India on road to tighten coastal security with deadly P8I from Boeing

Boeing will complete the delivery of three of the first batch of eight P-8I long-range sophisticated anti-submarine warfare aircraft to Indian Navy by the end of this year, said Leland Wight, Boeing’s P8I program manager who detailed plans of the handing over of these maritime aircraft which can also be used in anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capacities. The aircraft is capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations.
Boeing delivered the first P8I aircraft to India in Seattle in December 2012 and would complete the delivery of entire batch of eight by 2015 as part of a $2 billion contract signed in 2009.
Wight said while detailing the plans for the delivery of the three aircraft this year that the aircraft spares would be delivered in the first quarter of 2013, while the first test program of the aircraft would be completed in Goa by June this year. He said the second and the third aircraft would be delivered to the Indian Navy by September and December, respectively. Indian Navy has also planned to place an order for four more P8Is even as the Indian Navy is looking at a squadron of 37 such aircraft by the year 2020.
Wight said plans entail setting up a flight simulator of P8I to train Indian Navy aviation personnel as part of pilot and air crew training and maintenance to ensure that the Indian Navy subsequently remains independent while ensuring the upkeep of the aircraft.
Indian Navy procuring the P8I is being viewed as a significant development considering that Pakistan has handed over its southern coast-based port of Gwadar (west of Karachi) to China. There is much speculation about how China is developing the port (whether on industry lines or with military intentions). But with defence minister AK Antony expressing “real concern” about the volatile situation in India’s immediate neighborhood while addressing the media after the inaugural session of Aero India 2013, the importance of procuring a modernized maritime surveillance aircraft is easily understood.
The significance of getting this aircraft is also seen in the background of the November 26, 2008, attack on Mumbai by seaborne terrorists who hoodwinked the Coast Guard to gain entry into the financial capital of India.
The P8Is that India is getting will be armed with anti-ship Harpoon missiles, Mark-82 depth bombs and Mark-54 anti-submarine torpedoes. However, it will not have what Boeing terms it as the "Warfighter's Weapon of Choice", the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). This is a low-cost guidance kit produced by Boeing which converts unguided free-fall bombs into accurately guided, near-precision smart weapons. It consists of a tail section that contains a Global Positioning System (GPS)/Inertial Navigation System which helps the bombs home into the target with deadly accuracy.
JDAM falls under USA’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program which prohibits certain categories of weapons from being directly sold to foreign governments directly.

DNA

Indian Army to get US ultra-light howitzers this year

The Indian Army is set to get the first lot of 145 ultra-light howitzers it is purchasing from the US for $700 million this year.

According to a report in the current issue of India Strategic defence magazine, a team from the army, including from the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME), Directorate General of Qualitative Assurance (DGQA) and the defence ministry visited the US in January to establish the parameters of the BAE Systems M-777 gun being in conformity with the requirements. This testing was part of the procedure, described as Maintainability Evaluation (ME), and now the final step is about discussions to finalize the price along with spares and maintenance support.
The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) had issued a notification indicating the possible sale of the gun to India on January 22, 2010.
The US Army sent two guns to India for trials, and the Indian Army tested the 152 mm/39 caliber system in the hot and mountainous terrains (Pokhran and Sikkim) the same year, pointing out some shortcomings, which have been rectified.
Although the M-777 gun is made by the multi-national BAE Systems in the US, it is being purchased from the US Army under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme.
Procedurally, the US would supply whatever is there in the contract, and if something is left out, then India has to send a Letter of Request (LOR) to the US Government again even if it is a simple nut or bolt. The company will have nothing to do with it.
For instance, in 2004, India purchased the first equipment - Raytheon's Weapon Locating Radars (WLRs) - under FMS from the US, and willy-nilly, Indian officials did not cater for spares and support. Finally, Raytheon, which manufactures hi-tech weapon systems for land, sea and air, fixed it, more out of goodwill.
This time, the process should be thorough.
The M-777 is the first artillery gun to be partially made of titanium to reduce its weight and give it mobility, and is easily carried under-slung by heavy lift helicopters like the Chinook CH 47, 15 of which the Indian Air Force is buying from Boeing.
The M-777 has extensively been used in Afghanistan's tough hilly and mountainous terrain with effective fire.
Senior officers of the Army are confident that the acquisition of M-777 will not go beyond 2013, and if there is a delay, it would not be beyond fiscal April 2013-March 2014.
India Strategic also reported that summer trials of the upgraded Bofors FH 77B (155 mm/39 caliber), which India bought from Sweden more than a quarter century ago, would be held mid-year in the hot Rajasthan desert.
The upgraded gun is being developed by India's state-run Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), which had got the designs for indigenous production as part of the deal when the gun was acquired but did nothing about it for whatever reasons.
This in fact was the first case in which India got the rights for transfer of technology (ToT) but the opportunity was lost due to political allegations.
OFB's upgraded Bofors gun, being upgunned to 155 mm and 45 caliber, would be based on outdated technology though and in any case would be a stop-gap arrangement till the artillery gets the bigger 155 mm/52 caliber guns, both self-propelled and towed.
The Bofors guns proved extremely effective in neutralizing the Pakistani positions in the 1999 Kargil War, and several army officers swear by it, saying that it was the artillery fire which demolished the Pakistani soldiers, who had infiltrated into the Indian side and occupied a number of hilltop positions.

