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June 14, 2016 (JUBA) - A unit of the faction of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), a co-national army of South Sudan under the command of President Salva Kiir, has ransacked a market in Kajokeji county of the proposed Yei River (Central Equatoria) state, sparking armed confrontation in which more than 20 lives were lost.

Women sell food at Konyo Konyo market in South Sudan (Reuters)

The actual motive behind the looting of the civilians market remains unclear. Neither the office of the spokesperson of the SPLA nor the governor of the proposed Yei River state has issued a statement providing explanations or circumstances under which armed confrontation ensued in one of the supposedly relatively peaceful and calm places in the country since the conflict broke out in mid- December 2013.

Local accounts from eyewitnesses attributed the cause to the deployment of a unit of the SPLA force to Nyepo payam, located north of Kajokeji, without the knowledge and approval of the local authorities.

“The report I received from the area is that the humanitarian situation is dire after this incident. The civilians have fled their homes. They are sleeping out in the open and in churches with limited capacity to accommodate them,” a legislator representing Kajokeji at the national legislative assembly in Juba said Monday in an exclusive interview.

“Also these are places which were not meant to residences. They were meant for something else,” he added.

The lawmaker who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals claimed the armed confrontation was sparked by the behaviours of some elements of government's forces who entered the market to loot.

“My daughter and my brother were in the market when this incident occurred. What they told me and has been confirmed by several people is that some elements of the SPLA forces that were deployed to Kajokeji recently on dubious grounds decided to go to the market and started taking food items by force from owners,” he said.

The national army forces, he said, argued that the government had not paid them salary for long and that they had no money to pay for the food.

“When they were asked to pay, they refused and said that they have not been paid by the government. Now who did not pay them, government or the civilians, asked the legislator? “This was caused the fight because youth felt agitated and so decided to stop intimidation,” he explained

Other sources claimed that the clashes erupted when armed men loyal to the first vice president, Riek Machar, decided to intervene upon seeing the intimidation of the natives by the SPLA forces.

Upon the clash in the market, according to another source, the local command of the army unit in the area decided to send reinforcements from the main barrack in Mundari area in central Kajokeji but their movement was intercepted and fell into ambush laid on the way and lives were lost.

Another reinforcement sent from Juba fell in an ambush and additional lives were lost.

It is unclear how many lives have been lost from both sides. Many sources put figures of the government killed in two ambushes at more than 20 soldiers but local residents put the figures higher.

(ST)

June 14, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan's Defence Minister Awad Ibn Ouf said Tuesday that the Border Guard Forces (BGF) would participate among the rest of the regular forces in the collection of illegal arms in Darfur.

Sudan's defence minister Awad Ibn Ouf (SUNA Photo)

In April, President Omer al-Bashir announced the formation of a national body under the title of Darfur Disarmament Higher Committee to collect illegal weapons from the hand of civilians.

He said there will be a first phase were people will be asked to voluntarily handover their arms, adding that the second step will be heavy disarmament operations and legal action will be taken against those who didn't deliver their weapons.

The BGF is comprised mostly of the Arab militia mobilized by Khartoum to help quell the revolt of Darfur rebels who took up arms against the government in February 2003.

On Monday, Ibn Ouf inspected the BGF troops at the Wadi Sayidna military area north of Khartoum upon their return from the combat operations in the Blue Nile state.

He said the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), the BGF and the other regular forces would participate in the collection of the illegal arms in Darfur in order to enhance peace and stability, pointed that the BGF has responded to the call of duty in all battlefields.

The Defence Minister further hailed efforts of the BGF in maintaining security and stability and supporting programs of voluntary return of the IDP's to their original villages, pointing to the significant victories in the Blue Nile and the entire military operations zones.

The Sudanese government has been fighting the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) in South Kordofan and Blue Nile areas since 2011.

Earlier this month, the Blue Nile Governor Hussein Yassin Abu Sorwal said that SAF managed to retake control of the strategic area of Jebel Kilgu, 30 km south of the Blue Nile state capital Ed-Damazin.

The Sudanese government had dispatched hundreds of the Rapid Support Force (RSF) militiamen to participate in the recent battles in the Blue Nile.

