SP's Aviation December 2008 by SP Guide Publications Pvt Ltd

Aviation 2008—The Year That Was Pg 28 • Apportioning Airspace Pg 14 • Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major on Space-Based Assets Pg 8 • Homeland Security: Pockmarked & Perilous Pg 5

SP’s

AN SP GUIDE PUBLICATION

News Flies. We Gather Intelligence. Every Month. From India.

ISSUE 12 • 2008

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SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF 12 ISSUES IN 2008

RNI NUMBER: DELENG/2008/24199

COMING SOON An EC AS365N parked on a rooftop of a multi-storey building may soon be a common sight in India. Here, the aircraft is seen in Mexico.

Air Charters

in India

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Table of Contents

Aviation SP’s

AN SP GUIDE PUBLICATION

News Flies. We Gather Intelligence. Every Month. From India.

Regular Departments 2 A Word from Editor 3 NewsWithViews

- Fly a Shrink to the Rescue - Jostling for Space in Goa

ISSUE 12 • 2008

Pockmarked & Perilous

8 AIR FORCE CHIEF ‘SPACE-BASED ASSETS ESSENTIAL FORCE MULTIPLIERS’

Advantage Islamabad

32 36

17 BUSINESS AVIATION A CUT ABOVE THE REST

A CUT ABOVE THE REST: The current

Civil 22 ENVIRONMENT GREENING THE AIRWAYS 25 TECHNOLOGY BRONTOSAURS RESURRECTED

Hall of Fame

economic downturn has not inhibited the growth of air charters to the same degree as the airlines. More and more corporate sector players are now venturing into the air charter business. (Seen here is an EC AS365N owned by Pawan Hans.) PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jayant Baranwal

27 OTTO LILIENTHAL

Reminiscences

SENIOR VISITING EDITOR Air Marshal (Retd) V.K. Bhatia SENIOR TECHNICAL GROUP EDITORS Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey Lt General (Retd) Naresh Chand SUB-EDITOR Bipasha Roy

RETURN OF�� ZEPPELINS ��

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CONTRIBUTORS India Air Marshal (Retd) P.K. Mehra, Air Marshal (Retd) N. Menon, Group Captain (Retd) A.K. Sachdev, Group Captain (Retd) Joseph Noronha Europe Alan Peaford, Phil Nasskau, Rob Coppinger USA & Canada Sushant Deb, LeRoy Cook, Lon Nordeen, Anil R. Pustam (West Indies)

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CHAIRMAN & MANAGING DIRECTOR Jayant Baranwal

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APPORTIONING AIRSPACE

22 1/6/09 2:47:23 PM

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GREEN

Photo Credit: Eurocopter

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SP's Avn 12 of 08 Cover.indd 1

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ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR: Ratan Sonal GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Vimlesh Kumar Yadav

ASSISTANT EDITOR Arundhati Das

28 THE YEAR THAT WAS 30 2008—A TURBULENT FLIGHT

Cover Photo: One major reason for the boom in air charters in India is the growth in the number of customers—corporate houses and, of course, the mushrooming tribe of HNIs. ��

Cover Story

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NewsDigest LastWord

Dead Till the Next Attack

14 OPERATION APPORTIONING AIRSPACE

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Forum

Industry

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InFocus

Exclusive Interview

ADMIN & COORDINATION Bharti Sharma Owned, published and printed by Jayant Baranwal, printed at Rave India and published at A-133, Arjun Nagar (Opposite Defence Colony), New Delhi 110 003, India. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, photocopying, recording, electronic, or otherwise without prior written permission of the Publishers.

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NEXT ISSUE: Aero India 2009 Special

CONCERNS

Issue 12 • 2008

SP’S AVIATION

A Word from Editor

In 2009, let us resolve to adopt concrete measures that will restore integrity and establish synergy. Overcoming our fears and setting aside all prejudices and hypocrisies, let us delve deep into our reserves of resilience and perseverance to emerge stronger than ever.

