Orders for 83 LCA Tejas Mark 1A jets likely before December

In the hype over Wednesday’s arrival of the first lot of five French-built Rafale fighter aircraft, it was easy to lose sight of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’ which, after years of development delays, is slowly entering squadron service.

What has become of the order for the 83 Tejas Mark 1A variants that the air force was to place with the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) officials told indiatoday.in that the order is likely to be confirmed “before December 2020”. Earlier this year, after months of negotiations, HAL and the IAF finally agreed on a price tag of Rs 39,000 crore for the 83 aircraft (73 fighter jets and 10 two-seat trainer variants). HAL officials attributed the delay to several outstanding issues, particularly a number of queries related to ‘additional requirements through contract’. “All queries have now been answered and the case is under approval,” a HAL official said.

The next phase in the contract would be approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), India’s topmost national security decision making body. This will be followed by a formal inking of the contract between HAL and the IAF. Delivery of the Mark 1As will start within three years of the contract being signed and will conclude with all aircraft delivered in five years.

The IAF spent Rs 59,000 crore to buy the 36 Rafale fighter jets. While it greatly enhances the IAF’s combat potential and also contributes offsets, sourced from the Indian industry, to the tune of nearly Rs 30,000 crore, the indigenous Tejas will have a bigger force multiplier effect on an Indian industry reeling under the impact of the lockdown and economic downturn. More importantly, it is a huge step towards creating a multi-tiered defence industrial ecosytem.

Five major private sector players—Larsen & Toubro, VEM Technologies, Alpha Tocol, Tata Advanced Materials and Dynamatic Technologies--are manufacturing the fuselages, wings, tail fins and rudders of the LCAs. These are being assembled by HAL at its twin production lines in Bengaluru.

“A Rs 39,000 crore order will have a force multiplier effect of nearly seven or eight times on the economy--jobs will be created, work will be outsourced, there is going to be a tremendous downstream effect on Tier 2 and Tier 3 manufacturing in the high-tech defence aviation sector,” an HAL official said.

The IAF currently operates one squadron of the 16 ‘Mark 1’ baseline Tejas variants at its airbase in Sulur, Coimbatore. On May 27, the IAF operationalised the second squadron of the LCA Tejas. Number 18 squadron will get its entire 15 final operation configuration (FOC) aircraft by September 2021. These are part of an order for 40 LCAs that were placed in two tranches in 2006 and 2010. All deliveries will be completed in 2022.

HAL is building a third Tejas production line, to be set up this November, and this will roll out the two-seat trainer variants of the jet. The line will build a total of 18 LCA trainers that will commence deliveries from November 2021 onwards (8 are part of the 40 jets order, and 10 part of the 83 jets order).

Ater a 2017 presentation by then IAF chief Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, the government had committed to buying 18 squadrons of the LCA and its variants—over 300 aircraft over the next 15 years. IAF officials say the LCA family fits into their plans to reduce existing diversity of fighter aircraft to just four types by 2035—the other three will be the Sukhois, Rafales and Mirage 2000s.

Indiatoday

Red flags in Delhi over Erdogan’s Turkey funding anti-India activities: Official

Islamist radical organisations in parts of the country including Kerala and Kashmir are being supported and funded by Turkish outfits backed by Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government in Ankara, people familiar with the development have told Hindustan Times.

“There is an effort to radicalise Indian muslims and recruit fundamentalists coordinated from Turkey,” a senior government official said, underlining that a recent assessment in New Delhi had noted the emergence of Turkey as “the hub of anti-India activities” next only to Pakistan.

Ankara’s attempt to expand its influence among South Asian muslims comes against the backdrop of President Erdogan’s continuing pitch to challenge Saudi Arabia’s dominance in the Islamic world at a global level and offering a reshaped, conservative Turkey with Ottoman traditions as the model for other Islamic nations to follow.

The reconversion of the Byzantine cathedral Hagia Sophia to a mosque last week was a giant step in this direction, counted by commentators as a milestone in Turkey’s rebirth as a powerful, muslim nation. The church had been converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople, now Istanbul - and from mosque to museum in 1934.

