Balasore, Bhadrakh and Kendrapada were asked not to venture into the sea during the test launch time

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First Tejas Squadron

India’s indigenous Tejas fighter has finally entered service with the Indian Air Force (IAF). The first two examples of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) were inducted by No 45 Squadron ‘Flying Daggers’ at Air Force Station Yelahanka on July 1.

The first two LCAs delivered represent Series Production aircraft 1 and 2 (SP-1 and SP-2). The IAF plans to field a total of eight Tejas within the lead squadron before the end of the financial year. HAL plans to deliver the next two aircraft ‘in the next few months’. Commanded by Grp Capt Madhav Rangachari, the squadron is expected to be at full strength by 2018-20. After building up capability at Yelahanka, the ‘Flying Daggers’ will ultimately relocate to AFS Sulur in Tamil Nadu.

Speaking to the Indian Express, Grp Capt Rangachari said that the Tejas was ‘Easily the best aircraft I’ve flown… It is comparable and on a par with any fourth-generation fighter aircraft you have in the world today.’

The Tejas’ path to service has been tortuous at times, and above all protracted — development of the LCA began a full 33 years ago.

The first series-production aircraft (SP-1, serial LA-5001), took to the air on September 30, 2014, with Air Cdre (retd) K. A. Muthanna at the controls. The aircraft was not delivered until a low-key ceremony was held in Bangalore on January 17, 2015. To make things worse, at Aero India the following month, IAF Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Arup Raha revealed that SP-1 was not in fact a true series-production aircraft. He added that SP-2 and SP-3 would also be out of spec, with small modifications required on each aircraft as they went through final production. This, he said, would delay formation of the first LCA squadron (No 45 Squadron), which will require at least four identical aircraft to begin with.

In October 2015, the Air Chief disclosed that SP-1 had not in fact been physically delivered to the IAF at all! ‘Documents for the first series-production aircraft were handed over to the IAF on January 17, 2015; however, the aircraft is yet to be delivered to the IAF. IAF is ready to form the first LCA squadron after receipt of the first four LCA, which is now expected in 2016. The first 20 LCA will be in IOC configuration; therefore, delay in Final Operational Clearance timelines has no impact on their delivery’, he stated in a written response to Indian magazine Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review.
The LCA program is so out of sync with the operational needs of the IAF that there is now a situation where the aircraft it was slated to replace are already being phased out without replacements — even the upgraded MiG-21 Bison, the very existence of which is a manifestation of Tejas delays, will begin to retire without adequate numbers of LCAs in service.

Meanwhile the work toward FOC continues. The aircraft has been tested to the required g-limits (-3/+8g), captive carriage and unguided firing of the Derby have been carried out, the GSh-23 gun has been integrated and ground tested, and LSP-3 has flown with a Cobham quartz radome that, according to officials, increases the radar’s effective range from 40-50km (25-31 miles) to 80km (50 miles). Pre-production Tejas prototypes were once again heading to the desert for a firepower demonstration in March 2015, where they are expected to clear further test points as they progress toward FOC.

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The critics of home-grown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas might be struggling to chart a new flight path for their future assault. With the euphoria over the induction of the first Tejas Squadron continuing, some of the fieriest critics have already switched sides. After all, success breeds success.

After waiting in the wing for over 15 years since its first flight, the Indian Air Force (IAF) finally inducted two Tejas fighters on July 1, signalling the beginning of a new era in country’s military aviation. The No. 45 Squadron of the IAF (Flying Daggers) would be based in Bengaluru for the next two years, fine-tuning all aspects of flying, ground-handling and repair of a new fighter plane.

Having chased Tejas for nearly a quarter of century as a defence writer, it was a great moment of pride to see Group Captain Rangachari taking the bird for the first official sortie in IAF colours. The long wait has finally ended and Tejas has flown into IAF hangars. The onus now completely shifts to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) to produce it in large numbers and Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to fasten the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) process. Those who saw ADA-HAL relationship from close quarters would agree that both should now look at Tejas through the eyes of IAF. This shift in focus and thought process would propel the project ahead.

For the project from here on, it’s all about numbers. As per the current plan, the next 18 production variants should be delivered to IAF by 2018 to form the full squadron. Many firmly believe that unless HAL gets more firm orders, the private sector wouldn’t join hands. The HAL says that by ramping up its infrastructure, production rate would increase and they would deliver 120 aircraft by 2025.

But IAF’s worries are far from over. They do not want to brand Tejas Squadron as a two-plane unit. They are keen to have the follow-on planes at the earliest. They want two more planes by Air Force Day celebrations at Hindon this year. HAL says they have brought down the equipping cycle from 32 months to eight months, a pointer to its commitment to the national programme.

Next six months are crucial for ADA as they prepare Tejas for a series of missions to fulfill the full operational capability (FOC) parameters. The pending milestones include: air-to-air refueling capability; integration of GSH 23 mm gun, a tandem pylon to enhance bomb carriage capability; integration of BVRAAM (Beyond Visual Range Air to Air Missile) and finally expansion of aircraft envelope for higher Angles of Attack-cum-improved manoeuvring.

While the work is in progress at different stages to undertake these missions, it’s not sure whether HAL-ADA-NFTC (National Flight Test Centre) combine would complete these in six months. If not, the FOC would get extended by another three months. However, while the FOC may be in the early part of 2017, the structural build standard of the aircraft would be frozen by end of this year. This is critical for HAL to plan the build of the second 20 aircraft.