asy prey to scepticism, willfully misconstrued and hard to digest, evidence—or, to quote the Oxford English Dictionary, information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid—is both the sole criterion and the first casualty of a blinkered justice system defining the woes and wars of our troubled times. Evidence was also the keynote of the last act in a bitter enactment of worsening relations between India and its wily neighbour Pakistan. While Delhi cried itself hoarse, providing for the umpteenth time evidence of the complicity of certain prominent terror figures operating from Pakistani soil, Islamabad stubbornly looked the other way, prompting even Washington to administer a poke-in-the-eye dose of reality check for a country purported to be the home of “non-state actors”. Disturbing, and to some extent frustrating, the Indian government has inexplicably retained the gloves in its rather tepid response to the brazen strikes. The approach of the Indian government lacked focus and was embarrassingly defensive, devoid of the slightest hint of capability or intention of resolute action beyond a bland “all options open” syndrome. That’s not to say it didn’t make all the right noises, shuffle administrative heads and introduce new antiterror cells and squads to instill confidence among the electorate, but it remains to be seen whether the measures take off from the realms of mere rhetoric to prove effective in anticipating and averting such devastating attacks on the country’s sovereign pride. In LastWord, Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey points out that it is hardly a matter of pride that India should approach the US and the UK for protection against the uncivilised conduct of a politically weak and unstable neighbour that is teetering on the verge of economic collapse and virtually a failed state. InFocus and Forum further debates on the means and measures crucial to reviving the crumbling edifice of India’s homeland security. Endeavouring to further that cause, SP’s launched an Internet forum www.spshomelandsecurity.com in a special effort to draw the spotlight firmly on the serious lapses in our country’s security apparatus. Reverberations of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks served as a grim background score as the curtains came down on an

SP’S AVIATION

Issue 12 • 2008

year pockmarked with trials, tribulations and terror strikes. Heralding the New Year on a dour note—amid forebodings of more pitfalls that could test the average Indian’s chutzpah for parrying punches to his pocket and peace of mind—every cheer that rent the air was cautious in its intonation of optimism. It was almost as if the recent terrifying events had dashed the citizenry’s infectious joie de vivre, undermining any attempt to grab at whatever little consolation and dregs of pride afforded by its lackadaisical administration. Despair, however, must invariably give way to deep conviction in our collective capability to emerge from the crises gripping our nation. Let us resolve to earmark 2009 as the year of concrete measures aimed at restoring integrity, establishing synergy, engineering coordination, ensuring transparent public private partnership in real terms and then to persist with these efforts in the coming times. Overcoming our fears and setting aside all prejudices and hypocrisies, let us delve deep into our reserves of resilience and perseverance to emerge stronger than ever. Jai Hind!

Jayant Baranwal

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief www.spsaviation.net

NewsWithViews

FLY A SHRINK TO THE RESCUE

On a Friday morning, in the second week of December 2008, a Chennai Air Traffic Controller (ATC) snapping “shut up” to an Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot drew gasps from at least 15 pilots flying in the sector. It led to a sharp exchange, with the pilots questioning the language used by the controller, who in defence clarified that he was under tremendous pressure. Senior officials “warned and counselled” the controller, but no disciplinary action was taken. The incident took place around 10.25 am. The IAF aircraft had taken off five minutes earlier for Port Blair and at 15,000 ft altitude, when the pilot requested for a further climb to 23,000 ft, the ATC shouted: “You shut up!”

VIEWS

ILLUSTRATION: MAMTA

iven the primitive infrastructure, outdated equipment, acute shortage of ATCs, long working hours and poor salaries, one need not be unduly surprised that such a shocking incident did indeed take place. Undoubtedly, as manifest in the incident in question, work pressures and stress levels for ATCs are high, often intolerable. On a daily basis, ATCs are required to handle not only ever increasing density of air traffic but pilots who are not only impatient but have accent that may be difficult to follow or have poor command of the English language. In his tour of duty, a controller may without notice be confronted with a serious emergency situation that could easily culminate in disaster of unimaginable proportions. Such situations place heavy demand on the professional capability and personality of the controller. Like other metro airports, the ratio of ATCs to aircraft movement began to turn adverse since the beginning of the boom in the civil aviation sector five years ago and has been progressively worsening. However, so far there appears to be no real urgency with the concerned government agencies to take remedial action to retrieve the situation from the verge of collapse. However, the ugly outburst on the part of the harassed controller on duty needs to be viewed in the wider context of professionalism and the more pertinent concern for air safety. Whatever the provocation, in the interest of well being of aircraft and its occupants, an ATC cannot afford to lose his cool. Such a demeanour immediately erects a barrier to communication between pilots and the ATC, resulting in loss of confidence which is a sure recipe for disaster. The dignified response from the IAF pilot on the other hand, stood out in sharp contrast to the inelegant behaviour of the controller and speaks highly of his personality, professionalism and quality of training. The deplorable conduct on the

