SOURCE: AFI
The Indian Air Force (IAF) faced a significant challenge in recent years: the gradual phasing out of its fleet of Jaguar strike fighters. While the decision was inevitable due to the aircraft’s age and the need for modernization, it presented a missed opportunity to leverage indigenous capabilities and extend the service life of this formidable platform.
The Jaguar, a joint Anglo-French venture, has been a stalwart of the IAF for decades. Its impressive performance, coupled with its ability to carry a wide range of weapons, made it a valuable asset in various roles, including ground attack and reconnaissance. However, the aging fleet, coupled with the lack of spare parts and maintenance challenges, necessitated its eventual retirement.
Continue readingSOURCE: AFI
Dynamatic Technologies Limited recently hosted the Value Stream Mapping (VSM) Configuration Management Workshop, bringing together key members from the Dynamatic and Airbus A220 teams. This collaborative event focused on change management, engineering alignment, and ensuring seamless synchronization with customer expectations. The workshop demonstrated a unified approach to driving efficiency, improving governance models, and streamlining workflows in aerospace manufacturing and engineering processes.
The workshop highlighted the synergistic partnership between Dynamatic Technologies and Airbus, showcasing their shared commitment to innovation and excellence. By leveraging the expertise of SMEs and aligning with the needs of the Airbus A220 program, Dynamatic continues to solidify its position as a trusted aerospace supplier.
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A significant stride in Indo-French defense collaboration, the inaugural FRIND-X event, organized by the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) and the Agence de l’Innovation de Défense (AID), commenced in Paris today. This two-day event, aligned with the ambitious Horizon 2047 vision and the India-France Defence Industrial Roadmap, brings together a diverse array of stakeholders from both nations.
FRIND-X serves as a platform for defense startups, investors, incubators, accelerators, and universities from India and France to connect, collaborate, and explore opportunities for joint ventures. The event aims to foster innovation, technology transfer, and co-development of cutting-edge defense technologies.
Continue readingSOURCE: IDRW.ORG.
In a significant development for India’s naval aviation, Dassault Aviation has agreed to demonstrate technological upgrades in the Rafale M (Marine variant) within 18 months of the anticipated signing of the deal, expected next month. The deal will provide the Indian Navy with state-of-the-art fighter jets to operate from its aircraft carriers, enhancing its maritime capabilities.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy will benefit from the commonality between the Rafale variants already in service and the incoming Rafale-M units. Both the Rafale-M and the IAF’s Rafales are equipped with advanced systems and weaponry, ensuring interoperability and logistical efficiency.
Continue readingSOURCE: IDRW.ORG.
The Indian Army is set to procure around 800 Mounted Gun Systems (MGS), reinforcing its artillery capabilities with high-mobility, self-propelled howitzers. These MGS units are specifically designed for enhanced battlefield mobility and firepower, crucial for modern warfare. The Army’s move to integrate these systems is partly driven by the changing dynamics of warfare, particularly in the aftermath of the Ukraine-Russia war, where traditional towed artillery has been vulnerable to drone attacks.
Despite these advancements, the Indian Army’s artillery modernization strategy remains multifaceted, as it continues to pursue both Mounted Gun Systems and Towed Gun Systems (TGS). The Army is working on procuring 1400 TGS units in multiple phases, underlining the continued relevance of towed artillery for specific operational needs.
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India’s advancements in aerospace technology have garnered global attention, with organizations like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) leading the charge in their respective domains. While GTRE focuses on developing indigenous jet engines, including the Kaveri engine, ISRO’s unparalleled expertise in propulsion systems, cryogenics, and high-temperature materials makes it a strong candidate to act as a consultant in GTRE’s ongoing projects.
ISRO’s successes, such as the CE-20 cryogenic engine powering the GSLV Mk III and the Vikas engine used in PSLV and GSLV launches, demonstrate its mastery over propulsion systems. These engines exhibit exceptional reliability, efficiency, and resilience, which could inspire novel approaches in jet engine development.
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Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, the Chief of Naval Staff, has confirmed a significant development in India’s ambitious SSN (Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine) program. The Indian Navy has convened the first meeting with stakeholders and suppliers, marking a critical milestone in this strategic defense project.
The meeting brought together representatives from both the private and public sectors, highlighting the collaborative approach the Indian Navy is adopting for this multi-billion-dollar initiative. Several companies that played pivotal roles in the SSBN (Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Missile Submarine) program have expressed their commitment to contributing to the SSN project.
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Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), India’s state-owned aerospace and defense giant, has begun fabricating the CATS Warrior, an advanced Loyal Wingman Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV). With an ambitious target price of under $5 million, the CATS Warrior aims to offer the Indian Air Force (IAF) a cost-effective and versatile solution that can be produced in large quantities to enhance India’s air combat capabilities.
