“Alive to emerging threats in the Indo-Pacific” : IAF Chief

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa has reiterated that the Indian Air Force is “very much alive” to emerging threats that could arise in the Indo-Pacific region, and asserted that his force was prepared to deal with any challenge to protect India’s national interests. The CAS also said there is cause for concern over the rate of modernisation and induction of new equipment in India’s neighbourhood, even as India faces challenges emanating from “unresolved territorial disputes” and “sponsored” non-state and transnational actors. The CAS also made an indirect reference to China’s rapid modernisation of its air force and also about the infrastructural development China has carried out in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) bordering India.

He said that the IAF was adopting a holistic approach in harnessing all available resources at its disposal to deal with various security challenges “in a collaborative and cohesive manner.”

IAF to receive balance Su-30MKIs by 2021

During the recent Supreme Court hearing on the Rafale matter, and in response to questions of the Chief Justice of India, senior IAF officers informed the apex court that the Sukhoi Su-30MKI is the “latest combat aircraft to be inducted in India” and production continues by HAL at its Nasik plant. The final deliveries of this type will be in 2021, the IAF having ordered a total of 272 Su-30MKIs, both direct supply and 222 built under

licence by HAL. The type is reportedly now operational with 11 squadrons plus the TACDE, with another two squadrons to be stood up in the next two years.

Various reports however have it that the Government may order an additional batch of Su-30MKIs from HAL, numbers varying from 8 to 40.

Defending the Rafale Deal

In a recent interview, Indian Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has strongly defended the deal for 36 Dassault Rafales, referring to the IAF’s continually reducing combat squadron strength and “its desperate need for new aircraft.” The NDA Government had increased direct purchase of the selected Rafale aircraft from 18 to 36, and “for the rest, we have already issued an RFI for them to be manufactured in India through a strategic partnership”. On the matter of “emergency purchases”, she referred to the Air Force’s requirement for “a maximum of two squadrons” as was in the past when Mirages were brought from France and Sukhois from Russia, “two squadrons each time”.

LCA given ‘limited’ FOC

On new year’s eve, 31 December 2018, the Tejas LCA Mk.1 was accorded a ‘limited’ final operational clearance (FOC) from the airworthiness certification agency CEMILAC. In a statement, HAL’s Chairman and Managing Director R Madhavan stated that “we have

received drawings and documents related to this standard. We can now start activities such as planning, procurement of parts from vendors. We aim to deliver the first aircraft [in the cleared standard] in October or November 2019”. HAL’s Bangalore Complex has reportedly delivered 12 Tejas LCA Mk.1s (IOC-standard) to the Indian Air Force so far and is working towards supplying four more by end-March 2019, to complete unit establishment of the IAF’s No.45 Squadron based at Sulur near Coimbatore.

However, the IAF’s requirement for two-seat LCA Mk.1 operational conversion trainers will not be met for some time as ADA are working towards meeting various requirements including in-flight refueling of the Type. The IAF will meanwhile ‘borrow’ the prototype two-seater LCAs which however are not cleared for service.

HAL to deliver all IOC Tejas by March 2019

The two production facilities dedicated for Tejas LCA production at HAL’s Bangalore Complex had, by late December 2018, delivered the 11th series production aircraft, which after flight testing was ferried to AFS Sulur, the base of No.45 Squadron. According to HAL sources LCAs SP-12 to SP-16, the last from the IOC Block are at the final equipping stage, SP-12, SP-14 and SP-16 with the LCA Division while SP-13 and SP-15 are being completed at the second production line at the Aircraft Division.

With (provisional) FOC being received on 31 December 2018, HAL has begun production preparations for this follow on batch with LCA aircraft SP-21, SP-22, SP-23 and SP-24 on the floor assembly. As per schedule, the first LCA (FOC) is to fly in October 2019 and all 16 aircraft of this standard “would be delivered during the FY 2019-20.”

Tejas LCA to LIMA Show

Even as examples of the Tejas LCA would be much in evidence at the Aero India 2019 Show in Bangalore, the Tejas LCA will thereafter participate at the forthcoming Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) in Malaysia 26-30 March 2019. This will be the second international Air Show where the LCA is being showcased, the first having been at Bahrain in 2016. The LCA will reportedly be ‘borrowed’ from the IAF’s No.45 Squadron at Sulur and demonstrated by test pilots from the NFTC at Bangalore. Apart from Malaysia, the LCA is reportedly of interest

to other air arms in the region including Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Its ‘rival’, the Sino-Pak JF-17 Thunder has recently been ordered by Myanmar, Nigeria and, reportedly, Azerbaijan.

