INS SINDHURAKSHAK BLASTS AFFECT NAVY PREPAREDNESS

The explosion on board the INS Sindhurakshak has blown the lid off the Indian Navy’s claims of battle-preparedness. Most of India’s submarines have lived 75% of their operational life and many of them will be decommissioned in a phased manner in the coming years.

Strategic experts claim that successive Indian governments have been obsessed about designing land-based plans to counter Pakistan and China and the navy always took a back seat.

The Indian Navy is supposed to guard the 7,500 km-long coastline, 1,200 plus islands, and 2.2 million sq km of exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It is also meant to control the Indian Ocean region which contains one-third of the world's population and 40% of the world's oil and gas reserves.

“Induction of submarines into our navy was done more or less in an episodic way. The last of the submarines of the Sindhughosh class was inducted in 1999, 2000. And since then, there has been no new induction, which shows huge lacuna on the part of the government in assessing the situation,” said defence and strategic expert Commodore (retired) C Uday Bhaskar.

“If the Scorpenes get delayed any further, the Indian Navy will be left with just about four or five submarines by 2020,” said a senior navy officer, requesting anonymity.

Six Scorpene submarines are currently being built in Mumbai in collaboration with French firm DCNS. The first of these will be ready by 2016-17.

“The Indian Navy is more like a Cinderella Service. It paid a heavy price, because of the inability of bureaucrats and politicians to arrive at the right strategic assessment,” said Bhaskar

Explosion, fire on Navy submarine in Mumbai; 18 personnel missing

MUMBAI: At least 18 Navy personnel are missing after a huge explosion followed by a fire rocked Indian Navy submarine INS Sindhurakshak docked at the high security naval dockyard early on Wednesday, according to Times Now.

Among the missing are three officers, according to Navy sources.

According to TV reports, the submarine has been damaged extensively in the fire and is submerged half under fire, which was brought under control with the help of 16 fire tenders at around 3am.

The Navy has ordered a board of inquiry into the dockyard fire.

Many sailors on board the submarine reportedly jumped off to safety.

Earlier a defence ministry statement issued at 3.15am said, "There is likelihood of some personnel being trapped inside. The details are being ascertained."

Some injured sailors were taken to naval hospital INHS Ashvini in Colaba.

The cause of the explosion and blaze is still not known.

At least 16 fire tenders of Mumbai Fire Brigade and Mumbai Port Trust were rushed to assist the naval fire brigade to douse the conflagration, the smoke emanating from which could be seen in many parts of south Mumbai.

The blast was first heard ashore by deputy chief fire office PS Rahandale who was on leave and attending a private engagement near the Gateway of India promenade. He immediately alerted the fire brigade and other emergency services.

India launches own aircraft carrier INS Vikrant

 India unveiled its first indigenously-built aircraft carrier on Monday, a landmark moment in the $5 billion project that seeks to project the country’s power and check the rising influence of China.

When the INS Vikrant comes into full service in 2018, India will join an elite club of nations that have designed and built their own aircraft carriers including Britain, France, Russia and the US but not China.

“It’s a remarkable milestone,” defence minister A.K. Antony said as he stood on a red carpet in the shadow of the giant ship which was launched from a dry-dock in the city of Kochi and later pulled out into the harbour by tug boats.

“It marks just a first step in a long journey but at the same time an important one,” he added before his wife Elizabeth officially launched the 40,000-tonne vessel by placing a garland on its hull.

INS Vikrant, which will be fitted with weaponry and machinery and then tested over the next four years, is a major technological and military advance for a country competing for influence in Asia, analysts say.

“It is going to be deployed in the Indian Ocean region where the world’s commercial and economic interests coalesce. India’s capability is very much with China in mind,” Rahul Bedi, a defence expert withIHS Jane’s Defence Weekly.

On Saturday, India announced its first indigenously-built nuclear submarine was ready for sea trials, which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called a “giant stride” for the nation.

“All these are power projection platforms, to project India’s power as an extension of its diplomacy,” Bedi added.

The world’s biggest democracy is spending tens of billions of dollars upgrading its mainly Soviet-era military hardware to bolster its defences.

Successes in its long-range missile and naval programmes have been tempered by expensive failures in developing its own aircraft and other land-based weaponry, leaving the country highly dependent on imports.

INS Vikrant is two years behind schedule after problems in sourcing specialised steel from Russia, delays with crucial equipment and even a road accident in which vital diesel generators were damaged.

Overall, India lags far behind China in defence capabilities, analysts say, making the success in beating its regional rival in the race to develop a domestically-produced aircraft carrier significant.

China’s first carrier, the Liaoning, which was purchased from the Ukraine, went into service last September.

Beijing is reportedly planning to construct or acquire a bigger ship in the future and Jane’s claimed earlier this month that it has seen evidence that an indigenous carrier was being assembled in a shipbuilding facility near Shanghai.

