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China

South China Sea: Satellite Imagery Shows IntensiveChinese Building

Satellite imagery of Subi Reef in the Spratly Islands taken July 18, 2015 shows intensie

preparation of terrain for a likely airstrip! " straight segment of reef that #hina has filled

in with sand $an easily a$$ommodate a runway more than three kilometers long! "t a

width of appro%imately 250 meters, this straight segment also $ould a$$ommodate a

runway a$$ompanied by a parallel ta%iway like that re$ently $onstru$ted by #hina at

&iery #ross Reef' the total width of the &iery #ross runway plus ta%iway is

appro%imately 125 meters, with a runway width of 5( meters! )&or $omparison, the

primary runway at the *+52+hosting "ndersen "ir &or$e *ase on uam is -,(1( meters

long and .1 meters wide!/

"ppro%imately (8 large $ranes are in operation on the likely area of the runway,

$arrying out a widely used dynami$ $ompa$tion te$hniue to $ompress dredged+up sand

and $oral $uttings in order to in$rease the stability of the substrate for the runway! ost

of the dynami$ $ompa$tion $ranes present in the image from July 18 are a$$ompanied

by ba$khoes, whi$h are used to fill in the $raters left by the $ompa$tion weights dropped

by the $ranes! otably, no $ompa$tion $ranes are isible in areas of the filled+in reef

outside the probable runway site!

3he fleet of $on$rete transport tru$ks on Subi has in$reased to -(, from 20 in a June 5,2015 satellite image, probably in preparation for laying of a $on$rete airstrip! &or

$omparison, during the $on$rete laying for the first half of the runway on &iery #ross, 20

$on$rete transport tru$ks were present!

4redging at Subi has essentially been stopped! 3wo dredgers remain, only one of whi$h

is $onne$ted to a sediment pipe and may or may not be in operation' by $ontrast, on

June 5, 2015, 1( dredgers were present! oweer, as of July 18, 5( large supply ships are

present at Subi, up from -8 on June 5, signaling a ramp+up of $onstru$tion now that

land filling operations hae $eased )e%$ept for efforts to widen the terrain at the north

rim/!

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China Blames US for Rising Tension in South China Sea

#hina has blamed the 6nited States for rising tensions in the South #hina Sea be$ause

the 6nited States has in$reased naal and air patrols while #hina $ontinues to makeartifi$ial islands, some of whi$h house military euipment!

reports that the #hinese 4efense inistry a$$used the 6nited States of rat$heting up

tensions by holding military e%er$ises with 6!S! allies in the region who hae $laims to

the Spratly Islands in the South #hina Sea, su$h as the 7hilippines! ther nations with

$laims in the area are 9ietnam, alaysia, Singapore, *runei, and 3aiwan!

3he 4efense inistry also took e%$eption to media reports that 7hilippine fishermen

had found #hinese fishing nets and took them out of the water! 3he ministry is of the

opinion this is theft and that the nets were pla$ed legally within #hinese waters!

9ietnam has also begun its own land re$lamation efforts on reefs and atolls in the

region, but their a$tions hae not been on a s$ale as large as #hina:s and hae not

pro$eeded as ui$kly! #hina has already built one island with an airstrip large enough to

a$$ommodate eery air$raft in the #hinese air for$e!

#hina bases its $laims to the islands on a map of the an$ient #hinese empire whi$h

in$lude a ;< dash; line that rea$hes all the way from #hina to past the southern outskirts

of the $ontested islands! International law re$ogni=es a $ountry:s territorial $laims to

land and waters 250 miles from their $oast line, but in #hina:s $ase, the islands and

waters are more than .00 miles the #hinese mainland and islands under their $ontrola$$ording to international law!

#hina:s Super >eapons? *eware the J+20 and J+-1

Stealth &ighters

3hroughout its history, the 7eople@s Aiberation "rmy "ir &or$e )7A""&/ of the 7eople@s

Republi$ of #hina )7R#/ has lagged behind the aerial programs of other world powers

su$h as the 6nited States! ow, the 7R# has set its sights on produ$ing indigenouslydesigned Bfifth generationC fighter Dets $omparable to the 6S &+22 Raptor and &+-5

Aightning II! any 6!S! offi$ials and pilots suspe$t that the #hinese hae been

using hacked U.S. technologyto aid their indigenous deelopment programs! 3he 7R# is

also leeraging additie manufa$turing te$hnology )better known as3D-printing/ in

order to in$rease speed and effi$ien$y in manufa$turing air$rafts and $ompete with the

6!S! 3he J-20 Black Eagle$ould be fully operational by 2018, and a se$ond model, theJ-

http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/5th-generation-fighter-aircraft.asphttp://news.usni.org/2014/11/05/u-s-pilots-say-new-chinese-stealth-fighter-become-equal-f-22-f-35http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-how-3d-printing-could-revolutionise-war-and-foreign-policy-2015-1http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-how-3d-printing-could-revolutionise-war-and-foreign-policy-2015-1http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=860http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/shenyang-j-31-stealth-fighter/http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/shenyang-j-31-stealth-fighter/http://news.usni.org/2014/11/05/u-s-pilots-say-new-chinese-stealth-fighter-become-equal-f-22-f-35http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-how-3d-printing-could-revolutionise-war-and-foreign-policy-2015-1http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=860http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/shenyang-j-31-stealth-fighter/http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/5th-generation-fighter-aircraft.asp

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31 Gyrfalcon, by 2020! If true, #hina@s new generation of fighters $ould hae a

substantial impa$t on its ability to either defend what it $onsiders to be soereign

airspa$e, or to mount an aerial offensie in a wartime s$enario, parti$ularly against

3aiwan )R#/!

*etween 1estern 7a$ifi$ region, and

in$orporate a stealth design' the first of its kind in the 7R#! In a $onfli$t, the J+20 would

likely be deployed in air+to+air $ombat with the mission of limiting the enemy@s radar

$oerage and strike range! 3he J+-1 $ould be a potent $omplement to the J+20, similar to

the planned 6!S! partnership of the &+22 and &+-5! >hile the J+20 is e%pe$ted to

possess superior dogfighting abilities, the J+-1 will be Bthe perfect fighter for the %&' to

carry ot anti-access area-denial /'2'D strategies in the estern %acificC! 3he J+20 is slightly

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/shenyang-j-31-stealth-fighter/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/04/news/04iht-race.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/04/news/04iht-race.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/04/news/04iht-race.htmlhttp://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/testimonies/2010/RAND_CT346.pdfhttp://www.mig-19.com/http://www.mig-19.com/http://www.mig-19.com/http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=68http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=68http://en.yibada.com/articles/40605/20150624/russia-final-contract-su-35-fighters-china.htmhttp://www.janes.com/article/42322/chinese-j-11bh-aggressive-with-usn-p-8a-says-dodhttp://www.janes.com/article/42322/chinese-j-11bh-aggressive-with-usn-p-8a-says-dodhttp://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20141109000034&cid=1101http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20141109000034&cid=1101http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/shenyang-j-31-stealth-fighter/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/04/news/04iht-race.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/04/news/04iht-race.htmlhttp://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/testimonies/2010/RAND_CT346.pdfhttp://www.mig-19.com/http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=68http://en.yibada.com/articles/40605/20150624/russia-final-contract-su-35-fighters-china.htmhttp://www.janes.com/article/42322/chinese-j-11bh-aggressive-with-usn-p-8a-says-dodhttp://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20141109000034&cid=1101http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20141109000034&cid=1101

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faster, with a ma%imum speed of (ach 2.$ompared to (ach 2for the J+-1! *oth sport a

$ombat radius of appro%imately2000k* /122 *iles !

#hinese military wants more teeth to $ounter India, 6S,Japan

*GIJI? *ra$keting India along with the 6S, Japan, 3aiwan and 9ietnam as ;threats;

to #hina:a airspa$e, the 7A" in a study has sought the broadening of its air sureillan$e

and atta$k $apabilities with high+speed $ruise missiles and a new generation of

bombers!

#hina:s "ir &or$e #ommand "$ademy in its report last year identified the 6nited States,

Japan, 3aiwan, India and 9ietnam as ;threats; to its military airspa$e until the year20-0, Japanese news agen$y yodo reported!

>hile the massie e%pansion of #hinese nay with a se$ond air$raft $arrier and a new

bomber to operate from its de$ks attra$ted worldwide attention, the new study showed

that the air for$e has started deeloping a similar e%pansion strategy, the report said!

3he study $alled for nine types of strategi$ euipment to $ounter the threats, whi$h

in$luded high+speed air+laun$hed $ruise missiles, large transport planes, an airship that

moes in the upper atmosphere, a ne%t+generation fighter, unmanned atta$k air$raft,

air+for$e satellites and pre$ision+guided bombs!

It said the 2!- million+strong 7eople:s Aiberation "rmy )7A"/, the world:s largest, needs

to broaden its air sureillan$e and atta$k $apabilities to the western 7a$ifi$, in$luding

the areas near Japan to ensure its $ommand!

7A""& plans to e%tend $ontrol to >estern 7a$ifi$? report

3he J+10" fighter and the +. bomber on display at the Hhuhai "ir Show, uangdong,

o! estern 7a$ifi$, a$$ording to a report by 9assily ashin, senior resear$h fellow at the

os$ow+based #enter for "nalysis of Strategies and 3e$hnologies, published on

os$ow+based Sputnik ews, $ited by #hina:s nationalisti$ tabloid lobal 3imes!

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/j-20-specs.htmhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/j-31-specs.htmhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/j-31-specs.htmhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/j-31-specs.htmhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/j-20-specs.htmhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/j-31-specs.htmhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/j-31-specs.htmhttp://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/j-31-specs.htm

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3he sour$e of the report is a leaked 7A" "ir &or$e report that the editorial team at

3okyo+based yodo ews $laim to hae seen and whi$h was subseuently heaily

reported on in #hina:s state media reports, whi$h the lobal 3imes $ited as eiden$e

that the aims laid out in the report are reali=able!

3he obDe$ties and mission laid out in the report will not be a surprise to theinternational $ommunity, as the 7A" hae already made $lear moes in this dire$tion!

3he 7A":s nay and air for$e hae been in$reasingly a$tie in the area between what the

#hinese military $all the ;first island $hain;K used to refer to the string of ar$hipelagos

e%tending from the south of Japan and its Ryukyu islands, 3aiwan and the 7hilippines+

and the ;se$ond island $hain;+stret$hing from the onshu in Japan, ar$ing through the

*onin islands, the arianas islands and the #aroline islands to ew uinea! Aast week

#hina:s new long+range +. bomber began to enture beyond the first island $hain!

