Endangered

DID Op/Ed Thoughts & Analysis:

If India does proceed with its attack helicopter project, the Apache Longbow will likely have company. Competitors ranging from the Russian Mi-28 Havoc and IAI/Kamov Ka-50/52 Black Shark, to the Eurocopter Tiger, South Africa's Denel Rooivalk, and Bell AH-1Z King Cobra, et. al. can be expected to express interest; many of these contenders will also bid if allowed. The Apache Longbow's expense has given other allies pause before, and India's defense budget is limited and subject to political pressure. It will be interesting to see whether attach helicopters becomes a serious procurement priority for India, and if so what kind of cost pressures enter into the equation.

With respect to the AESA radar, the India/US relationship is at something of a dating stage. It is not unusual, therefore, to see dating behaviours - including tests of one's partner that are not backed by real intentions.

Before reading too much into these inquiries re: India's buying intentions, it's worthwhile to recall the hangover effects from US military equipment sanctions in the wake of India's 1998 nuclear tests. Sources at the US Embassy told The Indian Express that the inclusion of the APG-79 AESA radar in an American offer will effectively offset New Delhi's fear of sanctions, which DID noted has made many players in India leery of American military hardware.

That reassurance of commitment may well be all that this meeting represents. While receiving America's most advanced naval aircraft may have some allure and prestige value, in reality the Super Hornet doesn't add up very well given India's needs.

With India looking to expand its carrier force over the next decade, the carrier-capable F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets could appear attractive. Yet its $60-70 million price tag is far above the $20-30 million range typical of the lightweight fighter class (and indeed, of earlier F/A-18 Hornet models), and upon which India's expected 126-plane order is predicated.

Given that the lightweight fighter order is intended to replace some of India's 300-350 aging and dangerous MiG-21s that are slated for retirement, cutting the order to 50-60 Super Hornets seems like a bit of a leap given India's needs on multiple fronts. The F/A-18 also requires full catapult launch facilities if used in a naval role, which would preclude its naval use on either India's present Viraat or its next carrier, the ski-jump equipped INS Vikramaditya (Admiral Gorshkov) which is currently envisioned to carry naval MiG-29Ks. Furthermore, India already flies the excellent Sukhoi SU-30MKI, a fighter with a similar price tag to the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet but superior combat range, weaponry, maneuverability, and overall performance.

The logic of an F/A-18 Super Hornet buy thus seems somewhat thin, though as is the case with cars, logic does not always win out when making purchases.

One plane that could serve India very well in both naval and land roles would be the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter STOVL, which is also equipped with an AESA radar. It's noteworthy that India has pointedly been invited to F-35 Joint Strike Fighter events, and that the coming US Quadrennial Defense Review is expected to result in cutbacks of the USA's F-35 orders. Purchases by India would be one way of offsetting those cutbacks, thus keeping the program in the $45-55 million per plane range.

While membership in the F-35 JSF production team is essentially closed due to the design's advanced timeline status, the JSF STOVL would still be a less expensive option than the F/A-18 Super Hornet, giving the IAF a prestigious mid-range option with affordable stealth features and the ability to operate from any of India's carriers. If the indigenous LCA Tejas lightweight fighter project can get itself on track and become a success, India's Air Force would have a strong 3-tier base (Su-30 family, F-35B STOVL, LCA Tejas) for its future fighter force.

What seems to be keeping the Joint Strike Fighter from active consideration is the belief by Indian officials that the F-35 will not be combat-ready in numbers before 2015. Given the program's planned IOC date of 2013, this is a reasonable assumption. By then, however, even the IAF's 125 upgraded MiG-21 BiS 'Bisons' would be slated for retirement. Worse, the purchase would do nothing to fill the immediate gaps created by the mothballing and accident rate of the other MiG-21 aircraft.

This is not to say that some kind of innovative deal involving a 'bridge' of leased F-16s couldn't be worked out, if the USA really wanted to sell the F-35B JSF to India and India saw the aircraft as an excellent fit. So far, however, neither party has made a move in this direction and India is considering a joint development pact with Russia for its next generation fighter needs.

The F-16 has elicited very little interest in India from the moment it was proposed. When that observation is combined with India's delivery timing needs, expressed concerns re: platform proliferation within its force, new foreign procurement rules, dropping fighter strength, and budgetary priorities, it's reasonable to assume that India sees the US offer of F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft as more of a testing opportunity than a buying opportunity.