IAF Jaguar re-engining plans stalled

The Indian Air Force’s plans to extend the life in frontline service of its Jaguar fleet involves major upgradation of some 120 Jaguars, mostly HAL-built, with new engines, avionics, radars and weapon systems. The IAF order of battle currently includes six squadrons of the Jaguar, including one in the maritime role. The Indian Air Force had considered the procurement of Honeywell F-125IN engines from the USA, with some 275 engines to be imported for 120 Jaguars plus 35 engines as spare. However, with Rolls-Royce having withdrawn from the competition, this single tender bid got stalled even as some senior IAF officers still feel that “installation of a new engine requires major installation work, which has made the upgrade plan quite complicated. It appears that the upgrade plan has been made too ambitious, contributing to the delay in implementation.”

Jaguar DARIN III programme

Meanwhile, progression of the Jaguar DARIN III programme has also been slow, with HAL just delivering six upgraded prototypes after obtaining initial operation clearance in November 2016 at a cost of $6 million per unit. Under the new upgrade plan, HAL is also to integrate active electronically scanned array EL/M-2052 radar from Elta of Israel, which will provide capability to simultaneously track enemy fighters, guide missiles, jam enemy communications and radar. In addition, upgraded DARINIII Jaguar fighters would be wired to launch AGM-88 HARM missiles and CBU-105 sensor-fuzed weapons.

Saab offers Gripen E, Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 to IAF

Although the process which follows release of the RFI by the Indian Air Force in April 2018 has yet to formally commence, it is well understood that the six companies in competition are continuing their efforts to keep the IAF briefed on status of their aircraft. In January 2019, Ola Rignell, Chairman of Saab India stated in an interview that “except the first 18 aircraft, we intend to manufacture everything in India, Saab will look to build an ecosystem of defence manufacturing inside the country”.

Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin’s Dr Vivek Lall has re-iterated that his company has offered to re-locate the entire F-16 production line from the United States to India and to make this country “the sole global production centre for the F-16 that would meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force but also overseas markets…. the current demand outside of India is for more than 200 aircraft. The value of those initial acquisition programmes would likely exceed $20 billion”.

HAL LUH milestones

HAL’s Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) achieved an important milestone, reaching an altitude of 6 km, flown by Chief Test Pilot Wg Cdr. Unni K Pillai and Wing Cdr Anil Bhambhani, “the helicopter exhibiting satisfactory performance and handling qualities”. The flight was carried out under the envelope expansion tests and is a critical requirement towards certification of the LUH. The LUH is programmed to undertake high altitude cold weather trials in January 2019.

Meanwhile, third prototype (PT3) of the LUH made its maiden flight on 14 December 2018, flown by test pilots Wg Cdr Anil Bhambhani and Gp. Capt MR Anand. “The flight was flawless and PT3 will augment development flight testing in conjunction with the earlier two prototypes towards certification” ( see picture below).

The 3-ton class new generation LUH has been designed and developed by HAL’s RWR&DC to replace the ageing Cheetah and Chetak helicopters. First flight of the LUH PT-1 was on 6 September, 2016 with the second prototype flying on 22 May, 2017. There is a stated requirement for 187 LUHs comprising 126 for the Indian Army and 61 for the IAF.

IAF conversion training on Boeing Apaches and Chinooks

Indian Air Force personnel have been imparted conversion training on both the Boeing AH-64E Apache and CH-47F Chinook at various locations in the USA, preparatory to induction of the new types with the Indian Air Force. On 8 October, IAF aircrew

started their Chinook training at Boeing’s facility in Ridley Park, Delaware, with four pilots and four flight engineers at the course. On 22 October, IAF personnel commenced Apache training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. The IAF is to receive 22 AH-64Es and 15 CH47Fs with deliveries to begin in 2019, the Chinooks to be based at Chandigarh as part of No.126 HU while the Apaches will be based at Hindon, sharing this air base with other US-origin aircraft types such as the C-130J-30 Super Hercules and C-17 Globemaster III.

LCH completes weapon trials

On 17 January 2019, HAL’s indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) carried out airto-air missile firing against on a moving aerial target. During the tests at the integrated test range at Chandipur, Odisha, the LCH flown by Wg Cdr Subash P John with Col Ranjit Chitale, as Flight Test Engineer, fired the MBDA Mistral-2ATAM “scoring a direct hit.” The ATAM Mistral is also integrated with the HAL Rudra (weaponised Dhruv ALH).

