V/2011 ARerospace &Defence eview Transformation of the IAF All eyes on the FGFA Radars make the difference 50 years of INS Hansa Army Aviation 25th anniversary Defence Offset Policies V/2011 V/2011 Aerospace &Defence Review upgrading ageing fighters and as Building on Relationships essential Intelligence, Surveillance Vayu interviewed with Alexander and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets. 90 Mueller, Managing Director Richard Gardner reports on these RUAG Aerospace Services, Germany latest airborne radars. on the Group’s core competences in Transformation of the IAF All eyes on the FGFA military and civil aviation. In a reverse Radars make the difference situation, HAL are now supplying 50 years of INS Hansa Army Aviation 25th anniversary ‘green’ Dornier 228s to Germany for Defence Offset Policies their 228NG programme and RUAG Cover : The prototype Sukoi T-50, also referred have a clear vision on creating new to as the PAK FA in Russia and FGFA in India, avenues of cooperation with the seen in flight at MAKS 2011 over Zhukovsky, Indian industry. near Moscow. (photo: AA Me, IN) Transformation into a 50 years of INS Hansa EDITORIAL PANEL Defence Offset Policies: The Indian Navy marked Potent Strategic Force 102 the Golden Jubilee of MANAGING EDITOR In his interview with the Vayu The Road Ahead INS Hansa with an international Vikramjit Singh Chopra 34 Aerospace Review, on eve of Air India now ranks second in aviation symposium on ‘Roadmap Force Day, Air Chief Marshal NAK 62 terms of arms imports ($12 to Transformation’ at Goa in early EDITORIAL ADVISOR Browne, Chief of Air Staff articulates billion annually) and ninth in terms September. The various functions Admiral Arun Prakash on the larger security challenges facing of global military expenditure were climaxed by release of a the IAF today. The CAS focuses on ($36.3 billion). SN Misra, formerly EDITORIAL PANEL special book ‘On the Wings of Gold’ critical transformation of the IAF into Joint Secretary HAL and presently a chapter of which is extracted for Pushpindar Singh a force that is modern, flexible and Principal Secretary (CDA), examines Vayu readers. Air Marshal Brijesh Jayal capable of tackling threats across the the impact of India’s Offset Policy Air Cdre. Jasjit Singh entire spectrum of conflict. on Defence Industry Capability, Self Gp Capt JC Malik Reliance and the Aerospace Sector. Arm of the Future This was the theme marking Dr SR Valluri 111 Silver Jubilee of the Army Cdr M Nirmal Aviation Corps, the focused seminar Esha Singh Alagh addressed by Defence Minister AK Monica Arora Antony and COAS General VK Singh Richard Gardner (UK) giving the inaugural address. Amongst Reuben Johnson (USA) those who presented papers were Simon Watson (UK) P Soundara Rajan of HAL whose Bertrand de Boisset (France) The IAF at 79: Quixotic MAKS 2011 : all eyes on organisation are exclusive suppliers of helicopters to Indian Army Aviation. Dr Nick Evesenkin (Russia) Situations the FGFA Tamir Eshel (Israel) Air Commodore Jasjit Singh, Vayu Aerospace Review was 42 Director CAPS reflects on 69 invited by the Russian Ministry Armament Trials at ASTE In his series on ‘Testing Times’ ADVERTISING & MARKETING MANAGER certain crucial elements, which of Trade and Commerce for the 116 Air Marshal Philip Raj Kumar Husnal Kaur actually require transformation of the biennial Air Show at Zhukovsky, writes about the lesser known but mind in the Government, Air Force, near Moscow. In her report on the equally important task of weapons BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Parliament and political leadership. His Show, Esha Singh Alagh reviews the testing at the Establishment at Premjit Singh belief is that capabilities of Aerospace highlights where the Fifth Generation Bangalore. The K-13 first generation Power can be increased only if the Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), otherwise GENERAL MANAGER (UK) air-to-air missile was followed by human element is capable of exploiting known as the PAK-FA/T-50, basked the R-60 on MiG-21s and Magic I on Avi S. Sodhi it to maximum advantage. in all glory, even as Indian hearts over-wing pylons of the Jaguar. e-mail: [email protected] leapt with excitement to witness their future fighter. Also exclusive interviews with heads of RAC MiG Also : and the Irkut Corporation. Vayu Interview with General Jean-Paul Palomeros, Chief of the French Air Force; Hawks over Bidar; Review of the IAF book ‘So Published by: that others may live’; Interviews THE SOCIETY FOR AEROSPACE STUDIES with President of Honeywell D-43, Sujan Singh Park, Aerospace India; Rafael’s Air New Delhi 110 003 India Internationally Warfare Systems; The Global Tel: +91 11 24617234 Competitive UAV Market; The Barak-8 SAM; Fax: +91 11 24628615 Vayu’s interview with Andrei Apaches, Night Hunters and Tiger e-mail: [email protected] Radars make (all) the 78 Dyachkov, General Director, Birds; Acts of War, The IAF’s e-mail: [email protected] difference Central Design Bureau for Marine Exploiting digital electronics in Engineering ‘Rubin’, well