http://www.india-defence.comDefense, military and strategic affairsNewsWeb19.orgsupport@web19.orghttp://www.india-defence.com/reports-4481As the race in the Indian Air Force's $10-billion tender for 126 combat jets reached the crucial stage of flight trials, Russia, on top of a full technology transfer, is offering India help in building its own advanced radar. This would put India in the elite league of manufacturers of some of the most sophisticated defence equipment. "We are ready to develop a new advanced radar jointly with India," said Vyacheslav Tishchenko, head of the Phazotron-NIIR Corporation. The company has built Russia's first Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, Zhuk-ME, for the MiG-35 fighter, the Russian contender in the IAF tender for the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA). Two planes will go to India next month for flight evaluation trials. Also in the fray are the U.S. F-16 and F-18, the French Dassault's Rafale, the Swedish Saab Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon. Transfer of technology is a prime requirement in the MMRCA tender, but as far as the radar is concerned, Russia alone seems prepared to meet the demand in full. "Out of six-seven countries in the world that have the know-how to build radars for combat jets, only two — Russia and the U.S. — domestically produce the full range of radar components," Phazotron's chief designer Yuri Guskov said. Raytheon, the U.S. company that manufactures radars for the F-18 fighter, has already said it would only transfer "limited" technology "up to the level the U.S. government allows us." This means America's European competitors in the MMRCA tender will also face restrictions on the transfer of technologies sourced from U.S. companies. Russia is the only bidder which does not depend on the U.S. for any aircraft technologies, including the radar. India Defenceindia, russia, defensehttp://www.india-defence.com/reports-4480Indian Navy has okay-ed the placement of an order for six Naval Tejas Light Combat Aircrafts (N-LCA). At an approximate cost of Rs 150 crore per aircraft, this will provide a Rs 900 crore infusion into the Naval LCA programme. That investment in the Tejas programme is rooted in the navy's plan to operate both light and medium fighters off its aircraft carriers. The Naval LCA will supplement the heavier Russian MiG-29K, which has already been ordered from Russia. The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC), being built at Cochin Shipyard, Kochi, has been designed with a separate aircraft lift and maintenance facilities for the LCA, in addition to facilities for the MiG-29K. That has linked the development of the Naval LCA with the construction of the IAC, which is expected to join the fleet by 2014. But the LCA programme faces a bottleneck in choosing a new engine. Two uprated engines -- the General Electric GE-414 and the Eurojet EJ-200 -- are currently being evaluated, but will be supplied only by 2013-14. And only with the new engine will the LCA have the power to get airborne from an aircraft carrier. P S Subramaniam, the Director of the Aeronautical Development Agency, which coordinates the LCA programme, explains: "We will fly the Naval LCA with the current GE-404 engine to test its flight characteristics, and whether its structural strength is sufficient for aircraft carrier operations. After the LCA is fitted with a new, more powerful engine we will take the next step of operating from an aircraft carrier." Meanwhile, a major shore-based test facility is coming up at INS Hansa, in Goa, which replicates an aircraft carrier deck on ground, complete with arrested recovery and a ski jump for take off. This facility, which is expected to be operational by October 2011, will be used for certifying the Naval LCA before actually flying off an aircraft carrier. This will also be used for pilots’ training and for training maintenance crews.India Defenceindia, indian navy, defense, hal, drdohttp://www.india-defence.com/reports-4479With the first successful landing of an AN-32 at Nyoma airstrip in eastern Ladakh, the IAF is all set to convert the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) into a full-fledged airbase for fixed wing transport aircraft in the next couple of years. The work on converting the Nyoma airstrip, just 23 km from Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, into an airbase, where the AN-32s can be based and operated, had already begun, IAF officials said here Sunday. The ALG already operates helicopters from Nyoma, which is the third such ALG to come up in Ladakh region after Daulat Beg Oldi in northern Ladakh and Fuk Che in eastern Ladakh. "Once the Nyoma airbase comes up, it will be the first operational transport airbase of the IAF in eastern Ladakh," the officials said. The IAF already has an airbase in Leh, which can operate all types of aircraft -- fighters, heavy lift and medium lift transport, apart from rotary wing. One more airstrip at Chushul is in the offing, though work on laying the compacted runway there is yet to begin, they said. "Chushul is a futuristic proposition. As of now, the IAF does not feel the need to have the airstrip there. But it is certain on the IAF's radars," Air Force officials said. Chushul, incidentally is closer to the Pongang Tso lake in eastern Ladakh. India controls only one-third of the lake, while the rest is under Chinese control. Apart from the new ALGs in Ladakh along the Chinese border, the government is also