French fighter sale talks with UAE moving forward

Paris: Technical talks on the sale of Rafale fighters to the United Arab Emirates are wrapping up, Defence Minister Herve Morin said Tuesday, adding that France was likely to pick up part of modernization costs.
Regarding the improvements that the UAE is seeking to the multi-role aircraft, Morin said on France Info radio "that's a discussion we've been engaged in for months and which is in the course of being finalized".
Talks on acquiring the latest-generation French-made fighters began after the UAE expressed interest in 2008 in replacing its 60 aging Mirage fighters.
Morin said the costs of the modernization was in the order of two billion euros, not four to five billion euros as has been speculated, and that France would likely absorb some of the costs as it had planned to carry them out anyway.
Regarding Brazil, Morin said he "remains confident" that the Rafale will prevail.
The Rafale, made by Dassault, has yet to clinch a single overseas sale and is in competition with Sweden's Gripen NG by Saab and the F/A-18 Super Hornet manufactured by US giant Boeing.
The deal for 36 fighter planes is estimated to be worth between four and seven billion dollars, depending on details of armaments, maintenance and peripheral industrial involvement.
"We've established a relationship of trust with the Brazilians and they have never let us down," said Morin.

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US Army Training Shifts from Live to Virtual

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.: As overall budgets grow and expenditure on training and simulation products continues to rise, the U.S. military training and simulation market has witnessed stable growth. The Department of Defense (DoD) training and simulation market has had to keep in step with advancements in technology. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, U.S. Military Training and Simulation Market, finds that the DoD spent $22.2 billion on training and simulation products and services in FY 2009, and estimates this to reach $24.1 billion by 2015. The market is slated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.4 percent from FY2009-FY2015.
High costs in live training, expanding simulation capabilities, and the desire to decrease wear and tear on operational assets will move funding away from live training toward virtual and constructive training, or toward a more efficient mix of live, virtual, and constructive training. In all segments of the training market – virtual, live, constructive/ command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (C4ISR), and education, the DoD has consistently sought out less expensive, but more effective training.
"The three major military departments – Army, Air Force, and Navy – are the major spenders on training products and services in the DoD with the Navy providing the contracts for the Marine Corps," says Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst Nelson Sturdivant.
Extensive use of improvised explosive devices in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan has amplified the need for specialized ground crew simulations to train on recognition, detection, avoidance, and deployment of missions against the threat. Instead of solely training soldiers in the nuances of warfare and combat tactics, the Army has introduced new online training methods including cultural training and pre-deployment language training.
Though flight simulators have been in use for a long time in the Air Force, the emphasis is now shifting to virtual and constructive training. Also, increases in shipboard technology and assets have ratcheted up reliance on virtual and constructive methods for training in the Navy.
Although the U.S. military training and simulation market has progressed steadily, some issues have clouded the landscape. A buildup of equipment occurred with the amassment of troops/personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. Future drawdowns in personnel and equipment will cause a decrease in spending on training for those systems.
In terms of the competitive scenario, the large number of participants has created barriers to entry. Major defense contractors still hold sway over the training and simulation market; however, some smaller 'tech' companies have made inroads into this domain by forming major contracts or partnerships with the large ones.
"Operations and maintenance (O&M) spending will continue for the majority of systems," says Sturdivant. "Companies should posture to gain or maintain their position for O&M dollars."
Smaller contractors and subcontractors can team with primes to gain a position on the O&M work that will be needed.
U.S. Military Training and Simulation Market is part of the Defense Growth Partnership Service program, which also includes research in the following markets: commercial and military aviation, military vehicles, training, and simulation. All research services included in subscriptions provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends that have been evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants.
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, enables clients to accelerate growth and achieve best-in-class positions in growth, innovation and leadership. The company's Growth Partnership Service provides the CEO and the CEO's Growth Team with disciplined research and best-practice models to drive the generation, evaluation, and implementation of powerful growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan leverages over 45 years of experience in partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from 40 offices on six continents.

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India Releases Joint Doctrines For Air/Land Ops & Psyops

Photo Courtesy DPR Defence

First IAF AWACS Begins Operational Flying, After 300 Hours !!