3his enables them to potentially fire on targets in southern Japan, whi$h has relatiely

weak anti+air$raft $apabilities! It would also allow them the $apability to atta$k 6S bases

in the 7a$ifi$!

3he emphasis on long+range anti+ship missiles in the report suggests that #hina is eager

to fo$us on dete$tion and target lo$k+on! 3his implies that they are imagining a 6S

$arrier fleet as a potential enemy $ombatant! 3he lobal 3imes suggested that #hina set

up an effe$tie obseration system for the area between the first and se$ond island

$hains, whi$h would need to in$lude sureillan$e satellites, manned air$raft or drones,

as well as warships and submarines!

Sureillan$e satellites, strategi$ bombers, new generation fighters, supersoni$ air$raft,

$ruise missiles and anti+ballisti$ missile systems are all likely to be a priority for the7A"!

3he lobal 3imes predi$ted that if 3aiwan:s maDor opposition party, the 4emo$rati$

7eople:s 7arty, win the 201. ele$tion and a$$ede to goernment, any opposition to

unifi$ation with #hina espoused by them will likely mean 3aiwan will retake a $entral

position in the 7A":s strategi$ plans! 3here are also likely to be maDor military e%er$ises

held in the 3aiwan strait if there is no progress made on $ross+strait relations, a$$ording

to the paper, as, it says, ;there is a limit to #hina:s patien$e; with the 3aiwanese publi$!

3he lobal 3imes went on to say that although 9ietnam and India hae both been

strengthening their militaries, it is the allian$e between the 6S and Japan that poses areal threat to #hina, a threat whi$h #hina is $learly preparing to answer!

Iran nearing deal for #hina:s J+10 fighters? report

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Iran is $losing in on a deal to a$uire a fleet of J+10 fighter Dets L most likely the J+10"

L from #hina to upgrade its air for$e, reports the *eiDing+based Sina ilitary etwork!

>hile 6 arms san$tions against Iran are yet to be lifted following a histori$ deal to

$urb the $ountry:s nu$lear program last month, *eiDing is already said to be nearing an

agreement to sell andor lease J+10 multirole fighters to 3ehran!

#iting Russian military websites, Sina ilitary notes that the J+10" model of the Det,

ni$knamed ;Red Gagle; by the 7eople:s Aiberation "rmy, will likely be 3ehran:s top

$andidate for the a$uisition!

3he $ountry:s air for$e basi$ally stopped upgrading sin$e the Islami$ reolution between

1

3he Su+2E supermaneuerable fighter would also be a flawed sele$tion for Iran:s

purposes be$ause of its longer flight range, whi$h $ould $on$ern both the 6S and Israel

and in turn lead to pressure on Russia, the report said! 3his is also a reason why #hina is

unlikely to sell Iran its own ersion of the Su+2E, the J+11*!

n the other hand, the J&+1E 3hunder, $o+deeloped by #hina and 7akistan and known

in #hina as the +1 Miaolong, is $urrently in use by the 7akistan "ir &or$e! #omple%

relations between Iran and 7akistan, most re$ently influen$ed by a 201- border in$ident

that killed 1- people, $ould mean that the J&+1E has also been ruled out by 3ehran!

3he J+10 has a shorter range than the Su+2E but it is te$hni$ally suffi$ient for $ombat

and has stronger upgrade potential, the report said! 3o prote$t #hinese te$hnology,

*eiDing will not sell 3ehran the latest models of the J+10, meaning that the older J+10"

would be the most suitable $hoi$e, the report added!

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3he J+10:s fun$tionality is said to be similar to that of the 6S &+1., but the plane $an

$omplete $omple% maneuers at ith a range of 2,

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7owered by two "+- turboDets buried in the wing roots, the subsoni$ 3u+1. $ould haul

up to 10 tons of bombs L nu$lear or $onentional!

>ith a standard bombload and no aerial refueling, a 3u+1. $ould fly more than 1,000

miles before needing to turn ba$k!

3he 3u+1., whi$h "3 $alled B*adger,C proed to be a solid, reliable airplane, mu$h

like the 6nited States@ *+52, whi$h first flew in 1

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Supported by tankers, an +. armed with PJ+12s or #J+20s $ould enture deep into

the 7a$ifi$, hunting for "meri$an ships or een flying within striking distan$e of

"meri$a@s own main bomber outpost in uam, some -,000 miles from the #hinese

mainland!

B3hat is, if it $an slip through air defenses,C analyst ans ristensenpointed ot! *ut JonSolomon at Information 4issemination assumed #hinese fighters would a$$ompany the

bombers in order to prote$t them! B+.s $an be es$orted thousands of miles out to sea

by J+11s,C Solomon $rote!

Targeting Dilemma

*ut it@s not enough to Dust safely fly that far! Aong+range strikes L espe$ially against

moing ships at sea L reuire $areful planning and pre$ise targeting! 3he +. sports a

new nose radome housing a modern air+to+ground radar, whi$h might help guide a PJ+

12 but undoubtedly la$ks the power to spot targets for a #J+20!

Instead, the #J+20 probably reuires mission planners to pre+load pre$ise $oordinates

into the missile@s $omputer prior to laun$h! 3he PJ+12 has its own seeker but the bomber

needs to lob the missile into the right general area for the munition to hae any $han$e

of dete$ting and hitting a ship!

BIt is not $lear whether #hina has the $apability to $olle$t a$$urate targeting information

and pass it to laun$h platforms in time for su$$essful strikes in sea areas beyond the first

island $hainC L that is, a $ouple thousand miles from the #hinese $oast, the 7entagon

e%plained in its 2013 report on hinas *ilitary!

3argeting, more than the physi$s of flight and fuel $onsumption, is likely

the currentpra$ti$al limit on the +.@s rea$h, and thus its wartime usefulness to

#hinese $ommanders!

Chinese Firm Claims To Offer Israeli AESA Radar

3"I7GI and 3GA "9I9 L " 7eople:s Aiberation "rmy )7A"/+a$$redited, publi$ly traded

firm is marketing an adan$ed airborne fire+$ontrol radar belieed to be from Glta

Systems, the same Israeli state+owned subsidiary at the heart of an in$endiary $hapter in

6S+Israel relations that $ontinues to reerberate 15 years after >ashington for$ed Israel

to $an$el a $ontroersial $ontra$t with *eiDing!

"$$ording to a produ$t $atalogue by "9 3e$hnology #ompany, the *eiDing+based firm

$laims its a$tie ele$troni$ s$anned array )"GS"/ radar ;in$orporates Glta:s de$ades of

http://fas.org/blogs/security/2013/05/afgsc-brief2013/http://www.informationdissemination.net/2015/04/chinese-maritime-strike-capabilities.htmlhttp://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdfhttp://fas.org/blogs/security/2013/05/afgsc-brief2013/http://www.informationdissemination.net/2015/04/chinese-maritime-strike-capabilities.htmlhttp://www.defense.gov/pubs/2013_China_Report_FINAL.pdf

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field+proen e%perien$e with real operational feedba$k from Israel "ir &or$e $ombat

pilots!;

>hile the $atalogue L distributed at "irshow #hina in Hhuhai last oember L does

not dire$tly identify Glta:s GA+2052 radar by name, its two+page des$ription is nearly

identi$al to publi$ly aailable marketing data by Glta, a subsidiary of state+owned Israel"erospa$e Industries )I"I/, whose 7hal$on aerial warning and $ontrol radar deal with

*eiDing was terminated in mid+2000 due to fier$e opposition from e%e$utie and

legislatie bran$hes of the 6S goernment!

3he "9+purported produ$t boasts adan$ed multimode $apabilities for pre$ision,

long+range atta$k of multiple air, sea and moing ground targets!

If indeed the radar is part of "9:s produ$t portfolio, it $ould proide #hinese+made

fighters L in$luding those planned for e%port to Iran and other nations hostile to both

Israel and the 6nited States L with the ability to tra$k and atta$k do=ens of targetssimultaneously!

Israel:s inistry of 4efen$e on onday said it has no knowledge of "9 and its $laimed

asso$iation with Glta! Pet when asked if the o4 had eer granted I"I a li$ense to

market the Glta airborne "GS" radar in #hina or to a #hinese subsidiary, spokeswoman

rna Simhoni+fer de$lined to answer and referred 4efense ews to I"I!

In a written reply, I"I spokeswoman Gliana &ishler denied any asso$iation between Glta

and "9 ;or any other #hinese firm!;

"$$ording to &ishler, ;>e don:t hae a $lue as to why they wrote this in their bro$hure,

but it is $ompletely not true!;

&ishler de$lined, howeer, to state what, if any, steps the firm intended to take against

"9 for what it insists is a blatant forgery of I"IGlta marketing information!

Pang Pun$hun, "9 3e$hnology $hairman and president, did not respond to repeated

reuests for $omment! 3he #hinese+language website for the $ompany does not list an

"GS" radar as a produ$t! "$$ording to publi$ information, Pang is the founder and

prin$ipal sto$kholder )55 per$ent/ of the $ompany traded on the #hinese sto$k

e%$hange!

*ut in an apparent boost to I"I $laims of forgery, "9:s 55+page produ$t $atalogue

indi$ates the firm is willing to ;reerse engineer; a 6S+made inertial naigation system

that the 7akistani "ir &or$e is haing problems with! "9 would proide ;a detailed

solution,; a$$ording to $ompany marketing material!

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3he "9 $atalogue also lists a ;"9+S4* Small 4iameter *omb; that appears identi$al

to the *oeing *6+-< pre$ision+guided glide bomb, in$luding photograph and spe$s!

In 2010, the $ompany re$eied #hinese goernment approal to manufa$ture

euipment for the 7A", similar to IS ith its large si=e and aft+mounted high aspe$t ratio wings, it@s suspe$ted to hae a take

off weight oer 15 tons, whi$h would be larger than the lobal awk, Dust oer 1(!5 tons!

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S"# 4iine Gagle4iine Gagle at Shenyang released on the #hinese Internet in June

2015

3hough little else $an be $onfirmed, payload spe$s released in &ebruary of a similar

ariant appeared to suggest a ariety of sureillan$e and targeting $apabilities!

