the aero india issue

188 Pages·2015·8.67 MB·English

I/2015
Aerospace & Defence Review
AERO INDIA 2015
THE AERO INDIA ISSUE
Safran
I/2015
I/2015
Aerospace & Defence Review
42 The Indian source’ assessment of the LCA’s status, In an interview with General Dalbir Singh,
with a no–holds bar examination of this the Indian Army COAS enumerates
Aerospace Riddle
light fighter programme. Focus must his vision and focus areas for the Indian
be on weight reduction improvement Army, including plans for integrating
which is the key as also some re-designs attack helicopters in the combined arms
including lengthening of the fuselage and environment.
tweaking of the wing.
94 Airbus A350XWB
THE AERO INDIA ISAERSO INDIUA 2015E 71 Thunder from the to Qatar Airways
AVArYU tiCovers I-20t15.’indsd 3impression of IAF Su-30MKIs conducting0 6-a02-20n15 1 1:59:31 Air Marshal Brijesh Jayal writes on the North-West (of India)
air strike as a pair of Tejas LCAs provide top cover. ‘riddle’ where ‘aerospace shines and
The Su-30MKI is the IAF’s primary combat aircraft, aeronautics whines!’ Even while feat of
while the Tejas LCA has recently been accepted into the Mars Orbiter Mission, Mangalyaan
service. Both aircraft types are on display at Aero
has impressed the world, the country
India 2015 (Digital art by Priyanka Joshi)
struggles to develop basic training
E P aircraft.
ditorial anEl
A contrasting look at the Sino-Pakistani
MANAGiNG editOr 46 Aerospace Power JF-17 Thunder light fighter which
Vikramjit singh chopra in the 21st Century development programme began in Vayu was present at Toulouse when the
1999 and one which has ‘over taken’ first Airbus A350XWB was handed over
editOriAL AdVisOr
the LCA in terms of clearance for to Qatar Airways. An on-the-spot report
Admiral Arun Prakash
operations, with two PAF squadrons by the Managing Editor who interacted
editOriAL PANeL operational on the type since 2010. with senior executives of Airbus and
Pushpindar singh Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive
Air Marshal Brijesh Jayal 75 The Next Big Thing Akbar Al Baker.
dr. Manoj Joshi
Lt. Gen. Kamal davar 99 Aero India 2015
Lt. Gen. Bs Pawar
Special Section
Gp capt Jc Malik Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, CAS IAF
cdr M Nirmal on the increasing relevance of aerospace
AERO INDIA 2015
Monica Arora power, its suitability in the present
Angad singh context and its affordability and some
sonakshi chaudhry future propositions. The CAS is clear The 10th edition of this biennial
International Show has the theme
Vijay Matheswaran that the human element will ensure that
‘Make in India’ and logically focuses on
richard Gardner (uK) manned aircraft will continue to operate
reuben Johnson (usA) in the battlefield scenario for a very, very In his presentation on ‘Emergent Aerospace, Defence, Civil Aviation,
simon Watson (uK) long time in the future. Technologies & Warfare: Opportunities, Airport Infrastructure and Defence
Bertrand de Boisset (france) Costs, Implications’ Angad Singh writes Engineering. Taking place at the now
dtar mNiirc ke sehveels (eisnrkaienl )(russia) 54 Where the Mind is ownh tichhe ‘nOepwp odretvuenloitipems oefn Gt ahlalisu msig Nniiftirciadnet’ torfa dBiatinognaallo sriete), othf eA FeSv eYnetl ahhaasn kaatt r(ancotretdh
Without Fear … impact on future airborne radars. an unprecedented number of exhibitors,
AdVertisiNG & MArKetiNG MANAGer both International and Indian and in this
husnal Kaur section some products and services
83 “The Perfect Marriage” are reviewed, with several interviews
BusiNess deVeLOPMeNt MANAGer
included.