part of the controller immediately triggered a wave of agitated response from pilots of several other international airlines in the skies over the Bay of Bengal at that time operating on the same radio frequency. This act of indiscretion would have already spread amongst the international civil aviation community tarnishing the professional image of Indian aviation. If the incident in question is bad, the soft line adopted by the organisation makes it much worse. Warned and counseled but no disciplinary action! The organisation is perhaps conscious of its own role and responsibility for the sordid state of affairs and would rather sweep the dust under the carpet. It is not known whether so far there has even been a formal apology to the Air HQ or even to the pilot who was so blatantly subjected to public insult before an international community. The other issue that needs to be addressed is the quality of human resource being inducted into this vital discipline of civil aviation. Low paid high stress jobs are unlikely to attract the most competent. While the entry qualifications have been pitched inordinately high, it is doubtful whether the individual’s personality traits and stability of the mind are being assessed correctly or in depth through scientific methods of psychoanalysis. Incidentally, this is the practice followed in the process of selection of the officer cadre in the armed forces. Despite training and experience, if an individual displays lack of adequate control over his actions or words, he is clearly unfit to hold a sensitive responsibility which is critical to air safety. In this case, as a first step, the individual responsible for the errant behaviour needs to be subjected to psychiatric evaluation to assess his fitness for ATC duties. Failure on the part of the administration to do so could have serious ramifications for the future. SP — Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey Issue 12 • 2008

SP’S AVIATION

NewsWithViews

JOSTLING FOR SPACE IN GOA

A Moscow-bound Trans Aero Jumbo aircraft and a UK-bound Iber World chartered plane brushed against each other at the Dabolim airport, Goa on November 16 last year. The incident occurred at around 1.30 pm. The collision affected 10 of the scheduled 35 flights as their wait for a parking bay was delayed by 30 to 45 minutes, stranding hundreds of passengers. “Domestic flights were scheduled to begin by 1.30 pm. We had to accommodate them and asked the Boeing 747 to shift to another bay to make parking space for domestic flights. As the plane was taxing, its wing tip hit the tail of the A330 parked at another bay,” Airport Director Paul Manickam told the reporters later on.

VIEWS

ILLUSTRATION: MAMTA

n a déjà vu of sorts, the incident occurred close on the heels of the wings of two aircraft brushing against each other at the Mumbai airport just a few days earlier. In this particular case, there were numerous and mostly conflicting reports appearing in different newspapers. However, if Airport Director Manickam’s version is to be believed, then it was a taxing accident within the confines of the civil apron at Goa’s Dabolim airport with no passengers onboard, thankfully, in either of the aircraft. While a probe has been ordered and DGCA representatives have already visited the site to delve into the circumstances leading to the accident and fix responsibilities for the same, ground accidents of such nature can occur only due to gross negligence of the involved parties – in this case, Dabolim airport authorities and the crew of the Trans Aero 747. The airport at Dabolim, Goa is essentially a defence airfield belonging to the Indian Navy. However, in the absence of a civil airport in the vicinity, civil flights are also permitted to operate from this airfield. In the past, there were only a handful of daily civil flights operating from Dabolim. However, with Goa emerging as a major international and domestic tourist attraction, civil flights to this airfield have rapidly multiplied in recent times. At present, the airport handles as many as 85 flights a day during the tourist season, but has woeful infrastructure—a tarmac of comparatively miniscule size and an equally inadequate passenger handling terminal. For instance, tightly squeezed into the tarmac are six to nine parking bays meant only for narrow-body small airliners of the Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 class; inexplicably, there are no separate parking bays for the wide-bodied Boeing 747 or Airbus A330. On the day of the collision, the Iber World A330, which had ingested a bird in one of its engines during landing in the 4

