“Our determination is demonstrated by our growing defense capabilities,” Rajnat said at the opening of Aero India.
On the 13th edition of Aero India in Bengaluru, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) was awarded a contract to manufacture 83 Tejas light aircraft (LCA) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) at an approximate cost of 48,000 kroner, while India introduced a number of local military platforms to the world.
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During the inauguration event, Defense Minister Rajnat Singh said: “We have long witnessed unsuccessful attempts to use force to change the status quo on our unresolved border, and India is vigilant and ready to oppose and defeat any disaster to change and protect our people and territorial integrity at all costs. Our determination to do so is demonstrated by our growing defense capabilities … We plan to spend $ 130 billion on military modernization over the next 7-8 years. ” He called on global defense companies to set up production units.
India faces threats and challenges from multiple fronts and is a victim of state-sponsored terrorism, which is now a global threat, he said.
Conclave of Defense Ministers
During the show, Mr. Singh will hold a conclave of Indian Ocean Defense Ministers (IOR), which is limited to three working days due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“India has a vast coastline, but our interests are beyond our shores. Includes our people who live and work on different continents, especially in the IOR. It is our duty to remain capable and ready to help them during disasters and security challenges, “he said.
Speaking later in the aviation chief’s conclave, he said India’s unique location in the IOR, complemented by the IAF’s powerful air transport, allowed it to contribute significantly to humanitarian and disaster relief missions (HADR). The IAF was capable of delivering precision strikes at a distance of up to 3,000 km from the mainland.
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Emphasizing indigenization, he noted: “We have reached a point of injury in the internal defense industry and the trajectory can only be upwards.”
LCA contract
Regarding the LCA contract, he said: “This contract is the largest defense contract in India to date.” The contract includes 73 LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighter jets and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 training aircraft at a cost of 45,696 kroner. together with the design and development of infrastructure sanctions worth 1,202 kroner.
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“Deliveries of all 83 aircraft will be completed in eight years. HAL will deliver the first three aircraft in the third year and 16 aircraft per year for the next five years, “the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
HAL has already set up a second production line to increase production from eight aircraft a year to 16. HAL officials said a third production line could be set up based on the requirements.
MK-1A has significant additions to capacity compared to current variants. It will have over 40 modifications over the MK1 variant, including key ones such as the e-war system, the Advanced Electronic Scan Array (AESA) radar, the Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missiles and the network warfare system, including software-defined radio (SDR). Modifications will be included in the LCA at the same time as production.
For the MK-1A, HAL has commissioned a significant share of the work of the private industry, while acting as a ‘system of system integrators’. It has over 550 suppliers for LCA, which includes five construction companies.
The IAF has ordered 40 LCA Tejas in two batches of 20 in the Initial Operational Release (IOC) and Final Operational Release (FOC) configurations and has deployed two squadrons.
Call the Air Chief
Speaking at the Air Chiefs conclave, Chief of Air Command RKS Bhadauria said, “We are facing unprecedented levels of” uncertainty, instability and interconnected threats “worldwide. In this regard, he has undertaken greater regional coordination.
“In order to deepen the cooperation and coordination of HADR between our neighbors, we also conduct regular exercises in order to share our experience and assist in capacity building. “To improve such interoperability, we need to consider creating an ISR network sharing methodology where necessary,” he said.
Stressing the need for a very high level of network situational awareness for decision-makers, he said that the approach aimed at the cooperation and cooperation network for the exchange of information and partnerships in the fight against subversion would continue for a long time.
Air display
As part of efforts to boost defense exports, HAL has displaced the Aatmanidbhar formation, consisting of its platforms – LCA coach, HTT-40 coach, Intermediate Jet Trainer? (IJT), Advanced Hawk Mk-132 and Civil Dornier Do-228.
LCA Tejas and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) also performed various maneuvers, demonstrating their capabilities.