The change fits in with Erdogan’s long-term plan to project himself as a global protector of muslims, much like the Ottoman Caliphs. He had last year taken baby steps to build an alliance of non-Arab Islamic countries along with a handful of countries including Pakistan’s Imran Khan and Malaysia’s Mahathir Mohamad. Iran and Qatar were also roped in.

Pakistan watchers say Islamabad latched on to Turkey’s Erdogan after India deepened its ties with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Imran Khan, however, backed out of the meeting at the last minute due to pressure from Riyadh but has made up by feting Erdogan - called Sultan by some supporters - at home, even emulating some of his policies back home.

Officials believe that Erdogan’s political agenda has driven his government to expand its influence with South Asian muslims, particularly those in India.

Indian officials said the Turkish government had funded Kashmir’s hardline separatist leader such as Syed Ali Shah Geelani for years. But it is the rapidly expanding scale of the effort that recently nudged security agencies to carry out an extensive review.

The Erdogan government has been funding religious seminars in India, recruiting fundamentalists to radicalise people and even take freshly-minted radicals on all-expense trips to Turkey to reinforce their learnings.

The security review also referred to a Kerala-based Islamist radical organisation that had been funds from Turkey for some time.

“We are also aware of some people from this group travelling to Qatar to meet some people from Turkey to seek funding for their activities,” a government official said. “That amounts as high as Rs 40 lakh are being offered to preach radical Islam in Kerala”. Besides, officials said Turkey, along with Pakistan, have also been funding Zakir Naik, the controversial Islamic preacher accused of radicalising muslims, via Qatar, a senior official said.

Turkey has become Pakistan’s “new Dubai” at a smaller scale, the official added, a reference to the United Arab Emirate’s city that used to be a second home to Pakistan’s ISI between 2000 and 2010 and the epicenter of anti-India activities in west Asia.

During this decade, Pakistan’s ISI was able to radicalise some Indians and turn them against their own country. It is also here that the founders of terror group Indian Mujahideen were first radicalised. Since 2014, however, the United Arab Emirates has turned into one of India’s closest partners with no protection or sanctuary for anyone indulging in anti-India activities.

Turkey also stepped in early this year when protests broke out over India’s amendment to the citizenship laws, not just to criticise the change that was perceived to potentially hurt the interests of muslims but also with money to keep the protests going, according to an intelligence assessment accessed by HT.

Indian security officials believe that much of this radicalisation effort being bankrolled by Ankara was being carried out in coordination with Pakistan’s deep state. To be sure, Erdogan was the only world leader to speak out against India in the UN general assembly over Kashmir.

On a visit to Pakistan earlier this year, he went on to assert that Kashmir is as important to Turkey as it is to Pakistan. “Kashmir is and will be the same for us. It was Çanakkale yesterday and it is Kashmir today, he said in February.

Turkey is the only country that actively backs Pakistan’s Kashmir agenda in OIC and is also forging close economic ties with China.

Hindustantimes

Australia backs India over border dispute with China

On a day when the tensions with China continue to simmer over disengagement, Australia has come out to support India. In a statement, the Australian High Commissioner Barry O’ Farrell said that Australia opposes any attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo, which only serve to increase tension and the risk of instability.

Australia, however, urged restraint on the LAC and for continued dis-engagement.

“As I told the External Affairs Minister of India today, Australia opposes any attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo, which only serve to increase tension and the risk of instability,’’ O’ Farell said in a press release issued by the High Commission. “It is important that the bilaterally-agreed principles and norms that have helped prevent escalation or miscalculation in the border areas over many decades continue to be observed,’’ he said.

The statement comes on the heels of India’s plan to include Australia—which had so far been left out—in the Malabar exercises. The exercises with America and Japan, finally makes the Quad, a military possibility. Australia remains deeply concerned by actions in the South China Sea that are destabilising and could provoke escalation, the statement read.

“On 23 July, Australia lodged a note with the UN Secretary General refuting China’s unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea. It rejects China’s claim to historic rights and internal waters, its assertion of certain maritime zones, and its contention there is wide international recognition of its South China Sea sovereignty claims,’’ he said.

