V/2016 Aerospace & Defence Review The Indian Air Force at 84 Dassault Rafales Ordered Saving the Tejas Challenges and Opportunities Smarter Eyes in Skies Securing of Air Power Aerial Threats & Defences Lockheed Martin FOR INDIA. FROM INDIA. EXPORTED TO THE WORLD. AT LOCKHEED MARTIN, WE’RE ENGINEERING A BETTER TOMORROW. © 2016 LOCKHEED MARTIN CORPORATION Live: H: NA Trim: H: 280mm W: 215mm Job Number: FG16-03934T Designer: Kevin Gray Bleed: H: 286mm W: 221mm Publication: Vayu Aerospace Q/A: Becky Maddux Gutter: None Visual: F-16 India Communicator: Carla Krivanek Resolution: 300 DPI Country: India Due Date: 7/13/16 Density: 300 Color Space: CMYK V/2016 V/2016 Aerospace & Defence Review The IAF at 84: Securing India’s This second part of the articles, covers 36 62 Vayu’s visit to Airbus Defence & Interview with CAS Air Power Space in Germany, that to the Airbus Helicopters site at Donauworth in Germany, engaged in production of several rotorcraft including the Tiger The Indian Air Force at 84 and NH90. Dassault Rafales Ordered Saving the Tejas Challenges and Opportunities Smarter Eyes in Skies Securing of Air Power Aerial Threats & Defences 92 Smarter Eyes Cover: Dassault Rafale, the IAF’s new generation in the Skies multi role combat aircraft (photo: Dassault) In his exclusive interview with Vayu, Air Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur Chief Marshal Arup Raha gives answers of the Centre for Air Power Studies, EDITORIAL PANEL to various questions on state of the IAF lays down the Master Document, today and imminent acquisitions of new considered the Indian Union War Book, MANAGING EDITOR generation fighters – and much else. on the duties of various stakeholders, Vikramjit Singh Chopra essentially the Indian Air Force, which has clear responsibility for air defence EDITORIAL ADVISOR 44 The Rafale of the country. Admiral Arun Prakash Merry-Go-Round Sanatan Kulshreshtha of CLAWS Save the Tejas ! EDITORIAL PANEL 73 explores the role of unmanned Pushpindar Singh systems for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as for strike. Air Marshal Brijesh Jayal Dr. Manoj Joshi Aerial Threats and Lt. Gen. Kamal Davar 97 Lt. Gen. BS Pawar Air Defence Air Marshal M. Matheswaran Gp Capt JC Malik Cdr M Nirmal Monica Arora Angad Singh Admiral Arun Prakash urges the MoD Sayan Majumdar to “think out of the box” to make the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft Richard Gardner (UK) available to the IAF and Navy in quantity Reuben Johnson (USA) and at the earliest. Bertrand de Boisset (France) Dr Nick Evesenkin (Russia) 79 Fast Backward: Tamir Eshel (Israel) circa 1962 and 2016 15 years after the MMRCA programme ADVERTISING & MARKETING MANAGER was initiated, and five years after Husnal Kaur the Dassault Rafale was selected, Air Marshal Dhiraj Kukreja reviews the BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER present status and its impact on future Premjit Singh capabilities of the IAF. 50 Challenges and PUBLISHED BY Opportunities In his inimitable way, Ravi Rikhye looks Brig KK Iyer takes a holistic view of Vayu Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. back to state of the IAF in 1962 and the requirements for air defence, from D-43, Sujan Singh Park, compares it with the situation today, point to short and medium range area New Delhi 110 003 India lamenting on the lack of decision- air defence. making, which impacts on the IAF Tel: +91 11 24617234 achieving its sanctioned strength. Also: MBDA; The Lightning Strikes; Fax: +91 11 24628615 Airbus Commercial Forecasts; e-mail: [email protected] Bastille Day 2016; Russia’s New TMB’16: Airbus e-mail: [email protected] 83 Airliner; Gripen with Meteor; Irkut Helicopters MC-21; F-35A in the Netherlands; Spitfire Book Reviews In their review of the Indian Air Force Printed at Aegean Offset Printers today, Abhijit Iyer-Mitra and Angad Singh examine main obstacles hindering Regular features : India’s movement towards an air- Commentary, Opinion, Viewpoint, The opinions expressed in the articles published in the Vayu Aerospace & Defence centric paradigm, navigating the various Geo-Politics, Aviation & Defence in Review do not necessarily reflect the views issues of army-centrism, opposing India, World Aviation & Defence News, or policies of the Publishers. forces, fleet sizes and finances. Vayu 25 years back, Tale Spin Visit us at: www.vayuaerospace.in C O M M E N T A R Y PROUD TO SERVE THE INDIAN AIR FORCE 84th for supplies and repairs. LEMOA is one of the four foundational Long Term Import agreements that the US pursues with its defence partners. Seen hatever the play of words that separates the LEMoA (Logistics in the context of the fact that India obtained a ‘major defence WExchange Memorandum of Agreement) from the standard partner’ designation from the US last June, LEMOA represents Logistics Supply Agreement the United States signs to gain basing logical progression in bilateral ties. Accordingly, joint operations and other forms of military logistics