Tarmak007 -- A bold blog on Indian defence: 2011

Thursday, December 29, 2011

TOUCHDOWN 2012: Dhruv salute to all Tarmak007 fans!

ASTE Gets 2-Star Commandant| AVM Nambi checks in | Boon to Tejas: Kota | Right move: Koti |

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore: The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas programme is likely to get a boost with the Indian Air Force (IAF) appointing Air Cmdr Raghunathan Nambiar as the Commandant of Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE). Nambiar took charge on December 28 as the 20th Commandant of ASTE, picking up his next promotion as an Air Vice Marshal (AVM). Though the IAF is yet to issue an official communication, sources at the Air HQ confirm to Express that, the current ASTE Commandant Air Cmdr B.R. Krishna is now posted to National Defence College for a one-year course.

Nambiar, popularly known as Nambi among the IAF clan, was among the first Test pilots associated with the Tejas programme. During the maiden flight of Tejas on January 4, 2001, it was Nambiar who flew the lead chase Mirage aircraft, keeping a close watch on India's late, but light fighter jet. Tejas was then piloted by Wg Cdr Rajeev Kothiyal, now a commercial pilot and consultant to India's national aircraft programme.

Nambiar takes over the reins of ASTE as an AVM, following the Phase-II recommendations of the A V Singh Committee in 2008, opening up the promotional avenues among higher ranks in the IAF, the Indian Army and the Indian Navy. “The decision to raise the Commandant of ASTE to a 2-Star status (AVM) is part of IAF's rank upgradation process. Totally, six posts of Air Marshal and equivalent, 21 Air Vice Marshal and equivalent, 61 Air Commodore and equivalent and 415 Group Captain and equivalent are in this list,” sources said. The ASTE is among the the seven Test pilot schools in the world and the best one in South Asia.

Kota Harinarayana

Rajeev Kothiyal

Reacting to Nambiar's appointment, Kota Harinarayana, father of Tejas programme, felt that the timing was most-appropriate. “He is a brilliant pilot and a person committed to aviation technology. He is coming at a time, when we are talking in terms of creating a Squadron for Tejas. His presence in ASTE will be a boon to the programme,” Kota said.

Nambiar's flying partner during Tejas' early flight test days Wg Cdr (Retd) Rajeev Kothiyal, said that it is for the first time in the ASTE history that a Tejas Test pilot is appointed as the Commandant. “Nambiar is the right person to see that Tejas gets inducted expeditiously into the IAF. His presence will make all the difference in terms of smooth interaction between all the agencies involved with the programme,” he said.

The No 45 Tejas Squadron (Flying Daggers) will be first raised at ASTE in Bangalore, before re-locating it to Sulur in Coimbatore. The IAF pilots are awaiting the user trial version of the aircraft (LSP-7 & LSP-8), currently got stuck in a delayed production module.

(Copyright@The New Indian Express)

NAL's Drishti to help pilots during fog fight | 2 systems operational at IGI Airport from Dec 14 |

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore: Pilots at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi, often engaged in fog-fight during take-offs and landings, will have some respite now. Drishti – a visibility measuring system – developed by a small group of scientists of Bangalore-based National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), a premier institute under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), have gone live at the IGI Airport from December 14.

Shyam Shetty, acting Director, NAL, confirmed to Express that two such systems have been installed at at the IGI Airport. “Drishti is a 30-meter baseline system, first of its kind installed at any airport in the country. It meets International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) stipulations. It is suitable for all categories of airports (CAT I, II & III), including CAT III B, where the pilots will have to land with low-visibility of 50 meters,” Shyam said.

Drishti has many features like electronic modulation of lamp intensity, real time embedded data acquisition with web-enabled software for remote health monitoring of the system. Similar equipment has been installed at the Amausi

Airport in Lucknow (CAT II Airport) and is operational for some time now.

The system has been issued now International Class I NOTAM (Notice to Air Man) at Delhi and Lucknow airports. Shubha V, Scientist G with NAL's Materials Science Division, lead a six-member team in developing the system at a fraction of the cost of imported ones. “This system is installed parallel (within 120 meters from the center of the runway) and it gives correct estimate of the visibility down to 25 meters which occurs during severe fog conditions," Shubha said.