Australia throwing its weight behind India comes at a time when it is clear that India and China are sparring over the disengagement process. It also comes on the same day as the Chinese envoy Sun Weidon at a virtual lecture has asserted that “China is committed to peaceful development, and is not a “strategic threat” to India.’’

Despite the constant emphasis on peace, the relationship between India and China continues to be prickly. The disengagement process has not been completed, the ministry of external affairs said on Thursday. The MEA’s assertion contradicts what the Chinese foreign office put out Tuesday, claiming that disengagement was complete in most areas. “The front-line frontier defence forces of the two countries have disengaged in most locations, and the current situation continues to develop in the direction of easing and cooling,” Wang Wenbin, the foreign office spokesperson had been quoted as saying.

India disputed this claim at the virtual weekly briefing. However, some progress had been made, the MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava admitted. “The Senior Commanders of the two sides will be meeting in the near future to work out steps in this regard. As we have stated earlier, the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas is the basis of our bilateral relationship,’’ he said at the virtual MEA briefing.

“Therefore, we expect that the Chinese side will sincerely work with us for complete disengagement and de-escalation and full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas at the earliest as agreed to by the Special Representatives,'' he said.

The week

RAFALE IS A GAME CHANGER, CHINESE J-20 DOES NOT EVEN COME CLOSE, SAYS FORMER AIR CHIEF DHANOA

With the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) concentrated and on the offensive on a barren Tibetan Plateau, the Indian Air Force with Rafale fighter as its spearhead weapon will decide the outcome of the battle in case the red flag goes up, says former Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa. Five Rafale fighters will land at Ambala air base today from France for induction into IAF today .

Talking to Hindustan Times, Dhanoa, the chief architect of February 26, 2019 air strikes on Balakot, said that Rafale with its top of the line electronic warfare suite, Meteor beyond visual range missile and SCALP air to ground weapon with its terrain following capability outguns any threat that the Chinese Air Force produces. Painting a wartime scenario, former top gun said : “ If the IAF is successful in destruction of enemy air defences and suppression of enemy air defences, then the Chinese fighters out in the open at Hotan air base and at Gonggar air base at Lhasa airport are fair targets. Some 70 Chinese aircraft are without protection at Hotan and some 26 aircraft may be parked inside a tunnel which the PLA were building at Lhasa air base,” the former air chief said.

While Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa recognises the threat presented by Chinese J-20 fifth generation fighter, he is very confident that the IAF with its latest Rafale and Su-30 MKI will be able to counter the best the Chinese throw at India in the worst case scenario. “Chinese Air Threat is mainly from their Surface to Air Missile Systems.”

“ If Chinese equipment was so good, then why did the Pakistanis only use F-16 aircraft to attack Nangi Tekri brigade in Rajouri sector on February 27, 2019 with Chinese JF-17 merely giving air defence cover to Mirage 3/5 bombers. The Mirage 3/5 dropped the H 2/4 bombs from a safe distance with the JF 17 in a supportive role providing Air Defence to these aircraft! Why does Pakistan use Swedish early air warning platforms up north and keep Chinese AWACS in the south? Why is Pakistan mounting European radar (Selex Gallelio) and Turkish targeting pod on Chinese JF-17 ? The answer is quite evident,” the former Chief said.

However, the brilliant air tactician recognizes the Chinese threat in form of surface to air missile batteries and artillery guns, which the PLA has packed in occupied Aksai Chin. But he also makes it very clear that with no tree line cover available to the Chinese platforms, they would be sitting ducks if the air defence cover is blown over. “ The Rafale with its advanced terrain following weapons and level II of Digital Terrain Elevation Data available to the Indian pilot, the error probability of the weapon is reduced to mere 10 metres. As I have said in the past, Rafale is a game changer,” former Air Chief Dhanoa said.

While Dhanoa appreciates the enemy threat, his serving IAF officers make it very clear that the Chinese equipment is not only inferior to the US equipment but also the Russian equipment. “ Why does Chinese Air Force use Russian Su-30 and Su-35 fighters while facing the US threat in South China Sea? The fact is that the Chinese fighters are no match for the American equipment Majority of Chinese equipment is reverse engineering of Russian equipment and fighters have designs of either Su-27 or Su 30 platform. They are even powered by Russian AL-31F (Su-30) and RD-33 (MiG-29) engines,” a serving air commander told 

Hindustan Times.

