Indian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

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Tarmak007 said:

Bangalore: The second prototype (TD-2) of Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) successfully completed the sea-level trials at Air Force Station, Tambaram in Chennai, last month. A product of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the LCH -- painted in camouflage colours -- had the trials from October 28 to November 23. The extensive trials were carried out to validate the design improvements implemented on the prototype based on the feedback from initial sea-level trials carried out during June 2012.

A company official told Express that a total of 32 flights were carried out covering helicopter performance, load measurement, handling qualities for various all-up weights (with external stores installed), bank turns and spot turns, low speed handling, single engine performance and auto-rotation. “Considerable improvements have been observed in the performance parameters in comparison with the earlier sea-level trials. All the test points planned were completed successfully with no major snags observed. Representatives of customers and certifying authorities were present during the trials,” the official said.

Based on the feedback on various tests done on LCH TD-1, the designers have gone for optimum transmission, modified rotor system and additional weight-reduction on TD-2. “The TD-1 had dummy weapons and sensors. Now, the TD-2 will prepare itself for hot weather trials and we will integrate mission sensors and weapons,” the official added.

Confirming the trials, HAL chairman R K Tyagi said that the LCH programme is steadily progressing as per the script. “One phase of trials got over in Chennai and now we are looking forward to other critical missions. The lessons learnt from the Dhruv experience is coming handy to our designers, engineers and Test pilots,” Tyagi said.

Since its first flight in June 2011, the LCH TD-2 has so for logged 96 flying hours (146 sorties). The LCH first prototype (TD1) had its maiden flight on March 29, 2010 and has to its credit over 140 sorties. HAL is in the process of accelerating the prototype development flight testing of LCH to achieve the proposed initial operational clearance (IOC) by December 2015. The company now plans to add another prototype (LCH TD-3) to the flight-line by next year.

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The Hindu said:

Fast patrol vessels (FPV) Achook and Agrim, forming part of a series of 20 FPVs being built by the Cochin Shipyard for the Coast Guard, were launched on Friday.

The vessels were launched by spouses of CSL’s Director (Finance) Ravikumar Roddam and Director (Technical) P. Vinayakumar. Senior CSL officials and Coast Guard officers attended the ceremony.

The FPVs are the fifth and the sixth in the series to be launched by the yard. The CSL had earlier handed over two FPVs to the Coast Guard. The third, it is understood, would be delivered to the force in the end of December.

The contract for building the FPVs was signed in 2010 with the delivery of the last FPV scheduled to take place in 2017. Built under the dual classification requirements of ABS and IRS, the 50 metre-long vessels are capable of attaining a cruising speed of 33 knots.

In a media release, the CSL said the vessels would be deployed for fisheries protection and monitoring, patrol within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), coastal patrol, anti-smuggling, search and rescue operations and anti-piracy operations. They had a secondary role of providing communication link and escort convoys during hostilities and wartime.

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Jeff Head said:

The Indians are very well aware of her issues.

But the real point is, that she will be much, much more effective than what they currently have in the Viraat.

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cn_habs said:

Why weren't blast deflectors installed?

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no_name said:

First of Indian navy Kolkata class DDG undergoing sea trial.

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India’s Vikramaditya casts anchor off Murmansk

The Indian Navy’s Vikramaditya aircraft carrier cast anchor off in the Kola Bay off Russia’s northern city of Murmansk on Friday, December 6.

The aircraft carrier had run into a storm in the Barents Sea and had to make a stop in the Kola Bay where two other Indian ships, frigate Trikand and tanker Deepak, had dropped anchors earlier. The ships are expected to stay until December 8 and then leave Russia’s territorial waters with the Vikramaditya leading the way.

Russia handed over the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier to the Indian Navy on November 16.

After a complete overhaul, the ship got a new flight deck and a ski-jump ramp for MiG-29K jet fighters, navigation, radar, communication and flight control systems, other equipment and units. Russia also trained an Indian crew of about 1,500 personnel and will build infrastructure for the aircraft carrier in the Indian Ocean. The ship is expected to operate for 25-30 years.

Its full water displacement is 45,000 tonnes, maximum length is 283.5 metres and maximum width is 59.8 metres (increased by 8.8 metres from the original ship). The ship can carry 30 aircraft, including MiG-29K het fighters and Ka-27 and Ka-31 helicopters. Its crew is about 2,000 members.

Russia’s Severodvinsk-based defence shipyard Sevmash in the northern Arkhangelsk region, which upgraded the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier, will also provide post-warranty services for the ship for the next 20 years.

After the transfer of the ship to the Indian Navy, Sevmash engineers and specialists will provide warranty maintenance services for the aircraft carrier for one year.

During the three-month sea trials the ship demonstrated excellent seaworthiness, speed of 27.9 knots (about 52 kilometres per hour) and manoeuvrability. MiG specialists praised the ski-jump ramp.

All in all, the ship sailed for 19,500 miles during two seasons of sea trials, with 778 flights performed from its deck by aircraft and helicopters.

Russia's Northern Fleet aviation was involved in the sea trials: aircraft and helicopters flew around and over the ship in order to check its radar, air defence, communication and control systems.

During the first stage of the trials in the White Sea, the ship’s physical fields were measured, and the crew practiced fuelling and fresh water replenishing operations.

The ship was initially scheduled to be commissioned on December 4, 2012. However its transfer to India was postponed until the end of 2013 after the problems during the sea trials.

Under a package inter-governmental agreement signed in New Delhi in January 2004, the body of the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, later renamed to Vikramaditya, was transferred to India for free subject to its upgrading at Sevmash and armament with Russian aircraft.

The overall cost of the contract was estimated at 1.5 billion U.S. dollars, of which about 974 million U.S. dollars were intended for the conversion of the ship into a full-scale aircraft carrier. All work was supposed to be completed in 2008. However the completion date has been postponed. According to unofficial data, the final cost of the aircraft carrier is 2.3 billion U.S. dollars.

The Admiral Gorshkov was built in Nikolayev under the name of Baku and put to service in the Northern Fleet in 1987. It is 283 metres long, 51 metres wide, with water displacement of over 45,000 tonnes.

The Vikramaditya left Russia’s territorial waters in late November and should arrive in India in late January or early February 2014.

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