New Opportunities, Israeli comes closer to Indian Aerospace Sector

New Opportunities, Israeli comes closer to Indian Aerospace Sector

    Major Israeli aerospace companies like Elta, IAI and Rafeal is keen to build partnership with Indian companies to explore the opportunities of Indian defense need and make Indian Manufacturing units as a Global export hub's.however those companies already makes joint ventures with Indian Companies and already involved in major aerospace projects, the DRDO- IAI joint project of Barak Missile is the best example, which was the major first line of defensive missile system in both Ships and land based systems.

     IAI the Israeli Aerospace Industries is one of the major Israeli defense company, which is owned by the Israeli state government, who is a master in aerospace, with numerous amount of small to long endurance of UAV's and Sensor fusion systems, Naval systems and missiles, India and IAI signed first contract of Supplying AEWCS radar to the modified Il 78, which was carried out by another IAI subsidiary Elta, after the successful delivery, IAF went more deals with the Israeli IAI, the Griffin LGB kits are the most important deal which can convert a unguided bomb and high precession guided bomb, which was effectively used in the Kargil war.

     On the other front, DRDO and IAI signed a co project to develop a long range anti missile SAM system, specially for the Naval ships, the project almost in finishing condition, where DRDO supplied rocket motors and acquisition systems, and Israeli's works on the seeker, the Missile successfully tested against live target,and Israel already employed Barak 8 in their latest Sa'ar class corvette's, and India soon to get those missile's in latest Kolkata class destroyers, after the successful tests and performance Army and Air force jumped into the Projects and asks land based Barak systems dubbed by MR-SAM, which is also in pipeline,

   Not only those, India operating nearly seven IAI build Super Dovra fast attack boats, and IAI assisted the Indian's to develop the cannon launched guided missile which is incorporated into Arjun Tanks, the Israeli's allows the Indians to reverse engineer the LAHAT missile.

    And now IAI is keen to build many variants of small to hale UAV's  in India with a private partner,  and supply those systems to Indian armed forces in low costs and by selling it foreign customers to make higher profit, which also boost the Indo Israeli ties too.

   Rafael is the another company who also involved in major Indian Defense projects,  which is also a state owned company, who involved in missile projects, India had a good relation with the Rafael with the induction of SpyDer SAM system, Python and Derby air to Air missiles and many more, Rafael is one of the top Israeli company who keen to part of the Make in India program,  Recently Israeli Rafael and Indian Kalyani created a Joint company in India to produce missile and armor protection systems for main battle Tanks, however the JV mainly focus the Spike Anti tank missile production in India, where Indian Army earlier shortlisted the Spike missile to supply more than 300 firing units and more than thousands of Missiles.

   The Rafael Kalyani not only looking for production they planning to  missile integration and some other technical works in the Fighter jets and missile systems, which can work with the Existing radar, they they are competing network centric system which can connect all field systems into the operational command center.

    Elta is famous for Radar systems, that the known green pine radar and the birth of Indian Long range Tracking Radar, whose is the heart of Indian Ballistic missile defense program, Elta is partially owned by the IAI, most of the Radar systems currently being operated by Indian forces is from Elta, Elta not only supply's the Systems, they allows the Indians' to study about the system and make their own in India, the Air force's known Arudhra Radar comes from EL/M-2084 multi mode radar, who is currently mass produced by Indian LRDE, who is replacing older french built Radar systems in India. 

   Elta too plans to Build a manufacturing plant in India, to make it India as a global hub for exporting, as simply R&D labs in Israel and technological expertise from Israel, and the Manufacturing happens in India, a very good innovative way to succeed in Business and cooperation.

The Mystery of S 300 in India

Is India operating the S-300 PMU-2 SAM System ?

     There is a circulating news of do India have any S 300 series SAM missiles, but the clear answer is No, India didn't have operated the S 300 systems, But we have some S 300 associated Radars like The PSM-33 Mk.2 Radar and the ST-68 'Tin Shield' Radar, those Radar makes the Journals to report India operates the S 300 missiles, also India too requested the Russian S 300 PMU or S 300 VM SAM systems, and Russian too offered it many times, since the early 1995, when China sold some Medium Range Ballistic missiles to Pakistan,


    The PMU version can shoot down any incoming aerial threats in extended ranges upto some 100 kilometers, and the VM version can shoot down Ballistic missiles in endo atmosphere, Previously some media reports that India get a squadron of that means 6 Regiments of S 300 PMU each regiments comprising three Launchers with a rice tag of around one billion, also all the PMU systems upgraded by more advanced ballistic missile interceptor role dubbed S 300 VM.

  Also some reports mentions those deployed S 300 protect the Indian capital Delhi and the Economic capital Mumbai from Pakistani missile Threats, both Cruise and Ballistic missiles, back in the 2000's India don't have any Anti Missile Systems.