Russia agrees to quickly address urgent defence requirements sought by India

Long-pending deals for AK-203 assault rifles and Ka-226T light utility helicopters figure in discussions

Russia has agreed to quickly address some urgent defence requirements sought by India and this was discussed during the recent trip of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, defence and diplomatic sources said. The long-pending deals for AK-203 assault rifles and Ka-226T light utility helicopters were also disc

ussed in a review of the entire gamut of defence cooperation.

India will present its requirements soon and Russia has assured to address them within a few months, the sources said without elaborating. Mr. Singh was on a four-day visit to Moscow from June 21 for the 75th anniversary of the Victory Day Parade during which he held talks with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov. The request comes in the backdrop of the tensions with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and the large-scale mobilisation undertaken by the armed forces in response to the massive Chinese build up.

S-400 deliveries to start at end of 2021

In a statement after the talks in Moscow, Mr. Singh said Russia had assured that ongoing contracts would be maintained and “in a number of cases will be taken forward in a shorter time”. However, on the S-400 deal, the sources said the deliveries would start end of 2021 as scheduled and it is difficult to accelerate the deal any further. “No further acceleration is technically possible,” a diplomatic source said while the Indian sources said the deliveries would be completed as per the contractual terms.

There is some progress on the AK-203 assault rifle deal which has been held up over pricing, another diplomatic source said. The deal for over 7.5 lakh rifles of which one lakh would be imported and 6.71 lakh rifles manufactured by a joint venture (JV) Indo-Russian Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) at Korwa in Uttar Pradesh.

However, the deal for 200 Ka-226T utility helicopters remains stuck over the level of indigenisation. To reach the indiginisation percentage as specified by the tender, Russia and India are evaluating the possibility of using Indian aviation materials in the production in India which will give the programme a new indigenisation angle and also an impetus to the domestic aero industry.

Transfer to India of a number of crucial technologies

“Another significant feature of the project is going to be the transfer to India of a number of crucial helicopter engineering technologies, including the unique coaxial scheme technologies,” two sources said adding India will have the choice to integrate domestic avionic and weapons.

Of the 200 helicopters, 60 will be imported directly and the remaining will be manufactured by a JV between the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Russian helicopters (RH). Several MoUs have already been signed with domestic companies by RH for localising assemblies such as fuselage, blades, radio station and landing gear among others.

Thehindu

With Rafales’ induction, IAF will have an edge over neighbours. Here’s how

Five Rafale fighter jets of the 36 ordered by the Indian Air Force (IAF) from France will land at their home base in Haryana’s Ambala on Wednesday.

The new aircraft will significantly enhance the offensive capabilities of IAF, which has for long-planned to update its fighter jet force. Defence experts have said the induction of the controversial Rafale fighter jets will be a “game-changer” for India in regional politics of South Asia.

France has expedited the deliveries of Rafale fighters to India and five jets are coming to Ambala instead of four that were originally planned to be delivered in the first batch.

Here’s how the Rafale fighter aircraft will add to IAF power:

* Rafale, categorised as a 4.5 generation aircraft for its radar-evading stealth profile, is important for IAF since most of the aircraft in its fleet, including the Mirage 2000 and the Su-30 MkI, are classified as either third or fourth-generation fighters.

* The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. The manufacturers describe it as a fully versatile aircraft which can carry out all combat aviation missions to achieve air superiority and air defence, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

* The first Rafale combat aircraft manufactured for India bears the tail number RB-01, the initials of IAF chief Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria. The IAF chief had played a crucial role in the signing of India’s biggest-ever defence deal worth about Rs 60,000 crore.

* India had ordered 36 Rafale fighter jets from France in a deal worth about Rs 60,000 crore in September 2016. Out of the 36 Rafale aircraft, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets.

* The Rafale jets will be a crucial enhancement to India’s Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft fleet.

