Following the green-light from
the Defence Acquisition Council last May, the process of buying back two Boeing
B.777-300ERs from Air India for the Indian Air Force’s Palam-based Communications
Squadron was recently completed, and by early next year they will proceed to
the Bedek Aviation Division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), where they
will be retrofitted with customised interiors (to be supplied by Germany’s Lufthansa
Technik AG), as well as a state-of-the-art communications/self-protection suite
of Israeli origin. The entire retrofittiong exercise involving the two
B.777-300ERs and their consequent airworthiness certification as VVIP
transportation aircraft will be completed by next October.
The to-be-retrofitted avionics suite’s architecture, called EL/M-2160F Flight Guard, will be installed and integrated by IAI,
with ELBIT Systems Ltd, Israel Military Industries (IMI) and ORBIT
Communication Systems being the principal sub-contractors. IAI/ELTA will supply
the EL/M-2160(V1) radar-based MAWS (for
detecting and tracking inbound radar-guided SAMs), while IMI will provide the chaff
countermeasures dispensers for diverting such SAMs. For neutralising the threats
posed by heat-seeking SAMs and AAMs, ELBIT Systems on December 16, 2015 was awarded a US$26.5
million contract to supply belly-mounted, conformal commercial multi-spectral
infra-red countermeasures (C-MUSIC) suites. Based on Elbit Systems’ MUSIC family
of directed Iinfra-red countermeasure (DIRCM) system for fixed-wing aircraft
and helicopters, C-MUSIC uses advanced fibre-laser DIRCM technology that is
integrated with a passive airborne warning system (PAWS).
The secure SATCOM
communications suite (incorporating ECIL-built encryption systems) will be
ELBIT Systems’ InterSKY 4G multi-service, two-way broadband (voice, video and
data) system that will be operable in the Ku and Ka bandwidths. The airborne VSAT
antenna (AirTRx 60cm parabolic antenna) will be supplied by ORBIT Communication
Systems.
To be retrofitted in future will be ELBIT Systems’ ClearVision enhanced
flight vision system (EFVS) that
covers the full flight envelope and overcomes extreme weather conditions and
low-visibility situations in day and night.
Comprising TV, IR and thermal imaging sensors, and a HUD, this nose-mounted
solution enables intuitive ‘out-of-the-window’ flying, minimises the dependency
on airport landing aids, reduces landing minima and provides takeoff credit. The EFVS’ display fuses conformal
flight guidance symbology with synthetic vision presentation and
high-resolution video on a HUD. Using multi-spectral sensors to capture and
display terrain and airport lights in darkness and reduced visibility, the
sensors are combined and fused on the HUD, with a global terrain database
(synthetic vision system, or SVS), functioning as a combined vision system
(CVS).
The CVS provides a high-fidelity view of the outside world even when
actual visibility is zero and enables pilots to see the runway lights better,
in conditions impairing the visibility of unaided approach. The different
sensors help identify the profile of runway lights, and to penetrate
atmospheric obscurants such as fog, clouds, rain, snow, dust or smoke. It also improves
the pilot’s vision of both conventional floodlights and LED-based lights, which
cannot be detected by conventional FLIR-based sensors. This dramatically improves
the pilot’s ability to execute precision and non-precision approaches and
safely land, thereby reducing the risks of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT)
accidents.
197 comments:
Answers to queries from the previous thread:
To MG6357 & AMOL: HAL is trying to develop the HTFE-25 as its in-house product & therefore it has no inputs from DRDO. And why should the Hawk Mk.132’s Adour engines ever be replaced if they’re not posing any problems whatsoever? And the HTFE-25 is several years away from being fully developed & therefore will not be able to compete with the F-125.
To SATYAM: Not true at all. All that President Putin has done is to sign a decree authorising 23 Russian OEMs to deal directly with Indian customers of hardware produced by these OEMs. 2nd Type 971 SSGN is still on the cards & there’s still time left to strike this deal next year. The INS Chakra recently underwent a successful periodic refit at Vizag.
To SIDDHARTH & VIKRAM GUHA: That’s right, because the promised 414 Dhanush 155mm/45-cal howitzers aren’t coming so soon. And that’s because of an OFB goof-up. For, when the drawings of the FH-77B were delivered by Bofors to OFB for indigenisation in the mid-1980s, they were for the 155mm/39-cal version. But since the OFB went for a 45-cal barrel, it affected the design/performance parameters of the gun-trail/-cradle as well as the recoil mechanisms & all these had to be re-engineered, tested & trialled. And it’s here that OFB hit a brick wall, since it had earlier claimed confidence in developing all these indigenously & only during field trials all this confidence evapourated away rapidly. Consequently, the OFB accepted defeat last year & quietly struck a deal with BAE Systems/Mahindra Defence for consultancy assistance in developing the Dhanush, which will now enter production only sometime in 2018.
To THEHUNDRED: It’s not that bad. The Regimental Funds can always be used for such emergency purposes, but these funds are always recapitalised from the HQ Northern Command’s annual funds. So no one ends up paying from their own pockets. As for casualties, the figure of 850 is inclusive of those for the state police & central paramilitary forces.
To PRAV & KAUSTAV BHATTACHARJEE: These folks who are selectively giving out such news snippets are only feeding the appetites of worthless jingos, that’s all. Everything else just points to sheer stupidity. For instance, the DRDO claims that its Near-Field Diagnostic RCS Facility (NFDRF) is an RCS Range for static RCS measurements (over 2-18 GHz) and diagnostic imaging of full-scale aircraft and other systems. The facility features a Precision Turntable of 40-ton rating, precision antenna positioners, and microwave instrumentation and data acquisition systems for RCS measurements. The Data Processing Centre (DPC) houses a range of equipment and system-level facilities for signature studies on ground vehicles and airborne targets in Vis-NIR and thermal/infra-red spectral domains. The equipment includes Hyper-spectral Imaging Systems, Thermal Imaging Systems, IR imaging calibration sources and climatic chamber, Laser Scanning System, Spectro-radiometers and others. The DRDO also has an indoor RCS measurement facility & claims that this facility was used for measuring the LCA’s RCS, that too when the LCA’s 1/8th scale-model was used. Now, if this is the DRDO’s way of measuring RCS when the rest of the world is using 1:2 or 1:1 scale-models, the it’s anyone’s guess what exactly the LCA’s RCS is!!!
It was only last October that the DRDO commissioned its first dedicated RCS measurement facility (codenamed Project Orange open range) in Dundigal near Hyderabad that will be able to measure RCS of full-scale vehicles. What it means is that up till now, the RCS of not a single weapon system, be it the LCA, Dhruv ALH or any strategic missile, was accurately measured, since only smaller scale-models were used. But here’s the most interesting part: the Instrumentation Radar System (capable of measuring low RCS values) at the test range is co-developed by Bose Institute at Shyamnagar, West Bengal, and Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology (Rangpo), Sikkim, i.e. ZERO scientific & engineering inputs from DRDO. There’s a beautiful paper on how it was all done & you can read it here:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275209311_Outdoor_RCS_Measurement_Techniques_Revisited_A_Precise_Method_for_Unknown_Target_RCS_Calibration_and_Pulsed_Radar_Implementation_for_Efficient_Clutter_Rejection_at_Shyamnagar_2284_N_8839_E_India
Incidentally, you may also perhaps be wondering about the applications of some of the avionics developed by the Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Research Centre Imarat (formerly RCI). Here’s another surprise: Walk in any BrahMos Aerospace Booth & you will always notice that among the various locally-built sub-systems & components of BrahMos-1, the ring laser gyro-based inertial navigation system has never been shown during any expo. But the posters say that the RLG-INS of the missile is produced by HAL. Now if you go to HAL & ask which RLG-INS is being produced by it, the answer will be: HAL is producing only SAGEM’sd SIGMA-95N RLG-INS, & not the one that RCI had reportedly developed in the previous decade. So, it is the SIGMA-95N RLG-INS (used by Su-30MKI, Jaguar IS/DARIN-3, MiG-27UPG, MiG-29UPG, MiG-29K & LCA) that is after all on-board the BrahMos-1!
To GOPU: Not quite. Old mindsets take time to change. Just yesterday during one of the seminars held to commemorate the 1971 war, retired officers from all three armed services were claiming credit for victory for their own individual services, & not one said anything about the joint warfighgting directives that played the most crucial role in achieving victory in 1971.
To ISI13: LoLz! He needs to take a break from such convoluted hallucinations.
To VIKRAM GUHA: Put simply, the 127/64 LW from OTO Melara is 64-calibre, whereas the 127/62 from BAE Systems is 62-calibre. BAE Systems’ chosen industrial partner in ther arena of artillery is Mahindra Defence.
To THE HUNDRED: Most unlikely.
To GESSLER: Total hogwash. The immediate priority is to get the 15 CH-47Fs first & then exercise the option to acquire another 7 of them.
To RAJESH MISHRA: Interestingly, Iran is not part of this alliance, meaning this alliance is more of a Sunni grouping against the Shia grouping of Iran, Iraq & Syria. But why should the Saudis try to create such a massive alliance if they have Pakistan’s ’Islamic’ nuclear WMDs at their disposal top ward off an existential threat? Unless, the Pakistanis are now saying that the Saudis can’t have it, for whatever reason. Which then means that all talk about the ‘Islamic’ nuclear WMD was utter baloney from Day-1, & the real owner of such nuclear WMDs is not Pakistan, but someone else, i.e. China, which does not want to antagonise Iran.
To ABS & ARPIT KANODIA: Will answer you Pakistan-specific queries later today. But in the meantime, do watch this highly recommended discussion on Pakistan’s internal dilemma as discussed by well-meaning & discerning Pakistanis:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKUauVrUQaA
To RAW13: Plenty of ‘gamechangers’ revealed by the man himself, which should thrill you:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3i85sx_tonight-with-fareeha-10pm-to-11pm-15th-december-2015_news
To ARPIT KANODIA: Such UFOs are usually spotted around areas connected with R & D on nuclear WMDs & their delivery systems like ballistic missiles. Maybe there's some such activity going on there, like development & testing of weight-saving composite propellant tanks for solid-fuelled ICBMs, MRBMs & SLBMs. They could also well be man-made 'ARV Fluxliners'.
The pictures released of the recent exercise which was attended by the PM, showed a navy ship firing a P-15 termit missile. Aren't these missiles already outdated? I belive they were used during the 1960's war with Pakistan.
Recently, an award was handed over to navy persons for "converting" a subsonic missiles to supersonic, were they talking about the p-15 termit?
Hi Prasun,
Thanks for answering my queries. I was not concerned about how long it will take, as I know engine development will take its own sweet time. My main aim was to know if this is really an indigenous effort. Also can a turbo shaft engine be developed based on this engine? And can this replace the Shakti engine in future.
Thanks & Regards,
Amol
Regarding OFB's "Dhanush", I can't help saying I told you so to OFB. OFB has been sitting on these blueprints for decades and only now do they realize their shoddy engineering... Kalyani Group-Defense must be scratching their heads at the lackadaisical MoD that is letting this state of affairs to continue.
Also enjoyed the research paper you linked. Hope this kind of R&D work gets more funding. DRDO really needs to exploit university talent.
The lack of accountability at these DPSUs is quite shameless. What's extremely concerning is that no corrective measures are being taken to avoid future mishaps, so these ridiculous goof-ups will continue to crop up, jeopardizing national security at the taxpayer's expense.
hi prasun
I dont understand why the rci produced rlg is not used on any platform when it is being used by the agni missiles, where the specs of accuracy should be m more?.
Is the local stuff not good ,what seems to be the problem?. Satish reddy is supposed to have made great break through in INS RLG what is happening?
Is the failure of ofb ass holes to make a 45 caliber gun going to a give a chance to other players ?. If the same thing would have happened to a private player i wonder what would have happened?. What is the pressing need for the gov to scratch OFB ass to promote the gun rather than dump it and go for proven systems.
Why are the top brass who claimed that the 45 caliber gun was ready ,not taken to task or even dismissed for misleading the country?.
Sir, is it true that ARDE is working on a new LMG design? Maybe using same 5.56x30mm rounds as INSAS/MSMC?
Thankyou Sir for the link.
Yesterday, Jitendra Singh when describing about the Chandrayaan II in Parliament, he described the only objective of the mission is to find extraterrestrial life. Maybe he making the things up by himself or he pretty well briefed by the ISRO.
But amazingly no Indian questioned this, we are seriously one of top ignorant people.
""NEW DELHI: India's second lunar probe Chandrayaan II will land on moon in 2017 and the country's first solar mission Aditya L1 is likely to be launched in 2019, Lok Sabha was informed today.
Chandrayaan II will land on the surface of moon in 2017 and this second lunar mission will help explore the possibilities of signs of extra-terrestrial life, Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said during Question Hour responding to supplementaries. ""
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/50202042.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
Dear Prasun,
Subramanyam Swamy has done a good job. I think his thought process is relevant. And my personal view is that he is a true nationalist; can't be described a rant mongering fellow. What is your view on him after NATIONAL HERALD CASE???
Prasun da,
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/centre-to-clear-russian-military-purchases-ahead-of-modi-putin-meet/story-MylCR0e3XwldWMz0be2TBI.html
5 nos. of S-400 system
Pinaka system from Russia - We believe Pinaka is DRDO in-house product
6000 missiles - which missiles.