The SRF militiamen are accused to taking part in the counterinsurgency campaign led by the Sudanese army against Darfur rebel groups. UN agencies estimate that some 300 thousands civilians were killed.

For his part, SAF Chief of Staff Emad al-Din Mustafa Adawy stressed that SAF would meet the needs of the BGF and provide training for its soldiers to carry out their duties fully.

He also pointed to the recent victories in Jebel Kilgu, Torda and Angassana Hills in the Blue Nile, pledging to provide resources for the BGF in order to protect the borders efficiently.

(ST)

June 14, 2016 (JUBA) - South Sudanese president, Salva Kiir, has issued a provisional order appointing all the state governors as interim leaders of the ruling Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) in their respective states.

South Sudanese president Salva Kiir (Photo: Reuters)

The order appointed 28 governors of the newly created controversial 28 states, ending tensions and uncertainty over who controls party branch offices after the division of the states since 2 October last year.

According to Bol Makueng, secretary of information at the secretariat of the faction of the SPLM loyal to President Kiir, said the appointments came in accordance with the mandate given to the President by the party's political bureau.

Makueng further explained that the 28 governors will lead the party in the new states until state congresses are conducted.

“These are interim arrangements until congresses are conducted. And it is within the powers of the chairman after the meeting of the political bureau had resolved and authorized him to issue a provisional order in his capacity as the chairman of the SPLM,” Makueng said.

“So the state governors are the interim leaders now,” he said.

The main duties of the interim leaders, according to Makueng, are to help in planning, coordination and organization and receive directives and guidance from head office on how they could be running the affairs of the party in the state through the existing secretariat.

He also added that they may upgrade the county offices in places where a county has been upgraded to become a state of its own as a result of the creation of more administrative units.

(ST)

June 15, 2015 (KJARTOUM) - The Justice and Equality Movement and the Sudan Liberation Movement - Minni Minnawi on Wednesday called on the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to take part in the ongoing efforts to bring peace in Sudan.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni gestures during his inauguration in Kampala on 12 May 2016 (Photo AFP)

The two groups, which hold arms against the government of President Omer al-Bashir in Darfur region since 2003, call to open the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) for talks and refuse to sign the Roadmap Agreement brokered by the African Union asking to create a conducive environment for the constitutional conference .

''The Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and the Justice and Equality Movement Sudan (JEM) strongly believe that the Republic of Uganda with its visionary leadership is best placed to play a constructive role in the search for peace in the Republic of Sudan," said a joint statement extended to Sudan Tribune in the first hours of Wednesday.

The two rebel movements pointed to the " instrumental role" played by President Museveni in the resolution of the South Sudanese crisis, the recent rapprochement between Khartoum and Kampala and the Ugandan role in the conclusion of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2005 ending the civil war between Sudanese government and the SPLM.

'' Therefore, SLM and JEM wholeheartedly request and welcome H. E. President Yoweri Museveni to exploit his exceptionally rich experience in the affairs of the region and his outstanding statesmanship in working for peace in the Republic of Sudan which will consequently contribute positively to the sustenance of peace in the Republic of South Sudan,'' the two group said.

Kampala and Khartoum traded accusations for longtime of supporting rebel groups, but their relations have improved over the past months and the ICC-wanted President Omer al-Bashir attended the inauguration of President Museveni last May.

Also, Museveni made negative remarks in his inaugural address about the International Criminal Court when he described it as 'a bunch of useless people'.

last month the two rebel groups asked Qatar to join the African Union-led mediation in order to discuss some outstanding issues already outlined in the DDPD.

But seemingly, Khartoum refused the request as it keeps saying the holdout groups have to ink the DDPD and then the government can discuss to their requests.

(ST)

(B2) Le Conseil de sécurité de l'ONU a approuvé, ce mardi (14 juin), la résolution permettant un contrôle renforcé de l'embargo sur les armes au large de la Libye. Un vote obtenu à l'unanimité, autorisant l'usage de la force sur la base du chapitre VII de la Charte des Nations Unies et fondée sur « la […]

American Islamophobia is as old as Plymouth Rock. But we’ve never seen anything quite like this before.

