PHOTOS: Su-30MKI Over Kolkata For The First Time

Dhanush Splash!

India's DHANUSH Missile (Naval variant of PRITHVI) was successfully launched from INS Subhadra patrol vessel off Orissa Coast at 1135 hrs today. DRDO has announced that the 350-km range test met all parameters successfully. More tests follow.

Planespotting: Super Herc Off Cenang Beach

Took this photo from Cenang Beach, Langkawi. Closing day of LIMA 2009.

Inadvertent Collision With Lima 2009!

An inadvertent collision with the LIMA 2009 aerospace and naval show in Langkawi, Malaysia. Caught this MiG-29N of the Malaysian Air Force doing some low-passes as me and my wife were heading to the Cenang beach. The second photo is me para-sailing off the Cenang beach, and lit up there below me is a Thai Navy frigate. Back in India soon.

Top Gun Willard Back In Delhi

Admiral Robert F. Willard, Chief of the US PACOM, but better known as the villain MiG-28 (a black Northrop F-5 in reality) pilot in the film Top Gun is in Delhi on another official visit. I met and spoke to him last year. Great guy.

Week After Flight, President Wants To Know Why Su-30MKIs Are Crashing

President of India Pratibha Patil has expressed concern and asked to be supplied with more information on the grounding of the Indian Air Force's Sukhoi fleet, just days after she became the first ever woman to fly in a Su-30MKI fighter. Sources tell LiveFist that Air HQ is currently preparing a comprehensive docket with information on the November 30 accident involving a Sukhoi-30MKI, in which both pilots survived, plus information on the procedures used by the IAF which necessitates such temporary no-flying periods to eliminate immediate problem areas that may have flight safety implications across the fleet.

Just to stir up the irony a little more, here's what the folks at Irkutsk had to say in a trumpeting little statement (nevermind the English) on the day that the President went up in the MKI: "In India, this plane has become a symbol of national pride. It takes part in all military parades and aviation exhibitions held in the country, successfully represents the national air forces on the international military games. Its image is placed on the anniversary coin which has been let out to the 75th anniversary of the air forces of India."

Indian Navy's New Fleet Replenishment Vessel

The first of two Italian-built fleet replenishment vessels of a new class will be commissioned into the Indian Navy by July next year. The second vessel will follow in the latter half of 2011.

Mahindras, BAE Formalise JV, To Build Mil Vehicles, Howitzers In Faridabad

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and BAE Systems have signed an agreement to create a land systems focused, joint venture defence company, based in India. Approved by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board of the Government of India (GoI) earlier this year, the parent companies' initial investment will be US$21.25 million. The company’s equity split will be 74% Mahindra and 26% BAE Systems, in accordance with the current defence sector Foreign Direct Investment regulations of the GoI.

The joint venture company, whose name is currently going through the official certification process, will be headquartered in New Delhi with manufacturing at a purpose built facility nearby in Faridabad. Initially there will be about 100 employees and existing projects include the Axe high mobility vehicle as well as up-armoured and bulletproof Scorpios, Boleros, Rakshak, Rapid Intervention Vehicles and the Marksman light armoured vehicle.

In anticipation of the new company, the two shareholders have been progressing a major new project to develop a mine protected vehicle specifically designed to meet the needs of the Indian armed and paramilitary forces. The companies have worked in partnership to produce a prototype vehicle using the mine defeating technologies of the BAE Systems South Africa RG series of vehicles and Mahindra's knowledge of Indian requirements and conditions. This development process has resulted in a brand new mine protected vehicle currently named MPVI (Mine Protected Vehicle India). A prototype MPVI has been produced and will eventually be manufactured at the JV facility in Faridabad using indigenously produced materials.

It is also intended that the JV company will be involved in a number of future artillery programmes including the M777 light weight howitzer and the FH77B 155mm howitzer. It is envisaged that the JV will become a centre of excellence for Indian artillery programmes.

Excerpted from BAE/MDS Joint Press Statement

PHOTOS: Tejas PV5 Two-Seat Trainer Maiden Flight

What a treat to land at an obscure airport and see these in your inbox. Posting them late, but what the hell! Here's the ADA press statement from the day of the flight:

Two seater (Trainer) version of Tejas (PV-5) made its maiden flight on 26 Nov 09. The flight took off from HAL,Airport at 1300 hrs. The successful maiden flight covered an altitude of 9km and Mach number 0.85. The prototype was flown by Gp Capt Ritu Raj Tyagi of the National Flight Test Centre (NFTC). Air Cmde Rohit Varma, Project Director (Flight Test) flew in the rear cockpit. Wg Cdr (Retd) PK Raveendran, Group Director (Flight Test) was the Test Director. Extensive preparatory work that has gone in resulted in the first flight profile being executed with clock work precision. All the objectives set out for the flight were achieved and all the systems on board the new prototype performed well through out the sortie.

Successful flight of Tejas trainer is a major milestone for Tejas programme and a significant achievement for all the stake holders in the programme, which include ADA, HAL, NAL, ADE, CEMILAC, DGAQA, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy. With the Tejas scheduled to be cleared for Initial Operations with the Indian Air Force by end 2010, successful maiden flight of Tejas trainer has given a fillip to the programme. The trainer when fully developed will have the full operational capability from the rear cockpit as well. As Tejas Trainer has a lot of commonality with Tejas Naval version, even Tejas Navy programme would see accelerated progress as a result of the successful first flight.

As the first flight coincided with the programme review by the Air Force, the historic event was witnessed by Air Mshl NV Tyagi, AVSM, VM, VSM, who was the Chairman of the Review Committee along with Mr Ashok Nayak, Chairman, HAL, Chief Controller, DRDO Dr D Banerjee and Mr PS Subramanyam, Programme Director (Combat Aircraft) & Director, ADA.