I/ 2015 Aerospace & Defence Review AERO INDIA 2015 THE AERO INDIA ISSUE Safran I/ 2015 I/ 2015 Aerospace & Defence Review The Indian source’ assessment of the LCA’s status, In an interview with General Dalbir Singh, 42 with a no–holds bar examination of this the Indian Army COAS enumerates Aerospace Riddle light fighter programme. Focus must his vision and focus areas for the Indian be on weight reduction improvement Army, including plans for integrating which is the key as also some re-designs attack helicopters in the combined arms including lengthening of the fuselage and environment. tweaking of the wing. AERO INDIA 2015 Airbus A350XWB THE AERO INDIA ISSUE Thunder from the 94 VAYU Cover I-2015.indd 3 06-02-2015 11:59:31 71 to Qatar Airways Artist’s impression of IAF Su-30MKIs conducting an Air Marshal Brijesh Jayal writes on the North-West (of India) air strike as a pair of Tejas LCAs provide top cover. ‘riddle’ where ‘aerospace shines and The Su-30MKI is the IAF’s primary combat aircraft, aeronautics whines!’ Even while feat of while the Tejas LCA has recently been accepted into the Mars Orbiter Mission, Mangalyaan service. Both aircraft types are on display at Aero India 2015 (Digital art by Priyanka Joshi) has impressed the world, the country struggles to develop basic training aircraft. EDITORIAL PANEL A contrasting look at the Sino-Pakistani MANAGING EDITOR Aerospace Power JF-17 Thunder light fighter which Vikramjit Singh Chopra 46 development programme began in Vayu was present at Toulouse when the in the 21st Century 1999 and one which has ‘over taken’ EDITORIAL ADVISOR first Airbus A350XWB was handed over the LCA in terms of clearance for Admiral Arun Prakash to Qatar Airways. An on-the-spot report operations, with two PAF squadrons by the Managing Editor who interacted EDITORIAL PANEL operational on the type since 2010. with senior executives of Airbus and Pushpindar Singh Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Air Marshal Brijesh Jayal The Next Big Thing Akbar Al Baker. Dr. Manoj Joshi 75 Lt. Gen. Kamal Davar Aero India 2015 Lt. Gen. BS Pawar 99 Gp Capt JC Malik Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, CAS IAF Special Section Cdr M Nirmal on the increasing relevance of aerospace Monica Arora power, its suitability in the present AERO INDIA 2015 Angad Singh context and its affordability and some Sonakshi Chaudhry future propositions. The CAS is clear The 10th edition of this biennial Vijay Matheswaran that the human element will ensure that International Show has the theme Richard Gardner (UK) manned aircraft will continue to operate ‘Make in India’ and logically focuses on Reuben Johnson (USA) in the battlefield scenario for a very, very In his presentation on ‘Emergent Aerospace, Defence, Civil Aviation, Simon Watson (UK) long time in the future. Technologies & Warfare: Opportunities, Airport Infrastructure and Defence Bertrand de Boisset (France) Costs, Implications’ Angad Singh writes Engineering. Taking place at the now traditional site of AFS Yelahanka (north Dr Nick Evesenkin (Russia) on the ‘Opportunities of Gallium Nitride’ Where the Mind is of Bangalore), the event has attracted Tamir Eshel (Israel) 54 which new development has significant Without Fear … impact on future airborne radars. an unprecedented number of exhibitors, ADVERTISING & MARKETING MANAGER both International and Indian and in this Husnal Kaur section some products and services 83 “The Perfect Marriage” are reviewed, with several interviews BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER included. Premjit Singh Also : Go Navy ! ; Former Director of the NFTC and now Lift Off ! ; New gen air-to- Chief of Flight Testing with HAL, Air air missiles ; Commodore KA Muthana examines what constitutes a viable ecosystem for In an exclusive, Vayu interacted with India’s Eagle Eyes ; Published by: the development of aeronautics. Eurojet, the company behind the Eyes over the Ocean ; THE SOCIETY FOR AEROSpaCE STUDIES EJ200 engine powering the Eurofighter Arihant Ahoy ! ; ‘Lead and D-43, Sujan Singh Park, Beloved Aircraft – Typhoon for their take on the Indian New Delhi 110 003 India 64 market, particularly concerning India’s Execute’ ; Remembering Tel: +91 11 24617234 or a Lemon ? advanced medium combat aircraft Parvez ; Tribute to a Fax: +91 11 24628615 (AMCA) programme. Legend ; ‘Freedom Flight’ ; e-mail: [email protected] ‘Noble Arrow 2014’ ; e-mail: [email protected] Facing the Challenge : 86 USAF/HAF ties the Indian Army Today Printed at Aegean Offset Printers The opinions expressed in the articles Regular features : published in the Vayu Aerospace and Commentary, Opinion, Aviation & Defence Review do not necessarily reflect Defence in India, World Aviation the views or policies of The Society for In his characteristic manner, Professor & Defence News, Ancient