Archive for July, 2007
Saturday, July 14th, 2007
The first ever combined United Kingdom /Indian air exercise to take place in the UK has drawn to a close with both sides pleased by what they achieved during the fortnight-long training package.
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Exercise Indra Dhanush, which took place at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, followed on from a successful training exercise between the Royal Air Force and Indian Air Force (IAF) in India in 2006.
This time pilots and aircrew from Waddington welcomed their Indian counterparts to the UK after training with them in Gwalior and Agra in 2006. The two-part exercise, designed to further develop UK and Indian relations, is the first time that the two countries have worked together in more than 40 years.
Officer Commanding 25 Squadron, Wing Commander John Prescott, said: “We first worked with 43 Squadron India for the first part of this exercise in 2006 which the Indians hosted. Working with a nation we were not familiar with proved to be extremely good value.
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“It is good for both sides to be able to adapt and work with each other and gain a level of understanding with officers and airmen - not just in the air but in a social situation as well.
“From my point of view there are mixed experience levels in the Squadron across all ranks with some having experience of working alongside other countries, while others have no coalition experience.
“This exercise has given them the chance to learn how to operate closely with a different nation, particularly a country which is non-NATO and non-European.
“Both ground crew and pilots have gained confidence and flexibility from the work they have done.
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“It’s been an absolute success with all of the aims and objectives achieved. We have gone from simple air exercises to large force employment in a variety of operational relevant scenarios.
“The Indian pilots spoke excellent English, so apart from taking into account a different accent, there were no problems with communication.”
The Indians are using SU30 MK 1 fighters during the exercise. They have also brought a tanker and full ground crew with them.
The IAF has historically chosen many UK aircraft for its fleet, with India already having acquired the Hawk fast jet trainer. Their procurement of the Hawk has seen many IAF pilots training at RAF Valley as part of the deal.
The Exercise Indra Dhanush training has evolved from basic, simple air exercises to large scale force employment in a number of operational scenarios. Flt Lt David Griffiths, a pilot with 25 Squadron, said: “It’s been a fantastic experience, and not like anything I have done before - it is my first time working with another nation and it’s the chance of a lifetime. It’s been extremely challenging.
“We have been really working together and integrating crews from both nations onto each side. We have had to learn each other’s terms and tactics and it has definitely been rewarding.”
Wg Cdr A C Chopra added: “We wanted to build on last year’s exercise in India and we have been able to meet our objectives. We have flown in mixed formations and now have a degree of interoperability.”
Copyrights : RAF
Image : Photographer - Geoff Lee
FIDSNS accepts no responsibility for the content and photographs
Posted in Military News - Europe | No Comments »
Friday, July 13th, 2007
Curtains were finally drawn on the second bilateral Indo-UK air exercise - Indradhanush 2007, which concluded on a high note here at Royal Air Force (RAF) Waddington on Thursday.
The exercise that began with a series of 1vs1 sorties, reached its crescendo with a highly complex conceivable scenario - a 6vs6 aerial combat involving 4 x Su-30 MKIs, 4 x F3 Tornadoes, 2 x Typhoons and 2 x GR9 Sea Harriers of the Royal Navy. Also airborne were an IL-78 MKI air-to-air refueller and an E3D Sentry AWACS aircraft in the vicinity of the exercise.
Air Chief Marshal FH Major, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Indian Air Force (IAF) who is on an official tour to UK currently, was present at RAF Waddington to see the exercise culminate and meet the participating IAF team members. Air Chief Marshal Sir Clive Loader, Commander-in-Chief (CinC) Air Command, RAF accompanied the CAS during the visit.
This was the first time that the IAF carried out an exercise anywhere in UK. It was also an exercise where the IAF Su-30 MKI’s maiden arrival over the European sky was keenly awaited by thousands of aviation aficionados and spotters, who thronged the perimeter of the airbase unfailingly on a daily basis, all through the exercise duration. This was also an opportunity that provided social and cultural interaction between the two countries.