Looks like DAC has approved S-400 purchase:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/government-clears-purchase-of-five-s-400-air-defence-systems-worth-rs-30000-crore-sources/articleshow/50220687.cms
What a sad state of affairs:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/government-admits-only-55-of-fighter-aircraft-fleet-operational-owing-to-technical-issues/articleshow/50206678.cms
Hi, I have been following your blog for the past one year and you are simply a league apart from other bloggers/journos. Since my understanding of teh defence space is based on your commenatry/details, it took time before I could gather up some courage to ask some of the following questions...
i) Which of the platforms have the best chance of indigenisation going forward. Is it the missiles, radars/sensors, tanks, naval platforms (ships, carriers etc), HMVs , airplanes, EW suites etc. WHich of these platforms have disappointed you the most in terms of fruitfulness of indigenisation efforts. Is it an acceptable priposition that indigenisation in naval platforms surpasses that of all other platforms ( baring missiles or radar may be)
ii)My currrent interest is on the sensor side -- how far is DRDO to put into work a) AESA radar (airborne) b) radar seeker in X/ku band etc and c) whether AESA based global radar seekers in the Ka band a difficult technology to replicate
iii)Is there a possibility of offsets from EL/M 2052 coming to domestic industry. I have many more questions, will come back... Thanks in advance...
PrasunDa,
Why does the Govt have to hold DefExpo 2016 in this remote village called Naqueri Quitol? Not a single major railway station or airport is nearby. Travelling there by itself is a pain in the a$$.
Mumbai, Cochin and Vizag are far better places to hold an expo.
Thanks,
SUJOY
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-and-iran-trying-to-seal-chabahar-port-deal-by-january/articleshow/50212231.cms
Prasun,
1. Can you explain a little on China's MRLS systems? They seem to have developed rocket launchers with ranges of 100, 200 and even 400 kilometers. I believe India has some Smerch whose rocket technology was denied by Russia. Is there any rocket system in development that can compete with Chinese ones ? BTW how effective are these long range rockets?
2. What is Indian capability in thermobaric munitions?
Who told you that Pak nukes were for all the Islamic nations?
Only few months back Pak's position was made very clear: our nukes are for you boys only. This was the official Pak gov statement.
Wrt the saudi-alliance, I am sure you have seen Pak gov's official response too. We have enough on our hands and they are learning that we can be rented but never bought. Our biggest challenge right now are the fundies within our borders and we have just begun the process of cleansing them. It will take a while.
Prasun Sir,
Can you please take a look at the below video and give your opinion if any part of this is even real.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=118atmcMMV8
Thanks in advance.
Sravanth
Hi Prasun Da,
Your views on this article that talks about the so called Nuclear city buildup near Mysore
http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/12/16/india_nuclear_city_top_secret_china_pakistan_barc/
Also on this article on Economic times about Indian govt opening Military facilities and Labs for Private players to test
http://m.economictimes.com/news/defence/test-in-india-military-ranges-labs-opened-to-private-players-to-test-equipment/articleshow/50212027.cms
Looks like better sense is taking precedence of late??
Hi prasun da
Can hal really do some weight saving exercise on tejas mark1A as promised.
Can the dead weight and landing gear
Mass be optimised.
@Gessler .. Im sure you meant 5.56X45 .. Cause 5.56X30 makes no sense for a LMG.
To SWEET: They were used during the 1971 war. Their deliveries began in 1970. That was followed by the P-18. Am not aware of any IN project involving conversion of a subsonic missile into supersonic.
To AMOL: Yes, it’s an indigenous effort, but indigenization i9n terms of project conceptualization, design. Testing & validation. But inevitably some critical hardware elements will have to be imported. Using this engine core, turboshaft engines can be derived. It will be impossible to replace the Shakti because by the time HAL completes developing a turbodhaft engine, several hundred Shakti engines will be in usage.
To GOPU: Logically, after the CBI filed its closure report on the Bofors scandal in the previous decade (which it had to, because Sweden’s Police had refused to investigate this case in the very first case & had never made any evidence or investigation details available), the OFB should have immediately teamed-up with BAE Systems/Bofors to co-develop a 155mm/52-cal version of the FH-77B. That’s what logical progression is all about. But instead, the UPA-1/2 govts never paid attention to this issue, & mysteriously approved the OFB’s plan to develop the 45-cal Dhanush without even any outside consultancy assistance. As time went by, BAE Systems tied up with Mahindra Defence for promoting the 155mm/52-cal FH-77B05L52, meaning OFB now had no choice but to approach this Anglo-Indian JV for any form of assistance. Kalyani Group, L & T or anyone else from the very outset never had any chance to compete against OFB because the IA wanted a simplified product-support logistics system for any new 155mm towed howitzer to be inducted, which ruled out any brand-new design from any foreign or Indian OEM. What emerges from all this is that the MoD under UPA-1/2 displayed criminal negligence every step of the way, when it was crystal-clear that the only feasible way to move ahead was to authorise OFB to team-up with either BAE Systems/Bofors or with the BAE Systems/Mahindra Defence JV & develop the 155mm/52-cal FH-77B05L52 & call this howitzer the Dhanush.
It must also be noted that China’s NORINCO had developed its 155mm/45-cal towed howitzers with the help of Dr Gerry Bull in the mid-1980s, & it took NORINCO almost 20 years to graduate to 52-cal howitzers without any external assistance.
To RAD: RCI is a laboratory, not a production facility. Series-production of electronics items are undertaken either by BEL, or HAL, or CEL, or ECIL. And none of them are producing the RINS RLG-INS, rest assured. Onjly the SIGMA-95N is being produced by HAL at Korwa. That’s precisely why the RINS has to date not even been flight-tested on any LCA prototype, despite the RINS being claimed to have been developed in the previous decade itself. In other words, what I’m now saying is that all the DRDO-developed ballistic missiles like Agni-4 & Agni-5 also have 3-axis SIGMA-95N RLG-INS that are mated with PY-code GPS receivers. That’s why even the DRDO’s website does not show any illustration of this so-called indigenous RLG-INS. Do go through this:
http://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/pub/techfocus/oct05/guidance.htm
Till to date, the DRDO has not released any photos showing a 3-axis ring laser gyroscope installation. Such installations are clearly visible in the following photos from Western OEMs:
http://www.selex-es.com/documents/737448/30555772/body_mm08325_FIN_3110_LQ_.pdf
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--SBHARtdm--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/girka2ijae6givozeqld.jpg
http://wordpress.mrreid.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/ring-laser-ins.jpg
Then you have this paper co-written by G S Reddy & V K Saraswat:
http://publications.drdo.gov.in/ojs/index.php/dsj/article/viewFile/4254/2502
Do note that such ‘reputable’ scientists can distinguish between GPS & GLONASS. They always refer to GPS as being the US global positioning satellite system, when in reality GPS is a generic term, & NAVSTAR is the term representing the US GPS satellite constellation, while GLONASS is its Russian counterpart, Beidou its Chinese counterpart & Galileo its European counterpart. It is therefore shocking to see such 'eminent' scientists showing utter disregard for detail in their presentations.
To GESSLER: Not LMG, but a 7.62mm GPMG design like the Negev from IWI.
To ARPIT KANODIA: LoLz! I’m presuming he meant extraterrestrial life (like microbes & bacteria), & not intelligent extraterrestrial life.
To SOUBHAGYA: Dr Subramanium Swamy has had a chequered past. He was both a kingmaker as well as deal-breaker. Let’s now see how the trial court evaluates all the evidence presented by him & whether or not he is successful in securing a conviction. That will be the real test. In the meanwhile, I wish the same could be said about India’s law enforcement authorities, who have yet to bring absconders like Lalit Modi back to India & face justice. Wonder why nothing’s moving on this front.
To ANSUMAN DEB: VMT. It all depends on what’s your definition of indigenisation. If you’re thinking about 100% locally-sourced systems, sub-systems & components, that won’t happen for at least another 30 years. To me, no R & D effort is ever wasted. One always learns a lot from any project, be it a successful one or a failed one. As for sensors, no country can develop them purely for military applications. It has been, is & will always be the commercial applications of cutting-edge technologies first, followed by their military spinoffs. And not the other way around.
To SIDDHARTH & JON: These ‘desi’ journalists can’t even figure whether the reqmt is for five Batteries or five Battalions! So let’s examine the issue in detail, shall we? In early November 2014, when a contract was signed for the procurement by the PLAAF of six Battalions (or 72 TELs) of the S-400 Triumph LR-SAM, this contract was valued at US$3 billion. US$500 million per Battalion. So, in India’s case, if the contract value is Rs.30,000 crores (US$4.83 billion), that means the order will be for five Battalions, or US$960 million per Battalion, with each battalion having 3 Batteries, with four TELs per Battery. So, 1 Battalion will have 12 TELs, making it a total of 60 TELs for the 5 Battalions. So why the extra US$460 million per Battalion in India’s case? Is it because of the new-generation SAMs being offered by Russia, i.e. the HYPERSONIC endo-atmospheric missiles, the 77N6-N and the 77N6-NI, both of which will incorporate‘hittile’ warheads & Ka band millimeter-wave active phased-array radar seekers? Possible, but they would first have to be demonstrated through live-firing trials. If not, then it will tantamount to the same type of earlier Russian pledges of promising to deliver a brand-new product on agreed-upon schedules, but later on reneging on such deadlines, as is now the case with the FGFA/PMF. The other possibility is that Ruskies are asking India to make a financial commitment by first buying the TELs & related airspace search/target acquisition radars & command/control posts along with a short inventory of existing SAMs already developed for the S-400, & later on receiving the 77N6-N and the 77N6-NI SAMs once their R & D work has concluded. During MAKS 2015, the Ruskies were talking about enrolling the DRDO’s boffins for developing the systems integration packages involving the S-400 Battalions & IAI/ELTA’s EL/M-2090U UHF-band active phased-array LRTR, & later on helping the DRDO expand the surveillance envelope by incosporating the space-based element, i.e. the DRDO’s projected 4-satellite missile launch warning system.
To SUJOY MAJUMDAR: Not necessarily, if the road infrastructure is there with a steady stream of shuttle buses to bring people to & fro the expo site. It’s all about how efficient the transport logistics will be. It can be done, but knowing the mindsets of the show organizers, be it the Defence Exhibition Board acting in cohorts with CII or ASSOCHAM or FICCI, ALL these entities will be treating such arrangements as money-making exercises & in the process will mess up everything. For instance, during the Aero India expos, a simple exhibition directory costs Rs.1,000! And in return, all that the show organisers can do is start admitting families with their toddlers during the trade show days, instead of waiting for the public days. This not only irritates & inconveniences the trade visitors & exhibitors alike, but also exposes the expo site to acts of sabotage & even terrorist attacks. For instance, last February on Day 1 when the entire press corps & their baggage were being processed througha single X-ray machine & metal detector, both these sensors got jammed & the ‘desi’ press corps immediately made a dash for covering the arrival of the PM at the expo site, with the hapless IAF & CISF personnel manning these entry-gates just looking on & doing nothing whatsoever! On that day, had some terrorist masquerading as a journalist, or even groups of them, had tried to engage in suicide bombings, they could have done so with ease.The situation in Pragati Maidan is a lot better than in Bengaluru, but in remote places like this one in Goa, it will be a welcome respite from the usual crowds of jingos & souvenir-seekers that totally mess up such trade shows in India. I hope the next Aero India too is held in such a remote outback.
To MAHIM: All that was explained & discussed in detail in the2 Airshow China threads that were uploaded last November. Thermobaric warheads are still being developed by the DRDO.
To NI8 DWELLER: LoLz! You can access far more data & satellite photos about this ‘city’ from here:
http://isis-online.org/uploads/isis-reports/documents/India_Fissile_Material_Stock_November2_2015-Final.pdf
To RAW13: Whoa! Already forgot what you had publicised last year? Never mind, allow me to jog your memory by first recommending this:
Project 706: The Islamic Bomb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mu99D4l6ja0&hd=1
The there’s this:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/04-Feb-2014/the-myth-of-the-islamic-bomb
The term ‘Islamic bomb’ was first coined by former PM of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1979.
WRT Saudi-led alliance, it looks like the Saudis again have pulled off a fast one, aimed at embarrassing Pakistan. Do read this:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/16-Dec-2015/pm-seeks-explanation-from-aizaz-over-saudi-statement
And what kind of cleansing operation is underway? The authorities can’t even shut down the Laal Masjid in the heart of Islamabad since last December! So get real!!! As I had stated before, eliminating terrorists does not tantamount to eliminating terrorism. And that’s because the root causes responsible for breeding terrorism have been left untouched. The entire educational curriculum needs to change, for it is this that promotes & encourages bigotry & intolerance. Sadly it weas none other than Malala who has observed that inb the 20-point national action plan, the word education does not even find a mention! Now listen to Pakistani commentators & analysts echoing exactly what I’ve just stated:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duIhpZKxyg0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwJSqB64RsA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKUauVrUQaA
Cont'd below....
Thus, the fact remains that Pakistan is now fighting a losing war & will not be able to turn the tide for as long as it remains a national security state & fails to transition to a welfare state. Do read this:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1215832
Matters are getting far worse in areas like FATA & KPK. Swat, which was sanitised way back in 2009, has so far seen only 20% of its inhabitants returning & they’re fed-up with the constant harassment from the security forces & their numerous checkpoints/roadblocks. And the way in which collective punishments have been meted out to the tribes & their dwellings levelled, will ensure that they will continue to seek revenge for generations to come, & will hold the PA responsible for all the US drone-strikes that caused huge collateral damage throughout FATA & other neighbouring Agencies. Don’t forget that up to 350,000 FATA residents have fled to Afghanistan, so the PA killing only 3,400 terrorists thus far is a mere drop in the ocean. There will be many, many more suicide bombings inside Pakistan for years to come.