Given that, and the JAS-39 Gripen's long odds, the best bets in India's lightweight fighter competition would still seem to be the French Mirage 2000-5 and Russian Mig-29M2.

__________________
Wild Wild Web

Sameer

KA-50 all the way.
or even the Tiger because there is some commonality with engine and ALH right?

Endangered

India, US hold joint air exercises as thousands protest

By Sujoy Dhar, Kalaikunda (West Bengal):US F-16 and Indian Su-30 combat jets roared across the sky over this eastern defence airbase as the two countries Monday began their largest joint air exercises amid vociferous protests by Left parties that rule West Bengal.

Around 70,000 people had gathered to protest the air exercises, which began at 9 a.m. at the Kalaikunda airbase, the venue for the 12-day Cope India 05 exercises featuring frontline Indian and US combat jets.

Amid the Su-30s and Mirage-2000s taking off and landing as part of the exercises, creating a deafening roar, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-organised protest went on at a field near the airbase.

Apart from burning a straw effigy of US President George W. Bush and an effigy denoting the India-US defence agreement inked when Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee went to the US earlier this year, the protest was largely peaceful.

District Superintendent of Police Ajay Nand said: "There were around 70,000 people today for the protest."

A majority of the protestors were farmers, many of whom had not heard of either the US or Bush, and had been brought from the adjoining villages in the district. The protest, marked by much slogan shouting and chanting of revolutionary songs, was addressed by mostly local leaders.

"We are protesting against the threat to our internal security and these air exercises are in violation of our independent foreign policy and the common minimum programme of the UPA government at the centre," said Deepak Sarkar, West Midnapore district senior CPI-M leader. The CPI-M lends outside support to the United Progressive Alliance government in New Delhi.

The protestors shouted slogans like "No Bush Policy in India". They also sang songs in Bengali, which translated went "Uncle Sam, You Have no Place in India" and "Helpless Democracy in Distress".

Waving red flags, the CPI-M supporters also recited from the works of Kavi Sukanto, a rebel poet of Bengal. The party had put up a giant billboard showing the map of India chained by the India-US military agreement.

Around 800 policemen were deployed at the site, including 100 senior police officials, said Milan Das, Additional Superintendent of Police, West Midnapore.

The US has sent over 250 US personnel and 12 F-16 fighters from its 35th Wing based at Misawa in Japan and E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control systems aircraft for the manoeuvres, which will end at sunset.

The Indian Air Force is represented by some 30 fighter jets, including Mirage 2000s and Su-30s, at the war games for which this eastern airbase in West Midnapore district was specially refurbished. Air Commodore Atul Saikia is heading the Indian team.

The US airmen were interacting with their Indian counterparts and also playing basketball, said an air force source.

Fish curry and other dishes were brought in from 'Sourav', the restaurant owned by former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly in Kolkata's Park Street. The restaurant has got the contract to supply the food for the 12-day exercise.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee had announced last week that the exercise would go ahead despite the protests by the Left parties. Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, who is wooing American investment to the state, has also condemned the war games.

The Left parties have said the deepening military collaboration with the US did not augur well for India's strategic interests and independent foreign policy. They alleged the joint exercise was part of a larger American strategy to set up military bases in the region.

India and the US had conducted their first air exercises in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, in central India last year.

The two countries, with deepening strategic ties, have stepped up manoeuvres between their three services over the past few years to build "inter-operability" for possible joint operations during terrorist attacks and other contingencies.

Endangered

Advanced jet trainers to be inducted by 2007: Tyagi

Jaipur: The advanced jet trainers 'Hawk' will beinducted into the Indian Air Force by early 2007, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi said here today.

The long awaited AJTs would help in a better training to the Indian fighter pilots and a batch was being trained to handle these aircrafts in Britain, Mr Tyagi said.

A batch of 66 Hawk trainers is being procured from Britain.

Besides, the advanced light helicopter being developed indigenously will be inducted into the IAF by 2009-10, he said on the sidelines of a function to commemorate the golden jubilee of the Rajasthan Air Squadron NCC No 1.

On a pointed question as to the impact of F-16s being procured by Pakistan from the US, the Air Chief said ''Pakistan might consider to cut down on the number of the fighters being purchased from America in view of the recent earthquake there. The acquisition of the F-16s by Pakistan will not affect the security of India, he added.

On another question about the MiG 21 crashes, he said the year has been very favourable for the IAF as the number of such crashes have been very low recently.

