Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Bangalore: Those magnificent men in their flying machines kicked off their final dress rehearsal at Air Force Station, Yelahanka, on Monday morning in preparation for Wednesday’s Aero India 2009 air show.
Aircraft from overseas and from India scotched the skies as fighter, transport and helicopter pilots rehearsed, with pin-point accuracy, the manoeuvres that they will perform during the inauguration. Hogging the limelight were Boeing Integrated Defence System’s twin engine F/A-18F Super Hornet, Mikoyan’s MiG-35D, Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Falcon, the Indian Air Force’s famed Sarang helicopter and Surya Kiran fixed-wing aerobatic teams, the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv, the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer and the Embraer 135 BJ Legacy 600. But for the assembled aviation aficionados, the piece de resistance was the flypast and performance of the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and the IAF’s latest and most powerful airborne platform, the twin-engine fighter, Su-30MKI. Air Officer Commanding AFS Yelahanka, Air Commodore Ravi Dhar, told The Hindu that the full dress rehearsal went off without a hitch. “All the aircraft performed and practised as was expected of them and as per the time slots allotted. We are ready for D-day. The countdown has begun.”
As far as crowd control and security measures at the base were concerned, Air Commodore Dhar said: “We have also put in place a few contingency plans for effective crowd control and to make the visit to AFS Yelahanka a pleasurable and worthwhile experience.”
10/02/09 Ravi Sharma/The Hindu
Aircraft from overseas and from India scotched the skies as fighter, transport and helicopter pilots rehearsed, with pin-point accuracy, the manoeuvres that they will perform during the inauguration. Hogging the limelight were Boeing Integrated Defence System’s twin engine F/A-18F Super Hornet, Mikoyan’s MiG-35D, Lockheed Martin’s F-16 Falcon, the Indian Air Force’s famed Sarang helicopter and Surya Kiran fixed-wing aerobatic teams, the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv, the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer and the Embraer 135 BJ Legacy 600. But for the assembled aviation aficionados, the piece de resistance was the flypast and performance of the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and the IAF’s latest and most powerful airborne platform, the twin-engine fighter, Su-30MKI. Air Officer Commanding AFS Yelahanka, Air Commodore Ravi Dhar, told The Hindu that the full dress rehearsal went off without a hitch. “All the aircraft performed and practised as was expected of them and as per the time slots allotted. We are ready for D-day. The countdown has begun.”
As far as crowd control and security measures at the base were concerned, Air Commodore Dhar said: “We have also put in place a few contingency plans for effective crowd control and to make the visit to AFS Yelahanka a pleasurable and worthwhile experience.”
10/02/09 Ravi Sharma/The Hindu
Labels: General: Arrangements
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Bangalore: Riding high on the winds of change in India-U.S. ties since the signing of the civilian nuclear deal, American aerospace prowess will be at full throttle during the Aero India-2009 international air show beginning here on Wednesday.
"The U.S. will be the largest participant at Aero India 2009 in terms of space taken up to showcase an array of military and civilian aircraft for static and flying displays. With a huge contingent, our presence will be larger than at any previous Indian air show," a U.S. consulate official told IANS.
Though the number of U.S. firms participating in the five-day biannual event at 22 is lower than that of other countries, the presence of its aerospace majors such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, General Dynamics and Bell Helicopter with their fleet of fighter jets, transport planes, helicopters, hi-tech equipment and products will be a major attraction and show of strength.
"Our participation in a big way highlights the U.S. administration's commitment to increase defence cooperation with India and the importance it places in international defence arena. Besides top military leaders and defence department officials, top officials of aerospace firms will be present at the event," the official said, requesting anonymity.
Owing to security and operational reasons, detailed information on the products and technologies being showcased and marketed by the participating firms have not been made public.
Lockheed's F-16 and Boeing's F/A-18F Super Hornet are in a hot race to win the Indian Air Force (IAF) contract for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA). Both have flown in a couple of the combat-proven strike fighters for static and aerial demos with a full weapons payload involving breath-taking maneouvres twice a day at the Yelahanka air force station, 20 km from the city.
Vying with F-16 and F-18 in displaying air power will be Eurofighter Typhoon of EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space), Gripen of Saab, French Rafale of Dassault and Russian MiG-35 of MiG for the lucrative IAF order, estimated at about Rs 50,000 crore ($10 billion).
