Update : HAL AMCA - Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft

The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), formerly known as the Medium Combat Aircraft (MCA), is a single-seat, twin-engine fifth-generation stealth multirole fighter being developed by HAL. In Indian Air Force, it will complement the HAL Tejas, the Sukhoi/HAL FGFA, the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI and the Dassault Rafale.

Unofficial design work on the AMCA has been started. A naval version is confirmed as Indian Navy also contributed to the funding. The AMCA will be designed with a very small radar cross-section and will also feature serpentine shaped air-intakes, internal weapons and the use of composites. A wind-tunnel testing model of the MCA airframe was seen at Aero-India, 2009.

An artist impression of HAL AMCA ( Image Courtesy - indiandefence.com) 

AMCA will be equipped with missiles like DRDO Astra and Precision Guided Munitions. The aircraft will feature extended detection and targeting range with the ability to release weapons at supersonic speeds. The aircraft's avionics suite will include AESA radar, electronic warfare systems and all aspect missile warning suite. AMCA is in  preliminary design phase from August, 2011. The final design is expected to be shown to the air force by 2012, after which full scale development on the aircraft may start.

News Courtesy - russiadefence.net

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Final Operational Clearance - LCA Tejas targeting Feb 13

India’s indigenously developed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) is likely to win its Final Operational Clearance, following testing as part of an air exercise in February, 2013. The single-seat, single-engine supersonic fighter will be put to the test during the “Iron Feast” exercise to be held in Pokhran, Rajasthan.

“The Tejas will display its capabilities in the exercise, where its lethality, endurance and precision will be tested, and if the aircraft meets all parameters, its first squadron will be  deployed in Bengaluru,” says Air Marshal Anjan Kumar Gogoi, chief of Southwestern Air Command.

Tejas ready for a Test Flight ( Image Courtesy - thebharatmilitaryreview.blogspot.com )

As of March, the LCA had undergone more than 1,800 test flights up to speeds of Mach 1.4, Initial Operational Clearance was achieved in January 2011. The Tejas is designed to carry air-to-air, air-to-surface, precision-guided and standoff weaponry.

The Indian air force (IAF), which has ordered 40 Tejas Mark I, has begun to induct the LCA, according to a ministry official. Out of the 40 aircraft, 20 were ordered under the IOC standards, and remaining 20 under Final Operational Clearance standards. IAF plans to induct six LCA squadrons over the next 10 years, the official adds.

News Courtesy - aviationweek.com

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Indian Air Force Transport Fleet C-130, C-17, MTA IL-214

The MRCA contract of 126 aircraft (may go up to 200) for Indian Air Force has been in such a limelight, that it has pushed many other important developments into the shadows. One such development has been augmentation in the fleet of transport aircraft for IAF. 

Indian Air Force had been relying on Antonov An-32 Cline for medium airlift, and on Ilyushin Il-76 Candid for heavy airlift, for multiple decades. Few years back, IAF realized that time has come for an upgrade of existing platforms and induction of new platforms inline with the strategic goal of maintaining the air superiority, both in terms of transport squadrons as well as the combat squadrons.

Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules was the first decision on those lines. followed by Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, both being acquired from United States. Along with that came the development of UAC/HAL MTA in partnership with Russian Federation. 

Indian Air Force transport aircraft inventory should have the following aircraft, by year 2020 -

Antonov AN-32 Cline		~ 08 Tons
Ilyushin IL-76 Candid		~ 50 Tons
Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules		~ 20 Tons
Boeing C-17 Globemaster III (by 2013)		~ 80 Tons
UAC/HAL MTA IL-214 (under development)		~ 22 Tons

IAF's An-32 Cline on a sortie ( Image Courtesy - airteamimages.com )

IAF's Ilyushin-76 at Red Flag Exercise in United States ( Image Courtesy - bharat-rakshak.com )

IAF's C-130 J Super Hercules on its way to India from United States ( Image Courtesy - xairforces.net )

A C-17 Globemater on a test flight after upgrade ( Image Courtesy - anupkumarchaturvedi.com )

An artist representation of HAL/UAC Multi-role Transport Aircraft ( Image Courtesy - airforce-technology.com )

The interesting part of HAL/UAC MTA development is that it is being developed to replace AN-32 Cline. As per the current timeline, MTA should be ready to join IAF by 2016. So, MTA will start flying along with AN-32 and would start to replace it from 2025. But MTA is a bigger aircraft with 22 tons payload and will replace a much smaller aircraft An-32 with just 8 tons payload. Hence, this replacement, though looking a normal replacement process from outside, will actually increase the transport capability of IAF, manifolds !!!

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IAF getting its Training Program back on track with Pilatus

Indian Air Force is now going fast track on development of its training infrastructure. After remaining mired in stagnant years due to lack of decision making and painful procurement process, finally there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.

