[agspins]

Last month saw a plane flying high above, when tried to dig in for more on Flightradar24. Found out this :

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

These ex-AI A319s and A321s are slated to be converted into platforms for AWACS/SIGINT/COMJAM roles for the IAF

Ex-Air India Airbuses now being flown by DRDO/IAF

A321
Old Regn(New Regn)
VT-PPA (CA-7081)
VT-PPB (CA-7082)
VT-PPD (CA-7083)
VT-PPE (CA-7084)
VT-PPF (CA-7085)
VT-PPG (CA-7086)


A319
VT-SCO (?)

[SmartCat]

Trailer of Kangana Ranaut's movie TEJAS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN6ZNUgPsPk

Some enthusiasts are laughing at the innaccuracies though:

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by SmartCat

Trailer of Kangana Ranaut's movie TEJAS

Some enthusiasts are laughing at the innaccuracies though:

Attachment 2514640

Well, if they can make a creaking old mansion gate sound like a dinosaur shriek, and an inflatable toy in a swimming tank look like a shark, then why cant a LGB be re-purposed to be a missile ? Movie making is about making the theatre audience believe the scene that you want them to. At least they showed an airplane that looks like the LCA Tejas.

[Rob UK]

Here's an interesting one for any fans of vintage warbirds...

This is an ex-RAF (serial MW763) and ex-IAF (serial HA586) Hawker Tempest II pictured in an abandoned and dilapidated state at Pune in the mid-1970s:



Several Indian Tempests became known as "the Poona Tempests" after the 'discovery' in 1969 of several that the IAF appear to have simply forgotten that they owned. The Tempest was withdrawn from IAF service in 1955/6, so they had sat there in "outside storage" with wings, props etc... removed for some time. Following the inevitable interest this caused, sale of several of these ex-IAF Tempest IIs was brokered by one Major General P H Alfred, AVSM, Officer on Special Duty to the Ministry of Defence in 1975/6, and 6 of them were purchased by a guy called Doug Arnold via his company 'Warbirds of GB Ltd' found their way back to the UK, pictured here in storage in 1985:



Some of these aircraft were restored as museum exhibits, but not MW763/HA586. After a long and painstaking restoration, this weekend, she became the only flying Tempest II on earth after taking to the skies over England once more.





Is she a beauty?

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by Rob UK

Here's an interesting one for any fans of vintage warbirds...

This is an ex-RAF (serial MW763) and ex-IAF (serial HA586) Hawker Tempest II pictured in an abandoned and dilapidated state at Pune in the mid-1970s:

Some of these aircraft were restored as museum exhibits, but not MW763/HA586. After a long and painstaking restoration, this weekend, she became the only flying Tempest II on earth after taking to the skies over England once more.

Is she a beauty?

Thank you for sharing this anecdote and those marvelous photographs. The Hawker Tempest II was indeed among the pinnacle of piston engine fighter designs evident in its clean lines, bubble canopy and wing planform. Very happy to see that some ex-IAF machines have found a new life to rebuild this machine. What an effort it must have been.

[ads11]

Just sharing a tweet I came across with a news story about HAL planning to ramp up production of the Tejas Mk1A from their Nashik facility too in addition to Bangalore:
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india...481119234.html

Basically if all works out, the greater production rate would allow HAL to meet the delivery timeline a year early for the current order, and importantly be well placed to take on any follow on orders (ACM Chaudhuri apparently hinted at 97 more Mk1A orders).

This is HAL putting it's money where it's mouth is with the Tejas, let's hope the defence mandarins respond affirmatively.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by ads11

This is HAL putting it's money where it's mouth is with the Tejas, let's hope the defence mandarins respond affirmatively.

Extra orders for Tejas Mark 1A is a done deal and there is no going back now right? I assume that's why HAL is investing. Some capacity will be allocated towards exports too.

[ads11]

Originally Posted by SmartCat

Extra orders for Tejas Mark 1A is a done deal and there is no going back now right? I assume that's why HAL is investing. Some capacity will be allocated towards exports too.

I'd like to assume so! I mean it's a bit chicken and egg with these sorta things so it's hard to tell which came first but without jumping the gun on this issue for the N-th time, it seems like there's both a recognition that the Mk1A will have to do by the IAF and a realisation by HAL that they need to put actual manufacturing weight behind the offering to force the issue.

Exports while necessary long term once any domestic orders are complete, it's hard to see where it fits in for the time being. Though it would be ironic and not a bit embarrassing if there were some export orders before any follow on domestic orders.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by ads11

Just sharing a tweet I came across with a news story about HAL planning to ramp up production of the Tejas Mk1A from their Nashik facility too in addition to Bangalore:
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india...481119234.html

Basically if all works out, the greater production rate would allow HAL to meet the delivery timeline a year early for the current order, and importantly be well placed to take on any follow on orders (ACM Chaudhuri apparently hinted at 97 more Mk1A orders).