* The Rafale fighter jets have been tailor-made for the Indian Air Force. India-specific enhancements include helmet-mounted sight, radar warning receivers, flight data recorders with enough storage for 10 hours of data, infrared search and track systems, jammers, cold engine start capability to operate from high-altitude bases and towed decoys to lure incoming missiles away.

* They will be the first imported fighter jet to be inducted into the IAF in 22 years after the Russian Sukhoi-30 fighters. The first Su-30 entered IAF service in June 1997.

* The Rafales will be a part of the IAF’s No 17 Squadron, which is also known as the “Golden Arrows”. The first squadron of the aircraft will be stationed at Ambala air force station, considered one of the most strategically located bases of the IAF. The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal.

* The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

* India will be the fourth country, after France, Egypt and Qatar, to fly the Rafale.

* The Rafale fighter jet, however, cannot be compared with the J-20, an indigenously developed fifth-generation aircraft of China. The J-20 is soon set to be inducted in large numbers into the People’s Liberation Army Air Force of China after it was successfully developed and displayed.

* The 2016 Rafale deal was an emergency purchase to arrest the worrying slide in the IAF’s combat capabilities. The count of the IAF’s fighter squadrons had been reduced to 31 compared to an optimum strength of 42-plus units required to fight a two-front war with China and Pakistan.

* The first 18 jets, including the four in the first batch, were to be delivered to the IAF by February 2021, with the rest expected by April-May 2022, according to the original delivery schedule.

HT

Russia suspends deliveries of S-400 missiles to China

Russian newest S-400 air defense systems, acquired by China several years ago, were left without anti-aircraft guided missiles because Russia decided to stop supplying these weapons to China, reports the Chinese newspaper Sohu. The Russian side could not name the timing for the resumption of deliveries. It has been almost five months since the supplies have stopped.

"This time, Russia announced the postponement of the delivery of missiles for the Chinese S-400 system. To a certain extent, we can say that it is for the sake of China. Getting a gun is not as easy as signing an invoice after receiving a weapon. They say that the work on delivering these weapons is quite complicated. While China has to send personnel for training, Russia also needs to send a lot of technical personnel to put the weapons into service," writes Sohu.

“The reasons given by Russia are very heartwarming. It turns out that Russia is worried that the delivery of S-400 missiles at this time will affect the anti-pandemic actions of the Chinese army and does not want to cause trouble to China,“ Sohu adds.

Uawire. Org

Israel assures help; Chinese Withdraw from patrol point 15

Israel, one of India’s top defence suppliers, assured all possible help to the country amid the Ladakh border crisis in a defence minister level conversation on Friday, adding to the list of allies who have pledged support as military tensions continue with China.

People aware of the matter said the border situation with China was discussed during a telephonic exchange between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his counterpart Lt Gen Benjamin Gantz in which they also discussed “possibilities of further strengthening the defence engagements”.

Besides, the Indonesian defence minister, Prabowo Subianto, is expected to visit New Delhi on Monday for discussions on regional issues and expanding defence ties with new joint naval exercises. India and Indonesia have been working together in the maritime domain, including joint patrolling activities along the Malacca straits under the CORPAT series.

In his conversation, the defence minister invited his Israeli counterpart for a visit while dates for a visit by the French defence minister are also under discussion. Speaking with Lt Gen Gantz, Singh invited greater participation of Israeli companies in defence manufacturing after liberalised foreign direct investment norms. The two leaders also discussed cooperation in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

The situation with China remains tense, with the disengagement process stalled at the Pangong Tso lake after differences emerged over the modalities of withdrawal and claims on the border. However, at Patrol Point 15, there has been a complete withdrawal of Chinese troops across the Line of Actual Control, according to those in the know.

The strategic Depsang plains also remain a factor for worry as Chinese troops are still stalling the Indian army from carrying out patrols to points 10-13, cutting off an over 700 sq km area that was earlier regularly patrolled by both sides.

With the current round of disengagement stalled, further military and diplomatic talks will be required to move on, said the people cited earlier. Another round of corps commanders meeting is likely to take place next week to identify further steps, including moving back of troops at the Finger area along Pangong Tso lake, they said.

