Armée Indienne / Indian Armed Forces

Rappel du premier message :

Euh........ Typhoon pour moi .

Citation :

Close-In Warfare System on INS Vikramaditya next year
Will have anti-missile defence system after three years



Goa, June 15
As euphoria over the newly inducted aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya settles down, it is the time for the Navy to equip the warship with two sets of weapons and missile systems.

INS Vikramaditya does not have the Close-In Warfare System (CIWS) and the long range missile firing capability that can pick out targets up to 100 km.

The CIWS is slated to be fitted in April-June 2015 at the Karwar naval base. Sources say the Navy is looking at two options, either the Israeli Barak or the Russian Shitil missiles.

The CIWS system is needed on board large warships as the last protection layer against incoming missiles as well as aircraft. It is like the ships own air-defence system. When deployed, a carrier does not float alone but moves around with a small flotilla of warships. The Navy is banking on ships in the flotilla for air defence support and also for long range missile firing. Some of the Indian warships carry the sea version of the 290 km range hypersonic missile (BrahMos).

The Long Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LR-SAMs) can be fitted on the warship when it goes for its first re-fit after three years. Fitting the LR-SAM will be a complex procedure and it will entail some cutting through the deck, a period of eight-nine months has been factored in for this, sources said.

The LR-SAM, a joint venture between the Israel’s IAI and India’s DRDO, is still being tested. A series of tests are slated between November and March at the integrated test range, Orissa. The LR-SAM has been designated Barak-8 by the IAI. This can be housed in vertical launch units.

Each such unit will hold eight missiles. The warship could carry up to 32 or 48 LR-SAM’s

The Israeli company is working at the front section of the LR-SAM, including its seeker head that guides the missile and the warhead. The DRDO is working at the rear section - the rocket motor, the thrust vector control and fins that can be folded.

Meanwhile, the Navy has joined hands with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to set up a shore-based test facility to train pilots. At present, the Navy has around 10 qualified pilots.

http://www.tribuneindia.com

Citation :

Software Upgrade Solves IAF Su-30MKI’s Display Problem



A software upgrade has solved the Indian Air Force Su-30MKI’s cockpit displays and head up display (HUD) blanking off problem. Besides, a failure of the mission computer has been addressed to by replacing the faulty computer wherever necessary.

The display blanking off and mission computer failure had caused a furore in the media earlier this year after hackers released correspondence between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Rosorobonexport, in which the latter had complained of this serious issue dogging Indian Air Force’s front line fighter aircraft.

HAL chairman, R K Tyagi has been quoted as saying that the display issue afflicted only a limited number of the earliest batch of Su-30 aircraft which had been imported from Russia. “Very few aircraft reported the issue of mission computer failure and HUD blanking-off”, Tyagi has been quoted in Deccan Herald newspaper.

He clarified that the issue was intermittent in nature and related to aircraft having an older software version.

http://www.defenseworld.net

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Le premier Scorpène pour l’Inde en 2016


http://www.operationnels.com/2014/06/18/premier-scorpene-linde-en-2016/

Citation :

La marine indienne manque de batteries pour ses sous-marins


Par Rédacteur en chef.
Publié le 24 juin 2014, dernière mise à jour le 24 juin 2014.

Le nouveau gouvernement indien vient de prendre conscience de la dure réalité du manque de certains équipements militaires. Il a lancé le processus destiné à renouveler les réserves presqu’épuisées de batteries destinées aux sous-marins de sa marine.

Le manque de batteries de sous-marins a été mis en lumière en février dernier, lorsqu’un incendie à bord de l’INS Sindhuratna a fait 2 morts. Bien que l’incendie ait été provoqué par des câbles défaillants, l’accident a révélé l’ampleur du problème.

Le nouveau gouvernement indien, désireux d’accélérer l’achat de batteries, a lancé un appel d’offres aux fabricants. La marine indienne souhaite acheter 7 ensembles de batteries type-I — composés de 1.736 batteries — pour ses sous-marins de la classe Kilo. Une 2è série de batteries type-II est commandée pour les sous-marins de la classe Shishumar. Ces 2 ensembles sont composés de 1.080 batteries.

Les sources indiquent que ces achats permettront de remplir les réserves et surmonter la pénurie actuelle. Les achats de batteries avaient été stoppés lorsque le ministère indien de la défense avait banni un vendeur.

Les achats étaient restés bloqués par les lenteurs administratives et les procédures judiciaires lancées par les concurrents.

Le nouveau gouvernement indien considère la modernisation de ses forces armées comme prioritaire. L’achat des batteries devrait donc se dérouler sans problème ni blocage.

Référence :
Daily Mail (Grande-Bretagne)

 http://www.corlobe.tk/spip.php?article35297

Citation :

India's new anti-submarine warfare corvette ready to sail out

Big News Network (IANS) Tuesday 24th June, 2014



India's newly-built anti submarine warfare (ASW) corvette Kamorta is now ready to join the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet.

The warship is slated to be commissioned into the Indian Navy in July at Vishakhapatnam, where a nuclear submarine - Arihant - is also being built indigenously.

Now docked at the fitting-out jetty (FOJ) of Garden Reach Shipbuilders amp; Engineers Ltd. (GRSE) here, Kamorta - a super-sophisticated frontline warship with stealth features - is readying to sail out to play its role as Indian Navy's newest submarine hunter/killer, a defence ministry statement said Tuesday.

It will be the first warship armed with an indigenous rocket launcher for ASW warfare, while also being the first warship armed with trainable chaff launcher.

