VOLUME - 9 VOLUME - 15 NOVEMBER - 2020 RELEASE - 11 Current Affairs Technology Business Achievements Advertisements News from CURRENT AFFAIRS (October 01-10-2020 to October 31-10-2020) TECHNOLOGY Navy demonstrates combat readiness; releases video of missile hitting target Sounding rocket Rohini launched with new propellant Publisher DRDO’s Rustom-2 drone takes-off, India goes for armed Heron Journal of Aerospace Sciences Overcoming the initial program setbacks, the Defence And Technologies Research and Development Organization (DRDO) flight The Aeronautical Society of India tested the Rustom-2 medium altitude long endurance Bangalore Branch Building New Thippasandra Post indigenous prototype drone and achieved eight hours Bangalore 560 075 of flying at an altitude of 16000 feet at Chitradurga, Karnataka, INDIA Karnataka. The prototype is expected to achieve a Phone No : +91 80 25273851 Email: [email protected] height of 26000 feet and endurance of 18 hours by Website: www.aerojournalindia.com 2020 end. Rustom-2 is capable of carrying different combinations of payloads depending on the mission Publication Team objectives including synthetic aperture radar, electronic intelligence systems and situational awareness systems. It has a satellite communication link to Dr R Balasubramaniam relay situation in the battle theatre on real time basis. “ The Rustom-2 had one hour of fuel left after eight Dr S Kishore Kumar hours of test flying at Challakere aeronautical test range in Chitradurga district of Karanataka and had Dr P Raghothama Rao achieved the test flight ceiling,” said a senior official. While the DRDO expects Rustom-2 surveillance Mrs Chandrika R Krishnan Mr Hemanth Kumar R drone to match the specifications of the Israeli Heron unmanned aerial vehicle used by the Indian Air Force Mr Kumaran A K M and Navy, it has revitalized its drone program with a new mission head and objectives. The push to Rustom-2 program was given after the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) tried to occupy Indian territory in Advertisement – Tariff Ladakh on the basis of a 1959 cartographical claim on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The PLA has Wing Loong II armed drones in its arsenal and has even given four of them to Pakistan to protect the CPEC A4 – 1 Full Page : Rs. 2000 corridor and Gwadar port. Although the Rustom-2 will have to undergo test and user trials before inducted Draft Drawn in Favour of in the Indian military, the Ministry of Defence is currently negotiating with Israeli Aerospace Industry (IAI) “Journal Office, The Aeronautical to not only upgrade the existing fleet of Heron drone but also arm them with air to surface missile and laser Society of India” Payable at Bangalore guided bombs. According to South Block officials, the technical upgradation and arming of Heron drone is at contract negotiating committee level after being cleared by the Defence Acquisition Committee (DAC). Head Quarters The project will be cleared at the level of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). The Heron upgrade involves installing a satellite communication link so that there is no time gap in relaying situation on ground as well as installing hard points on the wings for missiles and laser guided bombs. While the Israelis have The Aeronautical Society of India 13-B, Indraprastha Estate kept their armed drone program under cover, the Heron has a proven weaponized version. Besides, India New Delhi 110 002, India has also decided to go in for American MQ 9B armed drone instead of Sea Guardian surveillance drone Tel: +91 11 23370516 with cost and numbers being worked out. Clearly, the future belongs to stand-off weapons and India this Fax: +91 11 23370768 time will not miss the bus. Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/ The editorial team invites your views, suggestions, to the News about Members Column and contributions to the e-news. For more information about Journal of Aerospace Sciences and Technologies Log on to our Website : www.aerojournalindia.com CURRENT AFFAIRS IAF will have 37-38 fighter squadrons in a decade, says deputy chief The Indian Air Force (IAF), which is facing a decline in its fighter squadrons, will have around 37-38 fighter squadrons in a decade, said the Deputy Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Sandeep Singh. He also said the 114-fighters deal under way has to meet the growing Make in India aspirations incorporated in the just-released Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020. “We are already aware [of] what is supposed to come in the DAP 2020, and we have already realigned our Statement of Case to seek higher levels of production technology, and use of indigenous systems and materials where possible,” he said on the 114-fighters deal, addressing a webinar jointly organised by the Centre for Air Power Studies and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers. The IAF is expected to soon approach the government