Americas

• The US Navy took an MV-22 from VMX-1 aboard aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson for flight trials on June 12. Testing comes as the service moves to induct the CMV-22B variant as the replacement for the Northrop Grumman C-2 Greyhound twin turboprop in the aircraft carrier logistics role at sea. The purpose of the MV-22 tests is to allow crews to experience landing on an aircraft carrier as opposed to landing on an amphibious ship, like with the USMC. Additions to the Navy model will see the installation of extra fuel bladders to extend its range from 860nm to approximately 1,150nm, as well as a beyond line-of-sight radio and public address system so that crews can communicate en route to the aircraft carrier’s deck, or between other ships in the battle group.

Middle East North Africa

• Pakistan is to drop its attempts to purchase F-16s from the US, instead opting for a deal to source second-hand aircraft from Jordan. Last month, the potential sale of eight F-16C/D aircraft was brought into question after US Congress objected to using the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program to subsidize the deal, requiring Islamabad to pay the full amount of $699 million. Speaking to the Senate Standing Committee on Defense and Foreign Policy on Monday, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Aizaz Chaudhry bemoaned the often strained relations between the two countries commenting “the US has spent 16 years fighting the war on terror. If only it had given six years to the peace process things would have been different.”

• Iraq’s Defense Minister Khaled Obaidi took part in air force sorties against Islamic State targets over Fallujah on June 13. Obaidi, who served as a flight engineer in the Iraqi Air Force between 1987-2003, took to the back seat of an F-16D fighter, posting video to his Twitter and Facebook accounts. The Iraqi Army and Shiite militias, backed by US airstrikes, launched the offensive to retake Fallujah on May 22 and already gain control over most of suburbs of the city.

Europe

• Pacifist activists staged demonstrations on Monday at the Eurosatory 2016 Defense Exhibition in Paris. About ten protesters managed to cover several exhibited items with red paint, symbolizing blood, which included France’s famous Leclerc tank. Before the protesters were ejected by security, they also hung up a rainbow flag with the word “Paix,” or “peace”, in French. The exhibition runs until Friday.

• Thales has introduced its new Ground Master 60 3D short-range air defense radar system. According to the company, the radar has the unique capability to detect rockets, artillery shells, and mortars while on the move, and was unveiled at the Eurosatory 2016 event in Paris. Ground Masters are a family of multi-mission air defense radars with an architecture based on common building blocks and interfaces. It is unknown if the radar got covered in red paint.

Asia Pacific

• BAE Systems is currently working on a new Hawk jet trainer demonstrator for India. Changes to the 42 year old aircraft include wing improvements and modifications expected to improve its aerodynamic performance. The Advanced Hawk, which is sometimes referred to as the Combat Hawk, is being offered to the Indians to expand the size of their training fleet, as well as give them a light attack capability with precision-guided munitions.

• Hackers from North Korea allegedly stole blueprints for the wings of the Boeing F-15 coming from the computers of Korean Air Lines. The theft came as part of wider attempts to break into networks at 160 South Korean firms and government agencies, planting malicious code under a long-term plan laying groundwork for a massive cyber attack. According to reports, the intrusions were detected in February and the breaches could be traced back to 2014.

• Export marketing advocate Kallman Worldwide has announced its 500 sqm US International Pavillion to represent US homeland security manufacturers at next year’s Milipol Asia-Pacific 2017 event in Singapore. The April 4-6 event will focus on products including CBRN defense, forensic science services, law enforcement, anti-terrorism, special forces, crime, security of public places, border control, airport and port security, road safety, security of financial systems, and prison management.

Today’s Video

• Dutch F-35 air power display at at Leeuwarden Air Base:

Portuguese Baptista de Andrade Class Corvette

Légyott a könyvvel címmel tartották meg ma a zentai Alkotóházban a 87. A cikk folytatása …

Tovább….: http://www.vajma.info/cikk/kultura/11159/Legyott-a-konyvvel-Konyvnepszerusito-rendezvenysorozat-Zentan.html

      

IAF Hawk Mk.132
(click to view full)

The induction of advanced jet trainers into India’s Air Force has been a long and difficult process. After a number of false starts, and indigenous efforts like HAL’s Ajeet that didn’t quite live up to expectations, a 20-year procurement process came to an end in 2004, when India selected BAE’s Hawk as its future advanced jet trainer. The 66-plane order was worth about $1.2 billion, and included options for another 40 aircraft. The first 24 Hawk Mk.132 AJTs have already been delivered by BAE; the other 42 are being license-built by Hindustan Aeronautics, Ltd. in India, who have been behind on the delivery schedule.