Hindustan Times

French president to negotiate $12bn Rafale jet deal in India next week

France's Dassault Aviation hopes to conclude its $12-billion deal to sell Rafale jets to India this year, with negotiations set to be taken up by President Francois Hollande next week.

"The ideal would be to sign it in 2013," Dassault chief executive Eric Trappier told AFP in an interview about the world's biggest defence deal at India's air show in Bangalore.

"It's not that surprising that it takes a bit of time," he said, pointing out that the contract involved production of 126 state-of-the-art fighters in France and India over a 15-20 year period.
He also confirmed Indian negotiators had detailed their needs for an additional 63 planes beyond the initial order of 126, as reported after a visit by foreign minister Salman Khurshid to Paris in January.
"It's to let us know that they'll need the assembly lines for a long time," he said.
Hollande is to visit New Delhi on February 14-15 on his first trip to India since being elected in May. Trappier will be in the delegation.
"I don't think there are military aircraft sales without good political relations," said Trappier.
Dassault is one of the big names at this week's Aero India as it shows off the Rafale which beat competition from six rivals from Russia, the US and Europe last year.
Exclusive negotiations are under way to determine the final price and amount of technology transfers, with defence minister A K Antony giving an indication of the complexities involved in a Wednesday news conference.
The deal will have to pass through "six or seven layers" of vetting before being presented to the finance ministry and the cabinet committee on security.
Antony, seen as a clean operator in India's notoriously dirty politics, also said his officials would ensure "no malpractice is there" and denied budget cuts in his ministry would have an impact on "the mother of all contracts".
France is desperate to make its first foreign sale of the Rafale, which has struggled to find buyers after investments of tens of billions of euros.
The conclusion of the deal has been repeatedly delayed. India initially set a target of the end of last year, which slipped to the end of the current fiscal year in March.
Hollande will be followed days later in Delhi by British Prime Minister David Cameron who has lobbied on behalf of the Eurofighter, a rival jet made by a partly British consortium which is ready to step in if Dassault fails.
Under the proposed Rafale deal, the first 18 aircraft are to be made in France with the remainder to be produced under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the state-run Indian aerospace behemoth.
Dassault must conclude licence deals with about 20-30 different Indian partners, according to Trappier. "We've done more than half of the work so far," he said.
The French group has also formed a joint venture with the Indian conglomerate Reliance, which has no former military production experience but will be involved as a supplier.
Indian Foreign Minister Khurshid likened the negotiations to a fine French wine while in Paris.
"The contract details are being worked out. A decision has already been taken, just wait a little for the cork to pop and you'll have some good wine to taste," he said.
The Rafale has carried out bombing missions in Afghanistan, Libya and most recently in Mali, where it is currently flying sorties targeting Islamist militants.