Aviator Aerospace Studies. Prodyut Das carries out an ‘open Anecdotes, Vayu 25 Years Back, Tale Spin. Visit us at: www.vayuaerospace.in VAYU DPS VAYU DPS C O M M E N T A R Y NDA-II, Manohar Parrikar, has revealed that a new DPP will Ready For Take-off be announced soon. o ring in the new year on a note of good cheer, consider Parrikar has also indicated that arms agents (he uses the Tthis: crude oil prices have plunged 45% relative to where term ‘technical representatives’) will be allowed to participate they were this time last year. It’s not just that there’s a glut of in the process of purchases. Ministry sources, according to oil in the market; commodity prices, in general, are falling, agency reports, have said that these technical experts will be which should benefit a net commodity importer like India. allowed a fee but no commissions or bonus on the purchases. That contributes to the other bit of good news: in January It is easy to quibble over the terms and argue that middlemen last year, the India story had gone completely off the rails. Let in arms deals are being allowed in through the back door. But alone foreigners, even Indian businessmen were fleeing India the need to be less rigid and more practical in these matters and pursuing greener pastures abroad. But India is grabbing is dictated by the exigency that critical arms acquisitions are global attention again and could eclipse China in terms of getting unduly delayed because of the controversies created growth rates if it plays its cards right in terms of productivity- around major arms purchases. enhancing reforms this year. As part of this new pragmatic approach, the minister has And many are willing to bet it will. In momentous Lok allowed public sector unit, Bharat Earth Movers Limited Sabha elections held in April and May last year India elected, (BEML) to supply spare parts to Tatra trucks which involved at long last, a stable single-party majority government not partially lifting the ban against Tatra. UPA-II had imposed dependent on volatile coalition partners and therefore having the ban after the then army chief and now minister of state the capability, at least, to generate consensus on critical issues for north-eastern affairs, VK Singh, claimed that Tatra offered that’s needed to move forward. We may not have seen much a bribe to him. Parrikar has found a technical way out of the of that on the ground so far despite the pro-growth and pro- impasse saying that it was Tatra UK, a subsidiary of the mother business intent expressed by the NDA government. But Prime company, which was banned and there is no restriction in Minister Narendra Modi has transformed at least the field dealing with the other units of the company. Again, it is possible of foreign policy with whirlwind tours and out-of-the-box to criticise him saying that this is but a fig leaf. It has been found initiatives. that Tatra trucks are crucial for the army and it is to deal with This has served the purpose of raising India’s global profile this pressing need that the ban has been partially lifted. as well as mobilising India’s diaspora on its behalf, strategies Parrikar’s pragmatic approach is free of his party’s shrill similar to those successfully followed by China. Also inflation is rhetoric against corruption when it was in opposition, and his trending downwards at long last, which should give RBI room willingness to take decisions based on the country’s security to cut rates. All of this should help break the low-growth rut in needs. He is not taking the rigid position that any company which the economy has been stuck for a long time. which has been blacklisted will always remain on the list. He Declining oil prices have other beneficial effects easing has given enough indications that there will be a review of those India’s international environment. For example, they will take decisions. As a matter of fact, this makes a lot of sense because an the edge off confrontation between Russia and the West over erring foreign arms company should be penalised for breaking Ukraine. Since Russia depends on oil, President Putin will be rules, and the penalties imposed should be punitive so that forced to negotiate. That the Cold War is not returning is good giving and taking of bribes will become counterproductive. It news for India, as it doesn’t want to be in a situation where it should not be kept away if its wares are crucial for the armed has to choose between friends. The political class, which likes forces. to wallow in negative sentiment, should realise that tailwinds Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to make India an are behind us and learn habits of greater cooperation. 2015 arms manufacturing hub will take time to take root and become can be India’s year when it begins to break out and realise its a reality.