    The Truth is India has huge number of S 125 SAM systems, but those SAM systems have advanced Radars which are incorporates with the S 300 System, almost all major Air force  base were covered by a dense Air defense units, most of the Indian Bases situated near to the Pakistani Borders, to safe guard those base from Pakistani Attacks most Air bases have squadron of S 125 Stationary SAM systems along with advanced Radars like Russian made Flatface, PSM 33 and Tin Sheild Radar units, The S 125 works with the Radar guidance mechanism, so it need a sophisticated radar systems for better detection and interception.

     Those Air bases also well protected by mobile SAM systems like the OSA AK short Range quick reaction missile systems. as the second layer of defense, the same goes for protecting other civilian structures in Mumbai and the National Captial Delhi, the Delhi have three tier Systems, One with S 125 long Range Interception, another OSA AK batteries and the huge number of AA systems, Here is journals saw some S 300 Radar systems and citied that were the S 300 Systems and missed to take photographs of S 300 Launchers.






     Earlier 2000, India concerned about the Pakistani and Chinese Ballistic and Cruise missile Threats, that Time India don't have any good systems that can shoot down missiles, so India went for a International Shopping, three systems were Short listed, the Russian S 300, American Patriot Systems and the Israeli Arrow systems. During that time Indians has good relationship with the Russians, and many of them predicted India might buy the S 300 systems from Russia, meantime the Indian Defense Secretory Mr.Nambiar also visited Russia and witnessed the S 300 live test. and Media's from both India and foreign suggested that India also Seal the agreement of Supplying six regiments of S 300 Batteries.

     Meantime DRDO also started projects like Akash and others to defend the Indian skies from Enemy birds, but they lack of good Surveillance and Air search radars, so they effectively want good Radar systems with complete ToT. but Ministry knows about DRDO and they knows it takes time to mature the System from DRDO, so they went for Purchase, and selects the Israeli Arrow system. but not the S 300 system, by performance analysis the Aroow is better than S 300VM in case of intercepting Ballistic missiles and also comes with good Long range Radar.

    Because of the Nuclear test, Americans imposed sanctions to India, which creates many problems in the Indian defense research and manufacturing. also the Israeli Arrow missile developed in support of Americans both with funds and Technologies, So Americans asked the Israeli's not to Supply those Systems to India, but the Radar associated with Arrow is developed the Israel firm ELTA under IAI, also Israeli's supported Indian Nuclear efforts and defended Indians by continuously supplying critical defense equipments,

     Israel agreed to sell two Green pine Radars to India and allows the Indians to study and reproduce more variants, which gives a chance to India to Develop long range Tracking Radars, hence the Sword Fish born, also India setup-ed a BMD network with the Help of those Green pines, so now India can track almost all kind of Flying objects within and outside Indian Territory, but they don't have the missiles to intercept, later India went for interceptor program, Tier 1 comprising AAD and PDV systems and Tier 2 consists of AD 1 and AD 2 systems, where the AAD is nearly entered serial productions and could be deployed before the end of Next year,

   But the Meantime India slowly and steadily upgrades the existing S 125  with newer Radars, makes them almost good in comparing with the S 300 SAM systems.

ADA Tejas 1 P with AESA Radar

ADA Tejas 1 P with AESA Radar

     HAL Plans to retrofit the Israeli made EL/M 2052 aesa radar on the serial production of Tejas once FOC is achieved,so far LCA uses the Israeli made  2038 radar which is a Doppler Multi mode radar known as mmr. so far Tejas test fired the Russian made R 73 heat seeking missile, which is a Short range IR guided missile, but the BVR missile yet to be fired from the Tejas, as per initial planning IAF wants the Tejas to fire both Israeli and Russian Missile along with Indian m,ade Astra BVR and some other Precession Guided Munitions.

         For long Range Interception Most Fighter Aircrafts carry Long Range BVR missiles, which allows them to engage enemy fighters from safe distance,  Tejas having low Combat radius which is noted less than 500 Kilometers one of the main reason why IAF rejecting the Tejas, due to this less combat radius The Tejas should need a Long range BVR missiles, Tejas planned to Carry BVR missiles like Indian made Astra which having range of some 70 kilometers, the Russian made R 77 missile having Range of some 80 kilometers, and the Israeli made Derby missile having Range of some 50 kilometers,

        But so far no reason provided by the HAL or the ADA why Tejas still not fired the BVR missiles either anyone of them, earlier Tejas launched a R 73 with using bore sights which will not uses much of the Radar for fire and control the missile, the Israeli elta already provided the source codes to the ADA to integrate missiles and Bombs with the Radar and with the Fighter Jets primary control systems, it's a Huge technology needed to integrate the Radar with Fighter jets and communicate with other platforms like Ground Stations and other aerial platforms like AEWCS.

       which also a major concern why IAF not interested in Tejas, even the decade old MiG 21 Bison which is a Upgraded version have BVR missiles for Interception, the Bison uses the R 77 adder missile for BVR engagement and R 73 Archer for Short range engagements. that's the main reason why IAF still using the Bison's in it's fleet and not interested the Tejas,

       Tejas not yet received the In flight Refueling probe, but it's already on behind the schedule by some six months, so far no informations are received, also recently the HAL team carried out hot refueling of Tejas, means Refueling the plane while the engine on working, a step towards refueling in the Air.