Times of India

Sagarika, the star of DRDO

For the first time, India will roll out its complete array of missiles, including the submarine-launched-ballistic missile (SLBM) 'Sagarika' which was test-fired recently off the east coast, at Aero India 2013 commencing here on Wednesday.
'Sagarika' will top the list of missiles to be displayed by Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). The models of other missiles to be put on show include Agni-V, the inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM), various variants of 'Prithvi', surface-to-air missile 'Akash', and beyond visual range (BVR) missile 'Astra' being developed for made-in-India fighter jet 'Tejas',  sources in DRDO told Deccan Chronicle.
The sources said a host of products and technologies developed indigenously -UAVs, gadgets for electronic warfare, avionics, radars, special materials for aerospace applications, sensors on aircraft, and simulators-would be exhibited during the show. "We are going to demonstrate that we have the best of technology and systems at the show. A simulator, complete with cockpit consoles and on the lines of one developed for 'Tejas' will be on show. We will have experts to explain about all these systems to delegates from other countries and the public as we want to publicize our expertise in a wide range of defence technologies and products," the sources added.
On the tarmac, the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) would set up the trainer and naval versions of 'Tejas' complete with its weapon systems. One fighter from the limited series production (LSP) would be reserved for visits by VVIPs and head honchos of global aerospace majors. One fighter, fitted with smoke winders on both wings, would demonstrate the agility of the indigenous jet twice a day throughout the show. This fighter would cross a milestone of 2000 hours of flying during the event.
The sources said for the first time, a model of the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA), the next generation fighter scheduled to join the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2025, would be unveiled at the five-day event.
 deccanchronicle

Selex ES to Supply Radar Systems and Control Centres for Indian Navy and Air Force

Selex ES, the strategic consolidation of Finmeccanica’s defence and security electronics businesses (SELEX Galileo, SELEX Elsag and SELEX Sistemi Integrati merged in January 2013) will be attending Aero India on the 6th-10th February 2013. With a fully owned incountry subsidiary, Selex ES brings to the Indian market its state-of-the art portfolio of products and solutions for a wide range of requirements.

