Navy's good will visit to Sri Lanka

Navy's good will visit to Sri Lanka 

Indian Naval Ships Tir and Sujata, along with Indian Coast Guard Ship Varuna, comprising the 1st Training Squadron, are scheduled to visit Colombo, Sri Lanka today and shall stay till 19 Apr 16 as part of their Overseas Deployment during Spring Term 16. The Senior Officer of the 1st Training Squadron, Captain SR Ayyar, would be embarked on board INS Tir.

India and Sri Lanka have a close, long-standing relationship covering a wide spectrum of activities and interactions, which have strengthened over the years. The people of India and Sri Lanka have close cultural bonds and a shared vision of a democratic and pluralistic society. 

Visits by IN and SLN ships to each other’s countries as well as bilateral exercises such as SLINEX provide opportunities for extensive operational and training engagements and contribute to the maintenance of good order at sea. The present deployment of the Training Squadron to Colombo would further cement the close relations between the two nations and the two navies.

The First Training Squadron forms part of Southern Naval Command (SNC) and comprises Indian Naval Ships Tir, Shardul, Sujata, ICGS Varuna and two Sail Training Ships Sudarshini and Tarangini, all of which have been built in India. 

The primary aim of the Squadron is to impart sea training to Naval and Coast Guard trainees, with a 24 weeks ab-initio sea training being imparted. All the trainees are trained in Seamanship, Navigation, Ship Handling, Boat Work, Technical aspects, etc. whilst being exposed to the rigours of life at sea, so as to earn their ‘sea legs’.

The Southern Naval Command (SNC) is the Training Command of the Indian Navy, which provides both basic and advanced training to officers and sailors of the Indian Navy. Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, AVSM, VSM is the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command.

The Indian Navy has also been providing training to personnel from friendly foreign countries for more than four decades, wherein more than 13,000 personnel from over 40 countries have been trained. The Indian Navy’s focused approach for providing high quality training by constantly adapting to evolving tactics and technologies, has gained it a reputation of being one of the finest training destinations.

- PIB

ADA Tejas for Sri Lankan Air force

ADA Tejas for Sri Lankan Air force

ADA Tejas

   A silent Indo-Pak stand-off is brewing up in Lanka. India’s premier aerospace agency ADA is gearing up to offer the HAL manufactured Tejas or the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to Sri Lanka Air Force. This is undoubtedly a game changing move to the maturing aerospace industries of India.  Sri Lankan Air Force is all set to replace its aging fleet of Mig 27 and Kfir platforms with advanced light combat fighter jets. Pakistan has already offered Sri Lanka its JF 17 multi role fighters and went on to claim of a possible deal. Time and again Sri Lankan officials have denied of having worked out any deals.

   Tejas is a demonstrating product for the budding Indian aerospace industry.  Tejas was designed and manufactured in India by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), further the jet was manufactured by HAL in house. Tejas even though built in India has incorporated an array of international components. The engines, radars and missiles were all imported and then further integrated to form a deadly weapon platform. However JF-17 was designed and developed by Pakistan and China with its own resources. Major components were built in-house and further incorporated to the aircraft. The reliability question of these components however remains unanswered.

   Considering on paper stats, the JF-17 has an upper edge over the under-development Tejas. The combat radius of the JF-17 is just unquestioned. The aircraft is powered by a Russian RD 93 engine. The aircraft also uses Chinese made  air to air missiles. These missiles were cloned from the original components and are vulnerable to malfunction threats.  The aircraft also carries a mix of air to ground munitions. The aircraft uses cruise missiles and anti shipping missile. However the need of SLAF is unique; Sri Lanka is a country that has seen lot of political unrest. SLAF employees extensive numbers of ground attack platforms, the real need is for an aircraft capable of dealing with aerial threats. The JF-17 fails miserably in this regard.

  Sri Lankan based newspaper ‘Sunday Observer’ has run a detailed report regarding the offer of Tejas to SLAF. Quoting the newspaper “India offers its latest Tejas multi-role combat aircraft to the SLAF to compete with Pakistani offer of JF 17”. The newspaper claims SLAF sources have been keen in both the jets and rank both the aircraft as very potential in fighting capability. SLAF is a cash strapped force; the budget allotted to SLAF is extremely less. Undoubtedly SLAF will consider the factor an economically viable option. The selected jet has to perform multiple missions. Reliability will be another concern for the SLAF; JF-17 was fielded years ago and has dedicated production lines. Tejas is yet to be inducted to the force; Its primary end user IAF has raised concerns over the performance of the jet.


SLAF currently operates nine Israeli made Kfir multi-role aircraft. Under its command is also seven Chinese made MiG 21 variant F-7 interceptor and  6 Soviet made MiG 27 ground attack jets. The diversified jets have overtime forced SLAF to spend a chunk of its budget on the maintenance of these aircraft. Plans of replacing these aging war pieces with a single model multi-role fighter air craft.