Those difficulties had consequences. In March 2009, the Press Trust of India reported that India’s Air Force had elected not to pick up the Hawk’s follow-on option. In and of itself, that wasn’t unusual. What was unusual, was a follow-on competition for advanced jet trainers that was thrown open to international firms, via a February 2009 RFP. In the end, BAE’s Hawk won again, adding the Indian Navy to its customer list. Is a 3rd, aerobatic win in the cards?

Contracts & Key Events 2012 – 2016

Aerobatic tender finally re-isssued – with a new point about accountability in the Ministry; Government can’t afford to blacklist Rolls Royce; Why so many flight accidents? IAF Hawks
(click to view full)

June 15/16: BAE Systems is currently working on a new Hawk jet trainer demonstrator for India. Changes to the 42 year old aircraft include wing improvements and modifications expected to improve its aerodynamic performance. The Advanced Hawk, which is sometimes referred to as the Combat Hawk, is being offered to the Indians to expand the size of their training fleet, as well as give them a light attack capability with precision-guided munitions.

February 24/16: BAE Systems and India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) are considering establishing a joint venture to co-produce variants of the Hawk trainer, upgrade the Jaguar aircraft, and establish an operations base in India focusing on logistics and producing spare parts. Both aircraft are already produced under license by HAL and further cooperation could lead to a more hands on development in improving maneuver performance with laser designation, precision smart weapons, and state-of-the-art synthetic training to create a more advanced trainer aircraft.

October 26/15: The Indian Air Force is reportedly buying twenty Hawk Mk132 Advanced Jet Trainers for the service’s Surya Kiran aerobatics team. The deal is thought to value over $500 million, with the new aircraft coming equipped with smoke pods and decorative livery.

Oct 10/14: Aerobatic. India’s MoD has issued a fresh tender for 20 Hawk AJTs, in order to replace the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team’s aged HJT-16s. This has been delayed for quite some time (q.v. May 6/12, Sept 14/12) – but in a very big change for India, the behavior is being called out, with consequences promised:

“The original file related to the tender had gone missing and the process had to be restarted by the Government…. The defence ministry has taken a serious view of the lapses on part of the officials handling the file and an inquiry has been ordered, officials said. Disciplinary proceedings would be initiated against officials who are found responsible for the lapses…”

Seems there’s a new Sheriff in town. Sources: India’s Economic Times, “Defence Ministry issues fresh tender for 20 Hawk aircraft”.

Aug 3/14: Engines. In December 2013, Rolls Royce admitted that it had paid GBP 1.85 million in commissions to a middleman, which is against Indian regulations. But the government can’t blacklist them, because their engines power Indian patrol vessels, Jaguar fighters, Sea Harrier jump-jets, Avro light transports, Embraer Legacy VVIP jets, C-130Js, Hawk advanced jet trainers (AJTs), Kiran mark-II trainers, and Sea King helicopters. So… no.

The Ministry of Defence has given Rolls Royce permission to pursue deals while the CBI’s investigation plays out. Sources: The Times of India, “Govt not to blacklist Rolls Royce for ‘operational’ reasons”.

Nov 6/13: Navy. Formal induction of the new Hawk trainers by the Indian Navy, at INS Dega in Vishakhapatnam. Sources: The Economic Times, “Indian Navy inducts HAL’s Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers”.

Navy delivery

Sept 23/13: Navy delivery. The Indian Navy receives its 1st of 17 ordered Hawk Mk.132 trainers. Meanwhile, the contract for 20 aerobatic aircraft (q.v. Sept 14/12) hasn’t been finalized yet. BAE’s Guy Griffiths:

“We have also submitted our response to HAL’s Request for Proposal for a potential order to supply products and services for the manufacture of 20 additional Hawk aircraft to the IAF, and are now looking forward to partnering with HAL in providing the Indian Air Force’s display team this fantastic aircraft.”

