India, US close to inking over $600 mlln jet engine deal

India and the US are close to signing a deal worth over $600 million for supplying 99 jet engines that would be used in the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' being developed by the DRDO. Around two years ago, India had selected the American company General Electric over its rival European Eurojet 2000 for the LCA Mark II programme expected to be ready around 2014-15. 

Negotiations with the US firm over various issues involved in the deal, including price and transfer of technology, have been held and it is hoped that the deal for these engines to be fitted on the LCA Mark II would be signed soon, Defence sources told PTI here.
As per the contract, the order could be for 99 engines initially but India will have the option of order for another 100 engines in the future.
The engine on offer for the LCA Mark II is GE F-414 engine, which are more powerful that the GE F-404 engines fitted in the first batch of LCAs that the Indian Air Force would receive in near future.
The need for changing the existing engines in the LCAs was felt after the IAF found out that the GE-404 engines were not providing enough power to the aircraft and more powerful engines were needed for the purpose.
The DRDO is developing the LCA Mk II to meet the Indian Air Force requirements and it will have latest technological equipment including the latest Active Electronic Scanned Array (AESA) radar and would be able to carry more payload than the LCA Mk I.
Last month, the trials of the LCA Mk I were carried out in Pokharan desert firing range where laser-guided bombs and other weapon systems were tried.
As per the current plans, the IAF will induct two squadrons of the LCA Mk I and then the delivery of LCA Mk II aircraft would done.

Hindustan Times

Work on submarine launched BrahMos in final stages

The work on launch of submarine variant of supersonic cruise missile BrahMos was in the final stages, a top official of the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace said today.

"Yes we are on the job and it is in the final stages," BrahMos Aerospace CEO and MD Dr A Sivathanu Pillai told reporters here when asked about the submarine launched-missile.

Sea and ground-launched versions have been successfully tested and put into service with the Indian Army and Navy. The flight tests of the airborne version will be completed by the end of 2012.

Pillai said the Hypersonic version of Brahmos-2 cruise missile will be ready for launch in another five years.

With the research on propulsion of scramjet underway, the hypersonic missile, with four times speed that the present Supersonic missile, would be ready for induction into Indian forces by 2017.

With a 300 million Dollars investment, the company, a Indo-Russian joint venture, was doing a business of five billion dollars at present, he said.

However, he said the company would think of large scale exports only after meeting the requirements of Indian armed forces. 

Economic Times

Path clear for Rafale fighter deal: Antony

India’s hunt for acquisition of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) is coming to a close with the defence ministry giving the  green signal to the evaluation process that led to selection of the French Rafale fighter. The plane was chosen as it was the lowest bidder on the basis of its lifecycle cost and technology transfer. The total deal is worth $20 billion (Rs 1.12 lakh crore) with options for further purchases.

Replying to a letter written on February 27, 2012 by TDP Rajya Sabha member MV Mysura Reddy alleging manipulation of the MMRCA evaluation process, defence minister AK Antony said: "The issues raised by you were examined by independent monitors who have concluded that the approach and methodology adopted by the Contract Negotiations Committee (CNC) in the evaluation of the commercial proposals thus far, have been reasonable and appropriate and within the terms of the Request for Proposals (RFR) and Defence Procurement Procedure, 2006."
The Indian Air Force on January 31 had declared Rafale as the preferred bidder, overriding the claims of the multi-nation Eurofighter. According to negotiations, 18 Rafale fighters will arrive in India from mid-2015, with another 108 to be built in India under collaboration.
As reported in the Hindustan Times, Reddy had written to Antony stating: "The alleged manipulation of the evaluation process in picking the (Rafale), which resulted in the decision to procure 126 MMRCA has raised serious apprehensions not only across the country but also worldwide. If a proper decision is not taken, the country's credibility will be at stake."
Two days later, Antony ordered an inquiry into all the points raised by Reddy.
Talking to HT after receiving Antony's final response on Monday evening in Hyderabad, Reddy said he was not satisfied with the reply. "I will wait for the report after the defence ministry has examined the finalised CNC recommendations as promised by the defence minister," he said.