09/02/09 IANS/The Hindu
"The U.S. will be the largest participant at Aero India 2009 in terms of space taken up to showcase an array of military and civilian aircraft for static and flying displays. With a huge contingent, our presence will be larger than at any previous Indian air show," a U.S. consulate official told IANS.
Though the number of U.S. firms participating in the five-day biannual event at 22 is lower than that of other countries, the presence of its aerospace majors such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, General Dynamics and Bell Helicopter with their fleet of fighter jets, transport planes, helicopters, hi-tech equipment and products will be a major attraction and show of strength.
"Our participation in a big way highlights the U.S. administration's commitment to increase defence cooperation with India and the importance it places in international defence arena. Besides top military leaders and defence department officials, top officials of aerospace firms will be present at the event," the official said, requesting anonymity.
Owing to security and operational reasons, detailed information on the products and technologies being showcased and marketed by the participating firms have not been made public.
Lockheed's F-16 and Boeing's F/A-18F Super Hornet are in a hot race to win the Indian Air Force (IAF) contract for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA). Both have flown in a couple of the combat-proven strike fighters for static and aerial demos with a full weapons payload involving breath-taking maneouvres twice a day at the Yelahanka air force station, 20 km from the city.
Vying with F-16 and F-18 in displaying air power will be Eurofighter Typhoon of EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space), Gripen of Saab, French Rafale of Dassault and Russian MiG-35 of MiG for the lucrative IAF order, estimated at about Rs 50,000 crore ($10 billion).
09/02/09 IANS/The Hindu
Labels: General: Participants, USA
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Bangalore: Visitors to Aero India 2009, to be held in Bangalore from February 11 to 15, who hoped to catch a first-ever glimpse of India’s high-tech Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), will return disappointed. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has told Business Standard that design glitches — including extra weight and delays in manufacturing the tooling on which the LCH will be fabricated — have pushed back the first flight by up to a year.
Some consolation will be afforded to enthusiasts of indigenous production from the first display flights of a black leopard-painted prototype of the armed Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter. Called the Weapons Systems Integrated Dhruv (WSI Dhruv), this is the machine on which the LCH’s armaments and sensors are being perfected, even as designers struggle to pare down the extra 250 kilos that have come up on the LCH.
“An extra 250 kilos may not seem much on a 5.5-tonne helicopter, but it really is a serious problem,” explains HAL’s helicopter design chief N Seshadri. “At altitudes of 6,000 metres (almost 20,000 feet), which the LCH must operate at, the air is so thin that it can only carry a weapon payload of 350-500 kg. If the helicopter ends up 250 kg heavier than planned, its high-altitude firepower will be dramatically reduced,” he says.
Being built on the basic design of the Dhruv ALH, the LCH is currently HAL’s most prestigious project. Many of its components,
including the engine, crucial moving parts like the rotor, and the instrumentation of the LCH, have already been tested on the Dhruv.
Armaments and the sensors are taking shape on the WSI-Dhruv. With much of this already done, HAL had planned to fly its first LCH prototype by December 8, 2008. A second prototype was to be readied in the first half of this year. But that timeline has turned out to be too ambitious. One reason for this is that the LCH is technologically far more complex than the Dhruv. The Dhruv is a utility helicopter, designed for simple tasks like reconnaissance, casualty evacuation and for conveying small teams of up to seven soldiers. In contrast, the LCH is an attack helicopter, a flying weapon platform built purely for combat. It must fly and fight by day and by night, bringing down missile, rocket and cannon fire on dangerous enemy targets like tanks.
10/02/09 Ajai Shukla/Business Standard To read the news in full | PermaLink
Some consolation will be afforded to enthusiasts of indigenous production from the first display flights of a black leopard-painted prototype of the armed Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter. Called the Weapons Systems Integrated Dhruv (WSI Dhruv), this is the machine on which the LCH’s armaments and sensors are being perfected, even as designers struggle to pare down the extra 250 kilos that have come up on the LCH.
“An extra 250 kilos may not seem much on a 5.5-tonne helicopter, but it really is a serious problem,” explains HAL’s helicopter design chief N Seshadri. “At altitudes of 6,000 metres (almost 20,000 feet), which the LCH must operate at, the air is so thin that it can only carry a weapon payload of 350-500 kg. If the helicopter ends up 250 kg heavier than planned, its high-altitude firepower will be dramatically reduced,” he says.