Economictimes

India moves to buy 6 more Poseidons from US for $1.8bn

India has formally kicked off the acquisition process for six more long-range Poseidon-8I aircraft from the US, while a plan is also underway for fast-track procurement of six Predator-B armed drones amidst the ongoing military confrontation with China.

India is extensively using the naval P-8I patrol planes, which are packed with radars and electro-optic sensors as well as armed with Harpoon Block-II missiles and MK-54 lightweight torpedoes, for surveillance missions over the Indian Ocean as well as eastern Ladakh.

The Navy had inducted eight Boeing-manufactured P-8I aircraft under a $2.1 billion deal inked in January 2009, while the next four will be delivered from this December onwards under another $1.1 billion contract signed in July 2016.

Top defence sources on Friday said the “letter of request” for six more P-8Is for around $1.8 billionhas now been issued to the US for the government-to-government deal under Pentagon’s foreign military sales (FMS) programme. “The US, in turn, will soon send the ‘letter of acceptance’ after congressional approval. The contract should be inked by early next year,” said a source.

Concurrently, the armed forces are examining “an emergency procurement” of six Predator-B or weaponized Sea Guardian drones from the US in wake of the ongoing confrontation with China along the 3,488-km long Line of Actual Control, especially in eastern Ladakh.

TOI was the first to report last year that India had finalized the plan to acquire 30 Predator-B drones, 10 each for the Army, Navy and IAF, with different payloads to hunt and destroy targets over land and sea. But the high cost of the deal, upwards of $3.5 billion, has somewhat delayed the inking of the final contract.

“The original plan for the 30 Predators will take some more time. Meanwhile, the utilization of the fast-track procurement (FTP) route for acquiring six of these drones – two each for the three Services – is now under active consideration,” said another source.

It will be a huge jump in unmanned lethal capability for the armed forces if the “hunter-killer” Sea Guardians, with their advanced ground control stations, launch and recovery elements, air-to-ground missiles, smart bombs and the like, are actually acquired by India.

The inking of the bilateral military pact with the US called COMCASA (Communications, Compatibility and Security Arrangement) in September 2018 has paved the way for greater access to advanced military technologies with encrypted and secure communications and data links from the country.

The six new P-8I aircraft, for instance, will have COMCASA-protected equipment, which are much more advanced and secure than the commercially available ones. The Sea Guardians also have such equipment like advanced Global Positioning System (GPS), Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) receiver and VHF system, which are immune to jamming and spoofing from enemies.

As was earlier reported by TOI, the US has already bagged lucrative Indian defence deals worth over $21 billion just since 2007, with latest ones for 24 MH-60 ‘Romeo’ multi-role naval helicopters and six more Apache attack choppers for around $3 billion being inked during President Donald Trump’s visit here in February.

TOI

Should IAF invest $15 bn in buying the F/A-18 Super Hornet?

From Top Gun fans to IAF enthusiasts, everyone’s talking about the F/A-18 Super Hornet this week. We take a closer look…

Since the trailer for Top Gun: Maverick dropped last week, aviation enthusiasts have been buzzing about the multi-role fighter that the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy could soon fly, courtesy of Boeing and two Indian companies.

In April 2018, Boeing announced a partnership with PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Mahindra Defence Systems (MDS) to manufacture the F/A-18 Super Hornet in India under the ‘Make in India’ programme. Last month, HAL delivered its 150 th gun bay door for the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

A few interesting facts about the fighter aircraft that’s got everyone talking:

1. The F/A-18 Super Hornet is a twin-engine multirole combat jet based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. It was designed primarily for use on aircraft carriers of the US Navy after the US government decided to stop purchases of the F-14 Tomcat in 1991 (the fighter jet featured in the original Top Gun movie).

2. Today, the latest evolution of the F/A-18 – the Block III – is able to perform a variety of tactical missions such as air superiority, day/night strike with precision guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defence, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and buddy refuelling.

3. According to the Boeing website, the F/A-18 Super Hornet will deliver on India’s need for a carrier and land-based multi-role fighter being the least expensive aircraft per flight hour of its kind with advanced survivability and continuous evolution.

4. This assessment is based on extensive testing that Boeing has done to test the Super Hornet’s compatibility with Indian carriers. Results show that the Super Hornet is capable of launching off a ski-jump carrier and could be operated from Indian carriers with a meaningful fuel and weapons load, as found on the company’s website.