A sturdy warship, Kamorta is the first in its class of four ASW corvettes being built under Project-28 (P28) for the Indian Navy.

ASW corvettes Kadmatt, Kiltan and Kavaratti are to follow suit progressively.

The lethal quartet - named after four islands in Andaman amp; Nicobar and Lakshwadeep archipelago - would be used to combat lurking enemy submarines and deployed as advance screen for the Carrier Battle Group to counter any submarine threat to the force.

http://www.bignewsnetwork.com

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India - UGM-84L Harpoon Missiles


WASHINGTON, Jul 1, 2014 – The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to India for UGM-84L Harpoon missiles and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $200 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on July 1, 2014.

The Government of India has requested a possible sale of 12 UGM-84L Harpoon Block II Encapsulated Missiles, 10 UTM-84L Harpoon Encapsulated Training missiles, 2 Encapsulated Harpoon certification training vehicles, containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $200 million.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic relationship and to improve the security of an important partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in South Asia.

This Harpoon missile system will be employed on the Indian Navy’s Shishumar class submarine (Type-209) and will provide enhanced capabilities in defense of critical sea lines of communication. India has already purchased Harpoon missiles for integration on Indian Air Force Jaguar aircraft and Indian Navy P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. India will have no difficulty absorbing these additional missiles into its armed forces.

This proposed sale of Harpoon missiles will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractors will be the Boeing Company in St Louis, Missouri; and Delex Systems Inc., in Vienna, Virginia. In accordance with the Indian Defense Procurement Policy, a contractor may be expected to conclude offset agreements with the Government of India but no offset agreement is currently known to have been proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor personnel to India. However, U.S. Government or contractor personnel in-country visits will be required on a temporary basis for program, technical, and management oversight and support requirements for approximately five years.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.

-30-

http://www.dsca.mil

Citation :

US to Sell India Submarine-Launched Missiles

On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced Washington will be selling India submarine-launched Harpoon missiles.



On Tuesday, the U.S. announced its intention to sell India submarine-launched missiles.

The announcement was made in a press release by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). “The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to India for UGM-84L Harpoon missiles and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $200 million,” the press release said. It noted that it sent a certification of delivery to Congress on July 1, 2014.

DSCA elaborated on the sale: “The Government of India has requested a possible sale of 12 UGM-84L Harpoon Block II Encapsulated Missiles, 10 UTM-84L Harpoon Encapsulated Training missiles, 2 Encapsulated Harpoon certification training vehicles, containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.”

The press release went on to say that India’s Navy would use the new missiles on its Shishumar class submarine (Type-209). It also noted that India’s Navy already employs Harpoon missiles on its P-8I maritime patrol aircraft and its Air Force uses the same missiles on its Jaguar aircraft. DCSA said that selling India the submarine-launched Harpoon missiles would enhance India’s ability to defend critical sea lines of communication without altering the basic balance of power in the region.

The U.S. has made a concerted push to enhance its arms sales to India in recent years. In early 2013, Andrew Shapiro, the former assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, said that U.S. military sales to India had jumped from near zero in 2008 to roughly $8 billion. Similarly, according to IHS Jane’s, India was the largest purchaser of U.S. military equipment in 2013 buying up $1.9 billion in arms from the U.S. including Boeing’s C-17A strategic transport aircraft and P-8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft. Similarly, America displaced Russia as India’s largest arms supplier last year.

In the past, U.S. arms sales to India have been stymied by America’s reluctance to transfer sensitive technologies to India as well as concerns in Delhi about the reliability of the U.S. in approving sales of spare parts to maintain weapon systems. The Obama administration has tried to overcome these obstacles. For example, former Deputy Secretary of Defense Ash Carter assured industry insiders last year that while “there will always be some technologies we will keep to ourselves, we changed our culture regarding transfer to India in the Department of Defense from a culture of a presumptive ‘no’ to a culture of a presumptive ‘yes.’”

Still, U.S. defense firms have repeatedly complained about the opaque nature of India’s bureaucracy and the agencies charged of overseeing arms purchases. This has led the U.S. Department of Defense to play a more active role in serving as a liaison between U.S. defense firms and the Indian government. Indeed, in June 2012 the Pentagon even created an initiative to spur arm sales to India. This initiative was initially spearheaded by Ash Carter. Since Carter returned to private life in December, acquisition chief Frank Kendall has stepped into that role.

http://thediplomat.com

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India to Induct Indigenous Anti-sub Corvette Soon

NEW DELHI: India is all set to induct its newest corvette later this month at Visakhapatnam to boost its anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The warship was built by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, one of India’s four defence public sector shipyards.

To be commissioned as INS Kamorta, it is a super sophisticated frontline warship with stealth features and it will sail from GRSE to Visakhapatnam ahead of its induction into the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet. Earlier known by its GRSE codename ‘Yard-3017’, Kamorta’s keel was first laid in 2006 and was launched into the waters in 2010. The Navy has designated Commander Major Jha as the first Captain of Kamorta. Kamorta is the first of the four corvettes, meant to function as submarine hunters and killers, being built by GRSE for the Navy. The other three corvettes -- Kadmatt, Kiltan and Kavaratti -- are under construction at the shipyard and would follow Kamorta into the Navy fleet soon. “The quartet is considered to be lethal. They will be platforms feared by the lurking enemy submarines and possibly these corvettes would turn out to be the nemesis too once the enemy submarines are detected,” Kolkata-based defence chief public relations officer Group Captain Tarun Kumar Singha said. They would also be deployed as advance screen to counter any submarine threat for Indian Navy’s two Carrier Battle Groups (CBGs) with INS Vikramaditya and INS Viraat as their lead ships.

http://www.newindianexpress.com

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India close to finalizing Apache and Chinook chopper deals worth over $2.5 billion


NEW DELHI: India is now close to inking major deals worth over $2.5 billion for two iconic American helicopters, the Apache attack and Chinook heavy-lift choppers, which thrashed their Russian rivals both technically and commercially earlier.

