What's wrong with IAF's Sukhoi?

Even if temporary, the grounding of Sukhoi- 30MKI fighters of the Indian Air Force ( IAF) has opened up a huge gap in the country's air defence system.

Our Sukhois are currently located in the following manner - two squadrons in Pune, Maharashtra, two in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, and one in Tezpur, Assam. A sixth squadron was forming up in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and it was from this squadron that the aircraft that crashed this week belonged. Each squadron has roughly 20 aircraft and the total India has is about 105 aircraft at present.

While the crash that took place in April was attributed to a defect in the computerised flight control system, the causes of the recent crash are yet to be determined, though it is supposed to have been caused by a fire in its engines. Whatever be the case, it has led to a grounding of the super- capable, but very expensive aircraft.

Though the Sukhoi, assisted by in- flight refuelling, has a very long range and can be brought into combat in virtually any part of India within a matter of hours, the location of the squadrons indicate that their primary task was, first, air defence over India's western peninsular areas where many of our key industrial centres and assets are located ( Jamnagar refinery, Kandla, Bombay High, Mumbai- Pune industrial belt and so on). The second major focus was air defence of our northern border with China.

What can fill this gap? " Nothing," according to an aviation analyst.

As a second line, India has three squadrons of Mirage 2000s and three of Mig 29s. They are located in Gwalior ( Mirage) and in Adampur and Jamnagar ( Migs). Neither in terms of range or capability can they even hope to fill the sudden gap that has emerged. In addition India has a number of squadrons of Mig- 21s in Rajasthan, Punjab and Kashmir, which can, at best, provide limited air defence over specific targets - an air base or a city.

In some ways the IAF has brought on the situation on itself.

An ideal air force has a pyramid structure with its best cuttingedge fighter on top, a tier- two workhorse and, at the bottom, large numbers of less capable tier- three fighters. By their current plan, the IAF could end up with an inverted pyramid. It could end up with as many as 280

heavy Sukhoi 30- MKI and around 126 medium fighters for which a competition is currently underway.

We have a total of about 250 Mig- 21s of varying vintages that should have been replaced yesterday.

Instead, they will be painfully slowly replaced by the LCA over the next 15 years.

The large number of Sukhois are not only very expensive ( officially $ 45 million, in reality Rs 350 crore per piece) to buy, but they are horrendously costly to operate and their serviceability is poor in any case.

But things don't look too good for the air force in the coming years. They have messed up their Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft ( MMRCA) competition by mixing apples and oranges, as it were. Instead of acquiring a Mig- 21 replacement - a light fighter like the Swedish Gripen, the American F- 16 or the Russian Mig- 29 - they have opened the competition for much more capable, heavier and expensive fighters like the Boeing FA18, the French Rafaele and the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Should, for example any of the last named win the competition, we will have an air force of only top- of- the- line fighters, no workhorses.

And, if the LCA fails to measure up, the air force will try to fill the numbers with more MMRCA acquisitions which could complicate the situation further.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/73495/India/What%27s+wrong+with+IAF%27s+Sukhoi.html

Caught between Air Force and CRPF

Delhi High Court orders IAF to relieve an airman who has been selected for a job with the paramilitary force

Delhi High Court came as the final saviour for Praveen Kumar, who was caught between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Employed with the IAF, Kumar had officially applied for a job with the CRPF. He was selected, offered a higher rank but then IAF refused to relieve him. On Thursday, the High Court ordered the IAF to relieve Kumar.

Kumar, who was employed as an airman with the IAF was denied the relieving letter by the organisation even though his seniors were aware he had been selected for the post of Assistant Commandant in the CRPF.

Interestingly, in the absence of the relieving letter from the IAF, the Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the CRPF to treat its judgement as sufficient authorisation for Kumar's joining the security force.

The court directed the IAF to issue a relieving letter to Kumar who is waiting to join the CRPF Academy at Gurgaon for training.

The order, delivered by a bench comprising Justices Pradeep Nandrajog and Suresh Kait, termed the indecisiveness of the Air Force as "unfortunate".

Meanwhile, the government counsel justified the IAF's decision on the basis that a person employed under the force can opt for civilian employment only after completing seven years of service.

The court refuted the statement by citing a previous order in a similar case and observed: "a mandatory service of seven years means seven years service before being entitled to be relieved and not seven years service when application is made for a civilian appointment."

The court also said Kumar had informed the IAF in advance that he was applying for the post of Assistant Commandant in the CRPF. Interestingly, the employment application of all men employed with the defence forces are signed by their commanding officers as government permission is required to apply for any other government job.