Premjit singh
Also : Go Navy ! ;
Former Director of the NFTC and now Lift Off ! ; New gen air-to-
Chief of Flight Testing with HAL, Air air missiles ;
Commodore KA Muthana examines
India’s Eagle Eyes ;
what constitutes a viable ecosystem for In an exclusive, Vayu interacted with
Published by: the development of aeronautics. Eurojet, the company behind the Eyes over the Ocean ;
the sOciety fOr AerOsPAce studies EJ200 engine powering the Eurofighter Arihant Ahoy ! ; ‘Lead and
d-43, sujan singh Park, 64 Beloved Aircraft – Typhoon for their take on the Indian Execute’ ; Remembering
New delhi 110 003 india market, particularly concerning India’s
tel: [phone] or a Lemon ? advanced medium combat aircraft Parvez ; Tribute to a
fax: [phone] (AMCA) programme. Legend ; ‘Freedom Flight’ ;
e-mail: [email protected] ‘Noble Arrow 2014’ ;
e-mail: [email protected] 86 Facing the Challenge :
USAF/HAF ties
the Indian Army Today
Printed at Aegean Offset Printers
Regular features :
The opinions expressed in the articles
Commentary, Opinion, Aviation &
published in the Vayu Aerospace and
Defence Review do not necessarily reflect Defence in India, World Aviation
the views or policies of The Society for In his characteristic manner, Professor & Defence News, Ancient Aviator
Aerospace Studies. Prodyut Das carries out an ‘open Anecdotes, Vayu 25 Years Back, Tale Spin.
Visit us at: www.vayuaerospace.in
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C O M M E N T A R Y
Ready For Take-off NDA-II, Manohar Parrikar, has revealed that a new DPP will
be announced soon.
To ring in the new year on a note of good cheer, consider Parrikar has also indicated that arms agents (he uses the
this: crude oil prices have plunged 45% relative to where term ‘technical representatives’) will be allowed to participate
they were this time last year. It’s not just that there’s a glut of in the process of purchases. Ministry sources, according to
oil in the market; commodity prices, in general, are falling, agency reports, have said that these technical experts will be
which should benefit a net commodity importer like India. allowed a fee but no commissions or bonus on the purchases.
That contributes to the other bit of good news: in January It is easy to quibble over the terms and argue that middlemen
last year, the India story had gone completely off the rails. Let in arms deals are being allowed in through the back door. But
alone foreigners, even Indian businessmen were fleeing India the need to be less rigid and more practical in these matters
and pursuing greener pastures abroad. But India is grabbing is dictated by the exigency that critical arms acquisitions are
global attention again and could eclipse China in terms of getting unduly delayed because of the controversies created
growth rates if it plays its cards right in terms of productivity- around major arms purchases.
enhancing reforms this year. As part of this new pragmatic approach, the minister has
And many are willing to bet it will. In momentous Lok allowed public sector unit, Bharat Earth Movers Limited
Sabha elections held in April and May last year India elected, (BEML) to supply spare parts to Tatra trucks which involved
at long last, a stable single-party majority government not partially lifting the ban against Tatra. UPA-II had imposed
dependent on volatile coalition partners and therefore having the ban after the then army chief and now minister of state
the capability, at least, to generate consensus on critical issues for north-eastern affairs, VK Singh, claimed that Tatra offered
that’s needed to move forward. We may not have seen much a bribe to him. Parrikar has found a technical way out of the
of that on the ground so far despite the pro-growth and pro- impasse saying that it was Tatra UK, a subsidiary of the mother
business intent expressed by the NDA government. But Prime company, which was banned and there is no restriction in
Minister Narendra Modi has transformed at least the field dealing with the other units of the company. Again, it is possible
of foreign policy with whirlwind tours and out-of-the-box to criticise him saying that this is but a fig leaf. It has been found
initiatives. that Tatra trucks are crucial for the army and it is to deal with
This has served the purpose of raising India’s global profile this pressing need that the ban has been partially lifted.