3he graphi$ identified at least 5 radars integrated into the airframe in$luding a 1.0

degree forward+looking M6& "3I "GS" radar, two 120 degree side+looking M6&

"3IS"R3I "GS" and two rear+looking M6& "3I "GS" $oering 152

degrees!

In other words, the drone@s radars proide -.0+degree $oerage, identifying targets

regardless of weather $onditions and stealth $hara$teristi$s!

"ssuming the spe$s are $orre$t, the 4iine Gagle would represent a serious step forward

for #hinese unmanned $apabilities potentially bolstering #hina@s "242 strategy!

It@s this type of platform that would not only e%tend the rea$h of the $ountry@s situation

awareness but also help $olle$t targeting information beyond the first island $hain!

Similarly in 201-, #hina began using 6"9s to wat$h oer the Gast #hina Sea with a

preiously renoated airfield!

ien #hina@s re$ent runway $onstru$tion in the disputed Spratleys, it@s possible this

drone may one day be deployed to wat$h oer a$tiity in the South #hina Sea!

ew 6S stealth bomber $an stay in #hinese airspa$e forone hour

>ith a $ombat radius between 2,000 and 2,500 nauti$al miles, the 6S "ir &or$e:s new

stealth bomber, known as the Aong+Range Strike *omber or *+-, is $apable of flying in

#hinese airspa$e for one hour, reports #hina "iation ews!

3he new bomber has been deeloped to rea$h targets lo$ated deep in the interior ofRussia and #hina, a$$ording to a &orbes arti$le by defense e%pert Aoren 3hompson! 3he

bomber must hae a single+fuel range of oer 5,000 nauti$al miles to a$$omplish su$h a

goal and needs to be able to fly around heay threat $on$entrations rather than in a

straight line to its intended targets!

3he 6S "ir &or$e plans to put the *+- into seri$e by 2025! 3he fis$al 201. budget

summary des$ribes the Aong+Range Strike *omber as ;nu$lear $apable; and ;optionally

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manned!; >hether or not these features will a$tually be aailable has yet to be seen,

a$$ording to the report!

>hile the 6S "ir &or$e said it does not want the $ost of the air$raft to be more than

6SN550 million, the pri$e is more likely to be 6SNE00 million, the report said!

In a potential war with the 7eople:s Aiberation "rmy, the Aong+Range Strike *omber

would be reuired to $arry out strategi$ atta$ks on #hina:s interior, as e%perts from the

#enter for Strategi$ and *udgetary "ssessments said ba$k in 2010! If $ondu$ting an air

strike oer western #hina, the bomber $ould be refueled oer the anges before entering

#hinese airspa$e!

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India

Indian "ir &or$e asks "A to halt produ$tion of

intermediate Det trainers3he Indian "ir &or$e )I"&/ has reportedly asked the state+owned industan

"eronauti$s )"A/ to halt work on its Intermediate Jet 3rainers )IJ3/ programme!

3he new deelopment follows the re$ent $rash of a "A+built awk adan$ed Det trainer

)"J3/!

3he &inan$ial G%press $itied an anonymous sour$e as saying? ;>hile an inuiry has

been ordered for the awk a$$ident, the "A is failing in its IJ3 R4 where the

timelines hae been reised at least thri$e if not more!

;3he $ompany has already taken $lose to Rs$.!-bn $rore )N

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i+1E9+5 )domesti$ designation i+839+5/ is a military transport ariant in thei+

81Efamily of heli$opters! It is produ$ed by a=an eli$opters, a subsidiary of Russian

eli$opters!

4esigned to transport $argo inside the $abin and on an e%ternal sling, the i+1E9+5 is

one of the world:s most adan$ed heli$opters! It $an also be deployed in troop and armstransport, fire support, $onoy es$ort, patrol, and sear$h+and+res$ue )S"R/ missions!

3he Indian inistry of 4efen$e )o4/ pla$ed an order for 12 i+1E95 heli$opters

during the "ero India show held in &ebruary 201-!

3he Indian o4 had awarded a N1!-bn $ontra$t to Russian eli$opters for 80

heli$opters in 4e$ember 2008! 4elieries to the Indian "ir &or$e )I"&/ began in 2011

and -. heli$opters were deliered by early 201-!

Rosoborone%port and the Indian o4 signed an agreement for a bat$h of i+1E9+5heli$opters in 4e$ember 2012! 3he new orders were part of the $ontra$t signed in 2008!

3he 6S 4epartment of 4efen$e pla$ed a $ontra$t with Rosoborone%port for the deliery

of .- i+1E9+5 heli$opters to the "fghan ational "rmy )""/, in 2011! a=an

eli$opters $ompleted the delieries to the "" in $tober 201(!

Russian eli$opters deliered a bat$h of i+839+5+1military transportheli$opters to

the Russian 4efen$e inistry in $tober 201(!

In June 2015, Russian eli$opters signed a $ontra$t with the *elarusian 4efen$e

inistry for the supply of 12 i+839+5 heli$opters! 3he delieries are s$heduled to

$on$lude in 201E!

Mi-17V-5 helicopter eatures

3he i+1E9+5 medium+lifter was designed based on the i+8 airframe! 3he heli$opter

retains the outstanding performan$e $hara$teristi$s of its prede$essors and $an fly in

tropi$al and maritime $limates,and desert $onditions!

3he large $abin of the heli$opter offers a floor area of 12!5m and an effe$tie spa$e of

2-mT! 3he standard portside door and ramp at rear allow for the ui$k ingress and

egress of troops and $argo! 3he heli$opter $an be fitted with an e%tended starboard

sliding door, rappelling and para$hute euipment, sear$hlight, &AIR system, and

emergen$y flotation system!

http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/mi8-17-hip/http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/mi8-17-hip/http://www.airforce-technology.com/features/featurethe-worlds-biggest-military-transport-aircraft-4180954/http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/mi8-17-hip/http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/mi8-17-hip/http://www.airforce-technology.com/features/featurethe-worlds-biggest-military-transport-aircraft-4180954/

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3he heli$opter has a ma%imum takeoff weight of 1-,000kg! It $an transport either -.

armed soldiers internally or (,500kg of load on a sling!

Coc!pit and avionics

3he glass $o$kpit of the i+1E9+5 is euipped with state+of+the+art aioni$s in$ludingfour multifun$tion displays )&4s/, night+ision euipment, an on+board weather

radar, and an autopilot system! 3he adan$ed $o$kpit redu$es pilots: workload!

3he $ustom+made Indian i+1E9+5 heli$opters integrate GI+8 aioni$s suite

in$luding naigation, information+displays and $ueing systems!

"he Mi-17V-5 weapon systems

3he heli$opter is armed with Shturm+9 missiles, S+8 ro$kets, a 2-mm ma$hine gun,

73 ma$hine guns and " sub+ma$hine guns! It features eight firing posts for aimingthe weapons!

3he onboard armament allows the $rew to engage enemy personnel, armoured ehi$les,

land+based targets, fortified fire posts, and other fi%ed and moing targets!

Surviva#ility in the Mi-17V-5

3he $o$kpit and ital $omponents of the heli$opter are prote$ted by armoured plates!

3he aft ma$hine gun position is also fitted with armoured plates to prote$t the gunner!

3he self+sealed fuel tanks are filled with foam polyurethane and are prote$ted against

e%plosions! 3he heli$opter in$orporates engine+e%haust infrared )IR/ suppressors, a

flares dispenser and a Dammer!

India s$raps multi+billion dollar tender for 12.$ombat air$raft

3he oernment of India has withdrawn a multi+billion dollar tender for 12. medium

multi+role $ombat air$raft )R#"/, a$$ording to Indian 4efen$e inister anohar

7arrikar!

3he de$ision to s$rap the N20bn tender $omes after the goernment de$ided to buy -.

Rafale multi+role $ombat air$raft from &ran$e:s 4assault "iation!

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7arrikar:s letter to the $ountry:s upper house read? ;3he reuest for proposal )R&7/

issued earlier for the pro$urement of 12. R#" has been withdrawn!

;In the multi+endor pro$urement $ase, the Rafale air$raft met all the performan$e

$hara$teristi$s stipulated in the R&7 during the ealuation $ondu$ted by the Indian "ir

&or$e!;

3he $ompetitors for the R#" tender, whi$h the goernment issued the R&7 in 200E,

were the manufa$tures of the &"+18 Super ornet and &+1. &al$on, ripen, Rafale,

i+-5 and Gurofighter 3yphoons!

4uring his isit to &ran$e in "pril, Indian 7rime inister arendra odi reuested

&ran$e to supply -. Rafale air$raft in fly+away $ondition!

Rafale is a twin+Det $ombat air$raft $apable of $arrying out a wide range of short and

long+range missions, in$luding ground and sea atta$ks, re$onnaissan$e, high+a$$ura$ystrikes and nu$lear strike deterren$e!

Panagarh air force station revamped

;7anagarh has be$ome a strategi$ asset and will be one of the premier air bases under

Gastern "ir $ommand! Aatest assets su$h as #+1-0J er$ules, state+of+the+art

te$hnology radar system and surfa$e to air missile system are planned for indu$tion at

this station,; a 4efen$e statement said!

3he refurbished runway will be $apable of operating all air$raft in the inentory of I"&!

"ailability of this airfield will also enhan$e the mobility of Indian "rmy:s ountain

Strike #orps, whi$h will also be stationed at 7anagarh in the near future, the statement

said!

"dditionally, this station will also proide laun$hing base for all humanitarian and

disaster relief missions!

3he air$raft operating surfa$e at 7anagarh was $onstru$ted from 1orld >ar by the 6S "llied for$es as part of #*I )#hina+*urma+India/

#ampaign!

4uring 1

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"ir arshal S * 4eo, "ir ffi$er #ommanding+in+#hief, Gastern "ir #ommand will

inaugurate the resurfa$ed runway on 3uesday, the statement said!

3he "#+in+# will also isit arious operational fa$ilities and lodger units of the station

and intera$t with air warriors at the airbase during his isit, it added!

IAF finalises Lucknow-Agra Expressway as India's

1st road runway

3he Indian "ir &or$e )I"&/ on 3hursday finalised a stret$h on the Au$know+"gra

G%pressway to build the $ountry@s first road runway for fighter Dets!

3he I"& has been in talks with the 6ttar 7radesh state goernment from ay, eer sin$eit was de$ided that the e%pressway was the ideal pla$e for a runway to $ome up where

$ombat Dets $ould take off or land in emergen$y situations! 3he Au$know+"gra

G%pressway is the longest greenfield e+way $oming up in India, and is e%pe$ted to $ost

Rs 1-,000 $rore!

