Cmde Balaji (Retd) takes over the reins of ADA at critical phase

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Bengaluru, July 3: The Department of Defence Research and Development on Friday handed over the reins of Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to Cmde Cadaba Devnath Balaji (Retd).

An Outstanding Scientist and currently the Project Director of LCA (Navy), Cmde Balaji (Retd) has been appointed as the Director of ADA and Programme Director (Combat Aircraft).

He replaces P S Subramanyam, who superannuated on June 30. Balaji will have around 2 years of service left, before attaining 60, in 2017.

As reported by OneIndia earlier, a search committee headed by former DRDO Chief Dr V K Aatre decided to hand over the baton to Cmde Balaji (Retd), who is part of ADA since 2002. (http://www.oneindia.com/india/hunt-on-pick-top-brain-head-india-s-tejas-programme-1790398.html)

Crucial juncture for LCA project: He takes over as the ADA chief at a crucial juncture when the LCA Tejas project is expected to get the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) by March 2016, a deadline that has seen many extensions.

As the captain of the ADA, Balaji will also have to get the Naval LCA moving forward with the crucial arrestor hook landing trials expected later this year.

Interestingly, Balaji is the man responsible for writing the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) paper on NLCA in 2002. The CCS gave the project its approval in 2003 and many credit him for having taking the project from ‘paper to flight.’

Though the NLCA was dogged in a series of delays, it has gained momentum in the last one year with the Indian Navy backing the programme to the hilt. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and other partners too have been extending outstanding support to the programme.

Saw Tejas trainers from close quarters: Balaji also oversaw the Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas programme from close quarters, especially the build of the trainer version PV5 leading to its maiden flight in 2009.

Around 36 sorties of PV5 were personally monitored by him, after which it was handed over to the IAF programme. Incidentally, the Tejas trainers have the front fuselage of the naval variants.

As the Project Director NLCA, he was responsible for the first flight of NP-1 (Naval Prototype) on Apr 27, 2012. This feat was followed by the maiden ski jump launch on December 20, 2014 at the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) in Goa.

The design and build of this facility to replicate the aircraft carrier was in itself a challenge for Balaji and his team. (http://www.oneindia.com/india/oneindia-special-nlca-np-1-outperformed-our-expectations-says-ada-1647622.html)

Says he has already set immediate goals: He also oversaw the maiden flight of the NP-2 on February 7, 2015, just days ahead of 10th edition of Aero India. Executed efficiently by HAL, he has also steered the build of a ground-based naval variant purely for structural testing in a specially-created test rig.

Married to Rama Balaji, a teacher, his elder son Karthik is with the Indian Navy and younger son Anuj is employed in the US.

Speaking to OneIndia, soon after taking over the charge, Balaji said that he has already set his short-term goals.

“I must say I am stepping in with two key priorities. The FOC for IAF programme has to be met by early next year. Then comes the carrier capability trails of naval variant towards the end of 2016,” says Balaji who lost his father at the age of nine, in a road accident. He was later brought up by his mother Amrita Devnath, as her only son.

BALAJI FACTFILE

* Cmde Balaji (Retd) is born on 13 March 1957

* Holds a BE in Mechanical Engineering

* Commissioned into the Indian Navy in September 1978

* Served as the Air Engineer Officer of INAS 310 (Alize bomber) for 3 years embarking Aircraft Carrier Vikrant in 1981

* Worked with Sea Harriers in 1985

* Took Masters in Aerospace Engineering from IISc 1986-88

* Senior Instructor at Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology (NIAT), Kochi, 1988-89

* Served as Lt. Cdr Chief Engineer officer onboard INS Beas 1989-91

* Station Air Engineer Officer at INS Hansa, Goa 1991-95

* As a Commander served INS Magar 1995-97

* Was attached to ALH project office in HAL 1998-2002

* Coordinated the naval team for landing of ALH on INS Ganga

* Deputed to ADA in 2002

* Wrote CCS paper on NLCA in 2002

* Appointed as Project Director Navy in 2005

* Left Navy in 2006 and joined ADA as a Naval Project Chief

Copyright@OneIndia

Hunt on to pick top brain to head Tejas programme

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Bengaluru, June 28: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has begun the hunt for identifying a new man to head Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). This follows the impending retirement of P S Subramanyam, one of the longest serving bosses of ADA, on June 30.

A Distinguished Scientist, Subramanyam is currently the Programme Director (Combat Aircraft) & Director ADA. He was made the head of ADA in 2005.

Sources tell OneIndia that the DRDO has already set up a Search Committee headed by eminent scientist Dr Vasudev Kalkunte Aatre.

