SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and MBDA, a European missile maker signed MoU today at EUROSATORY-22 in Paris for the manufacture of Mistral Missiles in India. Mistral is an Air-to-air missile (ATAM) system For Helicopters Based on the Mistral, a heat-seeking missile with fire-and-forget engagement mode.

Mistral has two launchers, each bearing two missiles and that can be connected to the helicopter’s combat system that can be operated within the whole flight envelope of the launching helicopter, at speeds of up to 200 knots and altitudes exceeding 15,000 feet.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Boeing plans to withdraw its F-18E/F from the race and instead offer its F-15EX fighter jet this time, F-18E/F had failed to clear technical rounds last time and since this time too, IAF is insisting on carrying out technical trial rounds it might have seen writing on the wall that it withdrew F-18E/F and brought in F-15EX which many in IAF seems to believe has a better chance this time to clear technical trial rounds.

Saab which had fielded its Gripen-NG Demo a precursor to its Gripen-E program now has a much more stable product on offer that it is confident will clear technical trial rounds this time but the development of the Tejas Mk2 program that is of a similar class in India might dent its bid chances.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Ritu Raj Tyagi, Marketing Director, Aeronautics, Saab India said that Saab is in the final stages of carrying out a full Transfer of Technology for its Integrated Defence Aids Suite (IDAS) to India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and also has confirmed that the future version of IDAS-3 will jointly be developed with HAL in India.

Saab’s Integrated Defence Aids Suite (IDAS) system was first integrated with the Indian Army and Air Force’s version of ALH (Dhruv) in the year 2005 and more than 200 Dhruv Helicopters including ALG-Rudra WSI an Armed variant in service with the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army helicopters have been equipped with the IDAS system and in future will also be equipped on the HAL developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH).

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

A Tejas Mk2 integrated wind tunnel model that was displayed at the 63rd Nal Foundation Day Celebrations On 5th June 2022 where DRDO chief. Dr. G Satheesh Reddy was the main guest has aroused curiosity since the air take design displayed seems to have angled backward and the position of the air intake seems to have been revised much forward of the main wing and closer to the canopy section.

The above image of the 1:10 scale Tejas Mk2 integrated wind tunnel model displayed at the Aero India 2019 for the first time and the lower Tejas Mk2 IWT clearly shows that not only the air intake positioning has been changed but also seems to feature now canted air intake that is angled backward.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

BrahMos Aerospace has commenced work on the development of improved ramjet propulsion that could enable the BrahMos-NG missile to achieve near hypersonic speeds (Mach 4.5), BrahMos CEO has confirmed that it has started testing improved ramjet propulsion in its basic configuration and new missile system will be ready for developmental trials in the next 2-3years and be ready for serial production in the next five years.

1.6-ton BrahMos-NG will pack a similar range of 290-400km and the first to be developed will be an air-launched variant for the airforce that will enable it to be carried on every fighter-type without requiring any strengthening or modification to the airframe.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in the last fiscal year managed to deliver 6 FOC Configuration Tejas Mk1 jets with a total delivery of 31 jets that now form the first two squadrons, IAF Chief Air Marshal VR Chaudhari confirmed that the first lot of trainer aircraft will be delivered by March 2023 and remaining in mid-2023 completing deliveries of first 40 aircraft that were contracted.

HAL has paused manufacturing of the single-seater Tejas Mk1 jets after completing the assembly of 32 jets as mandated by the previous contract and has started the process of manufacturing 18 two-seater trainer variants. 8 Trainer jets are from the first order and 10 more are from the second order that was placed in 2021.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

India’s domestically developed Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) aircraft recently received its airworthiness clearance certificate from the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) which is often seen as the last step before manufacturing of any aircraft commences in the country.

CEMILAC Certification for the HAL HTT-40 basic turboprop trainer paves the way for the aircraft’s eventual induction into the Indian Air Force. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd officials have confirmed that the company can manufacture 24 aircraft per year across two manufacturing facilities at Bangalore and Nashik if required by the Air force for which the company has responded with its offer that is currently under examination at the Airforce HQ.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has given clearance to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) that can be used for surveillance and strike capabilities to be deployed in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). for the timbering Indian Navy is likely to opt for foreign-origin AUVs till the Indigenous ones are ready for induction.

