INDIAN ARMED FORCES CHIEFS ON
OUR RELENTLESS AND FOCUSED PUBLISHING EFFORTS

SP's MAI - Issue No. 6 | March 16-31, 2015

Issue Features

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  SP'S EXCLUSIVE
  French Rafale on US Navy super-carrier for Anti-ISIS Ops

  As the M-MRCA negotiations near finality, the French government has one final chance to show off the Rafale's operational capabilities. French Navy Rafale fighters from Squadron 11F of the Marine Nationale...

• 

  SP'S EXCLUSIVE
  First joint parachute drop by Us Army, Indian Army Parachute Regiment & NSG

  On February, right in the middle of Aero India 2015, the U.S. Army teamed up with the Indian Army's 2nd Parachute Regiment (Special Forces)...

• 

  SP'S EXCLUSIVE
  HAL Light Utility Helicopter first flight in August

  HAL's Light Utility Helicopter is all set to undertake its first flight from the HAL Airport in Bengaluru in August this year. A mock-up displayed at last month's Aero India show in Bengaluru has attracted interest from several countries...

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  SP'S EXCLUSIVE
  Single-bid Situation for Indian AWACS Project

  While the Defence Ministry mulls over the next step in the crucial Indian Air Force HS748 Avro replacement programme, the DRDO has been presented with a somewhat similar situation on its Airborne Warning & Control System...

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  SP'S EXCLUSIVE
  HAL unveils mini-UAV

  HAL unveiled its own build of the Elbit Systems Skylark mini-UAS, announcing that it was close to entering negotiations shortly with the Indian Army and CRPF for supply of the hand-launched drone for over-the-hill surveillance...

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  SP'S EXCLUSIVE
  MBDA pitches co-development of 5th gen ATGM

  European missile firm MBDA has pitched the Missile Moyenne Portée (Medium Range Missile) fifth generation anti-tank missile system for co-development and co-production in India.

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  MILITARY / REPORT
  Focus — Indian Ocean
  By Lt General P.C. Katoch (Retd)

  Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Sri Lanka in 28 years – an irony of our foreign policy deficit.

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  AEROSPACE / FEATURE
  Whither MMRCA?
  By Group Captain B. Menon (Retd)

  Delay in the MMRCA induction will force the IAF to deploy late 20th century aircraft in the battlefield of the 2020s

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  INTERNAL SECURITY
  Union Home Minister inaugurates International Counter-Terrorism Conference

  The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the appeal of ISIS to the young, educated people, in spite of its medieval ideology...

• CORPORATE
  Airbus Defence and Space teams with Kadet Defence Systems of India

  Airbus Defence and Space and Kadet Defence Systems of Kolkata, have signed a strategic cooperation agreement covering the sale and marketing of services and products in the field of aerial targets.

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  MILITARY / FEATURE
  The PDP-BJP coalition in Jammu and Kashmir
  By General V.P. Malik (Retd)

  It is well known that both the PDP and BJP have always represented uncompromising core ideologies and displayed little common ground

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  AEROSPACE
  India's BVR air-to-air missile Astra successfully test-fired

  India’s beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile Astra was once again successfully test-fired on March 19 by the Indian Air Force (IAF) off the coast of Odisha near the Integrated Test Range, Balasore.

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  INTERNAL SECURITY / BREACHES
  Forest Whitaker frisked while shopping

  Well known film actor Forest Whitaker was publicly frisked in the middle of a New York deli after being accused of shoplifting which leads many to believe the only thing that made him suspicious was his race.

• CORPORATE
  EDIC adds five new defence services companies

  Emirates Defence Industries Company (EDIC), the integrated national defence industries platform launched in December 2014, announced five additional subsidiaries...

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  MILITARY / VIEWPOINT
  Army's BMS project takes another step
  By Lt General P.C. Katoch (Retd)

  Indian Army’s Battlefield Management System (BMS) project has taken another step with the government down-selecting two Indian industry...

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  AEROSPACE
  Cold weather tests carried out on LCH at Leh

  The cold weather trials of light combat helicopter (LCH) were carried out at Air Force Station, Leh recently. “The trials covered engine starts with internal batteries after overnight cold soak at 3 km altitude and 4.1 km altitude”...