Active in India since 1972, Selex ES has collaborated first with HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) and currently with BEL (Bharat Electronics Limited) to supply the country with radar systems and control centres for military Air Traffic Control (ATC) including the 2080C Precision Approach Radar (PAR) system for the Indian Navy and Air Force. The company has also provided a complete Communications, Navigation, Surveillance / Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) turn-key system for the two new airports at Bangalore and Hyderabad.
In the naval domain the company’s presence in India dates back to 1984, when it supplied the Combat Management Systems (CMS) for the three ‘Godavari’ class frigates. More recently Selex ES has been awarded a contract to supply the Indian Navy with its 3D L Band Air Surveillance Radar (RAN-40L) which will be installed on-board the new aircraft carrier at Cochin Shipyard. Through partnerships with HAL and BEL Selex ES has also supplied the HF radios (400W, 1 KW and 5 KW) for most of the platforms and coastal stations operated by the Indian Navy and that are manufactured in India by HAL under licence. In addition, the company can provide the Indian Armed Forces with integrated combat systems for naval units, C3I and C4I systems based on network-centric architectures, and radar systems for naval, coastal and land applications.
In the airborne domain, Selex ES offers unique airborne sensors and integrated, tailored mission systems, providing access to leading technologies such as AESA radar, new generation defensive aids and state of the art electro-optics sensors to its Indian customers. This capability also allows Selex ES to deliver outstanding, bespoke support and maintenance services to its customers as demonstrated by the 20 year-long CARES support and training contract for the Indian Navy, signed in 2012. The company, which has been operating its Mirach 100/5 aerial target drone at the national Integrated Test Range since 2007, is also poised to sell complete target drone systems in India. In the avionics field, Selex ES supplies communication (HF, V/UHF) and navigation systems (Doppler GPS) for both rotary wing (ALH, Cheetah, Chetakh) and fixed wing (DO228) platforms manufactured by HAL as well as for MI-8 and MI-17 helicopters and aims to enhance its role of strategic partner for Indian end-users as well as becoming a leading player new generation IFF identification systems and mission support systems (Obstacle Avoidance).
Selex ES is the answer to the ever increasing demands for airborne Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR). Its flagship Airborne Tactical Observation and Surveillance(ATOS) mission management system is urrently operating with seven different customers on nine different platforms. The system can integrate the Seaspray and Gabbiano surveillance radars and situation awareness sensors and can be installed on rotary and fixed wing platforms.
With its unrivalled airborne AESA technology and versatile range of products, Selex ES is the leading European producer of AESA surveillance radar. The company boasts a large, international customer base and counts India among their number, currently fielding its AESA technology with a local in-country partner.
In the secure communications domain, the Company is involved in some of India’s biggest tactical communications programmes: TCS (Tactical Communications Systems), BMS (Battlefield Management System) and the Future Indian Soldier. Selex ES has also supplied the protected military communications TETRATAC system to Indian Army through BEL within the framework of a program including the technology transfer to BEL for local manufacturing and maintenance.
In the land domain Selex ES designs and develops full situational awareness and force protection systems integrating its Electronic Warfare (EW) equipment and its wide range of Electro-Optical (EO) solutions for land platforms and dismounted infantry. India’s increasing focus on Homeland Security also opens up a range of potential collaborations with Selex ES. In particular, the company develops complex Homeland Security architectures that combine the expertise of all of Finmeccanica’s companies within network-centric environments designed to protect national borders, roads, ports, airports, railway stations and critical infrastructure. Selex ES can also provide India with licence-plate reading systems, biometric sensors, mobile checkpoints, video surveillance and other technology for police-forces.
Products showcased:
ATOS provides wide area and targeted surveillance (overt or covert), anti-submarine warfare, environmental and border control. It is an advanced, flexible, open architecture mission management system integrating a number of sensors and sub-systems in a highly modular design. ATOS has been selected by six different international customers, and more than 40 ATOS systems have been or are being installed on 10 different platforms.
The Seaspray family of multi-mode AESA radars provides an unrivalled capability as the airborne tactical maritime surveillance primary sensor for fixed and rotary wing aircraft. They use a scalable architecture that shares a set of common modules allowing installation on a wide variety of platforms. Seaspray AESA radars have been selected by the Royal Navy, the Italian Navy, the US Coast Guard, and over 15 international customers. On show: Seaspray 5000E, 7000E and 7500E.
VigilX is an Enhanced Vision System (EVS) for airborne situational awareness allowing day, night, all environment operation, equally suitable for rotary wing or fixed wing tactical airlift platforms. VigilX combines data from EO sensors distributed around the platform (IR, Low Light, TV) with ultra low latency, allowing multiple users to independently select external views around the platform and "see through the hull".
The SEER Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) utilises a digital receiver for advanced situational awareness and is essential for evading threats in a complex hostile environment. Trialled with outstanding operational results and supplemented with a complete support package,SEER can increase mission success and aircraft survivability for a range of new or upgrade programmes, including large transport and small fixed wing aircraft, rotary wing vehicles and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS).
SAGE is a digital ESM/ ELINT for Radio Frequency (RF) intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Delivering a situational awareness capability, SAGE provides RF signal analysis for intelligence gathering and tactical responses. It has both single and multiplatform geo-location of RF assets, parallel wideband and channelised receivers and delivers instantaneous detection and ELINT analysis. SAGE is suitable for a range of aircraft from tactical UAVs and light helicopters to larger reconnaissance and maritime patrol aircraft.
PAR 2090C. PAR (Precision Approach Radar) is an X band radar system that assists military airplane pilots during approach phases. The system, available in naval and land versions, makes precise instrumental landing possible even in bad weather conditions (intense rain, wind, fog) and poor visibility. Selex ES PAR is able to manage multiple aircraft simultaneously (up to 32) within its field of view (10° in elevation, +/-15° of azimuth coverage). Precision and accuracy exceed ICAO requirements and ensure optimum detection and distinction of targets.
Wideband Data Link, a new generation high performance Ku-band wide band data link solution for Line of Sight (LOS) links between airborne vehicles (manned and unmanned) and ground stations. WBDL was engineered to satisfy the high demanding NATO STANAG 7085 standard, which has been conceived for Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAV) applications in the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) domain. Selex ES has been selected to provide its WBDL-LOS for the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) programme; the system, integrated onboard the Global Hawk HALE UAS, will guarantee broadband, bidirectional data transfer among these components.
SRT-170, a lightweight HF Transceiver family specifically designed for airborne applications. These transceivers provide voice/data radio-communications over the 2 to 30 MHz frequency range.
LOAM (Laser Obstacle Avoidance & Monitoring), a state-of-the-art navigational aid system for rotary wing platforms able to detect potentially dangerous obstacles in flight and warn the crew to implement timely and effective avoiding manoeuvres.
Data Patterns Stand
Seekers: Data Patterns and Selex ES are collaborating in the production of high performance electro-optical seekers suitable for a range of different guided weapon programmes. These include Infrared Imaging seekers (both cooled and uncooled), Semi- Active Laser (SAL) seekers, dual and multimode seekers. These are all based on proven Selex ES designs, many in service with international missile systems, customised for the Indian market by Data Patterns.
The SKYWARD is a passive radar system operating in the Infrared spectrum, capable to detect the IR radiation emitted from objects and background over a wide angular field. SKYWARD autonomously executes the detection and tracking of multiple targets and provides high resolution IR images of the observed scenarios. SKYWARD is composed of two units: the Electro-Optical Unit (SHU) and the Processor Unit (PU). The SHU can be easily mechanically tailored for installation in the aircraft.
Static AreaThe Mirach 100/5 is a high performance, reusable Aerial Target System which is the standard European Armed Forces threat simulator. It manages up to 8 targets simultaneously in a realistic training scenario and simulates multiple threats flying at high subsonic speeds. The system is controlled by a modern Ground Control Station, allowing mission planning and re-tasking, rehearsal and play back.