As per an MoU between NAL and the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD),Drishti is now installed at Runway 11 and Runway 29 of the IGI Airport. “We are really satisfied with the system and have now placed order for another two more as a stand-by. Our technical team has given encouraging output,” a senior official with GMR's customer relations at the IGI said. The IMD is said to have done the land-line communication from the runway to Air Traffic Control.

Drishti – an idea that took birth on CSIR Foundation Day (September 26)in 2007, got on to field trials at NAL in January 2008 and airport trials at Cochin International Airport Limited in 2008 June.

(Copyright@The New Indian Express)

Lack of power behind aborted 'MiG-23 Trainer' take-off?

Express News Service

Bangalore: A MiG-23 Trainer aborted take-off at Jodhpur air base on Wednesday. Sources told Express that the aircraft developed a serious snag, suspected to be lack of power. “The runway length fell short and the pilots abandoned the take-off at the last moment,” sources said.

The incident hit the schedules of private operators at the airport for a while, as the base also doubles up for commercial flights. “The incident happened at 11.30 am and the runway was shut till 2 am. It was MiG-23 (BU) aircraft. The exact cause is not known,” Lt Col S.D. Goswami, Defence Spokesperson, Jodhpur, told the Express over the phone.

While there are unconfirmed reports that the fighter that aborted the take-off was not a MiG-23 Trainer, Express couldn't independently verify the same. “It is MiG-23 and because it's a trainer there could have been some similarity to other aircraft,” Air Cmde R.N. Gaekwad, AOC, Air Force Station, Jodhpur, told Express.

India's frontline shelter-less fighters Sukhois too operate out of Jodhpur.

Copyright@The New Indian Express

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Alert: MiG-23 trainer aborts take-off in Jodhpur

A MiG-23 Trainer aborted take-off at Jodhpur air base on Wednesday. Sources said that the aircraft developed a serious snag. While there were unconfirmed reports saying that the fighter was not a MiG-23 Trainer, it couldn't be verified. “It is MiG-23,"Air Cmde R.N. Gaekwad, AOC, Air Force Station, Jodhpur, said.

(Detailed report in Express tomorrow)

Ex-Tejas Test pilot Nambi is ASTE Commandant

In a move that is widely seen as an attempt to push the Tejas programme, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has appointed Air Cmde Raghunathan Nambiar as the Commandant of Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment (ASTE), Bangalore. Nambiar is likely to take charge today as the 20th Commandant of ASTE, picking up his next rank as an Air Vice Marshal (AVM). Nambiar, popularly known as Nambi, was among the first Test pilots associated with the Tejas programme. During the maiden flight of Tejas on January 4, 2001, it was Nambiar who flew the lead chase Mirage aircraft, keeping a close watch on the Technology Demonstrator (TD-1), piloted by Wg Cdr Rajeev Kothiyal, now a commercial pilot and consultant to the National Civil Aircraft Development programme. Nambi's predecessor Air Cmde B.R. Krishna is likely to be joining the National Defence College for a one-year course.

(Detailed report in The New Indian Express, tomorrow)

Prahaar awaits Army intent; DRDO luring IAF, Navy

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore/Hyderabad: Prahaar in Sanskrit stands for 'Strike.' And, it struck where it matters the most during its maiden launch in July this year. Kept under wraps until then, Prahaar is an offshoot of India's Air Defence (AD) programme, with the scientists converting the endo-atmospheric interceptor, into a brand new tactical battlefield support missile. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) launched the project sans sanctions (no user requirements and approved budgets) in July 2010. One year later, the missile with a range of 150 km was successfully demonstrated to the Indian Army.

Tough to be detected owing to its high maneuvering capabilities, Prahaar is a quick reaction missile, which can be used against targets between 50-150 km. Currently the DRDO is in talks with the Indian Army on the deployment philosophies and their needs, apart from generating confidence of the user, which is always a commodity in short supply. DRDO claims that the user 'has shown a lot of interest' taking into account its cost-effectiveness and the sheer numbers by which it can be fielded.

“The futuristic tactical operations will increasingly require long-range stand-off weapons with high accuracy and short reaction time to neutralize time critical targets. Prahaar can be be adapted to existing maritime platform as well as to an aircraft increasing its utility. It can neutralize the identified targets, provide effective counter force system and serve as an affordable solution to the future battlefield requirements,” sources said.

The missile is capable of carrying multiple warheads, has very fast reaction capability from mission command to execute the launch. “With all weather, day and night launch capability, Prahaar's range, if launched from an aircraft (read as Sukhoi), can be extended up to 350 km. This is quite feasible as the missile has less weight, diameter and radar cross section. As of now, we are waiting for a Letter of Intent (LoI) from the Army,” sources said.