IAI Kfir

   SLAF have relied on Russia to induct aircraft to its fleet. SLAF is not only responsible of securing the air space but counter any arising on ground.  Sri Lanka is recovering from the Civil war waged by the dreaded LTTE. This war had shown the need for multi-role jets. The air space was always prone to attacks and there was unprecedented activity on the ground.

    As mentioned, SLAF has a very pale budget. High end products like the F-16 Blk 52 are the best aircraft that suits the needs of SLAF but budget is a major concern. America had made clear it wasn’t interested in helping Sri Lanka during LTTE war. All these factors have led Sri Lanka to look at the products fielded by maturing contenders.

    Sri Lankan Air Force Chief is scheduled to visit Pakistan early next month as a routine official visit. However some sources mention that he will be observing the PAF aircraft taking-off to skies. This show of force will be led by JF-17 and a deal may very much be finalized during this visit. Pakistan during Paris air show had claimed of an Asian country having signed up for a squadron of JF-17’s. Sources say it was Myanmar Air Force that reached out Pakistan for the aircraft but details were never divulged and the credibility of the deal is left unanswered.

JF 17

  

    Aircraft survivability is one more factor to consider; PAF has lost one or two JF 17 in accidents till date. It's widely known that a JF 17 crashed in late 2011; Faulty engines with Chinese sub-parts in the engine blades were ascertained as the reason for the crash. The pilot failed to eject from the aircraft due to a major fault in the crucial ejection seat. This is a major dent to JF-17. Tejas has clocked several thousands of air time in its test flights. The aircraft has been in flown in the most extreme conditions. The aircraft has remained in the skies and touched ground only when ordered to do so.

    The major concern for exporting Tejas is the need for obtaining clearance from various partners. The engine for the aircraft is from General Avionics, a USA based company. America has freezed all help to Sri Lanka after reports of war crimes surfaces. Various other components haven been imported from USA. For a deal to mature it is crucial that US gives a go ahead; America has been blunt in denying any assistance to Sri Lanka. The deal will go nowhere but down if Sri Lanka fails to kill the war crime allegations.  Taking all these factors it is likely that SLAF will likely favour and opt for JF-17 in the near future. 

Editor Karthik Kakoor

Sri Lanka Buys the JF 17

Sri Lanka Buys the JF 17 Blk 2

       Reports revealed that Sri Lankan Air force buys a squadron of Block 2 version of China Pakistani Developed JF 17 Multi role fighter, in Sri Lanka a Squadron consists of 18 to 24 fighter jets, number include Trainer, Reserve and Active combat group. during the Paris air show this year, Pakistani officials announced that JF 17 gets the first export order and signs the agreement with a South Asian country to supply the JF 17 Fighters, without revealing the Name of the Customer.

       Two days after the announcement made in Paris air show, a Pakistani TV news Channel quoted the South Asian customer is the Sri Lankan Air force, earlier this month Pakistani Army Staff General Raheel Sharif meets with several Sri Lankan Officials and the Sri Lankan Air force Chief, also during the meet photo's emerged that a JF 17 Scale model along with Sri Lankan Air force emblem, reveals the Sri Lankan plans of Buying the Chinese Pakistani made JF 17 fighter jets.

      

   It's also reported that The Sri Lankan air force gets the upgraded Block 2 version of the JF 17 which having air to air Refueling, improved Avionics, more combat load, and advanced electronic warfare capabilities. each fighter costs some $30-53 millions, makes the fighter as very cheap in price, also the Company plans to deliver the JF 17 to Sri Lanka before 2017. looks as they already signed the Agreements.

       It seems there is no problem in the Contract, since Sri Lanka has a good relationship with both Chinese and Pakistan, they have good relations since decades. Sri Lanka operates many Chinese developed combat and Cargo planes which include the Chengdu F 7 Fighter jet, MA 60 and Y 12 Transporters. also the JF 17 don't have modern western equipments since it makes numerous other problems because of Technology stealing.

         Earlier the Pakistanis approached the French for improved Engine the Snecma M 53 Engines, more powerful RDY multi mode Radars along with MICA advanced air to Air missiles, also seeks the support of data link to connect the aircraft with many other Flying platform like AEWCS and ground stations. the deal valued some $1.6 billions, But France refused to supply those cutting edge state of Art technologies to the Pakistani's and the Chinese due to the concern of Leaking French advanced technologies to other Countries especially China, also Indian lobby is prevented the French to deliver those technologies to  China and Pakistan,

      Where India operates Mirage 2000 fighters which were recently modernized with more advanced Technologies listed above, 

      So it's forces the JF 17 to use the outdated Russian engines and Chinese Missiles, even they approached the South African Darter A and European IRST advanced dog fighting missiles to fit in the JF 17, that contract status is also unknown, since most countries knows about China, that they were reverse engineer everything they buy, 

        Also the JF 17 comes with Chinese made KLJ 7 radar, where it's also developed by the Chinese, since it's believed that even Russia too refused to sell the Radar systems to the JF 17 otherwise those Russian Radars significantly large in size which it can't fit inside the Radome of the JF 17. The JF 17 uses the Russian Klimov RD 93 engines, the same Mig 29 uses twin RD 93 Engines.