The visit by the IAF team also coincided with the Waddington International Air Show and the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at Fairford, within a span of two weeks. IAF participation at the two events were a coup of sorts for the organisers. Having been adjudged the ‘best static display’ at Waddington air show, expectations are already soaring high at the RIAT, the world’s biggest air show.
The exercise wasn’t about winners or losers, yet both sides ended on a winning note. “It was an excellent learning curve for our pilots who will go back with a lot of experience” said the Indian Air Chief. He also thanked the Government and the RAF in England for hosting the IAF. The RAF C-in-C termed the exercise as an ‘outstanding success’.
Earlier, Station Commander RAF Leeming, Group Captain E Stringer while briefing the visiting CAS stated that the RAF had adopted a ‘building-block’ approach to meet future IAF training and coalition aspirations. “The exercise achieved all its aims and objectives” - he further stated. Summing up on the RAF experience he said that a major outcome of the exercise was the appreciation of the fact that the two Air Forces actually “see the world through similar eyes”, and that there were many “commonalities” in the tactical procedures of the two air forces, thereby laying a foundation for further RAF-IAF interactions.
Posted in Indian Air Force News, Military News - Europe | No Comments »
Friday, July 13th, 2007
Warton, UK – As the Indian Air Force (IAF) prepares to make its debut appearance at the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), the first six Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers destined for the IAF have achieved Interim Acceptance, marking a significant milestone in the Indian Hawk programme.
IAF Hawk
Dave Corfield, Hawk Project Director - India, said: “Interim acceptance represents the IAF agreeing that the aircraft produced meets the standard required to allow instructor pilot and maintenance training to commence, so it is a major step forward on the programme.”
Three of the Hawks are currently being used to convert IAF instructor pilots to the aircraft at BAE Systems Warton, in a partnership between BAE Systems and the RAF. The training will be extended to include Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) test pilots later this month. This is part of the aircrew training package that has already seen 50 IAF pilots undergo training, delivered by BAE Systems and the RAF, using the Hawk Synthetic Training Facility and RAF Hawks based at RAF Valley.
The further three IAF Hawks that have been through the interim acceptance process are now situated in the Technical Training Academy at BAE Systems Warton, where they are being used to train IAF technicians who will support and maintain the aircraft when it enters service.
The six aircraft are the first of 66 new Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers for the IAF. The first 24 aircraft are being built at BAE Systems’ facilities in Brough, East Yorkshire, with flight-testing and customer acceptance taking place at Warton in Lancashire. The remaining 42 aircraft are being manufactured under licence in India through a partnership with India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, based in Bangalore.
The first aircraft will be delivered to the Indian Air Force by BAE Systems in September of this year.
Posted in Indian Air Force News | No Comments »
Friday, July 13th, 2007
President of India, Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, who has been instrumental in Indian satellite launch vehicles of ISRO and also in the missile programme of DRDO, has been awarded King Charles II Medal by the Royal Society, UK. The medal is given in recognition of the President’s extraordinary contributions to the promotion of science and science in society in India. He is only the second person to receive the prestigious accolade.
The award, which is only for the heads of state, was previously given to Emperor Akihito of Japan in 1998.
“President Kalam has led India at a time when science and technology investment in the country has radically increased. He has played a major part in preparing a road map for transforming India from developing status into a developed nation. As a scientist himself he has also made a great contribution to scientific advances in his country” said Lord Martin Rees who is the President of the Royal Society.
The presentation of the award will be after the upcoming Indian Presidential elections.
Posted in General Indian Armed Forces News | No Comments »
Thursday, July 12th, 2007
Defence Research Laboratory (DRL), Tezpur (Assam), a premier Laboratory under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has now come up with an upgraded version (Mark-II) of the “Iron removal Unit” (IRU) from water.
The prototype of IRU Mark-II has just been launched by Dr. W. Selvamurthy, Chief Controller (R&D)(LS&HR) and Distinguished Scientist, DRDO HQrs., New Delhi.
