SOURCE: IDRW.ORG TEAM.
Indian defense giant BrahMos Aerospace is making waves at the Singapore Airshow, exploring potential partnerships and export opportunities for its renowned supersonic cruise missiles in Southeast Asia.
Praveen Pathak, Director for Market Promotion and Exports at BrahMos, revealed ongoing discussions with several Southeast Asian countries regarding potential missile supply. He expressed optimism that the Airshow presence will pave the way for “fruitful opportunities” in the region.
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The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas has achieved a notable milestone, logging over 10,000 incident-free flying sorties. This accomplishment underscores the success of the indigenous fighter jet program, despite facing challenges along the way.
Developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), the Tejas first took flight in 2001 and has since undergone extensive testing and refinement. The IAF currently operates two squadrons of the single-seat variant, with two-seater trainers also being inducted. This achievement signifies the growing operational maturity of the aircraft.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In a significant development aimed at bolstering India’s air defence capabilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has greenlit a multimillion-dollar project for the acquisition of advanced engines and the extension of service life for its fleet of MiG-29 frontline fighter jets. This strategic initiative involves collaboration between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russian partners.
The approved deal, valued at approximately Rs 5,300 crore, will see the production of new advanced engines for the existing MiG-29UPG fighters in the IAF fleet.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Indian Air Force (IAF), in partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is embarking on a significant upgrade of its Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets.
This ambitious program signifies a major stride towards achieving self-reliance in defence technology, aiming to equip the aircraft with advanced Indian-made systems to bolster its overall capabilities.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
India’s upcoming “Tarang Shakti-2024,” its first-ever multinational air exercise, is set to witness a fascinating rematch between two of the world’s most advanced fighter jets: the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Rafale. This exercise, scheduled for August 2024, will see participation from prominent air forces, including Germany, France, Italy, and the United States.
Both Germany and France have confirmed their participation in Tarang Shakti-2024, bringing their respective Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale jets to Indian skies. This is significant as both aircraft are currently vying for a major deal with the IAF under the Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program, which seeks to acquire 114 fighter jets.
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India and Indonesia are on the cusp of finalizing a significant defense deal, inching closer to a contract for the purchase of the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. Sources familiar with the negotiations have indicated that price negotiations have been concluded, with the final contract awaiting the formation of a new government.
This potential acquisition would mark a major milestone for both nations. If finalized, Indonesia would become the second country in Southeast Asia, after the Philippines, to acquire the BrahMos, bolstering its coastal defense capabilities against growing regional concerns.
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Thane-based startup Edith Defence Systems Private Limited (EDSPL) is making waves in the military technology sector with its development of the “Black Panther,” a robot dog designed for both surveillance and combat missions. This news comes amidst growing global interest in utilizing robotic systems for military applications.
EDSPL claims the Black Panther prototype is currently undergoing testing and boasts several impressive features:
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The ambitious plan to develop a 90-seater regional transport aircraft (RTA) for India faces a major roadblock: a lack of funding. C.B. Ananthakrishnan, Chairman and Managing Director of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), confirmed that the project is currently stalled due to the $2 billion funding requirement yet to be approved.
Ananthakrishnan outlined two potential approaches: a clean sheet design and a derivative design based on an existing aircraft. While the clean sheet design, offering more flexibility but higher costs, would require two phases of development (engineering & prototype manufacturing), the derivative option might be more cost-effective. However, both options remain dependent on securing the necessary funds.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Indian Army is poised for a major shakeup in its armoured fleet as it grapples with the impending retirement and storage of over 50% of its T-72 tanks within the next 7-8 years. These Soviet-era workhorses, serving as the mainstay of the Indian Army since 1982, are approaching their end of life, while their replacement program, the Future Main Battle Tank (FMBT), remains stalled after a decade of delays.
The Army currently operates around 2,400 T-72 tanks, most of which have exceeded their 30-year service life. While extensive overhauls provided an extra 10-15 years, these tanks lack the modern capabilities needed for contemporary warfare. The situation is further complicated by the Russia-Ukraine war, hindering access to critical spares for maintenance and repairs.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Indian Air Force (IAF) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) are nearing a major deal with GE Aerospace Defence & Systems for the F414 engine, a significant step forward for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk2 and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programs.
GE President Amy Gowder last month confirmed progress on the deal, stating that a detailed technical proposal will be submitted to HAL soon. The final contract, including component specifications and costs, is expected before summer, paving the way for engine production.
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The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) next-generation fighter, the Tejas MkII, is taking a significant step forward with the assembly jigs and fixtures expected to be ready by late 2024. This paves the way for assembly to begin by the end of this year, with component orders already placed since late 2023.
To optimize the assembly process, the program prioritizes components based on delivery times. Longer lead-time components are already secured, while orders for faster-to-manufacture parts will be issued soon. This ensures a steady flow of materials and avoids delays.
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The second India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) summit marks a significant shift in the strategic partnership between the two nations, with a focus on co-development of military hardware rather than just co-production. This shift signifies a deeper level of collaboration and technology sharing, potentially shaping the future of defense cooperation.
The summit, scheduled for later this year, will explore the co-development of critical military technologies across various domains. This move surpasses the previous model of co-producing existing systems and aims for joint innovation and design, potentially leading to cutting-edge advancements.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Asian race to develop 5th generation fighter jets is heating up, with South Korea and Turkey achieving significant milestones in their respective programs, the KF-21 and TF-X (TAI KAAN). This raises concerns about India’s own AMCA program, which appears to be lagging behind despite the country’s need for advanced fighter aircraft.
Both South Korea and Turkey have demonstrated remarkable urgency in their 5th gen programs. Both programs received national priority status, enabling faster development and overcoming bureaucratic hurdles. While the KF-21 lacks an internal weapons bay (IWB) and initial deployments will be limited, it serves as a stepping stone towards a fully fledged 5th gen fighter within a decade. Similarly, the TF-X, despite relying on older American engines for now, is actively developing its own powerplant.
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The United States’ proposal to co-produce the Stryker Armoured combat vehicle in India continues to gain momentum. A recent visit by a US team aimed to finalize specific requirements for the Indian Army’s needs. However, the project faces both potential and roadblocks.
While the Army evaluated the Stryker favorably during joint Indo-US military exercises, concerns exist about its current form. Reportedly, the smaller engine hinders its suitability for high-altitude operations. The project has also drawn criticism from Indian private and public sectors who claim they can deliver a comparable solution at a lower cost. Three local companies have proposed DRDO’s WhAP platform, while DRDO itself is developing the New Advanced Armoured Platform (AAP-Wheeled).
Continue readingSOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The indigenously developed DRDO DATRAN 1500 engine is inching closer to powering India’s main battle tanks, but it won’t be a quick drop-in replacement. The engine, boasting 100hp more than the current MTU MB 838 Ka-501 engines in Arjun tanks, requires modifications before seamless integration.
idrw.org has been told by the people familiar with the program Challenges that DRDO is working on for seamless integration into the Arjun tanks.
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