The CATS Warrior is designed to operate autonomously at altitudes of 36,000 to 40,000 feet, with a 300 km operational radius and an endurance of up to two hours. Its low observability and stealth characteristics make it an ideal platform for high-risk missions, allowing it to operate undetected in hostile environments.
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The Indian Navy is poised to significantly enhance its maritime capabilities with the commissioning of four advanced warships and submarines in the coming weeks. This strategic move underscores India’s commitment to bolstering its naval forces and safeguarding its maritime interests.
Among the vessels slated for induction is INS Nilgiri, a stealth frigate designed and built indigenously. This state-of-the-art warship is equipped with advanced weaponry and sensors, enabling it to operate effectively in various maritime environments.
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Zeus Numerix, a leading Indian defense technology firm, recently participated in the prestigious Saudi-India Defence Industry Seminar held in Riyadh. The event, which served as a platform for fostering bilateral defense ties and industry collaboration, witnessed Zeus Numerix showcasing its cutting-edge munitions and innovative solutions tailored to modern warfare requirements.
Zeus Numerix presented its suite of advanced products that exemplify scalable, economical, and lethal solutions for contemporary defense challenges. These included:
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
For decades, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has maintained that its sanctioned strength of 42 fighter squadrons is essential to address the challenges of a two-front war scenario with China and Pakistan. However, in reality, the IAF is struggling to maintain even a 30-squadron fleet, far short of its desired capability.
In a conversation with idrw.org, an IAF official emphasized that instead of revising the 42-squadron benchmark downward—despite arguments about modern jets being more capable than their predecessors—the IAF needs to plan for an even larger force structure. The reasoning lies in the evolving nature of warfare, where modern air defence systems, long-range standoff weapons, and aerial threats necessitate a significant rethinking of force requirements.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
Arun T. Ramchandani, Senior Vice President of L&T’s Precision Engineering & Systems IC, has confirmed that L&T has made significant progress in developing an indigenous Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) platform. This platform is part of the Indian Army’s ambitious modernization program aimed at replacing the ageing fleet of Russian BMP-II vehicles. Worth over ?40,000 crore, the FICV program is one of the largest undertakings by the Indian Army, with a requirement for 1,700 advanced FICVs.
Ramchandani stated that L&T’s FICV design is undergoing upgrades to meet the latest specifications in the Army’s Request for Proposal (RFP). With their strong track record in defence technology and engineering, L&T’s FICV could be a key contender in fulfilling the Army’s critical requirements.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) has taken a significant step forward in its Kaveri engine program, initiating procurement of critical materials for a demonstration of the Dry Kaveri engine mated with an advanced afterburner section. This effort aims to demonstrate a fully functional engine capable of generating up to 80 kN of thrust, marking a considerable increase from previous test results and positioning the engine as a potential power plant for both indigenous and foreign aircraft platforms.
The Dry Kaveri engine, initially targeted to produce around 46 kN of thrust, has recently achieved up to 49-50 kN in ground trials. With the integration of a new afterburner section, GTRE expects the engine to produce 80 kN of thrust, an increase from the 73 kN it achieved in earlier demonstrations. This performance upgrade is vital to fulfilling the operational requirements of modern fighter jets, including the possibility of powering India’s indigenous platforms like the Tejas Mk1A in single-engine configurations.
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The Indian Navy’s ambitious Twin Engine Deck-Based Fighter (TEDBF) program has achieved a significant milestone with clearance from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The program is now poised to seek final approval from the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), which is expected to be granted sometime in 2025. This development marks a crucial step toward the indigenous development of a fighter jet tailored for operations aboard India’s aircraft carriers.
According to a recent report by The Print, the Indian Navy has received authorization for 87 TEDBF units in the first batch, with plans for an additional 58 aircraft to cater to the Navy’s third aircraft carrier. This phased procurement underscores the importance of the TEDBF in bolstering the Navy’s operational capabilities and ensuring self-reliance in critical defense technologies.
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The Indian Navy had long shown interest in acquiring advanced fighter jets capable of operating from its aircraft carriers. Among the most ambitious ideas was exploring the potential procurement of the F-35B Lightning II, the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) variant of Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation stealth fighter. The F-35B’s ability to take off and land on small surfaces, akin to a helicopter, made it a compelling option to replace the Navy’s ageing fleet of Sea Harrier jump jets and complement the MiG-29K fleet.
According to than Lockheed Martin’s former Vice President, Orville Prins, the Indian Navy received an initial briefing on the F-35 program as early as 2010. At the time, the F-35B variant was under development and showcased advanced features such as stealth, integrated sensors, and STOVL capabilities, designed for operations on smaller carriers like the Indian Navy’s INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya.
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