The Director of DRL, Dr. R.B. Srivastava, speaking to FIDSNS said “the Mark-II of IRU will be handed over to the HQrs, 4 Corps of Indian Army shortly for full-fledged field trials.”
High Iron content is a major problem in drinking water of North Eastern India. Its consumption leads to detrimental effects of different proportions on human health over a period of time. High Iron content in drinking water has become an acute problem in water works of this area. Technologies are available to provide iron-free drinking water through large-scale water works in Cities and Townships. A few such technologies are also available to cater to the needs of small communities of populace in rural areas. However, the methods followed in rural areas have limitations such as installation & maintenance costs etc.
DRL had successfully designed and developed IRU Mk I to provide clean drinking water for Army Barracks & small communities as well in rural & remote areas. The IRU is cylindrical in shape, 1.75 mtrs. in height & 1 mtr. in dia., weighing 490 Kgs.(Approx). It is made up of mild steel with four chambers and sludge/backwash outlet valves. An aeration system and double filtration bed have been provided in the Unit for its efficient functioning. The steps involved in removal of Iron are -
• Aeration / Gas transfer.
• pH adjustment.
• Oxidation of ferrous into ferric iron.
• Sedimentation of Iron precipitates.
• Double filtration for precipitates.
• Sludge removal from bottom chamber.
The IRU is designed to bring down the Iron content of ferruginous water to WHO Standard (< 0.3ppm) from water having dissolved Iron up to 40 mg/ltr.
The Unit provides 300 liters of clean water per hour. It is easy for installation and suitable to cater to the needs of Army Barracks & small size population residing in remote areas where access to treated drinking water does not exist.
Iron Removal Unit MK I
Some of the important advantages of IRU are -
• Adequate aeration.
• Removal of major portion of Iron in the Sedimentation Chamber.
• Filter bed cracking is prevented and clogging delayed.
• Double filtration ensures better Iron removal.
• Proper backwashing.
• Easy operation and maintenance.
Director, DRL, Tezpur told FIDSNS that “about 250 Nos. of Iron Removal Units (Mk1) have already been supplied to the Services and to other Civil Agencies such as PHED of Govt. of Assam etc., on demand. All the Units are functioning successfully with satisfactory results. He further added that this breakthrough technology received a widespread applaud both from the Indian armed forces and Civil Agencies as well.”
Director, DRL further reiterated that “DRL, Tezpur is leaving no stone unturned in its relentless efforts for the cause of promoting health and hygiene of the troops in general and rural masses of North–East in particular by providing iron-free drinking water in forward & remote areas where ferruginous water is an acute problem.”
Posted in Defence Research and Development, Indian Army News | No Comments »
Thursday, July 12th, 2007
When the Indian Air Force (IAF) Jaguars flew to Alaska during their first overseas joint air exercise “Cope Thunder” in July ‘04, the newly inducted Ilyushin-78 MKI ‘air-to-air’ refuellers of the IAF heralded their acquired strategic reach capability.
This year, the six Su-30 MKIs that flew from Pune airbase in India to Royal Air Force (RAF) airbase at Waddington (UK), were also accompanied by two IL-78 MKIs of the ‘Valorous MARS’ (No. 78 Mid-Air-Refuelling Squadron) from Agra through their long ferry route. Despite the din and the excitement of the first-ever arrival of the formidable Su-30 MKIs at UK, the significant aspect of IAF’s continued enhanced strategic reach capability, did not however go unnoticed.
“The IL-78 MKIs have been employed in five overseas assignment so far. These include Alaska, South Africa, France, Singapore and now UK,” informed Group Captain K Raghavendra, Commanding Officer of the MARS.
“We would have loved the experience of tanking RAF fighters during the exercise that would have made inter-operability possible. We look forward to such an experience in the future,” he added on RAF Tornadoes not having tanked with them during the exercise.
The six IAF Su-30 MKI fighters will have flown nearly 19,000 kms each, tanked eight times and transferred nearly 225 tonnes of fuel mid-air in all, spread over 28 flying hours with stopovers enroute at Doha (Qatar) and Tanagra (Greece), both ways.