Lastly, matters will only worsen by labelling the 144 children killed on December 16, 2014 as martyrs. Not a single one of those innocent children had gone to school that day to embrace martyrdom. They merely went about their daily chores & ended up becoming innocent collateral damage & died horrendously. To glorify them as martyrs means that they died for a cause & that being the case, what then was the cause? Therefore, now the PA has to explain why it can’t prevail upon the Afghan Taliban to make the TTP stop attacking civilian Pakistanis. After all, the TTP owes allegiance to the Afghan Taliban, so it will be logical for the TTP to heed the Afghan Taliban’s advice. But why is this not happening? Has the PA finally learnt that it has no hold over the Afghan Taliban & therefore all the PA’s earlier promises to Afghanistan about bringing a pliant Afghan Taliban to the negotiating table were all hollow claims & mere rhetoric? It thus looks like Pakistan is being checkmated on every front. Being in denial mode, & instead blaming India or the US or Israel for all of Pakistan’s misfortunes & reversals only tantamounts to the extreme unwillingness to accept the bitter truth.
What exactly is the point of including OFB when BAE has already selected a different partner for the FH-77B05 L52? Why have an extra "middleman"?
The most important factors to consider are per annum production numbers (Can OFB produce 100+ guns annually rather than 16?), start of production, and costs (both acquisition and maintenance). And instead of procuring different artillery guns for each artillery requirement (wheeled, tracked, truck-mounted), one gun should be selected for all subsequent variants, ensuring large production numbers, availability of spares, and driving unit costs down. This kind of commonality will ensure proper logistics.
Thus, IA should consider what solution can offer the best of the above. I doubt the current, odd 200 FH-77B have a strong logistics base anyways. BAE-Mahindra could very well fit the above, but there are probably other venues to look at too.
Sir, The S-400 deal is estimated to be worth a massive 40000 crore and not 30000 crore as previously reported. As such the per battalion price is exorbitingly high. http://m.economictimes.com/news/defence/government-clears-purchase-of-five-s-400-air-defence-systems-worth-rs-40000-crore-sources/articleshow/50220687.cms
In light of this dont you think theres a good chance our battalion will consist of more than 3 batteries with an all total of 60+ TEL. Otherwise the high price isnt justified. I guess the acquistion costs of ELta-2090 C-6 and C-22 UHF band radars arr also included in this deal.
How many missiles are we looking to acquiring for the S-400 in total?
Did you get to know anyrhing about the T-50 at Maks2015 and the fate of Fgfa? Are we gping for any off the shelf pirchase of some Pakfa with the AL-41F engines? And doesnt Sukhoi plan on introducing shaping improvements to the airframe to reduce Rcs,like adoption of engine blockers and a facted Irst fairing instead of the round one & covering the exposed portions of the engines.
can the Thales Smart-L detect the B-2 bomber? saw this advertised on it's commercial video.
Hi Prasunda,
Need of the hour is to improve the indian judicary system.So called judges appoint judges is stupid argument to say the least .Its a shame that being a biggest democracy in the world still we still see no justice in 1984 massacre.It pains me to see that people in power can get away with anything and do what ever they want.I hoped BJP in power will do something about it but there is still no respite .Congress needs to be punished for its misdoings .Dont get me wrong but the radicalization of the sikhs today is this basic fact . Even though i don't support Khalistan and am patriot Indian don't want my sikh brothers to fall for this hate politics and again start the same divisive policies.Violence is not the solution.It should be last option.
Regards,
S singh
does the INS Rahav cost $2 billion? seems pricey for a non-nuclear vessel. what explains the price here?
the link to the article where i read it:
http://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-newest-sub-leaves-germany-bound-for-haifa/?utm_source=The+Times+of+Israel+Daily+Edition&utm_campaign=85a11888e6-2015_12_17&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_adb46cec92-85a11888e6-55215029
Big blow for India's private-sector shipbuilders:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/manohar-parrikar-clears-purchase-of-s400-triumf-longrange-air-defence-systems-from-russia/article8001747.ece?w=alauto
HSL, nominated by the MoD, will now build these 5 vessels in cooperation with South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries.
To RAHUL: What will be signed will be an MoU. Contract negotiations will take a longer time to reach fruition. This news-report makes that amply clear:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Government-clears-purchase-of-Rs-39000cr-Russian-missile-systems/articleshow/50226062.cms
Hi Prasun,
You informed that the ARDE is making GPMG design like the Negev from IWI. By this did you mean that ARDE is copycatting/Upgrading the Negev? In this article all the Stuff seems foreign Aircraft-Boeing 777, EW Suite- Israeli and interiors from Germany apart from Indian money any major components from India? I understand that 100% indigenous product is not possible at the moment but at least 50% would have me feel better. Please reply.
Is the THAAD still under consideration? Or leasing the US SBIRS network? Or even the Arrow-2? It was revealed in an earlier thread that both of those are better than the Russian lollipop. Ironically, you had just posted on MoD's knee-jerk decision making...
Also which vehicle is the "light bullet-proof vehicle"?
This 34 Sunni muslamic Battalion will start developing the deep internal contradictions among themselves from its very beginning as its leaders like Saudi Arab (False Prophet) and Pakistan666 will vehemently start blackmailing each other.
Do you think we should switch to the indian curriculum because it doesn't promote & encourages bigotry & intolerance?
I asked you where did you get the idea of islamic nukes when Pak gov policy is there for all to see. You do realise we are in the year of our lord 2015 and that the current Pak government makes the current policy.
USA thinks we have the nukes:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1227084/us-engaged-with-pakistan-on-tactical-n-weapons-olson
Official Pak Gov, on who the nukes are for:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1214157/pakistan-has-built-low-yield-nuclear-weapons-to-counter-indian-aggression
Wrt SWAT, all have returned. Only those not accepted by each village are not allowed to return. Have a read:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the-taliban-once-ruled-pakistans-swat-valley-now-peace-has-returned/2015/05/08/6bb8ac96-eeaa-11e4-8050-839e9234b303_story.html
Regarding Saudi, the reaction of the FS was not correct. Saudi is a major partner, they put our flag right next to theirs but this diplomat instead of saying "I need to confirm" he embarrassed Saudi. What you indians dont realise when Pak gov ministers say something it is reported all over the ME. Mr Aziz needs to learn what diplomacy is. Many other countries were surprised too.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1226723
wrt to Taliban, tell me where Pak Gov says they have control over them? Just one statement from the last 2 years. On the contrary Pak Gov and ISPR have been saying we have "some" influence over them and that "we will try to bring them" to the table.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-35123748
Let me know your thoughts.
@Prasun,
You are living in the past. If you saw Pak TV, no one was blaming USA for anything in Pakistan. Wrt Indian all they do is play interviews and statements of your Ministers, COAS threatening us. Anyway 6 nukes reactors being built right now:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-red-flags-fresh-nuclear-reactors-in-pakistan-with-chinas-help/articleshow/50227479.cms
Prasun Da,
Russia's Neva Design Bureau is saying that they are ready to build the new Indian aircraft carrier.
http://in.rbth.com/economics/defence/2015/12/18/neva-design-bureau-ready-to-build-new-indian-aircraft-carrier_552289
They even said that Neva has received an offer to participate in the tendering process for such a ship from India.
Do you think India will opt for Neva given the fact that they can get the technology from US or Europe and after all the fracas involving the Vikramaditya?
Best,
Vikram
hi prasun
Mating a sigma ins system to py code gps ??! its crazy what happens if uncle sam scrambles GPS? Does it mean the desi rlg is dumped ? because HAL cant productionize them?.
Because china has the s-400, Do you think it would be better if india went to israel and and asked it to develop some thing that is similar to the s-400 system. They can easily do it, spinning of from the arrow program. Why spend so much and not get any tot?.
I dont trust the russkies afer they screwed us with aircraft carrier. is it possible to
to integrate the uhf Israeli radar with the s-400 w, will the Israelis accept?
In my opinion an arrow optimized for air defense would be the best and israel would never cheat us.
@Prasun
What is your opinion of the Akash system ... Doesn't the CLOS guidance make it absurdy outdated ?
Sir, will these 777s fly in Air India or IAF colours from next October then?
And what exactly is the long term plan for replacing the Mi8s of the IAF's communication squardon now the AW-101 deal is scrapped? Why not just gor for the S-92 along with the POTUS? We need to address thos sooner rather than later
@prasunda. Sir,don't you think our agni TEL's are too long for transport? Why we don't have western model TEL's? After cannisterisation of Agni's will we make this TEL's?
That reminds me, am still awaiting the 2nd half of ur maks report. Even if it's late I am sure it will be good reading
To RAW13: Why should it be a switch to any other country’s curriculum? Isn’t anyone in Pakistan capable enough of coming up with a curriculum that’s more balanced & devoid of conspiracy theories? Can’t anyone there for once & for all do away with the historical distortions the now prevail? Or is that too tall an order? About Swat, no Western journalist has been allowed to set foot there since 2009 & therefore their reportage is far from accurate. One needs to talk to the local journalists there, & here’s what they’re saying:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08jTeF4EQ3w
As for Afghanistan, all of Pakistan’s policy-level flip-flops since March 2014 have been highlighted & explained here by Pakistan-based analysts & officials here:
Afghanistan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TmK9poeEdc
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3hdy5x_news-eye-8th-december-2015_news
http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/heart-of-asia-conference-asias-bleeding-heart/#sthash.6Wh5BloJ.dpuf
Lastly, of course any such industrial activity will be red-flagged, not just by India, but also by the rest of the world. As I had observed earlier, no one donor-country now wants to finance the nuclear WMD stockpiles of a country that survives only on IMF & World Bank borrowings. So wait for the axe to fall anytime now.
@Prasun,
You are mistaken wrt to foreign journalists not being allowed into swat. In fact Tim Craig "The Post" journalist and tells you in the article that he is in Swat. (Off course no Indians are allowed in.) If however you dont believe that, because the narrative goes against what you believe, I can understand and would not want to cause hurt. Here is report from a local jurno's:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1223097
and another one:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204428
http://tribune.com.pk/story/992137/barriers-to-educating-girls-in-swat/
http://tribune.com.pk/story/999239/criminal-investigation-new-forensic-laboratory-established-in-swat/
@Prav - Ofcourse we can go for the 5.56x45mm NATO ammo if we want (that's what the TAR-21 and the Negev LMG use). However the 'indigenous' 5.56x30mm rounds (MINSAS I think they're called) are the standard-issue nowadays. Even the INSAS-LMG currently uses these 5.56x30mm rounds, as do all versions of INSAS and even the MSMC. I figured that they wouldn't go for a different calibre than what the current Indian-made LMGs use.
However, as per Prasun's info, we'll actually be going for a 7.62mm GPMG (I think it would be aimed at hopefully replacing the older Bren/PK-series MGs currently in use --is that right, Prasun ji?--) along the lines of the 7.62x51mm version of Negev called the Negev NG7.
--
Prasun ji, what 7.62 are we likely to go for? The x51mm NATO type (used by Negev, MAG etc.) or the Russian x39mm (used by PK/PKM types)??
I would think we'd be going for the 7.62x51mm for sake of commonality with existing ammo stocks.
Dear Prasun,
Recently you had anticipated the purchase of THAAD missile system from USA. I don't understand why MoD has taken such a decision to purchase S-400 despite knowing that THAAD is a proven system. What is the logic behind that??? Will it be good for India to stick to S-400???
To RAW13: You it seems are hell-bent on disregarding the fact that assumption is always the mother of all fuck-ups. Or is it because YouTube is still banned in Pakistan? Foreign journalists always employ local stringers to do ground-reporting from such areas that are closed to foreigners. The YouTube links I've posted clearly reveal that to be the reality. Hell, even the CM of KPK was told by the PA there to get the hell out of Swat when he visited it earlier this year because the time isn't yet ripe for commencing any kind of political activity there! Once again, therefore, do petition your Taliban-loving Federal Interior Minister to remove the ban on YouTube & only then will you get to know the ground realities.
And who the hell ever told you that Indians are not allowed into Swat??? FYI Indian journalists were invited to visit Swat & report from there way back in 2012 at the invitation of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, Federal Ministry of the Interior & above all, the Pakistan Army. And here's proof of all that:
http://chinditsdefence.blogspot.in/2012/04/pak-army-does-op-sadbhavna.html
http://chinditsdefence.blogspot.in/2012/04/journey-to-swat-valley-begins-with.html
http://chinditsdefence.blogspot.in/2012/04/pak-armys-19-eagle-div-briefs-ops.html
http://chinditsdefence.blogspot.in/2012/04/pak-armys-upgraded-engined-mi-17-1v.html
http://chinditsdefence.blogspot.in/2012/04/first-glimpse-of-azad-kashmir.html
http://chinditsdefence.blogspot.in/2012/04/alhamdulillah-chindits-reaches-chakhoti.html
http://chinditsdefence.blogspot.in/2012/04/pak-govt-stops-chindits-mid-way-on.html
It therefore now appears that even the PA doesn't share the hatred & compulsive hostility that you have against India! So, give up this habit of judging the book by its cover, & do bother to do some homework before ranting away...it just isn't your day today.
Prasunda,
MoD is saying that they cannot disclose any information about the KALI 5000
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/government-refuses-information-on-kali-5000-citing-national-security/articleshow/50234073.cms?platform=hootsuite
Why is it such a closely guarded secret? Is it because as usual DRDO has achieved Zero and so the MoD is ashamed to announce that?
Thanks,
Sujoy
@Gesseler ... A light machine gun is not a sub machine gun ... An LMG is primarily used for long range shootin and has a longer barrel than assault rifles and they use "longer bullets".
5.56X30 is a submachine gun round for short range .Unlike LMGs come in 5.56X45 and 7.62X51 .