Endangered

IAF pilots given advanced training in BVR tactics: Air Marshal

In the run-up to India becoming the first country in South Asia to acquire Air-borne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, IAF pilots are being given advanced training in Beyond Visual Range (BVR) tactics, according to Air Marshal A K Singh.

"The pilots are being put through special courses to train them on tactics to reduce response time between detection of targets and dealing with them," Singh, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Air Command, said today.

Singh's comments come as IAF pilots for the first time would be exposed to fighting in AWACS environment during the just-started Indo-US joint fighter exercises Cope India '06.

He said the lessons learned at Kalaikunda would come useful with the IAF acquiring its own AWACS by 2007.

Endangered

Israel is close to striking a USD 230 million deal with India under which it would sell 50 Eagle/Heron unmanned aerial vehicles to New Delhi.

Tel Aviv, Nov 5 (PTI) Israel is close to striking a USD 230 million deal with India under which it would sell 50 Eagle/Heron unmanned aerial vehicles to New Delhi.

"The details of the deal has been almost finalised by the two sides," senior defence sources said.

Eagle/Heron is a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance type unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly referred to as drone, that can operate at a distance of more than 1,000 kilometres and at altitudes above 25,000 feet for over 24 hours, providing real-time intelligence.

The system also features automatic take-off and landing, integrated mission planning and sensor technology, and can simultaneously carry a wide range of payloads. PTI

Heron UAV

The Heron UAV System is an operational fourth generation long-endurance medium-altitude system based on leading-edge technology with new fully automatic take-off and landing features. It provides deep-penetration, wide-area, real-time intelligence to national agencies, theater commanders and lower echelons.

The Heron provides ample modular space up to 250 kg for customer furnished equipment, is interoperable with other MALAT UAV systems and has demonstrated 52 hours of continuous flight.

Missions

Medium Altitude and Long Endurance (MALE) Strategic UAV System for surveillance, reconnaissance, target-acquisition & artillery adjustment and/or CFE based missions.

Operational Modes

Real-time payload and UAV control
GPS based interuptable airborne mission controller
Full autonomous flight
Autonomous return on datalink loss
Datalinks

Direct line-of-sight datalink

UAV aitborne data relay for beyond-line-of-sight datalink
Dual real-time command uplink
Single real-time data and video downlink
Satellite Datalink Integration capability

Payloads

Standard MOSP (TV & IR Combi)
SAR EL/M 2055
Maritime Patrol Radar
Customer furnished payloads

Performance

Endurance 40 Hr
Range 200*km (105* nm), 350**km (185**nm), 1,000***km(530***nm)
Altitude 30,000 ft
* Direct line-of-sight datalink
** Beyond-line-of-sight datalink using UAV airborne data relay
*** Autonomous flight

Launch & Recovery

Automatic Take-off and landing. Technical Data
Weights: Max Take-off Weight 1,100 kg (2,430 lb) Max Payload Weight 250 kg (550 lb)
Dimensions Overall Length 8.50 m (27.90 ft) Wingspan 16.60 m (54.50 ft)
Powerplant Dual engines, 4 cycle, 4 cylinder with turbo charge 100 hp

Attached Images

Heron.jpg (15.2 KB, 328 views)

Endangered

Indo-US air exercise takes off

The 13-day joint air exercise involving state-of-the-art aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and US Air Force began on a robust note at this strategic eastern IAF base here on...

The 13-day joint air exercise involving state-of-the-art aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and US Air Force began on a robust note at this strategic eastern IAF base here on Monday with the roar of fighter planes of both countries drowning anti-US and anti-imperialist sloganeering on microphones at a massive CPM demonstration on a sprawling ground outside the base.

Sixteen F-16 fighters including an E-3 AWACS and 30 IAF aircraft comprising Sukhoi-30, Jaguar, Mirages and MiG-29s that took part in the exercise, made several sorties at a height beyond 15,000 ft as IAF fighter pilots had their maiden feel of air borne warning and control system(AWACS) capable of monitoring movements of 300 aircraft at a time. The joint exercise that started shortly after the morning amidst unprecedented security measures by the IAF authorities here around the base continued for several hours after noon without any hitch, notwithstanding a massive mobilisation of party supporters by the CPM leadership of East and West Midnapore districts to protest the US presence in Indian defence territory.

The Left demonstration continued in the face of a spectacular show in the air with US and Indian fighters staging some dare-devil acrobats, was peaceful and failed to make any impact on the joint exercise.