Feb 4/13: Training. BAE Systems and Elbit Systems will extend their teaming agreement, in response to a formal request from the IAF. They’ll develop the next set of improvements to the IAF’s Virtual Training System to simulate advanced radar, electronic warfare, countermeasures, and weapons within the Hawk Mk.132.

That allows pilots to conduct advanced combat training in the air, using simulated scenarios, in less expensive trainer jets instead of front-line fighters. BAE Systems | Elbit’s Embedded Virtual Avionics page.

Sept 14/12: Aerobatic. No, there’s no done deal yet. BAE announces that:

“We have received a Request for Proposal (RFP) from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for a potential order to supply products and services for the manufacture of 20 Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft. The aircraft, to be built by HAL in Bengaluru, will fulfill the Indian Air Force’s requirement for its prestigious aerobatic team.”

A 20-plane order would bring India’s Hawk fleet to 143, making them the world’s 3rd largest Hawk operator behind the US Navy and Britain. The Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team (SKAT) disbanded in 2011, due to a shortage of working HAL HJT-16 Kiran Mk.2 jet trainers in the air force. If reconstituted with Hawk Mk.132s, they would become the 2nd 9-Hawk formation team in the world, after the RAF’s Red Arrows. There are also reports that the team may receive a new title, possibly going back to their “Thunderbolts” moniker when they operated the excellent Hawker Hunter. BAE | Livefist.

June 11/12: Why so many crashes? India’s IDSA raises an interesting issue for the IAF:

“The IAF still has one of the highest accident rates in the world. This translates into a loss of between half and one complete squadron of aircraft per year apart from aircrew losses due to injuries or fatalities. Earlier, this high accident rate was attributed to the lack of an Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT), which forms the link between trainer aircraft and fast jet fighters. However, IAF aircrew have been training on the British Aerospace Hawk AJT for at least five years now. Yet, the accident rate does not reflect a major reduction in spite of the Hawk being in service and in use… That the induction of the AJT has not reduced the accident rate significantly indicates that the problem lies elsewhere. The IAF may consider sanctioning an external audit of its functioning to identify the cause(s) of this slow attrition.”

May 6/12: Aerobatic? The Times of India reports that India has bought another 20 Hawk AJTs, for the Surya Kiran (SKAT) aerobatics team. The Hawks would replace the 1980s-era HJT-16 Kiran jets currently in use:

“After first ordering 66 twin-seat Hawks in March 2004 and then another 57 in July 2010, at a combined overall project cost running into Rs 16,000 crore, India has now ordered another 20 AJTs… At present, IAF has inducted over 60 Hawks. The overall AJT project, with 24 supplied directly by BAE Systems and 122 to be licensed manufactured by HAL in India, will cost well over Rs 20,000 crore by the time it’s completed in 2016-2017.”

The report turns out to be premature, but the general direction is correct.

2010 – 2011

Hawk manufacturing,
BAE Warton, UK
(click to view full)

Dec 12/11: BAE spares & support. BAE Systems announces a GBP 59 million (currently $92 million) contract for IAF Hawk AJT spares and ground support equipment, adding that “This brings the total value of Hawk related contracts won in India to more than [GBP] 600 million in the last 18 months” – vid. also coverage below.

The Hawk Mk 132 is manufactured in India under license by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, with materials, parts and support services provided by BAE Systems.

Feb 9/11: Support. GE Aviation Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) announce a 30-year contract that covers licenses to carry out repairs and overhaul of various GE avionics, instruments and hydraulic products for India’s Hawk Mk. 132. As part of the license agreement, GE will develop, supply and commission the test equipment and supply technical data. The agreement also includes training, technical support, post design services for one year, and spares services.

This license will provide in-house repair and overhaul capabilities to HAL for GE Aviation products, cutting the turn-around-time for the repairs. HAL will build its maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities at its Bangalore (hydraulics) and Korwa (avionics) facilities. GE

GE license

July 28/10: Hawk, again. BAE Systems announces a new GBP 500 million (about $773 million) order to supply India with another 57 Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft, to be built under licence in India for the Indian Air Force (40) and Indian Navy (17). The aircraft will be manufactured at HAL’s facilities in Bangalore, and BAE Systems will provide specialist engineering services, the raw materials and equipment necessary for airframe production, and the support package for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy.