5. Should the IAF and the Indian Navy decide to purchase the Super Hornets, the value of the IAF contract alone is estimated to be $15 billion.

6. Depending on the number of machines ordered by both the Navy and the IAF, Boeing will set up a completely new production facility in India for the production of its F/A-18 Super Hornets with the aim that the new facility can be used for other programs like India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program.

7. The Royal Australian Air Force currently operates 24 Super Hornets, while Kuwait has ordered 28 of the jets. The Super Hornet was also proposed for the Indian Air Force’s now-aborted deal to purchase 126 fighter aircrafts.

Defenceaviationpost

Indian Navy To Move MiG-29K Fighter Jets From Goa To Bases In North Amid Border Row With China

Amid the ongoing border tensions with China along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Navy has decided to deploy its maritime fighter jets MiG-29K to key air force bases in the Northern sector for operations.

The Mikoyan MiG-29K is a Russian all-weather carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft developed by the Mikoyan Design Bureau in the late 1980s from the MiG-29M.

Described as a 4+ generation aircraft by Mikoyan, India has a fleet of more than 40 MiG-29K planes. Of these, 18 are deployed on country's sole aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya, and the rest are based in Goa.

As per the latest development, some of the jets currently deployed in Goa are now being moved to the Indian Air Force bases in the north.

The move appears to be in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's directives for enhancing collaborations and cooperation between all the three Indian services and Chief of Defence Staff general Bipin Rawat's call for the possibility of deployment of maritime combat aircraft along the northern or western borders with the Air Force.

Government sources aware of the matter told news agency ANI that "It is being planned to deploy the MiG-29K fighter aircraft at an Indian Air Force base in the northern sector. They might be used for carrying out operational flying in the Eastern Ladakh sector along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)."

It is to be noted that the Indian Army has been playing a vital role amid the ongoing border dispute with China and its People's Liberation Army (PLA). Indian Navy's plane at this hour of sensitivity are being used for surveillance along the LAC for picking up the Chinese activities and positions there.

ABP live 

Why India Ignored The US & Rushed To Russia After India-China Clash At Galwan Valley?

After the barbaric clash between soldiers of India and China at Galwan Valley, Indian Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh rushed to Russia to approve major defence deals with Moscow, apprehending a further escalation with China.

Experts have questioned this urgency that India displayed with Russia visit. Netizens have wondered why did the Indian minister fly to Russia for assistance against China and not approach the US who has consistently backed India against Beijing?

During the Russia visit, Rajnath Singh signed deals with Russia approving proposals to acquire 21 Mig29 and 12 Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft. Similar deals over the years have now gotten India at a position where 86 percent of the defence equipment in the Indian armed forces is of Russian origin which explains the heavy dependence that the Indian Army has on Russia.

A new Stimson Center working paper by Sameer Lalwani and others revealed the heavy dependence of Indian defence equipment currently in service. With a whopping 90% for the Army, 41% for the Navy and two-thirds of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) equipment is of Russian origin.

“India’s share of Russian systems has grown, not decreased, because of Indian Army acquisitions. While India’s naval and air forces are decreasing their quantitative reliance on Russian arms, their most advanced or offensive capabilities still originate from Russia,” wrote Lalwani.

According to data compiled by Stockholm-based thinktank, SIPRI, since 2014 when the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) came to power, India’s prime supplier for military equipment has been Russia with US$9.3 billion worth of exports to India. The US is trailing behind with only US$2.3 billion worth of export in the same period.

“There are many reasons for this. One is legacy issues. India and Russia have a longstanding defence relationship and there is familiarity with each other’s processes and systems.

The second is dependability. That is based on the Russian track record in the past,” said a Defence Ministry official. He further explained that the third factor is the kind of specialised equipment that Russia provides to India, which no one else does.

“The S-400 is the latest example, but we also have the nuclear submarines leased to us and the aircraft carrier. That makes a difference,” he added.

