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ACCESS: Up Close With India's EMB-145i AEW&C
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"We wanted our user to get the best. We had to be customer-driven from the word go," says Dr. K. Rajalakshmi, project director of the DRDO's AEW&C project, which, as Livefist reported last week, gets operational this year.
Categorised as a sensitive project given the classified nature of the sensors, electronics and systems on board, Livefist was given rare up-close access to the EMB-145i after it flew a test sortie at Aero India today, and a chance to interview the highly motivated team driving the project to delivery.
The good news is there's a lot of it. Right after Livefist was given an official tour of the aircraft, the team met with an Indonesian military delegation that has already expressed deep interest in acquiring the comparatively cost-effective Indo-Brazilian platform. Fresh interest has also been shown by Israel and Brazil.

To the global market, DRDO and the MoD offer the EMB-145i in three possible categories: (a) A total solution, available as is (with modified tactical systems according to user needs), (b) As a sensor package adaptable on user-identified platforms, and (c) as a modified version of the EMB-145i that involves a co-development/component model.
"The government is very keen to see this platform exported. They have assured us full backing to get customers," says Dr Rajalakshmi.

The Indian Air Force will take delivery of two EMB-145i jets this year, completing its order. The third Embraer airframe, expected to arrive from Brazil this year, will be retained by the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) for research on upgrades and as a first unit for export. Indications are that Indonesia could be first in line for the jet.
"The big advantage is cost-effectiveness," says Dr Rajalakshmi. "No comparable system has all of the features that the EMB-145i has, and it's the only aircraft in its class with an in-flight refuelling capability."

Associate Director Suma Varghese, who spearheads the Active Electronically Scanned radar says the IAF's involvement in the programme from the start allowed the team to course correct in real time, and being able to deliver a platform that the IAF is fully satisfied with. That satisfaction, gauged for now by the eight member embedded team headed by Air Commodore PL Vithalkar, will be put to the test during user trials commencing soon. The IAF team at CABS is 60-70 strong, and includes designers.
"The sensors and systems are fully Indian, and this is a big advantage for the end user. We want the IAF to get the best," says Dr M. Easwaran, Associate Director at CABS, and designated project director on the proposed AWACS programme.

All photographs in this post taken and used with permission from DRDO and CABS. More photographs from Livefist's tour of the jet:
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aksha

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Indian Navy Announces Big Shipborne UAV Contest

It's a programme the Indian Navy wants quick movement on, exasperated in many ways by how no single effort over years to give its ships a tactical deck-launched/recovered unmanned surveillance capability have delivered a result. The navy now has a stated requirement of at least 50 such UAS. And the field is open -- the navy doesn't say what kind of launch of recovery it is looking for, leaving all such details to interested contenders.

Boeing firm Insitu, which has had preliminary conversations about theScanEaglewith India for a few years now, continues with the pitch. Insitu's business development manager for Asia-Pacific, Kevil Giles made the following presentation at a round-table that Livefist was invited to, information presumably shared with the Indian Navy over the months as well (post continues after the PDF):

A prospective competition could include the Airbus Tanan and Textron Aerosonde as well. The Indian Navy tested the Schiebel S-100 Camcopter from the deck of patrol vessel INS Sujata in 2007, though the effort didn't yield an acquisition.

According to the Indian Navy's request for information from global vendors, it needs the new UAVs for "Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), sea-lanes of communication monitoring and coastal/ EEZ surveillance, anti-¬piracy and anti¬terrorism, assistance in search and rescue and assistance in maritime domain awareness."
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aksha

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Aero India 2015: Sukhois are the best, say display pilots

The ground crew was readying a mighty
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(Su-30 MKI) at the northern side of the runway at AFS Yelahanka whenOneIndiawas invited for an interaction with the display team.

"We have an early slot during post-lunch display," said Flight Lieutenant Navjot Singh. Along with him are Wing Commander A N Karulkar (Commanding Officer), Wing Commander C U V Rao and Flight Lieutenant Prashant Sharma.

The Sukhois have been topping the showstoppers' list during every air shows and this time to it was no different.

The loop, tumble, yaw, tail slide, minimum radius turns, rolls, high and low speed runs are some of the sky stunts being executed by the Sukhoi flying display team.

"My favourite combination is the one which has the loop, tumble and yaw together. You have to make quick turns on the aircraft," says Navjot. However, for Prashant the yaw is the favorite number.

"The Sukhoi is the only fighter in the world which is capable of doing the yaw," he added.

When asked whether as a pilot he is aware of the responses being made by the people watching the displays, Navjot said: "Not even once. We are focused on the job and have no clue what the people are doing. Our job is to fly safe," Navjot said.

He says most of the manoeuvres are also used in operations. "It's all part of our training pattern," he added.

At Aero India, the Sukhois are allotted two slots (10 minute in each in the morning and evening).

"This is the first time I am performing at Aero India and I am really happy to have come to Bangalore. I love the weather and even the Air Force Station has inspired me. Sukhois ate the best -- my all-time favourite. It was my dream to be in a Sukhoi squadron and I am happy I achieved it," Navjot added.
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TerraN_EmpirE

TerraN_EmpirE

Tyrant King
AERO INDIA: Airbus sole bidder for Indian AWACS project
By:
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BANGALORE
Source:
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13:11 19 Feb 2015
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Defence & Space appears to have emerged as the sole bidder for a global tender put out by
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's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for an "AWACS India" programme. The tender – for six
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early warning and control (AEW&C) system aircraft – was issued in March 2014.

Airbus submitted its proposal last October, an Airbus official confirms. Other sources indicate that the European company is the lone party to have responded to a request for proposals linked to the project.

Commercial bids have yet to be opened for the requirement, which is for an initial batch of two aircraft, followed by four more. Options to increase this fleet size to 10 could be exercised at a later stage.

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Flightglobal

On display on the DRDO stand at the Aero India show in
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on 18 February was a model of an
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fitted with a radome. Officials at the display did not provide any further information about the programme.

Airbus would have to integrate the mission systems on the aircraft and gain certification that it is safe to fly with the radome. The airframer says it has been busy replying to Indian queries on technical aspects of the programme. “It is not an easy programme, and we have to do it with fully civilian certification, as requested by DRDO,” the company source says.

If a contract is signed for the
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as the platform for the Indian AWACS effort, it will be the first instance of the type being used in the AEW&C role. Airbus Defence & Space has also been involved in jointly reviewing New Delhi's indigenously developed AEW&C system with India's Centre for Airborne Systems, with the first
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EMB-145-based example likely to secure initial operational clearance later this year.

Meanwhile, Airbus is waiting for a decision on India's planned contract for its A330 multirole tanker transport, having agreed to further extend the validity of its bid until 1 July. New Delhi runs the risk of encountering a cost escalation if further delays are encountered beyond this date.

It has been more than three years since the A330 was first chosen to meet the Indian air force's tanker requirements, with a planned acquisition of six of the type.
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might be intersting to see if AB can follow through on this
 
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