Manoj Ambat's Blog dealing with Defence, Foreign Affairs, Strategic Affairs and Politics

Su-30 MKI in action ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / Author- Ramkrsna) Source- Russia & India Report Author- Rakesh Krishnan Simha) The Sukhoi Flanker has yet again emerged as the unchallenged wolf of the skies. During the 10-day Indradhanush exercise held in July in Lincolnshire, UK, Indian Air Force pilots flying the Su-30MKI humiliated the top aces of the RAF, blanking their latest Eurofighter Typhoon jets 12-0. The IAF Sukhois were reportedly able to defeat the Typhoons not only in one-on-one combat, but also in situations where one IAF pilot was pitted against two Typhoons. Besides clobbering the RAF during within visual range (WVR) dogfights, the Sukhois also held an edge over the British jets in beyond visual range (BVR) combat though not in as dominating a manner. пустым не оставлять!! Sukhois fly in to save the day but for how long? Aviation International News learns from informed sources with knowledge of the exercise that “in close combat, t

Dessault Rafale ( Source- Wikimedia Commons / Credits- Capt. Jaison Smith) Source- The Diplomat Author- Ankit Panda As my colleague Franz-Stefan Gady reported earlier, India’s request-for-proposal (RFP) for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft has been, as was expected, formally withdrawn. Following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement in Paris earlier this year that New Delhi would opt to purchase 36 Dassault Rafale fighters off-the-shelf, it was only a matter of time before we received confirmation from the Indian Defense Ministry of the MMRCA’s demise. The government-to-government deal left little hope that long-standing disastrous negotiation process between France’s Dassault Aviation and the Indian defense ministry would go on. As I commented at the time, the “mother of all defense deals,” as India’s MMRCA tender was known, was effectively dead. What’s interesting at this juncture is what New Delhi plans to do to meet the Indian Air Force’s outsta

IAF Sukhoi SU-30 MKI ( Source- Wikimedia Commons / Credits- United States Air Force) Source- Russia & India Report Author- Rakesh Krishnan Simha India seems to have accepted the adage that you fight with the best weapons you have, not with the weapons you want. The Indian Air Force will stand down three squadrons of the MiG-21 and MiG-27 jets at the end of their life cycle. Replacing these ageing warhorses will be the Su-30 air dominance fighter. Inducting more Su-30 Flankers to fill in for retiring aircraft is a sensible move – at least for now. Forced to live within budgets, the IAF cannot splurge on flying white elephants like the Rafale, however appealing they may be. The French aircraft is expected to cost in the region of $200 million per aircraft whereas replacement Sukhois made locally at Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) cost around $75 million each. Each Made in India Sukhoi is worth a handful of imported aircraft. As well as the cost benefit aspect, t

Dassault Rafale ( Image source- Wikimedia Commons / Author- United States Air Force by Capt Jason Smith)  Source- The Diplomat Author- Ankit Panda With Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s big announcement in Paris that New Delhi would purchase 36 Dassault Rafale multi-role fighters off-the-shelf (prêt-à-porter, if you will) in a government-to-government deal, the future of the $20 billion tender for India’s medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) that was being negotiated between France’s Dassault Aviation and the Indian government fell into limbo. That ambiguity was resolved on Monday, three days after Modi’s announcement, when Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar clarified that the $20 billion tender would not move forward. Just like that, the “mother of all defense deals,” as India’s MMRCA project was known, was dead. Though Parrikar avoided shutting the door on the project entirely, he emphasized that the Indian government would not move forward with thos

Image credits- Indian Army Source- The Eurasia Review/ South Asia Monitor Author- Sudip Talukdar China, emerging as one of the most powerful global players in recent years, is pursuing its geostrategic interests with enormous military and economic might. Being in the immediate vicinity, India has to bear the brunt of its muscle-flexing over incursions and territorial claims, which occurs with a vexing regularity, besides erection of temporary structures on our soil. China watchers, strategic experts and peaceniks have usually been counselling India to keep a low profile for fear of antagonizing the mighty neighbour. The common refrain is that India is no match militarily and would be worsted in any conflict, often against the backdrop of the humiliating defeat in 1962, almost 52 years to the day. But could one ignore ground realities in assessing potential threats and eventualities. It may be true that well trained and heavily armed People’s Liberation Army