This is HAL putting it's money where it's mouth is with the Tejas, let's hope the defence mandarins respond affirmatively.

https://idrw.org/iaf-to-get-dac-nod-...as-next-month/

It is a pity that HAL thinks it is doing a great job producing 30 aircraft a year. In circa 1980 it used to turn out 40 to 45 fighters a year - MiG-21 and Ajeet of which 30 were MiG-21s. So why 30 a year a generation later. Why not 60 or 80 a year given how run down the IAF's frontline strength is. In the last decade I dealt with HAL including through a JV and I do not have a single kind word for them and their disdain for the customer. The IAF deserve better.

[dragracer567]

Interesting UFO incident near the Imphal airport in Manipur. The flying object was visible with naked eyes (there are a couple of videos floating around on X - formerly Twitter) and 2 Rafale jets were scrambled to intercept the object. Offcourse, unless the Aliens are planning to visit Manipur, this is most likely a Chinese surveillance balloon or drone that got blown offcourse (or deliberate?). Reminds of the incident where Chinese surveillance balloons were spotted in American airspace & shot down by an F22. The surrounding airspace was shut for a good 2 hours, so the IAF did take this seriously!

[dragracer567]

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by the Defence Minister is scheduled to issue the "acceptance of necessity" (AoN) for 4 projects namely:

1) 97 more Tejas MK-1As for the Air Force

2) 156 more Prachand LCHs - probably split between the Air Force and Army.

3) 26 Rafale Jets for the Navy

4) Second carrier of the Vikrant class for the Navy

Discussed the latter two items in the Naval Aviation thread (Indian Naval Aviation - Air Arm & its Carriers) (Post #590).

This is significant as this would bring the total Tejas numbers close to 220 - making it the second most numerous in the Force just after the Su-30. This is also coming at a crucial time when Mig-21s & Jaguars are being retired while the Mirage 2000s and the Mig-29s will also reach the end of their life by the following decade. Offcourse, even these 97 units won't be enough to arrest the falling number and we would like need even more jets - Tejas Mark 2, more Rafales and finally the AMCA to replace the Su-30s which would be at the end of its service life by then. For the next two decades, any procurement will only arrest the falling numbers in the Air Force, expansion is still a dream.

The Prachand meanwhile would be a massive expansion of the attack helicopter fleet of the Indian Armed Force (both Air Force & Army) which has gone from an anaemic fleet of Mi-24s/35s to a formidable fleet of Prachands, Rudras, Apaches & off course, the Mi-24s/35s.

[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by dragracer567

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by the Defence Minister is scheduled to issue the "acceptance of necessity" (AoN) for 4 projects namely:

I love how the bureaucracy invents terms for the sake of buying time and pushing files into another office. What do you even mean by "acceptance of necessity" ? Isnt an RFP an acceptance of necessity ? Sounds so ridiculous frankly.

[itwasntme]

Didn’t know where to put it but an excellent article w.r.t. the Hind and the Stinger.

https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/ar...iet-afghan-war

[ads11]

Originally Posted by dragracer567

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by the Defence Minister is scheduled to issue the "acceptance of necessity" (AoN) for 4 projects namely:

1) 97 more Tejas MK-1As for the Air Force

2) 156 more Prachand LCHs - probably split between the Air Force and Army.

To echo fhdowntheline, not sure what an "AoN" ultimately means other than stating the bleeding obvious.

HAL is making moves to up production, just get on with it and order those 97 jets with a simple old "order", none of this esoteric jargon to keep kicking the can down the road.

Why the Prachand doesn't get enough orders is beyond me. Unlike the Tejas, no real gremlins in the programme immediately come to mind. It's tailor made to an exacting specification and it's not ultimately a massively expensive platform for what it offers to that theatre of operations. Unless it's bedevilled by some issues that haven't broken surface yet, as ever it's confusing and frustrating that it doesn't get the ringing endorsement of a big old order to fill the books.

Noticed on my twitter feed that Modi did a flight on a twin seater Tejas the other day. Found a video on his youtube page:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhbWiaKmuyM

Just out of curiosity, wonder what sort of internecine wrangling is involved to appease say his personal protection detail vs the wants of what I assume are his personal staff, etc. Also at what point does age and health prevent world leaders from being strapped into jets for a flight, regardless of the optics.

You'd think though the big man going up on a domestic platform would be followed up with a big old order to help sound the old Aatmanirbharta drums.