The case
Praveen Kumar joined the IAF in 2002. In 2009, he applied for a job with CRPF through the prescribed official channel and was offered appointment as an Assistant Commandant. He was also directed to report at the CRPF Academy. But IAF didn't relieve him. Aggrieved by the dilly dallying tactics of IAF, Kumar approached the court.

http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/dec/041209-airman-released-high-court-order.htm

New MS.....

Lt Gen Nair GoC 9 Corps is being tipped to be new Military Secretary on February 1.In all probability he will succeed Lt Gen Avdesh Prakash.

Army men face action for selling weapons

I WONDER : MANY FACILITIES INDIAN ARMY HAS LOST DUE TO THESE BLACK SHEEPS...

New Delhi, December 2
In what is a serious blow to the image of the Indian Army, administrative and disciplinary action has been initiated against 41 officers, one JCO and four retired officers for allegedly selling their personal weapons in the grey market. 

Minister of Defence AK Antony, in a written reply in the Parliament said, these were non-service pattern weapons that are sold at dirt-cheap rates to the officers for their collection. These are not weapons of the Indian Army. Antony said, a Court of Inquiry was held to enquire into the circumstances under which some serving/retired army personnel had sold/purchased/disposed off firearms and ammunition of various calibers. The District Collector, Sriganganagar had provided a list of officers who sold their non-service pattern (NSP) weapons, which included two Major Generals and two Brigadiers. The Court of Inquiry however did not find them involved/blameworthy in the matter. 25 officers who were in possession of more rounds of ammunition than authorised for their NSP weapons have been censured. 

 

Air space violations

 

Pakistan’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s)-used for reconnaissance missions-have violated Indian air space some five times in the past one year. Separately, Chinese two choppers intruded into India on separate occasions in June this year. Besides this a fixed wing medium sized aircraft of Pakistan also intruded into India while the Chinese sent across a “slow moving aircraft” in May this year, AK Antony told the Parliament in written reply. The intrusion by Chinese choppers is the same incidents which led to a huge media outcry with both Nations exchanging a heated words. All such cases are taken up with the concerned country through diplomatic channels, as per established procedure, Antony said.

265 crashes in 20 years

  In the last two decades since April 1989 and up to November 26, 2009, 265 fighter aircraft of the Russian origin MiG series of the Indian Air Force have crashed. A total of 96 service personnel and 44 civilians were killed in these cases, the Defence Minister informed the Parliament today. Each accident was investigated through a Court of Inquiry and remedial measures undertaken accordingly to check their recurrence, said Antony.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091203/nation.htm#10

Warship-building process too slow, says Navy chief

With growing strategic needs to protect the coastline, fuel supply lines from the Gulf and to combat piracy, the Indian Naval Chief, Admiral Nirmal Verma, today sought a change to warship-building methods and strategies of the country. Terming the pace of construction as too slow, the Admiral, addressing the annual press conference on the eve of Navy Day, said there was need to do much more.

“The construction schedule is where our shipyards lag”, Admiral Verma said, even as he separately said the Navy was looking to have another construction line for conventional diesel-powered submarines. This would be in addition to the existing one at Mazagon Docks, Mumbai, where the Indo-French joint project for the Scorpenes was on.

On the nuclear submarine, he said the INS Airhant, inaugurated on July 26 this year, would be inducted in the Navy within two years and it would be equipped with ballistic missiles. He refused to set a date on when India would acquire the Nerpa, a Russian Akula-class N-powered submarine.

On building additional N-powered submarines, he hoped that the government would not let the huge investments in nuclear submarine building wither away after the submarines were commissioned.

Admiral Verma, who took over from Admiral Sureesh Mehta a couple of months ago, was candid as he made out the case for speeding up warship building in the country. The Navy had currently given orders for 34 ships in three different shipyards of the country, but the rate of delivery was only one ship per year, he said, adding that the Navy would be forced to go in for imports.

Over the next decade, the Navy's fleet strength will be 40 ships (34 from Indian shipyards and six from abroad) and 60 aircraft and an equal number of helicopters. The new orders will take the number of warships to 160 and aircraft to about 290. It currently has 130 ships and another 190 aircraft and helicopters in service.

In the next year alone, the Navy will get delivery of two frigates, six fast-attack crafts, two survey vessels and a fleet tanker.

The Admiral said he was in favour of having a larger private participation in warship building. Larsen and Toubro has set up the country’s largest shipyard in Tamil Nadu and had announced some two months ago that it was ready to take orders of the Navy.

He allayed fears that the post-26/11 Mumbai attacks, the Navy had changed its focus. It remained focussed on its primary task of the country's security on the high seas.

 

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091203/nation.htm#2

PC: Forces to be reduced in J-K

Twenty years after Pakistan-sponsored militancy took roots in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram today announced a reduction in force deployment levels in the state even as he himself admitted that it could be a “risky step.”

