“Maitri” SR-SAM is still a French Proposal for JV

BY: IDRW NEWS NETWORK/ PICTURE FROM  LIVE FIST

“Maitri” SRSAM (short range surface to air missile ) seems to be  pet project of MBDA for joint development with DRDO and still talks are been held with Indian DRDO and Government of India regarding it , Maitri will incorporate design structure of   VL-MICA and navigational input and other technological input from failed Trishul programme , its still not clear if joint development will start on this new missile , French company has already secured permissions from the French government regarding Technology transfer and the joint development of such missile .

DRDO is still evaluating the French proposal and has been taking constant feed back from all three armed forces of India , since missiles requirements will be in thousands and joint venture will make it little expensive then a local development, Final decision is expected from government of India regarding joint development of this systems.

Maitri will have a range beyond 15km and BDL will be the prime contractor to produce and integrate this missiles , BDL is already manufactured more then 30 thousand variants of MILAN 1,2 Anti-tank missiles for India Army and has already signed contract for further orders of 4000 missiles of newer Milan 2T anti tank missile .

idrw.org has been told that DRDO is working on its own plans of developing a VL (Vertical launch ) version of under development ASTRA BVR (Beyond visual range missile) missile for all three armed forces 

APG-81 Radar Performs Flawlessly On First Systems Flight on F-35 Aircraft

BY : Northrop Grumman PR

Northrop Grumman Corporation’s  new APG-81 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar met and exceeded its performance objectives successfully tracking long-range targets as part of the first mission systems test flights of Lockheed Martin’s  F-35 Lightning II BF-4 aircraft.

“Over the last five years, Northrop Grumman has demonstrated unparalleled levels of program success with the APG-81 radar,” said Jeff Leavitt, vice president of combat avionics at Northrop Grumman’s Electronic Systems sector. “During the F-35 flight, the Northrop Grumman APG-81 radar met and exceeded performance expectations, tracking long range targets at all aspect angles with excellent stability. We look forward to working with Lockheed Martin in demonstrating the APG-81′s high resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and other advanced capabilities on subsequent test flights.”

In August 2005, the APG-81 radar was flown for the first time aboard Northrop Grumman’s BAC 1-11 airborne laboratory. Since then, the radar system has accumulated over 300 flight hours, maturing all five blocks of software. The first radar flight on Lockheed Martin’s CATBird avionics test bed aircraft took place in November 2008.

Severodvinsk to be the world's most silent sub – NF Command

In spite of being built for 17 years, nuclear-powered submarine Severodvinsk will be armed with most advanced weapons and, perhaps, will become the world most silent sub, said Capt 1 rank Alexei Poteshkin, Northern Fleet (NF) submarine force executive officer.

"State trials of the submarine will be held this year. Hopefully, upon their results Severodvinsk will be recognized the most advanced and silent – which is the main feature of submarines – ship in the world", said A. Poteshkin at Tuesday's press conference.

He pointed out that despite 17 years have passed since the sub's keel laying, arms and equipment were installed in the very recent time. "Basically, 17 years is only the hull's age, but filling is the most up-to date", Poteshkin said.

The submarine has been considerably changed, noted the officer. "The sub will be equipped only with the newest arms and hardware", underlined Poteshkin.

Answering the question of tasks for SSGN Severodvinsk, Poteshkin said it would be escorting strategic ships and performing other functions ordinary for attack subs.

Launching ceremony of SSGN Severodvinsk was triumphantly held on Tuesday at Sevmash shipyard in the presence of Dmitry Medvedev, the President of the Russian Federation.

Source: http://rusnavy.com/news/navy/index.php?ELEMENT_ID=9762

Text: Interfax-AVN

Photo: Launching ceremony of SSGN Severodvinsk. kremlin.ru

Yantar shipyard to launch hull of second Indian frigate

Hull of the second Project 1135.6 frigate built for Indian Navy will be launched on June 23 from slipways of Yantar Shipyard (Kaliningrad).

"The shipwrights are completing last preparations for launch the hull of frigate Tarkash (stands for "Quiver") which is the second in series being built for Indian Navy", reported Interfax citing Sergei Mikhailov, the shipyard's press secretary. He underlined that "this event will become another evidence that Yantar masterfully executes the important contract between Russia and India in the area of military industrial cooperation".