Being built on the basic design of the Dhruv ALH, the LCH is currently HAL’s most prestigious project. Many of its components,
including the engine, crucial moving parts like the rotor, and the instrumentation of the LCH, have already been tested on the Dhruv.
Armaments and the sensors are taking shape on the WSI-Dhruv. With much of this already done, HAL had planned to fly its first LCH prototype by December 8, 2008. A second prototype was to be readied in the first half of this year. But that timeline has turned out to be too ambitious. One reason for this is that the LCH is technologically far more complex than the Dhruv. The Dhruv is a utility helicopter, designed for simple tasks like reconnaissance, casualty evacuation and for conveying small teams of up to seven soldiers. In contrast, the LCH is an attack helicopter, a flying weapon platform built purely for combat. It must fly and fight by day and by night, bringing down missile, rocket and cannon fire on dangerous enemy targets like tanks.
10/02/09 Ajai Shukla/Business Standard To read the news in full | PermaLink
Chennai/ Bangalore: The visitors to this year Aero India will be deprived of having the opportunity to see the maneuvering of fighter aircraft Gripen, one of the six contenders for the Indian Air Force’s Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) programme, as the company believes there is too much cost involved in bringing the aircraft to India. People in the industry feel that this can well be a cost cutting exercise by the Swedish company, despite the fact that companies participating in the biennial aeroshow event are seeing a wave of opportunities both in the Indian defence and civilian market.
“We could have, but we decided not to bring the aircraft this year. Because, it is a costly exercise to bring the aircraft here, and besides it requires to do flight test in this country,” said Kjell Moller, executive vice president, Saab International. “Cost cutting is there, but there is no value to bring aircraft to aero-shows around the world in such a time,” he added.
Gripen, the fifth generation muti-role fighter aircraft had participated in Aero India 2007. This year, Saab will only show-case the module of the aircraft and some simulators. “Last time (Aero India 2007), we had two aircraft was flying here,” added Moller.
Indian Air Force had earlier issued request for proposals (RFPs) to procure 126 fighter aircraft under the MMRCA programme.
Other than Saab’s Gripen, the five other contenders for the IAF order are Boeing’s F/A-18E/F, Lockheed Martin F-16, EADS Eurofighter, Dassault Aviation’s Rafale and the Russian Aircraft Corporation’s (RAC) MiG-35.
The ministry of defence is expected to float a proposal for the technical bid in the next couple of months, after which the deal is expected to be finalised.
The value of the MMRCA project is expected to be in the range of $8-10 billion. Saab has given a proposal to manufacture the aircraft in India, with its local partner HAL, depending upon the requirements of the Indian defence ministry.
10/02/09 Bibhu Ranjan Mishra/Business Standard
“We could have, but we decided not to bring the aircraft this year. Because, it is a costly exercise to bring the aircraft here, and besides it requires to do flight test in this country,” said Kjell Moller, executive vice president, Saab International. “Cost cutting is there, but there is no value to bring aircraft to aero-shows around the world in such a time,” he added.
Gripen, the fifth generation muti-role fighter aircraft had participated in Aero India 2007. This year, Saab will only show-case the module of the aircraft and some simulators. “Last time (Aero India 2007), we had two aircraft was flying here,” added Moller.
Indian Air Force had earlier issued request for proposals (RFPs) to procure 126 fighter aircraft under the MMRCA programme.
Other than Saab’s Gripen, the five other contenders for the IAF order are Boeing’s F/A-18E/F, Lockheed Martin F-16, EADS Eurofighter, Dassault Aviation’s Rafale and the Russian Aircraft Corporation’s (RAC) MiG-35.
The ministry of defence is expected to float a proposal for the technical bid in the next couple of months, after which the deal is expected to be finalised.
The value of the MMRCA project is expected to be in the range of $8-10 billion. Saab has given a proposal to manufacture the aircraft in India, with its local partner HAL, depending upon the requirements of the Indian defence ministry.
10/02/09 Bibhu Ranjan Mishra/Business Standard
Labels: Defense, Gripen, Saab, Sweden
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New Delhi: Even as it supports a French bid for an Indian Air Force tender for 126 combat jets, European aerospace major Thales is awaiting the IAF's final nod for upgrading its fleet of Mirage-2000 fighter bombers to enhance their strike capabilities and extend their operational life by at least 20 years.
