SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) proposed Hindustan Lead-in Fighter Trainer (HLFT-42) aircraft will come equipped with AESA Radar and weapons that can be used as a light fighter trainer fully combat capable but also will be highly customizable for an export-oriented market where it will be scalable, interoperable and configurable as per customers requirements.

Switching to a metal airframe means it is durable, light, and relatively inexpensive but ditching composites (mostly carbon-epoxy) has added advantages since it will reduce airframe cost by over 30% and aircraft can be priced competitively in the International market.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Netra Mk2 Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS) Mk2 program that will be mounted on Ex-Air India Airbus A321 aircraft will come with 4D Active array AESA radar mounted into the dorsal system that is based on the active aperture technology with 240° coverage on two radiating apertures on either side of the A321.

But the addition of an AESA Radar on the nose cone of the aircraft will give additional 30° coverage but, likely, it will also be equipped with a dual swashplate that will give a detection range of 300 ° coverage.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

According to a report in the ” Economic times”, India’s Indian Air Force, and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) along with US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) are close to agreeing on technical parameters of the Air Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ALUAV) program that can be launched and recovered from Transport aircraft like C-130J Medium Transport Aircraft.

Both countries will hold Joint IP Rights so that further development of the ALUAV is not hindered in any way as each country can develop future alterations of the same without needing each other’s permission.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), India’s highly specialised technical intelligence gathering agency will be acquiring 8 TAPAS BH-201 Medium Altitude Long Endurance unmanned aerial vehicles being developed in India by Aeronautical Development Establishment to be used for the technical intelligence gathering at border areas.

idrw.org recently reported that DRDO is working to develop a dedicated full-spectrum SIGINT pod for UAV applications and organisations such as NTRO are involved in hi-tech surveillance jobs, including satellite monitoring, terrestrial monitoring, internet monitoring, considered vital for the national security apparatus.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Swedish aerospace major Saab is keen to offer its Gripen-E fighter jet for the Indian Air Force (IAF) tender for 114 jets and is considering a tie-up with a local partner in India to cement its commercial bid after it dropped Adani Defence as its partner last year.

While Saab is considering having a fully owned subsidiary for the manufacturing of these jets in the country if allowed by the Indian Ministry of Defence (MOD) but is also open to having local collaboration with Indian Aerospace manufacturers.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Indian Army has issued Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for procurement of a 155 mm/ 52 Calibre Mounted Gun System (MGS) has been accorded by the Competent Authority to be procured under Buy (Indian- IDDM) under provisions of Chapter II of DAP 2020.

The broad characteristics in respect of the ‘155 mm/ 52 Calibre Mounted Gun System (MGS)’ are as under:-

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

More details of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) proposed Hindustan Lead-in Fighter Trainer (HLFT-42) aircraft have emerged after a promo video of the aircraft was tweeted by Retired IAF captain Harsh Vardhan Thakur, who is an experimental test pilot with HAL.

The aircraft shown is quite similar to the scale model that got leaked in tender documents but shows more details of upcoming aircraft like an infrared search and track (IRST) system, wingtip pylon with at least four hardpoints on each wing a frontal fuselage that seems to from Tejas Mk1 and small strakes attached to the air intakes that give it a familiar look to the air intakes that were there in the HF-24 fighter aircraft.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) have decided that each service wing of the Indian Armed forces will be getting Six each General Atomics manufactured Predator MQ 9A drones and in combined orders for 18 will be placed with the General Atomics after getting formal approvals in April this year.

The original plan was to induct 30 Predator MQ 9A drones for border surveillance and reconnaissance but the Indian Army and Indian Air Force we not fully onboard the Navy’s Plans for such acquisition due to the exorbitant cost of each drone which is around $100 million per unit.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

TAPAS BH-201 Medium Altitude Long Endurance unmanned aerial vehicles being developed in India by Aeronautical Development Establishment will be making a flying debut at the Aero India 2023 in a showcase of its capabilities and live feed from the UAV will also be live streamed throughout the venue.

TAPAS which has cleared endurance of 18 plus hours and the ability to operate at an altitude up to 28000 feet will be a rare UAV that will not only be on static display but also flies over the venue which will be seen as a demonstration of coming of age of its capabilities.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

According to the Press Release of Rosoboronexport, it has been informed that India will be offered new joint projects in aviation at Aero India 2023 that include 5th generation fighter jet platforms like Su-57E and Su-75 Checkmate light tactical aircraft.

Russia already has shown interest in inviting India to the Su-75 Checkmate program and will also be promoting its Su-35 and the Su-30SME super-maneuverable fighters, and the MiG-35D multifunctional frontline fighter at the Aero India 2023.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

The DRDO-developed Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM) has been further finetuned, and changes suggested by the Army have been incorporated, after technical glitches in its four-walled, 360-degree coverage onboard radars failed to detect Helicopter at Minimum range due to elevated angle.

According to a report in “The Hindu,” the DRDO plans to test the QRSAM again in the summer of April, incorporating minor technical changes that officials claim have fixed a performance shortfall discovered during previous developmental trials.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has begun work on developing a full-spectrum SIGINT pod medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) even though TAPAS-BH-201 comes equipped with some of the COMINT, and ELINT Sensors onboard.

SIGINT pod, a lightweight designed to be mounted as an external load and will be equipped with advanced receive-and-transmit capabilities to support an array of mission profiles to allow a deep look in contested and denied environments.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed a 155 mm/52 calibre mounted gun system (MGS) based on the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) Gun is likely to commence User assisted firing trials this summer as the MGS has completed all Internal trials.

MGS which was unveiled at Defence Expo 2022 last October to the Public has completed mobility, performance trials, and standalone Internal firing trials and is undergoing other equipment trials before it will commences User assisted firing trials.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Lieutenant General Surinder Singh Mahal on his visit to the School of Artillery located at Deolali imparts training, evaluates new equipment for induction and develops new concepts and doctrine for the application of artillery fire that showcased the Hybrid Pinaka Dual multiple rocket launcher that can be equipped with both 122mm Caliber Rocket and also 214 mm Caliber Rocket.

The Hybrid Pinaka Dual Rocket system can carry a Six 122mm rocket that has a maximum range of 40 km and saturate a target area the size of a football field with more than four tonnes of steel fragments and high explosives.

SOURCE: API

After pulling out of the Indo-Russian Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) programme, which was to be based on the Russian Sukhoi Su-57E Baseline 5th generation fighter aircraft, India is unlikely to be interested in participating in another 5th generation fighter programme, which the company claims will be an export-oriented product.

Indian has shown no interest in foreign-made 5th generation fighter jets such as the Su-57 and F-35, with the Indian Air Force Chief firmly supporting the development of India’s own AMCA 5th generation fighter jets over imports.