3he I"& has asked the state to a$uire more land on the sides of the highway, in order to

install an air traffi$ $ontroller )"3#/, a ta%i+way and a parking area!

B>e will a$uire more land along the sides of the 5km road runway and we will write to

the ministry of defen$e to pay for it,C said aneet Saigal, the $hairman and $hief

e%e$utie offi$er of the e%pressway!

"ir i$e+marshal RaDesh Issar and suadron leader eshab had met Saigal on 3hursday

and finalised the stret$h!

3his parti$ular segment of the e+way was $onsidered ideal as there are no diiders,

flyoers or underpasses near it! It also won@t hae any ele$tri$ity poles, masts or mobile

phone towers near it! 3he I"& will bear the $ost for the proDe$t!

B3he designers from the I"& hae met with our engineers regarding the spe$ifi$ations

for this stret$h,C said Saigal! any $ountries in$luding #hina, 7akistan, Sweden,ermany and Singapore boast of road runways! 3hese runways gain spe$ial importan$e

during hostile situations, espe$ially if airbases are $rippled! In ay, the I"& landed two

irage 2000s in 67 L one in Saifai illage@s airstrip and one on the Pamuna

G%pressway!

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Indian $ir %orce ma!es irst staging visit to Saudi

$ra#ia

" flying $ontingent of the Indian "ir &or$e )I"&/ are on a maiden isit to the ingdom ofSaudi "rabia from "ugust 1+(!

Indian Gmbassy #harge d@"ffaires emant otalwar, while addressing a press

$onferen$e, $alled the isit signifi$ant, and yet another feature that is set to gie the

Indo+Saudi relations a boost!

B3he isit unders$ored the $lose defense ties between India and Saudi "rabia, whi$h

re$eied a fillip following #ustodian of the 3wo oly osues ing Salman@s isit to

ew 4elhi, when he was #rown 7rin$e in &ebruary 201(, to sign a *ilateral 4efense

#ooperation "greement,C he said!

otalwar thanked ing Salman and 4eputy #rown 7rin$e ohammad *in Salam,

minister of defense, for the support and $ooperation rendered during the isit!

3he $ontingent $onsisting of 110 I"& offi$ers and airmen onboard Sukhoi -0I fighter

air$raft, #+1E lobe asters, #+1-0 Super er$ules and IA+E8 air$raft while en route to

6nited ingdom for a multinational e%er$ise landed at ing &ahd airbase in 3aif!

3he inaugural staging isit that the I"& pilots $alled ery intera$tie and fruitful! 3hey

will be leaing for "thens prior to the 6 for the multinational e%er$ise!

Garlier, R"& #oningsby wel$omed the international isitors from the I"&, who had

traeled to the 6 to support G%er$ise Indradhanush I9, with a #1-0, #1E and ( I"&

S6-0I air$raft till the end of July!

3he aim of the e%er$ise, that began on July 21 and ended on July -1, was to enhan$e

mutual operational understanding between the two "ir &or$es and to proide ample

opportunity for e%$hange of ideas relating to $on$ept of operations in a dynami$ warfare

enironment!

3he fighter air$raft, a$$ording to a press release, were based at -)&/ Suadron andworked with 3yphoon fighter air$raft! -)&/ Suadron, one of the 3yphoon suadrons

based at R"& #oningsby, was the first perational 3yphoon Suadron!

3he S6-0I air$raft are part of o! 2 Suadron )>inged "rrows/ a unit dedi$ated to

$lose air support based at alaikunda "ir &or$e Station, an I"& *ase near haragpur!

3he suadron has as its emblem an arrow with spread wings, with the o! 2 atta$hed to

the shaft! n a s$roll below this $rest is ins$ribed ;"mogh Aakshya; )6nwaering "im/!

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3he R"& and I"& fighter pilots, who parti$ipated in G%er$ise Indradanush, said they

were full of admiration for ea$h other@s $apabilities and air$raft!

3he two+week e%er$ise proided a rare opportunity for R"& pilots to test themseles

against the fourth generation Russian built fighter! er the $ourse of two weeks the

$omple%ity of the training sorties in$reased, starting from 1 1 dogfight to sortiesinoling up to 20 fighters!

>ing #ommander #hris oon, the ffi$er #ommanding -)&/ Suadron, said? B&irst

impressions of the &lanker are ery positie! It is a superb airplane and it@s a priilege to

operate our 3yphoon alongside it!

B3he R"& and I"& both pride ourseles on operating some of the leading edge te$hni$al

euipment in the world! oweer, without the people to support that we are nothing so

that@s where our real strength lies!C

is iews were e$hoed by Suadron Aeader "i "rya, a Qualified >eapons Instru$tor

responsible for training pilots on the radar and weapons systems of the Su+-0! e said?

B*oth are fourth generation air$raft and so are mat$hed eenly, so the learning alue

$omes from the person to person $onta$t, it@s the man behind the ma$hine whi$h

matters! "ll fighter pilots speak the same language, that@s the $ommon thing we hae

and it@s ery $omfortable to learn from ea$h other!C

Speaking shortly after his first en$ounter with the thrust e$tor euipped Su+-0,

3yphoon pilot &light Aieutenant ike ighmoor had no doubt about the alues of the

bilateral e%er$ise? B3his is fantasti$! It@s the first time I@e flown against a &lanker this

morning and it@s fas$inating to see another air for$e do its thing in a different airplane!

&lying against an air$raft whi$h is eually $omparable to the 3yphoon isn@t something

we get to fight against on a regular basis in the 6! It@s ery e%$iting! It@s an in$redibly

impressie fighter but the 3yphoon is a good mat$h for it!C

pposing &lt At ighmoor on that first sortie was Suadron Aeader "mit ehani, who

trained with the R"& in the 6! e said? BIt@s going well! >e@re flying a lot of missions

that are proing our air $ombat missions! >e brief on the ground, we go up there, set up

the fights and thereafter it@s a free for all!

B3he 3yphoon is a good air$raft, a ery powerful air$raft! 3he R"& pilots here are reallyama=ing and flying with the 3yphoon we@re learning a lot of new lessons from the R"&,

whi$h we will take ba$k to India! f $ourse we@re also giing some good points to the

3yphoon pilots!C

n training sorties the fighters are being refueled in mid+air by tanker air$raft from

their respe$tie $ountries operating from R"& *ri=e orton! #+1-0J er$ules air$raft

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are undertaking Doint para$hute drops of R"& Regiment and I"& arud troops while

R"& and I"& #+1E $rews are also training together!

Will Rafale deal be yet another misstep for

Narendra Modi government like Vyapam &

Lalitgate?

"t "sia@s premier air show this year, "ero India, the ake in India lion was embla=oned

on eery banner! 7rime inister arendra odi told us that India must reerse her

reputation as the largest importer of defen$e euipment! e de$lared that B4efen$e is at

the heart of our ake in India programme!C

3he message was unmistakable? India would redu$e defen$e imports and e%pand

e%ports! It would drie lo$al publi$ and priate defen$e manufa$turing! &oreign defen$e

manufa$turers must begin to use India as part of their global supply $hain!

Just 50 days later, in "pril, a summersault! 7rime inister arendra odi, adorned in

his trademark suit+boot, pla$ed the largest defen$e order in the history of independent

India! In a Doint statement with &ren$h 7resident &ran$ois ollande at the Glysee

7ala$e, we learnt he had bought -. Rafale Dets in flyaway $ondition!

u$h noise and fury followed! G%perts uestioned the wisdom of this olte+fa$e! 3hey

lamented the te$hni$al and te$hnologi$al unsoundness of this deal!

I will not dwell on how this deal depried India of aluable transfer of te$hnology! or

will I repeat uestions e%perts hae asked on how fast these planes $an add to the

operational preparedness of the Indian "ir &or$e )I"&/, gien the fa$t that 4assault $an

only produ$e one su$h plane per month as of todayU

3he original multi+billion dollar tender to a$uire 12. edium ulti+Role #ombat

"ir$raft for the I"& would hae been one of the world@s largest defen$e orders! *y short+$ir$uiting the tender, r odi made some ery signifi$ant sa$rifi$es!

3he first sa$rifi$e is of his own ake in India $ampaign! r! odi has be$ome the new

aatar of the old Indian proerb that should now read? odi ke daant khane ke aur,

dikhane ke aur!

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Se$ond was the sa$rifi$e of his $ampaign promise of Dobs! 3his order is a bailout for

4assault! r! odi has su$$eeded in $reating new Dobs, in &ran$eU

3he third sa$rifi$e r odi has made is the body blow to India@s military defen$e

system? all its pro$esses and $he$ks and balan$es! 3he $on$ept of A1Kthe lowest bid in a

tenderKhas been relegated to the dustbin of history, doing away with a transparentbidding pro$ess! Gen the obDe$tions of the finan$e ministry and erstwhile *J7 finan$e

minister Pashwant Sinha hae been oerlooked!

In one fell swoop the I"&, the ministry of defen$e, the defen$e a$uisition $ommittee,

the offi$e of the defen$e minister )$onspi$uous by his absen$e in 7aris/ and een the

#abinet #ommittee on Se$urity hae been made irreleant! 4efen$e pro$urement is now

the sole prerogatie of the 7rime inister! 3he spe$tre of a super 7 looms larger

than life!

y uestions to the 7rime inister are? >hy was the deal done in su$h haste, brea$hingproto$ol, behind the ba$k of the entire defen$e establishmentV Is the goernment+to+

goernment nomen$lature a mere fig leaf to $oer a larger $onspira$yV >as the deal not

done to benefit $orporates that fun$tion with impunity under the new dispensationV

>here does the needle of suspi$ion pointV

In this age of transparen$y and a$$ountability, time has a horrible habit of reisiting

sudden, imprudent de$isions! July marked the arrial of burrey dinfor the odi Sarkar!

&rom a sitting $hief minister and foreign minister embroiled in the most sordid $ross+

border foreign e%$hange money laundering saga, to an edu$ation minister allegedly

lying under oath about her s$ant edu$ation, to yet another # presiding oer the

mysterious deaths of (0 people in the state@s most ulgar $orruption s$andal!