Defence ministry sources on Monday said the around $1.4 billion deal for 22 AH-64D Apache Longbow gunships, armed with deadly Hellfire and Stinger missiles, and the $1.1 billion one for 15 CH-47F Chinooks, equipped with powerful contra-rotating tandem rotors, are "almost ready" now.

"These two deals for IAF will be placed for approval before the first defence acquisitions council (DAC) meeting to be chaired by Arun Jaitley on July 19. Thereafter, the cases will be moved for the cabinet committee on security's final nod," said a source.

The deals for the two Boeing-manufactured helicopters, both of which have seen action in Iraq and Afghanistan, will further bolster the expanding US presence in the lucrative Indian arms market. It has already bagged defence contracts worth around $10 billion, including for aircraft like P-8I, C-130J `Super Hercules' and C-17 Globemaster-III, over the last decade.

The Apache project, in fact, is likely to get even bigger. After a long, bitter turf war with IAF, the Army earlier this year got "in principle" approval for getting the "ownership" for 39 Apache gunships for its own "strike" formations.

"After the contract for 22 Apaches for IAF, the Army will pursue a follow-on order for three attack helicopter squadrons. The Army hopes to get its Apaches, armed with guided missiles, cannons and rockets to target enemy tanks and infantry on the ground, by 2018," said another source.

The first Apache deal is going to be "a hybrid one", with one contract to be signed with Boeing for the helicopter and the other with the US government for its weapons, radars and electronic warfare suites. "While the CNC (contract negotiation committee) for Chinooks was completed some time ago, Boeing had been asked to re-submit their offsets package for the Apaches," he said.

Apart from the 22 Apaches, the project involves the acquisition of 812 AGM-114L-3 Hellfire Longbow missiles, 542 AGM-114R-3 Hellfire-II missiles, 245 Stinger Block I-92H missiles and 12 AN/APG-78 fire-control radars, among other things.

"Attack helicopters are as deadly as fighter jets, capable of detecting, containing and destroying enemy forces. They are also expensive," said an officer. IAF currently has just two squadrons of ageing Russian Mi-25/35 attack helicopters, with Army being dependent on the force for its own requirements.

The Chinooks, in turn, are capable of "internal transport" of 55 armed troops or two combat-equipped jeeps. They are also capable of "external transport" of 11,100-kg of equipment like 155mm howitzers.

But, as first reported by TOI earlier, the long-pending $885 million deal with the US government for 145 ultra-light M-777 howitzers is headed for a dead-end due to high costs. The air-mobile howitzers were meant to equip the new XVII Mountain Strike Corps (90,000 troops) being raised by the Army to gain "quick reaction force capabilities" against China.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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India, UK agree GBP250 million ASRAAM deal


The United Kingdom and India have signed a GBP250 million deal to equip the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) SEPECAT Jaguar fleet with MBDA's Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM), UK government officials confirmed to IHS Jane's on 8 July.

ASRAAM, which will be known as the New Generation Close Combat Missile (NGCCM) in IAF service, was down-selected in preference to the Rafael Python-5 missile. The selection follows the a 2009 request for proposals from the Indian Ministry of Defence for a missile to replace the incumbent R550 Magic 1 SRAAM, which is no longer in production.

Test firings took place with the UK Royal Air Force in 2011 and the Indian Ministry of Defence chose ASRAAM as the L1, or preferred, option in late 2012.

ASRAAM will be fitted to Jaguars upgraded to the DARIN II level and are to be launched off the Jaguar Overwing Missile Launcher pylon, supplied by Cobham.

An MBDA spokesman confirmed the contract had been signed and that the missile would be fitted to the IAF's Jaguars, but refused to elaborate further on the number of missiles involved or the timeframe for first deliveries.

In February 2013 an MBDA official told IHS Jane's that, when used in conjunction with the Jaguar's Elta EL/M-2032 multimode fire-control radar and a helmet-mounted sighting system, ASRAAM would be a "phenomenal capability" for the IAF.

The deal involves a mandated 30% offset obligation. The MBDA spokesman said the company was in talks with a number of Indian companies to provide components for ASRAAM, but that the missile would be assembled at an MBDA facility in northern England.

http://www.janes.com

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Indian Navy Light Combat Aircraft to soon begin test flights


New Delhi: The naval variant of India's indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA) is due to soon begin ramp trials.

Avinash Chander, scientific adviser to the Defence Minister and Director General Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), told India Strategic magazine (www.indiastrategic.in) that the LCA-Navy had already done more than 25 test flights from a runway. As these were successful and met the designated parameters, the aircraft will now be deployed at a naval base in Goa to commence ramp flights, probably after the monsoon.

Goa, on the Arabian seafront, has a major naval air station, INS Hansa, where the MiG-29Ks for Indian aircraft carriers are also located.




The station has a 14-degree ramp along with necessary testing sensors and paraphernalia to monitor the flights and was specifically built as part of the indigenous LCA-Navy development programme. But as it is a national naval asset, it is shared by the MiG-29Ks for training pilots and flight tests.