Likewise so LMG uses 7.62X39 as it is a sort range calibre,
To SUJOY MAJUMDAR: That's because it will open a pandora's box. And it has nothing to do with the DRDO. It comes under the DAE. The KALi was developed by the Indore-based Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT). On February 19, 1984 the President of India, Gyani Zail Singh, laid the foundation stone of the centre. Construction of laboratories and houses began in May 1984. In June 1986, the first batch of scientists from BARC, Mumbai, moved to RRCAT and scientific activities were started. Since then, the Centre has rapidly grown into a premier institute for research and development in lasers, accelerators and their applications. The RRCAT campus is spread over a 760 hectare picturesque site on the outskirts of Indore city. The campus encompasses laboratories, staff housing colony and other basic amenities like school, sports facilities, shopping complex, gardens etc. Everything you want to know about the RRCAT is here:
http://www.cat.ernet.in/technology/laser/index.html
http://www.cat.ernet.in/technology/accel/index.html
http://www.hbni.ac.in/main/NAAC/eval_rpt_naac_RRCAT.pdf
The KALI was initially planned to be part of a laser-ranging device used for measuring the distances of orbiting satellites. But it was subsequently discovered that it could also be upgraded with ease as a land-based anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon--a powerful directed-energy weapon. Hence the MoD's reluctance to give out data on the KALI & its derivatives, since India officially isn't developing any ASAT-type weapons.
To GESSLER: To cut a long story short, ALL DRDO-developed small arms & their related ammunition families follow NATO standards & MILSPECS. Russian standards & MILSPECS are followed only for those small arms & ammo that are of Russian origin & that are sometimes licence-built. So, if a GPMG is being developed by ARDE, then it will follow NATO specs & standards, just like the Negev GPMG from IWI does.
To SOUBHAGYA: No, that was not my anticipation, but my assessment that still stands the test of any logical scrutiny. And what will be signed with Russia later thyis month will be a MoU on a possible joint R & D venture, & not a procurement contract.
To JOE: The two B.777-300ERs will be painted in the same livery as those on the B,737NG BBJs of the IAF. AW-101 contract hasn't been scrapped by this present-day Govt, which is waiting for an opportune moment to operationalise this contract once again after the CBI files a closure report. And that's because Italy has already informed India that no wrongdoing was committed by Finmeccanica for the AW-101 contract & the CBI till this day has been unable to unearth any kind of wrongdoing by any party thus far. Any wrongdoing or under-hand business activity that took place had nothing to do with the AW-101, but with prospective deals involving the sale-and-purchase of Agusta-Westland's civilian helicopters for various state govts & for the Delhi Police--all of which were being promoted by the infamous Abhishek Verma, about whom there seems to be no word because the 'desi' journalists have simply forgotten about this sod & are thus ignoring the far more scandalous affairs associated with civilian helicopter procurements.
To MANU PRADIP: LoLz! Those are not TELs, but a truck pulling the trailer on which the launch cannister was mounted.
To RAD: Why worry about PY codes from NAVSTAR or GLONASS when the IRNSS is up there in the sky precisely for catering to India's security reqmts?
To PRAV: Of course the Akash-1 will not be effective against the air forces of developed countries, but for neutralising ther aerial threats from the north & west, the Akash-1 is quite effective & will perform as expected & specified by the end-users.
To VIKRAM GUHA: LoLz! IAC-2 is still a few years away even as far as detailed designing goes. And it will certainly be of Indian design & make. The Russian Navy has yet to choose a design for its next-generation aircraft carriers & so far only two designs have been proposed by rival design bureaux in Russia. Furthermore, there's no word from Russia on whether EMALS will be developed, whereas in India's case, it is nbow 100% certain that EMALS will be used.
To RAT: Not whole-scale copying of the Negev, hell no. Only 'drawing inspiration' from the Negev's design & then trying to re-engineer it, not replicate it. Had already said in my narrative that the voice secrecy encryption hardware for the B.777-300ERs will be supplied by ECIL, an Indian OEM.
To GOPU: All options are still on the table regarding TMD, including that of the THAAD. As for bulletproof vehicles, the winner of the competitive evaluations is yet to emerge. TATA & Mahindra will be the principal contenders.
To BHOUTIK: The acquisition cost is probably for 2 such SSKs, not one. And they will be armed with 650mm torpedo-tubes for launching RAFAEL-developed long-range LACMs.
Meanwhile, a Russian P-800 ASCM has just failed its test-launch. Do read this: http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/news/a18589/russian-supersonic-missile-crashes-into-apartment-building/
To VIKRAM GUHA: Interesting & rather embarrassing disclosures:
https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/afghan#afg-article
Watch what happens when one tries (in this case Hina Rabbani Khar) to defend the indefensible in this debate at Oxford:
Who Rules Pakistan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm5JK1BFT3o
India's child soldiers:
http://www.theweek.in/theweek/cover/northeasts-child-soldiers.html
http://www.openthemagazine.com/article/nation/the-child-soldiers-of-manipur
http://time.com/33008/child-soldiers-recruited-into-northeast-india-insurgencies/
@Prasun da
Few Querries
1. IA is looking for 6 V22s who will operate them MSC or ARC of RAW also heard ARC was about to be shut down, whats true
2. feel that AMCA will see light, but if so wont it be better to use Mirage 4000 concept as base as it will help cut years in validation trials (since AMCA probably will run on engine made with french help as well) just like China made use of Mig 1.44 concept (supposedly) for J20
3. you say s400 TRIUMF will have new missiles till then IAf will have to make do with old missiles but what if the new missiles fail
4. what happened to the Iron Dome from Israel feel its been dumped
5. U say Shinmaywa US2 requireent is too small for IAF, IN, ICGS but feel even NDRF can have these planes that means there numbers will grow
thanks
Joydeep Ghosh
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/india-signs-deal-for-194-micro-light-planes-with-slovenian-firm/articleshow/49327864.cms
"They added that while 110 of the machines are meant for NCC, air force will receive 72 of these aircraft."
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/cag-warns-of-armys-ageing-chopper-fleet/article8006048.ece?homepage=true
To JOYDEEP GHOSH: 1) What R & work has so far been done on the foundational technologies that are supposed to go on-board any 5th-generation MRCA like the AMCA? 2) Has the DRDO tried to develop any low-observable technologies? 3) Has the DRDO built any scale-model of the conceptual AMCA to measure its RCS? 4) If yes, then have they been sent abroad to some indoor or outdoor RCS measurement facility? 5) If not, then is the DRDO building its own such facility? 6) Has anyone in India developed any composites-based radar absorbent material? 7) Does the DRDO possess any virtual design lab to design a 5th-generation AMCA? 8) Does the DRDO have any engineering simulator to try out various flight-control logic concepts? 9) Has the DRDO confirmed whether or not TVC nozzles will be used by the AMCA & if yes, then where will such TVC nozzles be sourced from? 10) Has the DRDO finalised its avionics-based sensor-fusion technology roadmap? 11) Does the DRDO plan to heavily invest in industrial robotics for febricating the prototype airframes of the AMCA?
All of the above is MANDATORY before even starting to talk about developing the AMCA. Without even a single one of them, any talk of AMCA-related R & D is just akin to building sand-castles.
Prasun sir,
You say there is no wrongdoing to be found in the AW-101 case but then why is it that recently there have been so many media reports about CBI warrents and INterpol issuing red notices for induviduals involved in the AW-101 deal? It doesn't seem like a CBI closure report is comign anytime soon, why can't we just gor for a FMS deal with the US, get the S-92 which was already offered to us and is what will fly the POTUS?
The AW-101 deal is surely as dead as can be at this point, AW have even sold off AW-101 stocks to the Nigerians that were meant for us! It's over.
How long do we have to wait and put the life of our PM at risk for this elusive closure report? 5 years? 10? 20?
The CAG report is telling us what we already know the 30-40 year old Cheetah/Cheetaks are nor fit for purpose but what is this GoI doing? Fuck all. They selected the inferior product for the RSH bid (KA-226) and since then have done nothing to get the deal signed and the units delivered to the IA/IAF.
To JOE: The non-bailable warrant & Interpol Red Corner notice is against only 1 person Christian James Michel, & not anyone else. What this means is that the CBI is investigating the cases associated with Abhisherk Verma & his efforts to sell AW-139 VIP transport helicopters to various state governments of India, & to the Delhi Police. Therefore, this has nothing to do with the AW-101 contract & the CBI thus isn't asking for custody of the two Italian individuals who have since been acquitted by the Italian courts. The Italian authorities themselves have officially stated that there was no wrongdoing whatsoever in the AW-101 deal. Yet, if the CBI persists in investigating, then it is either stubbornly stupid or is groping in the dark, waiting for miracles to happen. If the Govt of India now approaches Lockheed Martin for S-92s, it will ask for a very high sales price. The only other way is to re-open the competition & ask for new bids. Furthermore, India will lose all the money it paid for the first 3 AW-101s that are now grounded in Palam. So, if anyone wants India to become a nett loser & turn the country into a laughing stock by seeking new VVIP transportation helicopters, by all means be my guest. And it's not just the PM who needs such helicopters. The President, Vice-President, members of the Nuclear National Command Authority & also visiting Heads of State are required to use these helicopters.
To LOST: Yes, fuck 'em all & let everything go to the dogs. Just throw in the towel into the ring & wait for those involved to muddle their way through the mess, instead of taking corrective action & exposing/punishing those who have brought about this state of affairs! Is that what you wish for???
Hello prasun sir,
If we compare the specs of all the engines in the class of kaveri I think gtre has done a respectable job in their first attempt. What's your opinion on this?
Sir, please tell me who will be exposed/punished as a result of this CAG report? I don't think a single journalist has connect the dots and pointed the finger at AK Antony who has exciplitly lead to this situation vis a vis the Cheetak/CHeetah still being in service nor has the DM gone on record and stated this.
The CAG releases its report, the journalists report it, the common man sees it and says "this is the norm in India", the earth keeps spinning and the IA still has to fly 40 year old JUNK. No one is having to explain themselves, no one is going to get punished.
VMT for your response Prasun ji.
1) If the CBI is going after those involved in the AW-139 sale to the Delhi police and others, why do the media keep linking these Interpol red notices and such to the AW-101 VVIP deal??
2) Clealry the entire NCA needs to have a secure form of rotary wing transport and the perfect beast is sat idle on our soil- the AW-101!! But what is the solution? I don't think the DM has even casually mentioned this deal or this serious issue since being in office, clearly he is indifferent to the situation. The IAF has failed to release a new RFI/RFP for this requirement for the past 18+ months all while the PM and all others are still at risk flying in ANCIENT MI-8 peices of shit. No one seems interested in sorting this mess out, what will it take to address the issue? The death of our PM in a helicopter accident??
Please tell me your honest expectation of what is going to happen and a realistic timeline for a solution (those peices of shit Russian junk being replaced for VVIP transport).
why sri-lanka wants the Bridge,
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/150927/columns/indias-new-5-billion-dollar-one-way-hanuman-bridge-to-lanka-165705.html
To ANTHONY: That article is full of malicious mischief & contradictory statements & claims. For instance, what hegemony is exercised by India over Sri Lanka when it is India that remains Sri Lanka's economic lifeline & has been so since the late 1990s when the free trade agreement was signed & implemented? At that time, neither China nor Pakistan came to Sri Lanka's financial assistance. Similarly, how does India command Sri Lanka's airspace? And why should India ever bother to do so? Again, no explanations from the author, who is obviously an India-baiter. Lastly, only a blithering idiot will claim that Buddhism or Hinduism is being used to exert psychological pressure over Sri Lanka. If the author of this Op-Ed is so concerned about India's religious hegemony, then he might as well start an agitation aimed at converting all Sri Lankans to a religion that has no origins in India!
In reality, it is Sri Lanka that wants this bridge built so that India forever foregoes the option of realising the Sethusamudram project (i.e. ensuring merchant marine shipping through the Palk Straits that will cut short the time taken by ships from the Middle east & Horn of Africa to reach ports along India's southeastern seaboard), & this in turn will ensure that transshipment cargo terminals now being built in Colombo are able to do brisk business with India & deny India the opportunity to build her own cargo transshipment terminals in either Kerala or Tamil Nadu.
Interesting reads:
Espionage activities inside GRSE Kolkata: http://www.theweek.in/theweek/statescan/tmcs-suspected-links-with-isi-agents-could-cost-mamata-dear-in-the-assembly-polls.html
The future of US-2i amphibians in India: http://www.theweek.in/theweek/more/india-japan-relations.html
Heard that an Hight altitude jet engine test facility is coming up in chithradurga with US assistance. If so please update about is present status.
Arpit Kanodia said...
Sir,
Your take on this
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/6th-century-Ramayana-found-in-Kolkata-stuns-scholars/articleshow/50227724.cms
"" A 6th-century manuscript of Ramayana, which focuses on the separation of Rama and Sita and portrays them more as humans, has been found tucked inside a Purana at a Sanskrit library here. It is markedly different from the more accepted 4 BC Valmiki Ramayana. The 12th-century rendition by Tamil poet Kamba is generally considered the second oldest among the more popular versions. However, now that may change.""
It seems like Ramayana pretty changed with time, that will more surprise us all if in more latter versions Ravana portrayed as hero. lol.
@prasun da
of the 11 questions you threw at me at least 2 i think you yourself had answered already
1. Project Orange to measure RCS to kaustav and prav
2. TVC from LCA mk2 to me (remember the carrot dangled to which i had said TVC for LMRCA like LCA mk1 is overkill)
i think both these were done as base for future incorporation/development of AMCA (my guess)
anyways thanks
Joydeep Ghosh
PrasunDA,
1. It seems people from The Hindu are regularly visiting your blog. Please read this new article. A scathing attack on HAL's effort to develop an aircraft engine
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/a-long-way-to-go-for-hals-new-aircraft-engine/article8009277.ece
2. I read in a Bengali newspaper that people like Bankim C Chatterjee actually preferred British rule, suggesting that, had British colonization not happened,Hinduism would have been wiped out by Islamic invaders. Is there any truth in these suggestions?
Thanks,
Vikram
Hi Prasunda,
Another CAG report and yet another revelation of the poor availability of spare parts of Russian origin.
http://www.saiindia.gov.in/english/home/Our_Products/Audit_Report/Government_Wise/union_audit/recent_reports/union_compliance/2015/Defence/38of2015/Report_38.html
The report states that availability of Su 30MKI and IL 76 AWACS is >50% primarily because Russia is not providing spare parts.