Indian Flankers Test ritish Typhoons on!"er#ise

Indian air for$e pilots )I"&/ flying their Su+-0I &lankers proided stiff opposition for

a 6 Royal "ir &or$e )R"&/ Gurofighter 3yphoon suadron during air $ombatmaneuering e%er$ises Dust ended in the 6! Senior offi$ers from both the I"& and

the R"& were unwilling to dis$uss details, butAINunderstands from informed sour$es

with knowledge of the e%er$ise that, in $lose $ombat, the thrust e$tor $ontrol )39#/ on

the heaier &lankers more than $ompensated for the greater thrust+to+weight ratio of

the 3yphoon! 3he I"& is likely to buy another -0or (0 Su+-0Is from the li$ensed

Indian produ$tion line, boosting its fleet to $lose to-00, espe$ially after last week@s

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formalwithdrawal by 4elhiof the R&7 for a edium ulti+Role #ombat "ir$raft

)R#"/!

&or G%er$ise Indradhanush I9, the I"& deployed four Su+-0Is from o 2 Suadron

based at 3e=pur to R"oningsby, assisted by mid+air refueling from an I"& Ilyushin Il+

E8 tanker! Aogisti$s support was proided by anI"& #+1E and a #+1-0J, and thesetransports also $arried a spe$ial for$es unit that e%er$ised with its R"&$ounterpart,

in$luding paradrops! 3hree preious e%er$ises in the series in$luded two isits

by R"& 3yphoons to India and an Su+-0I deployment to the 6 in 200E! oweer,

that e%er$ise was $onstrained by Indian se$urity rules that pre$luded the use of the

&lanker@s 011 passie ele$troni$ally+s$anned array )7GS"/ radar! 3here were no su$h

restri$tions this time, although the rules that were agreed by both air for$es for the

e%er$ise in$luded a $ommon ma%imum range for beyond+isual range )*9R/

engagements! 3he &lanker and the 3yphoon both $arry a long+range infrared sear$h and

tra$k )IRS3/ sensor that $an supplement or repla$e *9R dete$tion of opposing air$raft

by their respe$tie radars!

S$enarios for the two+week e%er$ise gradually in$reased in $omple%ity, ending with an

18+air$raft mission in whi$h the four &lankers Doined si% 3yphoons in a W*lue@ &or$e that

was tasked to es$ort two #+1-0Js )one Indian, on *ritish/ into a drop =one, opposed by

si% Dets of a WRed@ &or$e $omprising R"& awks and more 3yphoons! "lthough air+to+air

engagement was the main fo$us of the e%er$ise, the &lanker and 3yphoon pilots also

honed their air+to+ground skills! 3yphoons performed simulated drops of

7aeway II and I9 laser+guided bombs! "lthough the &lankers $an $arry a mu$h greater

range of ordnan$e, they simulated only Wgeneri$@ weapons+dropping while in the 6!

3he status and timetable is not entirely $lear for India:s plans to upgrade the Su+

-0Ifleet with an "GS" radar' new displays in$luding the 3hales 3opsight 4S'

and new weapons in$luding the Indian "stra *9R"" and theIndo+Russian *rahmos

$ruise missile! 3he ending of the R#" reuirement $ould theoreti$ally free up funds

for the upgrade, and the additional li$ensed produ$tion, although some obserers

beliee that more resour$es $ould be applied to the &ifth eneration &ighter "ir$raft

)&&"/ proDe$t with Russia, instead! eanwhile, 4assault "iation seems $onfident of a

firm $ontra$t from India for -. &ren$h+built Rafale fighters within a $ouple of months,

in lieu of the R#" deal! Gri$ 3rappier, #G, told Dournalists at the $ompany@s half+

yearly+results press $onferen$e last week that the $ompany was now $ommitting to an

in$reased Rafale produ$tion rate starting in 2018!

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2015-04-15/indian-rethink-leading-smaller-rafale-dealhttps://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2011-08-29/maks-2011-new-super-version-sukhoi-su-30mk-announcedhttps://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2011-08-29/maks-2011-new-super-version-sukhoi-su-30mk-announcedhttps://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2013-11-15/russo-indian-brahmos-co-op-be-extendedhttps://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2013-11-15/russo-indian-brahmos-co-op-be-extendedhttps://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2015-04-15/indian-rethink-leading-smaller-rafale-dealhttps://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2011-08-29/maks-2011-new-super-version-sukhoi-su-30mk-announcedhttps://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2011-08-29/maks-2011-new-super-version-sukhoi-su-30mk-announcedhttps://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2013-11-15/russo-indian-brahmos-co-op-be-extendedhttps://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2013-11-15/russo-indian-brahmos-co-op-be-extended

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$a%di rabia trying to make 'akistan (ealo%s?)** Indian ir For#e pilots +ith (ets land inTaif, get a +arm +el#ome

RIP"4 )>eb 4esk/ K " flying $ontingent of the Indian "ir &or$e )I"&/ are on a

maiden isit to Saudi "rabia from "ugust 1+(, reports "l "rabiya ews!

Indian Gmbassy #harge d@"ffaires emant otalwar, while addressing a press

$onferen$e, $alled the isit signifi$ant, and a step to boost Indo+Saudi relations!

B3he isit unders$ored the $lose defense ties between India and Saudi "rabia, whi$h

re$eied a fillip following #ustodian of the 3wo oly osues ing Salman@s isit to

ew 4elhi, when he was #rown 7rin$e in &ebruary 201(, to sign a *ilateral 4efense

#ooperation "greement,C he said!

otalwar thanked ing Salman and 4eputy #rown 7rin$e ohammad *in Salam,

minister of defense, for the support and $ooperation rendered during the isit!

3he $ontingent $onsisting of 110 I"& offi$ers and airmen on+board Sukhoi -0I

fighter air$raft, #+1E lobe asters, #+1-0 Super er$ules and IA+E8 air$raft while en

route to 6nited ingdom for a multinational e%er$ise landed at ing &ahd airbase in

3aif!

India -an#els .)/ -ombat 0et 'rogram

G> 4GAI L India has $an$eled its N12 billion program to pur$hase 12. medium

multirole $ombat air$raft!

"$$ording to a July -0 press release from the Indian inistry of 4efen$e, ;3he R&7

issued earlier for pro$urement of 12. edium ulti Role #ombat "ir$raft )R#"/

has been withdrawn! In this multi+endor pro$urement $ase, the Rafale air$raft met all

the performan$e $hara$teristi$s stipulated in the Reuest for 7roposal )R&7/ during the

ealuation $ondu$ted by Indian "ir &or$e!;

3he release added, ;3his information was gien by 4efen$e inister anohar 7arrikar

in a written reply to "hmed 7atel in the upper house of parliament on 3hursday, -0 July

2015!;

Indian offi$ials proided no reason for the $an$ellation!

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4assault "iation, prime $ontra$tor for the Rafale, was not immediately aailable for

$omment!

Separately, the Indian prime minister said in "pril there would be an off+the+shelf order

for -. Rafales! 4assault hopes the goernment+to+goernment negotiations will delier

a $ontra$t later this year! If ew 4elhi does seal the deal, that would be the third e%portwin for the twin+engine fighter Det, following Ggypt and Qatar earlier this year!

3he first reuest for information of the R#" was floated in 4e$ember 2005 and the

R&7 followed in "ugust 200E!

Rafale beat the Gurofighter 3yphoon only on the basis of lower $ost after they were the

only two bidders left in the field! 3he &+1., &+18, ripen and i+-5 were eliminated

from $ompetition after flight trials in "ugust 2011!

6nder terms of pur$hase, the first 18 air$raft would hae been deliered in fly+away$ondition while the remaining 108 would hae been manufa$tured under a te$hnology

transfer pro$ess! ut of the 108 air$raft to be li$ense+produ$ed in India, E( would hae

been single+seat and -( twin+seater air$raft! 3he deliery was to hae begun three years

after the $ontra$t was signed!

3eDas would meet our reuirements? Indian "ir &or$e $hief

SIAA? 7inning hope on India:s indigenous 3eDas light $ombat air$raft, the Indian"ir &or$e $hief, "ir #hief arshal "rup Raha, on 3hursday was optimisti$ that the Det,

deeloped by the 4efen$e Resear$h and 4eelopment rganisation )4R4/ would

would meet reuirements of the for$e!

;biously, the 3eDas is a ery good bet be$ause we need to go indigenous! It may not be

best in the world but obiously it will meet some of our reuirements,; Raha told

Dournalists after reiewing the se$urity s$enario in the northeast with $ommanders from

the Gastern "ir #ommand here!

;>e want them in large uantities and larger numbers so plan are afoot to improe itsuality is likely more and produ$e them in larger numbers some more to fill the oid

that the I"& has more or likely to hae it in the future as the lega$y fleets get

de$ommissioned and therefore, 3eDas will be one of our mainstay,; he said!

;3owards that I think ake in India or indigenous produ$tion is what the goernment

of the $ountry is taking of so there will be a lot of fast tra$king in this dire$tions to hae

ake in India proDe$ts to repla$e these air$raft will make sense,; he said!

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n the Rafale deal, Raha said all plans are in pla$e and a lot of a$tiity is on for new

a$uisitions to repla$e the ageing fleet of the Indian "ir &or$e!

;Gerybody knows about that there are issues with the lega$ies of some of the fleet and

they need to be repla$ed! biously they $annot $arry on for too long! So, all the plans

are in pla$e!!!for new a$uisitions to repla$e the older air$raft,; he said!

Stating that there were arious reasons the deal for 12. #R" )medium multi+role

$ombat air$raft/ $ould not fru$tify, Raha said the goernment had taken the de$ision to

a$uire -. Rafale Dets in flyaway $ondition after $ommitments were made at the highest

leel in &ran$e and India!

;I am ery hopeful that it will be through mu$h faster than the normal pro$ess,; he said!

oting that the Gastern "ir #ommand is a priority area, Raha admitted that in the past

few de$ades, the Indian "ir &or$e had been $on$entrating more on the western theatre!

;" lot of infrastru$ture and assets has $ome up in those areas and we are uite well off in

terms of our $apability! *ut the eastern part of the $ountry did not get as mu$h attention

it desered! 3herefore, we had some gaps in our $apability but all of you know there is a

lot of work )to be done/ in this regard to bring up our $apability,; he said!

