Indian Navy : First Boeing Poseidon P-8I aircraft received

Boosting its anti-submarine warfare capabilities, the Indian Navy today received its first of the eight P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft from Boeing. 

India had signed a deal worth over USD 2.1 billion with the American firm in January 2009 for procuring eight P-8I long-range surveillance aircraft which are equipped with anti-submarine weaponry.

The first aircraft was handed over to Indian personnel by the Boeing company in Seattle, US and now it will be used for training the Indian Navy crew, Navy officials said here.

Boeing Poseidon P-8I on a Test Flight ( Image Courtesy - shelbs2.deviantart.com )

The aircraft along with two more will arrive in India in May next year and would be deployed at a naval base in Tamil Nadu, they said. 

India is also looking at ordering four more such aircraft to keep an eye on its extensive maritime territory and for replacing and augmenting its existing fleet of Russian Tupolev-42 and Ilyushin-38 Sea Dragon aircraft. 

It also plans to have six more medium range maritime reconnaissance aircraft. It operates the Dornier surveillance aircraft for short-range surveillance activities.

News Courtesy - economictimes.indiatimes.com

Indian Air Force : Follow-up orders for C-130J and C-17

There will be an increase in the induction of transport aircraft and helicopters in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and their role will be expanded for deployment in conflicts, Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), said in Coimbatore today.

“Contract for six more C-130J Hercules will be inked soon. Ten more C-17 Globemaster aircraft will join the IAF as part of Phase II,” the Air Chief Marshal said. The IAF was also looking at replacing IL-76 in the next 10 or 15 years with upgraded versions of C-17 Globemasters.

C-130J Super Hercules of Indian Air Force on a Test Flight ( Image Courtesy - xairforces.net )

C-17 Globemaster of US Air Force on a Test Flight ( Image Courtesy - wikipedia.org )

On the upgrading of helicopters, of the 80 medium-lift Mi-17 V5 helicopters, for which a pact has been inked, 42 had already been inducted. 

Mi-17 V5 of Indian Air Force ( Image Courtesy - defenseindustrydaily.com )

A fresh contract to procure 59 more helicopters was expected to be signed soon, he said. When these got inducted into the Air Force, they were expected to become the backbone medium-lift capability in the Northern and Eastern sectors, he added.

News Courtesy - thehindu.com

INS Chakra Video - Homecoming of Akula Class SSN

A beautiful video of INS Chakra on its way to Vishakhaptnam from Vladivostok. I have watched this video number of times, and I am pretty sure many of you would also do the same, background music is also amazing.

( Video Courtesy - Uploaded to youtube by Shiv Aroor )

It has been posted on youtube by one of my favorite Defence Journalist - Shiv Aroor.

Enjoy.

Indian Air Force - Boeing C-17 Globemaster by June 2013

Induction of C-17 Aircraft would form part of the major expansion in the Indian Air Force during next year, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne said today.

The first C-17 Globemaster Aircraft would reach India by June 2013. C-17 would be mainly utilised for strategic lifting and transport of goods and troops, besides humanitarian relief works, Browne told reporters at Sulur Aircraft Station.

C-17 of US Air Force ( Image Courtesy - airforce-technology.com )

The Government has ordered 10 such heavy lift military aircraft and would be based at Hindon, the entire lot was expected to reach by 2015, he said.

Stating that IAF would have 39 squadron by 14th five year plan, from the present 34, Browne said Light Combat Aircraft would also be inducted by 2015 in Sulur.

News Courtesy - thehindubusinessline.com

Sukhoi T 50 (PAK-FA) Fourth Prototype - First Test Flight

Russia's fourth prototype Sukhoi T-50 stealth fighter jet took to the skies for the first time Wednesday in a 40-minute flight at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur factory in Siberia, Sukhoi said. 

"The fourth prototype PAK-FA made its first flight today from the Gagarin factory in Komsomolsk-on-Amur," Sukhoi said, referring to the aircraft by its project name, an acronym for future fifth-generation tactical fighter. "The flight tested the aircraft's overall integrity and its main engines. The aircraft is making a good impression in all phases of the flying programme," Sukhoi said. 

First flight of Sukhoi PAK-FA ( Image Courtesy - ausairpower.net ) 

The T-50, which will be the core of Russia's future fighter fleet, is a fifth-generation multi-role fighter aircraft featuring low-observable technology (stealth), super-manoeuverability, supercruise capability (supersonic flight without use of afterburner), and an advanced avionics suite including an X-band active phased-array radar. Indian version of this aircraft is known as HAL FGFA.

The first prototype first flew Jan 29, 2010. The Russian defence ministry plans to purchase a first batch of 10 evaluation aircraft and then 60 production-standard aircraft after 2015.

News Courtesy - zeenews.india.com

Indian Air Force - To procure two more AWACS

India is planning to procure two more Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) for the Indian Air Force, Lok Sabha was informed today.

"Three AWACS are already operationalised in the IAF and there is a proposal for procurement of two additional AWACS," Defence Minister A K Antony said in a written reply.

He said the long-term integrated perspective plan seeks to have a mix of large AWACS aircraft and small Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system aircraft.

AWACS arriving at India in 2008 ( Image Courtesy - militaryphotos.net) 

DRDO is also working towards developing indigenous AEW and C system on the Embraer aircraft and it is expected to be completed within 84 months.

News Courtesy - business-standard.com

Indian Air Force - Mig 29 Upgrade - Progress Update

Russia has delivered the first three upgraded MiG-29 UPG fighter jets to India under a USD 900 million contract to modernise the ageing fleet of MiG-29 aircraft with the IAF, the MIG corporation has announced. "The MiG corporation has started deliveries of upgraded MiG-29UPG fighter jets to the Indian Air Force," the company said in a statement.

"The first three aircraft have been transported to India on board an AN-124 heavy-lift transport plane," the statement said.

The IAF has awarded the MiG corporation a USD 900 million contract to upgrade all of its 69 operational MiG-29s. These upgrades include a new avionics kit, with the N-109 radar being replaced by a Phazatron Zhuk-M radar. The aircraft is also being equipped to enhance beyond-visual-range combat ability and for air-to-air refuelling to increase flying time.

( Image Courtesy - theasiandefence.blogspot.com )

The service life of the modernised aircraft has been extended to 40 years, RIA Novosti news agency reported. The first six aircraft are upgraded in Russia while the remaining 63 will be refitted at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) facility in India.

In 2007, Russia gave HAL a license to manufacture 120 RD-33 series 3 turbojet engines for the upgrade. "We are getting ready to carry out the work on the second part of the contract, which stipulates the modernisation of the MiG-29 aircraft in India in close cooperation with the Indian defence industry," the MiG press service said.

News Courtesy - indianexpress.com