My question is why does Russia fail on a regular basis to provide support? And since they fail should MoD still sign more contracts with them?
Best, Sujoy
@Vikaram Maybe he forgotten the legacies of Sikh & Maratha Empire.
Even after the Sikh Empire was ruthless in rule, but the empire was secular.
Arpit, all of the Ramayanas that exist today differing in the minutes regard Valmiki's Ramayana as their basis and foundational text.
The different versions of Ramayana, are not surprising, because in keeping with Hinduism's pluralistic and assimilative nature, local communities could write their own myths based on historical precedents of the past.
The latest discovery, finds no mention of the Bala and Uttara Khanda as was long believed.
And it is consistent in portraying a more Human Rama with the Valmiki's Ramayana. This is not to deny the divine nature of Rama and as a man of exceptional adhyatmik and bhautik qualities. However the later versions, just like with Krishna, deified Rama to the extent that is popular now.
@Prasunda
Your views on the purchase of S-400 Triumf? I thought India had no requirements to go for a SAM system that was specifically designed to bring down high flying bombers.
Moreover, what can the S-400 Triumf do that the Barak LR-SAM/MR-SAM can't already do? Apart from of course bringing down long range bombers?
With this imminent purchase what would be the status of AD1/2 AND PDV?
Also await your finer points on the Indo-Pakistan equations. I had earlier suggested the Indian Army to launch a short swift war and re-annex the whole of G&B since Pakistan is on the mat.
Sir,'In order to maintain a credible level of deterrence, Indian Air Force (IAF) contracted with OEM56 for import of 50 ‘C’57 aircraft (1996-98) and subsequently (2006-2012) for 222 aircraft under license production from HAL58. Against 272 aircraft contracted with OEM/HAL, 204 aircraft were delivered (March 2015) to IAF."
Page no 56 of the CAG report.
Here it mentions of 272 acs contracted from HAL/OEM but you had earlier said many a times that we have bought 314 Su-30mkis. You had also provided the timeline. Can it be that a certain order was included twice in the calculation.
Pls clarify.
Vikram,
A cursory reading of Anandamath would throw away any such notions of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay 'supporting' British Rule in India. Anandamath is an epoch in the sense that it paved the way for Hindu nationalism in India.
Yes, since I don't quite know of the exact question your raised, it is possible that he may have 'preferred' as opposed to 'supported' British Rule in India vis-a-vis the Islamic rule. However when and as anyone says the Muslims could have conquered Dharma, please take it with a pinch of salt. There is a reason why the Hindus remained by and large Hindus despite Islamic invasion and designs of establishing the flag of Islam and wiping out heathenism. The reason is the dogged Heroic Hindu Resistance to the Islamic invaders.
Secondly you should be aware of the elementary fact, that the British didn't take over the reigns of Bharata from the Mughals, instead the British Empire was a direct descendant of the Maratha Empire in terms of the geographical territory held. This is a simple fact that many of us miss out on. Yes it is true that the Marathas, in defence of Hindu Dharma and in pursuance of Haindavi Swarajya(Hindu Selfrule) dismantled, crippled and obliterated the Islamic fanatics. It's of course sad that they lost out against the Brits.
If one reads the CAG reports, one has to ask, is the Indian military capable of fighting at all? While one appreciates the reports and hope action is taken, is the situation such that the forces are combat incapable? {I am being a little tongue in cheek}
November 1996: 40 Su-30MKIs ordered from Irkut Corp. In December 1998 this was increased by 10 to 50 Su-30MKIs.
December 2000: 140 Su-30MKIs for licenced production since 2004.
2007: contract signed for 40 licence-built Su-30MKIs.
December 2011: contract signed for 42 Su-30MKIs from Irkut Corp.
December 2012: contract signed for 42 Su-30MKIs from Irkut Corp.
Sir, this is what you had said. So is the CAG wrong? Or a certain tranche has been included more than once. pls clarify .
Sir , Saab seems to have offered us complete TOT for 5th gen Grippen.your view on this.
http://m.ndtv.com/profit/india-russia-sign-deal-for-another-42-sukhoi-combat-planes-294310
Manmohan had signed the deal.
http://m.ibnlive.com/news/india/india-to-buy-more-su-30-mki-fighter-jets-from-russia-516067.html
This deal was signed in November. is this the previous deal that was agreed upon when Manmihan visited Russia the previous year? The CAG reports hardly makes mistake
To SUBIR: Of course the CAG always makes several mistakes. No one is perfect.
To MAGICBULLET: Saab's Delhi-based marketing executives are just fishing & speculating. This becomes evident when one reads the news-report:
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/saab-offers-gripen-fighter-jets-under-make-in-india-with-full-control/article8010733.ece?w=alauto
The market for JAS-39 Gripen-NG is permanently closed in India.
To JOHN: Why should anyone require static high-altitude engine test ranges when airborne testbeds like the IL-78MD from Russia's Gromov Flight Research Institute are avalable on charter whenever reqd?
In a scathing indictment of military system of justice in general and senior serving and retired Indian Air Force officers in particular, the Gauhati High Court has quashed all disciplinary proceedings against a decorated Air Commodore who was framed on false charges of having an affair with junior officer's wife for having pointed out corruption in the construction of an airbase for Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft in Assam. The Gauhati High Court has severely criticised the role of a former Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal S Varthman, as well as the present Commandant of National Defence Academy, Air Marshal KS Gill, for the “abuse and misuse” of the “power and machinery” of the air force in the framing of the officer who tried to stem the corruption in the airbase which was to house the frontline fighter aircraft of the IAF. While Air Marshal Varthman has now retired from service, Air Marshal Gill was earlier posted as Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of Eastern Air Command in the rank of Air Vice Marshal and was accused by Air Commodore Mrigendra Singh of not acting on his complaints of poor quality of work in the air base. Air Commodore Mrigendra Singh had been posted as Air Officer Commanding Air Force Station Chabua in Assam which was to station Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters and major works of construction for this project were on. He found that the quality of work was sub-standard and complained to his superiors numerous times to no avail. In the meantime engines of four Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft were damaged because of the substandard quality of work and this caused a loss of crores of rupees to the exchequer. Air Commodore Singh alleged in his petition that even though there was a nexus between the contractor and the then Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Air Command, he was finally able to get the contractor blacklisted. All his efforts were allegedly not appreciated by the top brass and he was falsely accused of sexually exploiting his junior officers’ wives. A Court of Inquiry was later instituted against the officer for and phone call records of one lady who was falsely accused of having an improper relationship were also illegally procured by air force officers.
Cont'd below...
The Gauhati high court found that various irregularities were committed by the air force before and during the course of the inquiry and that the officer was deliberately targeted. The high court has said in its judgement that, ”The mala fide origin of the whole Court of Inquiry and the disciplinary proceedings is apparent from a cursory look at the time-line inasmuch as it was after the petitioner’s complaints that the so-called anonymous letters started materializing out of nowhere and in March-April, 2012, discreet inquiries were initiated and after the petitioner’s final complaint, in May, 2012, seeking enquiry into sub-standard construction work at the Airbase, at Chabua, the petitioner was posted to Jaipur in July and, within a week thereafter, the Court of Inquiry was convened”. The role of the Armed Forces Tribunal’s Gauhati Bench has also come in for criticism by the Gauhati High court which observed that the AFT bench had passed orders which were “illegal” and “not sustainable in law” while granting no relief to Air Commodore Singh in a petition filed by him. The entire sordid affair shows how military authorities do not bat an eyelid in falsely implicating anyone who do not toe their line. It also goes to show that there is complete and utter disregard of rank or decoration or professional competence when anyone is framed with full backing of the "system". More sadly, the Air Force authorities did not even care for the reputation of an officer's wife and her husband, a Wing Commander, before falsely implicating her with the Air Commodore. No senior officer through the chain of command cared to interfere in this blatant misuse of power, not even the AFT, and it was only the civilian justice system which ultimately came to the aid of the beleaguered officer. In fact, the less said about the conduct of the AFT bench of Gauhati the better. Serious questions should be raised about the impartiality of certain AFT members and the manner in which they go about dispensing justice, or rather, denying justice. Air Commodore Mrigendra Singh's case is a stark reminder to all and sundry that there has to be close check kept on the actions of senior officers who try to muzzle the voice of honest and upright officers. This officer played by the book, did not leak his story to the media and expected justice from his brother officers in uniform, but he got nothing. It is a sad day for any service when honest men are castigated while the dishonest reap the benefits of greed.
To SBM: LoLz! Whatever has made you reach this conclusion? Weekend mood-swings? Wars are never fought by countries like India the way they are fought by countries like the US. The road to war has to be approached by climbing eight steps in the escalatory ladder. In March 1971 only eight MBTs of bthe IA were operational. But by late November 1971 everything was ready to go. Likewise, in January 2002 there were severe spares shortages & they were resolved only by October 2002. Even in France, the peacetime availability of the Rafale does not exceed 50% of the fleet. IDEALLY, 65% of the IAF's aircraft fleets should be available for usage in wartime in short notice. But then, this percentage applies to total war when full-scale mobilisation is reqd. But such a scenario is not visualised in South Asia anymore, especially after May 1998. Furthermore, for the maintenance of skills proficiency of human resources, especially pilots, flight simulators are being put to increasing use, so that airframe hours are conserved. Consequently, I personally will be more than happy to see about 65% of the Su-30MKI fleet being operational on any given day during peacetime. If one wants a figure of 80%, then one will have to set up a HAL-owned bonded warehouse that constantly maintains a certain quantum of spares that can be readily made available upon demand. But such a demand cannot & does not emanate only from the IAF. To become financially viable, such a warehouse will have to be co-owned by HAL & Russian Aircraft Corp & will have to cater to all operators of Su-30MKI-type aircraft, i.e. Malaysia, Algeria, Uganda & Angola. Can this be done? Of course. Will it be done? The jury is still out on that score.
Sir,http://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/20991/List+of+documents+signed+at+the+13th+IndiaRussia+Annual+Summit
6.Contract for Delivery of 42 technological kits for SU-30MKI aircraft licensed production.The Protocol-II on licensed manufacturing of additional 42 SU-30MKI aircraft units was signed during Annual Summit 2011. The current contract is a follow up to this Protocol.
I believe you are mistaken. Read the no 6 poiNt.The contract was signed in Dec,2012 and the protocol was signed the previous year. They are the same deals. That means the total no of sukhoi procured till date is 272 and not 314.
http://www.firstpost.com/world/india-gives-democracy-a-new-home-in-afghanistan-modi-to-inaugurate-parliament-building-2553208.html
Who is this guy?
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/strategic-insights/the-little-nasr/?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=TOI
"Aah, you little beauty, you little Nasr, you have finally brought two major powers to their knees, and that too without firing a single shot.
Out there in the US, there is real consternation that this micro-mini Pakistani tactical nuke will fall into the hands of jihadis who would then use it against the American mainland. Washington has spent hundreds of millions of dollars in securing Pakistan’s big, strategic nukes but to the Nasr it has no answers. Why?
Because the Nasr is a javelin-like structure, deployed in the battlefield against tanks, and under the operational command of a brigadier. Think of how many brigadiers there are in Pakistan’s seven hundred thousand-strong army— two hundred, three hundred, five hundred— and that would be the number of tiny Nasrs floating about in the battlefield.
Pakistani army is steeped in religion. Its soldiers are indoctrinated as ghazis— warriors of the faith— against the infidel, Hindu India. Its forces have time and again been caught with jihadi tendencies, whether it is the PNS Mehran attack or the arrest of the radicalised Brigadier Ali Khan. Its leadership has emphasized that its force is free of jihadi strains but the world at large has remained unconvinced.
A dirty bomb, small enough to smuggle in a suitcase, is America’s worst nightmare. Until now it was assumed that that terrorists did not have the wherewithal to put one together. But Pakistan has solved their problem for them. All a jihadi officer has to do is smuggle the little Nasr to a terrorist and there you have it, America’s worst nightmare will come true.
On bended knees, America is imploring Pakistan to get rid of the Nasrs. But Pakistan must have its pound of flesh. Washington is abuzz with a civilian nuclear deal for the Pakistanis. The contours are faint but it seems to involve access to nuclear technology, as well as membership of the nuclear suppliers group, a facility not yet afforded India.
Pakistan insists that the Nasrs are safe and are only for use against India were the latter to implement its Cold Start Doctrine: a rapid ingress of armoured forces into Pakistan, the destruction of a few jihadi camps, and then a steep withdrawal back into India. But so high is the risk associated with a potential leak of the Nasr, that Washington has put pressure on India to talk to Pakistan about Kashmir.
An India that was only willing to talk terror with Pakistan has within the space of a couple of weeks turned turtle to not only talk Kashmir but all aspects of the relationship. Oh, how the Pakistani military must be gloating.
So the little Nasr has paid off in spades for Pakistan. It has almost swung an energy deal for it, and brought India down to its knees in discussing Kashmir. It is not for the first time that Pakistan has run circles around India. In 1989, India backed the wrong horse in Afghanistan and Pakistan was able to send scores of jehadis into Kashmir. This time round too, India’s Afghan policy seems weak, with Pakistan holding many an ace. The fiasco at Kargil needs no further recounting.
What allows a much smaller nation like Pakistan to push India around? Firstly, a career in the Pakistani armed forces is prized. The best brains in Pakistan want to become a military officer. In return, the state guarantees them cradle to grave welfare, making a military career worth their while. In India though, army officers are treated shabbily. Witness their humiliation over one rank one pension. The Indian armed forces face a current lacuna of 10,000 officers. In a million man force, that is one officer per 100 men. The quality of officers who join, sad to say, are not in the strategic league of their Pakistani counterparts.