"We have several significant priorities for India. In the short term the retrofit of the Mirage-2000 aircraft is clearly a strong request and we are working hard on it - Thales is leading this important programme along with its French and Indian industrial partners," Pierre-Yves Chaltiel, Thales' head of solutions for governments sector, told IANS.
"In the mid-term, we are also strongly supporting the Rafale aircraft along with Dassault and Snecma in the bid for India's MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) programme (for the 126 jets)," he added.
Chaltiel is in India for the Aero India-2009 international military air show at Bangalore Feb 11-15, during which Thales will be showcasing its capabilities in the spheres of military aviation, civil aviation, aviation services and security, air traffic management and defence.
Pointing out that the technical and programme issues relating to the Mirage-2000 upgrade "have been discussed and agreed (to)", Chaltiel said: "We have put everything in place with all our Indian industrial partners, through the transfer of knowledge and technology, for the Indian industry to be in full capacity during the execution phases of the programme."
While Thales was reluctant to state figures given a confidentiality clause, the project is believed to be worth $1.5 billion for upgrading the 51 Mirage-2000s in the IAF fleet to Dash-5 levels. This will give the jets multi-role capability with longer-range radars and fire-and-forget missiles, enabling less aircraft to perform a given mission thanks to greater fuel and weapon-delivery capacities.
09/02/09 IANS/Silicon India
"We have several significant priorities for India. In the short term the retrofit of the Mirage-2000 aircraft is clearly a strong request and we are working hard on it - Thales is leading this important programme along with its French and Indian industrial partners," Pierre-Yves Chaltiel, Thales' head of solutions for governments sector, told IANS.
"In the mid-term, we are also strongly supporting the Rafale aircraft along with Dassault and Snecma in the bid for India's MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) programme (for the 126 jets)," he added.
Chaltiel is in India for the Aero India-2009 international military air show at Bangalore Feb 11-15, during which Thales will be showcasing its capabilities in the spheres of military aviation, civil aviation, aviation services and security, air traffic management and defence.
Pointing out that the technical and programme issues relating to the Mirage-2000 upgrade "have been discussed and agreed (to)", Chaltiel said: "We have put everything in place with all our Indian industrial partners, through the transfer of knowledge and technology, for the Indian industry to be in full capacity during the execution phases of the programme."
While Thales was reluctant to state figures given a confidentiality clause, the project is believed to be worth $1.5 billion for upgrading the 51 Mirage-2000s in the IAF fleet to Dash-5 levels. This will give the jets multi-role capability with longer-range radars and fire-and-forget missiles, enabling less aircraft to perform a given mission thanks to greater fuel and weapon-delivery capacities.
09/02/09 IANS/Silicon India
Labels: Defense, France, Thales
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Hallbergmoos and Bangalore: EUROJET Turbo GmbH, the leading European military engine consortium, will be exhibiting the EJ200 engine at the Aero India Air Show 2009. Visitors to the Eurofighter stand (Hall C, No. 7) will have the opportunity to view the advanced technology of the EJ200 engine, which powers the Eurofighter Typhoon, and take a look inside the engine through an interactive engine monitor.
EUROJET is contracted to produce more than 1,500 EJ200 engines to power a total of 707 Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role combat aircraft ordered by six nations. The fleet of over 400 engines in service with Eurofighter Typhoon fleets operated by the Air Forces of Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Austria had amassed over 100,000 Engine Flying Hours at the end of 2008.
The EJ200 is also a potential alternative powerplant for the Indian Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). An exhaustive feasibility study was conducted by the Indian Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in 2008, in which the suitability of the EJ200 engine for the Indian Light Combat Aircraft was confirmed and EUROJET was selected to be a recipient of the respective Request for Proposal (RFP) for the LCA. EUROJET is now in anticipation of this RFP to offer the EJ200 for the LCA.
EUROJET industries represent over 40 years of successful multi-national collaboration in the aerospace defense business.
10/02/09 Antara News
EUROJET is contracted to produce more than 1,500 EJ200 engines to power a total of 707 Eurofighter Typhoon multi-role combat aircraft ordered by six nations. The fleet of over 400 engines in service with Eurofighter Typhoon fleets operated by the Air Forces of Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and Austria had amassed over 100,000 Engine Flying Hours at the end of 2008.