Once the Army gives the LoI, the missile will have to undergo 10-12 trials to fine tune its effectiveness with

different warheads. “The missiles are controlled and guided from lift off to impact and maneuver continuously so that the prediction of both launch point and impact point are difficult. Multiple launchers can be linked together to form a missile battery to deliver simultaneous multi-axis saturation attack on the target,” sources said.

Prahaar is capable of carrying a variety of warheads like pre-fragmented, incendiary sub-munitions, runway-denial sub-munitions, smart munitions and thermobaric (a fuel-air bomb, which produces a blast wave for longer period) warheads. Since the missile uses solid propulsion systems, it can be put on a ready-to-launch-mode quickly. It's a zero maintenance, road-mobile system developed by young AD scientists in the average age-group of 35 years.

PART-XIV

|SERIES CONCLUDED|

Copyright@The New Indian Express. You may please email your comments to anantha.ak@gmail.com or ananthakrishnan@newindianexpress.com)

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

An India Shining video on Akash missile system

A compact video on Akash missile system. C@DRDL

EXPRESS INVESTIGATION: 2 | IAF had enough time to build shelters for Sukhois

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore: Exposed Sukhois are in the danger of having nick marks on the engine blades, though the thrust vector part is generally covered. With a transparent (opaque) canopy, the heat gets settled inside, slowly, but surely impacting on multiple non-metallic parts, including those linked to ejection systems. While the Indian Air Force (IAF) failed to give a detailed response to our queries, sources flying and feeding the Sukhois told Express that the shelter-less state of affairs of a modern fighter is 'shocking.'

HAL officials are amused as to why the IAF didn't bother to provide shelters to the fighters' biggest bases at Pune and Barelley. “The IAF had enough time from 2002 onwards to put up shelters in Pune. Weather has an impact on the fighters if they are parked outside,” sources said. HAL's first official communication, expressing serious concerns, is said to have been sent to the IAF's Maintenance Command in October 2010. The IAF operates over 150 Sukhois from its bases in Pune, Barelley, Chabua, Jodhpur and Tezpur.

Sources said that even lightning strike didn't spare a Sukhoi in 2009 causing serious emergency. “The aircraft suffered structural damages, which is unheard of in modern times. All these are definitely pointing towards quality and design issues. If we don't address them now and take corrective steps, it will be a bad publicity for the IAF, HAL, and to both friendly nations of India and Russia. At what cost are we losing them?” a veteran pilot, who were among the first to fly the Sukhois, said.

An official with the Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) says that the all Russian aircraft are designed for safe operations in minus temperatures. “If the Sukhois are parked outside, even with a canvass cover, it cannot escape from the trapped temperature inside, which will be very high as compared to the reflected temperature. We don't have much insight into the Russian qualification process,” the official said. He claimed that for Indian military platforms (Tejas, Dhruv, Sitara) the rubber parts are tested and qualified to a maxim temperature of 71 degrees Celsius.

Air Marshal (Retd) T.S. Randhawa, an expert with Sukhoi platforms, said that the IAF is already in the process of getting shelters. “We understand that there can be an effect due to exposing the fighter to sun. The weather varies – like hot, cold, dust, breeze and over a longer period of time, YES, there could be an impact. But, these fighters are serviced as per the IAF SOPs,” he said.

SUNBURN: The possible damage to Sukhois due to prolonged exposure to the sun:

Flexing on fuel tanks leading to leakages
Effect on avionics resulting in premature failures
Impact on ejection system due to transparent canopy
Damage to fabric material of pilot seats
Wakening of harness units
Nick marks on engine blades due to dust particles

| Copyright@The New Indian Express |

PART-1 HERE

HAPPY HOURS: 2,500 missiles, 112 launchers, 28 MPARs & 100 3-D CARs | Massive Akash SAM system orders boost to desi pride, industries | 1st Sqn in June & 2nd in Oct 2012 | DRDO mum on Mk-II

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore\Hyderabad: Akash – the fifth and last missile project under India's ambitious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) had a happy ending with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army placing bulk orders in the last three years. The IAF has ordered for eight squadrons (2 + 6) of Akash systems and the Army for two regiments. The combined value for both orders stand at Rs 23,500 crore and Bharat Electronic Ltd (BEL) and Bhart Dynamics Ltd (BDL) will execute the orders.