known C-130J Super Hercules. Printed at Aegean Offset Printers 54 the form of Active Electronically manufacturer of both ballistic-missile- carrying submarines and diesel- The opinions expressed in the articles published Scanned Array (AESA) systems are Regular features : in the Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review do not only “must have” sensors for powered submarines. The impact Commentary, Viewpoint, Aviation & not necessarily reflect the views or policies of new combat aircraft but are offered of Indo-Russian cooperation on the Defence in India, World Aviation & The Society for Aerospace Studies. as very cost effective means of Indian Navy has been remarkable. Defence News, Tale Spin. Visit us at: www.vayuaerospace.in COMMENTARY COMMENTARYCOMMENTARY special materials (the Kanchan armour on the Arjun tank and the Flying backwards composites used in light combat aircraft are world-class), radars ir India has dug itself into a financial hole, one so deep that and embedded software used to design the mission computer Aeven a well-run, profit-maximising organisation would find used in frontline aircraft, but wide-ranging success has been it difficult to escape. Its accumulated losses till 2010-11 total largely elusive. Rs 20,320 crore; its debt burden – including working capital The reasons for this weakness are many. First, spending on loans – has risen steadily for the past years, and is now around indigenous R&D is embarrassingly low. It is simply impossible Rs 40,000 crore. Why is Air India so buried in debt, and what for the Defence Research and Development Organisation and lessons should its owners – India’s taxpayers – draw from its related agencies to do anything significant with these budgets, troubles? which could be charitably described as “shoe string”. These A new report from the Comptroller and Auditor General, budgets need to increase significantly if the country is to see any reveals the nature of the problem. A large component of Air meaningful contribution from the defence establishment. Second, India’s debt comes from the decision to buy 111 new aircraft in even these meagre resources are spread too thin. Defence-sector 2005, the interest burdens of which purchase have been crippling. PSUs are engaged in many unnecessary activities that could be The report will at least allow, once tabled, an open examination left to others. A corollary of this is considerable redundancy, of how this error in management came to be made. Whether the which needs to be reduced sharply. A rigorous technology audit decision was made in good faith or not, the larger problem is that identifies existing strengths and weaknesses would identify clear already: government unwillingness to allow the company’s feasible projects and technologies which could be pursued management to properly estimate its needs and abilities, or to towards culmination with vigour, simultaneously rejecting (and imagine a future without that outdated, socialist-era construct, eliminating) wasteful projects. This would require political will of a “national carrier”. and strong leadership to take the tough decisions that are sure to The aircraft purchase is emblematic of the errors of be resisted by vested interests. judgement inescapable when a company like Air India is The experience of public-private partnerships in defence managed by the government. Financially unviable decisions are production has been disappointing. While there has been some made, accountability is hard to pin down and empire-building progress recently in transferring technology from defence substitutes for hard-headed management of the bottomline. A PSUs to the domestic private sector, it is far from adequate. As clear accounting of where and how decisions were made should a result, private-sector capabilities in project management and convince India’s citizens and their representatives – to whom the execution remain vastly underutilised. Lack of clear procurement CAG reports – of the lack of good sense in the state’s attitude to policies precludes investment in production facilities by the Air India. There are more than enough competing airlines now private sector, which would understandably seek long-term that consumers need not be supported through state intervention; commitments to recover its investment. With defence R&D and instead, a cash-strapped Centre is faced with endless demands production becoming prohibitively expensive, “co-development” to bail out its dysfunctional airline. Expectations that Air India and “joint production” are the way forward. It explains why even would turn around, such as informed the aircraft purchase, are established superpowers with deep pockets and technological largely responsible for getting us here. They should no longer capabilities are opting to share expenses and spread the risk rule decisions about the airline’s future. for technologies whose returns cannot be predicted. It is From: The Indian Express not possible for a country like India, with relatively meagre resources, to succeed by going it alone.