reviving around 20 helipads along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh. But these helipads are coming up with help from the Home Ministry, Civil Aviation Ministry and the state government, apart from the Defence Ministry, the officials added. India Defenceindia, military, indian air forcehttp://www.india-defence.com/reports-4478Russia will complete the upgradation of Indian Air Force's 60 MiG-29 fighters by 2013 which will extend their service life by another 15 years. "The implementation of the contract signed between India and Russia started last year, and it will be fulfilled in 2013," a defense source was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti. Under the contract signed last year, Russia's RAC MiG aircraft corporation will upgrade over 60 MiG-29 fighters, in service with the IAF since the 1980s and service life of the aircraft will be extended from 25 to 40 years. The contract also stipulates the construction of MiG consignment depots and service centers in India to resolve the problem of timely supply of spares and after sale services, as well as flight simulators for pilot training. The upgrade MiG-29s will be fitted with advanced avionics, new multi-functional Zhuk-ME radars, a new weapon control system, as well as modernized RD-33 engines. According to defense official quoted by the agency, first four Indian MiG-29 fighters are being modernized and flight-tested in Russia and the remaining aircraft will be overhauled in India with the Russian technical assistance.India Defenceindia, russia, indian air force, defensehttp://www.india-defence.com/reports-4477LineMint reports that the Aeronautical Development Agency has sent proposal requests to GE Aviation for its state-of-the-art F414 military aviation engines to propel the HAL Tejas light combat fighter jet. The F414-GE-400 is the U.S. Navy's newest and most advanced technology production fighter engine. It incorporates advanced technology with the proven design base of its F404 predecessor to provide the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet with a durable, reliable and easy to maintain engine. The engine entered production in late 1998 after a highly successful Engineering and Manufacturing Development program that was completed on time and on budget. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet production deliveries to the U.S. Navy are in process and are planned to continue through 2012. The F414-GE-400 has been highly reliable during initial field service. ADA will also evaluate EJ2000 engine promoted by the Europe based Eurojet consortium.India Defenceindia, usa, defense, ge aviationhttp://www.india-defence.com/reports-4476The Army has for the first time inducted a DRDO-built, low-cost vehicle to detect attacks on the country using nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) weapons. The indigenous vehicle, developed by DRDO’s five labs, will now be used in reconnaissance missions to detect nuclear radiations, and chemical or biological agents in the environment inside the country’s territory, DRDO officials said here on Sunday. Based on a BMP-IIK Infantry Fighting Vehicle chassis, the vehicle would cost the Indian defence establishment a fourth of that of the imported varieties, saving the country’s precious foreign exchange, the officials said without giving details. The BMP-IIK, which has a cross-country capability and adequate shield for the crew members, was fitted with nuclear, chemical, biological, meteorological and positional sensors for monitoring any contamination. The vehicle would be used for demarcating the contaminated zones with a flag-marking system and samples of soil and water collected using an in-built scooping device. It could also display and store NBC contamination data in its control console and transmit it to the Army’s Command Headquarters on request through Communication Link Controller and Star-V radio set.India Defenceindia, indian army, drdo, defensehttp://www.india-defence.com/reports-4475With the third generation anti-tank Nag missile proving its lethality in the final user trials being conducted in the deserts of Rajasthan, a top missile scientist of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) expressed optimism about its induction into the Army soon. The Army, which conducted winter trials of the missile’s land version in December, began the summer trials earlier this week. While four flight tests were completed by Thursday, three more were slated for Friday night. Talking to reporters on Friday, V. K. Saraswat, Chief Controller, R&D (missiles and strategic systems), DRDO, described the Nag as a modern and "very potent weapon system with high reliability in performance and damage." With the all-weather system proving its capability in the latest round of trials, he hoped its production and induction would begin by the year-end. Successful trials The hit-to-kill missile, designed to take a unique trajectory resembling that of a moving cobra , smashed stationary targets (derelict tanks) in the four trials. While two targets were of medium range, one each was of shorter and longer range (four km). Using an Imaging Infra-red (IIR) seeker, the missile, with fire-and-forget capability, acquired the targets and caused extensive damage to them. Description Nag is an all weather, top attack missile with a range of 4 to 7 km. The missile uses an 8 kg tandem HEAT warhead capable of defeating modern armour including ERA (Explosive Reactive Armour) and composite armour. Nag