India has one aircraft carrier in operation—a 60-year-old British vessel acquired by India in 1987 and renamed INS Viraat—but it will be phased out in the coming years.

India’s ally Russia is also set to hand over a third aircraft carrier—INS Vikramaditya—later this year after a bitter row over the refurbished Soviet-era warship caused by rising costs and delays.

The INS Vikrant, which means “courageous” or “bold” in Hindi, had a bare flight-deck decked out only with flags and yellow tassels but it will carry Russian-built MiG-29 fighter jets and other light aircraft when it goes into service.

While its hull, design and some of its machinery are domestically made, most of its weaponry will be imported as well as its propulsion system, which was sourced from GE in the US.

“Its primary role will only be to defend our naval fleet and it will not be used for ground attacks,” retired rear admiral K.Raja Menon.

“It’s a defence carrier so it will attack platforms that are coming to attack our (naval) fleet ...without air defence our fleet just cannot survive,” Menon said.

C. Uday Bhaskar, a retired naval officer and former director of the National Maritime Foundation in New Delhi, said the ship would “enhance India’s credibility”—but it “would not alter the balance of power with China”.

“China’s nuclear expertise and ship-building capabilities are of a higher order,” he told.

The Indian navy is currently working on 39 ships and has begun planning to make another two aircraft carriers, Bedi said.

Indian Navy’s P-8I deployed in Andaman naval air base

India’s latest maritime surveillance aircraft, P8I, has landed at the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, signalling the Navy’s plan to increasingly use the islands to keep an eye on the three crucial sea lanes used by China to ferry its cargo.

The maiden landing of the first P8I at INS Utkorsh in Port Blair on Tuesday gave the aircraft’s pilots and crew an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the facilities at the island, which would come handy if the government wanted to operate a few of these surveillance aircraft from the island.

The aircraft is equipped with sensors for maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine operations and electronic intelligence missions. It carries state-of-the-art sensors and highly potent anti-surface and anti-submarine weapons.

India purchased eight such aircraft from the US in a $2.1-billion deal. The first one had arrived in May, and the second P8I was expected to reach India by September.

The US-origin aircraft, with a range of 8,600 km and an endurance of 10 hours, is based at the INS Rajali, a naval air station on the Tamil Nadu coast.

The new P8I, with the call-sign IN 321, was received in the islands by Andaman and Nicobar Command Commander-in-Chief Air Marshal P K Roy, along with senior officers of the Unified Command.

P8I is the Indian naval variant of the P8A “Poseidon” aircraft that Boeing developed for the US Navy. India is the first international customer of this aircraft. With the first eight aircraft likely to arrive by 2015, the navy is acquiring an additional four P8I.

Acquisition of 12 P8I will complete the first phase of the Navy’s requirement of 24 long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

Because of the island’s strategic location, the Navy also plans to deploy its medium-range Dornier surveillance aircraft at its furthest air station at Campbell Bay to keep a regular watch on the oil and cargo traffic passing through the strategic Malacca and other two straits.

AMCA put on "hold"

With Ministry of Defence which now officially has put “ on hold ” country’s ambitions fifth generation stealth multirole fighter development AMCA project to fast track delays incurred by the ADA in development of LCA Tejas combat aircraft and to make sure no more delays are incurred in achieving IOC-2 and later FOC for the aircraft in time . Now details are emerging that IAF also wants ADA and HAL to concentrate more on development and testing of Tejas MK-2 before they can restart work on AMCA.

If MOD and IAF are able to stall work on AMCA again, while raising concern on development of Tejas MK-2, AMCA project will be delayed beyond 2022 for even first flight to occur and production will only start in 2028-30. Sources in IAF, we (idrw.org) spoke to, are worried with delays Lca project is facing and have raised concerns that they might be further delays in development of Tejas MK-2 before it hits production. MK-2 needs to be revalidated on many test points before it is put to production and turnaround time from first flight to MK-2 entering Production is quite narrow (2 years) they are concerns in IAF if ADA and HAL will be able to carry out all tests and development work in the time period, said another source.

Defence experts like Rakesh Sharma in past have raised concerns how whole AMCA Project has been moving forward without clear technical or consultation partner for the Project, Key decisions related to development of New Kaveri engine to power AMCA is still pending and needs to be fast tracked to avoid mistakes which were committed on Lca Project which is still powered by imported American engine.

Defence analyst like Vinayak shetty wants AMCA project to be fast tracked and advocate separate team of manpower and foreign technical partner to work on project. He also mentioned that “Development has to continue parallel to other projects (FGFA, LCA) and priority has to given to Air Staff requirements (ASR) issued by IAF to avoid any technical deficiency in the aircrafts, further avoiding delays in the project.


Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) will require around $2-billion for funding development of AMCA and have received initial funds to carry out design phase of the project , ADA will be developing Two Technology Demonstrators (TD) by 2020 to prove concept before work on Seven prototypes are carried out . AMCA is a single-seat; twin-engine fifth-generation stealth aircraft optimised for strike roles and will be replacing British made Jaguars in IAF service currently.

Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) unveiled a 1:8 scale model at Aero India 2013. Which has strong resemblance to Northrop Grumman developed YF-23 prototype that lost the Advanced Tactical Fighter competition to the Lockheed YF-22 in 1991 in what became the F-22 program. ADA hopes to equip the AMCA with a panoramic active-matrix cockpit display, triplex fly-by-light architecture with an optical-fiber-based digital flight-control computer, serpentine air intakes to suppress radar signature and Advance Aesa Radar.

ASR issued by IAF lead to new and improved aerodynamic optimisation of the aircraft, since IAF wants fully Stealth aircraft rather than near stealth aircraft which ADA was hoping IAF will settle for. AMCA will be in 16-18 tonnes class aircraft with 2-tonnes of internal weapons and four-tonnes of internal fuel with max speed of Mach 1.8.

Ukraine sends first batch of air-to-air missiles to India

The state-run joint stock holding Artem (Kyiv) has sent the first batch of R-27 medium-range air-to-air missiles produced for the Indian Air Force to the customer, the Ukroboronprom concern has reported, with reference to its director general, Serhiy Hromov.
“The first batch of missiles has been shipped to the customer, and the next batch is being prepared for delivery,” Hromov said, noting that the execution of the Indian contract will allow the full utilization of the enterprise’s capacity until the end of 2013.
He expressed the confidence that the Ukrainian-produced high-precision aircraft weapons will continue to be in demand in the regional markets for conventional weapons.“We’re not limiting ourselves to the Indian contract. Our representatives are actively working with traditional customers from Southeast Asia, North Africa and other regions,” the state enterprise director said.
Hromov also said that the state should grant the Artem holding tax benefits provided by the law of Ukraine on the state aircraft industry, which will allow the company to increase its working assets, as well as to use credit resources more efficiently, he said.
Artem signed a contract with the Defense Ministry of India for the supply of R-27 missiles to the Indian Air Force in March 2012. The contract, worth $250 million, is to run from 2012 to 2013.Artem holding company was created in September 1996 on the basis of the Artem Kyiv Production Amalgamation, and is one of the leading aviation companies in Ukraine.

Russian Air Force to Get First T-50 Fighter Jet This Year, IAF Next Year.

The Russian Air Force will take delivery of its first fifth-generation T-50 fighter jet “in the third quarter of this year” for final state test flights starting in the fourth quarter, the service’s commander Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Tuesday.

President Vladimir Putin had informed lately that T-50 would enter service with the country’s air force in 2016 , while Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) with stealth features based on the T-50 is slated to be inducted in the Indian Air Force by 2022. IAF will get first prototype of the FGFA which is scheduled to arrive in India by 2014 after which it will undergo extensive trials at the Ojhar air base in Maharashtra.

T-50, which will make up the core of Russia’s future fighter fleet, is a multirole warplane featuring “stealth” technology,” super-maneuverability, supercruise capability, and advanced avionics including an active electronically-scanned array radar, according to its designer Sukhoi.

India plans to acquire 214 of these fighter planes by the end of 2030 at an estimated cost of over USD 30 billion. Second prototype will arrive in India in 2017 and the third prototype will arrive in 2019. based on feedback from Indian air force final version of the FGFA will be developed for operational service in IAF which will enter service in 2022 .

FGFA is expected to have compatibility with various missile types, including missiles of Indian and European origins. Majority of the software in FGFA would be of Indian origin, along with Indian avionics.HAL will develop mission computer, navigation systems, cockpit displays, counter-measure dispensing (CMD) systems and will modify Sukhoi’s prototype delivered to India into fighter jets as per the requirement of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

T-50 prototypes delivered to IAF will also be tested in all weather conditions like hot weather, cold weather, Sea level and high altitude tests before inducted into IAF . HAL and IAF along with Russia are working on evolution of the FGFA engine as an upward derivative of the AL-37. Russian Air Force will get 200 single seated and 50 twin-seated PAK FAs while Indian Air Force will get 166 single seated and 48 twin-seated FGFAs.

MiGs touch down on the Vikramaditya’s deck

The final phase of tests on the INS Vikramaditya commenced on Monday, August 5, with a joint practice mission involving naval aircraft from Russia’s Northern Fleet. The mission, in which MiG-29s performed several approaches at different altitudes and a touchdown on the aircraft carrier’s deck, was led by RSK MiG chief pilot Mikhail Belyayev.

Around this time a year ago, Belyayev flew over the Vikramaditya’s deck together with test pilot Nikolai Diorditsa, who has been accorded the Hero of the Russian Federation title. The test pilots flew 517 sorties – including 41 landings and 41 take-offs from the aircraft carrier’s deck – in July and August 2012, testing the aircraft, the fuelling and flight support equipment, the aircraft lifts, its launch assist systems and arresting gear.