Akash is a supersonic surface-to-air missile (SAM) system with a range of 25 km, similar to the SAM systems of Russia (Buk) and the US (Patriot). The all weather area/air-defense system is useful for defending vulnerable areas (VA) and vulnerable points (VP) against air targets penetrating from low, medium and high altitudes. All-the-way-powered flight till target interception, multiple target handling, digitally-coded command guidance and fully automatic operation are some of the unique features of the system.

The system was put through an electronic warfare (EW) trials conducted to assess the weapon system's survivability in dense jamming environment expected in a battlefield. Multiple aerial jammers (both noise and deception) were flown simultaneously in attack from different directions on the Akash group deployed in combat pattern. Sources claim that the radars of Akash could hold track of all aerial targets despite the jammers, conclusively establishing the operation of built-in electronic counter-counter measures (ECCM) features.

Though it took 25 years for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to finally get firm orders for Akash (2008), since the project inception (1983), it is now being branded as the single biggest order placed by the Indian armed forces on a home-grown tactical missile project. The numbers of the current combined orders will definitely make any desi defence devotee proud: 2,500 missiles, 112 launchers, 28 multi-functional phased array radars (MPARs) and 100 3-D Central Acquisition Radars (3-D CARs).

Akash's is a happy hour story for the Indian industries (around 200) too, considering that over 70 per cent of the work is being executed by them. This is in addition to the work-share of 13 DRDO labs, BEL, 19 public sector undertakings, three ordinance factories, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, National Aerospace Laboratories, IITs (Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kharagpur) and the Indian Institute of Science.

“For the Indian industries it has been a huge learning curve considering the complexities involved in a weapon system, its integration and aerospace standard procedures. It augurs well for India, as the industries will be fully geared up to undertake production of next-generation tactical missile projects,” says G. Chandramouli, Project Director, Akash.

The production centers are currently abuzz with activities to ensure that the first squadron of Akash is inducted into the IAF by June 2012. “The first firing unit will be ready by March, 2012 and the second squadron will be ready by October 2012,” sources at the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), said.

While the DRDO officially refused to part with any information on a possible Mk-II version of Akash with a higher range (35-45 km), sources confirmed to Express that the Services have expressed interest. “We have the confidence, tech know-how, capabilities in design, development and production and capabilities of excellent validation and tests. We will have to get a firm written commitment from the Services so that we are sure about the road ahead,” sources said.

|To be continued | Copyright@The New Indian Express |

(CRACKING INDIA'S MISSILE CODE is an exclusive series currently on in The New Indian Express. In the days ahead, you will get to read a mix of news-breaks and tech-upgrades on current and futuristic missile programs of India, in addition to some human-interest pieces. Email your thoughts on this long-range series to anantha.ak@gmail.com and point out factual errors, if any, that might have crept in despite my best efforts.)

PART-XIII

Monday, December 26, 2011

EXPRESS INVESTIGATION: Shelter-less Sukhois hit by sunstroke?

India's front-line fighters Sukhois at an undisclosed IAF base. Photo: Special Arrangement

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore: The Sukhois (Su-30 MKI) don't have shelter. India's frontline fighters are suffering from a possible sunstroke. This startling piece of revelation has come to light after Express launched an investigation, following the fighter's crash near Pune recently. Along with list of suspects – Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (blamed for serious quality issues) and the Russians (whose design flaws are under scanner ) – the Indian Air Force (IAF) will have to do some answering for 'exposing' the fighters.

Express consulted several serving and retired Sukhoi pilots, engineers in HAL, current and former IAF officials and even experts with military airworthiness to verify our findings: If Sukhois are exposed to the sun for a longer period, malfunctions will occur without fail. The IAF was contacted for an official response, but shockingly a delayed reply came in just one line. “Maintenance shelters have been procured at our airbases solely on the IAF's initiative and more of these are being procured to cater to the varied environmental conditions of our country,” an email reply from IAF media managers said, to our queries.

The IAF operates over 150 Sukhois from its bases in Pune, Barelley, Chabua, Jodhpur and Tezpur. HAL says it had communicated officially to the IAF the need for providing shelters. The matter was also taken up during Quality Assurance meets and Commanders' Conference.