The EJ200 is also a potential alternative powerplant for the Indian Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). An exhaustive feasibility study was conducted by the Indian Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in 2008, in which the suitability of the EJ200 engine for the Indian Light Combat Aircraft was confirmed and EUROJET was selected to be a recipient of the respective Request for Proposal (RFP) for the LCA. EUROJET is now in anticipation of this RFP to offer the EJ200 for the LCA.
EUROJET industries represent over 40 years of successful multi-national collaboration in the aerospace defense business.
10/02/09 Antara News
Labels: Defense, EJ200 Engine, Engines, Europe
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São José dos Campos: Embraer will promote its full portfolio for the Defense and Government segment at the seventh International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition – Aero India 2009, to be held at Air Force Station Yelahanka, in Bangalore, India, February 11-15.
“Due to its growth in recent years, the Indian market is very special to Embraer, in terms of its potential for Defense and Government aircraft,” said Sergio Bellato Alves, Embraer’s Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Asia – Defense and Government Market. “Our Asia Pacific efforts have found this strong, emerging market to have a particularly significant synergy with Embraer’s quality products.”
Embraer and the Indian Government signed a comprehensive deal for three EMB 145 AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) jets, in July 2008, that includes training, technical support, spare parts, and ground support equipment.
These aircraft will receive the advanced electronic systems currently under development by India’s Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO). The first delivery is scheduled for 2011, joining four Legacy 600 jets in operation by the Indian Air Force (IAF), which are used to transport Indian VIPs and foreign dignitaries. A fifth Legacy 600 belongs to the Border Security Force (BSF), under India’s Home Ministry. The EMB 145 AEW&C is part of the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) family, which also includes the EMB 145 RS/AGS (Remote Sensing/Air-to-Ground Surveillance) and the EMB 145 MP (Maritime Patrol).
09/02/09 defpro.com
“Due to its growth in recent years, the Indian market is very special to Embraer, in terms of its potential for Defense and Government aircraft,” said Sergio Bellato Alves, Embraer’s Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Asia – Defense and Government Market. “Our Asia Pacific efforts have found this strong, emerging market to have a particularly significant synergy with Embraer’s quality products.”
Embraer and the Indian Government signed a comprehensive deal for three EMB 145 AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) jets, in July 2008, that includes training, technical support, spare parts, and ground support equipment.
These aircraft will receive the advanced electronic systems currently under development by India’s Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO). The first delivery is scheduled for 2011, joining four Legacy 600 jets in operation by the Indian Air Force (IAF), which are used to transport Indian VIPs and foreign dignitaries. A fifth Legacy 600 belongs to the Border Security Force (BSF), under India’s Home Ministry. The EMB 145 AEW&C is part of the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) family, which also includes the EMB 145 RS/AGS (Remote Sensing/Air-to-Ground Surveillance) and the EMB 145 MP (Maritime Patrol).
09/02/09 defpro.com
Labels: Brazil, Defense, Embraer
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Bangalore: In order to cut "wasteful expenditure" and duplication of efforts, Chief of Air Staff F H Major on Monday sought creation of an apex body to coordinate and regulate aerospace industries.
India's economic upswing in the last two decades has resulted in substantial surge in aerospace industries in the country, the Air Chief Marshal said, adding "this is an encouraging sign".
However, as the aerospace industry is unregulated, "we run the risk of wasteful expenditure and duplication of efforts", the Air Chief Marshal said addressing a seminar conducted biennially along with Asia's biggest air show, Aero India 2009, which gets underway here on Wednesday.
"Therefore, there is a definite need for an effective apex agency to coordinate and regulate the activities of many organs that constitute our aerospace industry and to provide focus so that (there is) development of a coherent national aerospace capability", he said.
The Chief of Air Staff said India must identify core technologies to be developed, and aggressively design and manufacture them. Attempting to design and develop "every thing" is not cost-effective, he said.
National
09/02/09 PTI/The Hindu
India's economic upswing in the last two decades has resulted in substantial surge in aerospace industries in the country, the Air Chief Marshal said, adding "this is an encouraging sign".
However, as the aerospace industry is unregulated, "we run the risk of wasteful expenditure and duplication of efforts", the Air Chief Marshal said addressing a seminar conducted biennially along with Asia's biggest air show, Aero India 2009, which gets underway here on Wednesday.