The training curriculum of Indian Air Force consists of three stages - 

• Stage 1 - Basic
• Stage 2 - Intermediate
• Stage 3 - Advanced

If we rewind few years, then this is how trainer aircraft were mapped to each stage -

• Basic - HAL HPT-32 Deepak
• Intermediate - HAL HJT-16 Kiran Mark I
• Advanced -  HAL HJT-16 Kiran Mark II

But there has always been problems with this setup; pilots had to directly move from Kiran Mark II to Mig 21. MIg 21 was an extremely demanding aircraft for a pilot. As one senior pilot had famously mentioned, "Mig 21 is a beautiful, but an unforgiving aircraft." This was one of the major reason that so many precious lives and formidable war machines were lost from 90s to 2000. An inexperience pilot on a Mig 21 was not a very good combination, however, Indian Air Force had limited choices on that front. But Indian Air Force had recognized that this is a severe problem and had to be resolved at the earliest.

IAF went into the overdrive to look for a better aircraft for "Advance Stage Training" of its pilots, so that transition to Mig 21 could be streamlined in an efficient manner. As progress towards search for a trainer aircraft towards "Advanced Stage Training" was underway, there came another threat in form of obsolescence of HPT-32 Deepak, whose rate of accidents started shooting up. Finally when one aircraft crashed in an aero-show at Hyderabad, IAF realized that it has got another major problem in hand.

In year 2012, things are finally started to look up in much better shape for IAF, as far as its training program is concerned. If we take a look at present and the future, then this is how trainer aircraft are / will be mapped to each stage -

• Basic - Pilatus PC-7 ( From Feb 2013 )

Pilatus PC-7 on a sortie ( Image Courtesy - softpedia.com ) 

• Intermediate - HAL HJT-36 Sitara ( Under development )

HAL Sitara on a test flight ( Image Courtesy - defenceforumindia.com )

• Advanced -  BAE Hawk

BAE Hawk in IAF colours ( Image Courtesy - defence.pk )

We do hope that with the induction of these sophisticated training platforms, Indian Air Force will be able to train its pilots in the best possible way, as it had always desired.

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Indian Air Force all set for Dassault Rafale

Addressing questions raised over the process of selecting Rafale fighter planes, Government is going ahead with the procurement of 126 French combat aircraft and effort is being made to complete the deal in few months down the line.

Rafale getting ready for action ( Image Courtesy - airliners.net )

Contract negotiations for the multi-billion dollar deal will resume soon. Government is making efforts to conclude the deal during this financial year, sources said.

News Courtesy - ibnlive.com

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Zeppelin Rises Again - First Flight of US Airship

The U.S. military first hybrid airship took off on its maiden voyage in second week of August 2012, hovering above New Jersey in a successful test flight. The LEMV, which took off from New Jersey’s Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst base, was piloted for the test flight of 90 mminutes, but has the ability to function as an unmanned vehicle. It can float at an altitude of about 22,000 feet for upto 21 days, and can travel at about 92 mph. The LEMV’s strong skin - a blend of Vectran, Kevlar and Mylar - can endure a reasonable amount of small arms fire from enemies on the ground.

First test flight of LEMV ( Image Courtesy - aopa.org )

Lakehurst, where the LEMV took flight, is no stranger to airships. The base is also the site where there was a tragedy of Hindenburg crash in 1937. Lakehurst seems to have risen back as a Phoenix, with this test flight of US Army Airship.

LEMV also has significant endurance, and can stay afloat above a battlefield or insurgent hotspot for up to 21 days - at a fraction of the cost of other military options.

First test flight of LEMV ( Video Courtesy - youtube )

In a statement, the U.S. Army said the LEMV 'is intended to be used to conduct long-term intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, or ISR, and persistent stare-type missions, and can also be used as a communications relay.'

News Courtesy - aopa.org and dailymail.co.uk

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Nostalgia - INS Vikrant and INS Viraat sailing together

Found a rare photograph of INS Vikrant (retired in 1997) and INS Viraat sailing together sometime in 90's. INS Vikrant is at the rear, and INS Viraat is at the front in this picture.

A sheer nostalgic moment looking at INS Vikrant steaming ahead in full glory. Sometimes, I really wonder, if it is possible to make a refit on INS Vikrant and use it for naval training purpose. Or, may be to convert it into an LPH (Landing Platform Helicopter). 

Russian Federation has brought back so many mothballed warships (rusting for decades while moored at shipyards), back to active duty - Admiral Gorshkov Aircraft Carrier (renamed INS Vikramaditya, for our navy itself), proposed reactivation of Kirov Class Battle Cruisers, planned reactivation of Slava Class Cruiser Ukrayina for Russian Navy, which was launched in 1990 and is still docked at harbor of Mykolaiv, Ukraine.

INS Vikrant and INS Viraat sailing together in 90's ( Image Courtesy - martinfrost.ws )

It is sheer day-dreaming, I know, but wouldn't it be a sheer delight to see INS Vikrant steaming once again in Indian Ocean, in the same formation with INS Viraat, just one more time !!!

Think about it and please do post your comments on this.