According to him, the yard actively works on the first frigate Teg (stands for "Saber") which was launched in Dec 2009. The work on the hull of third frigate Trikand (stands for "Bow") is also in progress at the shipyard's slipways.

"Building of these three ships is a principal task for the yard which is being thoroughly performed by whole staff of Yantar", S. Mikhailov said.

Delivery of the frigates to the orderer is scheduled in 2011-2012. The shipbuilding contract of three frigates was signed on July 14, 2007 in Delhi; its overall cost is about $1.6 bln.

Yantar shipyard is specialized in building of various warships and civil vessels with launching weight up to 10,000 tons; and also in ship-repair works. Totally, the yard has built over 100 large and about 400 small ships, and repaired over 430 vessels.

Source:  Interfax-AVN 

Photo: Project 1135.6 frigate. exponet.ru

IAF planning to procure new air defence systems

New Delhi (PTI): Looking to strengthen its capabilities to tackle aerial threats, Indian Air Force is planning to procure short-range air defence systems.In a recently issued Request for Information (RFI), the IAF has said that the air defence system "will be employed for providing terminal air defence to selected vital assets and points in plains, deserts, semi deserts, hilly and mountainous terrain as pertaining in our country."

Planning to procure a system with a strike-range between 500 metres to three kilometres, the IAF wants the new air defence guns to be capable of engaging targets such as aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles, official sources said.

It has specified that the air defence systems should be able to strike targets at an effective height of 1,500 metres.

Source: PTI

Indian Navy pilots to get training in US soon

The Indian Navy is planning to send pilots to United States of America by 2012 as part of the exchange programme agreed between the two countries.

Speaking to reporters, after reviewing the 74th passing out parade of 19 pilots who successfully completed their helicopter conversion course at INS Rajali, Rear Admiral Karambir Singh, chief of staff, head quarters Eastern Naval Command, on Saturday said the programme would see a set of pilots sent from both the countries to get trained in various areas which in turn would help them to equip and deal with different situations.

“It is at the preliminary stage and the number of pilots to be sent is yet to be decided,” he said without giving many details.

When asked about the induction of women pilot officers in the Indian Navy, he said the decision had not been taken. However, he noted that the Navy is absorbing lady officers undergoing training in the Air Force and any decision will be taken as per the outcome.

Addressing the 12 Navy pilots and seven Coast Guard pilots who have passed out, Mr Karambir Singh urged the cadets to set high standards not only as a pilot but also one who be fully committed to the service of the nation.

“Our Navy as indeed the Coast Guard is building upon a modern and potent air element in order to protect our nation’s economic success. Naval aviation today is poised at a very interesting threshold with many new, advanced and capable aircraft due for induction,” he added.

Later, he awarded Sub Lt Rohit Tanwar with the Governor of Kerala rolling trophy for the best all-round pupil pilot, while Sub Lt Kunte received the memorial book prize for standing first in ground subjects.

Source: DECCAN CHRONICLE

India plans to put 5 satellites into orbit next month

India plans to put five remote-sensing satellites into orbit in the first half of next month after fixing a rocket “anomaly” that forced it to delay launches in May.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle will carry India’s Cartosat-2B, Algeria’s ALSAT-2A and two small satellites from the University of Toronto, PS Veeraraghavan, director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, said over the phone on Thursday from the southern city of Thiruvananthapuram. The fifth unit will be a one-kilogram satellite built by Indian students, he said.

The agency, based in Thiruvananthapuram, has corrected the anomaly which was in the second stage of the rocket, according to Mr Veeraraghavan. The delay had disrupted India’s challenge to China, Japan, and South Korea as it competes for commercial-satellite launches.

In April, India also failed in its bid to join a group of five nations using their own rocket technology to launch large satellites into higher orbits when scientists lost control of the 50-meter (164 feet) GSLV-D3 spacecraft minutes after blastoff. “The reasons for the failure are still being analysed and we expect a report in a month’s time,” said Mr Veeraraghavan.

India is planning a $2.5 billion unmanned mission to space by 2015 and is slated to launch a second unmanned moon craft, Chandrayaan II, at a cost of $87.5 million before March 2013. India launched its first space rocket in 1963 and its first satellite in 1975. The country’s satellite program consists of 21 orbiters, of which 11 are currently in service.

Source: BY: Bloomberg