Until such time that the Indian government realizes its follies, and restores the sheen of the armed forces, developments like the little Nasr will hem us in, both militarily, as well as diplomatically."
S.Kumar
@prasun
@RAW13
Have a view of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tecg1DnLrU0
It seems to describe how NASR missile and its warhead work. Dont understand everything in urdu maybe raw13 or someone else, can translate this?
Are the reports about dis-agreements about the lease of 2nd Russian SSKN authentic? Today in ET it is reported that IN wanted Yasen class and Russians insisting on 2nd Akula? We also heard about the Kashalot. What's the reality?
It feels like Russians are bargaining very hard on submarine matter.
May be they are offering yasen class submarines on lease & in return they want India's SSN contact.
BTW, prasun sir, if we have option then who will be better choice ? Russians or French ?
Prasun what aircraft in IAF inventory are flight simulators being used for training? does IAF have flight simulators for Su 30mki?
http://www.indiandefencereview.com/news/simulation-and-training-the-iaf-perspective/
"The Kiran aircraft, presently being employed as the basic trainer for ab initio and Stage II training for the budding fighter pilots, is supported by a Pilot Procedure Platform (PPP) and a Cockpit Procedure Trainer (CPT), both poor cousins of a simulator. These are fixed platforms meant primarily for practising procedures. On the other hand, in Stage III, the training syllabus on the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer is divided into two semesters. The schedule has simulator training embedded from the first semester itself and consists of 30 per cent of the training in assessed sorties. This simulator is far more sophisticated than that for the Kiran aircraft but is still not a full motion simulator; the ‘motion’ is provided on large screens through computer-generated videos which are realistic and permit full sortie profile to be simulated. For the training of transport pilots, the IAF has a Flight Training Device (FTD) one each for Do-228 and An-32 aircraft. These are somewhat similar to the Hawk Simulator but the sorties are not assessed as the quality of simulation is nowhere close providing realistic feel of flying."
"The first full motion simulator that the IAF now has is that of C-130J. This is a high-fidelity, six-axis, full motion, electrically operated simulator that is capable of initial pilot training as well as operational training. With this induction, a new era in the use of simulators in the IAF has been ushered in with the entire training i.e. initial conversion, operational training, check sorties and continuation training being flown on the simulator. It has been set up at a cost of $46 million, just a shade less than half the cost of a new aircraft. The cost however, can only be recovered if the simulator is exploited to its maximum capacity and utilised for all exercises and role clearances, as is done in the US. For operational training on fighter aircraft, the IAF has mission simulators, but the numbers are limited. Consequently, operational training continues to be carried out through actual flying, a very costly proposition indeed. Delay in acquisition of additional simulators required may be attributed to the traditional mindset of hands-on flying training, high initial investment and lack of appreciation of the benefits of simulator training or a combination of all."
"Simulator training is applicable not only to the IAF but also to the civil aviation sector. Currently, there are about 1,280 Full Flight Simulators (FFS) in operation worldwide certified for pilot training in the Commercial Air Transport (CAT) sector by the relevant National Civil Aviation Regulatory Authorities. Out of these, about 550 are in the US, 75 in the UK, 60 in China, 50 each in Germany and Japan and 40 in France. In India, the numbers can be counted on one’s finger tips. Clearly, much needs to be done on this front."
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/shift-in-strategy-india-us-to-talk-on-giving-access-to-each-others-military-bases/articleshow/50260388.cms
Shift in strategy: India & US to talk on giving access to each other's military bases
sir what are your thoughts on this article
http://m.hindustantimes.com/analysis/lands-of-the-rising-alliance-fitting-india-into-japan-s-vision/story-IZI4T66hT50InhgA3TMwj0.html
Prasun,
This article explains all the reasons why the Rajputs lost so many battles. I suspect the same reasons hold true for other Indian kingdoms as well who lost to foreign invaders
http://scroll.in/article/728636/what-our-textbooks-dont-tell-us-why-the-rajputs-failed-miserably-in-battle-for-centuries
Would like to know your viewpoint on this.
Dear Prasun,
You assure in your earlier post that you will give your Syrian War comments. What will happen next?.
Waiting for your reply.
Thanks
S.Senthil Kumar
Look who else is interested in the JF-17:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/1013555/handy-defence-tool-malaysia-mulls-options-to-buy-jf-17-thunder/
Prasun, even if half of these materialize, PAC will have their original investment back. If the LCA goes to Bahrain, will it fly? Just been confirmed that JF-17 is going to be there and flying.
@Anon 1.03am: essentially the guys says that the warhead on the nasr is neutron and that if full battery content of 4 missiles used, it will kill all living things in 10km2. For me thats a surprise, I didnt realise it was a neutron bomb in there, apparently size of 2 footballs.
To RAW13: LoLz!!! Malaysia does not have the money to even buy tactical UAVs, & you expect it to invest in JF-17s??? Get real! Read these on where Malaysia's finances are being 'invested':
http://www.sarawakreport.org/2015/07/sensational-findings-prime-minister-najib-razaks-personal-accounts-linked-to-1mdb-money-trail-malaysia-exclusive/
http://www.sarawakreport.org/2015/02/heist-of-the-century-how-jho-low-used-petrosaudi-as-a-front-to-siphon-billions-out-of-1mdb-world-exclusive/
http://www.sarawakreport.org/2015/12/the-european-parliamentary-resolution-on-malaysia-in-full/
And as for the goof-up by KSA regarding the so-called 'alliance', here's what Pakistanis have to say:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H90pY_8JyCM
To RAW13: How do you think the LCA will reach Bahrain? By ship? On-board a C-17A? By undertaking inter-dimensional jumps? Whenever any aircraft-type is bdisplayed at any air show, at least 2 units are sent" 1 for aerial flight demonstrations & the other for static display.
@Prasun,
You are very touchy today or is it the LCA? You know I meant the flying demo at Bahrain. I dont need to disrespect LCA to have a laugh. However regarding the transport to Bahrain, all those modes are feasible, however you forgot to mention LCA fav mode, on the back of the display truck. lol...
The youtune vid above seems to have been removed. Well you have seen my comments wrt the goof they made.
To RAW13: LCA on display truck was shown only during an earlier Republic Day parade & it involved a scale-model, not the actual aircraft, pretty much like the CH-3/Burraq UCAV atop a flatbed trailer.
Here's another link on the video:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3iso31_nasim-zehra-8-20th-december-2015_news
Maybe @raw13 is on steroid today after listing ISPR's new song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOR2NXMtbWU
After displacing there own citizens, killing, flatting there cities. And now there own citizens become Dushman of the state.
Afterall Dushman ke baccho ko padhana hai. ROFL.
To ARPIT KANODIA: The most reprehensible & despicable part is the lyrics, teaching kids to take 'badlaa' (revenge). This song has already created an outrage among many throughout the world. The lyrics only illustrate the flawed & regressive value-systems that are upheld & encouraged by the PA & its ISPR. If this is the way of the PA's winning hearts & minds (WHAM) strategy, then it truly deserves the likes of Donald Trump to bring it to its senses.
PrasunDa, this is cool.
A list of spying devices used by spooks
https://theintercept.com/surveillance-catalogue/
@AK and Prasun,
I have told you many times, this is what we are like. Revenge is part of our culture, a big part. A child from a very young age is taught, be kind to your family and friends but be merciless towards your enemies. The song is saying we will take revenge by educating the children.
Anyways, the CPEC progress:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/china-pakistan-ink-2-billion-deal-to-build-power-plant-in-sindh/articleshow/50273768.cms
To ARPIT KANODIA: Height of terminal stupidity: http://mashable.com/2015/12/21/nargis-fakhri-ad/#IdqMX9FnQEq4
This is how the retards there react!
To RAW13: Well, if you would have read the Al Hadis, then you should know what the Holy Prophet had said about revenge & hatred: every action has an equal & opposite reaction. And that's exactly what's happening when one sees hoards of Pakistanis being deported from Western & Southeast Asian countries (especially Malaysia) & Pakistani visa applications being rejected by Western countries! Greatest problem, however, is that Pakistan's own citizens in the tribal areas are being labelled as the 'enemy' & are being mercilessly targetted, just as East Pakistani Muslims were targetted in 1971. So, the US$46 billion question that arises is: if Pakistan cannot even manage those citizens who were actually instrumental in the creation of Pakistan (these being the East Pakistani Muslims who due to superior numbers had voted in favour of Pakistan in 1947, but later on realised that they had been taken for a ride by their West Pakistani 'brethren'), then which country in the world will ever be able to favour Pakistan's PoV regarding J & K? What's the guarantee that Pakistan will not do the same with the people of J & K? Any country that brutally annihilates its own citizens through mass slaughter deserves neither sympathy nor mercy.
As for coal-fired thermal powerplants, let's all wait & see how it progresses, especially after the Paris climate-change conference. Don;t be surprised if the EU imposes additional import tariffs on Pakistan-made textile garments. In any case, 60% of Pakistan's textile garment production plants have shut down since last week due to unavailability of gas. The only salvation now lies with the TAPI pipeline, if Pakistani politicians, bureaucrats & technocrats are to be believed, based on what they have said here:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3isxbc_mahaz-wajahat-saeed-khan-kay-sath-20th-december-2015_news
So its A national time pass to make a fuss over a woman posing for Mobile phone. And that ISPR video. That's some messed up stuff. Who the hell writes these things. Pakistan is nothing but a cult of thugs and extremist C*nts using Tanks, Artillery and Fighters on their own population. No wonder even well to do younger population is sneaking into Europe as Syrian or Afghan refugee.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-russia-likely-to-sign-deal-for-4-stealth-frigates/article8014794.ece
pkis in overdrive
http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/policy-budget/industry/2015/12/21/could-malaysian-interest-in-jf-17-signal-export-sales/77704460/
is thereany truth in this?
@Prasun,
More details on the powerplant
http://www.dawn.com/news/1227907/15bn-loan-pacts-signed-for-first-thar-coal-mining-power-project
This project is equal spend on the mine + first power plant.
The CPEC accords envisage 14 projects of 10,400MW in the first phase, which are targeted for commercial operation by 2017-18.
here is an article by an author you indians love:
Ms C.Fair
http://qz.com/579334/pakistans-army-is-building-an-arsenal-of-tiny-nuclear-weapons-and-its-going-to-backfire/
Looks like our desert is going to come in handy. Are their deposits on your side of the border too?
http://www.dawn.com/news/1220162/cpec-an-unlikely-boon-for-thar-coal-project
Thar coalfield, which spans over 9,000 square kilometres, sits on top a vast potential source of 175bn tonnes of lignite. By some estimates, these reserves are equivalent to combined oil reserves of Saudi Arabia and Iran in terms of heating value.
The area has been divided into a dozen blocks for extraction. The SECMC is working on Block-II, which covers nearly 100 sq km and is estimated to have around 2bn tonnes of coal. The company says that would be enough to generate 5,000MW for 50 years.
Block-I has been allotted to Sino-Sindh Global Mining, Block-III to Asia Power Group Ltd, Block-IV to China’s Harbin Electric Company and Block-VI to UK-based Oracle Coalfields.
In the first phase, the SECMC aims at extracting 3.8m tonnes of coal a year to fuel a proposed power plant of 660MW. The mining capacity will later be expanded to 6.5m tonnes annually to power 3,960MW plants, six each of 660MW.
The government has included both the mining and the power generation projects in the list of CPEC’s priority projects and the initial 660MW coal-based power project is expected to come on stream by early 2018.
@raw13 ..Co-incidently I happened to be reading this before coming here ... http://www.dawn.com/news/1195871
" I had shown that when it comes to Thar, we may be counting our chickens before they hatched. Only 2.7 out of the 175 billion tonnes of Thar coal are categorised as measured (proven) coal reserves. The rest of the reserves (172 billion tonnes) fall under hypothetical (undiscovered), inferred, and indicated category."
Good luck with the electricity projects , despite everything coal is a no brainer above bunker oil .Your electricity sector makes me think that your politicians/generals were deliberately trolling you.
Dear Prasun,
Is it True?
https://www.rt.com/news/326731-turkey-afghanistan-heroin-europe/
Thanks
Senthil Kumar
New article By Seymour Hersh, Very Interesting:
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v38/n01/seymour-m-hersh/military-to-military
To RAW13: LoLz! Unlike Pakistan, India has been the Thar's coal reserves for the past few decades, as confirmed by the Pakistani PM itself here:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3iqjsm_mahaz-wajahat-saeed-khan-kay-sath-19th-december-2015_news
There's a huge differences between what's envisaged & what's achievable. Dr. Samar Mubarak mand has been working for the past decade on Thar coal gasification & has already borrowed US$500 million from the Govt of Pakistan & spent it on some dubious Chinese OEMs, with nothing to show so far. He too had envisaged paradise in Thar. But has he achieved his promised objective?
And here's more on how the Saudis have yet again presented Pakistan with a fait accompli:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3iwxd6_news-eye-with-meher-abbasi-21st-december-2015-on-dawn-news_news
And here's why & how Pakistan's engagement wikth Afghanistan is going drown the drain:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3iwoma_aina-21st-december-2015_sport
Hi Prasun,
I have an advice for you, we know you are intelligent no doubt but have you checked the list of questions coming from RAW13 it is an specific set trying gain more knowledge on certain topic without trying to find the answers for them. Hence I would request you to stop answering his/her queries "It's better to leave your enemy in darkness generated from literate stubbornness then enlightening them with knowledge of facts".
Older article By Seymour Hersh that provides the background to the earlier link i posted:
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v36/n08/seymour-m-hersh/the-red-line-and-the-rat-line
@Prasun:
What is status of LCA Mk2 ? With LCA Mk1A redesigning work to be done by 2017-18, will they be able to do Mk2 first flight by 2022 ?