1$ o2ers to (ointly make 3ghter (ets

+ith India

Talking about the new developments in bilateral military ties, the American Ambassador here,Richard Verma, noted that India faces a critical shortage of front-line fighter aircraft for keepingIndias air space safe !"ource# A$ photo%

3he 6S on &riday offered to produ$e fighter air$raft Dointly with India to promote

deeper military ties as it spoke about the Indian "ir &or$e fa$ing a B$riti$al shortageC of

front+line fighter Dets!

3alking about the new deelopments in bilateral military ties, the "meri$an "mbassadorhere, Ri$hard 9erma, noted that India fa$es a $riti$al shortage of front+line fighter

air$raft for keeping India@s air spa$e safe!

B4efen$e $ooperation $an help to $ounter this $hallenge and I see no reason why the 6S

and India $an@t produ$e fighter air$raft together,C he said at the bserer Resear$h

&oundation in ew 4elhi!

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#ountries like the 6, ermany, Sweden and &ran$e, too, are looking to Doin hands with

India to manufa$ture fighter air$raft as the $ountry fa$es a depletion of its air strength

due to modernisation delays!

Referring to 6S 4efen$e Se$retary "shton #arter@s isit to India in June, 9erma said

both $ountries had established a new air$raft $arrier working group to support India@sindigenous programme!

BI@m happy to report that the first meeting of that group took pla$e this week in the 6S,C

he said!

9erma stressed that 6S has $ommitted to deepening its maritime se$urity relations with

India and, in ar$h and again in "pril, the leaders of the 6S and Indian naies met and

dis$ussed how to improe maritime domain awareness!

Bow, we are into the planning stage of our 2015 alabar Doint naal e%er$ise! >e wantto $ontinue this e%er$ise to deepen our maritime se$urity relationship with India,C he

said!

Referring to the re$ent B$ross border terror atta$ks,C 9erma said the 6S $ondemns su$h

a$ts in Bthe strongest possible termsC and stands with the people of India and all free

people in fighting the $urse of terrorism!

B3here $an be no pla$e, no a$$ommodation and no Dustifi$ation for iolen$e on inno$ent

people! "s )6S/ 7resident )*ara$k/ bama said during his isit to ew 4elhi, the 6S

and India are united in this fight and the two $ountries will $ontinue our fo$us for a

better future,C 9erma said!

Rafale deal4 Fran#e says no to o2set, yes to

Make in India

3he &ren$h goernment has reDe$ted Indian negotiators@ demand for a 50 per $ent offset

$lause $iting sharp $ost es$alation but offered to parti$ipate in Wake in India@ proDe$ts

to $arry forward the talks for -. Rafale fighter Dets that hae hit turbulen$e!

4efen$e sour$es said India@s insisten$e on the offset $lause, tweaking of weaponary

te$hnology and plans to set up two bases for Rafale fighter Dets would lead to $ost

es$alation!

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ffset poli$y was first introdu$ed as part of the 4efen$e 7ro$urement 7ro$edure )477/,

2005, under whi$h a foreign $ompany has to inest ba$k a portion of the deal into India!

B3he 50 per $ent offset $lause was part of the original tender that was floated for 12.

fighter Dets! 3he &ren$h 7resident and Indian 7rime inister hae now de$ided to go in

for a dire$t pur$hase of -. Rafale Dets! So, how $an 50 per $ent offset $lause be askedwhen the &ren$h are offering the fighters at the same rate at whi$h its "ir &or$e is

buying,C defen$e sour$es said!

3hey added the &ren$h hae instead offered to undertake Wake in India@ initiaties!

B3he &ren$h $an look at the option for making &al$on business Dets in India or een the

Rafales for future besides other proDe$ts,C the sour$es said, adding the &ren$h

goernment has made it $lear that their $ompanies would like to be part of Wake in

India@ initiatie!

3he sour$es said the offset $lause will simply drie up the $ost of ea$h air$raft!

It is not Dust the offset $lause that the &ren$h are worried about! Indian "ir &or$e wants

to integrate a Israeli helmet mounted display with the Rafale fighter Dets besides

tweaking the weaponry te$hnology so that the air$raft $an fire a missile other than what

the Rafales $arry! 3he missile, sour$es said is of "meri$an make!

B3he $hanges asked for are not like $hanging tyres in $ars! It takes time, effort and

money, all of whi$h will again drie up the $ost,C the sour$es said!

"lso, India wants to set up two bases for the -. Rafale Dets! 3his means twi$e the

planned ma$hinery, testing fa$ilities besides others whi$h would again Da$k up the

pri$es, the sour$es said!

*oth Qatar and Ggypt, whi$h hae stru$k similar deals with the &ren$h goernment,

hae gone in for one base only!

B#an understand that India@s strategi$ needs might be different but generally two bases

are needed when one has more than Dust two suadrons of a parti$ular air$raft! Setting

up of two bases will also $ost more,C the sour$es said!

B3he ben$hmark for the pri$es are already there sin$e the deals with Ggypt and Qatarhae been stru$k! 3he pri$e of the air$raft to India $annot be less than what the other

two $ountries hae bought it for,C the sour$es said!

3hey added that no talks hae been held between the two sides in the re$ent past,

indi$ating a likely stalemate!

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7rime inisterarendra odihad during his isit to &ran$e announ$ed his de$ision to

buy -. Rafale fighter Dets $iting operational ne$essity of the I"&!

3he announ$ement had $ome as a boost for the modernisation plan of the I"& as the

original deal for 12. Rafale Dets through a tendering pro$ess was stu$k for years! India

has $onstituted a $ommittee headed by "ir arshal S*7 Sinha to hold negotiations withthe &ren$h!

&ran$e is offering the Rafale Dets at almost the same pri$e its "ir &or$e is buying it from

the original manufa$turer 4assault "iation!

The most advan#ed F5)6 ever IN $%per Viper

-o%ld 7et nother $hot +ith the Indian irFor#e

the 6nited States has e%tended an offer to India to Dointly produ$e a line of fighter Dets to

both enhan$e military ties as well as proide for India@s frontline fighter fleet shortage!

3his $omes right after the Indian goernment announ$ed that the R#" )edium

ulti+Role #ombat "ir$raft/ deal, originally signed with &ran$e@s 4assault "iation,

was, for all intents and purposes, oer!

*umps, missteps and poor $ommuni$ation $ontributed to the downfall of the $ontra$twhi$h would hae seen a set of Rafales built in &ran$e to Indian spe$ifi$ations, while the

remaining number of Dets to be pro$ured in the deal would be built under li$ense in

India!

So that means India will soon be ba$k on the market, looking for another multi+role

fighter to fulfill its needs for another fifteen to twenty years while it works on deeloping

its own indigenous stealth fighter program and makes the best of the mess that is the

Sukhoi"A &&", the Doint Russian+Indian deriatie of the 7" &"3+50 stealth

fighter prototype!

"mong the many offers tendered to India during the R#" $ompetition was one from

Ao$kheed artin, featuring a heaily+updated ersion of one of the most su$$essful

fighter air$raft in history+ the &+1. &ighting &al$on! 4esignated the &+1.I Super 9iper,

Ao$kheed artin went as far as to $all it Bthe most adan$ed &+1. eerC!

3he integration of fifth+generation te$hnology into the fourth+generation platform is

pretty mu$h what makes an already+potent fighter an een more potent air+to+air and

http://indianexpress.com/profile/politician/narendra-modi/http://indianexpress.com/profile/politician/narendra-modi/http://indianexpress.com/profile/politician/narendra-modi/

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air+to+ground killer! 6sing the *lo$k .0 $onfiguration as the base to work off of,

Ao$kheed artin added a number of upgrades to beef up the &ighting &al$on into the

Super 9iper!

3he most powerful upgrade $omes in the form of the ""7+80 "GS" )"$tie

Gle$troni$ally S$anned "rray/ radar system, whi$h is already in seri$e with the 6nited"rab Gmirates@ *lo$k .0 4esert &al$ons! 3he ""7+80 gies the pilot in$redible

situational awareness and the ability to target and tra$k in any weatheratmospheri$

$ondition with stunning pre$ision! "n infrared sear$h and tra$k )IRS3/ system, the

ability to integrate the Indian "ir &or$e@s perational 4ata Aink )whi$h allows for

interoperability with other Indian fighteratta$k">"#Ssupport units/, an onboard

ele$troni$ warfare suite from Raytheon, and an upgraded modular mission $omputer

add to the &+1.I@s si=able resume!

3he $o$kpit has been redeeloped to an e%tent, with three $olor high+definition &4s

)main flight displays/ feeding the pilot eerything he needs to know, as well as the abilityto integrate the Joint elmet ounted #ueing System )J#S/! "n updated eneral

Gle$tri$ &110+1-2" fun$tions as the sole powerplant, able to output oer -2,000 pounds

of thrust, and the Super 9iper also $arries $onformal fuel tanks )#&3s/ with a built+in

fuel probe, designed to mate with the basketdrogue refueling system used by Indian

aerial tankers, instead of the boomre$epta$le system $ommonly used by "meri$an &+

1.s!

In terms of produ$ing the fighters themseles, it wouldn@t be the first time the &+1. was

built outside the 6nited States! 3urkish "erospa$e Industries )3"I/ was responsible for

building oer -00 9ipers under li$ense for but the 3urkish "ir &or$e and the Ggyptian"ir &or$e from the late 1

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ew 4elhi? "dding a new dimension to its edu$ational profile, Jamia illia Islamia

)JI/, a #entral 6niersity by an "$t of 7arliament, signed a emorandum of

6nderstanding )o6/ with the esteemed Indian "ir &or$e )I"&/ to proide erti$al and

a$ademi$ mobility to its personnel and offi$ers!

3he o6 entered into by the two institutions re$ords mutual intent for a$ademi$$ollaboration between JI and I"& for a$ademi$ and te$hni$al adan$ement and

progression of I"& personnel and offi$ers!

3he I"& $ondu$ts ab+initioin+seri$e training programmes for its personnel at training

$entres a$ross the $ountry! 3he re$ognition of the in+seri$e training and $ourses

following $redit determination would make I"& personnel and offi$ers eligible for

admission in JI for arious a$ademi$ programmes! " Joint+Guialen$e #ommittee

would be inoled in $redit determination for all theoreti$al and pra$ti$al $omponents

of a$ademi$+$um+training programmes in the I"&! 3he admission to Jamia $ourses

would be through the #entre for 4istan$e and pen Aearning that will lead to award ofdegrees on fulfillment of statutory reuirements!