The Il-78 aircrew also visited RAF Brize Norton, the home to RAF VC-10 Tankers flown by 101 Squadron. Interestingly the RAF squadron is 90 years old. The aircrew had discussions on the procedures and tactics and found lot of common ground in the same. The VC-10 can uplift 70 tonnes of fuel in the air. For a similar route by the IL-78 involving two enroute landings from India to UK, VC-10s would have had to undertake three.
Posted in Indian Air Force News | No Comments »
Thursday, July 12th, 2007
India’s defence relationship with Australia has been further strengthened by the signing of an Information Sharing Arrangement on 11 Jul, 2007.
The Information Sharing Arrangement will facilitate the sharing of classified information between the two countries’ defence organisations, giving effect to the intent of the Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation signed in March 2006.
In particular, the Arrangement will help facilitate increased practical cooperation between Australia and India by allowing the sharing of maritime security data. It will also assist information sharing on dealing with fragile states, and enable Australia to benefit from India’s considerable experience in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations.
India and Australia have already held the first senior air force-to-air force meeting.
Australia will, for the first time, be participating in a naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal in September this year with Japan, Singapore, United States and India. HMAS Adelaide will represent Australia in the exercise.
There was discussion to establish an Australia-India Maritime Security Operations Working Group.
Posted in General Indian Armed Forces News, Military News - Asia | No Comments »
Thursday, July 12th, 2007
CAE has signed an agreement to acquire Macmet Technologies Limited for approximately C$5 million in cash. Macmet, based in Bangalore, India, is the leading simulation company in India. Macmet has a range of experience designing simulators for air, land, and naval forces.
“The acquisition of Macmet will provide greater access to India’s growing market, and provide CAE additional capabilities to offer cost-effective entry-level training devices,” said Marc Parent, CAE’s Group President, Simulation Products and Military Training & Services. “CAE has a long history serving the Indian market and over the past year has announced plans to open a training centre in Bangalore and run two pilot training schools. By acquiring Macmet, CAE is further demonstrating its commitment to serve both the civil and military markets in India with the world’s most comprehensive portfolio of simulation-based products and training services.”
Macmet who has 90 employees, has been serving the Indian market with simulation solutions for more than 10 years. The company assembles, repairs and upgrades flight simulators, tank and gunnery trainers and naval tactical trainers, as well as developing software required for simulations. In addition, Macmet has developed constructive simulations for naval wargaming. Some of the recent programs led by Macmet include developing a Cheetah helicopter simulator for the Indian Army, a MiG-27 part task trainer for the Indian Air Force and naval command team trainers for the Indian Navy.
CAE already has approximately 150 engineers in Bangalore, India who are developing visual databases, aircraft systems and instructor support systems software and perform software verification and validation for CAE.
Posted in Defence Products Manufacturing Companies | No Comments »
Thursday, July 12th, 2007
Navy Times reports of a TB scare on INS Jalashwa. A team of United States Navy infectious disease experts on Wednesday inspected the amphibious transport dock formerly known as the Trenton — recently sold to the Indian navy — after an Indian sailor aboard was suspected of having tuberculosis and taken off the ship for an examination, the U.S. Navy said.
The ship was turned over to India on June 22, but remained at Naval Station Norfolk before departing for India.
“Today the (US) Navy issued a letter stating the ship is clear of infectious disease,” said Katie Dunnigan, a spokeswoman for Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, D.C., which oversees foreign military sales.
Shipyard workers from contractor BAE Systems had been told not to come to the ship last night and today after the sailor was taken to the hospital. Dunnigan said workers have been cleared to return to the ship but the sailor will undergo further testing.
This is not the first tuberculosis scare in the Navy community. Last July, sailors and family from the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan were tested for tuberculosis after a sailor aboard was hospitalized with the disease after a tiger cruise.
