Category: News

IAF’s AWACS inducted

The Russian IL-76 platform based, Israeli Phalcon AWACS was commissioned into the IAF by Defense Minister AK Antony, who handed over to Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, a symbolic key to the aircraft.

IAF release on AWACS induction

Giving impetus to the long-standing operational requirement of the armed forces, the first AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) Platform was inducted into the Indian Air Force today. At a special ceremony held at Palam airbase of the IAF, Defense Minister AK Antony dedicated the newly-inducted AWACS in the service of nation.

Rafale still in MMRCA Race

The Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major implicitly confirmed the French Rafale fighter to be still in the running for the the $ 11 billion 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender, while stating the Technical Evaluations of the six contenders deal had been completed.

IAF ups focus on China

The Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major today indicated a renewed impetus towards building infrastructure and airfields in the northeast of the country in the light of the lack of knowledge of the capabilities of the Chinese armed forces.

Antony lays down the law

“India is changing. No more can foreign collaborators corrupt and tempt our people,” he said inaugurating the seminar DefCom, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Corps of Signals of the Indian Army.

’09 First quarter results of Israeli IAI

Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) backlog as of 31.3.09 reached $8.1 billion, which represents 2.3 years worth of sales. The positive cash flow from current activities, as of the end of the quarter, stood at $312 million, an increase of approximately $190 million compared to the end of the previous quarter.

AWACS lands in India

The first of the three Indian Air Force (IAF) AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) platforms has landed in India from Israel, escorted by three Mig-29 and three Jaguar aircraft each, that took off from an advance fighter base of the South Western Air Command (SWAC) and escorted it as it entered the Indian FIR (Flight Information Region), till safe touchdown at the Jamnagar airbase, at 1135 hours on Monday.

Antony takes charge

Immediately after taking over he commented on the security challenges facing India. “We have to further strengthen our security measures and also security apparatus by all means.”

Phalcon AWACS to land Monday

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has informed StratPost the forst of three IL-76 platform-based Phalcon AWACS aircraft will arrive in India on Monday. The aircraft, to be flown in by IAF pilots, will land in Jamnagar and are likely to be inducted in a ceremony tentatively scheduled for Wednesday in New Delhi. The aircraft will ultimately be stationed at IAF Agra.

India and China: Eastern Border and Indian Ocean

It is safe to assume that this lack of infrastructural parity on both sides of the border would give China a natural military advantage over India. It is important to recall, it was due to India’s abysmal border infrastructure, poor intelligence and shortage in military supplies, besides possibly flawed political and military leadership that enabled Mao’s China to thrash India in the India-China war of 1961. So in the event of a repeat conflict over the eastern borders could India move strategically to choke Chinese maritime movement of strategic supplies, especially petroleum?

Network Security: India ill-prepared

‘One would naturally think we’d be good, with our IT and knowledge economy. The fact is, we haven’t identified, trained and nurtured talent on an institutional basis. India may have a lot of whiz kids but we still haven’t tapped them as a force-multiplying resource.’