Rolls-Royce also confirms a finalized contract for Adour Mk871 engines to power the 57 Hawk AJT trainers. The Rolls-Royce engine contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is worth up to GBP 200 million (about $310 million), and the engines will be assembled in Bangalore, India, in partnership with HAL. That partnership began with the licensed production of engines in 1956, and in March 2010 the 2 firms announced their International Aerospace Manufacturing Private Ltd. joint venture.

IAF/ Navy: 57 Hawks

July 23/10: India’s air force hasn’t made any moves yet, but its navy reportedly has, via a reported Rs 3,042 crore (about $643 million/ GBP 414 million) deal with BAE Systems for 17 new Hawk trainers. The jets will reportedly be delivered from HAL’s Hawk production line, though it isn’t yet clear whether the naval training Hawks will involve final assembly or full manufacturing. Hawk variants are already used for advanced naval aviation training, vid. the US Navy’s Adour F405 powered T-45 Goshawk.

Some sources say that the deal is part of a 57 plane, Rs 9,400 crore (about $2 billion/ GBP 1.3 billion) combined follow-on purchase by the IAF and navy, to be announced during British Prime Minister David Cameron’s upcoming visit to India. Note that the total value of the deal from India’s perspective would include HAL, so those figures may differ from the total deal value to BAE and Rolls Royce.

The Indian Navy is currently training its pilots at the Indian Air Force academy, but it expects to induct the new trainers from 2013, and will set up a parallel training academy for pilots as they prepare to fly its MiG-27K and Tejas Naval fighters. Economic Times of India | Indian Express | Times of India | BBC | The Guardian | Bloomberg.

Yak-130: Next?
(click to view full)

April 26/10: A London Times article covering Iraq’s trainer aircraft competition mentions that:

“India is set to order another 60 Hawks in addition to the 66 it has already booked. That deal could be announced within weeks.”

April 22/10: Hawk delays. In response to a Parliamentary inquiry by Rajya Sabha representative Smt Mohsina Kidwa, Minister of State for Defence Shri MM Pallam Raju continues to blame BAE Systems for HAL’s late delivery of Hawk AJT jet trainers, and also claims that IAF training is not being compromised:

“Delivery of 42 (Hawk-AJT) aircraft was scheduled from 2007-2008 to 2010-2011 in a phased manner. Three aircraft were to be built from semi-knocked down (SKD) kits, three from completely knocked down (CKD) kits and 36 from raw material phase. The CKD and SKD kits were assembled on schedule. When production in raw material phase was taken up, it was found that the equipment supplied by the OEM had various shortcomings. The assembly jigs that were supplied did not meet the requirements, there was mismatch in the kits/components supplied, there were defects in major assemblies like the wing spar etc. These problems took time to overcome and hence affected the production schedule at HAL.

HAL has manufactured 12 aircraft till now, three in the year 2008-2009 and nine in the year 2009-2010, including the first aircraft from raw material phase. The Air Force is not facing any acute shortage of trained pilots and the delay in delivery schedule of AJTs by HAL is not affecting the Air Force. Indian Air Force is meeting its requirement by utilizing the existing resources for training of pilots.”

When asked by DID to respond, BAE Systems had this comment:

“The BAE Systems Hawk AJT is performing well in the service of the IAF and delivering excellent training to future frontline pilots and superior serviceabilty. BAE Systems is confident in its performance on the Hawk contract and has made it clear to HAL it is willing to assist them in any aspect of their Hawk contract. We would be happy to also discuss this with MoD and address any concerns.”

That places India’s current Hawk Mk.132 fleet at 36 aircraft: 24 delivered direct from BAE, 6 built from kits, and 6 HAL-built planes.

2009

Alenia’s M-346
(click to view full)

Nov 5/09: All HAL now. BAE announces that it has delivered the 24th and final BAE-assembled Hawk AJT to India. It’s actually a bit of a technicality, because HT001 was the first IAF Hawk to be built, and served for 3 years as a UK flight test platform, instructor training program, and proving ground for integrating new components into the IAF Hawk fleet.

