Indian Defense
LUH Military Variant To Make Maiden Test Flight Next August
After wrapping up a rigorous flight testing of prototype helicopters in challenging conditions, state-run plane makers Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) set August 2022 as the deadline for carrying out the maiden test flight of the first chopper in the indigenous light utility helicopter (LUH) limited series production, senior officials familiar with the development said on Thursday. LUH’s first test flight will be carried out from the new Tumkur facility in Karnataka, another official said.
LUH will replace the army and the Indian Air Force’s ageing fleets of Cheetah and Chetak helicopters, whose safety record has been blemished by a string of crashes — two army pilots were killed last month in the latest Cheetah crash near Patnitop in Jammu and Kashmir.
Around 15 Cheetah and Chetak helicopters have crashed during the last 10 years, killing several pilots. Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat (then a lieutenant general) survived a Cheetah crash in Dimapur on February 3, 2015.
“The first test flight of the LUH in the limited series production (LSP) will be carried out next August. HAL is on the verge of getting an order for 12 LUHs – six each for the army and IAF,” said one of the officials cited above. At his annual press conference on October 5, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari said the air force would soon place an order for six LUHs.
The design of the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters is more than 50 years old, and their airworthiness was questioned once again after the Patnitop crash. HAL expects the army and IAF to place combined orders for at least 187 light helicopters in the coming years (126 for the army and 61 for IAF).
“All trials on the four LUH prototypes are over. The last set of trials to establish LUH’s extra manoeuvrability concluded in Ladakh this week. The army and IAF wanted some changes and LUH performed better than expected,” said a second official.
HAL is expected to deliver the first set of LUHs to the services in two to three years of the signing of the contract. Subsequent orders will be executed at a faster pace as LUH production will also begin at HAL’s new helicopter factory in Tumkur, Karnataka. The Bengaluru and Tumkur facilities will be capable of rolling out 100 light helicopters every year, the second official added.
“The Cheetah and Chetak replacement has been long overdue. They were designed in the 1960s. LUH has proved its capabilities in multiple rounds of trials in extreme conditions in the northern sector. It’s quite an achievement in indigenous helicopter manufacturing,” said Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd), Director-General, Centre for Air Power Studies.
Currently, the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters are a critical lifeline for troops in high-altitude areas, including the Siachen glacier. HAL has licence-produced 625 Cheetah and Chetak helicopters. It no longer builds them but is responsible for their maintenance and repair.
The Army Aviation director-general Lieutenant General AK Suri on Thursday visited aviation squadrons in forwarding areas, including Leh, and flew a test sortie in LUH whose trials have been completed, the Udhampur-based Northern Command said.
India is also looking at jointly building with Russia the Kamov-226T light helicopters in the country. The Kamovs are also expected to replace the Cheetah and Chetak helicopters. However, the $1-billion programme, under which Russia will supply 60 helicopters in flyaway condition and the remaining 140 will be manufactured in India, is yet to kick off. The army, IAF and navy together need around 500 light helicopters.
HAL is also awaiting a contract from the defence ministry for 15 light combat helicopters (LCHs) and expects follow-on orders as the army and IAF have a combined projected requirement of 160 LCHs.
Indian Defense
INS Arihant’s Nuke-Capable K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ‘Ready To Roll’
The solid-fuelled K-4 missile is being developed by DRDO to arm the country’s nuclear-powered submarines in the shape of INS Arihant and its under-development sister vessels. INS Arihant, which became fully operational in November 2018 to complete India’s nuclear triad, is currently armed with the much shorter K-15 missiles with a 750 km range.
“The K-4 is now virtually ready for its serial production to kick-off. The two tests have demonstrated its capability to emerge straight from underwater and undertake its parabolic trajectory,” said a source.
India has the land-based Agni missiles, with the over 5,000-km Agni-V inter-continental ballistic missile now in the process of being inducted, and fighter jets jury-rigged to deliver nuclear weapons. But INS Arihant gives the country’s deterrence posture much more credibility because nuclear-powered submarines armed with nuclear-tipped missiles are considered the most secure, survivable and potent platforms for retaliatory strikes.
Once the K-4 missiles are inducted, they will help India narrow the gap with countries like the US, Russia and China, which have over 5,000-km range SLBMs. The K-4 missiles are to be followed by the K-5 and K-6 missiles in the 5,000-6,000 km range class.
The 6,000-ton INS Arihant, which is propelled by an 83 MW pressurised light-water reactor at its core, in turn, is to be followed by INS Arighat, which was launched in 2017. The next generation of nuclear submarines, currently called S-4 and S-4*, will be much larger in size.
Indian Defense
After Upgradation, Sukhoi Su-30MKI Indigenisation To Reach 78%
India has received clearance to upgrade 84 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, which will result in 78% indigenization after the upgrade
In a significant step towards bolstering its military might with indigenously developed technology, India is poised to witness its Russian-origin Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets evolve into a domestic platform. Speaking at a recent lecture.
The upgrade program is being led by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in partnership with the Indian Air Force and other partners. The upgrade is expected to cost US$7.5 billion.
This initiative is a part of a larger effort by the Indian Air Force to modernize its ageing fleet. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari asserted the critical role of an offensive air force as demonstrated in current global conflicts and emphasized India’s move towards an indigenized arsenal. To this end, the IAF has been proactive, from upgrading its Mirage 2000 to enhancing its MiG-29 fleet.
In summary, the IAF’s commitment to updating their combat forces with the latest technology, including shifting to fifth-generation fighter jets, ensures operational preparedness and a strong deterrence capability. The gradual indigenization of its air fleet marks a pivotal shift in India’s defence landscape, reducing dependency on foreign imports and fostering technological sovereignty.
Indian Defense
Akash Weapon System Exports For The Armenian Armed Forces Gathers Pace
According to unconfirmed reports, Armenia is a top contender for an export order for Akash SAM system manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
The Akash export version will also be slightly different from the one inducted by the armed forces. The 100-km range air-to-air Astra missiles, now entering production after successful trials from Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, also have “good export potential”, said sources.
Akash is a “tried, tested and successfully inducted systems”. Indian armed forces have ordered Akash systems worth Rs 24,000 crore over the years, and MoD inked a contract in Mar 2023 of over Rs 9,100 crores for improved Akash Weapon System
BDL is a government enterprise under the Ministry of Defence that was established in 1970. BDL manufactures surface-to-air missiles and delivers them to the Indian Army. BDL also offers its products for export.
Akash Weapon System
The AWS is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) Air Defence System, indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). In order to meet aerial threats, two additional Regiments of AWS with Upgradation are being procured for Indian Army for the Northern borders. Improved AWS has Seeker Technology, Reduced Foot Print, 360° Engagement Capability and improved environmental parameters.
The project will give a boost to the Indian missile manufacturing industry in particular and the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem as a whole. The project has overall indigenous content of 82% which will be increased to 93% by 2026-27.
The induction of the improved AWS into the Indian Army will increase India’s self-reliance in Short Range Missile capability. This project will play a role in boosting the overall economy by avoiding outgo of precious foreign exchange to other countries, increasing employment avenues in India and encouraging Indian MSMEs through components manufacturing. Around 60% of the project cost will be awarded to the private industry, including MSMEs, in maintaining the supply chain of the weapon system, thereby creating large scale of direct and indirect employment.
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