 azosensors.com

Russia Remains Key Arms Supplier for India – Rosoboronexport

(RIA Novosti) – Russia remains a key supplier of weaponry to India with good prospects for future military-technical cooperation, Deputy General Director of Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Viktor Komardin, said.

“The country [India] is one of the main importers of defense products on the global scale, and Russia continues to be one of its key suppliers,” Komardin, who heads the Russian delegation at the upcoming AERO INDIA 2013 international aerospace show, said in an exclusive interview with RIA Novosti on Monday.

Last year alone, Russia concluded more than $3.5 billion’s worth of new arms export agreements with India, including the purchase of 71 Mi-17B-5 Hip helicopters and the delivery of assembly kits for 42 Su-30MKI Flanker fighters, while the current portfolio of Indian contracts is worth more than $7 billion.

“We expect Rosoboronexport to annually ship at least $3 billion’s worth of weapons and material under the contracts that have already been signed with the Indian state clients,” Komardin said.

According to the official, prospective agreements in the area of military-technical cooperation could be even more lucrative for Russia.

“We are talking over plans to upgrade the country’s fleet of Ka-28 antisubmarine helicopters and Su-30MKIs, and to supply a batch of Mi-17V-5 to the Indian Interior Ministry. There are some other promising projects, too, and not just in aviation,” Komardin said.

At the same time, Russia is facing growing competition on the Indian arms market as New Delhi has been taking serious steps to diversify military imports over the past few years. At present, Russian weapons account for about 70 percent of all military hardware in service with the Indian Armed Forces.

Last year Russian arms exporters suffered two painful losses at Indian tenders. Russia did not win the contract to supply 22 helicopters to India, which preferred the US AH-64D Apache to Russia’s Mi-28N.

During the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender announced by the Indian Air Force to replace the aging MiG-21s, the Russian MiG-35 did not even make it to the finals, where the Eurofighter Typhoon twin-engine multirole fighter lost a contract worth at least $10 billion to France’s Dassault Rafale.

Komardin said that Russia must be ready to battle with foreign competitors over its share of the Indian arms market using advanced forms of military-technical cooperation.

“I would like to emphasize that we have abandoned the practice of simple selling, seeking more of joint programs to produce defense equipment, including for third parties. This gives us a chance to keep slightly ahead of our key rivals,” he said.