SP’S AVIATION

Issue 12 • 2008

morning hours, was being attended to by technicians causing an unscheduled halt and, according to Manickam, was occupying two bays. This could have been one of the key reasons for the accident as the pilot of the jumbo, in all probability, tried to taxi the aircraft without recourse to taxi-line markings for an aircraft of its size—a potentially dangerous manoeuvre that goes against the very basic tenets of flight safety. To ease matters for civil aviation, the navy has very grudgingly parted with 6.5 acres of its own land to increase the size of the tarmac but that would be room enough for only two more aircraft parking bays and nowhere near adequate for the ever increasing civil air traffic. The navy, on the other hand, may perceive the growing civil traffic as an intrusion and inimical to its own air operations. INS Hansa, the local naval air station, operates a sizeable number of different types of aircraft, including jet fighters, helicopters and mammoth maritime reconnaissance aircraft. Evidently, it is crucial to construct a separate civil airport at Goa. A proposal already exists for an international airport at Mopa in north Goa but it appears to have been put on the back-burner due to political roadblocks. Time political hatchets are buried and an unanimous resolve adopted to build the airport. But even after finding an immediate solution to the prevailing controversies, it must be remembered that a project of this nature could take between five and 10 years to fructify. Meanwhile, it would be necessary for the civil and military authorities to opt for a more energetic embrace to mutually share resources. The navy could lease out additional land to the civil sector, albeit with an irreversible and legal provision that the leased land, along with all the civilian assets, would revert to it as soon as the civil facility gets ready. SP — Air Marshal (Retd) V.K. Bhatia www.spsaviation.net

InFocus

HOMELAND SECURITY

Pockmarked & Pe r i l o u s

ILLUSTRATION: RATAN SONAL

ovember is generally a cool month in India as the sub-continent welcomes the nip in the air announcing the impending winter days. The milieu was much the same in 2008. But while the country, owing to its robust and growing internal economy backed by sound financial systems, parried against the storm of global economic meltdown, there was another storm gathering speed in the Arabian Sea—Pakistani terrorists were all set to expose for the umpteenth time the porosity of the Indian borders and the ineffectiveness of its intelligence and security systems. On November 26, a mere 10 km from the Mumbai shore, where the night waves routinely splash against the bustling Marine Drive, popularly known as the ‘Queen’s Necklace’, lay an Indian registered trawler, Kuber. Hijacked by Pakistani terrorists off the Gujarat coast, the craft’s sole legal occupant, the skipper, lay slain with his throat slit from ear to ear, al-jihad style. Two inflatable rubber boats, with 10 men and substantial quantities of arms and ammunition, detached themselves from the trawler and raced towards Mumbai, their navigation made easy by the hand-held GPSs. What followed was another blatant and brutal assault on the Indian soil carried out with military precision. The planners in Pakistan had selected the targets with a sinister focus to include affluent segments of society as also high-value citizens from abroad, particularly singling out the Americans, Britons and Israelis. The terrorist act not only brutalised Mumbai with the death toll reaching 180 and a much bigger figure for the wounded, it traumatised and left a permanent scar on the very psyche of the financial capital of the nation, an otherwise vibrant, dynamic and a world city. The terrorist attack also laid bare the inadequacies of the country’s intelligence agencies as well as lack of speed, centralised control, cohesion and coordination amongst the security and counter-terrorism forces. Stung by public outcry and political opposition in the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks, a slew of long-awaited measures have been undertaken by the Indian government to thwart such attacks in future but, they have been taken with such haste that they lack clarity and their effectiveness would be in question. Take the case of National Investigation Agency (NIA). An otherwise much needed federal unit to tackle terrorism, the agency lacks any counter-terrorism function. Designed to investigate and prosecute terrorism cases, in its present form, however, the NIA neither has the means of unravelling anticipated terrorist conspiracies nor the mandate to apprehend the probable masterminds. While the agency has ostensibly been structured in the lines of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), a comparison would be ludicrous. The FBI is the premier counter-intelligence agency of the US, in addition to being its counter-terrorism arm. It is also entrusted with other crimes