Overall, the commissioning team had no complaints about the work of the aircraft wing or the operation of the ship’s support systems. Representatives of the Indian Navy were also satisfied. But the testing wasn’t completed in full; night-time take-offs and landings did not take place, for example, because of a serious failure of the ship’s power plant. The fire-proof protection of all eight boilers gave in to extreme temperatures.

As a result, the aircraft carrier was returned to Sevmash last autumn to undergo a complicated nine-month overhaul with assistance from representatives of the Baltic Shipyard (where the boilers were manufactured). The deadline was duly met, and the aircraft carrier, complete with repaired boilers, sailed into the White Sea on July 3. The ship passed every other trial a day before Navy Day and developed the top speed of 29.3 knots under regular load at full displacement.

According to earlier plans, the full testing cycle involving an aircraft wing and maritime training for the Indian crew is scheduled for completion by October 15. After that, one month will be allotted to eliminate any minor flaws. The INS Vikramaditya should be handed over to the Indian Navy in November.

Upgraded F-35 Block2A joins USAF 58th fighter squadron

The difference between the Block2A and the older ones is the fact that it incorporates the Block 2A avionics software and will start flying in a few weeks.

The new software introduces interesting capabilities. First of all, it allows the pilot to use all six thermal imaging cameras of the EO- DAS AN/AAQ-37 optical set. The purpose of the device is to detect and track the enemy aircraft and provide early warning messages about the launched missiles. Nevertheless it is not integrated with the HMDS yet even if it allows displaying weather info.

In spite of the latest upgrade, the F-35A is still restricted. It can’t conduct IMC flights, night flights, aerobatics (have you ever seen JSF on an Air Show?!) and formation take-offs and landings.

However, the Block 2A software extends the F-35′s capabilities, because it lets the pilot simulate the launch of AIM-120 missiles. Still, the g-limit for the airframe is 5,5 G that is quite ridiculous, taking into account the objectives the JSF is designed to face. Hopefully the g-limit will be lifted soon.

The USAF 58th Fighter Squadron already operates 9 F-35A Block 1B, which were used to train USAF instructors and test pilots. The ultimate number of trained pilots is to reach 45.

MMRCA: a do or die contract for Dassault's military business

Dassault Aviation, the French maker of Rafale fighter jet which is in exclusive negotiations with the Indian ministry of defence for the $12 billion Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender is facing rough weather at home.

In the latest strategic defence review carried out under the insistence of the French government, last month, France has capped the purchase of Rafale fighter jets to 225. Originally, the Rafale programme envisaged production of 320 aircraft for the French government but this was cut to 286 later and now to 225. Till date, only 180 of them have been ordered; all of them by France. The company is yet to find an export customer for its front-line fighter jet.

As a result, the cost of Rafale to France has climbed steadily. The French Senate assessment of the 2013 national defence budget pegs the total cost of the Rafale programme, including development expenses, to the French exchequer at €44.2 billion. Dividing the total programme cost with number of aircraft to be built i.e. 225 gives a per aircraft cost of €196.4 million or approx. Rs. 1,390 crore at today's exchange rate.

A cut to Rafale numbers for France poses a challenge to Dassault's military business which is mainly dependent on Rafale sales.

Given the situation, bagging MMRCA, which envisages purchase of 126 aircraft with an option for buying 63 more, is critical for Dassault. However, contrary to initial expectations of a quick contract signature, Dassault-MoD negotiations have dragged on for over a year.

As reported by FE earlier, cost has been an issue since the start besides the company's reluctance to transfer sophisticated technology to India and meet offsets requirements. In the last few months, questions have been raised by Dassault regarding the role of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in the MMRCA. Moreover, the French company is unwilling to be held liable for the quality, timely and on-cost delivery of the 108 aircraft to be license produced at HAL. This is in breach of tender conditions and has emerged as a major threat to speedy contract conclusion.

Sources FE spoke to said: "Given the slow pace of negotiations it looks increasingly likely that MMRCA will spill over to the next government." But, Dassault CEO Eric Trappier is optimistic. Reportedly, Trappier said: "I hope 2013 should be the year."

As things stand, for Trappier's wish to come true, either Dassault will have to give in to India's demands which it has resisted until now or the Indian side will have to relax its tender criteria. Currently, both look unlikely. Given Dassault's financial situation the company cannot afford any business risk. Whereas, enhanced scrutiny of defence deals in a season ridden with corruption scandals precludes Indian negotiators from extending any concessions.

In this case, the French company will have to do something special. Eyes are on the Paris Air Show which opens 17th of June at Le Bourget in France. Dassault is expected to lay out a red carpet for the Indian delegation. However, in what could come as a dampener to the French company, rumours in the defence ministry corridors suggest that given the sensitive phase of negotiations, the ministry is expected to tone down this year's participation at the show.

SOURCE : The Indian Express

MiG-21 :The Legend or The Flying Coffin?