The main aim of the air exercises is to improve cooperation and create an Environment of Cooperative Security, said Atul Saikia, Air Officer Commanding, Air Force Station, Kalaikunda.

While Saikia has been leading the IAF frontline fleet, Col Cobat Nelson of the 35th Operational Group of the US air base is heading the US team in the joint exercise codenamed COPE India 2005. The exercise in Kalaikunda has assumed critical importance as this is the first time in history that US AWACS participated in a joint air game in India along with 16 latest generation F-16 aircraft compared to Cope India 04 held in Gwalior in February last where the US had despatched six F-15 Eagles.

The CPM-sponsored demonstration apart, what top IAF officials have seriously kept in mind while conducting the air games, is the incident at Rajasthan during a joint exercise with Russia when an anti-tank grenade device fired from an IAF chopper exploded close to the VVIP enclosure forcing newsmen covering the exercise run for cover.

The CPM’s announcement earlier of encircling the Kalaikunda air base had prompted the IAF authorities to turn it into a fortress with IAF police jeeps armed with automatic guns on their turrets driving up and down along the external boundary of the base. A wooden barricade was set up about 20 feet from the barbed wire fencing of the airbase.

Neo

India Investigating F/A-18 Super Hornet AESA Radars, AH-64D Apaches
Posted 03-Nov-2005 10:01
Related stories: Alliances, Americas - USA, Asia - India, Boeing, Budgets, Europe - France, Europe - Other, Force Structure, Issues - International, Issues - Political, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, Other Corporation, Policy - Procurement, RFPs
Also on this day: 03-Nov-2005 »

F/A-18E Super HornetDID has reported on India's deepening relationship with the USA before, and on its multi-billion lightweight fighter competition that recently added US fighters like the F-16 to the platforms under consideration.

It would appear that one can also add the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet to the list of aircraft under serious consideration by India - and the AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter as well.


A/N APG-79 AESA RadarENS reports that a November 21-22 meeting at the Pentagon will convey America's decision re: whether to offer the Super Hornet's top-secret AN/APG-79 AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar. If cleared, India will be the first country to be offered this particular radar, though it would not be the first to be offered comparable AESA radars by the USA. The UAE already flies F-16 Block 60 aircraft equipped with the AN/APG-80 AESA radar, and country participants in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program will be offered the equally advanced AN/APG-81 AESA radar as part of that aircraft's standard equipment.

The AN/APG-79 AESA radar, with its dual mode air-air and air-ground capabilities, is the only major sub-system yet to be cleared by for sale to India as part of the offer of 126 fighters. Every other part of the potential offers has cleared Congressional scrutiny.


Apache Longbow
(click to view full)On another front, the Indian Air Force has an expressed need for 80 new attack helicopters. ENS also reports that the US will soon offer its top of the line AH-64D Apache Longbow to fill that need. The IAF is in the market for light and agile assault helicopters for possible use in counter-insurgency operations, and HAL's indigenous Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is estimated to take at least another decade before it will see service.

DID Op/Ed Thoughts & Analysis:

If India does proceed with its attack helicopter project, the Apache Longbow will likely have company. Competitors ranging from the Russian Mi-28 Havoc and IAI/Kamov Ka-50/52 Black Shark, to the Eurocopter Tiger, South Africa's Denel Rooivalk, and Bell AH-1Z King Cobra, et. al. can be expected to express interest; many of these contenders will also bid if allowed. The Apache Longbow's expense has given other allies pause before, and India's defense budget is limited and subject to political pressure. It will be interesting to see whether attach helicopters becomes a serious procurement priority for India, and if so what kind of cost pressures enter into the equation.

With respect to the AESA radar, the India/US relationship is at something of a dating stage. It is not unusual, therefore, to see dating behaviours - including tests of one's partner that are not backed by real intentions.

Before reading too much into these inquiries re: India's buying intentions, it's worthwhile to recall the hangover effects from US military equipment sanctions in the wake of India's 1998 nuclear tests. Sources at the US Embassy told The Indian Express that the inclusion of the APG-79 AESA radar in an American offer will effectively offset New Delhi's fear of sanctions, which DID noted has made many players in India leery of American military hardware.

That reassurance of commitment may well be all that this meeting represents. While receiving America's most advanced naval aircraft may have some allure and prestige value, in reality the Super Hornet doesn't add up very well given India's needs.