The 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai laid bare the inadequacies of the country’s intelligence agencies—the utter lack

of speed, centralised control, cohesion and coordination

that have federal ramifications, such as organised crime and public corruption. The current scenario affords India the opportunity to revamp and restructure the country’s ability to address terrorism, organised crime, cyber and economic crimes. However, among the current fragmented structures, the NIA is likely to become another toothless bureaucratic entity. Similarly, the government’s decision to create a Coastal Command to prevent terrorist incursion from the sea is shrouded in confusion and uncertainties. India’s coastline stretches for more than 7,500 km and has myriad agencies involved in the security of offshore waters. Apart from the Indian Navy, Coast Guard and the Marine Police forces with different jurisdictions, there are other agencies like customs, revenue intelligence directorate, environmental protection bureaus and even the fisheries department of some states who control one aspect or another of coastal security. There is a dire need to blend these into one federal (central) entity especially as far as counter-terrorism activities are concerned. Evidently, the mandate and composition of the various entities put in place to combat external terrorism will have to be thoroughly re-examined before implementation to achieve the desired results. Meanwhile, what about the immediate response on the operational front to the 26/11 attack, considering that the true identity and nationality of the perpetrators has been established beyond doubt? SP —Air Marshal (Retd) V.K. Bhatia Issue 12 • 2008

SP’S AVIATION

Forum

HOMELAND SECURITY

ADVANTAGE

Islamabad Once it had been ascertained that Pakistan was involved in the Mumbai atrocity, some concrete action should have been taken immediately to launch precision aerial attacks against the terrorist camps “The terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan is the greatest terrorist danger to peace and security of the entire civilised world.” —Pranab Mukherjee, India’s External Affairs Minister

ohammad Ajmal Amir Iman, aka Qasab (Butcher, in the literal sense), the lone terrorist survivor of Mumbai’s 26/11 terror attack apprehended by security forces during the 60-hour action was singing like the proverbial canary in the interrogation cells of Arthur Road jail. Declaring himself a Pakistani national from Faridkot in Pakistan, he elaborated on how and where he was trained and tasked by the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) to commit the ghastly crime. If that was not enough, fire arms and hand-grenades, cell phones and SIM-cards, even items of daily utility—milk powder, toothpaste, shaving creams and even toilet paper— had Pakistan written all over them. As the evidence poured in, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s demand for Pakistan to send ISI Chief Lt General Shuja Pasha to be part of the investigation was quickly agreed to by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari. In his exuberance (real or affected) to cooperate with the Indian government, Zardari had evidently forgotten to consult (read, take permission) from the top brass of the country’s military establishment. Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani was reported to have commented contemptuously: “Next, they (India) would be asking for me to go there.” Pakistani leaders were quick to move away from cooperating with India’s investigation into the Mumbai terror attacks, moving swiftly into what may best be described as ‘a total state of denial’. Plausible deniability is a most-practiced doctrine of Pakistan’s ISI-jehadi structure but the version it adopted in the wake of the Mumbai attacks was best dubbed by one of India’s leading news dailies in a single stinging word—‘Dubiya’. A continuous stream of contradicting statements from the highest political leadership, eagerly aided by different levels of Pakistan media, has made such a mockery of the entire issue that it is getting more implausible by the day. President Zardari went to the extent of denying that Qasab was from Pakistan despite the latter’s own testimony corroborated by reports in 6

SP’S AVIATION

Issue 12 • 2008

the UK and Pakistani press based on interviews with his father who is a resident of Faridkot and who recognised his son from the photographs splashed in the media. That should have been enough to spark an investigation in Pakistan, but security agencies there have instead cracked down on dissenting voices and stopped the entry of journalists and outsiders into the area. Hamid Amir, Editor of Geo Channel in Islamabad, who dared to telecast Qasab’s father from Faridkot in Okara district identifying his son as the captured terrorist of 26/11, was slapped with a court case on December 19. “I am being observed with great attention and no one has killed me yet,” he said. Working alongside Indian sleuths and with the aid of hightech investigative tools, the FBI has also collected clinching and incontrovertible proof that the Mumbai terror attack was planned on and launched from Pakistani soil and by Pakistanis. However, despite foolproof evidence and seemingly immune mounting international pressure to move against LeT terrorists responsible for 26/11, Islamabad relentlessly pursues operation cover-up. Even after a Pakistani official confirmed that Zarar Shah, an LeT kingpin picked up after 26/11, confessed that he helped plan the attacks, Islamabad refuses to acknowledge the stark truth staring in its face. India’s External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has again called upon Islamabad to hand over the suspects to authorities probing Mumbai attacks. “We have been told that there is some strong evidence with FBI and they have shared it with Pakistan. We expect Pakistan to act on them and hand over the perpetrators of terror attacks in Mumbai to us,” he said. But while there may be a remote possibility of Pakistan handing over some of the culprits to the US based on constitutional obligation of the FBI conducting parallel investigations of the cases involving the death of American nationals in foreign lands (Mumbai carnage claimed six American lives), Mukherjee’s oft-repeated plea is likely to fall on deaf years in www.spsaviation.net