Both the aircraft need the same degree in the ramp, matching the one on INS Vikramaditya, acquired from Russia, and INS Vikrant, now being built at the Kochi shipyard.

Chander said that the flight tests are being conducted with LCA Mark-I to prove certain technologies and to familiarise the naval pilots with them. One aircraft is operational, another is on the anvil and a third will son be available to complete the trials. After that, for full weaponised operations aboard carriers, will come the LCA Mark-II powered by GE 414 engines, according to India Strategic.

The naval variant, being tested from the HAL airport in Bangalore, has a bigger undercarriage that Hindustan Aeronautics has built to facilitate deck landings. The development programme is coordinated by a one-star naval pilot.

http://ibnlive.in.com

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Publié le 13 Juillet 2014 par Loïc

 Deux Mig-21 indiens ont intercepté un A330 de Turkish Airlines  



On a souvent l'habitude de lire des articles concernant l'interception d'aéronefs par des forces aériennes occidentales, comme aux Etats-Unis, au Royaume-Uni, mais aussi, en France avec plus récemment, l'interception d'un avion de ligne de la compagnie Ethiopian Airlines au-dessus des Alpes. Cependant, ce type de mission est moins connu en Asie, comme ici en Inde, où deux Mig-21 de la Force Aérienne indienne ont décollé pour intercepter un Airbus A330 de la compagnie turque Turkish Airlines.

Le vol TK716, qui effectuait la liaison entre l'aéroport d'Istanbul, en Turquie, et celui de Delhi, en Inde, a, pour des raisons qui sont pour le moment inconnues, opté pour un mauvais code transporteur, alors qu'il pénétrait l'espace aérien indien, vers 03h00 du matin. Cependant, ce code transporteur venait d'être utilisé par un second avion de ligne, dont la compagnie n'a pas été indiquée, et qui venait d'emprunter la même voie aérienne que l'Airbus de Turkish Airlines.

A la suite de cette erreur, les contrôleurs aériens ont donné l'alerte aux forces armées indiennes, qui ont pris la décision de faire décoller deux Mig-21, provenant de la base aérienne de Jodhpur, au Nord-Ouest de l'Inde. Après avoir identifié l'appareil, et compris l'erreur des pilotes de ligne, les pilotes de chasse ont autorisé l'avion de ligne à continuer sa route jusqu'à sa destination finale.

Photo : (c) Angad Singh - Deux Mig-21 indiens.

http://www.defens-aero.com/2014/07/deux-mig-21-indien-ont-intercepte-un-a330-de-turkish-airlines.html

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Indian Navy has received INS Kamorta, the country's first indigenous anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette

NEW DELHI (BNS): Indian Navy has received INS Kamorta, the country's first indigenous anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette, built by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd. (GRSE).

The warship was formally handed over by GRSE chairman and managing director Rear Admiral (Retd) A K Verma to the Navy at a brief ceremony held at Kolkata on July 12.

INS Kamorta, the first in its class of four ASW corvettes being built by GRSE under Project-28 for the Navy, is the first warship ever built in the country with almost 90 per cent of indigenous content.

The super sophisticated frontline warship is also the first vessel manufactured in India with indigenously developed special grade high-tensile steel produced by state-owned Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).

"INS Kamorta is the first naval warship built in the country with indigenously developed special grade high-tensile (DMR249A) steel produced by Steel Authority of India. The hull of the ship encompasses the bulk of sensors and weapon systems that are also indigenously manufactured by various Indian industries," GRSE said.

Armed with stealth features, it is also the first warship equipped with the new trainable chaff launcher - Kavach.

The warship was designed by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND).

Work on the project began in 2006.

The ASW corvette has brought to fruition a significant project in India's pursuit for self-reliance in indigenous warship building, bringing closer home Indian Navy's quest to become a 'Builder's Navy' as well as a true 'Blue-water Navy' with ships and submarines designed and built within the country.

http://www.brahmand.com

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Another warship accident hits the Navy


NEW DELHI: In yet another warship accident, missile corvette INS Khutar was damaged after it recently ran aground at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Navy has ordered a board of inquiry (BoI) into the accident, which is the 15th such incident after submarine INS Sindhurakshak sank in August 14 last year.

The 1,350-tonne Khutar, which was commissioned in 1990, was entering the harbour to dock at one of the two jetties at Port Blair when it ran aground in "rough weather" towards end-June. "The propeller of the corvette was damaged ... it will undergo repairs at Vizag," said an officer.

Though INS Khutar is part of the Eastern Naval Command, the Khukri-class corvette was on a long-range patrol in the Bay of Bengal. The BoI is being headed by a captain from the A&N tri-service command.

It was the string of accidents, especially the two serious ones on board submarines INS Sindhurakshak and INS Sindhuratna that killed five officers and 15 sailors, which led Admiral D K Joshi to "own moral responsibility" and resign as the Navy chief on February 26.

The then UPA government had appointed Admiral Robin Dhowan as the chief after a gap of 50 days, superseding the then Western Naval Command chief Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha, who then had also put in his papers. The politico-bureaucratic combine itself, however, cannot escape responsibility for ignoring the Navy's repeated warnings about its ageing submarines, all of them over 20 years old.

