III/2017 Aerospace & Defence Review Airbus and India LCA Navy Dilemma UDAN takes off Indian Navy’s anti-ship A Second Chance missiles New wings for the USN’s new aircraft Albatross carrier boeing.co.in 286mm in. Bleed 286mm in. 275mm Trim 275mm 257mm Live TOGETHER. BUILDING THE FUTURE. Boeing is proud of its longstanding partnership with Indi a. A partnership India can depend upon to meet its developing requirements, from surveillance, strike and mobility platforms to C4ISR, unmanned systems and support services. The most advanced systems and technologies providing the greatest value for India today and tomorrow. 197mm Live 215mm Trim 221mm Bleed Job Number: BOEG_BDS_IND_3222M_B Approved Client: Boeing Product: Boeing Defense Space & Security Date/Initials Date: 1/20/15 GCD: P. Serchuk File Name: BOEG_BDS_IND_3222M_B Creative Director: P. Serchuk Output Printed at: 100% Art Director: P. de Koninck Fonts: Helvetica Neue 65, Helvetica Neue 75 Copy Writer: P. Serchuk Media: Force Show Daily, Print Producer: Account Executive: D. McAuliffe 3C Vayu Defence Show Daily 50K Client: Boeing 50C Space/Color: Page — 4 Color — Bleed 4C 41M Proof Reader: 41Y Live: 197mm x 257mm Legal: Trim: 215mm x 275mm Traffic Manager: Traci Brown Bleed: 221mm x 286mm 0 25 50 75 100 Digital Artist: Gutter: Art Buyer: Production Artist: S. Bowman Vendor: Garvey Group PUBLICATION NOTE: Guideline for general identification only. Do not use as insertion order. Material for this insertion is to be examined carefully upon receipt. If it is deficient or does not comply with your requirements, please contact: Print Production at 310-601-1485. Frontline Communications Partners 1880 Century Park East, Suite 1011, Los Angeles, CA 90067 &OLHQW)URQWOLQH-RE9HU$'$ &\DQ 0DJHQWD <HOORZ %ODFN III/2017 III/2017 Aerospace & Defence Review UDAN takes off development of the A321neo (see borne fighters (MRCFB) with Admiral 30 The Regional Air Connectivity cover). In a major breakthrough, Airbus Arun Prakash summing up the Navy’s Scheme, popularly known as UDAN made first deliveries of a large number dilemma on having to select an aircraft (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) has been of A320, A330, A350 and A380s to for the next generation aircraft carriers launched with first flight from Simla to Iran Air even as the Company expect without further delay. However, ADA Delhi in late April. There are select to deliver more than 700 commercial are continuing with development of the Airbus and India LCA Navy Dilemma airlines to operate on 128 routes to aircraft throughout the world in 2017. LCA Navy Mk.II as Vayu was specifically UDAN takes off Indian Navy’s anti-ship briefed. A Second Chance missiles 70 airports. New wings for the USN’s new aircraft Albatross carrier Airbus and India A Second Chance 44 Armed to the Hilt Cover : Airbus A321neo during runway 31 67 water trials (photo courtesy Airbus) EDITORIAL PANEL MANAGING EDITOR Vikramjit Singh Chopra In this critical review, Vayu takes EDITORIAL ADVISOR readers back 25 years when the first The Airbus story in India began in 1976, Admiral Arun Prakash bold moves were made to introduce when Indian Airlines became the first regional air connectivity in India. This EDITORIAL PANEL operator of the A300 B2 in Asia and The Indian Navy’s anti-ship missiles resulted in establishment of Vayudoot this start has continued over the next Pushpindar Singh give it a formidable prowess , with both which got off to a rational start with four decades with hundreds of various Air Marshal Brijesh Jayal rational commuter airliners (Dornier surface and sub-surface systems now Airbus models, notably the A320, in operational service. Sarosh Bana of Dr. Manoj Joshi 228s) but whose original imperatives flying in various colours throughout were abandoned by those incharge, CLAWS reviews the various weaponry Lt. Gen. Kamal Davar the subcontinent and on regional resulting in its ignomious end. with the Navy including air-launched Lt. Gen. BS Pawar international routes. missiles from various platforms. Air Marshal M. Matheswaran Case Study : The Indian Gp Capt JC Malik 36 56 New wings for the Future Super Carrier Cdr M Nirmal Scene, circa 1975 Albatross 71 Monica Arora Angad Singh Sayan Majumdar Richard Gardner (UK) Reuben Johnson (USA) On 29 March 2016, the Indian Navy’s Bertrand de Boisset (France) iconic Tu-142M ‘Bear-Foxtrot’ long- Dr Nick Evesenkin (Russia) So what has changed ? Vayu flies range maritime reconnaissance (LRMR) Tamir Eshel (Israel) readers back to the early 70’s on and ASW aircraft were retired after India’s endeavor to launch regional air 29 years of service with INAS 312 Vayu’s correspondent Sayan Majumdar ADVERTISING & MARKETING MANAGER connectivity services at a time when (‘Albatross’). Having comprehensively writes on the Aviation element of the Husnal