SU- 30 MKI ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ Author- Pritishp333 Sources- Forces India Author- Atul Chandra The Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2024 will have finally arrested the continued decline in its combat aircraft strength and attain a combat fighter aircraft fleet of 42 squadrons. For the first time, its fighter fleet will consist almost exclusively of twin engine fighters in the Rafale, Sukhoi-HAL Prospective Multirole Fighter (PMF), SU-30 MKI (upgraded), MiG-29 UPG and Jaguar strike fighter with the exception of upgraded Mirage 2000s, Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and few numbers of the MiG-21 ‘Bison’. It would have to cater for retirement from service of its entire MiG-27 fleet (an estimated 80 aircraft) and MiG-21 fleet (approximately 150 aircraft), starting a few years from now.  The IAF currently operates nine squadrons of the venerable MiG-21, including six squadrons of upgraded MiG-21 Bisons. By 2024, however, the indigenous Tejas Mk II production l

Kargil War Memorial ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ Mail to Arunjith) As India celebrates the victory over Pakistan in the heights of Kargil today as the Victory day, it is also the time to honour those who have laid down their lives defending our mother land.  It is time we paid our respects to those who had laid down their lives in the service of the nation, who sacrificed their live to protect our freedom. It is time we pay back the dues that we owe these great souls. We should take good care of our soldiers because it is due to them we enjoy our freedom.It is also time for us to think of those families who have lost their son, father, husband or brother who was their only bread winner and who laid down their lives in the service of our motherland. It is time the government took steps for the welfare of such families. Time will forgive us if we do not look after our brave brothers and sisters in uniform and also take care of their families long after they are gone.  Le

Boeing AH-64 Apache ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons/ United States DOD)   India is now close to inking major deals worth over $2.5 billion for two iconic American helicopters, the Apache attack and Chinook heavy-lift choppers, which thrashed their Russian rivals both technically and commercially earlier.   Defence ministry sources on Monday said the around $1.4 billion deal for 22 AH-64D Apache Longbow gunships, armed with deadly Hellfire and Stinger missiles, and the $1.1 billion one for 15 CH-47F Chinooks, equipped with powerful contra-rotating tandem rotors, are "almost ready" now.  "These two deals for IAF will be placed for approval before the first defence acquisitions council (DAC) meeting to be chaired by Arun Jaitley on July 19. Thereafter, the cases will be moved for the cabinet committee on security's final nod," said a source.  The deals for the two Boeing-manufactured helicopters, both of which have seen action in Iraq and Afgh

Image Courtesy- Wikimedia and the author The Indian fighter jets have begun the process of changing over to desi tyres, probably signalling an end to escalating cost and non-availability concerns. The Indian Air Force sources confirmed to Express that the ‘India shining’ story is being scripted by the MRF, which has got the clearance from the military airworthiness officials to produce the main wheel tyres of frontline fighters Sukhoi (Su-30 MKI). The indigenous tyres named Aeromuscle are 30 per cent cheaper than the imported ones. The IAF started looking within the country after facing difficulties in sourcing tyres from abroad. It was even forced to use tyres from war reserves for some aircraft, after supplies from Russia became an issue. The idea to approach Indian companies was taken up during P V Nayak’s tenure as the IAF chief. “The MRF agreed to do all design, development and quality tests at their own cost in the nation’s interest,” an IAF official s

India’s biggest deal of procuring 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) for $18 billion (Rs90,000 crore) has hit rough weather. Two years after French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation bagged the deal for its Rafale fighter jets on account of being the lowest bidder, its cost has now shot up by 100 per cent. .......................... http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report-dna-exclusive-100pct-price-escalation-on-rafale-fighter-aircraft-to-rs-1-75-lakh-crore-likely-to-dent-iaf-s-strike-capability-1957107

Pic courtesy- Wikimedia and www.airlines.net The  Indian Air Force’s salvo  at the Russian-Indian PAK-FA stealth fighter programme has surprised defence industry watchers. But the spat is hardly unique and in fact mirrors the difficulties the United States and its close allies are experiencing over the troubled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter............. http://indrus.in/blogs/2014/01/24/gunning_for_the_pak-fa_what_the_iaf_really_wants_32535.html

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http://defencelover.in/2013/09/21/russia-india-forge-ahead-on-fifth-gen-fighterlong-live-india-russia-friendship/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article-2326714/Dressed-action-Have-look-different-outfits-special-forces-don-protect-India-land-sea-air.html