INDIAN ARMED FORCES CHIEFS ON OUR RELENTLESS AND FOCUSED PUBLISHING EFFORTS

SP's Aviation - ISSUE No 9-2021

Issue Features

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  IAF SPECIAL: VIEWPOINT | NEIGHBOURHOOD
  Chinese Intrude into Taiwanese Aerospace
  By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)

  Repeated violation of Taiwanese air space is a clear indication of the increasing military pressure that China is subjecting Taiwan to and the consequent escalation of tension between the two nations

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  IAF SPECIAL: VIEWPOINT | INFRASTRUCTURE
  Highways for Emergency Landing
  By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)

  Emergency landing strips on national highways are relevant from the point of view of air safety for operational missions undertaken by combat aircraft of the IAF especially during war

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  IAF SPECIAL: CAS MESSAGE
  Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari
  

  The 89th anniversary of the Indian Air Force is an important occasion for all air warriors as we pay tribute to the courage and fortitude of our predecessors and rededicate ourselves in service of this great nation.

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  FIRST & EXCLUSIVE TO SP’S

  IAF SPECIAL: CAS INTERVIEW
  “IAF’s threat appreciation always caters for likely scenarios & a scan of global capabilities to arrive at optimum force structure & desired operational prowess”
  

  On the occasion of the 89th Anniversary of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari, PVSM AVSM VM ADC, Chief of the Air Staff spoke exclusively to Jayant Baranwal, Editor-in-Chief, SP’s Aviation

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  IAF SPECIAL: FUTURE
  Future Shock!
  By Vishal Thapar

  The Indian Air Force is banking heavily on ‘Make in India’ to bail it out of an existential crisis as half of its fighter fleet nears the end of its life this decade

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  IAF SPECIAL: ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
  IAF Sharp Focusses on Threat from China
  By Vishal Thapar

  IAF displays show of strength on 89th Air Force Day

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  IAF SPECIAL: TECHNOLOGY | IAI
  Enhancing India’s Indigenous Defence Capabilities
  

  IAI has had a long-standing and fruitful relationship with India, and for decades, has been a strategic partner with India’s Air Force, Army, and Navy.

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  IAF SPECIAL: COMBAT FLEET
  Combat Fleet of the IAF Post Induction of Rafale
  By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)

  As it appears at this point in time, the fleet of 284 Su-30 MKI aircraft is and will continue to be the backbone of the IAF for some years

• 

  IAF SPECIAL: TECHNOLOGY | HENSOLDT
  Xpeller – Protection from Dangerous High Flyers the Threat from the Air
  

  HENSOLDT’s Xpeller counter-UAV system provides protection from the ever-increasing threat posed by over-the-counter drones, both in the military and the civilian sector

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  IAF SPECIAL: PLAAF
  PLAAF’s Growing Threat – Challenge for the IAF
  By Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd)

  With the support of the indigenous industry that is producing a wide range of military aerial platforms, the PLAAF is fast acquiring top-end systems and weapons of global class

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  IAF SPECIAL: TECHNOLOGY | PRATT & WHITNEY
  “P&W welcomes the reforms and initiatives taken by the Government and is actively exploring new avenues to collaborate and contribute”
  

  Pratt & Whitney’s partnership with India spans more than seven decades, and goes as far back as India’s independence. Ashmita Sethi, President and Country Head, Pratt & Whitney talks to SP’s Aviation on the company’s contribution in developing India’s Aerospace Ecosystem.

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  IAF SPECIAL: FORCE MULTIPLIERS
  Force Multiplication — That’s the Name of the Game
  By Joseph Noronha

  As a hostile China rapidly modernises its military and Pakistan continues to needle India in new ways, the Indian Air Force needs to be vigilant on all fronts

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  IAF SPECIAL: TECHNOLOGY | GENERAL ATOMICS
  MQ-9B: The Future of Multi-Force, Multi-Domain UAS
  By Dr Vivek Lall

  Today’s commanders can work in a unified operations centre that ties together streams of information from space, air, land, ocean surface, undersea and more. Multi-domain operations via Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) mean the organisations, doctrines and insights are seamless

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  IAF SPECIAL: FIGHTERS
  F-15EX — An Evolving Fighter
  By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)

  As the USAF is embarked on the induction of the F-15EX, Pratt & Whitney can provide the engine for this platform that will help the service in achieving enhanced operational capability

• 

  IAF SPECIAL: TECHNOLOGY | ROSOBORONEXPORT
  Rosoboronexport: Contracts Grow Steadily
  

  The summer exhibition period 2021 has demonstrated strong demand for Russian weapons and military equipment. At the ARMY-2021 Military-Technical Forum, MAKS-2021 Aerospace Salon and IMDS-2021 Maritime Defence Show, Rosoboronexport...