support from its foreign allies between the two militaries will become easier, paving the way for and partners, there can be no quibble about the fact that India and new synergies in the defence sector. the US have reached a military agreement with long-term import. That said, LEMOA doesn’t make logistical support automatic The LEMoA, signed in Washington between Defence Minister or obligatory for either party – requests will be considered on a Manohar Parrikar and his US counterpart Ashton Carter, began its case-by-case basis. Nor does it allow for US bases to be set up on life in the Indian context in 2002-2003, when the US urged the Indian soil. This is a good thing since New Delhi needs to maintain Atal Behari Vajpayee government to sign it in order to cement ties. flexibility in foreign policy. American foreign policy choices can th While the Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh governments remained be rash and India would like to maintain its distance from those. 84 chary in view of Indian sensitivities on offering base facilities to However, LEMOA holds significant strategic import against the foreigners, the Narendra Modi government has pursued the matter backdrop of China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea in earnest. However, in the recent past, the defence ministry as well and backing for anti-India terrorists based in Pakistan. India has as the Air Force and Navy chiefs have expressed their reservations legitimate commercial interests in the South China Sea and would about LEMoA. be well served in cooperating with the US to keep sea lanes open India has never before entered into such an agreement with in the Indo-Pacific area. any nation. The Indo-Soviet Treaty of Peace and Friendship only Besides, given the way geopolitics is shaping up in Asia, envisaged that the two countries would come to each other’s it’s natural for New Delhi to seek enhanced defence trade with defence if attacked militarily. Given the significance of the deal, the Washington. India’s major defence partner status allows it access to otherwise fairly routine joint statement, signed in New Delhi when almost 99% of the latest American defence technologies. This needs US secretary of state John Kerry arrived for the second Indo-US to be leveraged to incubate a US style military-industrial complex strategic and commercial dialogue pointedly noted that “defence in India that not only creates jobs and furthers self-sufficiency in ties form the bedrock of the bilateral strategic partnership”. In defence procurement, but also makes India a defence exporter in this context it referred to the status of “major defence partner” future. However, this vision can only be actualised through greater conferred on India by the US during Prime Minister Modi’s visit Indian private sector participation in the defence sector, which to Washington in June, and the LEMoA signed by Mr Parrikar government must facilitate. later. Incidentally, the US has conferred the status of “major non- NATO ally” on Pakistan. From The Times of India The first NDA government of Mr Vajpayee had signed the General Security of Military Information Agreement with the US in 2002. It dodged LEMoA but the second NDA government has Asian Market for Military Aircraft gone ahead with it. The two other “foundational” agreements, a ince it first rolled out of its Fort Worth factory in the 1970s, requirement of US law, in the defence field remain to be cleared Sthe F-16 has been a symbol of US military power. If its before India-US military cooperation can reach the zenith of its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, manages to win a big overseas possibilities. contract, though, the F-16 might become the latest US product Under LEMoA, neither side is obliged to offer bases. In that to get offshored. sense it is an enabling document — but that makes it more than Lockheed is vying for a contract to sell fighter jets to India, part the thin end of the wedge. As the Indian Army, Navy and Air of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s $150 billion plan to modernise Force don’t roam the world projecting military power while the the country’s armed forces. To sweeten the deal, Lockheed is willing US does, the one-sided nature of the deal is apparent. However, to shift F-16 production to the country. Rivals Boeing and Saab America won’t part with its top-end military hardware, equipped have made similar offers to move production to India. with high-level communications and avionics, unless India signs the Such proposals show the lengths US military suppliers are willing “foundational” agreements. In the overall recent context, LEMoA to go to win customers worldwide. With Pentagon spending hurt and other “foundational” agreements play into the convergence of by sequestration, the across-the-board budget cuts that took effect Mr Modi’s “Act East” policy with President Barack Obama’s re- in 2013, the biggest US contractors are hunting for new markets.