Hindustan Times

Tail of all C-130Js to be made in Hyderabad

Hyderabad is poised to become a blip on the world’s defence map soon when the Tata Advanced Systems unit will start rolling out spare parts for the C-130J, the special operations aircraft made by the US that is presently in service in 15 countries. The Hyderabad factory will become operational over the next year now that Tata Advanced Systems has entered into a joint venture with Lockheed Martin. The US aerospace major has supplied six C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF) the contract for which mandates Lockheed to invest 30 per cent of the deal within the country.
“The factory will manufacture replacement centre wing boxes and tail sections for every new C-130 J sold around the world. Beginning August, all C-130Js sold to any country will be built in Hyderabad,” Lockheed Martin’s India head Roger M Rose told Express. Designed for special operations, the four-engine C-130J can land troops behind enemy lines. Capable of operating from a short runway, it can also operate in pitch dark conditions.
Tata Advanced Systems holds 74 per cent of the stake in the joint venture (JV), and Lockheed 26 per cent--the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit allowed in defence sector. Tata Advanced Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons with focus on providing integrated solutions for aerospace, defence, homeland security and disaster management. 

“This is our first JV in India and it will strengthen our foothold in the Indian defence market,” said Roger, beaming about the fact that his company delivered six C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to IAF well before deadline. The IAF had signed the $1 billion deal for the six aircraft in 2008.
The factory is being set up in a special economic zone (SEZ) at Adibhatla near Hyderabad along with Tata’s two other JVs. Tata Advanced Systems also has a JV with Sikorsky Aerospace Services to manufacture helicopter cabins with with an investment of Rs 1,000 crore. That unit will manufacture cabins for all S-92 helicopters. Another JV with Israeli Air Force Technologies named NOVA has been allotted 30 acres land in the SEZ.

IBN Live

DRDO, Army working on futuristic artillery gun

That the Indian Army's artillery regiments are in desperate need of a makeover is well known. But the process of modernisation and upgrade has moved at a glacial pace. The only new weapon in sight is the M777 light howitzer which has been cleared for procurement from BAE Systems in the US. The DRDO has now stepped in, reviving an old artillery project that had been shut down some years ago owing to the Army's lack of interest in an indigenous project.
Working this time with the Army's full backing, the DRDO has begun work on a new 155mm 45-calibre gun that could take a decade to develop and field. Dr S Sundaresh, head of the team for the new artillery project, said in an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN that the gun would comprise certain high-end technologies that could require a foreign collaborator.
ON THE NEW GUN

We are proposing to develop a futuristic gun in consultation with the Army. We are in dialogue with the Army for some of the new technologies we are proposing to introduce into this gun, for example a special coating for the barrel to enhance its life, the smart recoil system with rheological fluid or an electrical drive to elevate and traverse the gun. We are in dialogue with the Army to finalise the Preliminary Staff Qualitative Requirements (PSQR) hopefully in the next couple of months. We have already started design work and will modify the design to suit the PSQR.
Since these are new technologies, we expect in about four to five years time we should be ready with a prototype for user trials, followed by summer and winter trials. Production could commence in about nine to 10 years' time. So the development cycle is 5-7 years including evaluation by the Army.

ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES
We want to try new technology in the area of recoil. The standard recoil systems are hydro-pneumatic but we are looking at an electro rheological liquid which has adaptive viscosity characteristics. So it will have adaptive damping, you will get a smooth consistent recoil no matter what the weight of the shell and what range you are firing at. That makes for a more reliable recoil system. The PSQRs demand new technology such as barrel coating. So the plan is to first build the barrel using current technologies and then try coating. Once that barrel development technology has matured, we can add new technologies and improve its performance. A number of foreign firms are willing to offer the coating technology. We are in dialogue but nothing has been firmed up yet. In order to cut down on time, we may get the technology from abroad, especially about the barrel coating and the recoilless system.

ON TANK GUNS VS ARTILLERY GUNS
Basically, both tanks and non-rocket artillery have rifled guns but when you look at the length of the barrel, the artillery gun barrels are much longer than tank barrels. The artillery shell is heavier, so the force of recoil is heavier. Accordingly, you require a proper recoil mechanism and a muzzle brake system.

ON LONE RANGER EFFORT
Nobody else in the world is developing a new gun. BAE Systems Bofors, Denel and Singapore Technologies have developed technologies for the guns they built. Nexter of France has also done the same but no serious development is taking place in terms of new guns. All guns are being produced with existing technology, so we will be the only country taking up this development. We have a large requirement and even if we take up development today, we can meet our requirements 10 years from now for a state-of-the-art gun system.
The Ordnance Factory Board is working on a gun based on the ToT documents received from Bofors. So they will be building a 155mm 39-calibre gun as well as a 155mm 45-calibre one. DRDO is helping them with the 45-calibre barrel design and external ballistics.