Prasun Da, this ET article says that India is in talks with the USA as well for a possible purchase of a SSN
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/all-eyes-on-pm-narendra-modi-after-nuclear-submarine-plan-with-russia-flounders/articleshow/50260326.cms
Is it true that India is negotiating with USA as well for a SSN?
Thank You
@Prasun:
1) In your previous comments you have mentioned there will be TVC on Mk2 combining Eurojet TVC with GE 414. But will GE allow India/any other company to customize their engine ? If TVC was that important why Eurojet was not selected ?
2) If you include TVC, we would need to incorporate changes in controls ? I remember one of F 22 crashing because it could not control its 2D TVC properly
@Prasun,
I really don't see the point of TVC on LCA. It is already designed to be very agile. What it really needs is more fuel not additional weight, unless off course its heading towards semi-stealth/stealth iteration?
Is the Bharat52 Howitzer from Bharat Kalyani Forge going to be taken up for development trials by the Company as private parties are now permitted to use government ranges? Or only L&T and Mahindra JVs have got the go ahead.
What advice would you hypothetically propose to make DPSUs more efficient? For example, how would you transform an organization like OFB into one like Norinco.
Hi Prasun,
I think your prophesy is coming true
http://idrw.org/india-may-go-for-six-more-additional-scorpene-submarines-french-media/
Whats your view on this report:
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/pm-modi-leaves-for-moscow-russia-offers-new-cheaper-deal-on-sukhoi-fighter-jets/
Hi Prasun, I don't think you should waste any more of your time in responding to RAW13.
Hi Prasun ,
This might sound to be a dumb question : Is it possible to do some limited RnD on flight performance , maneuverability , stealth characteristics of a conceptual aircraft using 1:7 or smaller RC models ?
Hi Prasun,
Is it true?
http://idrw.org/why-srilanka-could-be-launch-customer-for-indias-lca-tejas/
Thanks
S.Senthil Kumar
India is really upping the game:
http://www.ryot.org/indias-new-secret-nuclear-facility-risks-military-build-up-in-asia/947366
I was being tongue in cheek. It should be noted that only 38 out of 90 RAF Typhoons are serviceable.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/419422/Half-of-Britain-s-combat-aircraft-is-not-fit-to-fly
What's the case of the USAF ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTY1Xhr7zgc
Pakistani media openly admitting that they have smuggled components for making nuclear weapons programme.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-SkfMITe0U
Admission in the video that Haqqani network and Afghan Taliban working from Pakistan and later being asked to leave Pakistan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyNvHUvsf2k
If Muslims ruled India for 1000 years what was the need to create Pakistan?
Reason for creating pakistan: umm let me think,
I can eat beef without getting murdered by my neighbours in front of my family.
I can take out ashura without getting a ban.
I dont have to worry about my land being taken to build a temple.
Kashmiri
Unless I missed in the threads didn't you say Prasun that the Triumf won't be bought but the US system will be bought instead which is a proven platform unlike the Russian one? Sorry if you answered this elsewhere - due to storms have not been able to get on the Internet of late.
Its my mistake, I should have written "the video link above the statement exposes the lies and how Pakistan's creation was a big mistake". The subject of the video is "If muslims ruled India for 1000 years, what was the need to create Pakistan".
In the video link below the remarks, following has been stated
THE GREAT HASSAN NISAR STATING THAT PARTITION WAS STUPIDITY.
IF ISLAM IS THE BINDING FORCE FOR MUSLIMS, THAN WHY DID IRAN, AFGHANISTAN AND OTHERS NOT UNITE WITH PAKISTAN TO CREATE ISLAMIC UMMAH.
HASSAN NISSAR ALSO STATES, MANY PEOPLE DIED BECAUSE OF PAKISTAN BUT NOT FOR PAKISTAN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv5Xlk6i6fQ
To PIERRE ZORIN: Did I make any such remark or prediction? If so, can anyone reproduce it? And has anyone from India as yet made any official statement about the S-400 sale-n-purchase & its nature?
To SBM: The figure for the all four arms of the US military is closer to 75% as most of them are forward-deployed throughout the globe. And the term is not serviceable, but availability. Serviceability means the hardware that can be made operational through product-support & MRO activities. Thus, all 90 EF-2000 Typhoons are serviceable, but only 38 are fully operational on any given day.
To ANTHONY: For everyone’s information, both India & Pakistan have been annually exchanging lists of each other’s nuclear installations since 1989 as part of an agreed-upon list of CBMs. The element of secrecy therefore does not exist in this case.
To S SENTHIL KUMAR: Launch customer is almost always the country that develops any such product, & not the importing country.
To QUEST: Nope. Not possible.
To JON: More than US$3 billion for just 3 FGFA/PMF prototypes? Is that cheap by any stretch of imagination? And that too when the definitive turbofans have yet to surface? And if this is the case, how can these 3 aircraft even be labeled as prototypes? In reality, Russia has increased its procurement budget by 70% for the next fiscal year mainly to cater to purchases of legacy hardware like Su-30SMs, Su-34s etc etc. Consequently, the T-50 PAK-FA will be procured in far smaller numbers & that too by 2020. This suits the IAF just fine, since it too won’t have to undertake the concurrent procurement of FGFA/PMF by 2020 & this in turn will make the money available for going in for greater numbers of Rafale MMRCAs.
To DEVOPRIYO: VMT, but that was always the writing on the wall & was under active negotiations for the past 2 years.
To GOPU: Its elementary: make them fully public-listed companies in which the Govt of India has only ‘Golden Shares’. Only then will these existing DPSUs have the same degree of performance success & efficiency as L & T, TATA etc etc.
To KAUSTAV BHATTACHARYA: Not yet. The MoD has not yet clarified whether or not thyere will be competitive bidding for procuring locally-developed 155mm/52-cal towed howitzers. Therefore, as of now, the OFB is still the only approved nodal entity for producing/manufacturing them, & the DRDO is the only agency that is responsible for developing such home-grown products.
To RAW13: You need to read-up all about post-stall manoeuvring & its effect on basic air combat manoeuvres. To cut a long story short, TVC brings forth a new flight regime for controlled, spin-free flight. The TVC-equipped aircraft can undertake stabilised flight at 85 degrees AoA, pitch and yaw rates up to 50 degrees per second at low airspeeds where the elevator and rudder are ineffective, and near-flawless engine operation at all attitudes and angular rates. TVC thus provides a capability to remove the LCA’s existing 24-degree AOA limiter.
To JOHN: 1) I don’t see any reason why GE should object, UNLESS GE is willing to customize its AVEN TVC nozzles & integrate it with the F414IN56 turbofan. Both GE & P & W had developed such 2-d & later 3-D TVC nozzles way back in the mid-1980s & they were flying well before the USSR had anything coming close to such TVC nozzles. 2) Of course the flight-control system will have to be reconfigured to cater to the post-stall manoeuvre flight regime.
To SATYAM: I’m all for learning from the objective accounts of past history as compiled by historians. After all, one can only learn from mistakes, & not much from successes. There’s no need to shun past history just because it challenges existing narratives of certain characters or parties.
To PM: That’s a factual portrayal of events that transpired. One can learn a lot from such factual anecdotes.
To SUJOY MAJUMDAR & PIYUSH DAS: That story is utter hogwash. It’s like saying both you & I after taking a walk through an automobile assembly line will both become proficient automobile manufacturers! Whenever anyone leases anything—SSGN or B.787 or even a sedan, one is never reqd to be present at the product’s manufacturing plant, since the product is being made available on an ‘as is where is’ basis. That’s when the Project 971 Shchuka-A SSGN K-152 Nerpa wass under construction at the Amursky Shipyard at Komsomolsk-on-Amur, no one from the IN was allowed to inspect its construction/fabrication activity. All that the IN’s crew complement & Project Office were exposed to were the simulators & crew conversion classroom modules that are imperative for acquiring skills proficiency for the sake of operating the maintaining the SSGN. The same will be the case with the K-322 Kashalot, whose keel was laid on September 5, 1986, was launched on July 18, 1987 & commissioned on December 30, 1988. Also to be noted is that such leased SSGNs are not operational warfighting platforms, but are meant for use in peacetime only for ocean surveillance & fleet monitoring—as per the terms & conditions of the leasing arrangement. Lastly, the design & production engineering IPRs of any hardware are the properties of their OEMs & design houses, & in the case of Project 885 Yasen-class SSGNs, the IPRs are all with Russia’s Malakhit Special Design Bureau of Engineering. Without access to such IPRs, one cannot learn to re-engineer or back-engineer even a nut-and-bolt structure, leave alone any other component or pressure-hull section. And finally, it is Russian state policy not to export any major weapons platform through either lease or an outright sale unless that platform has first completed 10 years of service with its Russian end-user.
To THE HUNDRED: These transformative agreements ought to have been signed in the mid-1990s itself & were all these inked, then by now tens of millions would have been gainfully employed & India would have emerged as the IOR’s premier aerospace/naval shipbuilding & ship-repair hub. These plans were all conceived in 1991 itself after the week-long visit to India by then then Commander of the US Army’s component to PACOM, Lt Gen Claude M Kickleighter. You can read all about it here:
http://www.idsa.in/system/files/jds_5_1_sbishoyi.pdf
http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/19028/5/05_preface.pdf
http://ipcs.org/pdf_file/issue/439796419IB39-LalitMansingh-IndoUSStrategicPartnership.pdf
Full- flight simulators made their first entry into India in the early 1980s itself when the Jaguar IS FFS was imported from the UK-based Rediffusion Simulation. Then came the Sea Harrier FFS, followed by the Mirage 2000 FFS. The Su-30 FFS came much later in the previous decade & that was followed by the MiG-029K FFS in Dabolim.
To SUBIR: If there was a Protocol-2, then there must have been a preceding Protocol-1. What was Protocol-1 all about? Can you kindly find that out? That will lead you to the truth that will set you free.
To SENTHIL KUMAR: Interesting reads:
http://www.mintpressnews.com/secret-norwegian-government-report-confirms-turkey-helping-isis-sell-its-oil/212228/
http://breakingenergy.com/2015/12/23/the-turkish-russian-military-balance/
http://news.yahoo.com/assad-allies-russia-iran-mideast-resurgence-045533935.html
To VIKRAM GUHA: Can the Ka-226T deal have something to do with this?
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ndrf-seeks-air-wing-for-faster-response/article8014752.ece?homepage=true
While the lone road to Tawang continues to be a passage through hell:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjTBcPymRY0&hd=1
Prasun Da,
This is probably big. Jugal Purohit from India Today is reporting that the T 50 deal with Russia is dead. Here is the Twitter link
https://twitter.com/jrpur/status/679948556388577280
Regards,
Vikram
Thanks Prasun.
@kashmiri & fiance, etc... guys why get stuck on two nation theory. Its just a theory, right? In reality South asia is and always has been about many different (nation) states, throughout the history, just like europe. If you study history going back 7000 yrs, you will see many attempts made to unite different states but they always went back to their natural state after a period. We are going through one such period now. These periods are just blips in the historical timelines...so chill.
Have a good Christmas Gents!!!
Sir,
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/seychelles-committed-to-indian-naval-base/article8022404.ece
Are we developing Naval Base like US & UK develop, means deployment of warships in future? Or we just deploying Coastal Radar SYstem
sir in lieu of recent mou between reliance and usc of russia what is your opinion about this development .could this facility be used for other russian vessel users in ior.if so who and what obstacles will be faced for going through such idea?
No MTA, No PAK FA, No S-400 just the Ka 226. You Called it as always.
Hi all,
e.g. of Pakistani common sense :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZslGnAY3DU
To JON: LoLz! VMT. Guess that will get all the jingos totally depressed. BTW, here is the list of MoUs & agreements inked:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CXAM1K_WkAAmHN_.jpg
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CXAM2j9WcAA9pRl.jpg
@Prasun:
Why is IN going for more Talwar class when we have slightly better Shivaliks designed here. The Naval DND & Mazagon Docks can do a TOT for those Shivaliks to Pipavav. Are there any advantages that Talwars have over Shivaliks ?
And what is the price of the deal signed ? Desi media throws around figures from 3 billion to
66000 crores.
Sir, what are you saying?
The NDRF is going to get 197 Ka-226s??? And what about the IA and IAF??? They get 0?
The NDRF simply cannot go from having 0 helicopters to such a vast fleet overnight- it will take decades to get to that kind of level. They need their own aviation wing of course but the small light Ka-226 is pathetically in adequate for their needs, they need specilised medium class helos like the HH-60 PAVEHAWK for SAR.
@John .. Prasun had answered this before ... It's because the talwars are a proven design it can be built more cheaply and faster.
Reliance Defence has signed $6 billion deal with Almaz-Antey.
Any idea if this deal covers s400 too.
Could it be possible that a deal of s400 made in India is signed but not made public.
Prasun
1) Does Indian Armed Forces have any EW equipment like the 1RL257 Krasukha-4. They seem to
be formidable asset in high contact battles. Also does West have any equivalent equipment
2) Most of the principle assets with IN still use Ukrainian 'Zorya Mashproekt' supplied Gas
Turbine engines, with the current Russian-Ukrainian crisis how is the product support
for these systems.
3) As IN went with GE LM2500 for INS Vikrant, why not go with the same for Project 15
derivative ships & Phase 3 of Talwar Frigates. Rolls Royce MT30 is another alternative.
4) Is there any scope for upgrading the IAFs remaining An-32s to RE standard.
5) Since there is not much progress with IAF's 2 follow-on order for IL-76 - EL-2075/2090
AEW and DRDO's A330 based platform is a decade away from induction, are there any
chances for Elta/Airbus C-295 AEW. It may lack the range & endurance of IL-76 but it does
has its own advantages like Short Take-off/Landing which will enable it to used even from
smaller & remote air fields.