State-owned Mazagaon Dockyard Limited (MDL) recently issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) to global firms for collaboration in the Design, Development, and Construction of a 40-ton Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (XLUUVs) that could be used for mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, electronic warfare, and strike missions.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

LCA-Navy Mk1 NP5 Trainer has completed its fabrication and was recently moved from its assembly line to another section of the LCA-Division in HAL facility in the Bengaluru to commence Low and High-speed taxi trials before it is cleared for its first flight sometime later this month or next. NP-5 will be used as a Technology Demonstrator project for the Twin Engine Deck Based Fighter (TEDBF) program.

NP5 will be used to carry out off-nominal landing trials to study and collect data on the stress points on the landing gears that will be crucial for the development of landing gears for the TEDBF program that has been assigned to the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). NP1 and NP2 along with NP5 will be used to further collect data for the development of TEDBF.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Engine Factory Avadi(EFA) completed the last phase of trials called Summer Trials at Mahajan Field Firing Range, Suratgarh where the Pilot Overhauled T90 engine was demonstrated to the Army without any ToT coming in from Russia this time. Engine Factory Avadi(EFA) located at 7 Avadi manufactures V92S2 Engine for the T-90 Bhishma Battle Tanks.

Indigenization of V92S2 Engines has resulted in savings for the exchequer to the tune of ?33 lakh for the T-90 engine. T-90S tank engines were previously overhauled in Russia and were sent via the sea route.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

As a further boost to its growing defense ties with Vietnam and India might see further collaboration on defense programs. Vietnam which operates Russian Su-30 jets in a slightly different configuration is considering opting for Indian developed Astra Mk1 beyond visual range air to air missile to replace its Vympel NPO R-77 missile across its Su-30MK2 fleet.

India recently cleared home-grown Astra Mk1 with a range of 110km for operational use from the two frontline Su-30MKI squadrons and recently placed the first massive orders for the missile system to replace Vympel NPO R-77 missile across the 250+ Su-30MKI fleet in multiple phases.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

South America’s aerospace giant Embraer will be having talks with potential partners in India and elsewhere over proposals for a new turboprop aircraft, which it could launch in the middle of 2023 that could enter service in late 2027 or early 2028. Embraer is developing two turboprop variants, the TP70 and TP90 configured in three classes with 50 seats which the company claims can give a new push to the air connectivity in Arunachal Pradesh and Northeast under the UDAN scheme.

Embraer’s new turboprop could have a range of 1,481 kilometers which is less than the current range of the ATR 72-600 but the aircraft will be faster than the ATR series and will have a quieter cabin due to its rear fuselage-mounted engines.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh is on three day Vietnam trip where India is planning to offer many of the indigenously developed weapons to the country. Vietnam already has been offered India’s Akash air defense system in the past at least one of the demonstrations was attended by the military delegation from Vietnam at a military exercise but the sale never went through since they wanted an air defense system with a much longer range.

Vietnam has been eyeing the Akash-Next Generation air defense system that DRDO is presently developing that can take out targets as far as 70-80km and Vietnam has been inquiries about it of late. idrw.org has been told that Vietnam is seeking local production of the missile system in the country with the Transfer of technology coming from India.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Jackson Schneider, President & CEO, of Embraer Defense & Security, told Financial Express Online, that it is “in talks” with Indian authorities with its C-390 Millennium offering. Schneider claims medium-size, twin-engine, jet-powered military transport aircraft which, if inducted will give the IAF significant heavy lift capabilities.

Embraer is offering it as a Millennium’s multi-mission aircraft in air-to-air refueling (AAR) configuration so that it can be used as a mid-air refueller and can be of great help to the IAF. Schneider also said that Embraer is open to integrating Indian solutions not only for India but other countries as well.

SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG

Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved proposals for the procurement of Wheeled Armoured Fighting Vehicles (Wh AFVs) with Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs). 8×8 Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) that are indigenously designed and developed by the Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) along with the Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (VRDE) will soon be integrated with Nag Anti-tank missiles so that they can be used to neutralize armored infantry vehicles and light tanks.

In April, the Indian Army received the first lot of Infantry Protected Vehicles based on WhAP from (TASL) which was produced in the Pune facility and delivered the Army’s first lot of four-wheeled armored combat vehicles. WhAP already has undergone stringent field trials in different terrains including high altitude areas and desert areas by the Indian Army.