Seventy-six year old Dr Aatre, an active member in various aerospace forums now, is the former DRDO Chief and Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister. 

The search committee also has DRDO’s senior-most Director General (Aero) Dr K Tamilmani among others.

Purely going by the seniority, work experience, project handling capabilities, and relationship with users, Cmde C D Balaji (Retd), Project Director LCA (Navy), should be the natural choice. 

R Swaminathan, (Technology Director), General System, ADA, is another top brain capable of running the show.

Full report here: http://bit.ly/1BLzOPE

#MissionParivarthan: http://bit.ly/1BLxVSW

We are offering a battle-ready Teajs to IAF now: ADA Chief

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore: The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) chief P S Subramaniam says that Tejas is completely battle-ready and its increased number of flights in the last 3 years (over 1000) is a testimony to the maintenance, safety and operation features of the aircraft. In an interview to Express on Thursday, Subramaniam said that the Tejas has proved its flying capabilities at all important Indian Air Force (IAF) and a couple of naval bases.

“This year we have touched almost 50 flights and have conducted outstation trials at Jamnagar, Jaisalmer, Gwalior, Leh, Utterlai (near Jodhpur) and Goa. The aircraft has demonstrated the capabilities to operate like a typical squadron. On many occasions the same aircraft has flown more than once in a day. Many have accused us in the past that Tejas was not capable of flying more than once in day. But we have demonstrated flying thrice in a day, which is a pointer towards the ease at which it can be serviced,” the ADA chief said.

He said many local IAF technicians have appreciated the flying and serviceable qualities of Tejas, which was against the general opinion. “Today, the product speaks for itself and we were all glued to improvising its performance for the last many years. The weapon delivery capabilities of Tejas in many modes were demonstrated and over a dozen times we have fired the R-73 E missile. The electronic warfare trials were also conducted at an IAF base in central India,” Subramaniam said.

He said the Tejas is fully battle ready and over the years his team has converted it into a fighting machine from a flying machine. “The IAF is convinced today that they are accepting an aircraft which is completely combat ready. The IAF team in ADA interacted constantly with us to make sure that they get a maintenance-friendly aircraft. The IAF wanted us to cut down the servicing time, which has been done on priority. Today, if Tejas goes for a combat mission, it can be readied for another mission within an hour’s time,” Subramanian said.

The ground support equipment specifications have also been evolved. There are about 20 major ground equipment developed for Tejas. “We have also made some new tools for the IAF technicians and many of their concepts have been incorporated. Today Tejas is a fighter evolved from hundreds of feedback we received from designers, engineers, pilots and technicians. We have gone through the motions of making a new generation fighter and faced many difficulties. The induction of Tejas into IAF will being soon and that should silence most of the critics. Plane-making a serious business and making military platforms is a complex exercise. We have covered some distance and Tejas is the answer,” he said.

Copyright@The New Indian Express

Tejas LSP-8 systems as per IOC standards: ADA chief

By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Service

Bangalore: The limited series production (LSP-8) version of India’s Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, is said to have incorporated all features sought by the Indian Air Force (IAF), so that it qualifies for the initial operational clearance (IOC). Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) head P.S. Subramaniam tells Express that Tejas LSP-8, the last aircraft from the test flightline, is tailor-made as per the pilot’s needs. “All designs are final. All systems are as per the final IOC standards and have matured with the aircraft,” Subramaniam said.
He said building of LSP-8 aircraft, its first flights and subsequent tests will be the last stepping stone towards the programme entering the series production phase. The IAF has placed an initial order of 20 Tejas. The ADA boss said that LSP-8 has pressure-refueling capabilities (the entire aircraft can be filled with fuel just in 5-6 minutes as against the 30-minutes taken for gravity filling). “Tejas LSP-8 is an all-weather, day and night capability fighter and with very maintenance-friendly features. It’s an aircraft built based on the needs expressed by Test pilots,” he said.
He said the pilot-vehicle interface features supported by avionics software are excellent in LSP-8 and as desired by the users. “The new aircraft is very robust with reliable flight control system. The aircraft has good compatibility with ground support and ground-handling equipment. I can now confidentially say that all that is required for an aircraft to get inducted into the Service is built into LSP-8,” Subramaniam said.
When asked whether the induction of Tejas into the IAF will further slip, considering that the IAF pilots might come back with more requirements after the user evaluation trials, the ADA chief said: “The feedback what we are getting from the Test pilots who have flown Tejas is excellent. Every stage we had pilots closely working with us.”                   Copyright@The New Indian Express

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