Russia to float out new nuclear submarine after delay

Russia on Tuesday launches a new nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine after a short delay caused by technical reasons, the Sevmash shipyard said.
The construction of the Severodvinsk, the first Project 885 Yasen (Graney) class submarine, began in 1993 at the Sevmash shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk but has since been dogged by financial setbacks. Russia planned to float out the submarine on May 7 to mark the 65th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in May 1945.
Last year, work started on the second sub in the series, the Kazan, which will feature more advanced equipment and weaponry.
Russian experts believe that the commissioning of Graney class would significantly increase combat capabilities of the Russian Navy.
“It is the newest generation of the Russian submarine fleet, which rightfully meets the demands of the 21st century,” said Vladimir Pyalov, chief designer of the Malakhit design bureau.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrived in the port of Severodvinsk to attend the official float-out ceremony.
Graney class nuclear submarines are designed to launch a variety of long-range cruise missiles (up to 3,100 miles or 5,000 km) with nuclear warheads, and effectively engage submarines, surface warships and land-based targets.
The submarine’s armament includes 24 cruise missiles, including the 3M51 Alfa SLCM, the SS-NX-26 Oniks SLCM or the SS-N-21 Granat/Sampson SLCM. It is also equipped with eight torpedo launchers, as well as mines and anti-ship missiles such as SS-N-16 Stallion.
The Severodvinsk is expected to enter service with the Russian Navy by late 2010 – early 2011.
BY: RIA Novosti

Russia, India may jointly make Glonass, GPS navigation devices

Russia and India might establish a joint venture to produce navigation equipment for GPS and its Russian equivalent Glonass, the head of the Russian federal satellite navigation operator said on Tuesday.
Glonass – the Global Navigation Satellite System – is the Russian equivalent of the U.S. Global Positioning System, or GPS, and is designed for both military and civilian use. Both systems allow users to determine their positions to within a few meters.
“We are actively working on a project to establish a joint venture on Indian territory to produce various navigation equipment. In March a group of our negotiators will head there for another round of talks,” said Aledxander Gurko, CEO of Navigation and Information Systems (NIS).
Russia currently has a total of 22 Glonass satellites in orbit, but only 16 of them are operational. The system requires 18 operational satellites for continuous navigation services covering the entire territory of Russia and at least 24 satellites to provide navigation services worldwide.
The Glonass navigation satellite system is expected to start operating worldwide by the end of 2010. As soon as global operations are launched, India will be able to use the civilian signal, allowing users to determine their position to within five to 15 meters.
India’s access to a more precise military signal is yet to be approved by the heads of the two states.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said he would discuss cooperation in the Glonass project with Indian officials during his forthcoming visit to New Delhi in the first half of March.
BY: RIA Novosti

Lockheed Martin F-35 STOVL Variant Flies Supersonic

The Lockheed Martin  F-35 Joint Strike Fighter short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variant flew faster than the speed of sound for the first time June 10, achieving a significant milestone. The aircraft accelerated to Mach 1.07 (727 miles per hour) on the first in a long series of planned supersonic flights.
“For the first time in military aviation history, supersonic, radar-evading stealth comes with short takeoff/vertical landing capability,” said Bob Price, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 U.S. Marine Corps program manager. “The supersonic F-35B can deploy from small ships and austere bases near front-line combat zones, greatly enhancing combat air support with higher sortie-generation rates.” The F-35B will enter service for the Marines, the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and the Italian Air Force and Navy.
The supersonic milestone was achieved on the 30th flight of the F-35B known as BF-2. U.S. Marine Corps pilot Lt. Col. Matt Kelly climbed to 30,000 feet and accelerated to Mach 1.07 in the off-shore supersonic test track near Naval Air Station Patuxent River. Future testing will gradually expand the flight envelope out to the aircraft’s top speed of Mach 1.6, which the F-35 is designed to achieve with a full internal weapons load of more than 3,000 pounds. All F-35s are designed to launch internal missiles at maximum supersonic speed, as well as launch internal guided bombs supersonically. During the flight, Kelly accomplished 21 unique test points, including several Integrated Test Blocks to validate roll, pitch, yaw and propulsion performance.
BF-2 is the third F-35 to achieve supersonic flight. Two F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variants also have broken the sound barrier.
The F-35 program has about 900 suppliers in 45 states, and directly and indirectly employs more than 127,000 people. Thousands more are employed in the F-35 partner countries, which have invested more than $4 billion in the project. Those countries are the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway.
Three F-35 variants are under development – the F-35A CTOL variant to replace U.S. Air Force F-16s and A-10s, as well as aircraft employed by seven allied nations; the F-35B STOVL variant to replace U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18s, U.K. Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Harrier GR.7s, GR.9s and Sea Harriers, and Italian Harriers; and the F-35C carrier variant to replace U.S. Navy F/A-18s.
BY : Lockheed Martin PR

