25 Years Back
From Vayu Aerospace Review Issue VI/ 1992
Progress on LTA Project
Russia has come forward to be a partner in NAL’s Light Transport Aircraft (LTA) programme for the manufacture of the twin-engine 14 seater turboprop aircraft. Of the Rs 80 crore outlay for design and manufacture of the prototypes, Russia has offered to share the cost, according to Prof Roddam Narasimha, Director, National Aeronautical Laboratory (NAL), Bangalore. The NAL team, headed by Dr K Yegnanarayana, has come out with the fifth refined configuration of the aircraft. Three prototypes are to be manufactured, two in India and one in Russia.
Officials of the Russian agency Myasisehev are in touch with NAL on the project, and a team arrived in Bangalore recently, the third such visit by the Russians. According to present indications, if the arrangement with the Russians works out, two prototypes of the LTA will be flighttested in 1993-94.
Golden Jubilee of Nos. 6, 7, 8 Squadrons
1st December 1992, marked the 50th year, or Golden Jubilee, of three of the Indian Air Force’s premier combat squadrons, Nos 6,7 and 8. Raised during World War II, when the Japanese threat to India became real, the three squadrons were equipped with the Hurricane fighter and Vengeance divebomber and saw extensive action in Assam and Burma till the war’s end in August 1945. No.6 Squadron is presently operating flights of Jaguar maritime strike aircraft and Canberras, No.7 is flying the Mirage 2000 and No. 8 continues with the MiG-21FL.
IAF Interest in Tornadoes
Inspite of official denials by both the Air Force and MoD, there are persistent reports of the interest being displayed by India in the Panavia Tornado multi-role combat aircraft. Media reports have it that Sharad Pawar, the Defence Minister, has met officials from British Aerospace in the UK twice in the past few months and that both the IDS (interdiction) and ADV (air defence) versions have been considered, a figure of 36 aircraft being mentioned. Although the Indian Air Force has no formal air staff requirement for a Tornado-type aircraft, the reasons behind interest in the Tornado are said to be “largely political” with the Indian Government continuously looking at non-Russian sources for new or additional aircraft and equipment.
SS-250 for the IAF
According to media reports from New Delhi, the Prithvi SS- 250 medium range ballistic missile, which is presently undergoing technical clearances, will be inducted into the Indian Air Force service by 1995. With a design range of 250 km and a warhead of 500 kg, the SS-250 is likely to be deployed for “strategic targeting”, more for disruption with conventional warheads than destruction of vital targets, either of military or political significance.
China’s Arms-buying Spree
China is on a shopping spree for modern weapons, making its neighbours increasingly nervous trying to figure out why. China has bought 24 Su-27 jet fighters from Russia, and is negotiating to purchase MiG-31 aircraft; the sales could include technology transfers allowing China to produce both airplanes. Beijing’s military has also been considering buying an aircraft carrier under construction in a Ukraine shipyard, and it wants to acquire transport aircraft that extend the reach of its air force by providing mid-air refueling. Moreover, it is said to be in the market for surface-to-air and cruise missiles.
Indo-US Naval Exercises
The Indian and the US Navies are planning their second round of exercises and for the first time these will held around a tactical setting in the Indian Ocean. The details and dates will be fixed in January 1993 when Admiral L Ramdas of the Indian Navy is to inaugurate a joint Naval Steering Committee. The Admiral spoke about his recently concluded US visit stating that these exercises were part of Naval diplomacy. The US political and military leadership had assured him that their country was keen to work closely with India and better understand the Navy.
Meanwhile, submarines and warships of both the Western and Eastern Fleets of the Indian Navy are to participate in a major tactical exercise scheduled off the Coromandel coast in the Bay of Bengal in the first half of 1993. Apart from naval aircraft operating from the second carrier of the Indian Navy, the INS Viraat, Indian Air Force Jaguar maritime strike fighters and Canberra bombers will also participate in the exercise.
New Carrier for the Navy
As part of a 15-year planning programme for the Indian Navy, amongst other equipment, there is a requirement for another aircraft carrier to replace the Vikrant which is to be mothballed by 1997. India has two options and they are either to indigenously build a carrier in the 15,000 tonne category (to cost approximately $300 million) or else purchase one from the Ukraine. If the carrier has to be built indigenously it could get off to a good start as countries like France, Italy and Britain have shown willingness to provide technical assistance.
In a surprise move Russia has offered the Indian Navy one of its large carriers from its Pacific fleet. This offer has its advantages over the Ukrainian Varyag as this ship is in the disputed Black Sea fleet and under the joint control of Russia and Ukraine until 1994. Secondly and more importantly Russia is willing to accept half of the cost of the carrier in foreign exchange and the other half through ‘barter’.