The Indo-Russian MTA. Any alternatives?

The IAF tends to run around for replacements at the end of the service lives of its aircraft types, in no small part due to the Government dragging its feet. The idea being proposed here is that the Government start doing its future planning for the replacement of these airframes. 
The IAF currently operates about 6 different airlifters of various categories. 

The IL-76 and the C-17 are strategic airlifters (read as heavy). 
The IAF has just recently requested the Ministry of Defence for approval to upgrade its IL-76s with new avionics and, most importantly, new engines. The 17 airlifters and their 7 aerial refueling counterparts, the IL-78MKI, will have reduced fuel consumption and increased range and payload capacities. 
The C-17's are recently acquired and if the latest order can be completed then the IAF will operate 13 of the type giving them a total of 30 strategic airlifters to the IAF.

The C-130J, An-32 and HS 748s are classed as tactical airlifters.
The C-130J is a well-known and heavily operated medium lift aircraft all over the world. The IAF will have a total of 12 in operation once its follow-on order is completed. 
The Indian Air Force has about 59 Hawker Siddeley HS 748s and about 105 An-32s in its fleet. 
The HS 748s are about 50 years old and are close to end-of-life. The odd thing is that the airframes have enough life left in them. The avionics, electrical systems and engines are all old and outdated. Updates to any and/or all systems would probably be pointless as the overall running and maintenance costs would be more than that of a contemporary design. The other odd thing about the HS 748s is that they have no definable role in the IAF. They've essentially been used to ferry around personnel and other such mundane tasks.   
The An-32 is a variant of the An-26 specifically engineered for Indian requirements in hot and high conditions. The main changes were the new engines that provided a power boost of over 70% compared to those of the An-26s. These machines are quite rugged and reliable and the IAF has enjoyed their use, particularly in the high altitude airfields in and around Kashmir. Currently the An-32s are being upgraded to the An-32RE standard with improved avionics and upgrades to its engines, oxygen systems and crew seats. The upgrade contract was signed around 2009 with the Ukranian government for all 105 of these planes. 40 are being upgraded in Ukraine and the remainder are to be upgraded by use of kits within India. The An-32's, in stark contrast to the HS 748s, have been extensively used in military and humanitarian missions and their airframes need extensive structural upgrades for increasing their service lives. The 40 that were to be upgraded in Ukraine have by now returned to service. These upgrades and service life extensions have given these aircraft another 15-20 years of service. 
The An-32s being operated are in a bit of a quandry what with the Russia-Ukraine conflict affecting deliveries of upgraded components for these aircraft. The IAF should keep these in service and opt for a slow phase out over the next 10 - 15 years.

The proposal pending on the table of the Indian Government is to co-develop the Medium Transport Aircraft, the Ilyushin IL-214, alongside the Russian Government.

So instead this is what I feel the IAF should do - instead of ordering different types for similar/overlapping mission sets, why not order just one type? A plane which has the ability to haul cargo and troops and is configurable for aerial refueling in a flash. A plane which is just being developed and for which a parallel production line can be setup in India. A plane which is not dependent on the whimsical notions of partnership that the Russians have. Instead of pouring billions of dollars in the development of a Indo-Russian transporter (the MTA/IL-214) why not just purchase the KC-390 to replace the HS 748s and the An-32s as they get phased out?

The KC-390 has been developed from the ground up to be cheap to operate, easy to maintain and quick to switch between multiple roles. The engines on the KC-390 are IAE V2500s which are the same engines used on the Airbus A320. The savings on spares and ease of maintenance for these will be massive considering the number of A320s in service around the world and in India as well. The plane has also been designed to be an aerial refueler from the very beginning 

Embraer KC-390 vs Ilyushin IL-214

Comparison Table (Information Source: Wikipedia)

An article today about how the Russians are going forward with the Ilyushin IL-214, also known as the Medium Transport Aircraft, without any Indian contribution as well as an earlier article about how the Russians have frozen HAL out of the design and manufacturing process prompted me to put together the above table. 

The KC-390 will begin deliveries from 2018 onwards. The first prototype is already flying and the second one is scheduled to begin flights soon if they are not already underway. The KC-390 uses commercial off-the-shelf technology - its engines are widely used on the Airbus A320ceo family and some aerostructures are common with the Embraer E-190 though not as much as was envisaged at the conception of the project. The fact that the engines are so commonly used across the world and that Indian airline companies use several A320s themselves, means there is already a set body of knowledge for the same within country. Several other components such as the avionics are commercially sourced which should reduce problems. Further, and most importantly in the mind of this armchair general, it reduces our dependence on Russian unreliability and their whims and fancies. Due to their delays in spares deliveries, several aircraft are grounded and serviceability rates are notoriously low due to the short service life of Russian made parts. 