as well as mobilising India’s diaspora on its behalf, strategies Parrikar’s pragmatic approach is free of his party’s shrill
similar to those successfully followed by China. Also inflation is rhetoric against corruption when it was in opposition, and his
trending downwards at long last, which should give RBI room willingness to take decisions based on the country’s security
to cut rates. All of this should help break the low-growth rut in needs. He is not taking the rigid position that any company
which the economy has been stuck for a long time. which has been blacklisted will always remain on the list. He
Declining oil prices have other beneficial effects easing has given enough indications that there will be a review of those
India’s international environment. For example, they will take decisions. As a matter of fact, this makes a lot of sense because an
the edge off confrontation between Russia and the West over erring foreign arms company should be penalised for breaking
Ukraine. Since Russia depends on oil, President Putin will be rules, and the penalties imposed should be punitive so that
forced to negotiate. That the Cold War is not returning is good giving and taking of bribes will become counterproductive. It
news for India, as it doesn’t want to be in a situation where it should not be kept away if its wares are crucial for the armed
has to choose between friends. The political class, which likes forces. 
to wallow in negative sentiment, should realise that tailwinds Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to make India an
are behind us and learn habits of greater cooperation. 2015 arms manufacturing hub will take time to take root and become
can be India’s year when it begins to break out and realise its a reality. In the meanwhile, there is no escape from making huge
true potential. defence purchases from foreign companies. The need then is
From The Times of India to establish these purchases on a firm and clear footing. There
is need for an open debate on the issue of arms agents and the
commissions they get paid by the companies they represent.
Pragmatic Parrikar
Ways have to be found to prevent the commission amount
Defence procurement in the country has been hobbled by being factored into the final price.
charges of corruption and of illegal commissions pocketed by From DNA
middlemen. It became a political storm with the Bofors’ Rs. 64-crore
kickbacks story with Rajiv Gandhi losing the 1989 election. Favourite Punching Bag
Ever since, arms purchases had become hot potatoes as it were.
The Tehelka sting operation about payments to politicians and For some reason, DRDO has turned the favourite punching
army personnel in 2001 had led the then defence minister bag of all and sundry in recent times. The organisation has
Jaswant Singh in the NDA government to set up a committee been slammed for cost and time overruns, for not excelling in
under BG Verghese to evolve a clear defence procurement design and development of advanced weapons and systems
policy (DPP). Thirteen years later, Singh’s successor in required by the armed forces, and of course for not planning
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C O M M E N T A R Y
the line of succession both at the top and in selection of directors will help take into account the availability of components and
of different laboratories. sub-systems in the country, as also complexities of technology.
It is true that several projects are delayed, some even beyond Also, directors of laboratories should be empowered to
acceptable limits, but one must understand that defence projects acquire components or devices from abroad rather than run
are never accomplished on time even in countries like the United to the headquarters for approval, and await the outcome of a
States because the technologies involved are extremely complex. long-drawn process. To sum up, a couple of changes will help
Besides, nobody acknowledges the fact that the organisation lacks DRDO excel in a very short time.
the support of indigenous industry when it comes to sourcing Dr VK Aatre, former DG DRDO
certain devices, components, and subsystems for some of its From The Asian Age
projects, and therefore has to develop them because advanced
countries are not ready to part with them. Aerial Ancestors of Air India
Despite denial of technology and critical components and
If the conclusions of the 102nd annual Indian Science
subsystems, the DRDO has managed to design and fly the Tejas,
Congress, held in Mumbai recently are to be believed there
the light combat aircraft, which has logged more than 3,000
is really nothing new under the Indian sun, not even Prime
hours of flying without a single snag. The same is the case with
Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign, which
sonar systems, radars and communication systems. And yet, some
seeks to project the country as an international manufacturing
people ask why other organisations are doing well, and DRDO
hub of all manner of products, from automobiles to defence
has no achievements to talk of.
equipment.