On December 12, 1971, at the height of the India-Pakistan war, one of the most awaited events in aviation history took place. Two MiG-21 fighters of the Indian Air Force’s No.47 squadron, providing air patrol to sensitive installations in western India, intercepted a couple of Pakistan Air Force F-104 Starfighters approaching the city of Jamnagar. The MiGs drew first blood – while one Starfighter managed to flee in the direction of Pakistan, the other one was shot down over the Gulf of Kutch.

During the war the MiG-21s played a crucial role in giving the IAF air superiority that played a huge part in India’s victory. Military analyst Edward Coggins writes in Wings That Stay On: The Role of Fighter Aircraft in Warthat by the time the hostilities came to an end, the IAF MiG-21s had claimed four PAF F-104s, two PAF F6, one PAF North American F-86 Sabre and one PAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules. The Russian fighter had clearly won the much anticipated air combat between the MiG-21 and the F-104, he writes.

But that’s not where the story ends. Tom Cooper writes in Arab MiG-19 and MiG-21 Units in Combat: “Because of the formidable performance of the MiG-21s several nations, including Iraq, approached India for MiG-21 pilot training. By the early 1970s, more than 120 Iraqi pilots were being trained by the Indian Air Force.”

50 years of Combat

The MiG-21 has the distinction of holding a number of aviation records, including the most produced jet aircraft in aviation history, the most produced combat aircraft since WWII, and the longest production run of a combat aircraft. Over 11,000 MiG-21 aircraft, derivatives and copies have been built since 1959 and have served with 50 air forces. Because of its low cost and ease of maintenance, even by poor countries, it came to be known as the “people’s fighter”.

Today, in the age of stealth aircraft, over 20 countries continue to operate this plucky Russian fighter. Namibia became the most recent country to induct the interceptor in its air force when it acquired two MiG-21s in March 2005, proving that age is no handicap for a good plane.

No fighter can survive this long and in so many air forces if it is not combat worthy. For comparison look at the MiG-21’s Cold War rivals – the F-104, the French Mirage III and British Lightning are now seen only in museums or airplane boneyards.

Crash rate: MiG-21 vs Rivals

Of the 793 MiG-21s inducted into IAF since 1963, well over 350 have been lost in accidents, killing 170 pilots. However, labelling it a “flying coffin” is plain wrong. This is being done by misinformed (or incompetent) and under-pressure journalists. In fact, during my days at India Today magazine we stopped using such expressions when confronted with facts. The then IAF chief called us and said our cavalier use of the term “flying coffin” was causing trauma to the families of pilots flying the aircraft. He supplied us data to show the MiG-21 wasn’t a dangerous aircraft at all.

Former Air Chief Marshal A.Y. Tipnis has said the higher number of crashes (not to be confused with the crash rate) is because the “MiG-21s are most in numbers and in use operationally”.

Now let’s take a look at the MiG-21’s chief rivals. Between 1960 and 1987, the German air force flew nearly a thousand F-104s and lost 292. In a similar time frame, the Canadian air force lost over 100 of their 200 Starfighters. The highly experienced pilots of the British air force didn’t fare any better, crashing over a hundred of their 300 Lightnings over a period of 25 years.

Compared to this, India’s MiG-21 has a much better record.

Causes of crashes

As we have seen, 20 air forces around the world continue to stick with the MiG-21. MiGs are not tumbling out of the air in Ukraine, Czech Republic, Algeria, Finland or Bulgaria. China has cloned and flies over 700 of these fighters and has supplied 150 to Pakistan. Among these countries, India alone trains its pilots to Western standards. This involves intense peacetime training, which means potentially more accidents. A former air force chief has gone on record that he would rather lose pilots during training than during war.

But several other factors are involved in accidents. Let’s see which ones are directly responsible and which have only a minimal role.

India: A harsh environment

Tropical and crowded, India is an unforgiving environment for any aircraft. The hot air means aircraft engines produce less thrust and the wing produce less lift compared to similar aircraft flying in European skies. Sun baked runways are also known to impact landing safety. These are factors IAF pilots have to live with.

Bird hits are another huge factor in aircraft accidents over India. Most IAF bases are located near populated areas, where birds are a constant menace. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Economic collapse and spare shortages

It is true the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the chaos that followed played havoc with Russia’s command economy. The closure of Russia’s armaments factories stopped the free flow of spares from the country. Desperate to keep its main interceptor force flying, the IAF managed to get spares from East European countries, which were cannibalising their MiG-21s for cash.

Russian defence experts, including MiG officials, have blamed these grey market purchases for the IAF’s crashes. However, the argument has no legs because firstly, the IAF is one of the world’s most professional fighting forces; it will not put its pilots’ life at risk by such reckless purchases. Two, it was buying genuine spares from the standardised air forces of the former Warsaw Pact. The Russians backtracked when confronted with IAF data. However, it remains true that spare parts made by HAL are not as good as Russian ones.