• INTERNAL SECURITY
  CCTNS project to make landmark change to internal security scenario in the country: Kiren Rijiju

  The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has said the ongoing Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) project when completed will mark a revolutionary...

• CORPORATE
  Terma establishes permanent presence in UAE

  Terma, global provider of aerospace, defence and security solutions, has established a permanent presence in the Middle East region.

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  MILITARY / VIEWPOINT
  Nuclear Power
  By Lt General P.C. Katoch (Retd)

  Our Kakrapar nuclear reactor is the first in the world using thorium and we are lucky in holding more than 25 per cent of global thorium reserves

• 

  AEROSPACE
  100th PC-21 leaves Pilatus

  The 100th PC-21 rolled off the final assembly line at Pilatus Aircraft Ltd recently. Destined for the Royal Saudi Air Force training fleet, this PC-21 also happens to be the 1,000th turboprop trainer to be produced at Pilatus.

• INTERNAL SECURITY / BREACHES
  Major lapses in currency printing

  In a major security breach that could embarrass the previous Congress-United Progressive Alliance Government, an internal enquiry report has revealed that certain security features...

• CORPORATE
  DCI opens a new helicopter international training centre

  DCI is announcing the opening of a brand new helicopter international training centre (HCIF) registered in Dax, and located within the French military pilot training centres (Dax and Lucen-Provence).

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  MILITARY / OEM INTERVIEW
  Alpha Design front-runners of 'Make in India' campaign

  In an interview with SP’s M.A.I., the founder Chairman and Managing Director of Alpha Design Technologies, Colonel H.S. Shankar (Retd) speaks on the company’s plans.

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  AEROSPACE
  Operation Avalon: A400M Atlas soars around the world

  On February 19, 2015, an A400M Atlas transport aircraft took off from Airbase 123 in Orleans for a long-duration mission, called ‘Operation Avalon.’ This is the first world tour for the Air Force’s new tactical transport aircraft.

• INTERNAL SECURITY / BREACHES
  South Africa's increasing security lapses

  Al Jazeera has reported that the South African Government and security agencies have left secrets exposed at every level and foreign spies have access to all areas of government.

• CORPORATE
  ITA agreement with Sikorsky

  Brazil’s Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA) has concluded a cooperation agreement with the American company Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, a manufacturer of helicopters.

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  MILITARY
  Visit of Admiral Sir George Zambellas

  Admiral Sir George Zambellas, the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, Royal Navy visited India from 16 to 19 March 15. The Admiral was received at South Block lawns by Admiral R.K. Dhowan, CNS, Indian Navy...

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  AEROSPACE
  Sikorsky S-97 Raider begins assembly of second aircraft

  Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. announced the start of final assembly of the second S-97 Raider helicopter at the company’s Development Flight Center. Along with a team of industry suppliers...

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  MILITARY
  Surya Kiran VIII : Joint India-Nepal exercise concludes

  The eighth India-Nepal combined exercise (Surya Kiran VIII) which commenced on February 23 concluded on March 7 at Salijhandi, Nepal. The exercise was conducted under the aegis of Nepalese Army.

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  AEROSPACE
  First modernised MiG-29UPG takes to the skies

  The first MiG-29UPG modernised by Indian specialists completed its first scheduled test flights in February, said Sergei Korotkov, Director General of MiG Corporation.

• MILITARY
  Republic of Singapore Navy launches Submarine Training Centre

  The Chief of Singapore Navy Rear Admiral Lai Chung Han officiated the launch of the new Submarine Training Centre (STC) at Changi Naval Base. Since 2000, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has been conducting local submarine training and qualifying new submariners in Singapore.

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  AEROSPACE / UNMANNED
  nEUROn: 100th flight and end of French State trials

  The Ministry of Defence has completed its campaign of stealth flight testing of the Neuron UCAV technology demonstrator.

• AEROSPACE
  Advanced Hawkeye to be deployed on Theodore Roosevelt

  Five E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes assigned to Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 will make their maiden deployment as part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).

• AEROSPACE
  First ever Italian F-35A rolls out

  History was achieved recently when the first Italian F-35A Lightning II rolled out of the Cameri Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility, marking the first F-35A assembled internationally and the first of eight aircraft currently being assembled.