Diving a little deeper, it is evident that Navy’s only active aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya and its only nuclear attack submarine in service, Chakra II, are from Russia. The Army’s T-90 and T-72 battle tanks along with IAF’s Su30 MKI fighter, manufactured by HAL in Nashik are also Russian origin. India’s only nuclear supersonic cruise missile, BrahMos is produced by a joint venture between India and Russia.

Meanwhile, the US’s share is much less significant with Apache and Chinook helicopters, supplied by the US which are now deployed in Ladakh. The M777 howitzer guns for the Army and Boeing C-17 and C-130J which provides airlift capacity to the IAF along with the Navy’s proposition to get four more P8I submarine hunter aircraft, are all turned in US’s favour.

“Each of these systems has its advantages and uses. The question is not of individual weapons of Russian or American origin but of using them effectively to develop maximum combat capability. The big showpiece platforms get talked about a lot more, but everything matters. That is our operating philosophy,” a senior military officer said.

Lalwani stated that if US’s defence planners want to leverage greater Indian military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, they will have to start countering with the trade-offs of an aggressive Russia containment policy and develop some “second-best” frameworks for both policies.

He further added that to help bolster India’s maritime capabilities which are sure to get hit by pandemic-related budget cuts and the costly demands of defending the border with China, the US might employ tools to reduce the costs of Indian acquisitions.

“This would require a rethink of India less as a lucrative defence sales opportunity and more as a partner in need of cost-efficient capability boosts. Mechanisms like foreign military financing could help India acquire more P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft and reconnaissance drones to enhance India’s maritime domain awareness,” he concluded.

Euroasiantimes 

Four sub-killer P-8I craft coming to India next year, then talks for six more hunters.

India’s long-range anti-submarine, reconnaissance, surveillance and electronic jamming capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region are going to get a further boost with the induction of four more P-8I multi-mission aircraft from the US next year. India has the option of buying another six from Boeing to be negotiated later in 2021, people familiar with the developments in New Delhi and Seattle said.

The Indian Navy variant of the P-8A Poseidon - P-8I where I stands for India - is essentially designed for maritime patrol. Integrated with the Harpoon Block II air launched missiles and lightweight torpedoes, the reconnaissance craft - it can carry 129 sonobuoys to locate subs - turns into a deadly submarine killer that can also launch anti-ship missiles.

The proposed acquisitions come against the backdrop of China’s efforts to militarise the South China Sea and expand its sea footprint.

Beijing had already acquired a string of ports in Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Iran and east Africa to not only contain the Indian Navy but also challenge the presence of US Central Command forces as well as French and British Navy.

Beijing has 70 percent stake in Kyaukpyu port in Myanmar, which sits in the Bay of Bengal, Hambantota port in South Sri Lanka dominates the Indian Ocean, Gwadar port in Pakistan sits on the mouth of Gulf of Oman and the port of Jask in Iran is located on the edge of Persian Gulf.

National security planners believed that the possibility of China attempting to replicate its aggressive posture along the Line of Actual Control at a time of its choosing in the Indian Ocean Region was very real, a government official said.

India also inched closer to formalising the anti-China QUAD - Quadrilateral Security Dialogue - strategic grouping. The United States, Japan and Australia are the other members.

In some measure, the QUAD is already a reality on the high seas due to India signing the Communications, Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) agreement in September 2019. The P-8I helped.

The pact provided the legal framework for exchange of encrypted communication. P-8I makes this possible with ease, particularly since the aircrafts are interoperable, can communicate securely and is designed for .

“This is a de-facto QUAD because these have interoperability with the P-8A Poseidon delivered to other countries,” said the official.

The secure communications enables one aircraft to share real-time operational intelligence, including a Common Tactical Picture with other P-8 aircraft.

The P-8I aircraft is designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It operates with joint and combined

But it can be used elsewhere too. The military had relied on the reconnaissance aircraft for surveillance during the ongoing Ladakh standoff with China as well as the 2017 Doklam standoff.

It has a range of about 2,200 km and flies at a maximum speed of 490 knots, or 789 km per hour.

The negotiations for the purchase of six more P-8I aircraft are yet to begin, a government official in New Delhi said. The purchase of six P-8I was cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council in November 2019, long before the stand-off with an aggressive China along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh.

HT