With India looking to expand its carrier force over the next decade, the carrier-capable F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets could appear attractive. Yet its $60-70 million price tag is far above the $20-30 million range typical of the lightweight fighter class (and indeed, of earlier F/A-18 Hornet models), and upon which India's expected 126-plane order is predicated.

Given that the lightweight fighter order is intended to replace some of India's 300-350 aging and dangerous MiG-21s that are slated for retirement, cutting the order to 50-60 Super Hornets seems like a bit of a leap given India's needs on multiple fronts. The F/A-18 also requires full catapult launch facilities if used in a naval role, which would preclude its naval use on either India's present Viraat or its next carrier, the ski-jump equipped INS Vikramaditya (Admiral Gorshkov) which is currently envisioned to carry naval MiG-29Ks. Furthermore, India already flies the excellent Sukhoi SU-30MKI, a fighter with a similar price tag to the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet but superior combat range, weaponry, maneuverability, and overall performance.

The logic of an F/A-18 Super Hornet buy thus seems somewhat thin, though as is the case with cars, logic does not always win out when making purchases.

One plane that could serve India very well in both naval and land roles would be the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter STOVL, which is also equipped with an AESA radar. It's noteworthy that India has pointedly been invited to F-35 Joint Strike Fighter events, and that the coming US Quadrennial Defense Review is expected to result in cutbacks of the USA's F-35 orders. Purchases by India would be one way of offsetting those cutbacks, thus keeping the program in the $45-55 million per plane range.

While membership in the F-35 JSF production team is essentially closed due to the design's advanced timeline status, the JSF STOVL would still be a less expensive option than the F/A-18 Super Hornet, giving the IAF a prestigious mid-range option with affordable stealth features and the ability to operate from any of India's carriers. If the indigenous LCA Tejas lightweight fighter project can get itself on track and become a success, India's Air Force would have a strong 3-tier base (Su-30 family, F-35B STOVL, LCA Tejas) for its future fighter force.


LCA Tejas
(click to view full)What seems to be keeping the Joint Strike Fighter from active consideration is the belief by Indian officials that the F-35 will not be combat-ready in numbers before 2015. Given the program's planned IOC date of 2013, this is a reasonable assumption. By then, however, even the IAF's 125 upgraded MiG-21 BiS 'Bisons' would be slated for retirement. Worse, the purchase would do nothing to fill the immediate gaps created by the mothballing and accident rate of the other MiG-21 aircraft.

This is not to say that some kind of innovative deal involving a 'bridge' of leased F-16s couldn't be worked out, if the USA really wanted to sell the F-35B JSF to India and India saw the aircraft as an excellent fit. So far, however, neither party has made a move in this direction and India is considering a joint development pact with Russia for its next generation fighter needs.

The F-16 has elicited very little interest in India from the moment it was proposed. When that observation is combined with India's delivery timing needs, expressed concerns re: platform proliferation within its force, new foreign procurement rules, dropping fighter strength, and budgetary priorities, it's reasonable to assume that India sees the US offer of F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft as more of a testing opportunity than a buying opportunity.

Given that, and the JAS-39 Gripen's long odds, the best bets in India's lightweight fighter competition would still seem to be the French Mirage 2000-5 and Russian Mig-29M2.

For now, at least.

Neo

I guess we will have to wait till nov 21st to see if the deal will go ahead.
I still seriously doubt if India will go for the Aesa equipped Super Hornet.

Endangered

Maintainers keeping F-16s soaring over India

KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India (AFPN) -- Cleaned, inspected and fully maintained, 12 neatly aligned F-16 Fighting Falcons stand poised for their daily battle.

Beside them, their adversary -- an assortment of Indian Air Force MiGs, Mirages and Su-30s -- are also ready for the day’s dissimilar air combat training.

The jets are all taking part in exercise Cope India 06, which began Nov. 7 and lasts through Nov. 19. It is the third such exercise held between the U.S. and Indian air forces.

Just three days into the exercise, the F-16s have flown 52 missions with no sortie cancellations due to maintenance. However, for the 74 Airmen deployed from the 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Misawa Air Base, Japan, operating out of India hasn’t been easy.

“At first it was a bit of a challenge. Some of our equipment was slow in getting here,” said Capt. Robert Clark, the squadron maintenance officer. “But we improvised with what we had and made the mission happen the first day.”

Working around the clock, the maintainers have focused on the mission -- not on being deployed.