Kaur the then Indian Airlines summarily covered the Indian Navy’s long-range US Navy’s new Gerald R Ford-class closed 16 of 70 stations because of maritime patrol operations out of INS carriers on which he was briefed BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER non-viability of those air routes. Have Rajali at Arakkonam in the state of Tamil during his visit to the Euronaval Show Premjit Singh the lessons been learnt ? Nadu (see Vayu VI/2014), Angad Singh in October 2016. This new generation of Vayu returned to this secluded air aircraft carrier with revolutionary Airbus : station to bid the Type farewell. EMALS system will embark new 40 generation F-35Cs alongside E-2D PUBLISHED BY “competitiveness To Sea or not to Sea Advanced Hawk Eyes, a formidable Vayu Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. with efficiency, 62 combination. D-43, Sujan Singh Park, innovation and diversity” New Delhi 110 003 India Also: Rafael’s Litening-5; Irkut at LIMA; Second Yasen-class Tel: +91 11 24617234 Submarine; Saab RBS 70NG; Fax: +91 11 24628615 Pilatus in 2016; 500th Typhoon; e-mail: [email protected] Ronneby’s Gripens; Greek Recce e-mail: [email protected] Phantoms; Frisian Flag 2017; Red Flag 17-2. Future of the LCA Navy is in serious Printed at Aegean Offset Printers question after the Indian Navy Regular features : peremptorily rejected the shipborne Commentary, Opinion, Viewpoint, Airbus marked 2016 with key variant of the Tejas LCA, under The opinions expressed in the articles Aviation & Defence in India, World published in the Vayu Aerospace & Defence milestones including service development at ADA for over a decade. Aviation & Defence News, Ancient Review do not necessarily reflect the views introduction of the A320neo, many In a swift follow up, Naval headquarters Aviator Anecdotes, Vayu 25 Years or policies of the Publishers. of them to Indian operators as also issued an RFI for 57 multi-role carrier Back, Tale Spin. Visit us at: www.vayuaerospace.in C O M M E N T A R Y subsidised Rs 2,500 to the steep Rs 19,000 for similar seats. Start privatisation with Air India The PM has stated he would like to see people wearing hawai s the government firms up its list of state-owned enterprises chappals (flip-flops) stepping on to hawai jahaz (planes). But Athat it plans to privatise, the number one candidate must be in this case – to turn the metaphor – some seats, at least, can Air India. The government should privatise the airline, into which go only to the really suited-booted. it has poured more than Rs 40,000 crore: Rs 24,745 crore as equity Since the Udan subsidy will be paid for by boosting fares on support since 2011-12 alone, as per the turnaround plan of 2011-12, popular metro routes flip flop wearers in metro cities, it appears, which promised a total infusion of Rs 30,231crore over 10 years. are out of luck. In this context, Indian aviation may be better Its debt totals over Rs 40,000 crore. The Comptroller and Auditor off if both Centre and states work on lowering overall taxes in General finds that the state-owned airline lost over Rs 6,000 crore the sector. On busy routes, fees and cess can be as high as 35 since 2012-13. per cent of the fare. Instead of sweating the small stuff what Why should the government of India keep pouring scarce public government needs to do is to get some big things right. India funds — which would generate far greater economic returns if could, for instance, leverage favourable geographical locations to invested in education, healthcare or physical infrastructure — into turn some of its airports into global air traffic hubs, competitive an operation that the country’s private sector is perfectly capable with Dubai and Singapore. of carrying out far more efficiently? The answer is blowing in the From The Times of India jet exhaust. The government should exit the loss making airline. But why should any sane investor buy the stake the government wants to flog? A long haul, no quick fix Mismanagement is only part of the reason for the airline’s he government’s reported decision to press ahead with travails. It was a badly under capitalised company for most of its Tinvolving the private sector in defence production is existence, and the merger of Indian Airlines and Air India played welcome. It has been long overdue. However, caution is in order havoc with morale, operational efficiency and finances. Most of the on expectations of cost-competitive competence straightaway. revenue had to go to service debt. After the government infused The objective must be to reap long-term gains, in terms of large dollops of equity, things have improved. Air India’s employees- indigenous defence technological capability and cost savings to-aircraft ratio has come down from typical Indian public sector in the medium to the long term.