3he o6 was signed by 7rof! Shahid "shraf, Registrar, JI and "9 S!S! Sharma,

"ssistant #hief of "ir Staff )Gdu$ation/, I"&, "ir eaduarters in the presen$e of 7rof!

3alat "hmad, 9i$e+#han$ellor, JI, senior a$ademi$s and offi$ials from JI and I"&!

Glaborating on the need for su$h an agreement "9 S!S! Sharma obsered that it was a

histori$ moment for the I"& to enter into $ollaboration with JI whi$h has a

distinguished history with regard to nation building and burgeoning reputation as

institution of e%$ellen$e!

7rof! 3alat "hmad, 9i$e+#han$ellor, JI stated that it was a proud moment for the

uniersity to be asso$iated with I"& that offers selfless seri$e to the $ountry by

safeguarding its boundaries and proiding $riti$al support in the domain of defen$e! e

felt that both the institutions $ould work together to mutually benefit both I"&

personnel and Jamia students!

3ogether, they $ould also e%plore Doint $ollaboratie proDe$ts that would enable I"& to

share its e%pertise and te$hni$al know+how with Jamia students and re$ipro$ally benefit

from uniersity@s resour$es and $ompeten$ies for promotion of erti$al and a$ademi$

mobility of I"& personnel and offi$ers! 3hat was the least Jamia $ould offer to theIndian "ir &or$e that makes huge sa$rifi$es for the nation, he added! e e%pressed his

desire to support I"& in all possible ways for strengthening their a$ademi$ and training

programmes through uniersity generated knowledge and resear$h!

&ollowing the signing of the o6, the I"& presented a emento to 7rof! 3alat "hmad,

9i$e+#han$ellor, JI marking the beginning of a new relationship between the two

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institutions! 7rof! 3alat "hmad, 9i$e+#han$ellor, JI re$ipro$ated through e%$hange of

tokens of remembran$e! 3he I"& 3eam had a $ondu$ted $ampus+tour following inking

of the o6 that fa$ilitated their intera$tion with the fa$ulty and students!

&aale 'eal: %rance &e(ects India)s 'emand

3alks between &ran$e and India regarding the Rafale deal run into rough weather, with

the &ren$h goernment making it $lear that it will not be possible for 7aris to a$$ept

ew 4elhi@s demand for a 50X offset $lause!

4uring 7rime inister arendra odi@s isit to &ran$e in "pril, India had de$ided to

pur$hase -. Rafale Dets from 7aris in a flyaway $ondition, announ$ed a goernment+to+

goernment agreement and started the negotiation pro$ess to prepare the fine print of

the $ontra$t! ne of the $ontroersial points of the ongoing negotiations is the offset

$lause that reuires -0X indigenous $ontent in defen$e $ontra$ts $osting more than

6S4 (.,1(8,521!

3he Indian negotiators urged the &ren$h goernment to a$$ept the 50X offset $lause

that was a part of the original tender $alled by ew 4elhi for a$uiring 12. fighter Dets!

6nder the offset poli$y introdu$ed by India as part of its 4efen$e 7ro$urement

7ro$edure )477/ 2005, a foreign $ompany will hae to inest ba$k a $ertain portion of

the deal into the South "sian $ountry!

&ran$e has out+rightly reDe$ted India@s demand, saying that 7aris is ready to take part inWake in India@ proDe$ts K laun$hed by 7rime inister odi K and inest in the Indian

defen$e se$tor to $on$lude the deal for Dust -. Rafale fighter Dets! "lthough it@s still not

$lear whether India has a$$epted &ran$e@s $ounter proposal, sour$es $lose to the 4efen$e

inistry hae said that India may opt for a dire$t pur$hase of -. Rafale Dets!

eanwhile, a senior &ren$h offi$ial has stressed that the offset $lause will $ertainly drie

up the $ost of ea$h air$raft! "$$ording to him, 7aris is not at all worried about the offset

$lause, but about the Indian "ir &or$e@s )I"&/ plan to integrate an Israeli helmet

mounted display with the Rafale fighter Dets, apart from tweaking the weaponry

te$hnology, thus, allowing the air$raft to fire a 6S+made missile other than what theRafales $arry! B3he $hanges asked for are not like $hanging tyres in $ars! It takes time,

effort and money, all of whi$h will again drie up the $ost,C he told the media! 3he

offi$ial K who wished to remain anonymous K insisted that the I"&@s reuirement of

integrating indigenous weapon systems onboard the Rafale Dets reuires modifi$ations

on the original platform and it will add to the $ost!

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e e%plained that &ran$e, unlike the 6S, has no &oreign ilitary Sales )&S/ route! "s

there is also no proision for dis$harge of offsets in &ran$e, 7aris has no other option,

but to reDe$t India@s demand!

India)s MM&C$: Implications or &ussia

3he serial drama of the R#" tender' for pur$hase and li$ensed produ$tion of 12.

medium multi+role $ombat air$raft' rea$hed an intermediate Dun$tion!

4uring a isit in "pril 2015 to &ran$e by Indian 7rime inister arendra odi, an

announ$ement was made about the signing of an Wagreement in prin$iple@ on dire$t

pur$hase of -. fighter Dets by the Rafale #ompany whi$h, in 201-, was de$lared the

formal winner of the R#" 3ender!

Sin$e then, for oer two years, India and &ran$e $ontinued $ommer$ial negotiations to

finali=e the $ontra$t, but $ould not arrie at a mutually a$$eptable $ompromise to

implement the deal! 3he s$ale of the pur$hase announ$ed in "pril was signifi$antly

smaller than initially e%pe$ted, and, with this deal, produ$tion of air$raft in India is no

longer part of the agreement!

3here was un$ertainty for a while about the future plans of the Indian goernment and

its national "ir &or$e about the li$ensed produ$tion of Rafale fighter Dets! It was not

known whether this pur$hase of -. air$raft was a separate deal, implemented oer and

aboe the R#" 7rogram, or the pur$hase $onstituted Dust the first tran$he of theplanned pur$hase of 12. fighter Dets! If the latter was true, then how many planes would

be built under li$ense in IndiaV

Some weeks later, India@s 4efen$e inister anohar 7arrikar made a sensational

announ$ement' India was going to pur$hase -. air$raft from Rafale, and nothing more!

3he funds thus saed, whi$h should hae gone towards the pur$hase of li$ensed

produ$tion of Rafale air$raft, would now be dire$ted to the pur$hase of 200 3eDas light

fighter Dets that are produ$ed in India!

otwithstanding this announ$ement, in early "ugust, reports started $ir$ulating in theIndian press that the goernment was going to announ$e a new tender for the li$ensed

produ$tion in India of

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essen$e, this means the Indians hae gone ba$k to a different, higher uality and lower

uantitatie leel, at whi$h they initially began' the dire$t pur$hase from the &ren$h of

fourth+generation multi+role fighter Dets!

*pportunities or &ussia3he a$tual $an$ellation of the R#" 3ender, theoreti$ally improes Russia@s $han$es

in two ways! &irst, there is the opportunity to sell one more tran$he of Su+-0I fighter

Dets to India! 3he de$ision on the dire$t pur$hase of Rafale fighter Dets answers the

interests of the military, but it does not sole the issue of new orders for the industan

"eronauti$s Aimited )"A/ #orporation! *y early 2015, this $ompany had already

manufa$tured 150 li$ensed units, and the Indian air$raft manufa$turers still had orders

for seeral do=en Su+-0I! "t the present rate of produ$tion, in a $ouple of years, "A

will hae $ompleted this order, and then there will be no more work for the $ompany!

It is logi$al to assume that, in anti$ipation of the start of li$ensed produ$tion of the

Rafale, if a $ontra$t should still be signed or, whi$h is more likely, before the produ$tion

of the fifth+generation fighter &&" $an start, "A would hae to be gien work for

another two or three years! >hi$h means India will need to pur$hase rights to the

li$ensed produ$tion of slightly more than (0 Su+-0I! &rom a military standpoint,

this will $reate two more suadrons, and $oer the normal attrition of these air$raft

through a$$idents and disasters! It would be adisable to build the new te$hnologi$ally

moderni=ed ersion of the Su+-0, referred to as the Sukhoi Super!

Se$ond, and most important, a dire$t and immediate threat to the Doint Russian+Indian

fifth+generation fighter air$raft )&&"/ proDe$t has been remoed! 3he danger in theR#" 7rogram lay in the fa$t that the pur$hase and li$ensed produ$tion of the

obsoles$ent and e%tremely e%pensie &ren$h air$raft would hae depried India of

resour$es needed for funding the fifth+generation fighter Dets!

3he Rafale was like a ampire K being able to kill the &&", and thus rob India of

possible a$$ess to fifth+generation fighter Det te$hnologies! er the past two to three

years, the real $ompetition in the Indian military aiation market was between the

Rafale and &&"! "mong other things, it has be$ome $learly understood that the

$ampaign in the Indian press against &&" was initiated and finan$ed by the &ren$h!

ow the Indians hae found a $ompromise )whi$h satisfies neither the &ren$h nor theRussians, and this is the best indi$ator that this solution is best for India/, whi$h leaes

India with the opportunity to deelop in both dire$tions' to pur$hase the Rafale, while

not killing the &&"!

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MiG-21 fghter jet o Indian Air Force crashes in

Indian-controlled Kashmir

SRI""R, Indian+$ontrolled ashmir, "ug! 2( )Minhua/ ++ "n Indian "ir &or$e )I"&/

i+21 $rashed onday in Indian+$ontrolled ashmir, offi$ials said!

"$$ording to offi$ials, both the pilot and a $o+pilot on board managed to eDe$t safely

prior to the $rash!

3he i+21 fighter Det of I"& $rashed in a paddy field in illage Soibugh of *udgam

distri$t, about 1( km south of Srinagar $ity, the summer $apital of Indian+$ontrolled

ashmir!

;3oday a i+21 belonging to I"& has $rashed at Soibugh in a paddy field,; Indian

military spokesman #ol anish umar told Minhua! ;3here is no $asualty in thisa$$ident, neither on board nor on ground!;

3he $ause of the $rash was not immediately known!

"$$ording to umar, pilot and naigator inside the fighter Det managed to eDe$t safely

;well in time!;

Gyewitnesses said the pilot was proided first aid at the spot before being flown away in

a $hopper of I"& that rea$hed the spot following the $rash!

ffi$ials said the fighter air$raft had taken off from Srinagar airfield and was on a

;routine; sortie in the area!