HAL claims that all Sukhois at their Nashik Division (manufacturing base only) are kept under shelters, while the IAF uses canvass covers to protect them from UV rays, rain and dust. “The UV rays will have faster aging and hardening effect on the rubber and other non-metallic parts, which can lead to more premature failure, in the longer run. The canvass can only protect the aircraft from UV rays, but not the heat, which can harm avionics parts,” sources said.

A Sukhoi pilot told Express that small dust particles will get deposited on engine blades, if they are exposed to the sun.

| Tomorrow in Express: Sun-stroke effects, experts' view in detail | Plus on Tarmak007: 4 queries, 3 days & one-line shocker! |
Recommended: Quality & Design Concerns

Submarines, tanks, torpedoes & UAVs get Indian nav systems | SATNAV on chip close to realisation

PART-XII

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore/Hyderabad: Outsmarting the know-how denials imposed by the West under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) developed in India are steadily finding a confirmed seat onboard multiple military platforms. The Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in Hyderabad today seems to have graduated in all the major technology areas of navigation, including sensors, SATNAV (satellite navigation) receivers, navigational aids, algorithms\schemes for different applications and infrastructure development. In the process, India has elevated its status on par with a handful of nations possessing a wide spectrum of sensor technologies.

The dynamically-tuned mechanical gyroscopes (DTG), optical–ring laser and fiber-optic gyroscopes, micro-gyroscopes and high-accuracy force balanced accelerometers (which measures the acceleration) are some hitherto-alien technologies now in India's command. (Gyroscopes are instruments that senses rotation). "Mastering these sensor technologies made the total independence from Western nations. These advancements have offered greater flexibility to configure and customize varied classes of INS of the users' choice," RCI sources said. "All missions are of very high precision strike capabilities, which is primarily decided by the accuracy of the INS. Today, we are on par with world leaders offering RLG-based (ring laser gyro) INS," sources said.

Agni-IV is the first missile on which a design version of RLG-based INS was used in mission mode successfully, probably signaling an end to imports in this segment. The navigation aids based on the different classes of inertial sensors developed by RCI is said to be not only meeting the requirements of strategic and tactical missile programmes, but are being heavily employed on combat aircraft, ships, submarines, tanks, unmanned aerial vehicles, torpedoes and smart munitions.

“The development ranges from highly miniaturized micro sensors-based system weighing around 300g for smart bombs and PGMs (precision-guided munitions) to a very-high accuracy 30 kg system for long-endurance naval applications,” sources said. Ultra high accuracy sensors development is already initiated for future needs of space and very long range missions.

The Inertial System Group at RCI is silently delivering solutions enhancing the multi-platform launch capability of the flight vehicle from ships (Rajput Class), submarines and aircraft (LCA & Sukhoi). “Our capabilities in the navigation systems are now being explored by world leaders who are keen to join hands for collaboration. The roles have been reversed and we are in pursuit of developing Navigation On Chip (a dream of A P J Abdul Kalam), which aims at miniaturization of systems, making them reliable and cost-effective,” sources said.

The preliminary development of a single chip NGC (Navigation, Guidance and Control) has already taken birth with System on Chip (SOC), SATNAV on Chip close to realisation. This will enable a low cost, low volume, low power and highly reliable system available for majority of the tactical and micro-air vehicles. "The energy requirements of the vehicle(s) will drop drastically and India will become a world leader in the critical area of navigation," sources said.

|To be continued | Copyright@The New Indian Express |

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Tears & Triumphs: Tessy’s Agni-IV team drew inspiration from failure | PM's pat on X'Mas eve

Tessy Thomas (centre), Agni-IV Project Director, leads her team at the high-security Advanced Systems Laboratory in Hyderabad. Photo: Tarmak007

Tessy Thomas

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore/Hyderabad: Behind every successful missile, there’s a woman. And, behind every successful woman, there are men, boys, girls and many more! Welcome to Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) – one of the most sensitive wings of Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). Nobody talks much about it and not even listed in DRDO’s official website! Thanks to the recent success of Agni-IV, the longest missile India tested successfully so far (range in excess of 3500 km), the spotlight has stuck on ASL.

In a ‘cleared interaction’ with Express at one of ASL’s high security tech-thatched rooms, Tessy Thomas, Project Director, A-IV summoned her faithful troops. India’s first woman scientist to head a missile programme -- now popularly known as Agniputhri – began the session by introducing her team. “My core team consists of around 60 scientists with an average age of 30. The last one year was probably the toughest in my life. Missile scientists are shunned by everyone the moment something goes wrong. Tell me one thing in this world that has got 100 per cent success in the first attempt. We learn from our mistakes. We learn from our failures. We don’t give up,” said Tessy, the leader, the teacher and the philosopher.