The Navy, on its part, stripped at least three warship captains from their command after the accidents. This included Captain Gopal Suri, who was removed after the Russian-origin stealth frigate INS Talwar rammed a fishing vessel off Ratnagiri on December 23. Four officers and two sailors of INS Talwar are facing a court-martial after being held guilty in the BoI.

The probes into the other cases are still in progress. The biggest accident was the sinking of Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhurakshak after a series of internal explosions at the Mumbai naval dockyard, killing three officers and 15 sailors on August 14. The wrecked submarine was recently fished out of water for forensic and other examination, which will help the BoI conclude its investigation.

"Lessons learnt from the Bols are being implemented. Corrective steps have been taken by naval headquarters with extensive checks on weapon related safety systems and audit of standard operating procedures on all operational naval units," defence minister Arun Jaitley told Parliament last week.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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Su-30MKI engine failures worry IAF; Russia told to fix snag

Ajay Banerjee
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 20
The Sukhoi-30MKI fleet of the Indian Air Force has been encountering mid-air engine failures for the past two years. India has officially flagged the matter to Russia seeking a correction.

Repeated engine failures and the newly introduced precautionary measures have affected the availability of planes for various operations. The IAF has a fleet of 200 Sukhois.

After a failure, the engine is replaced after testing before allowing the plane to fly again. The process of removing and replacing an engine usually takes four-five days, but can be extended depending upon the damage.

As a stopgap arrangement, the Russian side had suggested some measures.

The IAF has so far not arrived at a conclusion of its findings, but as a precautionary step, it has started servicing the engine after 700 hours instead of the mandated 1,000 hours of flying, adding to the non-availability of the aircraft.

Sources said the matter was taken up at the India-Russia meeting in June this year and also in February when a Russian delegation visited the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's (HAL's) Sukhoi-30MKI plant at Nashik.

The IAF had told Russians after studying each failure in detail that Sukhoi's engines - AL-31FP produced by NPO Saturn of Russia - had been functioning inconsistently for the past two years (2012 and 2013). The number of single-engine landings by planes in two years is high and not healthy. It lowers the operational ability of the fleet, besides raising questions about war readiness, said sources.

A single-engine landing is necessitated after one of the power plants fails mid-air. The Sukhoi-30MKI is a twin-engine plane and a mid-air failure of one of its engines means the second engine allows it to land. Such a situation would be unacceptable during a conflict when the pilot would need an optimum speed to attack or to withdraw after an attack. The power of both engines is required to lift eight tonne of payload - missiles and rockets.

The exact number of such engine burnouts and percentage of fleet that is not available for flying at any point of time are being held back from publication in the newspaper as it would adversely impact national security. Had the Sukhoi-30MKI been a single-engine plane, like the MiG 21, all engine burnouts would have led to crashes, in some case death of pilots and the resultant furore.

The IAF and the Ministry and Defence have always considered the Sukhoi as a "safe and reliable" warplane. So far, only four have crashed since phased- induction in 1997. A pilot had died in the first crash in 2009 and at least one of the crashes is attributed to engine trouble.

Sukhoi enjoys air superiority because of its powerful engine. In horizontal flight, it can fly 2,400 km/hr or achieve a rate of climb of 230 m/s. The engines, specialised with thrust vectoring control, improves the aircraft manoeuvrability.

In northern and western India, the Sukhoi-30MKI is based at Bathinda, Halwara near Ludhiana, Sirsa, Bareilly, Jodhpur and Bhuj.

Single-engine landings high

The IAF has a fleet of 200 Sukhois
Repeated engine failures have affected the availability of Su-30MKIs
It takes four-five days to remove and replace the engine
Single-engine landings by Su-30MKIs in two years is high
As a precautionary step, the IAF has started servicing the engine after 700 flying hrs instead 1,000 hrs

http://www.tribuneindia.com

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Indian Government approves extra purchase of 32 Dhruv helicopters for Navy & Coast Guard


The Indian Government yesterday approved INR 7000 crore ($1.1 billion) valued contract for procurement of 32 new HAL Dhruvs for Indian Navy and Coast Guard. The first ALH (Dhruv) Squadron was commissioned in the Indian Navy in November 2013. Dhruv is the first indigenously designed and manufactured helicopter at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and with its multi role capabilities has proven her mettle in all the three services of the Armed Forces, Indian Coast Guard, BSF and in the inventory of foreign countries.

The Indian Government yesterday approved INR 7000 crore ($1.1 billion) valued contract for procurement of 32 new HAL Dhruvs for Indian Navy and Coast Guard. The first ALH (Dhruv) Squadron was commissioned in the Indian Navy in November 2013. Dhruv is the first indigenously designed and manufactured helicopter at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and with its multi role capabilities has proven her mettle in all the three services of the Armed Forces, Indian Coast Guard, BSF and in the inventory of foreign countries.


Indian Navy Commissions First Advanced Light Helicopter - Dhruv
Picture: Indian Navy

The ALH is a multi-role, multi-mission helicopter in 5.5 tonne class, fully designed and developed by HAL. Built to FAR 29 specifications, Dhruv is designed to meet the requirement of both military and civil operators.

Dhruv is designed to perform both utility and attack roles. With a twin-engine configuration, Dhruv allows continued flight virtually throughout the flight envelope. Dhruv incorporates a number of advanced technologies; Integrated Dynamic System (IDS), Anti-resonance Isolation System (ARIS), Full Authority Digital Electronic Control (FADEC), Hingeless Main Rotor, Bearingless Tail Rotor, and Automatic Flight Control System to name a few.

http://www.navyrecognition.com

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India finalises follow-on C-130J buy

Lockheed Martin has received a contract worth almost $565 million to produce an additional six C-130J-30 tactical transports for the Indian air force.