Replying to a passionate and - at times - a heated debate on internal security in the Rajya Sabha here this evening, the Home Minister said the Centre is willing to take "what appears to be a risky step" of withdrawing security forces and hand over law and order to the state police.

“We are willing to withdraw a significant number of battalions,” Chidambaram said, adding that he could not give the number of battalions due to security reasons. The Home Minister buttressed his announcement saying the incidents of violence in J&K have been the lowest in 2009.

“The number of civilian and security forces casualties has been the lowest this year. The forces have been stopping infiltrations and neutralising the militants. Festivals like the Id and Gurpurab have been peaceful. Thousands of Sikhs took out a procession in the valley to mark Gurpurab,” the Home Minister said. The Amarnath Yatra was peaceful while lakhs continue to visit the Vaishno Devi shrine in the state.

On terrorism, the Home Minister said India is as vulnerable to a terror attack today as it was a few months ago because terrorist groups have forged alliances against the country. But he added, “God forbid, should there be any terrorist attack, our response will be swift and decisive." He said over a dozen attempts have been foiled.

Without naming Pakistan, Chidambaram said even while there has not been any terrorist attack in the last one year, the country cannot lower its guard because “our adversary has not changed its attitude...” he said while adding that “You will note that I am using the word adversary and not enemy...” The epicentre of the cross border terrorism is the junction point of Afghanistan and Pakistan and “… we are vulnerable”.

On Naxals, the Home Minister took on the civil society that justified the violent methods of the Naxals. “The civil society says the Naxal cause is right.. while Naxals describe the state as an enemy, they say the Parliament is a rotten system and believe in armed struggle to seize power. For them, the police, the paramilitary and the Army are enemies.

The time has come for the nation to decide how to deal with them,” he said. The Minister said that the government would use force to re-assert wherever we have lost control over an area. “There can be no development unless the government controls the area,” the Home Minister added.

On ULFA, he said was likely to make a political statement in the next few days and that the government was ready to talk to them. He said the government policy would be zero tolerance towards the Jihadi or Hindu militants. “Terrorism is inspired by religious fanatics… no one should blame all Muslims or Hindus.”

BJP members Prakash Javadekar, Balbir Punj and SS Ahluwalia objected to his statement of “Hindu militancy”. Chidambaram said whether it is Islamic terrorism or Hindu militancy, there has to be zero tolerance.

 

 http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091203/main3.htm

Indian airspace violated 11 times: Antony

New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Pakistan and China violated Indian airspace six and three times respectively in the past one year, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question in parliament, Antony said US aircraft entered the Indian airspace illegally on two occasions.

In May, a slow moving aircraft of the Chinese Air Force crossed the international border. On June 21 and 24, two Chinese helicopters entered the Indian airspace.

Pakistan’s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle crossed the Line of Control (LoC), which divides Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan, five times.

Twice US transport and cargo aircraft entered the Indian territory without proper authorisation.

‘All such cases are taken up with the concerned country through diplomatic channels as per established procedure,’ Antony added.

http://trak.in/news/indian-airspace-violated-11-times-antony/30386/

Political indecision should not hamper weapon upgradation

The Army has been looking for frontline artillery for the last 24 years but scandals regarding the purchase of weapons have caused unprecedented delay affecting the morale of the army. From the sanctioned 47 squadrons of the Indian Air Force (IAF) the strength has depleted to 31 squadrons in the last six decades due to the indecisiveness of policy makers, said G Parthasarathy, former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan who was in the city to deliver Kakasaheb Gadgil lecture organised by Kakasaheb Gadgil Pratishthan.

He said India should strengthen its covert capabilities along with strengthening of the diplomatic ties. “Chinese policy is containment of India. It is well known that Pakistan nuclear weapon programme is taking place with the support of China. India needs to strengthen its military base near its border,” he said lauding the tough Indian stand during the Dalai Lama’s visit to Tawang

He said that Pakistan government was controlled by the Army and the pressure exerted now by opposition in Pakistan to handover the powers of president to prime minister was the handiwork of Pakistan Army. “ It was Political leaders in Pakistan who nurtured the terror outfits one time or the other. Taliban was first supported by Benazir Bhutto for domestic gains and to gain strategic depth inside the Afgan region. Likewise, Nawaz Sharif working along with ISI, patronised and supported Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT),” he added.

He said when China has land and sea border disputes with almost all neighbours from the north to the Bay of Bengal.

“It is unfair to project that India has border disputes with its neighbours. China’s aggressive nationalism and unity is its strength and India has to play according to its strengths,” he said 

 

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/political-indecision-should-not-hamper-weapon-upgradation/549074/0