"Therefore, there is a definite need for an effective apex agency to coordinate and regulate the activities of many organs that constitute our aerospace industry and to provide focus so that (there is) development of a coherent national aerospace capability", he said.
The Chief of Air Staff said India must identify core technologies to be developed, and aggressively design and manufacture them. Attempting to design and develop "every thing" is not cost-effective, he said.
National
09/02/09 PTI/The Hindu
Labels: Aero India 2009 Seminar
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Bangalore : The international Seminar, “Aerospace – perspectives and Trends in Technologies”, an important event for the scientific and Industrial community in India, was inaugurated in Bangalore today by Defence Minister Shri A.K Antony.
Speaking on the occasion said “Aerospace Industry is all set to take a quantum leap with the indigenous development of Light Combat Aircraft, Advanced Light Helicopter, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and various complex technologies. ISRO has done the nation proud by the perfectly engineered Mission to Moon. This Mission has catapulted India into a select and elite group of nations. We need to take these successes to an even higher level.”
"To achieve this objective we must make investments in Scientific Research and Development in aerospace. The current slowdown will not affect the Armed forces modernization plans. Our Defence planning has a two fold objective – modernization and indigenization. To achieve these objectives and to optimize transparency and fairness, the Indian Government came out with Offset Policy. The Policy is also aimed at enhancing our technical and manufacturing potential. It will help the collaborators to take advantage of the strengths of Indian Industry and R&D. The benefit from offset could be shared between public and private sector companies and it would encourage the growth of medium and small scale industries," he added.
Currently only 30% of the Defence requirement is met by domestic production. 70% is imported and this trend has to change fast. He promised all support to the DRDO labs to speed up the Design, Development and Delivery of products. Shri Antony appreciated the presence of Aeronautical Engineering students of various colleges at the seminar. Since youth hold the key to our future he suggested that they should be encouraged to interact with the professionals from across the globe.
“More than 850 participants have already registered for the seminar. 66 papers from 12 countries on various important aerospace topics are being presented in the seminar by experts” said Tamilmani, Chief Executive, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification.
The main theme of the Seminar in 2009 will be ‘Aerospace – perspectives and Trends in Technologies’. The theme and sub themes have been so coceptualised as to provide for extensive interaction and flow of information across communities of scientists, designers, manufacturers, users, operators and academia forging a strong alliance for furtherance of the cause of aerospace.
10/02/09 Arjun/Machinist.in
Speaking on the occasion said “Aerospace Industry is all set to take a quantum leap with the indigenous development of Light Combat Aircraft, Advanced Light Helicopter, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and various complex technologies. ISRO has done the nation proud by the perfectly engineered Mission to Moon. This Mission has catapulted India into a select and elite group of nations. We need to take these successes to an even higher level.”
"To achieve this objective we must make investments in Scientific Research and Development in aerospace. The current slowdown will not affect the Armed forces modernization plans. Our Defence planning has a two fold objective – modernization and indigenization. To achieve these objectives and to optimize transparency and fairness, the Indian Government came out with Offset Policy. The Policy is also aimed at enhancing our technical and manufacturing potential. It will help the collaborators to take advantage of the strengths of Indian Industry and R&D. The benefit from offset could be shared between public and private sector companies and it would encourage the growth of medium and small scale industries," he added.
Currently only 30% of the Defence requirement is met by domestic production. 70% is imported and this trend has to change fast. He promised all support to the DRDO labs to speed up the Design, Development and Delivery of products. Shri Antony appreciated the presence of Aeronautical Engineering students of various colleges at the seminar. Since youth hold the key to our future he suggested that they should be encouraged to interact with the professionals from across the globe.
“More than 850 participants have already registered for the seminar. 66 papers from 12 countries on various important aerospace topics are being presented in the seminar by experts” said Tamilmani, Chief Executive, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification.
The main theme of the Seminar in 2009 will be ‘Aerospace – perspectives and Trends in Technologies’. The theme and sub themes have been so coceptualised as to provide for extensive interaction and flow of information across communities of scientists, designers, manufacturers, users, operators and academia forging a strong alliance for furtherance of the cause of aerospace.
10/02/09 Arjun/Machinist.in
Labels: Aero India 2009 Seminar
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