uses Imaging Infra-Red (IIR) guidance with day and night capability. Mode of launch for the IIR seeker is LOBL (Lock On Before Launch). The missile has a complete fiberglass structure and weighs around 42 kg.India Defenceindia, indian army, drdo, missile, defensehttp://www.india-defence.com/reports-4474In the midst of the Indian Defence Ministry scurrying for aerial surveillance aircraft, speedboats and vessels for coastal security, the U.S. has offered 12 helicopters on lease to India for more effective surveillance of the Indian coastline, according to India Defence Online. While India is ruminating over the U.S. offer, it will be the first time it will be leasing aircraft from U.S for defence purposes. It may be noted that the Indian Coastguard is undergoing a shortage of helicopters, especially the twin-engine helicopters. The U.S has reportedly offered Sikorsky and Augusta Westland helicopters to India. Since coastline security framework is top priority for India, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been asked to deliver 12 Dornier aircraft to Coast Guard at the earliest. India has also requested private players to make offers for helicopters and other surveillance aircraft. India Defenceindia, usa, defensehttp://www.india-defence.com/reports-4473Russia will fulfill its obligations on schedule to supply three Project 11356 frigates to India by 2012, a shipbuilding industry official said on Friday to RIA Novosti. Russia is building three Project 11356 Krivak IV class guided missile frigates for the Indian Navy at the Yantar shipyard in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad as part of a $1.6 billion contract signed in July, 2006. "The contract's deadline is 2012. We are not expecting any delays at this point," general director of the Yantar shipyard Igor Orlov said at the 4th International Maritime Defense Show in St. Petersburg. The official said the hulls of all three vessels had been laid down at the shipyard. "The first ship will be floated out this year, the second, probably, in spring 2010, and the third - a bit later," he said, adding that the Indian government had provided sufficient and timely project financing. A delegation of Indian military officials, led by India's deputy chief of the naval staff, Vice Adm. Raman P Suthan, visited the Yantar shipyard in October last year and said it was satisfied with the pace and the construction quality. Russia previously built in 2004 three Krivak class frigates - INS Talwar, INS Trishul and INS Tabar - for India, but they all were delivered late. All of the new frigates will be armed with eight BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missile systems and not the Club-N/3M54TE missile system, which was installed on previous frigates. The Krivak class frigate has deadweight of 4,000 metric tons and a speed of 30 knots, and is capable of accomplishing a wide range of maritime missions, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines. India Defenceindia, russia, defensehttp://www.india-defence.com/reports-4472Preparing to deal with Mumbai attacks-like terror sieges, the Indian Army has started training its units deployed at various places considered as potential terrorist targets, according to DD India. "We must have troops who are well trained and equipped to carry out hostage rescue operations in situations such as the Mumbai crisis," Army sources told the news agency. The Army has assigned its Special Force (SF) units based across the country to train the personnel from regular infantry units for the purpose. "We realised that our units deployed in the peace locations should also be trained in urban warfare which is different from what we face in Jammu and Kashmir and the north-eastern states". "Our SF troops have had a long history of dealing with extreme situations in the insurgency-affected areas of J and K and the north-east. Therefore, they have been assigned to train and prepare troops from regular infantry units for these tasks," they said. Most of the personnel undergoing training with the SF units are deployed in cities having sizable population and attract both foreign and domestic tourists in large numbers. "Army units based in cities like Goa, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Agra, Goa, Chandigarh, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, Jamnagar and various other places spread across the country are being trained to deal with hostage rescue operations as terrorists are most likely expected to strike at such places," the sources said. These infantry units will also be equipped with modern electronic gadgets and weapons, mostly used by the SF and quick reaction teams to tackle terrorists. These weapons are normally not available to them. New courses have been designed by the SF units to train the infantry troops. "Officers and men from the chosen units have started going to the SF units, which have designed special courses for them. It will help these troops increase their mental and physical endurance and skills to tackle such crises," the sources said. At the moment, Army has six SF units which are based in locations such as Udhampur and Jodhpur. "Officers and men from the infantry units will go back to their battalions and teach their own men the skills learned from SF units," they said. The decision to set up these specialised teams within the infantry units was taken after an assessment of the lessons learned during the 26/11 operations. India Defenceindia, indian army, military, terror