       The JF 17 comes with array of Chinese made Missiles, Bombs where they lack of proven modern Air to Air and Air to Ground missiles, since it's radar can't integrate it. the Primary long range BVR missile is the Chinese made PL 12 missile having range upto 60 to 100 kilometers. and uses the PL 9 and PL 5 heat seeking missile for Dogfighting. 

   

   But the JF 17 has some good numbers of Air to ground missiles, like Precision and Laser Guided Bombs. stand off Cruise Missile like Ra'ad, But it's not confirmed that weaponry includes the Pakistani Ra'ad available for Export to the Sri Lankan Air force. But they too can supply it to show Sri Lnakan Air force also a Threat to Indian Air force and Strategic locations in Southern corner of India. also it's planed more variety of Air to ground missiles like Anti radiation, unguided bombs and more.

     Even Sri Lanka gets the Chinese Pakistani made JF 17 it won't change anything in the Souther part of India.   

RAW in Sri Lankan Presidential Election

RAW in Sri Lankan Presidential Election

The Known unknown NIA Agents

The known unknown SPG

      The island country in the Indian Ocean Sri Lanka recently hosted the Presidential election. Sri Lanka being a democratic country went before the people to choose a leader for the next five years to rule the country. On 8th January 2015 the country went to polls. Maithripala Srisena of the SLFP and incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa of the UNP were the candidates. The mandate of the people was accounted for on 10^th the January. Maithripala Srisena won the elections piping Rajapaksha from the post of President. Rajapaksha who had served as the president for almost a decade had a very soft stand towards China and Pakistan which had changed India’s view towards Colombo. Rajapaksha had tilted towards China and had shown his interest towards China signing various deals with the communist backed country. Rajapaksha actively moved towards being part of the China’s over ambitious “Pearl of Strings “plan. What really caught the attention of India’s top command was the docking of two ‘nuclear powered’ submarines in Sri Lankan controlled port. The Sri Lankan command failed to warn New Delhi of any docking as they should have under a standing agreement. Indian government was further irked with Sri Lankan forces harassing Indian flagged Trawlers and many a times capturing the trawlers. 

        The docking of the Chinese SSN and it’s passage through the IOR without Indian counterpart being kept in dark was considered one of the greatest strategic failures of Indian Government. It was crucial for India to keep Sri Lanka sailing along with it, India is land locked in the north with all times enemies Pakistan and China as the neighbors. If China would take Sri Lanka with its course and had Sri Lanka changed its stand towards India, India would have been encircled by hostile forces. The status quo had to be returned and with the elections Indian government sensed an opportunity and RAW was pu in charge of changing the course of the poll.

     Sensing Rajapaksha’s closeness to Chinese leaders, RAW tried reversing his long time partner and his Minister for Health Maithripala Srisena. Maithripala was made to quit UNP and joined the SLFP and become the fore runner for the post of president in no time. It’s rumored Maithripala had the full support of  Indian government throughout the campaign and in return Maithripala had promised full support to Indian campaigns thereafter.

      The news of RAW’s involvement was known only when the Station Chief of Colombo was summoned back after the Rajapaksha government pressed for the termination of Indian mission in Colombo. Sensing a major diplomatic fall out the Indian government summoned back the station chief.  Soon after the results were made public Rajapaksha openly criticized the Indian Government and blamed the involvement of RAW in his lose.

         The New government led by Maithripala openly showed it’s willingness to sail along with the Indian government and the first foreign visit of Maithripala after the elections was to India. The president also showed keen interest in welcoming Indian investment and ventures in Sri Lanka. Blaming the low quality of works carried out by Chinese firms Sri lank has threatened to cancel any further ventures with China. The government has started probes in to the exciting deals and ventures being carried out by Chinese firms and has promised to back slash if the expected work quality has not been maintained.  A recent press release has confirmed that ‘ No more Chinese Warships or submarines will be allowed to dock in Sri Lankan ports if at all the agreement is to broken the Indian Government will be notified at the earliest‘.

    P.S – RAW’s involvement is only a speculation hardened by the removal of a Station Chief. RAW’s operation are a mystery and shall always remain a mystery. After all they are the crusaders of the dark. 

Editor Karthik Kakoor