Arrival of modern aircraft in the IAF

The MiG-21s formed the backbone of the IAF in the 1960s and ’70s. But the situation changed with the arrival of newer aircraft, which drew the most experienced pilots from the MiG-21 squadrons. There was nothing wrong with it because that’s how the system is supposed to work. But the MiG-21 now became the jet that rookie pilots graduated to. In tandem with another factor, it spelled trouble for the IAF.

Training – out of kilter

Despite acquiring its first supersonic jet in 1963, the IAF did not get a jet trainer until 2004 because it took decades for the proposal to make its way through the defence procurement bureaucracy.

For close to 40 years rookie pilots went straight from propeller driven and subsonic trainers to the supersonic MiG-21. At a MAKS air show in Moscow, Russian test-pilot Andrey Shishov described how it felt flying a supersonic jet at 30,000 ft: “At a height of several thousand kilometres, a nine-unit strong G-force means you feel like you weigh nine times more than you really do, so not 75 kilos for example but 600-700 kg.”

In an article in Indian Aviation magazine, IAF Wing Commander K.S. Suresh says in air combat manoeuvres, inexperienced pilots flying the MiG-21 have got into trouble without realising it. When the aircraft develops a high rate of descent, it cannot be arrested with the power available. Worse, “there is no protest from the aircraft like severe shudder, wing rocking etc prevalent in other types of aircraft. This gives a feeling of well-being and a number of pilots did not recognise the danger in time to take recovery action or eject”.

Essentially, young pilots were pitchforked into an aerial meat grinder, resulting in a high loss rate from peacetime accidents.

Caught in the MiG’s crosshairs

More than half a century after its first flight, the MiG-21 packs a lethal punch. At the Cope India exercise held in 2004 at Gwalior, Indian pilots flying MiG-21 Bisons (upgraded with Russian Phazatron radar, Vympel R-73 missiles and the beyond visual range Vympel R-77 air-to-air missiles) blew away the F-15 and the F-16 fighters of the USAF on one-on-one as well as in mixed exercises. The USAF acknowledged the MiG-21 Bisons and Su-30MKIs were tough opponents.

In the next Cope India exercise in 2005 at Kalaikundi, Indian pilots operating the MiG-21s and Sukhois emerged victorious most of the time.

Kargil was another theatre where the MiG-21 showed it was still a threat. The Pakistan Air Force’s director of operations during the war acknowledged afterward that the GPS-assisted high-altitude bombing by the MiG-21, MiG-23BN and MiG-27 was a game changer. This is corroborated by aviation historian and author Pushpindar Singh in Himalayan Eagles: “…targeting pod imagery observed by IAF pilots in real time showed enemy troops abandoning their positions at the very sound of approaching fighters.”

Flying into the sunset?

Bowing to pressure from Parliament after the trial by media, the IAF has announced it will be retiring its entire MiG-21 fleet by 2017, by which time the Indian-built Tejas light combat aircraft would hopefully be ready for combat. But with the Tejas not exactly experiencing beginner’s luck, the smart money is on the MiGs flying well into the next decade.

IAF MiG-21 crashes in Rajasthan, pilot killed

A MiG-21 Bison fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed on Monday while landing at Uttarlai airbase in Rajasthan's Barmer district, killing the pilot.

"One MiG–21 Bison crashed at the Uttarlai airbase at about 0930 hours. The pilot sustained fatal injuries," the IAF said in a statement.

The aircraft had taken off with its flight lieutenant-rank pilot from the airbase for a routine training sortie and crashed while landing at the runway, officials said.

Defence ministry spokesperson in Jodhpur Colonel S D Goswami said a Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the reason behind the crash.

There was no reported loss to civilian life or property, he said.

In June, a MiG-21 plane from the same airbase had crashed, but the pilots had managed to eject safely. The vintage MiG-21s have been in service for over 40 years now and they are expected to continue flying till 2018-19 in view of the delays in the induction of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft.

The IAF had inducted over 900 MiG-21s in its fleet over a period of 40 years, half of which were lost in different crashes.

This year, this is the sixth crash involving an IAF aircraft and fifth of a fighter plane.

The aircraft which have crashed this year include one each of MiG-29, MiG-27, Su-30MKI and Mi-17V5 medium-lift helicopter. Two MiG-21s have crashed this year.

Russian air force to get over 100 new warplanes

 The Russian Air Force is all set to receive over 100 new warplanes and helicopters this year.

"Purchasing of over 100 planes and helicopters is envisaged by state defence order for this year," reported Xinhua citing deputy defence minister Yuri Borisov.

Borisov noted that the warplane designers sometimes do not take into account the opinion of the pilots about the aircraft's technical characteristics.

"The industry must know how (the pilots) perceive that production. The designers must take into account the pilots' proposals."

The officer said the newest four-double-plus-generation MIG-35 fighters and newly-revamped SU-35 multipurpose fighters would be delivered in three years after tests are completed.