“The total cumulative face value of the contract is $2.06 billion,” says the US Department of Defense of the Foreign Military Sales deal. India’s Defence Acquisition Council had cleared the acquisition in September 2013.

Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2017, with the new aircraft to be operated from Panagarh air base in India’s eastern state of West Bengal.

India placed its first, $1.2 billion order for six C-130Js in late 2008, with the special mission-configured transports having entered use at Hindon air base by 2011. New Delhi has chosen not to order an additional aircraft to replace aircraft KC-3803, which crashed in March this year.

http://www.flightglobal.com

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Strategic airlift and nostalgia headed for Delhi, in one package

NEW DELHI: When this C-17 Globemaster-III touches down in New Delhi on July 28, there will be a surprise package in the gigantic aircraft's belly. The state-of-the-art strategic airlift aircraft will regurgitate a vintage plane onto the tarmac at Palam.

The four-engine C-17, which will be sixth such aircraft to be delivered of the 10 ordered for $4.1 billion from the US, will be carrying a restored T-6G Harvard plane that was used by IAF to train its rookie pilots in the 1950s and 1960s.

The single-engine Harvard is the second vintage plane to be restored under the IAF project to have a Vintage Flight Squadron (VFS), a hugely popular concept in air forces around the globe despite the supersonic era in military aviation, which is now headed for hypersonic, unmanned air combat operations.

"Our first vintage plane that was restored in the UK was a Tiger Moth, a biplane of the 1940s which even saw some action during World War-II. The Tiger Moth created waves during the flypast on the 80th anniversary of IAF in 2012," said an officer.

"It's all about nostalgia and chronicling the rich IAF heritage since it came into existence on October 8, 1932, with six Royal Air Force-trained Indian officers and four Westland Wapiti II-A biplanes. Around 10 vintage planes like Spitfire, Vampire, HT2-1, Wapiti, Lysander, Tempest and Hurricane from the IAF museum will be progressively resurrected for the VFS,'' he added.

Though IAF did some initial restoration work, despite it being difficult to find spare-parts for the retired warhorses, the Tiger Moth and Harvard were later sent to M/s Reflight Airworks in the UK for making them fully capable of flying once again.

The Harvard, with its wings detached, has already been loaded onto the C-17 during its stopover in the UK. "The C-17 will reach New Delhi on Monday via Abu Dhabi. Like the first five C-17s, this one will also join the 81 ``SkyLords'' Squadron based at the Hindon airbase," said another officer.

India's strategic airlift capabilities have got a big boost with the C-17s, which have undertaken missions to Port Blair, Leh and Thoise as well as "special" ones to energy-rich Tajikistan and Rwanda in central Africa over the last couple of years. Designed to swiftly airlift a 70-tonne cargo across 4,200-km, the rugged C-17 can even land at makeshift airstrips in forward areas.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Citation :

  Rafale en Inde : Dassault de plus en plus proche du nirvana

New Delhi a annoncé cette semaine que l'offre de l'avionneur tricolore était conforme à l'appel d'offre. Une nouvelle étape importante franchie. Un contrat pourrait être signé en mars 2015.  

C'est une nouvelle étape très importante franchie par Dassault Aviation pour la vente des 126  Rafale en Inde. La proposition de l'avionneur français en matière de transferts de technologies (ToT) est conforme aux exigences indiquées dans l'appel d'offre de New Delhi, a expliqué mardi le ministre de la Défense, Shri Arun Jaitley. Et de préciser que le processus de négociations avec Dassault Aviation pour l'obtention du programme de l'avion de combat multi-rôles médium (MMRCA) est toujours en cours.

"C'est un signe politique du nouveau gouvernement indien vis-à-vis de la France pour lui dire que tout va bien et de ne pas se stresser", explique-t-on à La Tribune.

Un contrat signé en mars 2015 ?

Toute la question est de savoir quand Dassault Aviation va-t-il signer enfin le contrat du siècle, baptisé par les Indiens "Mother of all deals" (la mère de tous les contrats), qui porte sur l'acquisition de 126 Rafale par New Delhi, dont 108 seront produits localement. "En mars 2015" à la fin de l'année fiscale indienne, estime un industriel tout en restant prudent. Ce qui est possible car New Delhi et les industriels tricolores veulent ficeler le dossier pour que le contrat soit prêt fin 2014. "Le job est fait", assure-t-il.

La longue marche de Dassault Aviation et de ses partenaires (Thales, Safran et MBDA) en Inde touche à sa fin. L'Inde est entrée en janvier 2012 en négociations exclusives avec Dassault Aviation pour doter son armée de 126 avions Rafale, un contrat estimé au total à 18 milliards d'euros, armements et soutien compris. Il s'agirait du premier succès à l'exportation pour l'avion de combat français engagé avec succès sur les théâtres d'opérations afghan, libyen et malien.

http://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/20140725trib000841500/rafale-en-inde-dassault-de-plus-en-plus-proche-du-nirvana.html

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India asks Russia to upgrade two submarines

25/07/2014 Itar-Tass

India has asked Russia to upgrade two its submarines, director-general of the Rubin Central Maritime Design Bureau Igor Vilnit said on Friday.

“The Indian governments filed a request to the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation to extend the life of two Russian Kilo Class submarines (Type 877EKM),” he said.

Specialists of the Zvyozdochka ship repair centre and the Rubin design bureau are expected to leave for India to inspect the first submarine.

