The Indian Armed Forces, also known as Bhāratīya Saśastra Sēnāēn, is composed of four branches: the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. There are currently 1,445,000 active military personnel, making it the third largest army in the world. Its headquarters are located in New Delhi. Recruitment is high because there are a lot of military academies in this country, most notable of which are: the National Defence Academy, the Indian Military Academy, and the Indian Naval Academy.
Currently, India spends an estimated $46 billion on its defense budget, and can become the fourth highest spender by 2020. It is already the world’s largest importer of military arms in the world. India’s spending is expected to increase as it pursues to modernize its equipment by using 248 Arjun MBT tanks, and developing both the Arjun MK-II variant and the T-90S battle tanks, as well as upgrading its T-72 battle tank fleet. The upgraded features adapted in the Arjun MK-II version are night vision and thermal imaging capabilities, and the ability to fire an anti-tank missile with a 120mm gun. The Indian Army also plans to upgrade its entire Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty-2 (BMP-2) fleet.
India has missiles that are capable of hitting Pakistan and China. The army has a long-time conflict with Pakistan, and minor wars with China.
Boeing 737-800, while on its way to New Delhi, India was stopped in the middle of its take off in Surat’s airport after encountering a stray buffalo on the runway. The airplane was supposed to fly out to New Delhi, carrying 146 people on board. All of them were safe and sound, but the aircraft suffered major damage, especially in its left engine. The water buffalo, unfortunately, did not survive the accident. According to a representative from the airline, the animal was virtually invisible in the dark background. All 146 people were later on transferred to another SpiceJet aircraft.
As a result of this incident, SpiceJet’s operations from New Delhi to Surat and vice versa have been suspended. Sanjiv Kapoor, the Chief Operating Officer of SpiceJet, went on Twitter and blamed the incident on the airport’s lack of security.
Most of the major airports in India are secured with perimeter fences; however, there are still some airports, especially those that are located in faraway provinces, that are not, and these have gone through security breaches. A news agency has reported that the Surat airport has only been in operation for two years and handles only 3 flights per day. Its operations are being handled by the state-run Airports Authority of India.
You can read more of the story and see more pictures about it here.
The PAK FA T-50 is in an entirely new league of fighter aircraft. PAK FA is short for Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii. When translated into English, it means “Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation” or “Future Air Complex – Tactical Air Forces”. It is being developed by Russia to be a fifth generation stealth fighter with capabilities rivaling and even exceeding in some areas those of the American Lockheed F-22A, the first fifth generation fighter in the world. The finished prototype belonging to the Russian Air Force possesses advanced features like supercruise and extreme maneuverability and is expected to enter into service by 2015.
In the 1980s, Russia sought to develop a multirole fighter that could serve as a replacement for the MiG-29s as well as for the, then recently deployed, Su-27s. The MiG 1.44 was created through the MFI program. The program encountered repeated delays. Its first flight was behind schedule by nine years. By then, Sukhoi had already started developing the technology required for the next generation aircraft even though it was not a part of the MFI program. The development of MiG 1.44 was officially scrapped due to the lack of funds ensuing from the collapse of Soviet Union. At that point, Sukhoi was, after winning the PAK FA competition, chosen to lead the designing of a new fifth generation aircraft.
T-50 ПАК-ФА (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Since 2007, Russia and India have collaborated to jointly develop an Indian prototype of the T-50 stealth fighter. The program, initially known as FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft) is now jointly called the PMF (Perspective Multirole Fighter). India has agreed to bear half the cost of the projected $12 billion. Two separate prototypes are expected to be developed in the process – one each by India and Russia. India is expected to buy over 144 single seater PAK FAs while Russia is expected to order over 150.
Timeline for the PAK FA T-50
The initial design for PAK FA was completed in 2004.
The first public flight was in January 2010 and lasted 47 minutes.
In August 2012, flight testing of the AESA radar suite was started.
In June 2014, a prototype T-50 caught fire during landing. However, Sukhoi has stated that this incident “will not affect the timing of the T-50 test program”.
Sukhoi T-50 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
PAK FA T-50 Design
Due to the secrecy surrounding PAK FA project, there is not much substantiated information available regarding the design and development of the T-50 prototype. However, it is clear that it will be the first aircraft in the Russian Air Force that is stealthy. Besides stealth, this fighter aircraft will also possess other advanced features. Among them is a highly advanced radar system called the advanced phase array radar that adds the capacity for both, forward looking as well as side scanning. Its sensor fusion capability will allow it to track and engage with multiple targets at the same time. The current PAK FA prototypes that are scheduled to go into service will use the izdeliye 117 engine. These powerful engines will allow the aircraft to supercruise; that is, sustain a supersonic flight without the use of afterburners.
The armament details of the PAK FA have been kept largely under wraps. However, it is believed that the current T50 prototype could be equipped with air to surface missiles, air to air missiles, anti ship missiles, anti radiation missiles, and guided bombs. When the prototype comes into service, it may use the in-service missiles. However, it is expected that over time special munitions will be developed specifically to be used in the PAK FA family.
In certain aspects of design, the PAK FA does resemble the existing American fifth generation F-22s, notably in its broad shape and long lines. Its advanced aerodynamic system gives it extreme agility, a trait that is somewhat lacking in the F-22s. The 25,000 lb internal fuel load gives it another edge over the F-22s when it comes to combat persistence.
The Political and Strategic Impact of the PAK FA
A technical analysis of the PAK FA shows that is clearly more advanced in agility and aerodynamic performance than any aircraft built by the USA, whether in service currently or in planning. Given the configuration of the PAK FA and its stealth parameters, it is believed that it will change the nature of missile combat. The missile will come into the combat at a closer range than before, and the timeline of actual engagement will be shorter as well. This means that stealth will be one of the most important features for fighter aircrafts in the time to come. The other factor most likely to affect the outcome of the air combat would be the ability of the fighters to supercruise for longer periods of time. As such, the advent of the mature production PAK FA could mean the end of line for the teen series generation aircrafts such as F-15 / F-16 / F/A-18.
Even when it comes to the current fifth generation American fighter F-22A, the United States will not have a clear and certain advantage when it comes to air strikes and will immediately lose the ability to impose air superiority rapidly. According to the tactical analysis, “Fights between the F-22A and the PAK FA will be close, high, fast and lethal …The outcome will be difficult to predict as it will depend a lot on the combat skills of the pilots and the capabilities of the missiles for end-game kills. There is no guarantee that the F-22 will prevail every time.”
Summary
PAK FA T-50 is believed to be the one of the foremost “game changers” in the field of fighter technology since T-10 & Su-27s. Its impact is not just limited to technology and politics, but rather it could have fundamental ramifications tactically, strategically, as well as operationally. Most importantly, it challenges the aerial advantage that the United States has held for many decades. Unless their planning for future air power tactics changes immediately and drastically, United States will have fewer strategic options going forward that are nonnuclear in nature. The PAK FA T-50 is certainly a counter punch that will cause the US to innovate an even better fighter than the F-35 and F-22.