• 

  IAF SPECIAL: DRONES
  Defence Against Attack by Armed Drones
  By Air Marshal Anil Chopra (Retd)

  The attack by an armed drone on the Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Jammu in June 2021, had brought the national focus on threat from drones

• 

  IAF SPECIAL: TECHNOLOGY | MBDA
  Celebrating Indian Air Force Day During a Landmark Year
  By Boris Solomiac, MBDA General Delegate India

  MBDA understands the importance of operational capability to the IAF and has strongly committed to ‘Make in India’ to deliver the best of military equipment to India

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  IAF SPECIAL: STRATEGY
  Implications of the Turmoil in Afghanistan for the IAF
  By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)

  Over the years, the Indian Air Force has played a significant role in providing succour to our countrymen in times of calamities of all kinds

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  CIVIL | AIRLINES
  India’s National Carrier’s “Ghar Waapsi” after about Seven Decades
  By Ayushee Chaudhary

  Tatas have won the competitive bid for acquiring Air India including wholly-owned subsidiary Air India Express and 50 per cent stake in Air India SATS

• 

  IAF SPECIAL
  A Word from Editor-in-Chief
  By Jayant Baranwal, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

  “IAF is always operationally ready for any contingencies. We remain prepared whilst we continuously enhance our capabilities to ensure a robust response when challenged.” — Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari, Chief of the Air Staff

• 

  IAF SPECIAL: HALL OF FAME
  MiG-21 – The IAF’s Mainstay for Several Decades
  By Joseph Noronha

  The MiG-21’s sheer numbers made it the mainstay of the IAF’s combat fleet for around three decades, despite the induction of more modern combat aircraft

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  IAF SPECIAL: LAST WORD
  Ramp Up Fighter Squadrons
  By Air Marshal B.K. Pandey (Retd)

  Over the last two decades, the combat fleet of the IAF has been dwindling and today it is around 32 squadrons as against authorised strength of 42

• NEWS DIGEST
  Appointments
  

  Air Marshal B.R. Krishna took over as Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee with effect from September 30, 2021...
  Air Marshal Sandeep Singh has taken over as the Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force on October 1, 2021.

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  NEWS DIGEST
  Induction of the MRSAM Missile System
  By Ayushee Chaudhary

  Being termed as a significant boost to India’s defence capabilities, the first deliverable Firing Unit (FU) of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) System was handed over to IAF at Air Force Station, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan.

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  NEWS DIGEST
  Virgin Galactic’s Spaceflight Under FAA Investigation
  By Ayushee Chaudhary

  Less than two months since Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson’s first spaceflight, the company’s future missions are on a halt.

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  NEWS DIGEST: MILITARY | ASIA-PACIFIC
  Cabinet Committee on Security Clears Six AEW&C Aircraft
  

  The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a meeting on September 8, 2021 has approved a Rs. 10,990 crore ($1.5 billion) indigenous project to build six airborne early-warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft to expand the aerial surveillance capability of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

• NEWS DIGEST: MILITARY | ASIA-PACIFIC
  Ministry of Civil Aviation Notifies Liberalised Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Rules, 2021
  

  In March 2021, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) published the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Rules, 2021. The existing regulations were perceived by the end users and stake holders as being restrictive in nature as they involved considerable paperwork...

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  NEWS DIGEST: MILITARY | ASIA-PACIFIC
  Lockheed Martin Awarded 5-Year Contract to Support IAF’s C-130J Super Hercules Fleet
  

  On August 24, 2021, Lockheed Martin was awarded a $328.8 million, fiveyear contract to provide dedicated and comprehensive support for the IAF’s fleet of 12 C-130J-30 Super Hercules Aircraft.

• NEWS DIGEST: MILITARY | ASIA-PACIFIC
  India and US Sign Project Agreement for Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
  

  As per a notification MoD of September 3, 2021, India’s MoD and US Department of Defence have signed a Project Agreement (PA) for Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ALUAV) under the Joint Working Group Air Systems in the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) on July 30, 2021.

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  NEWS DIGEST: MILITARY | ASIA-PACIFIC
  Procurement of 56 C295 Transport Aircraft for the IAF
  

  The CCS approved the procurement of 56 C295MW transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space, Spain for the IAF on September 8, 2021. The C295MW is a transport aircraft of 5-10 tonne capacity with contemporary technology that will replace the ageing Avro aircraft of the IAF.

• NEWS DIGEST: MILITARY | AMERICAS
  Lockheed Martin to Partner Tata Advanced Systems for Producing F-21
  

  Michael Kelley, Vice President – India for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Technique and Enterprise Growth and Brett Medlin, the F-21 India Marketing campaign head, were in India for conferences with the Indian authorities and the IAF on the multibillion deal...

• NEWS DIGEST
  QuickRoundUp
  

  Boeing’s long-awaited Starliner flight to the International Space Station (ISS) again faced a delay due to a newly attached space station module launched by Russia inadvertently started firing its thrusters...