&ollowing the $rash, lo$als, poli$e, res$ue teams and I"& offi$ials immediately rushed to

the spot to inspe$t the debris of the mangled air$raft!

Reports said that an inuiry has been ordered into the a$$ident to as$ertain the $ause!

Aast year, an I"& pilot was killed after i+21 he was flying $rashed in the region!

Reports said I"& has indu$ted oer

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Garlier this year, two Indian military troopers were killed after a heli$opter they were

flying in $rashed!

&rench defence minister to visit India ne't week, signing ofRafal deal may be on cards

New Delhi:&ren$h 4efen$e inister Jean+Pes Ae 4rian will isit India ne%t week

during whi$h a goernment+to+goernment framework agreement for the -. Rafale

fighter Dets is likely to be signed, whi$h will pae the way for inking of the final $ontra$t!

4efen$e sour$es said 4rian will arrie in ew 4elhi on 3uesday and is s$heduled to

meet the top leadership!

3he isit $omes amid a deadlo$k in the talks for the fighter Dets oer the issues of off+set,

tweaking of weaponry te$hnology among others!

3he sour$es said dis$ussions were held at the ;highest leel; on both sides to get oer

the roadblo$ks!

;ne of the parties had to relent! 3he &ren$h hae agreed to the Indian $onditions,; one

of the sour$es told 73I!

It is e%pe$ted that if all goes well, the $ontra$t for the -. Rafales will be inked soon,

whi$h will $ome as a huge relief to the Indian "ir &or$e whi$h has been eyeing the

air$raft for oer a de$ade!

India:s insisten$e on 50 per $ent off+set $lause, tweaking of weaponry te$hnology and

plans to set up two bases for Rafale fighter Dets were some of the issues whi$h had

$ropped up during the re$ent talks that began after 7rime inister4arendra

(odiannoun$ed the de$ision to a$uire -. Rafales Dets during his trip to &ran$e in

"pril!

3he announ$ement had $ome as a boost for the modernisation plan of I"& as the

original deal for 12. Rafale Dets through a tendering pro$ess was stu$k for years! India

has $onstituted a $ommittee headed by "ir arshal S*7 Sinha to hold negotiations with

&ran$e!

&ran$e was offering the Rafale Dets at almost the same pri$e its "ir &or$e is buying it

from the original manufa$turer 4assault "iation!

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Moscow confused as IAF puts fifth-generationfighter on back burner to buy Rafale

3he ongoing "S 2015 air show in os$ow features an impressie flying display bythe Sukhoi 3+50, the fifth+generation prototype fighter:s first publi$ outing in two years!

*ut een the rousing applause fails to mask the disappointment of Russian offi$ials at

the Indian "ir &or$e:s )I"&:s/ foot+dragging in $o+deeloping the 3+50 into a ;fifth

generation fighter air$raft; )&&"/ that the I"& will buy!

>ell+informed sour$es in os$ow say the I"& i$e $hief has written a letter that

effe$tiely blo$ks the &&" proDe$t! It $riti$ises 2E different aspe$ts of the &&", raising

uestions that must be answered before ew 4elhi and os$ow put N2!5 billion ea$h

into Dointly deeloping the adan$ed fighter!

*usiness Standard also learns the I"& has etoed a Russian offer to $o+deelop a fifth+

generation engine for the &&"! 3his is baffling to the Russians, gien the 4efen$e R4

rganisation )4R4/ long+standing attempts at Doint engine deelopment in order to

end India:s e%pensie dependen$y on foreign endors for aero engines! "n internal

4R4 estimation re$kons that India will import aero engines worth Rs -,50,000 $rore

oer the ne%t de$ade!

"fter the 4R4 failed to deelop the aeri engine to the leel where it $ould power the

indigenous 3eDas Aight #ombat "ir$raft )A#"/, it stried to persuade &ren$h engine+

maker, Sne$ma, to $o+deelop an engine! *ut Sne$ma de$lined to share keyte$hnologies, espe$ially those relating to materials that $an withstand the hellish

temperatures $reated in the engine:s $ombustion $hamber!

or has >ashington agreed to share these te$hnologies, een after 7resident *ara$k

bama agreed during his January isit to ew 4elhi that a ;Doint working group; would

e%plore 6S+India $ooperation in engine te$hnology!

4R4 and industan "eronauti$s Atd )"A/ offi$ials say the Russian offer of engine

$o+deelopment fits well with the &&" proDe$t itself, sin$e the engine will power the

same fighter! #urrently, the Sukhoi 3+50 is powered by the 7 Saturn "A+(1&1, whi$h

only is a souped+up ersion of the "A+-1&7 engine that powers the Sukhoi+-0I! "

brand new, more powerful, engine is needed to let the &&" super$ruise, or fly at

supersoni$ speeds while $ruising without an afterburner! 3his is $onsidered essential for

a fifth+generation fighter!

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ilitary aerospa$e e%perts worldwide beliee that, gien os$ow:s e$onomi$ distress,

the 3+50 proDe$t badly needs India:s finan$ial partnership to moe forward! So far, the

Russian "ir &or$e has ordered only one suadron of 3+50s!

Sergey #heme=o, who heads Roste$, the powerful Russian high+te$hnology agen$y,

downplays India:s delay! ;"s for the inolement with India, there is a $ertain delay,though this is not something that we )Russia/ $an be responsible for! n our end we $an

fully $ontinue the deelopment of the proDe$t as per our $ommitments,; #heme=o told

*usiness Standard!

*ut een the defen$e ministry is uestioning why the I"& is delaying a proDe$t it has

earlier $hampioned, and to whi$h India has $ommitted itself with an Indo+Russian

inter+goernmental agreement )I"/ and the e%penditure of about N-00 million in a

;preliminary design phase;! #riti$s of the I"& allege it is s$uttling the long+term benefits

of $o+deeloping the &&" in order to ui$kly buy the Rafale, preferably in numbers

larger than the -. fighters that the prime minister reuested in 7aris in "pril! " defen$eministry offi$ial says that, in its eagerness to obtain the Rafale, the I"& has deliberately

pla$ed holds on eery other air$raft pro$urement, in$luding the &&", the 3eDas and the

plan to e%tend the Jaguar:s seri$e life by fitting it with a new engine!

"$$ording to this offi$ial, the I"& aims to $reate the impression of a dangerous shortage

of fighters, so that the goernment buys the Rafale ui$kly! In another olte+fa$e, the

I"& has proposed that the &&" not be $o+deeloped but limited numbers of the 3+50

fighter be built in India!

If implemented, this would take India ba$k to the 1

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3he design and deelopment needed for meeting the I"&:s reuirements would

$onstitute India:s work share of 25+-0 per $ent! If the I"& now demands the same

fighter as the Russian "ir &or$e, "A:s work share would fall to =ero! "nd the I"& would

get a fighter designed for the Russian "ir &or$e!

+arendra Modi in the ,mirates: Bridging India)s ul

arendra odi@s isit to the 6"G was the first by an Indian prime minister to that

$ountry in -0 years! 3he isit was uintessentially odi+like? a warm embra$e of "bu

4habi@s $rown+prin$e, ohammed bin Hayed al+ahyan, a pit$h for trade and

inestment and for his flagship Bake in IndiaC initiatie, and a spee$h in the midst of

4ubai@s large and ibrant Indian $ommunity that bore resemblan$e to his address at

adison Suare arden in ew Pork last year!

any of the themes distilled from the India+6"G5oint state*entare arti$ulations of a

gradual, yet isible, transformation in India@s relationship with the 6"G, and more

broadly, with the ulf "rab states! #hief among these themes are energy se$urity,

human se$urity, $ounterterrorism and defense!

India@s histori$al dependen$e on $rude oil imports and its growing e$onomy makes

energy a key $omponent of its engagement with the ulf! India today i*portsE0 per$ent

of its $rude oil from the ulf and 85 per$ent of its natural gas from Qatar alone! *y

2020, India ispro5ectedto a$$ount for 5 per$ent of global oil demand' between 2020+

20-5, India will represent the largest share of in$remental global oil demand! "sustained and assured energy supply from the ulf region, whi$h is often beset with

instability, is therefore $ru$ial to India@s sustained growth!

uman se$urity is another area of $on$ern for India! 3hat the ulf is home to ast

numbers of Indians L almost 8 million L is well known! oweer, the ulf is also home

to a ery si=able number of undo$umented immigrants from India, although

authoritatie figures are not aailable! In a 200E interiew, then+erseas Indian "ffairs

inister 9ayalar Rai esti*atedthat India potentially adds as many as half a million

undo$umented persons to the ulf@s workfor$e ea$h year! >orryingly, many of these

undo$umented workers use the 6"G and Saudi "rabia as transit points to find

employment in $ountries that they might otherwise not be $leared to emigrate to by the

Indian goernment!

7eriods of instability in the ulf hae for$ed India to e%pend $onsiderable resour$es to

ea$uate its $iti=ens from the region? 200,000 from uwait and Ira during the ulf

>ar, about 25,000 during the "rab Spring, and about 5,000 dringSaudi "rabia@s

military $ampaign in Pemen last year!

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=126127http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=126127https://www.iea.org/media/freepublications/security/EnergySupplySecurity2014_India.pdfhttps://www.iea.org/media/freepublications/security/EnergySupplySecurity2014_India.pdfhttps://www.iea.org/media/freepublications/security/EnergySupplySecurity2014_India.pdfhttps://www.iea.org/media/freepublications/security/EnergySupplySecurity2014_India.pdfhttp://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/-condition-of-indian-workers-in-gulf-pitiable-107111801027_1.htmlhttp://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/-condition-of-indian-workers-in-gulf-pitiable-107111801027_1.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/11/world/asia/india-concludes-evacuation-of-its-citizens-from-yemen.html?nytmobile=0http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/11/world/asia/india-concludes-evacuation-of-its-citizens-from-yemen.html?nytmobile=0http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=126127https://www.iea.org/media/freepublications/security/EnergySupplySecurity2014_India.pdfhttps://www.iea.org/media/freepublications/security/EnergySupplySecurity2014_India.pdfhttp://www.business-standard.com/article/opinion/-condition-of-indian-workers-in-gulf-pitiable-107111801027_1.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/11/world/asia/india-concludes-evacuation-of-its-citizens-from-yemen.html?nytmobile=0

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any of India@s legal workers in the ulf are i$tims ofnscrplos practices, in$luding

the $onfis$ation of passports, non+payment of wages and being for$ed to wor