ON SELF PROPELLED GUNS
Self propelled guns are now at the RFP stage and we have teamed up with BEML for the Army tender. BEML is taking the turret from the Czech firm Zusana and the same will be integrated on the Arjun tank chassis. Hopefully trials will commence within a year.

IBN Live

Indian Navy to commission a warship and a base ship

The Indian Navy is going to boast its powers with the commissioning of two ships in the coming week. The two ships are 'INS Tanaji' (a base depot ship) and the second is the warship 'INS Sahyadri'.
Defence officials said the commissioning ceremony of the Base Depot Ship 'INS Tanaji' will be held at the Mankhurd Naval Base Station. Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, Chief of Naval Staff will be the Chief Guest on the occasion. The ceremony will held at 8 am on July 10. "The so called 'Base Depot Ship', will look after berthing and ship lift facilities and will add punch and power to the Indian Navy," said the officials.

Meanwhile, the commissioning ceremony of naval warship 'Sahyadri' will be held at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The ceremony will held at 2pm on July 21. AK Antony, Raksha Mantri, will be the Chief Guest on the occasion. "INS Sahyadri will be the third ship of the Shivalik class of stealth frigates," said Indian Defence Chief PRO Manohar Nambiar.
Officials said that INS Sahyadri finished its construction at Mazagon Dock Limited. The keel for INS Sahyadri was laid on March 17, 2003. She was launched on May 27, 2005 and will be commissioned on July 21.
The Project 17 warships are christened after hill ranges in India and the 4,900-tonne vessels are one of the most advanced design with stealth features in the Indian Navy stable. "The MDL had laid the keel of INS Sahyadri in March 2003 and launched it in the water in May 2005. The warship had gone out into the Arabian Sea for sea trials earlier this year. India plans to build seven more warships of this class in the future as a follow-on Project-17A," said the officials.
The Shivalik class frigates are 142-metre long, 17-metre wide warships that run on two Pielstick 16 PA6 STC diesel engines and two GE LM2500+ boost turbines in combined diesel or gas (CODOG) configuration

Times of India

India finalizing mega stealth frigates’ project for over Rs 50,000 crore

India's mammoth over Rs 50,000 crore plan to construct seven advanced stealth frigates, with all weapon and missile systems under the hull for a lower radar ``signature'', is finally gathering some momentum now in tune with the overall strategy to build a futuristic blue-water Navy indigenously. This major plan, codenamed ``Project-17A'', will be a strong booster dose for defence shipyards since it will be shared between Mazagon Docks (MDL) at Mumbai and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) at Kolkata.

``The CNC (contract negotiation committee) is currently underway for P-17A, which has already been approved by the defence ministry. The contract will be awarded after the final nod from the Cabinet Committee on Security. While MDL will build four, GRSE will construct the other three,'' said a source.

This comes even as the third and the final stealth frigate INS Sahyadri built by MDL, under the long-delayed ``Project-17'' at a cost of Rs 8,101 crore, is now all set to be commissioned on July 21.

Defence minister A K Antony will be travelling to Mumbai to commission the frigate, commanded by Captain S Vatsayan, like he did for the first two INS Shivalik and INS Satpura in 2010 and 2011. The seven new frigates will be ``longer, broader, faster and stealthier'' than the three 6,100-tonne Shivalik-class frigates that have a range of 5,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 18 knots.

``The new frigates will also have the 290-km BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, apart from other advanced weapons and sensors, for a greater offensive punch in all the three dimensions (air, surface and underwater),'' said the source.

Both MDL and GRSE are undergoing modernisation, with new modular yards and 250-300 tonne goliath cranes, to enable ``integrated modular construction'' of the P-17A frigates in ``compressed shipbuilding time-frames''. ``The shipyards will also tie-up with a foreign know-how provider,'' he said.

The Navy is increasingly turning ``stealthy'' since surprise and deception are crucial in modern-day warfare. The three Talwar-class stealth frigates (Talwar, Trishul and Tabar) inducted from Russia in 2003-2004 as well as the Shivalik-class warships have already boosted the Navy's combat capabilities due to their ``vastly-reduced'' radar, infra-red, noise, frequency and magnetic ``signatures'' to beat enemy detection systems.

The force, of course, has also recently inducted another stealth frigate, the 3,970-tonne INS Teg, with two more (Tarkash and Trikhand) to follow in 2012-2013, under the $1.15 billion contract inked with Russia in 2006.

These three frigates and aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (Admiral Gorshkov), to be inducted from Russia in early-2013 under a revised refit cost of $2.33 billion, in fact, are the only warships among the 50 already ordered by Navy that will come from abroad.