An example of such cooperation is the development of the Russian-Indian Multi-Role Military Transport Aircraft (MTA), which is expected to fly for the first time in 2017 and enter production both in Russia and India in 2019.

An agreement to set up a joint venture to develop and produce the plane was signed between India’s Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) in New Delhi in September 2010.

The AERO INDIA 2013 in Bangalore on February 6-11 will most likely see Russia making another attempt to promote its aircraft, including the Be-200 amphibious plane, on the Indian market. Russia also hopes to win the Indian tender for 197 scout and surveillance helicopters with its lightweight Ka-226T model.

Agni-VI all set to take shape

                     It can deliver four or six warheads 6,000 km away

Agni-VI with multiple nuclear warheads, which can reach targets 6,000 km away, is all set to be developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Only in April last, it carried out the maiden launch of Agni-V, which has a range of more than 5,000 km.

So far, all the strategic missiles developed by the DRDO — Agni-I, II, III, IV and V, and the submarine-launched K-15 and its land-based version Shourya — can carry only single nuclear warhead. The DRDO’s tactical missiles and supersonic cruise missile BrahMos can carry one conventional warhead each.

“We have started working on the multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles [MIRV] version [Agni-VI]. It will carry four or six warheads depending upon their weight,” DRDO missile technologists said. “The constraint is the vehicle’s mass.”

Although the Union government is yet to sanction Agni-VI project, the DRDO has done all the enabling studies, finalised the missile’s design and started working on the engineering part. It had also figured out how to anchor four or six warheads in the vehicle, how to disperse them and the pattern of their dispersal. The warheads could be released in an order, one after another. If one warhead were to hit a place, another could fall 100 km away from it, the technologists said.

Both Agni-V and Agni-VI have three stages, all powered by solid propellants, and their diameter is two metres. And the comparison ends there.

While Agni-V weighs 50 tonnes and is 17.5 metres long, Agni-VI belongs to the 65-70-tonne class and will be 20 metres long. “Agni-VI will be a massive vehicle,” the technologists said. It was too early to say when its first launch would take place. It would be road-mobile and blast off from trucks with launching platforms.

The Hindu

Israel seeks major arms deals with India

Israel may be on the brink of major defense sales to India following a visit by India's air force commander, Air Marshal Nak Browne.
Military sources say Browne was particularly interested in upgrading India's fleet of Israeli-built unmanned surveillance vehicles and acquiring the advanced missile defense systems that Israel's high-tech defense industry, the most advanced in the Middle East, is developing.
India has been discussing a possible "buy and build" deal involving the Iron Dome system, the only one of four air-defense systems under development to have been tested in combat, for some time.
The Indians also want to produce the system, developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, under license.
Israel's Globes business daily reported in December that the Indians say Israel has agreed to such a sale. But there could be a major hitch because the United States provided much of the financing for Iron Dome's development and the Pentagon may not want the technology transferred to India, even though it's a leading U.S. ally.
India has also expressed interest in Israel's Arrow-2 anti-ballistic missile system manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries and the Boeing Co. of the United States. But the technology transfer involved could impede any sale since U.S. approval would be required.
With a significant slowdown in the growth of high-tech exports to the United States and Europe, Israeli defense exporters are shifting their marketing focus to Asia.
Browne, who visited Israel in late January, met with outgoing Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz and Israeli air force commander Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel.
The Indian air chief served in Israel as India's first military attache after New Delhi recognized India in 1997.
India is the world's biggest arms importer. Its total military expenditure in 2011, excluding nuclear weapons, was $44.28 billion, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute states.
India is expected to spend up to $150 billion at home and abroad on modernizing its military over the next decade but the Indian government and military chiefs have urged an accelerated drive to build up a national defense industry to reduce military imports and is pressing suppliers like Israel to participate in joint ventures if they want a piece of India's defense business.
New Delhi also wants to bolster self-reliance as it seeks to extend its military reach beyond its home waters, in part to counter Chinese expansion into the Indian Ocean.
In October 2012, Israel Aerospace Industries, flagship of the Jewish state's defense sector, reportedly secured a $958 million contract from India's military to upgrade its IAI-built Heron and Searcher unmanned aerial vehicles.
UAVs are some of the biggest money-spinners for Israel's defense industry and India, which is engaged in a massive multiyear rearmament program, is a key customer.
Indian media reported that the deal covered some 150 UAVs acquired from IAI since the 1990s that are operated by India's army, air force and navy.
IAI won a $1.1 billion deal with the Indian navy in 2009 to provide advanced Barak-8 tactical air-defense missile systems for its warships.
The Indian army is jointly funding a project to adapt the Barak 8 into a multi-purpose weapons system.
Also in 2009, Rafael secured a $1 billion contract with New Delhi for 18 Spyder surface-to-air missile systems by 2012.
IAI sold the Indian air force three Phalcon early warning aircraft worth $1.1 billion in 2004.
All told, Israeli companies have sold India weapons and other military systems worth more than $10 billion over the last decade or so.
In 2007, Israel dislodged France as India's second largest arms supplier after Russia but there have been bumps.
In March 2012, India blacklisted state-owned Israel Military Industries, a major arms manufacturer, barring it from bidding for Indian defense contracts for 10 years on suspicion of involvement in a 2009 corruption scandal.
Israel's Haaretz daily observed at the time that the Indian decision was "expected to significantly impact IMI's activities in India, as well as that of other Israeli defense firms."
Israel is now one of the world's leading arms exporters, with most of its key customers in Asia and the developing world.