“We’re optimistic about military-technical cooperation with the new Indian government,” Vilnit said.

Russia and India develop military-technical cooperation since the mid 1960’s. In the mid 1990’s Russia and India signed an interstate agreement on military-technical cooperation. The ten submarines were supplied to India’s Navy from 1986 to 2000.  

http://in.rbth.com/news/2014/07/25/india_asks_russia_to_upgrade_two_submarines_36981.html

U209-1500 Shishumar class ... un vrai SM discret qui ne fais pas trop parler de lui   

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Publié le 3 Août 2014 par Loïc

Un Jaguar s'écrase en Inde  



Si il y a bien un problème au sein de la Force Aérienne Indienne, c'est les crash des avions de chasse qu'elle doit régulièrement subir, que ce soit avec les Mig-21, surtout, ou encore les Jaguar.

Vendredi 1er Août, un Jaguar s'est écrasé dans l'Ouest de l'Inde, à proximité de la ville de Bhuj, dans l'Etat du Gujarat, non loin de la Mer d'Arabie. Alors que l'appareil s'envolait pour une mission de routine, le pilote a dû s'éjecter environ vingt minutes après le décollage.

Un porte-paroles de la Force Aérienne Indienne a indiqué qu'il n'y avait pas eu de dégât au sol, et que selon les premières indications, tout porte à croire que l'accident est dû à une défaillance technique. Une enquête lancée par les autorités indiennes permettra de savoir précisément ce qu'il s'est passé.

Il s'agit du second crash d'un Jaguar de la Force Aérienne Indienne pour l'année 2014. En effet, le 22 Janvier dernier, dans l'Etat du Rajasthan le pilote et son co-pilote se sont éjectés de l'appareil alors qu'ils étaient en phase d'approche pour atterrir sur une base aérienne du pays.

Plus généralement, et au cours des trois dernières années, l'Inde a connu vingt crash d'avions de chasse sur son territoire. Il y a eu huit Mig-21, trois Mig-29, quatre Jaguar, deux Mirage 2000, deux Su-30, ainsi qu'un Mig-27.

Photo : (c) Force aérienne indienne - Deux Jaguar en vol

http://www.defens-aero.com/2014/08/un-jaguar-s-ecrase-en-inde.html  

Citation :

Inde, le Tejas l’épine dans le pied du Rafale!



New Dehli, l’avion de combat indien HAL Tejas MkI va recevoir son  approbation opérationnelle finale (FOC) d’ici 2015, en parallèle, le Tejas MKII est attendu pour 2020.

L’arrivée tant attendue de l’avion de combat indien, pose dorénavant un vrai problème sur la finalisation du contrat Rafale, nous allons voir ici, les détails de ce feuilleton.

Arrivée du Tejas :

Près de trois décennies, après qu'il a été conçu, le LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) Tejas MKI est en passe de pouvoir équiper l’aviation indienne : actuellement le Tejas est composé à 80% d’élément indiens. Deux premiers escadrons doté de 20 appareils chacun sont actuellement en constitution avec lesquels, les pilotes pourront commencer à se familiariser avec le nouvel appareil, destiné à remplacer les versions les plus anciennes du MiG-21.  

Le Tejas MkI est doté du moteur américain General-Electric F-404. Le HAL Tejas est doté d’un radar multimode à effet Doppler, disposant des modes  air-air, air-sol, air-mer. L’appareil dispose également d’une nacelle FLIR et d’un désignateur laser.  

L’Indian Air Force (IAF) compte surtout sur l’arrivée du second standard du Tejas, le MKII, qui sera conforme aux exigences prévues dans les besoins fixés en 1985. Il faudra donc à l’IAF patienter encore un peu avec la mise à niveau au standard MkII. Le standard MkII, dont les essais avec des tirs réels ont été validés le 10.12.2013, mais il faudra attendre 2016 pour débuter la production de prés-séries et finalement doté l’IAF d’ici 2020.

L'armée de l'air indienne a prévu de se doter de quatre escadrons (80 avions) de la variante MkII d’ici 2020, puis d’augmenter la commande d’ici 2025.

Moins de Rafale ?

Les nombreux retards du programme LCA du Tejas avaient à l’époque contraint l’Inde à entrevoir une solution de rechange avec le programme (Medium Multi-rôle Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) dont le Rafale fut déclaré vainqueur en décembre 2008. Mais avec les avancées du Tejas, le programme Rafale fait aujourd’hui office de doublon. Si l’on ne parle pas d’abandonner l’achat de l’avion français, ce qui serait incompréhensible de la part des négociateurs français, des rumeurs de réduction du nombre de Rafale serait actuellement envisagées. En effet, le ministre de la Défense et ministre des Finances du nouveau gouvernement propose de réduire le nombre d'avions de 126 à 80, voir même 60, afin de réduire le budget mis à disposition du ministère pour l’achat des avions français.

Hors, de l’avis même du commandant de l’IAF, descendre sous le seuil de 80 avions sonnerait la fin du contrat Rafale ! L’IAF préférant commander plus de Tejas MKII et compléter ceux-ci, avec un nombre plus élevé du futur Sukhoi T-50 (PAK-FA) russe, dont l’Inde est également partenaire de développement.