All the rest are being manufactured in India, with naval designers here also achieving proficiency in designing stealth warships. With the ``Maritime Capability Perspective Plan for 2012-2027'' pegging the number of major warships required at about 150, contracts for another 45 warships are in the pipeline to add to the 50 already on order. 

 

Times of India

Light Combat Helicopter undergoing sea trials off Chennai

BANGALORE: Another milestone is round the corner for the indigenous attack helicopter currently under development.

The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), which was developed by the Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL), is currently undergoing sea-level trials off Chennai.

The trials commenced last week and will last for about 10 more days.

The trials will evaluate effects of flying the chopper at sea-level.

The Indian Air Force and the Army together are looking at inducting 150 LCHs in the future.

The trials are overseen by Wing Commander Unni Pillai, chief test pilot, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). He said the second prototype or Technology Demonstrator (TD-2) of the LCH were being subjected to various tests at the sea-level conditions.

Sea trials are part of the process of testing the effectiveness of the aircraft at various altitudes and temperature conditions.

"All the earlier trials were carried out in and around Bangalore which is about 3,000 feet above sea level. Now we are testing the helicopter at the altitude at about 500 feet above sea-level. The performance of the helicopter has been good and so far there have been no surprises," said Pillai.

The LCH is a derivative of Advanced Light Helicopter (Dhruv) and will be adding teeth to the already existing fleet of Mi-35 and Mi-25 attack helicopters. This sea trials come at a time when IAF is in the process of acquiring Boeing's Apache Longbow advanced attack helicopters.

HAL sources say the performance of the LCH is on par with any other attack helicopter including Apache.

  -  Times of India

Mahindra & Mahindra may bid for Hawker Beechcraft

Mahindra & Mahindra, India's biggest tractor and utility vehicle maker, may be considering a bid for Hawker Beechcraft; the bankrupt aircraft maker, Bloomberg said on Wednesday.
Hawker Beechcraft, part owned by Goldman Sachs Group, is on the selling block and the agency said that the Indian automobile firm with manufacturing interests in turbo prop aircrafts may be a likely suitor.

Hemant Luthra, who heads Mahindra Systech, declined to comment on the speculation. "We are small players in the business of turbo prop aircraft and we have been watching what's happening with Hawker Beechcraft , which is in the public domain.
Apart from this we don't want to comment," he added. M&M entered the aerospace industry in 2009 by acquiring Aerostaff Australia, a component manufacturer, and Gippsland Aeronautics, a maker of turboprop aircraft.
Hawker, which makes the Beechcraft King Air turboprop and Hawker 4000 business jet, filed a reorganisation plan in the US Bankruptcy Court on June 30 that would give control of the company to secured creditors who hold debt valued at almost $922 million.
According to reports, investment banker Perella Weinberg Partners developed a list of more than 35 bidders, which was further shortlisted to six bidders.

Economic Times

Mazagon Dock may split order among 4

The need to hasten implementation and avoid any further confrontation with other shipbuilding companies may see Mazagon Dock, India’s largest defence shipyard, split its ambitious Rs 1-lakh-crore naval order book among four major Indian private shipbuilders. After Pipapav Defence, Mazagon is considering similar joint ventures with L&T, ABG Shipyard and Bharati Shipyard, say people in the know.
Pipavav and Mazagon have already agreed on collaboration, but the agreement between the two does not have any exclusivity clause. “Pipavav is the preferred partner, but Mazagon may also explore roping in others, considering the strategic nature of national security,” said a senior official from one of these shipbuilding companies, on condition of anonymity.
 So far, however, no written communication has been issued to this effect.
Last year, Mazagon had invited private shipbuilders to partner it in executing the mega warship orders, already delayed by seven-eight years. It had Mazagon had shortlisted four of the eight companies interested, before choosing Pipavav as the partner. The three companies that lost out complained to the defence ministry, alleging opaqueness in Pipavav’s selection. The ministry put the joint venture on hold, saying fresh guidelines would be issued in this regard. However, in May, the ministry gave its approval to the Pipavav-Mazagon joint venture.
However, considering the enormity of the contract, it may be difficult for just one vendor, Pipavav, to carry out the Navy warships projects of Rs 1 lakh crore. Therefore, Mazagon Dock is considering forming joint ventures with each of the four companies approved by the ministry to carry out the defence orders and expressions of interest for these would be invited soon. A Mazagon Dock official, on condition of anonymity, told Business Standard, “The plan is very fluid at the moment, but details are being worked out.”
Mazagon Dock did not reply to a query sent to it.
The procedure being considered is now possible, after the government had removed the ‘exclusivity’ norm, making such joint ventures open for all government-approved defence shipbuilders—BG Shipyard, Bharati Shipyard, L&T and Pipavav.
An official from one of the shipbuilders said, “This is definitely a good opportunity for us to get a share of this large order. It’s impossible for a joint venture to complete the order in the given timeframe. With multiple ventures and the work being split, the process would gain speed.”
As on March 31, ABG Shipyard had an order book of Rs 16,000 crore, to be executed over three-five years. Pipavav has an order book of about Rs 7,000 crore, while Bharati Shipyard’s order book stands at Rs 6,500 crore. With the Mazagon order book of Rs 1 lakh crore being split between the four companies, the revenue and profitability of these companies would get a boost, albeit over a long period of time.
The Mazagon projects would also help private shipbuilders boost revenue, aiding the shipping sector, which is recording a scarcity in new orders. The ministry’s nod to the Mazagon-Pipavav joint venture has also cleared the path for other government-owned defence shipyards like Hindustan Shipyard, Cochin Shipyard and Garden Reach Works in Kolkata to seek similar joint ventures for defence orders. The overall defence order book is estimated at a whopping Rs 1,60,000 crore, to be delivered over four-five years.