First and foremost, the organisation must address the task
According to several of the participants in the science meet,
of not just attracting the best talent but retaining them with
ancient India was famed for its inventive and productive prowess,
incentives and provide opportunities to constantly interface
which included the making of nuclear missiles and rocket ships.
with the academia. It means the HR department should become
One of the scholarly papers presented at the conference
thoroughly professional, and not restrict itself to recruitment
described, in painstaking detail, how 7,000 years ago Maharshi
but also expand its scope of activity so that the talent available
Bhardwaj had knowledge of “aeroplanes which travel from one
is harnessed to cater to the vast canvas encompassing more than
country to another, one continent to another, and one planet
50 laboratories.
to another”. This early aerial ancestor of Air India presumably
In every laboratory, two or three talented engineers must be
did not suffer from the union problems that continue to beset its
identified, mentored and sent to IIMs for training so that they
descendant. Moreover, ancient India’s aviation industry was far
do not lack leadership qualities in case they are chosen to head
superior to anything currently conceived by the likes of Boeing
the facility. And, most important, the most technically qualified
and Lockheed. For while today only a hundred principles of
engineer need not head the facility because he might not be the
aeronautics are known to us, millennia-old Sanskrit texts list no
best person to manage manpower, and encourage his colleagues
fewer than 500 such principles.
to get the results.
There seems to be no end to the variety of ancient India’s
With retention of talent proving a daunting task in recent
inventiveness. Apart from the precursors of ISRO’s Mars mission
days, incentives should be announced for pioneering work,
which flew from planet to planet with the greatest of ease, the
and opportunities to go on a sabbatical and work in academic
India of the distant past had mastered all manner of advanced
institutes so that they not only get an opportunity to pursue a
surgery, including trans-species organ transplants, as evidenced
doctoral degree but also interact with the best brains in the field.
by Ganesha, the elephant-headed god who has become our
Simultaneously, experts in academic institutions should
national good luck mascot.
be allowed to work on projects in DRDO’s laboratories for
Apart from having invented the zero, ancient India made
a year or two. Such a cross-flow will help the organisation
other milestone contributions to mathematics. According to
address technological challenges quickly, and even overcome
Union minister Harsh Vardhan, Indian scientists discovered
technological denials. It will help if the organisation allows lateral
the geometric theorem which they graciously permitted a Greek
entry of experts, particularly those who are keen to return from
called Pythagoras to patent as his own. Similarly, the minister
advanced countries or from the academia, as otherwise futuristic
added, Indian mathematicians invented algebra, but “very
technology could prove to be out of reach.
selflessly” allowed the Arabs to lay claim to it.
And, to provide young engineers opportunities to head a
Indeed, further research might well reveal that a lot of
laboratory, the retirement age should be fixed at 63 with no
trademarked products and services currently in use in the West
extension in service as even one instance of extension will send a
and other parts of the so-called developed world were actually
wrong signal to those down the hierarchy. If those in academic
invented in India’s long-forgotten past. Google? Facebook?
institutions are allowed to retire at 65, engineers in DRDO should
Twitter? You name it, chances are ancient India invented it.
continue till they are 63 rather than sign off at 60.
And perhaps the greatest invention that India can lay claim to is
Lastly, to steer clear of criticism over delays, every laboratory
invention itself. ‘Make in India’ is fine. But ‘Make up in India’
should not set the timeframe for projects in the beginning but only
— as in make up inventions — is even better.
after technology readiness evaluation, and announce a realistic
date of completion after a mid-course review as this exercise From The Times of India
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A ‘Galle-ing’ experience
Admiral Arun Prakash, former CNS, gives his opinion that instead of merely moaning
about China’s ‘string of pearls’ and ‘maritime silk route’ strategies, India needs to craft
creative, dynamic and long-term maritime alternatives.
26D ecember 2004, a Sunday assistance started coming from Sri Lanka and finance. To one’s utter amazement, the
morning, saw the calm in and the Maldives. Having assigned resources national security adviser (NSA) accorded
Naval Headquarters (NHQ) to cope with the domestic emergency, NHQ instant approval on the phone, with the
being shattered by ominous reports of considered it equally imperative to rush aid words, “We will sort out the paperwork
powerful seismic shocks and giant tidal to the stricken neighbours. on Monday”. Eighteen hours later, citizens
surges in our Bay of Bengal islands and Given the languid functioning of our of Galle on the southern tip of Sri Lanka
coastal areas. As the first Indian Navy bureaucracy, a proposal of this nature could awoke to see Indian warships, laden with
(IN) warships and aircraft were being have taken weeks or months to be processed relief material, anchored off the devastated
despatched on relief missions, appeals for by the ministries of defence, external affairs harbour.
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