Dear Prasun,
Your insight and logical thoughts came out right once again as usual, India does seem to be maturing and to note that the Prime Minister with NSA in tow took time out to visit the Russian Crisis Management Centre shows that the Government is finally also thinking straight specially reference to the deals signed and the structured progression and engagement with Russia that it indicates instead of knee jerk acquisitions and purchases.
Your take on the proposed Hydrocarbon pipeline and the Moscow-Kabul-Labore-Delhi route taken by the PM? The prospects seem very bright and optimistic. Your analysis would clarify matters ...Thanks
India Afghanistan Joint Statement:
http://mea.gov.in/bilateral-documents.htm?dtl/26247/Joint_Statement_between_India_and_Afghanistan_December_25_2015
Looks like Modi's pulled out another rabbit out the Hat With his stopover in Pak.
Dear Sir
What is the Future of PAK FA programme
Will India get PAK FA or not
Has Russia decided to go it all alone
And so are we loosing out by not joining the programme
Please explain all aspects of PAK FA programme ; where it stands
and what is the way forward
Raw 13,Clearly another of ur pipe dreams just crash landed
Malaysia-defense-official-denies-interest-in-jf
Hi Prasun,
Have a few questions.
Which torpedo is going to arm the Kalvari class? I hear no discussions on internet regarding the deal for Black Shark.Or is the deal already signed with WASS?
Will IAF be able to arm the Rafale with any other weapons not of French origin? The range of MICA is not enough to allow Rafale to go in BVR engagement at longer ranges until Meteor is available.
Is there any plan of Astra MK2 with longer range? Will it be at par with Amraam/Meteor?
Lastly if R73 is chosen for Tejas, Which aircraft will be armed with Python5?
Prasun, where r u, seems like a new post is coming on media Russia, afpak visit
hi prasun
There seems to be a story that 5 an-32 were lost ??!! in ukraine and they have not been co operative in the local upgrade part, how far is this true?.
Report in the hindu says that the astra has been anti jam qualified ? I am taking that with a pinch of salt, i really wonder if it an stand up to jam by the -el-8222 or other jammers.What are they doing.
What is the problem with the s-400 deal?. I bet if russia backs out we can always go to israel , and they will be happy to do it for us easily considering the amount of money that would help them in advancing their own tech base., is it do able?
prasun sir,
plz elaborate what is happening behind the scene vis-a-vis indo-pak engagement?
regards
@Prasun ..Will you be in Bahrain for the airshow?
The LCA will fly to Bahrain .. Making 3 stops .. (Starting from Bangalore)
Had a pretty depressing conversation with someone involved withe LCA project ..
http://www.janes.com/article/54146/hal-pushing-for-luh-first-flight-in-december
So it looks like the LUH is now delayed further. Just like DPP-2015 -- although its now DPP-2016...
Here's my advice: GoI should appoint a Prasun K. Sengupta as next RM.
@Prav Could you tell us what you heard about LCA?
Dear Prasun,
Thanks for your Turkey - Russia Links.
Please see below links. As per the author mankind started from Lemuria/Kumrai kandam and migrated from south to North and settled in whole of Earth. Later Lekuria/Kumari Kandam got sunk because of natural Calamities. Till that time Mankind spoke only one language. Sumerian/Indus valley civilization, EGYPT/Mayan Civilization are direct product of them. Till that humans worship Shiva, vishnu etc only.(Shiva, Vishnu are human Siddhars which they attain mukthi). Later one group of people are against Polytheism and they started Monotheism religion. Jews are the first group of people. Then Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the next set of groups came out. During 1st, 2nd AD Jews came to india and started another group called Brahmin which they hijacked the true Hindu way of life.This is called Aryan invasion theory. This is the story of Human Civilization.
Due you accept this theory. Please give your opinion. Sure this post is going to irritate most of the people.
Origin of Temple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_txmD95yCLM
The First Theorist of the World
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn-qohblbLc
Amazing Facts on Kundalini Yoga Part-1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRVJy-2BwDk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmYWGxkhcvo
Thanks & Regards,
Senthil Kumar (S Kumar)
Hi Prav,
Why depressing conversation ??pls elaborate
I thinks its good that they are flying the LCA showing its range .
Regards
S singh
Prasun do you think kundalini awakening can happen with just guru passing it over to u in a session?
@Everyone who asked ..
Most of it you already know but the problem is that almost nothing is being done to remedy them.
1.Apparently the maintainance issue has still not been resolved and won't ever be since the design is frozen . Apparently it can take more than a week just to access the radar and make repairs (for example).
2.The airforce has a requirement for 120 Km range on the radar but the kevlar radome gives just 50 Km .The quartz radome is still stuck since it needs to be flight certified which in itself is another ram kahani. Israel has offered to do the entire development by themselves (integrating the quartz radome etc).
3. A new Aesa is required as a drop in fit mostly to increase the range more than anything else.They have no clue how to sort out the cooling issue.
4.The radar and laser designator cannot target the same point simultaneously (A2G obviously).There are also many small issues with A2G operations .. Issues that makes life difficult for the pilot
5.The tejas mk2 does not exist as of now . All the funds were diverted to the tejas mk1A .
People supposed to be involved in the mk2 project are sitting around twiddling their thumbs since that now needs separate funding .
6.The naval LCA is another money pit .The russians more or less designed the undercarriage and the onshore ski jump and other test facilities.
7. Foreign consultants only show up and tell you "best practices" or how things should be done, no one ever fixes your problem for you ..
8. The LCA does have good points on the software part . However all the bugs have still not been worked out .
The airforce is totally fed up with the LCA and just want "something" absolutely bare minimum in service .THey do not want any substantial improvement in it's agility as asqr of 1993 still holds good today however BVR performance is a must .
Also, I made a mistake , the LCA will make only 2 stops after taking off from Blore (one in India one in Oman ) ... I counted the final destination as a "stop" silly of me.
Despite it's problems the LCA can still find buyers as a light fighter bomber BUT the maintainance issues will definitely be a deal breaker.
dear prasun sir,
I wish you are fine and healthy and just busy and that's why not able to blog for some days
regards
abhay jain
To CSC & ABHAY JAIN: Just got back from Kabul. Will start blogging again from later today. Plenty of things to share. But, for starters, here's the delivery ceremony of the 4 ex-IAF Mi-25 attack helicopters to Afghanistan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmO9ywMKFn4&hd=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9agFC0Imp8
Wonder why the Indian broadcast TV channels gave it all a miss!
Hi
1) Is IAF selected western engine for MTA ?? Is using different engine than PS90 possible as Russia will stick to PS90 ??
2) IS HAL 25KN engine is possible FADEC compliant??
@PRAV
You OR your Source are LYING or have terribly outdated information
or worse still "Some Agenda "
The Best person to know the reality of Tejas is The Defence Minister Himself
And if he has ALLOWED this Large delegation to go to Baharain
it means that Tejas is coming close to FOC
Otherwise the Defence Minister would have asked the ADA / HAL people
to concentrate on the FOC
This Baharain show will take up a lot of Human resources and Money
which would have been Outrightly Refused
IF Tejas was facing so many issues as you say
@Vijay
It matters little to me whether you believe me or not ..
It won't be the RM that has to field difficult questions in Bahrain to potential customers it's the person I spoke to .
Hi Prasun,
Read reports about Reliance having JV with Almaz Antley for Tor M1 missile systems and for four frigates which would be made at Pipavav shipyard. How is this possible without confirmed orders?
@ Vijay
???? Really??? Only JF17 to STOP IAF???? FUNNY :)
U do release , just forget for a moment the Rafale.
The IAF still has the MiG 29, being upgraded to the Lastest SMT variant + Mirage2000 to the last Mk2 variant!.... What are they doing? just be grounded and only the JF17 to fly unchallenged ?
while dadri incident is painful, I do not understand hindu keeping it as a head news item for more than 36 hours on its webpage.
and upon clicking the content see the suggestions below about the recent article list related to this.
http://postimg.org/image/lygq03cl3/
hindu churned out articles like a factory.
@Vijay Even after reading this blog, why u getting cold feet?
@Prav
Thanks. Don't get too discouraged because even major aircraft in service today have some serious flaws on them too. For example:
http://www.f-16.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16234
Israel can hopefully solve 2 and 3. Dassault's sensor fusion technologies can help with 4. I'm kinda surprised the guy was whining about 7; the ADA guys have to do the work at the end of the day... consulting is just telling the industry's "best practice".
1 and 5 are the major problems and I have no idea why no action is being taken. Who's responsible for the current lack of progress on that? How can the design be frozen when the AESA radar needs a bigger nose cone (for cooling requirements) than the one already existing? Therefore, the design can't be frozen and whoever's responsible for zero progress on the maintenance issue is either making excuses or not aware of this basic reality. Either case reflects poorly on that person.
For the maintenance issue problem, I'm assuming your talking about LCA mk1A, since Tejas mk1 is already in production and its design is frozen. The odd 20 Tejas mk1 are not that important.
@G You have written this
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
???? Really??? Only JF17 to STOP IAF???? FUNNY :)
U do release , just forget for a moment the Rafale.
The IAF still has the MiG 29, being upgraded to the Lastest SMT variant + Mirage2000 to the last Mk2 variant!.... What are they doing? just be grounded and only the JF17 to fly unchallenged ?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ofcourse JF 17 alone cannot stop IAF
But please remember a few things
1 Pakis are ADDING 16 JF 17 per year
2 They are also buying Old and New F 16
wherever and whenever available
Their game plan is to have a force which will harass the IAF
and deny it air superiority and Force IAF planes to Abort their
missions and return
That is victory for Them
Dear Prasun,
https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/israeli-missile-defense-director-dismissed-over-security-breach-171040045.html
Thanks
Senthil Kumar
@ Vijay
Their game plan is to have a force which will harass the IAF
and deny it air superiority and Force IAF planes to Abort their
missions and return
That is victory for Them
????? Still Funny
There is more to Air Warfare than what u replied!
Examples can be see through out History, u need to do some research!, u can start with the Air warfare for the Falkland war !, where the argentine air force( On paper) could do circles around the RN Fleet Arm. But the RN still continued with the mission and did NOT ABORT their Mission!
Dear Prasun,
http://atimes.com/2015/12/china-hits-india-where-it-hurts/
In current India-Nepal situation, Who is the real loser India or Nepal?
I know china will never give anything free.
Please comment.
Thanks
Senthil Kumar
Prasun its sad to hear that private sector lost another opportunity to HAL.
You said that Sun will be forming joint venture to build karmic 226t helicopters in India but unfortunately it didn't happen.
http://m.economictimes.com/news/defence/boost-for-make-in-india-russias-rostec-to-form-jv-with-hal-for-making-kamov-226t-choppers/articleshow/50366234.cms
@ G
You have written this
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????? Still Funny
There is more to Air Warfare than what u replied!
Examples can be see through out History, u need to do some research!, u can start with the Air warfare for the Falkland war !, where the argentine air force( On paper) could do circles around the RN Fleet Arm. But the RN still continued with the mission and did NOT ABORT their Mission!
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My point is simple
Pakis are adding JF 17 NUMBERS at a rapid rate
Today they have 65 JF 17
And they are planning to increase the annual production to 25 planes PER YEAR
So in just four years they will have ALL the 150 planes
And in 7 years they will have 250 Planes
While we are having problems with SU 30 serviceability
RAFALE is just getting signed
LCA is nowhere on the scene
PAK FA has not been signed
You need NUMBERS to fight a War
Our Mig 21 and Mig 27 are getting phased out
Jaguar Darin 3 is proceeding slowly
Mig 29 and Mirage 2000 Upgrades will take a lot of time
And we plan to fight a Two Front war ; With WHAT ?
@ Vijay
Again Funny!
Why in 4 years do we expect a war! and that too in 2 fronts? in what possible scenario?
Su 30 serviceability problems ? based on the CAG reports? + based in your logic, the Total Su30 in the IAF inventory will be 270+ by 2018 , is this bad?
The Mirage2000, 45+ Nos. again by 2019-2020, the upgrade program will be completed Is this Bad?
The Mig 29 Upgrade 60+ Nos. too will be completed in 4 Fours yrs time
NOT All the Mig 21 are to be phased out , we still have the Mig 21 Bison upto 2020
Yes, there is a concern to a no of aircrafts being decommissioned
BUT Again ! There is more to Air warfare then just No. of aircrafts!!!!
@ G
If India is weak then China AND Pakistan will definitely Attack together
What will we do then
BEG the USA and Russia to Help us
Secondly if NUMBERS do not matter why do
USA ; Russia and China have such large Air forces
off late the comments sections become a wrestling ground for some pigs and tamil chuvanists
Hi
http://idrw.org/defence-ministry-to-buy-bulletproof-jackets-from-two-companies/
1) Tata and MKU will provide 50000 bullet proof jackets to IA . Is this correct and can you provide the details of the product they are offering ?? Are these jackets for Anti Insurgency operations or normal patrol ??
2) Jackets being offered are new Light weight ones like from Israel ??
@ Vijay
Pal!!! ... u Too FUNNY!!!
Again ! u haven't answer a simple question? Why attack??? What possible reason China will support Pakistan?
I didnt say numbers don't matter !!! .. I Meant that there is MORE TO Air battles THAN JUST NUMBERS!!!
Lets Assume INDIA is WEAK (TOO FUNNY) What is the IN and IA doing??? sleeping!!!
U need to think and do some research before COMMENTING!!!
Hi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1tUPcQ251g&feature=youtu.be&a
Video of LRSAM Barak test fired from INS KOLKATTA ......
Good find vishakh
Sir,
1) When can we see the VVIP's using it?
2017? or even before that
2) IAF-VVIP helicopter updates, are they going to buy new ones?
3) Heard years ago tat SPG was going to buy 'special vehicles' for the Counter-assault team accompanying VVIP. Wats the status?
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