UPI

Armed forces building deadly drone arsenal, also want combat UAVs

With an eye on both the western and eastern fronts with Pakistan and China, the Indian armed forces are slowly but steadily building a formidable arsenal of spy, target acquisition and "killer'' drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles).

Even as the Navy sets up spy drone bases along the coastline and IAF inducts "killer'' drones, the Army has inked yet another contract to acquire two more "troops'' (eight drones each) of Israeli `Heron' medium-altitude, long endurance UAVs.

"Under the Rs 1,200 crore contract with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the Army will begin inducting these new Heron drones from January 2014,'' said a senior defence official.

The drones, to be inducted into the new SATA (surveillance and target acquisition) regiments being raised, form a part of the overall modernization plan for the 1.13-million force being pushed by Army chief General Bikram Singh.

"The force wants speedy induction of various UAVs, from man-portable micro and mini spy ones to `killer' ones that act like missiles to hit targets. It will bolster capabilities for surveillance, weapon delivery and direction of artillery fire,'' said an officer.

In keeping with the plan to progressively induct drones right down to the battalion-level by the end of this decade, the Army is already establishing new UAV bases from Nagrota and Manasbal in J&K to Kumbhigram and Lilabari in the north-east.

The Navy, in turn, is looking to raise new UAV squadrons after establishing three at Kochi (Kerala), Porbandar (Gujarat) and Uchipuli (Tamil Nadu) to detect threats emanating from the sea.

Similarly, IAF is inducting additional Harop ``killer'' drones equipped with electro-optical sensors to loiter over high-value military targets before exploding into them. The force has also experimented with "add-ons or attachments'' to its existing fleet of Israeli Heron and Searcher-II surveillance drones to add a killer role to them.

The armed forces eventually want full-fledged UCAVs (combat UAVs) - akin to the American Predators and Reapers being used in the Af-Pak region - which return to their bases like fighter jets to replenish their missiles for fresh missions.

They have inducted over 100 UAVs, mainly from Israel, as "major force-multipliers'' since the 1999 Kargil conflict. DRDO, too, has got into the act by stepping up its drone programmes, from the already inducted Nishant to the under-development Rustom-I and II drones.

As earlier reported by TOI, DRDO has also launched the secretive AURA (autonomous unmanned research aircraft) programme to develop stealth UCAVs capable of firing missiles, bombs and precision-guided munitions.

Similarly, another ambitious project on the drawing board focuses on designing solar-powered high-altitude, long endurance UAVs that can cruise in the sky for several days at a time for round-the-clock ISTAR (intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance) missions.

Times of India

India may sign $10 bn Rafale aircraft deal during French President Hollande's visit

Financial details of the over $10 billion deal for the purchase of 126 French Rafale medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force are being worked out ahead of the visit by French President Francois Hollande to India next week.