The first IAF Hawk delivery took place in November 2007, and other than this final development aircraft, deliveries of the other 23 to India were completed in 2008. The Hawk fleet is based at Air Force Station Bidar, located lightly NW of Hyderabad in Karnataka state (formerly Mysore), south central India.

Meanwhile, the international follow-on competition continues.

Last all-BAE Hawk

Oct 2/09: An Indian Express report says that India is urgently seeking up to 180 trainer aircraft to replace or augment its trainer fleet at all levels, in the wake of problems with the lower-tier HPT-32 fleet and contract issues with its upper-tier Hawk AJT program.

The report adds that a plan to buy 40 additional Hawk AJTs has hit a roadblock, due to differences over price between BAE and the IAF.

Oct 1/09: Basic trainer problems. Plans to phase out India’s grounded HPT-32 basic trainer fleet will intensify India’s needs for trainer aircraft at all levels. Indian Express quotes Air Chief Marshal P V Naik:

“The IAF lost two experienced instructors in a fatal crash of HPT-32 this year. We have ordered an inquiry and a study on the aircraft, as we have had a lot of problems since their induction in 1984. We hope to use it only till 2013-14″…

Sept 2/09: Training choking. India’s Business Standard:

“The Indian Air Force (IAF) is desperately short of aircraft for training its flight cadets. With the entire fleet of basic trainers – the HPT-32 Deepak – grounded after a series of crashes, advanced training is suffering equally due to unexpected delays in the manufacture of the Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) in India… According to the contracted schedule, the first 15 Hawks should have already been built in Bangalore. Instead, only five have been completed.”

Now Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Chairman Ashok Nayak, under sharp attack for the delays, blames BAE Systems for supplying key tools and frames for the wrong version of the Hawk trainers. He adds that that resolution has been slow because the BAE Systems team stationed at the Hawk assembly line has to refer back to the UK for decisions. Meanwhile, items like the aircrafts’ windscreens must be shipped to the UK and back for quality certification, adding more delays. India’s Business Standard adds that:

“Guy Douglas, BAE Systems’ spokesperson in India, strongly refutes HAL’s version. In an emailed response, he states “BAE Systems does not accept that the programme delays being experienced by HAL, on their contract with the government of India, are materially down to BAE Systems. BAE Systems has completed all hardware deliveries to support the licence-build programme. BAE Systems has repeatedly made clear that it stands ready to assist HAL, should they require it. In this respect, a number of proposals have been made by BAE Systems to HAL and we await their response.”

In summary: HAL claims that BAE has made mistakes, and has a corporate structure that is not addressing issues very well. BAE responds that HAL’s own bureaucracy and failure to respond in timely ways is the core problem. One of them could be right, or both could. At present, however, HAL is the only viable game in town for technology transfer and the manufacture of advanced jet aircraft in India. Under those circumstances, they’re likely to build any follow-on AJT order, whether or not the contract goes to BAE Systems.

AERO L-159T, L-159A
(click to view full)

March 17/09: Follow-on competition. The Press Trust of India reports that supply delays to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), which is supposed to assemble a number of the Hawks in India, have resulted in an international competition for India’s follow-on order of up to 57 Lead-In Fighter Trainers.

The RFP was reportedly sent to the Czech Republic’s Aero Vodochody (L-159), Italy’s Alenia (M-346), BAE (Hawk, but it would be a more advanced variant), Korea’s KAI (T-50s), and Russia (either the YAK-130 variant of the M346 joint project, or the MiG AT). PTI News | Indian Express | Flight International.

Round 2 is a competition

Additional Readings

• BAE Systems – Hawk

• Vector Site – The BAE Hawk

• Air Force Technology – Hawk Trainer / Light Combat Aircraft, United Kingdom

• Air Force Technology – T-50 Golden Eagle Jet Trainer and Light Attack Aircraft, South Korea

• DID FOCUS – Korea’s T-50 Spreads Its Wings

• Air Force Technology – M-346 Advanced Fighter Trainer, Italy

• Air Force Technology – Yak-130 Combat Trainer, Russia. The M-346 project’s other fork.