Grob Aircraft targets 181 trainers for IAF

German maker eyes HAL’s share of 106 trainers.
As pilot Klaus Plasa lifts his 70-year-old, grey-green Messerschmitt Me-109 fighter off the runway, clapping breaks out among the aficionados of historic aircraft that crowd Berlin’s ILA 2010, the world’s oldest air show. The Me-109, which delights the crowd with its aerobatics, is the legendary Luftwaffe (German Air Force) fighter that memorably clashed with Royal Air Force Spitfires in the skies of England during the Battle of Britain in 1940.
Close on Plasa’s heels flies a restored Messerschmitt Me-262, the world’s first jet-engine fighter and unmatched in aerial combat when it entered Luftwaffe service in 1944. Historians believe, had Hitler not waited two years for the fighter’s design to be absolutely perfect, the Me-262 might have won the air war for the Germans.
While these World War II fighters held crowds spellbound at the ILA 2010, which wound up on Sunday, Indian visitors focused on another small aircraft that could soon fly the skies of India: The Grob-120TP, which has been offered as a basic trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Its German manufacturer, Grob Aircraft, submitted a tender in April along with Embraer of Brazil; Pilatus of Switzerland; Raytheon of the US; Finmeccanica of Italy; and Korea Aerospace Industries for the Indian purchase of 75 trainer aircraft.
While these 75 trainers are being procured, Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will design and manufacture an additional 106 basic trainers, dubbed the Hindustan Turbo Trainer — 40 (HTT-40). In building the HTT-40, HAL plans to leverage its experience in designing a more advanced trainer, the Sitara Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), which is currently being test flown.
All this stems from a major crisis in the basic training of IAF pilots, caused by the grounding of its entire fleet of notoriously unreliable HPT-32 Deepak trainers. In recent years, 19 IAF pilots have died in 17 Deepak crashes, mostly caused by the engine shutting down due to fuel supply interruptions.
The Deepak, like most other basic trainers worldwide, comes without ejection seats but, so desperate is the need to keep the training going that IAF has even proposed fitting each Deepak with a Ballistic Recovery System — a giant parachute that can safely bring down a stalled aircraft slowly with the crew still in their seats.
But the search for a new trainer has begun in the earnest and Grob’s aggressive two-pronged strategy targets not just the 75 trainers in the tender, but the 106 trainers that HAL proposes to build as well.
Grob’s strategy: Surprise HAL with the technological excellence of the Grob-120TP; and then — when HAL realises that it cannot match the Grob trainer — offer HAL a substantial partnership in Grob’s global supply chain in exchange for letting Grob supply an additional 106 Grob-120TP aircraft.
Given HAL’s technological excellence in manufacturing composites cheaply, Grob is happy to source from HAL. IAF will be happy with a single basic trainer that is already training Israeli, French, German and Canadian air force pilots, rather than waiting for an untried HAL trainer. And, HAL would have eliminated developmental risks, while obtaining an assured customer.
“For HAL to supply 106 aircraft to the Indian Air Force is one thing, but producing fifty, sixty, seventy components for us, for the global market, over a long period of time, is another thing,” says Johann Heitzmann, CEO of Grob Aircraft.
“Depending upon the outcome of the tender for the first 75 aircraft, all the participants will have to go and look at the cards one more tim0e and see what they sense.”
Technologically, Grob is on solid ground; the Grob-120TP is two generations ahead of the Deepak and is the world’s lightest trainer with ejection seats for both pilots. The Grob-120TP’s digital glass cockpit, built by Israeli company, Elta, allows rookie pilots to fly mission-specific sorties that were only possible earlier in advanced trainers.
Finally, Grob claims this trainer, built entirely of maintenance-free, lightweight composites, is half the price of its rivals and three times cheaper to fly and maintain. Sources indicate that the Grob-120TP has been offered to India for $3-4 million apiece.
“We are going to completely surprise everyone when they open the tender bids and see how affordable this aircraft is,” promises Andrew Martin of Martin-Baker, the company that fitted the Grob-120TP with ejection seats. “Every hour in another trainer is probably the cost of 10-15 hours in a Grob… I am sure this will strike a chord with the IAF HQ.”
While these claims will be tested by IAF during user trials in September and October, the second prong of Grob’s strategy will become evident when it submits offsets proposals on July16. Besides sourcing composite airframe components from HAL, a JV already created between HAL and Elbit — called HALBIT Avionics Ltd — is likely to produce a large part of the Grob-120TP’s avionics.
IAF fighter pilots undergo three stages of training. Basic, or Stage-1 training was done on the Deepak; to replace these trainers, IAF is buying a new aircraft.
Stage-2 training is done on the Kiran Mark 1, which will be replaced by the Sitara Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), built by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in Bangalore. Stage-3 training, just before pilots join their frontline fighter squadrons, is done on the Kiran Mark 2, which is being currently superseded by the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer.
BY: Ajai Shukla / Business-standard.com