“No matter where we work -- Misawa or India -- our maintainers have to put in a lot of hours to ensure our jets are ready to go,” said Tech Sgt. Neil Kellahan, a flightline expeditor. “As a result, the jets have been flying really well. We have had minimal, or no problems.”

Between flights the Airmen take the time to interact with their Indian counterparts. In doing so they have found many similarities and differences in the way the two air forces maintain aircraft. The biggest difference is in who performs the actual maintenance.

Captain Clark said in the Indian Air Force, mostly officers perform the heavy aircraft maintenance.

“They seem quite amazed that we have all enlisted troops taking care of the jets,” he said.

Ultimately, the maintainers are here to ensure the aircraft are mission ready.

“The pace has been unreal. The first day was just go, go, go,” said Senior Airman Troy Herberholzt, an F-16 crew chief. “The heat here is a definite challenge, and we are out in the sun all day with jets coming and going nonstop.”

Still, the Airmen’s morale is exceptionally high.

“I don’t think anyone came here thinking it would be easy,” Sergeant Kellahan said. “But as long as the jets are flying good, then we are all having a good day!”

Endangered

Few images from Cope India 05

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Endangered

Singapore seeks airbase on hire

New Delhi, Nov. 9: The Kalaikunda air force station is for hire. Singapore’s air force has asked for use of its facilities and is negotiating a price with the Indian government.

The airbase is currently hosting contingents of the Indian and US air forces for the latest edition of the Cope India series of exercises. Outside its perimeter, Left supporters are protesting against India’s alleged military tie-up with the US.

Air Force Station Kalaikunda was built by the British for the Royal Indian Air Force in the Second World War. Through this year its facilities have been modernised and it is now upgraded to international standards and has the wherewithal to host crews from foreign air forces.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) used the Kalaikunda airbase for an exercise with the IAF last October.

That exercise, called Sindex ’04, was based out of Gwalior, the IAF’s bigger and probably more sophisticated airbase capable of hosting foreign crews. It was in Sindex ’04 that the IAF exercised with F-16 Fighting Falcons for the first time in the country.

But more than giving the IAF a foretaste of the F-16s, Sindex ’04 also provided the RSAF contingent with valuable space to exercise in. The island nation and city-state has a hinterland that is only a fraction of India’s. That does not afford its modern air force the airspace to conduct drills and manoeuvres of combat aircraft.

Such exercises need a lot of airspace. The IAF’s Sukhoi 30 Mki, MiG 29 and Jaguars and the USAF's F-16 CJ Fighting Falcons currently engaged in Cope India are flying from the new tarmac and runway of Kalaikunda — just 130 km west of Calcutta — and are using Indian airspace over the Bay of Bengal and also over the hinterland.

Kalaikunda is close not only to the Bay of Bengal but also to a field firing range for mock ground-attack raids.

Kalaikunda — called KKD in the air force — is home to the Eastern Air Command’s 5th wing. It has a stellar role in the country’s military history and was the home base of the last squadron of Hunter aircraft. Now it is the home base of the MiG 27 fighter aircraft. The Pakistan Air Force claimed to have bombed it during the 1971 war.

The airbase has camouflaged hangars — a feature that marks many military establishments.

During the Second World War, the British established several such airbases in the eastern region to conduct raids against advancing Japanese and also for operations to transport aid to parts of China.

Eastern and northeastern India have a number of abandoned airfields built by the British. Kalaikunda was never allowed to run into ruin.

Upgraded facilities in KKD now include state-of-the-art navigational aids, a new tarmac, a freshly laid runway and billets for the crew.

Specially built air-conditioned billets are being used for the first time to host the American pilots, technicians and engineers of the F-16 fighter aircraft and the E-3 Sentry Awacs that have flown in from their bases in Misawa and Kadena in Japan.

KKD can also accommodate a large number of aircraft. Most of the work to upgrade KKD was done by the Military Engineering Services (MES), a wing of the army that caters to all three armed forces.

So impressed was the Singapore Air Force with the potential of Kalaikunda after Sindex ’04 that they made the offer to use it and pay for the facilities.

The Singapore Air Force has also offered to bear the cost of such exercises that are meant essentially to train their own crews but will also give the Indian Air Force the experience that is necessary to hone skills of pilots.

For the Indian Air Force, such a deal will also mean opening up a revenue stream.

Endangered

Cope India 2005 - Images

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Attached Images

copeindia012.JPG (26.5 KB, 278 views)

indianguy4u

Good work ENDANGERED .

__________________
Hala Madrid!!