MiG Corporation first officially presented the MiG-35 internationally during the Aero India 2007 air show.The MiG-35 was officially unveiled when the Russian Minister of Defence, Sergey Ivanov, visited Lukhovitsky Machine Building Plant "MAPO-MIG"
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The single seat version is designated MiG-35 and the two-seat version is MiG-35D. The fighter has vastly improved avionics and weapon systems, notably the new AESA radar and the uniquely designed Optical Locator System (OLS), relieves the aircraft from relying on Ground Controlled Interceptions (GCI) systems and enables it to conduct independent multi-role missions.

In 2003, Sukhoi embarked on a second modernization of the Su-27 to produce what the company calls a 4++ generation fighter that would serve as an interim fighter prior to the arrival of the Sukhoi PAK FA. This derivative incorporates a reinforced airframe, improved avionics and radar, thrust-vectoring engines, and a reduced radar signature from the front, while omitting the canards and air brake.

In 2008 the revamped variant, erroneously dubbed the Su-35BM by the media, started its flight test programme that involved four prototypes, one of which was lost in 2009.

The Russian Air Force has ordered 48 production units, designated Su-35S, of the newly-revamped Su-35. Both Su-35 models have been offered to many countries, including Brazil, China, India and South Korea, but so far have not attracted any export orders. Sukhoi originally projected that it would export more than 160 units of the second modernized Su-35 worldwide.

Comparing Chengdu J-20 with F-22, F-35 and Su-PAK FA or T-50

We have witnessed a lot about the Chinese Stealth fighter J-20, being developed by the Chinese Aircraft manufacturer Chengdu. The J-20 is a Fifth generation with stealth capabilities. Only time will tell if the J-20 will match the current stealth aircrafts or will be superior than them. The F-22 Raptor has proven technology and hence it has been speculated that most of the 5th generation aircrafts today are similar to the Raptor.

It is also speculated that this proven design of the F-22 has either been taken by spying,purchasing and then reverse engineered to create a new prototype by rival nations. That is the main reason why US is not exporting the F-22 because they fear that nations like china and Russia would use their designs especially after 1.7 terabytes of top secret information was stolen from them.

If we compare the look and design of J-20 you will find that it has a delta-wing-canard layout whereas the F-22 and F-35 have both diamond-wing-conventional layout. The frontal aspect of the J-20 looks exactly like that of JSP with twin DSI intake and V-shaped tail. The J-20 has a canard-delta twin-engine configuration, diverted-less supersonic intakes, and a shaped nose consistent with the use of an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. To maintain stealth, the F-22 carries its weapons in internal bays.

The JSP seems to be fitted with ws-10 engines rather than WS-15 but this cannot be confirmed. The thrust generated by  J-20 is 180 kN which leads to better engine performance.

The F-22 Raptor has dual afterburning Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofans incorporate pitch axis thrust vectoring, with a range of ±20 degrees.  The maximum thrust is classified, though most sources place it at about 156 kN.

The F-35′s main engine is the Pratt & Whitney F135. The General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 is being developed as an alternative engine. The PAK FA was expected to use a pair of Saturn 117S engines on its first flights producing 142 kN thrust in the afterburner. The PAK FA would be the first fifth generation fighter with full 3-D thrust vectoring along all three aircraft axes: pitch, yaw and roll.

The J-20 design is similar to the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Sukhoi T-50 fighters. Sources indicate the twin-engine J-20 prototype could be using the Russian-built Saturn 117S (AL-41F1A) engine, the same being used in the T-50 and Su-35 prototypes.  China has expressed interest in procuring large quantities of the Saturn 117S from Russia and rumors at the recent Zhuhai Airshow in China indicate a J-20 prototype had been outfitted with the 117S.

The F-22 Raptor uses AN/APG-77 AESA radar, designed for air superiority and strike operations, features a low-observable, active-aperture, electronically-scanned array that can track multiple targets in any weather.

The main sensor on board of the F-35 is its AN/APG-81 AESA-radar, designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems and is augmented by the Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) mounted under the nose of the aircraft, designed by Lockheed Martin.

For the T-50 PAK FA, radar with APAA is provided by NIIP. The J-20 is stated to use an advanced radar however the make of it is still not known. Although J-20 appears to be a better stealth fighter than rest, the Chinese pilots are not as experienced than the US pilots. The US has pilots that have been in combat situations for years. Moreover the AWACs, missile technology, radar tech, etc are all championed by the US and Russia. Its time to wait and watch how the J-20 performs in future as compared to the rest.

It is interesting to note that on our previous article Chengdu J-20,China's first stealth fighter takes the skies, we got lot of traffic from US, Canada, UK, Australia, South Korea and Japan. We wonder if this news came as a shock to these countries. Also we got lot of response from China too, considering the tight lipped Chinese government this news must have been a pleasant surprise for the Chinese people. What do you think about the comparison of these fighters against J-20? Although it is too soon to tell, let us know what you think.