India wary of China’s increasing role in Lanka

The growing influence of China in Sri Lanka, which may upset New Delhi’s geo-political interests in South Asia, appears to have compelled the South Block weigh the pros and cons of removing restrictions on arms sales to the island nation.
Official sources said the enhancement of defence ties between India and Sri Lanka figured in talks between the two sides during the recent visit of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to New Delhi.
“Both leaders agreed to promote dialogue on security and defence issues of relevance to their bilateral relationship, and enhance high-level military exchanges and training of military personnel as well as impart additional training in Indian institutions for the newly recruited police personnel. They agreed to institute an annual defence dialogue between the two governments,” a joint statement issued by India and Sri Lanka at the end of Rajapaksa’s visit said.
However, the sources said the joint statement had merely reflected the desire of the two countries to increase defence cooperation. Details of how the two sides would proceed in the matter would be discussed in the coming days during high-level exchanges.
Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka shortly to start the process of working out ways to deepen defence ties.
New Delhi is wary of the increasing role of China in Sri Lanka, which, many in strategic circles here believe, is part of Beijing’s strategy to encircle India in the sub-continent. Helping China in its designs in Sri Lanka is Pakistan. Pakistan is reported to have supplied al-Khalids (Pakistan’s main battle tank) and advanced rocket launchers to Sri Lanka in recent years.
Even in the war against the LTTE, Sri Lankan forces are believed to have stockpiled arms and even sought help from military commanders from China and Pakistan before the final offensive against the LTTE. India had at that time refused to supply what it considered “offensive weapons” to Sri Lanka that would have been used against the LTTE.
Since the plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka is an emotive issue in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, given the cultural and linguistic affinities, New Delhi had so far resisted any attempt to get militarily involved in the conflict in the island nation. But the sources said the situation had changed with the decimation of the LTTE.
“We obviously don’t wish to become mere spectators in the evolving situation in Sri Lanka when other players in the region and outside are trying to become overactive… the stability of Sri Lanka is important to us,” they added.
India has also now decided to open a consulate at Hambantota on Sri Lanka’s south coast where the island nation is building a deep-water port with the Chinese help.
Sources said the presence of a large number of Chinese workers in Sri Lanka had also figured prominently in talks between the two sides. The Sri Lankan side assured New Delhi that these workers were not there on a permanent basis. They would return to China as soon as they completed their work.
BY: Tribune News Service

PHOTOS: Indo-French Air Force Exercise Garuda Begins

IAF Statement: The Indo-French Air Exercise Garuda began today at Istres Air Base in Southern France. During the Ex Garuda, the Indian Air Force and French Air Force will be engaged in various missions ranging from close combat, engagement of large forces, slow mover protection, and protecting and engagement of High Value Aerial Assets. According to the contingent commander of IAF, Gp Capt J Mishra, "The focus of the Air Exercise is learning from each other's best practices. The Air Defence Operations would be central to our various maneuvers. These would take place in AWACS and non-AWACS environment. The intensity of the exercise would be gradually increased throughout its duration so that we learn and absorb maximum from the exercise".