A big big big plus as far as the KC-390 goes is that it is designed from the ground up as an aerial refueler as well. This is a fantastic addition to the already diverse skill set of the aircraft. The aircraft was also designed for efficiency instead of operations in unusual conditions. With this in mind, the aircraft can be a fantastic replacement for the HAL 748. Those aircraft are used for light transport duties as well as training and communications duties. Upgrading to a jet aircraft allows increase in speed as well as multi role utility that is simply not available in the C-295 that is replacing these aircraft. Further the KC-390 is designed from the ground up to be a recipient of air-to-air refueling as well with a probe above the cockpit. 

Addendum to Forward, the Indian Light Combat Aircraft!

Foxtrot Alpha, a blog written by Tyler Rogoway on Gawker, has a fantastic blogpost on the F-16V, the new ultimate configuration of the F-16 Fighting Falcon. It also has a fantastic embedded video of the Northrop Grumman AESA radar. Please do read that blog and see the video for all sorts of details on AESA radars.

I have never advocated the purchase of U.S. fighter aircraft for the same reason that the U.S. State Department is notoriously fickle as shown in its dealings with even some of its closest allies (Japan and South Korea). But this does show that with the upgrades to its avionics, even a 40 year old fighter design can be kept very relevant. 

The Tejas is like raw canvas at this point. Inducting it and perfecting it over a long service life in an economical fashion so that the Air Force can keep getting adequate numbers of high end fighters such as the AMCA and the Rafale are a no brainer. A friend of mine has rightly said that quantity is a quality all by itself. AESA, IFR, newer avionics and certification for carriage of all sorts of smart weapons are smart and budget conscious decisions the Ministry of Defence should take immediately.  

Rationlise, Upgrade and Indigenize - What I feel the Indian Air Force should do

Source: Official Website of the Indian Air Force (http://indianairforce.nic.in/)

The above image is a screen grab of the website of the Indian Air Force. The Air Force currently has 6 types of fighter aircraft in active service which are all listed above. With the introduction of the Tejas and the Rafale, for about 3-4 years, the Indian Air Force will be flying 8 different weapons platforms. 8. Not to mention the number of variants, upgraded and non-upgraded types of each. 

Contrast this with the Israeli Air Force which flies only two main types - The F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Fighting Falcon albeit in multiple variants. Not the Israelis? Then lets look at the US Air Force - 5 types comprising the F-15, F-16, F-22, F-35 and the A-10. For the picky ones lets say six including the ground pounding version of the Eagle, the F-15E Strike Eagle. 

In fact, the only real competition to the IAF in this case is the  People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). They currently operate no less than 9 types currently and maybe up to 11 when the J-20 and J-31. 

When the Indian Air Force went all in on the MiG-21 in the 1960's, it invested heavily into the training, maintenance, repairs and upgrade programs for the aircraft. The Air Force reaped the benefits throughout the life of the MiG-21. The planes may fly till 2021-2022 in their upgraded Bison form. These planes were used to maximum effect in the Indo-US Cope India 2004 war games. For a aircraft designed about 40 years prior, it fared exceedingly well against the USAF's F-15s. This was a direct result of a massive knowledge base - from pilots to technicians to engineers upgrading the aircraft from it's original interceptor only roots. It can be argued that the war games are not quite even but it still gives something to think about. 

The Indian Air Force is now ordering the LCA on behest of our Prime Minister and Defence Minister. Imagine the future upgrade path of this airframe. Something that has been concieved and built within this country. We still have only about 30-35% indigenisation for the Tejas. The potential to further this airframe is vast and at this time seems almost unlimited what with the myth of stealth being broken by S and L Band radars, IRST systems and counter stealth tactics. While some amount of stealth shaping and Radar Absorbent Materials (RAM) can be added to the LCA for a degree of stealth capability, the more exciting additions are in the form of upgraded radars, the capability to carry and use a larger array of weapons and more capable engines for sustained supercruise and range. 

Similarly, with the amount of time and investment in the Su-30MKIs, the addition of upgraded electronics and refit into the Super-30 standard is an exciting upgrade aimed at keeping these fabulous machines up to date for a long time. 

The Mirage 2000s and the Jaguars are now being refitted - the Mirages to the 2000 I configuration and the Jaguars to the DARIN-III standard. The engine upgrade program on the Jaguars is still waitlisted. The replacement of the Roll Royce engines by new Honeywell powerplants will increase speed, range and warload capacity. This should be finalised soon. 

The MiG-29 in Indian Air Force service is also getting a mid-life rejuvenation to bring it close to the MiG-29K standard of the Indian Navy. The MiG-29UPG is amongst the most advanced MiG-29 variants flying anywhere in the world (the only better one would probably be the MiG-35 and the MiG-29K because of its RD-33 MKs). 

The only ones now remaining are the MiG-21 and the MiG-27. These will be eventually replaced by the Tejas. This would leave the Indian Air Force with 7 types including the Rafale by the mid 2020s. 