     The missile firing questions many things, does the Radar or the data links have problem to fire missiles and Bombs, and the IAF also interested in ASEA radars, where ADA planned AESA radars only on MK 2 versions or retro fit later, two models of planned one is Israeli ELTA made EL/M 2052 AESA another ARDE Uttham AESA recently unveiled on the Aero India 2015.

     It's the Indian Navy who is eagerly wants the Naval version of Tejas. who is also funding for naval tejas project too, the Naval Tejas planned to carry Kh 31, and Kh 35 Anti Shipping missiles, but the current situation is the same like BVR integration, means they yet to integrate and fire the missile.

      By these all problems It's seems that ADA and HAL plans to fit the AESA radar in Tejas to Fire those multi kind of Missiles, the news also not comes from official spokespersons or HAL, but some sources closed to ADA reveal the information, It's good to having a AESA in Tejas which gives more range and more target informations accommodate more missiles and fires them guide them to hit the Target, if Tejas fitted with AESA, then it becomes the first IAF fighter who comes with Operational AESA Radar equipped Fighter Jet

Super Sukhoi Su 30 MKI

Super Sukhoi Su 30 MKI

   Sukhoi modernize program is  the another Long delayed Air force project, the Super sukhoi project is a Trending project during the early 2010, after announcing the MMRCA tender and winner most of them almost forget the modernise program, but still which not being considered as first priority, The Su 30 MKI is the Backbone of the Indian Air space protection, where recent troubles in Engines and Service availability also irked the issue. 

     while most other airforce's ramming up their primary fighter, Like pakistani's comes up with Latest F 16 Block 52 Fighter, and Chinese also in effort and Successfully fitted AESA and home grown EW systems in thier flankers, they also in talks with Russians to buy more advanced 117S jet Engines, to power their Flankers.

      But unfortunately we went earlier customized version of Flanker, which is far more advanced than any other Flanker, but that's not anymore, where west is merely researching about  retrofitting AESA, EW jammers and integrating more advanced Missiles, Still our MKI lags behind and runs as earlier like 2012, reports from HAL mentioned that they were complete the All pre ordered 272 Aircrafts before 2019, and they will step on another projects like Tejas MK2, AMCA and FGFA projects, so lack of Technological advancements and manpower, It's need to switch the MMRCA supplier,

        while HAL remains masters in Su 30 MKI, the super sukhoi upgrade also needs to hands over to HAL Team, meanwhile HAL invested so much in Sukhoi project, Recently DRDO gets two modified Su 30 for testing purpose mainly engine replacement and other Electronic equipments, slowly brighten the path of Modernize program, also earlier they get two Su for missile Integrations,

        Also under a Program the HAL and DRDO working to integrate Brahmos A missile with the MKI, a 44 of the Su 30 MKI can be modified to carry the Brahmos A missile, a Nuclear warhead is on the option. which may be fall under SFC, 

        But we have wide options, I sure that HAL and DRDO gets complete Knowledge of Su 30 MKI, so doing more in Su makes most efficient fighter in Asia for another 15 Years, It's the Israeli's who first Successfully changed the F 15 Air superiority of  Multi role Fighter, where US uses two versions of  F 15 one for Air another for Strike, The MKI is also have the capability of Multi role, but not the same like F 15 which is a Multi role CAS fighter,

      The Su MKI can't perform good Missions in Low Altitude due to It's size and Limits, but with it's awesome Combat radius is unmatchable, one more thing would be noticeable the MKI can't carry external drop tanks, which means the Fighter always supersonic and high AoA, the enemy noticed they saw a Su 30 MKI he should eject first from it's fighter, to save his life.

       the Possible Upgrades to the MKI is adding more effective Multi role, like Multiple ejector Rack, AESA radar, more powerful EW and Jamming systems, along with High performance Engines,

          India have wide options of AESA, ERDE already developed a AESA multi mode radar with the support of Israeli Elta, which is unveiled in Aero India  2015, which can be fitted into MKI, while it was originally designed for MK2 Tejas, a modified version can be used in Su 30MKI,  also variety of foreign options also available, we can buy from either Israeli's, Americans or French,

    

    The same also integrating Anti armour missiles into Su 30 MKI to perform CAS missions, for doing anti armour and CAS missions, the fighter comes to very low, and need a visual identification before striking, also most anti armour missiles  comes as low weight less range, which means one pylon can carry four such missiles in a rack config, earlier last week their is a information out that India working a base degin to create one, otherwise we can buy some from French where they already developed Spear Missile, Americans have Small Diameter Bombs.

         Another major aspects is the  Engines, the engine issue in Su 30 MKI is a Major problem, while it comes with Dual engines, even one fails the other can bring the fighter to home base, the 117S engine from Russia seems good, who also power the Su 35, otherwise we may go for west for good Engines, but Better Idea is a Joint venture with some Foreign, a Engine for Indian projects must needed, we already have a Joint venture with General Electrical with an Indian private company,

       If all the above options are considered and Quickly established we may see the Upgraded MKI before 2020, and the Initial batches comes by 2025.