Business Standard

Army closer to getting attack helicopters, as India eyes China threat

Defence Minister A K Antony today directed that the Indian Army deploy extra man power in the North East as fast as possible. He asked the Army to prepare to induct more attack helicopters into the force. The Defence Minister was reviewing the modernisation of the Indian Army.

Modernisation of the Indian Army has been in sharp focus since the letter of the former chief, General V K Singh, to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was leaked to the media. General Singh's letter had pointed to severe deficiencies in equipment and systems.

Sources said that Mr Antony, reviewing the Army's modernisation programme, also asked the Army to step-up on the infrastructure development in the North East. Besides this, the Minister also reviewed the process of acquisition of artillery guns and asked the Army to reform its acquisition process.
 Mr Antony also reviewed new measures taken to increase and improve ammunition storage systems in the North East. Besides this, he also asked the Army to prioritise and focus on critical areas to plug existing gaps. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Defence including the Defence Secretary Sashikant Sharma and Secretary Defence Production Shekhar Agarwal.

NDTV

Defence laboratory designs heli-portable composite bridges

If manueuvrability is what matters the most in a battlefield, there is reason to cheer. Moving a step ahead of the armoured vehicle/truck launched bridging systems, the Research and Development Engineers (R&DE), a city-based DRDO laboratory, has been in talks with the Army to put to use the composite bridges, which it says are heli-portable. The laboratory, which has been working on composite structures, has developed a five- and 10-m composite-bridging system — the lighter weights of which can make feasible the option of heli-portability of bridging systems.
“We completed the fabrication of 10-m composite bridge around six months ago. While a few tests have been conducted, the rest are under way. The success of the 10-m bridging system will pave the way for the 26-m bridge, which should be developed next year. We developed the five-metre composite bridges three years ago, which means that we have the technology. We are in discussion with the Army about the heli-portability of the system — which is its best use,” said Dr S Guruprasad, director, R&DE.
According to the R & DE officials, here is how the composite bridges are better — the five-metre long and four-metre wide bridge developed by the laboratory three years ago is 30 per cent lighter than the aluminium bridge and costs approximately the same. It weighs 1.2 tonnes and is designed for Military Load Class (MLC)-70 (capacity to sustain 70 tonnes of load). Each tread way of the bridge with a deck-I girder configuration is monocoque without joints. Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Moulding (VARTM) process has been used to manufacture the bridge. What makes the composite bridges smart are the fibre optic sensors, which are embedded in it, say R& DE officials.
“Composites normally use glass or carbon fibre and epoxy resins for bonding. In Agni-V, the third stage was made of composites. R&DE has developed the applications of composites in design, development of structures for the Army and naval applications such as all composite single span bridges, armoured vehicles with integral ceramic composite hull, among others,” said Air Commodore (retd) Raghubir Singh of Institute of Defence Scientists and Technologists.
The fabrication and designing of the composite bridges has been done in-house by the laboratory, which has earlier developed the Sarvatra Bridging System and the Bridge Laying Tank (BLT T- 72) on the T- 72 chassis. “The laboratory has been working in-house on the composites. However, once we enter the production stage, private partners do the transfer of technology,” Guruprasad said.

The Indian Express