• Air Force Technology – MiG-AT – Advanced Flight and Combat Trainer Aircraft, Russia

• Air Force Technology – L159 ALCA Advanced Light Combat Aircraft, Czech Republic

• DID – Czech L-159s: Cheap to Good Home

• Bharat Rakshak – HAL Kiran Mk.I/IA/II. The IAF’s intermediate trainer, delivered between 1985-89; see also photo album.

• Bharat Rakshak – HAL Intermediate Jet Trainer HJT-36. Was intended to replace the HJT-16 Kiran; some sources now say that the BAE Hawks are slated to do that.

• Air Force Technology – HJT-36 Sitara Intermediate Jet Trainer, India

• Bharat Rakshak – HAL HPT-32 Deepak. India’s basic trainer fleet.

• BBC (Oct 23/09) – Crucial Indian defence deals delayed. These include the Navy’s submarine and aircraft carrier projects, advanced trainers for the air force, and coastal surveillance plans. “For its part, the government has been slow in responding to criticism – even from its auditing organisation. When it comes to defence issues in India, speed does not seem to be of paramount importance.”

The U.N. Security Council is moving to crack down on Libya's illicit arms trade.

Óriási gólhelyzettel kezdődött a mérkőzés, de nem portugál, hanem izlandi részről: Sigurdsson betört a tizenhatosba, lövését azonban Rui Patrício hárította. Ahogy múlt az idő, a portugálok átvették a játék irányítását, és sorozatban dolgozták ki a helyzeteket. Először Vieirinha veszélyeztetett mintegy húsz méterről, de lövését Halldórsson üggyel-bajjal hárította, majd Ronaldo beadását Nani fejelte kapura, de gól nem született, mert az izlandi kapus óriási bravúrral mentett. A 26. percben Ronaldo kapott egy remek labdát, ám luftot rúgott, így Halldórsoné lett a labda. A portugál mezőnyfölény a 31. percben érett góllá, amikor egy tetszetős jobb oldali akció végén Nani közelről lőtt a bal sarokba. A portugál csatár igazi mumusa az izlandi válogatottnak, hiszen harmadszor lépett pályára a szigetországi együttes ellen, s ugyanennyiszer volt eredményes. Az izlandiak támadójátékáról nem sok derült ki az első félidőben, mivel az északiak inkább a védekezéssel voltak elfoglalva, amin nem kell csodálkozni, mert csak 34 százalékban volt náluk a labda.

Me  Ibrahim Salami est professeur agrégé de droit public et un de meilleurs spécialistes de droit administratif de notre pays. Au lendemain de l’élection controversée du nouveau président de la fédération béninoise de football, nous l’avons joint au téléphone pour avoir son éclairage sur ce nouveau développement de la crise qui secoue la fédération du sport-roi.

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The V-22 Osprey aircraft of the Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron (VMX) 1 are undergoing an evaluation phase aboard Nimitz-class supercarrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).

Northrop Grumman and Ultra Electronics have agreed to enter into a partnership agreement to deliver improved global maritime safety, security and domain awareness.

The Canadian Government has approved a 'streamlined and transparent' procurement approach to accelerate the delivery of Canadian surface combatant (CSC) vessels to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

To what extent did President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's approach to the Islamic State contribute to the horrific Orlando terrorist attack?

Sistership du Gevred, livré en janvier par les chantiers espagnols Murueta à la Compagnie Française du Thon Océanique, le Pendruc doit arriver le 18 juin à Concarneau. Le tout nouveau navire de la CFTO, long de 77 mètres, présentera la particularité de mettre en œuvre la M3i+. Cette bouée innovante, développée par la société française Isi-Fish et son partenaire espagnol Marine Instruments, est capable de discriminer les espèces cibles. Elle répond donc, selon ses concepteurs, à la volonté des professionnels d’améliorer la gestion des pêcheries de thon tropical en océan Indien.

• Lire la suite de Le thonier Pendruc équipé d'une bouée innovante à discrimination acoustique

The world’s oldest religions all have troubling histories of bloodshed. Singling out Islam is just Trump’s latest, hateful hypocrisy.

Kisebb incidens volt kedden az orosz, illetve az angol és a walesi szurkolók között Lille-ben, a franciaországi labdarúgó Európa-bajnokság egyik helyszínén.