The FOC-variants would join IAF after the first 20 is delivered in the Initial Operational Clearance format. But IAF would now test the ability of HAL-ADA to quickly incorporate their feedback on to new Tejas production variants. Before the Squadron moves to its permanent base in Sulur by 2018, the IAF ground crew would work in close liaison with HAL fine-tuning their skills based on pilot feedback. Product support becomes a key factor for Tejas’ Squadron operations now.

So what have we learnt from the Tejas story so far? The biggest one could be the self belief in developing a whole range of enabling technologies for a fighter. We developed technologies that were denied. Lessons from Sanctions came as a big boost to scientists and engineers, as they challenged themselves. It opened new window of opportunities.

Locally developed technologies
The fly-by-wire flight Control Laws (CLAW) developed jointly by ADA and National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) for Tejas is an ideal example to cite. The Digital Flight Control Computer (DFCC) from Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) is another critical system we developed. Hardware and software of the complete avionics suite of Tejas was locally developed. Taking the challenges head on was the key.

There has been earlier a lament that the user changed the requirements thus delaying the programme. However, as brought out by the current head of ADA, the aircraft is ‘future ready’ and changes in weapons and sensors would be incorporated with minimal effort.

This is considered a big plus in the aircraft and systems capability. The IAF must now aggressively brand Tejas at global platforms, like other Air Forces do. Similar to what India did at Bahrain this year, Tejas and its capabilities should be showcased to the world more often, signalling our military might.

The private sector is waiting with eagerness to join the Tejas party, hoping to get a larger share of fighter production. The Make in India mantra could spring the desired magic if the government comes out with an out-of-the-box idea to enable HAL to deliver Tejas at faster rate.

The HAL will need industry best practices and the world’s best programme management to achieve this. Kota Harinarayana, revered as the father of Tejas project, wants a strong team closely working with the Tejas Squadron.

Moving ahead, unity is the key for the Tejas project. Jointness is a word often used among Services these days. Time HAL-ADA-IAF and other stakeholders gave ‘jointness’ a new meaning. Tejas is late. But it is light and lethal. And, it has arrived!

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has offered to invest EUR 1 billion to revive India's

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, proposing a joint development plan that could see the stalled 'Kaveri' gas turbine powering indigenous

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by 2020.

The proposal is to use offset credits that would come from the planned Rafale fighter jet deal to revive the indigenous jet engine project, people involved in talks between the Indian defence ministry, the Defence Research & Development Organisation and

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companies told ET.

Foreign arms companies that sell equipment to India are mandated to invest a portion of the contract cost in the country's defence and aerospace industry. In the case of the Rafale deal, which India and France are negotiating, the offset obligation is 50% of the cost, which would translate to over EUR 3 billion.

Sources said that since January, several rounds of discussions have taken place between Indian authorities and French company

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, which developed the M88 engine that powers the Rafale as well as the Shakti engine for Indian advanced light helicopters.


French experts who assessed the Kaveri engine — which was more or less abandoned for aviation use in 2014 due to shortcomings on power —indicated that 25-30% more work would be needed to make it flight-worthy.

According to the deal being offered, India would not need to spend any more developmental money on the project and Safran would take on the investment, committing to make the Kaveri flight-worthy within 18 months. The proposal is to integrate the upgraded Kaveri with the Mk 1 A version of the

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by 2020.

The air force is committed to buying at least 80 of the LCA Mk 1 A fighters that will meet higher technical requirements than the version inducted this year. It is currently powered by GE 404 engines.


"The proposal is to have the Kaveri ready for the next version of the LCA that would then boast of an indigenous engine as well. The French are confident that this can be done and are willing to put in money into the project," a person involved in the discussion said.

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A much welcome spinoff from the DRDO’s two-decade long R & D activities for the Akash-1 MR-SAM programme has now resulted in the development of an indigenous upgrade package for the Indian Air Force (IAF) remaining S-125 Pechora SAM systems that will extend their service-lives by another 12 years.

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Restricted tenders worth US$272 million to upgrade 16 of the original 30 squadrons of the IAF’s S-125 Pechora SAM systems under the ‘Make in India’ programme were floated in May 2016 and were sent to TATA Power SED, Larsen & Toubro, Reliance Defence, Offset India Solutions, Amertec Systems Pvt Ltd, Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and ECIL. While the V-601 missiles will be refurbished by BDL with the help of Russia’s OJSC Concern Almaz-Antey, the existing analogue fire-contol systems will be fully digitised by Indian OEMs, following which they will be integrated by BEL with the IAF’s IACCCS network.

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BEL will also deliver the Rohini S-band 3-D CARs and related motorized command-and-control posts that will replace the older P-19 early-warning radars. Amertec Systems Pvt Ltd will supply the digitised LRUs and related ATEs for the upgraded SNR-125 pulse-Doppler tracking, fire-control and guidance radars. Deliveries will begin 42 months after contract signature.

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Modified Indian submarine to launch Harpoon missiles

The German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems has signed a € 35 million contract for the modification of 2 Indian submarine of the class Shishumar (U-209/1500) so that they can launch anti-submarine Harpoon missiles.

Changing the weapon system will be performed on 2 of the 4 submarines at Mumbai shipyard crew and includes a training component.

For Gurnad Sodhi, ThyssenKrupp operations director of Marine Systems in India, "it is an essential step in our long-standing commitment to India. "

"We have the ability to integrate our four submarines any weapons system chosen by the Indian Navy. We have already conducted such operations on similar submarines to other navies. "

In a statement, the company underlines its commitment to India and says that ThyssenKrupp is also ready to integrate any weapon system, including the BrahMos missile, on its U-214 submarine if accepted under the P75 project (I).

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