During the exercise the IAF's Special Forces 'Garuds' would also be proactively participating and shall be carrying out jumps along with the French Special Forces. The IL-76 aircraft which is an integral part of the exercise flying missions, would practise static line drops with the French Special Forces. It may be recalled that the IAF is participating with Six SU-30 MKIs, Three IL-78s and one IL-76 Aircraft.

The entire IAF contingent arrived at the Istres Air Force Base on 12 Jun 2010 by 1215 hrs local time. The Istres Air Base is a large base located near Istres, North of Marseille in the Bouches-du-Rhone department, France. The base houses some of the world's finest fighters and helicopters and serves multiple functions, including a repair facility and training grounds. The landing strip of this airbase is said to be the longest in Europe. The Istres Air Base was built before the world War II and has been of immense historical and operational importance.

It may also be recalled that the Republic of Singapore Air Force is also participating in the Ex-Garuda for the first time with the F-16 Aircraft. The French Air Force assets such as the mid air refueller, Mirage 2000s and Rafale Aircraft have commenced their participation in the exercise.
BY:LiveFist

F-35 vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire

The jet that’s supposed to make up more than 90 percent of America’s combat aviation fleet may have become a lot easier to shoot down.
Lockheed Martin, makers of the Joint Strike Fighter, has been under huge pressure to stabilize the jet’s skyrocketing costs. Production prices have nearly doubled on what was supposed to be an “affordable” fighter. R&D money is up another 40 percent. Some analysts predict the program could run as much as $388 billion for 2,400 jets.
So Lockheed decided “to trim 11 pounds and $1.4 million from each aircraft by removing shutoff valves for engine coolant and hydraulic lines and five of six dry bay fire-suppression systems,” according to InsideDefense.com.
But those cuts made it much harder for the Joint Strike Fighter to withstand a hit from an anti-aircraft weapon. “When you have something full of fuel under high pressure, some of it very hot, flowing close to hot metal parts and 270 VDC electrical components, your shutoff and check valves and fire suppression in the dry bays (places fuel will spray into) are your only defense,” a knowledgeable observer notes.
Michael Gilmore, the Defense Department’s chief weapons tester, recommended in a letter to Congress last month “that these features be reinstated.” The amount saved by trimming these components, he noted, would be more than made up, if just two aircraft were lost.
“Live-fire ballistic testing has demonstrated that the JSF is vulnerable,” added Lt. Gen. George Trautman, the Marines’ deputy commandant for aviation.
Now, one of the JSF’s now selling points was that it wouldn’t have to worry to much about taking on anti-aircraft fire; the jet would be so stealthy that the ground-to-air guns would never find it. But according to a report published by Air Power Australia, the plane is easier to spot than originally advertised. In fact, it is “demonstrably not a true stealth aircraft.”
Locheed says a recent “technological breakthrough” has fixed all that: a fiber mat that can blend stealthy qualities right into the composite skin of the aircraft.
And in an e-mail to Danger Room, Lockheed spokesman John Kent basically said the Pentagon tester was all wrong about the plane’s vulnerability.
“Rigorous combat analysis revealed that the survivability improvements afforded by the engine fuses and fire extinguishing features were very small,” Kent wrote. “These changes were thoroughly reviewed by the F-35 Operational Advisory Group and approved through the joint JSF Executive Steering Board, which includes membership from all nine JSF partner counties. All agreed that the weight saved by the elimination of these components would be better utilized in maintaining the performance capabilities of the aircraft. The present design meets the JSFPO’s expectations for vulnerability.”
Well, yeah. That’s true. “With the exception of a 30mm high-explosive incendiary round typically associated with light anti-aircraft artillery,” Trautman wrote. Like the kind Russia has, and sells all around the world.
BY:WIRED.COM

Parijat Gaur's Splendid LCA Tejas Rendition

Copyright Parijat Gaur

By Shiv Aroor