My thought on this is simple - replace the Mirages and the Jaguars with a multirole aircraft that can successfully carry out deep penetration strike missions. A single platform. Tailor the AMCA to replace these fabulous aircraft. To make good on their shortcomings and to enhance their strengths. Better warload capability, enhanced electronics, supercruise, superior avionics. We have partnerships to make all these happen. Snecma for engines, IAI for avionics and radars and the Russians for weaponry where DRDO isn't enough. Further spur local industry's interest. Challenge them to develop what is required. L&T, Bharat Forge, Tatas - they've all risen to the occasion in the past and continue to do so. These companies have helped design and produce advanced components for planes and helicopters worldwide so there is no reason why they couldn't engineer components for Indian requirements.

Instead of flying 30-80 fighters of different makes, make the number of platforms smaller. Drop it to 4-5. See the cost savings emerge. And more than that, see the platforms themselves achieve their ultimate capabilities.

-ArmchairMilEnthusiast

P.S. A hat tip to Shashank Mantri for his ideas.

Disclaimer: The photograph is from the official website of the Indian Air Force and does not belong to me. Please do inform me if I am violating any copyright and I shall remove the same immediately.         

Rationalise the Fighter fleet

New rant coming up.

Forward, the Indian Light Combat Aircraft!

Photo Credit: http://www.tejas.gov.in/

There has been a disturbing trend of late in the media of disparaging the Government of India for forcing the LCA Tejas down the throat of the Indian Air Force. The very first article I recall seeing is from a respected foreign worldwide news agency. I was quite shocked and dismayed to read how the authors damned this aircraft. The word used was obsolete. Worse was how there are retired and serving military officers who are condemning this aircraft. 

India is one of the world's leading importers of weaponry for its armed forces. It spends billions of dollars annually in purchasing foreign made military equipment in order to equip its men and women with the very best that it can afford. One of the highest chunks of this goes to equip our Air Force. The brave pilots as well as the brilliant support staff who fly, work on and maintain the planes have an unparalleled dichotomy in the fleet of fighter planes used by the Indian Air Force - the Mikoyan Gurevich MiG-21 (albeit in its upgraded Bison form) and the Sukhoi Su-30MKI. In fact the MiG-27 also comes into the category of the MiG-21 considering its age and electronic suite. So we have 330 aircraft in the Indian Air Force that are, on an average, 30 years old. Outdated engines, inefficient aerodynamics (by today's standards), obsolete electronics and aging airframes are some of the very real problems faced by the brave men and women who fly and work on these planes.

While I can understand the reasons behind foreign news agencies belittling an indigenous fighter, i cannot fathom why the national newspapers are doing so. Two of the very few people who seem to have a positive take are Ajai Shukla of the Business Standard and Shiv Aroor of India Today (Links to their blogs are below). Most others seem to be bashing the Tejas instead of taking pride in it. 

It would be foolish to say that the Tejas has been a monumental success or that it is a poster boy for good defence procurement. However some amount of momentum is required for any advancement.

The Tejas is much like the Arjun MBT of the Indian Army. There are just not enough being ordered for the development agencies to take any interest in upgrading them. The Government of India has just provided such an impetus for HAL and the ADA. The proposed Mk-1A version fixes a lot of large problems of the Tejas:

• An Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar
• An advanced Electronic Warfare system housed in a pod
• In-Flight Refueling

I'm not well informed on the weight reduction program so I will not comment on it but it is widely reported that the Mk-1A will get a 600-1000 kg reduction in empty weight. 

What my entire rant is built around is this one point - The LCA will be far superior than the MiG-21s and MiG-27s that the IAF is currently flying. Further it will be cheaper and there is scope for improvement as it begins to go online in squadron service. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is one example that comes immediately to mind. It was designed as a lightweight Air to Air fighter. Over the years it has been modified and is now a brilliant medium omnirole aircraft serving in tasks from Aerial Interception to Suppression of Enemy Air Defense.

I am not saying that the Tejas will definitely become the F-16 of the Indian Air Force. But it is required that the platform be given into proper active service so that it can mature. Testing and Prototyping is all very well but till the airframe isn't put into active service with all the wear and tear of regular use no one will discover its potential or lack of it. Any and all insights gleaned from its service will also be invaluable in the design of the 5th generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). 

- ArmchairMilEnthusiast

Ajai Shukla - http://ajaishukla.blogspot.in/

Shiv Aroor - http://www.livefistdefence.com/

Disclaimer: The photograph is from the official website of the Tejas program and does not belong to me. I have no association with the reporters mentioned above, Their blogs are listed as they are well written and detailed sources for the dissemination of information on the Indian Armed Forces. Apologies to Lord Tennyson for borrowing from Charge of the Light Brigade. Please do inform me if I am violating any copyright and I shall remove the same immediately.     

Introduction

Good Morning.

This is my very first blog post on a topic which I am interested in. Please keep in mind that I am exactly what my username states - An Armchair Military Enthusiast. I have never served in the Indian armed forces and I do not have any first hand knowledge of the technology that the Indian defense services use. This blog is simply to publish my opinions - misguided and misinformed as they may be. I invite comments from readers in the spirit of open debate. However any abusive language will invite blocking.

I apologise in advance for hurting anyone's sentiments.

-  ArmchairMilEnthusiast