“The financial details of the deal are being worked out,” an external affairs ministry official told IANS.

“There are a lot of technical aspects of the deal, which are being worked out by the defence ministry,” the official added, declining to say whether it would be inked on Feb 14, the day of official engagements of the French president in India.

Indiatvnews

Pratt & Whitney Delivers First 10 Engines to Boeing for India's C-17 Aircraft

United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), has delivered the first 10 F117 engines to Boeing to power a fleet of C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force. India's Ministry of Defence signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. government in 2011 to acquire 10 C-17s. The first of these C-17 aircraft is now going through a U.S. Air Force flight test program at Edwards Air Force Base in Palmdale, Calif. The Indian Air Force is scheduled to take delivery of its first five C-17s this year and five in 2014.
"Pratt & Whitney is delighted to be delivering the first batch of engines that will power the Indian Air Force's C-17 fleet and we're pleased to have them join the growing international fleet that flies this premium airlifter," said Bev Deachin, vice president, Military Programs and Customer Support, Pratt & Whitney.
The C-17 Globemaster III – the world's premier heavy airlifter – is powered by four F117 engines, each rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust.  The C-17 transport, exclusively powered by Pratt & Whitney engines, is capable of taking off from a 7,600-foot airfield, carrying a payload of 160,600 pounds, and completing a flight of 2,400 nautical miles without refueling.  The F117-PW-100 first entered service in 1993 and is a derivative of Pratt & Whitney's PW2040 commercial engine.  With nearly 10 million hours of proven military service and 50 million hours in commercial use, the F117/PW2040 has consistently proven itself as a world-class dependable engine. Through Pratt & Whitney's ongoing investment in product improvements, the engine continuously surpasses established goals of time on wing and support turnaround time.
Boeing has delivered 250 C-17s featuring F117 engines worldwide, including 32 to international customers. The U.S. Air Force – including active duty National Guard and Reserve units – has taken delivery of 218 C-17s. Other customers include the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force, the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations, and the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence.
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.
This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning anticipated business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in the Globemaster III funding related to the C-17 aircraft and F117 engines, changes in government procurement priorities and practices or in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corporation's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Businessweek.com

Defence Ministry clears new corps on China border

After much back and forth, the Defence Ministry has cleared setting up of a mountain strike corps along the China border, signalling its intent to press ahead with plans to strengthen offensive military capabilities despite recent calls from Beijing for a "new type" of military relationship.
The plan involves fresh accretion of close to 89,000 soldiers and 400 officers. The focus, sources said, is to be able to launch a counter-offensive into Tibet in case of a "Kargil-type adventure" by China.
The proposal was first mooted in 2010 and given an in-principle go ahead by the Cabinet Committee on Security a year later, but was sent back last year with instructions for a re-look by all three services so that a common plan could be drawn up.
It took the Chiefs of Staff Committee another six months to review the plan, which was also essential because the Army Chief had changed since the proposal was first moved.
Sources said the proposal has now been reworked with some minor changes relating to additional Air Force elements. The projected amount too has gone up marginally from the earlier estimate of about Rs 65,000 crore.
The new strike corps is expected to come up in Panagarh, West Bengal, along with two more divisions. An independent armoured brigade along with an artillery division may be part of the set-up. Already, two divisions are being raised in the eastern theatre.
However, the road ahead will still be difficult, particularly given the strain on the Finance Ministry at this point. While this is not going to be a one-time expenditure, it does fly in the face of North Block's efforts to effect expenditure cuts to contain the growing fiscal deficit.
In its last version too, the proposal had faced some tough questions from the Finance Ministry, including a searching query on how long South Block expected the China threat to last. As of now, China has made some very conciliatory noises. However, New Delhi believes that is because of its preoccupation on the eastern front.

The plan
Fresh accretion of close to 89,000 soldiers, 400 officers
Corps to come up in Panagarh, West Bengal, with two more divisions
Independent armoured brigade, artillery division may be part of the set-up
Should be capable of counter-offensive into Tibet in case of a 'Kargil-type adventure' by China

The Indian Express