Japan to Fly its Own Stealth Fighter Prototype By 2014

Japan is looking to join the United States, China and Russia with a stealth fighter that senior Japanese air force officials say can be ready for a prototype test flight in just three years, significantly upping the ante in the intensifying battle for air superiority in the Pacific.

The prototype will likely be able to fly in 2014, Lt. Gen. Hideyuki Yoshioka, director of air systems development at Japan's Ministry of Defense, said in an interview with The Associated Press.

He said Japan has put 39 billion yen ($473 million) into the project since 2009, after it became clear the United States was not likely to sell it the F-22 "Raptor" - America's most advanced fighter jet - because of a congressional export ban.

"We are two years into the project, and we are on schedule," Yoshioka said Monday.

Yoshioka stressed that a successful test flight of the prototype, dubbed "Shinshin," or "Spirit," does not mean Japan will immediately start producing stealth aircraft. The prototype is designed to test advanced technologies, and if it is successful the government will decide in 2016 how to proceed.

Japan is feeling the pressure of a regional dogfight over fighter superiority.

"If the countries surrounding Japan have stealth capabilities, Japan will need to develop those capabilities itself to ensure our own defense," said Col. Yoshikazu Takizawa of the Defense Ministry's Technical Research and Development Institute.

Japan relies to a large degree for its defense on its alliance with the United States, which has a significant number of fighters and other aircraft, along with some 50,000 troops, stationed around the Japanese archipelago.

But that alliance, and Japan's relatively deep pockets, did not prove convincing enough for Tokyo to get the coveted F-22. Congress repeatedly squashed the idea due to fears that the F-22 contained too much secret technology to share with even Washington's closest friends.

"Japan wanted the F-22, but Congress didn't agree to that," Yoshioka said. "We realized that it was important for us to develop our domestic capabilities."

China and Russia, meanwhile, have made great strides toward perfecting advanced stealth fighters that could rival the F-22, out-fly Japan's aircraft and - coupled with other rapid advances now under way, particularly by China's navy - tip the regional balance of power.

China surprised experts when it sent a stealth fighter, the Chengdu J-20, up for a test flight in January during a high-profile visit to Beijing by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

The J-20 resembles the F-22 in many respects and has caused a great deal of consternation among U.S. and Japanese military planners because its development appears to be going faster than forecast. Its first flight came amid rising nervousness over Beijing's heavy defense spending, overall military modernization and increasingly assertive stance on territorial issues.

Though the J-20 is still years away from combat readiness, it could complicate efforts to control potential conflicts over Taiwan or North Korea and dramatically improve China's air defenses.

Russia's new fighter, the Sukhoi T-50, took to the air last year. It is being jointly developed with India's air force. The T-50 is seen not only as a boost to Russian air power - which is of concern to Japan because of a lingering dispute over islands both claim in the north Pacific - but also as a strong indication that it wants to sell more top-of-the-line fighters abroad.

Japan's own air force is rapidly aging.

Tokyo wants to replace its old F-4EJ and F-15 fighters with more current aircraft, most likely the U.S.-built F-35 Joint Strike Aircraft or F/A-18, or the Eurofighter "Typhoon." A much-delayed decision worth billions of dollars on which plane it will select is expected soon.

Japan's ATD-X program - the acronym stands for advanced technologies demonstrator - is not aimed at supplanting those acquisition plans. Instead, a domestically made stealth fighter would provide an alternative for a third fighter Japan uses - the domestically produced F-2.

Officials stress that it also is crucial for Japan to hone the ability of its engineers to build a state-of-the-art fighter if foreign sources refuse to sell - like Washington did with the F-22.

"It is extremely important to maintain and improve domestic fighter production and technology bases," the Defense Ministry said in an outline of the ATD-X program released in late 2009, when development began in earnest.

Asiana Airlines San Francisco air crash

An Asiana Airlines flight from Seoul crashed on landing at San Francisco's airport Saturday, killing two passengers, injuring more than 160 and and forcing dozens of frightened passengers and crew to scamper from the heavily damaged aircraft before it was engulfed in smoke and flames.

There were 307 on board, including 16 crew. Officials said 123 escaped without injury and 181 were hospitalized or treated for injuries. Among the injured, 49 are in serious condition and five at San Francisco General Hospital, including a child, remain in critical condition. Among the 47 others at San Francisco General, several were treated for minor injuries, including fractures and abrasions, and were released Saturday night.

"It was all over in 10 seconds," says Vedpa Singh, who suffered a fractured collarbone. "We heard a big bang, and it was over."

The cause of the crash has not been determined, but the FBI has has ruled out terrorism. The Boeing 777 appeared to have touched down tail-first and short of the runway. A sheered off tail section rested several hundred feet from the main body of the aircraft, and debris from the plane littered the runway. Passenger Janghyung Lee told USA TODAY that the aircraft rattled wildly before landing.

The two people who died in the crash were found outside the heavily damaged jetliner. Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White said late Saturday that she did not know the ages or genders of the victims.