There are two names she swears by: Missile Man A P J Abdul Kalam and Avinash Chander, the soft-spoken Chief Controller, R&D (Missiles and Strategic Systems) of DRDO. “We look to both for inspiration. There are many others who reposed faith in us. Sharmaji, why don’t you speak,” she said looking at S.K. Sharma, Electrical Integration Group of Agni-IV.

Sharma said that last year’s failure did dent the morale of the team. “The spirits go down for a while. Everyone gets hit. Everyone is questioned. Every system is checked. Even if a missile fails, as you all (media) always love to write, there are many positives we derive. There will be many new critical systems that would have executed its missions for the first time,” he said. Before the recent successful launch of A-IV, Team ASL scanned the project threadbare and is said to have re-visited the ways they worked, getting down to the basics. When asked how it feels to take the orders from a woman, Sharma said: “Madam is very tough!”

It was evident that Tessy’s team devised many means to stay focused. “Mistakes are pardonable. Openness in accepting them is a great art. The fear factor is removed and we look into the failure analysis carefully. The minute observations of the team are recorded and we narrow down the failure chances mentally to 0.1 per cent,” says C H V Ram Mohan, Deputy Project Director and Vehicle Director, A-IV.

Brain-storming night-out sessions, tech augmentation coupled with arguments, emotions and sometimes touchdown of tears – all have played key roles -- away from the launch pad. “We draw inspiration from our failure,” says Reshma, a young Scientist (C) with A-IV programme.

Tears & triumphs!

|To be continued | Copyright@The New Indian Express |

PART-XI

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Helina ready for full-range ground-based trials in Pokhran | MoD-team evaluating PARS 3 & Spike |

Rare grabs of Helina's ground-based & chopper trials. Photos: Special Arrangement

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore/Hyderabad: Helina, the helicopter version of anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) Nag, being developed indigenously for Rudra – the Advanced Light Helicopter's Weapon System Integration version (ALH-WSI) -- will undergo full range trials next month. During this lock-on-after-launch (LOAL) mode trials, to be conducted from a ground-based launcher, Helina's capability to establish full range in excess of 7 km will be tested. (In the LOAL mode, the gunner can correct the course of the missile mid-way after it is fired, update the target position and lock on to it through a two-way RF data link.)

Around 60 scientists, including 12 directly associated with the project, are gearing up at various critical labs of the Missile Complex in Hyderabad for this crucial ground trials, to to be held at the Chandan firing ranges in Pokhran. Sources claim that this could be the last trials for the air-to-ground missile Helina from a ground launcher. "We will have guided flight tests from Rudra against a tank-size later. Integration of the Helina's Fire Control System (FCS) on Rudra is planned during the second half of 2012," sources said.

Helina has been taken up as a fast-track mission mode project by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) to extend the range of Nag from 4 km to in excess of 7 km. The Rs 55-crore project started in 2008 April, will initially help Army Aviation form one Squadron of Rudra choppers with Helinas in LOAL configuration. So far two missiles have been fired from ground launchers over a range of 4.2 km (K K Ranges in Ahmednagar, near Pune). At Pokhran, one Helina was fired from the out-board weapon station location on Rudra for the first time. The chopper was hovering at an altitude of approximately 25-meter above ground.

A stand-alone FC for Helina has been developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad and proven during the ground firing. The two-way data link has also been developed for the first time by RCI in association with Astra Microwave, Hyderabad.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) sources told Express that, they as the system and other armaments integrators for Rudra, are part of a Ministry of Defence-appointed team, which is currently evaluating MBDA's PARS 3 missile and Rafael's Spike. "The team has visited the Rafael facility and witnessed the trials. They will now head for MBDA installation. The final call will be taken by the Defence Procurement Board, based on the team's recommendations," sources said.
HAL says that the pilots' report of Helina's Rudra trials have been sent to DRDL. "These are crucial inputs that will help the DRDL to fine-tune the missile. Services want proven platforms first and hence PARS 3 and Spike were short-listed. Helina will continue as an alternate and parallel ATGM programme as we are very keen to have an indigenous missile onboard," HAL sources said.

|To be continued | Copyright@The New Indian Express |