The Indian crew of the Jalashwa has been training in Norfolk with U.S. sailors since October 2006. In addition to its primary amphibious warfare role, Indian commanders recognized the need for such a versatile ship in a humanitarian crisis after the tsunami of 2004, according to information provided by the Indian navy.
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Thursday, July 12th, 2007
IAF has flown to USA, France, South Africa and host of other countries for excercises and peace keeping. The ongoing bilateral Indo-UK air exercise - ‘Indradhanush 2007′ is the latest overseas experiences. Though at Waddington involves primarily - flying activities, there is a great deal involved in meticulous logistics, phenomenal administrative, technically flawless and sound operational planning.
At the forefront of such planning have been IAF officers at Air HQ, New Delhi, South Western Air Command (SWAC) HQ, Gandhinagar, Central Air Command (CAC) HQ, Allahabad, and at the Air Force Bases at Pune and Agra, for over six months.
“Bringing it to fruition was a challenge” says Wing Commander AC Chopra, of the elaborate exercise planning. The Deputy Team Leader who together with the Logistics Officer, Wing Comander Manish Dialani and few more officers from the operational and maintenance side made visits earlier to the UK for coordinating the requirements.
“The challenge has just begun,” maintains Wing Commander Dialani, of the vast logistical issues that will need winding-up after thorough scrutiny when the team members leave. They were among the core members who arrived at UK ahead of the IAF team and will be amongst the last to leave.
“It is good to have a logistics officer accompanying the team” - echoed most IAF members as the nitty-gritty of accommodation, transportation and food have been well taken care of. Wing Commander Chopra – ‘Choppy’ – to mates on either side, who had a year’s stint earlier at UK during his Staff course in 2003, was on a familiar ground and that helped matters in administrative tie-ups, locally.
“My airmen leave very early in the morning everyday to get the fighters ready in time for the day’s exercise. Their requirements of breakfast and vehicles are timely, the going has been smooth” admitted Squadron Leader SBH Reddy, Senior Technical Officer (STO) of the ‘Rhinos’. He is at the helm-of-affairs of the technical maintenance of the fighters, and together with his motivated technicians, aims at a ‘100-percent serviceability’ of all the jets during the exercise.
Just 3 miles North of the Royal Air Force (RAF) Waddington, the University of Lincoln is normally bustling with student activities. Averaging nearly 17,500 students, the campus now is transformed into a military bastion besieged by the combined strength of Ex-Indradhanush airmen from the two elite Air Forces of the world - IAF and RAF. “It has been possible to accommodate the members from both Air Forces as the students are on vacation,” informs the management at the University.
With the exercise venue being at RAF Waddington, an arrangement convenient with the University now houses 150-members from IAF and 75 from RAF’s No. 25 Squadron. The visitors couldn’t have asked for a better location. At just a walking distance from the city center, and the centuries old historical Lincoln Cathedral and the Lincoln Castle, the University forms an ideal retreat.
“We are very happy with the arrangements,” says Master Warrant Officer D Arpurtharaj, the senior-most airman from the ‘Rhinos’, on behalf of his boys. Since it is a first-ever ‘out-of-country’ assignment for nearly all, the excitement, enthusiasm and joie de vivre is palpable in their day-to-day activities in the flight line.
Sickness, another of the worries has been mostly kept at bay. “Primarily there have been only a few cases of loose motions, upper respiratory infections – bronchitis, because of the weather,” informs Wing Commander D Chakraborty, the Aviation Medicine specialist accompanying the team who has set-up a small ‘medical centre’ within the ‘daily servicing section’ for the ease of his patients. The IAF members arrived at Waddington in the thick of British monsoons after experiencing a simmering hot spell at Doha and Tanagra that led to respiratory problems for a few.
That the exercise is truly going on smoothly and on schedule is a result of the efforts of innumerable IAF air warriors at various levels. The IAF contingent has been presenting themselves as a well turned-out and disciplined outfit. “Surely our Air Warriors deserve to be kitted with the best, for they are representing India,” said Wing Commander Shyam Sunder proudly, the Senior Logistics Officer at Air Force Station, Race Course, New Delhi before the team’s departure from India. The Station is responsible for all the kitting of IAF contingents when going abroad on UN missions and other foreign assignments.