for an accord on the Acceptance of Necessity for the 114-fighters deal, after which the formal procurement process would begin. The new DAP 2020 comes into effect from October 1. On the fighter modernisation, Air Marshal Singh said that the rate at which the phasing out was taking place, the Mig-21s would “have to go”, but life of other fighters was being extended and made “more capable”. The IAF is in the process of phasing out the remaining squadrons of Mig-21s. “We will hit around 37-38 squadrons in a decade,” Air Marshal Sandeep Singh said, adding that this was assuming there were no delays in the induction of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) variants. The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) induction is planned to begin by the end of the decade. Stating that the fleet would be much more capable by then, he said, “Our adversaries are also getting technologically superior and [have] more number of aircraft.” The IAF has an authorised strength of 42 fighter squadrons but currently has around 30 squadrons. Mid-air refuellers Air Marshal Singh said that “the financial crunch” had made the IAF rethink its acquisition plan for mid-air refuelling aircraft. “IAF has already received feedback that it would be possible to dry lease these platforms,” he said, stating this may be possible through Indian firms, which is allowed by the DAP 2020. The lease need not be from the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and could be from aggregators of these platforms, which is permitted under the DAP 2020, he said. The IAF presently has six Russian IL-78 tankers and has been looking to procure six new aircraft, but the deal has been repeatedly delayed. In another development, Air Marshal Singh said the IAF is the lead service for the tri-service case for 127 Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Stating that the Air Force had to decide whether it was “Buy Indian” or “Buy and Make Indian” of the procurement procedure, he said the IAF already had some responses and would “rapidly decide on how to go about it”. On the increasing threat of drones and various efforts by the services to procure counter-drone systems, Air Marshal Singh said that anti-drone systems should be under a national policy as that would be required by various agencies. “Discussion is on as to which systems will be handled by which agencies,” he added. Source: https://www.thehindu.com/ IAF demonstrated its operational capability along northern border: Chief of Air Staff The Indian Air Force has clearly demonstrated its resolve, operational capability and will to effectively engage with the adversary whenever the need arises, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria said, and commended the air warriors for their prompt response in the recent standoff on the northern frontier in view of the bitter border row with China. In an address on the occasion of the 88th anniversary of the IAF, Bhadauria also assured the nation that the force will evolve and be ever ready to safeguard India’s sovereignty and interests in all circumstances. Talking about security challenges in eastern Ladakh, the Chief of Air Staff commended the air warriors for their prompt response in the recent standoff, and talked about rapid deployment of combat assets at short notice to handle any eventuality. “We have clearly demonstrated our resolve, operational capability, and the will to effectively engage the adversary, should the need arise,” he said after inspecting the Air Force Day parade at the Hindon air base . “I would like to commend all warriors for the quick response, in the recent standoff on our northern frontiers, when we deployed our combat assets at short notice to handle any eventuality, and provided proactive support to all the requirements of deployment and sustenance for the Indian Army,” Bhadauria said. The Indian and Chinese troops are engaged in a bitter border row for the past five months in eastern Ladakh and the IAF has made significant deployment in the region. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh greeted the IAF on its foundation day, and said the government is committed to enhance its combat capability of the force. “The nation is proud of its men and women in blue and salutes the prowess of the IAF as it stands ready to face challenges and deter adversaries. We remain committed to enhancement of IAF’s combat capability through modernisation and indigenisation,” he said. In his address, the Chief of Air Staff also cautioned of the evolving “threat matrix” in the region, and said it mandates a greater need to have a strong air force to fight across domains and the entire spectrum of warfare. “The evolving threat matrix in our region is becoming complex, ranging from aspirational adversaries with huge investments in military arsenal, to those collusively supported by nonstate actors, apart from growing sub- conventional threats emanating from terrorism and cyber space,” he said.