Bataille politique :

Le Team Dassault qui négocie le contrat Rafale en Inde à fort à cravacher sur cet épineux dossier. D’abord, avec les nombreux changements indiens qui imposent du jour au lendemain de nouvelles directives, comme l’adjonction du missile Brahmos par exemple. Le fait que les employés de HAL ne possèdent pas le niveau pour le montage du Rafale sur place. Imaginez, que même Pilatus a refusé le montage du PC7MKII pour cette même raison.

Mais il faut également signaler les lenteurs de l’administration indienne, qui à force de trainer les pieds en deviennent suspectes. Souvenez-vous, l’Inde n’avait plus d’avion école, le choix de l’avion suisse Pilatus PC7MKII a été réglé en six mois et le contrat signé en 8 mois seulement. Comme quoi l’administration indienne peut travailler rapidement.  

Quel avenir pour le contrat Rafale :

Mais dans le cas du Rafale, on sent très clairement que celle-ci tend à faire trainer les choses, afin de favoriser l’arrivée du Tejas. Car un Rafale qui arriverait trop rapidement signerait un coup de frein dévastateur à l’avion indien. Il faut comprendre que si le Tejas, même dans sa version MKII, sera inférieure au Rafale, ce projet ne représente rien de plus, que l’autonomie aéronautique indienne ! Par conséquent tout est fait en faveur du Tejas.

Reste donc L’IAF, qui pourrait faire pression en faveur de l’avion français, en cas de nouveaux retards sur le MKII. Un compromis pourrait alors permettre de faire passer le Rafale, tout en gardant le Tejas, mais avec de commandes étalées sur un plus long termes, de quoi satisfaire tout le monde.


Photos : 1& 3 HAL Tejas MKI @ HAL 2 Rafale B @ Dassault Aviation

http://psk.blog.24heures.ch/archive/2014/08/03/inde-le-tejas-l-epine-dans-le-pied-du-rafale-856714.html

India offers to buy more U.S. helicopters, hopes to drive down costs

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NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India has offered to significantly increase an order for U.S. attack helicopters, Indian officials said, as U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel began a visit to New Delhi on Thursday aimed at boosting defence and strategic ties.

The Apache gunships and a deal for Chinook helicopters, both built by Boeing, will top the agenda in Hagel's talks on Friday with the new administration led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India has offered a follow-on order of 39 AH-64D Apache helicopters in addition to the 22 now being negotiated, a Defence Ministry official said. The sides have been wrangling over the price of the gunships, however, with the initial deal having been estimated to be worth $1.4 billion.

The two countries have rapidly expanded military and business ties in recent years, despite discord over issues such as intellectual property rights and market access.

Washington is keen to step up cooperation across the board, seeing India as a strategic partner in the face of an increasingly powerful and assertive China.

According to defence research firm IHS Jane's, India was the top foreign buyer of U.S. arms last year. An Apache deal would be the first big military contract since Modi's government took office in May.

Hagel's trip follows one by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry last week and is part of the build-up to talks between Modi and President Barack Obama in Washington in September.

Hagel's talks will also cover military exercises and co-production and co-development of armaments and the renewal of a 10-year defence cooperation agreement that runs until 2015.

Hagel said the purpose of his visit went beyond arms sales.

"Our interests are varied and common - stability, security, economics, possibilities, freedom," he said en route to India. "I'll be there, working, yes, our specific issues, but it's larger ... than that."

"WE NEED PARTNERS"

Hagel said Asia-Pacific was a region of great opportunities, but also of challenges. "We need partners. We need relationships. That's the kind of world we live in, and that's the kind of world that we're going to be living in."

Speaking to reporters on his plane, Hagel was asked about India's apparent reluctance to be seen as a full U.S. ally and he replied that Washington was "mindful" of India's tradition as a independent, non-aligned state.

"We're not trying to change that," he said. "But...we have common interests, and...we think there's more potential to build on those common interests."

U.S. officials say there is the potential for billions of dollars of new arms sales in the next few years and hope Modi can overcome bureaucratic obstacles that have held up some.

Last month, India's cabinet cleared a proposal to allow 49 percent foreign participation in the defence industry, up from a current cap of 26 percent.

Hagel said he would be looking at whether there would be the potential to go beyond 49 per cent something U.S. defence firms want before allowing technology transfers India craves.

The initial batch of Apache helicopters is meant to replace the Indian Air Force's ageing fleet of Soviet-era aircraft and will be armed with Hellfire and Stinger missiles.

The Indian Army has separately requested a fleet of at least 39 of these attack aircraft, some of which will be deployed as part of a new mountain division it is raising along the disputed border with China, an army official said.

"The point is we are looking at 60 to 70 pieces eventually, so the expectation is the vendor will factor that in, in the price negotiations," said the defence ministry official, who asked not to be identified in line with ministry policy.

U.S. defence sales to India have grown from the low hundreds of millions of dollars in the decade to 2008 to more than $9 billion since that year.

((Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom and Andrea Shalal-Esa in Washington; Editing by Mike Collett-White, Tom Brown and Grant McCool))

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/india-offers-buy-more-u-144923535.html

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India Puts Finmeccanica Deals On Hold

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140806/DEFREG03/308060020/India-Puts-Finmeccanica-Deals-Hold

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Navy gets new facility to communicate with nuclear submarines prowling underwater

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Navy-gets-new-facility-to-communicate-with-nuclear-submarines-prowling-underwater/articleshow/39371121.cms

Citation :

Rafale : le nouveau ministre indien de la Défense reprend le flambeau des négociations

http://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/rafale-le-nouveau-ministre-indien-de-la-defense-reprend-le-flambeau-des-negociations.N278584#xtor=RSS-215