Posted in Indian Air Force News | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 11th, 2007
Indian Air Force Placement Cell is organizing a Job Fair at Air Force Auditorium Subroto Park in New Delhi. The job fair will be organised from 22 and 23 Sep 07. This fair is for IAF personnel (both Officers and PBORs) retired/retiring up to Dec 07. Prospective employers will be invited to interview and select candidate on the spot. The personnel will have to make their own arrangement for journey and accommodation. They will have to take leave and attend the Fair. Air Force Record Office expects the names of interested personnel to reach by 30 Jul (R) 30 Jul 07.
IAF placement cell address is Placement Cell, Air Force Record Office, Subroto Park, New Delhi – 110010, Tele/FAX : 011-25696359. e-mail: afro@iaf.nic.in, afro@vsnl.net
Posted in Indian Air Force News | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, July 11th, 2007
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is attempting to smash the record for the fastest flight around the world in one of the tiniest planes. The IAF is trying to circumnavigate the world in 64 days, slicing 34 days off the current 98-day record.
Pilot Wing Commander (Wing Cdr) Rahul Monga, 37, and co-pilot Wing Cdr Anil Kumar, 38, left an IAF airfield near Delhi, India on June 1st knowing this mission is one of the most dangerous they’ve faced. That’s because the aircraft’s design and weight make it quick but quirky. It weighs less than 500 kilograms, with one pilot aboard, fuel and baggage and even a slight breeze can make landings dangerous.
As a result, the two have faced many perilous approaches at remote airfields in China and Russia as sometimes torrential winds tossed the little craft up, down and sideways. At one airstrip they were just about to touch down when a powerful wind shot them 50 feet back up into the air.
The most dangerous passage to date was crossing the Bering Sea July 5th. Wing Cdr Monga was the only one flying the craft as it skimmed over those frigid waters because Kumar was replaced on the Russian leg by a local navigator, a mandatory requirement when only Russian is spoken by that country’s air controllers.
If engine troubles forced Wing Cdr Monga to ditch the plane in the Bering Sea, he would have had only six minutes to three hours to survive, depending on whether he was able to get an immersion survival suit on in time. That is where the breakthrough tracking and communications technology provided by Calgary-based Flyht, a wholly owned subsidiary of publicly traded
AeroMechanical Services Ltd. would have proved critical.
Flyht’s equipment, called an Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) allows the IAF to constantly track the airplane in real time and it also allows the pilots to phone anyone from wherever they are in the world. Had Wing Cdr Monga been forced to ditch into those ice-cold waters, the IAF control room in Delhi could have used the AFIRS technology to tell rescue teams exactly where in the water to look.
The (IAF) launched this goodwill and record-breaking flight as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations.
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Tuesday, July 10th, 2007
A 23-member team of Indian Army Mount Everest Expedition was flagged in on July 10, 2007. Lt Col IS Thapa, Sena Medal, led the Army’s expedition, while Capt NS Chandel was the deputy leader. Both the officers are from Maratha Light Infantry regiment. The team was predominantly composed of officers and men from Maratha Light Infantry.
The expedition was flagged off on 20 March 2007. The team moved from Delhi on 28 March 2007 and arrived at Lhasa on 31 Mar 2007. The team left Lhasa on 02 Apr 2007 for Everest base camp and reached there five days later via Gyantse, Shigatse and New Tingri.
The base camp was located on Rongbuk glacier at a height of about 17000 feet. The road from Lhasa terminated at the base camp.
Due to bad weather prevailing continuously from 20 April 2007, the first group of six summiteers could scale Mount Everest only on 15 May 2007, with second group, also of six summiteers scaling it the next day. On both days, an equal number of Sherpas also accompanied the army personnel.
The President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Defence Minister Mr AK Antony and Army Chief Gen JJ Singh have commended the success of the team.
Posted in Indian Army News | No Comments »
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