The LCH is equipped with a 20mm turret gun plus 70 mm rocket pods, firing trials of which were completed last year. The DAC has accorded approval for procurement of an initial batch of 15 LCHs (10 for IAF and 5 for the Army).

HTT-40 progression

Two prototypes of the indigenous Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40) basic training aircraft, being developed by HAL, are continuing test flights and have reportedly “exceeded” the IAF’s demanding air staff requirement. The final qualification tests which includes stall and spin trials, are expected to be completed by mid-2019 with final certification received by end of the year. The

HTT-40 is being developed with internal HAL funds amounting to Rs 500 crores which includes preparations for series production, although the IAF has yet to formalise the order for 70 HTT-40s.

According to independent observers, the Indian Air Force which had earlier ordered 75 Pilatus PC-7 Mk.II trainers, and are currently operating at the Air Force Academy Dundigal is pressing for a follow on order involving another 38 PC-7s which could well impact on reducing the number of HTT-40s in the future. It is recalled that in October 2013 the then Air Chief had proposed that instead of pursuing the HTT-40 development, HAL should licence manufacture 106 PC-7 Mk.IIs under licence from Pilatus of Switzerland.

‘Exercise Bahubali’

In an effort to evaluate its ‘Rapid Airlift Capability’ and to enhance crew efficiency in this role, the IAF’s Western Air Command, airlifted a record 463 tonnes of load from its airbase at Chandigarh to airfields and drop zones in the Ladakh region, in a single wave under ‘Exercise Bahubali’ on 19 December 2018.

The effort was accomplished by a fleet of 16 fixed wing transport aircraft comprising Boieng C-17 Globemaster IIIs, Ilyushin-Il76s and Antonov An-32s. All aircraft were loaded and took off from Chandigarh airbase at dawn, the entire wave carried out in little less than 6 hours. The airlift of some 500 tonnes, in the achieved time frame “in a single wave” confirmed the Commands’ capability towards rapid and heavy airlift. WAC is entrusted with air maintenance of the entire northern region of the country and under normal operating circumstances, airlifts close to 3000 tonnes of load per month.

Hardened aircraft shelters for IAF

The IAF is to construct 108 Next Generation Hardened Aircraft Shelters (NGHAS) (‘blast pens’) at its fighter bases in northern and north-eastern India, the Government having recently allotted some Rs 5,500 crore for the project. This comes in wake of increased activity by the PLAAF, which has carried out several exercises in the Tibet Autonomous Region. While most IAF air bases in north, west and south western India have hardened aircraft shelters, they are not able to accommodate the large Su-30MKIs and the new shelters will suitably be enlarged for the purpose ( stock photo above).

Blended bio-jet fuel powers IAF An-32

On 17 December 2018, an Antonov An-32 of the IAF carried out its flight using blended bio-jet fuel, the project being a combined effort of the IAF, DRDO, DGAQA and CSIR-Indian

Institute of Petroleum. The aircraft was flown by aircrew from the ASTE. The Indian Air Force had earlier carried out extensive engine tests on the ground, followed by flight trials using 10% biojet blended ATF, this fuel made from Jatropha oil sourced from Chattisgarh Biodiesel Development Authority (CBDA) and then processed at CSIR-IIP, Dehra Dun. The IAF also flew this An-32 during the Republic Day flypast in January 2019.

Ex-‘Shinyuu Maitri’ 2018 with JASDF

The Koku-Jieitai (Japanese Air Self Defence Force) carried out bilateral air exercises with the Indian Air Force over 3-7 December 2018 at AF Station Agra, aim of the exercise being joint Mobility/Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR), using various transport aircraft types. The JASDF deployed an C-2 tactical transport aircraft (above) along with aircrew/observers which was the first air exercise between the two Air Forces. The IAF deployed their An-32s and C-17s.

Combined Guided Weapon Firing Exercise

Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, Chief of the Air Staff, IAF visited Air Force Station Suryalanka on 7 December 2018 to witness combined guided weapons firing exercises. This first-of- its-kind Exercise involved the launch of four different kinds of surface-to-air missiles in inventory of the IAF, being the Akash, Spyder, Osa- Ak-M and Igla, this being carried out during both day and night in an integrated networked environment.