FORUM HOMELAND SECURITY Islamabad. Effecting a complete volte face (perstroying the lines of communication connecting haps at gun-point), President Zardari’s latest anit to other parts of the region. But for such efnouncement to his coalition party leaders is that fect-based operations, the timing and achieveno Pakistani involved in Mumbai terror attack ment of surprise is of paramount importance. would be handed over to India. The window of opportunity was lost when IndiThere is a ring of familiarity in the above statean leadership opted for a procedural approach ment. Ever since the macabre Bombay blasts of rather than justifiable tactical military action, 1993, innumerable times have Delhi handed over serving a sort of ‘show cause notice’ to Pakistan lists of wanted criminals/terrorists residing for for misconduct and awaiting a response before the most part openly in Pakitaking any action. It gave “WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS SOME STRONG EVIDENCE WITH FBI AND THEY HAVE stan for extradition to India Pakistan time to not only SHARED IT WITH PAKISTAN. WE EXPECT PAKISTAN TO ACT ON THEM AND HAND OVER for trials. Islamabad, by now regroup but to go on a riTHE PERPETRATORS OF TERROR ATTACKS IN MUMBAI TO US.” a leading practitioner of the diculous and belligerent —PRANAB MUKHERJEE, INDIA’S EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER doctrine of denial, instead of war hysteria, effectively cooperating with India, has putting India on the decontinued to deny the very existence of some of the most want- fensive. As of now, the possibility of both countries going to ed criminals, such as Dawood Ibrahim residing in posh locali- war have receded substantially, even though India continues to ties in Karachi and other cities in Pakistan. Even if Pakistan maintain that to be one of the options still available to it. hands over a few LeT commanders, such as Zaki-ur Rehman In any case, going to war at this stage is not going to solve Lakhvi and Zarar Shah, to the US under extreme pressure the fundamental problem of securing the country from the from Washington, it would most likely be on the condition that scourge of terror unleashed by Pakistan. What is needed is to they are not handed over to India under any circumstances. bolster our homeland security on the same lines as the US. Notwithstanding the growing strategic partnership be- This would also entail effectively securing our land/maritime tween the two biggest democracies in the world, it should be borders and airspace against external infiltration. In the wake evident to India that the US has limited options owing to its of Mumbai attacks, the government quickly set out to establish perceived dependence on Pakistan in its ongoing war on ter- a coastal command for maritime security and, a National Inror in Afghanistan and the adjoining tribal areas in Pakistan. vestigation Agency to tackle terror. But in both cases, composiThe dichotomous US response is apparent, in that while the tion and mandate of these organisations were confusing and FBI has nailed Pakistan for its complicity in Mumbai terror lacked ‘unity of purpose’. attacks with the loss of American lives as well, the US, at the Fortunately, wisdom has dawned and at least one of the same time, is feting Islamabad with a $15 billion (Rs 72,950 newly-raised entities is undergoing fine tuning. For example, crore) aid package, which includes offensive weapons such as the earlier totally unworkable suggestion to have nine coastal the UCAVs and sophisticated F-16 jetfighters. commands, one in each coastal state, headed by Chief MinisInexplicably, the Indian leadership wants the Mumbai may- ter/Chief Secretary has been done away with by creating a new hem to be seen in its international context rather than as an architecture which will include a central coastal command (CC) India-Pakistan affair, but its fear that bilateral action might im- and a maritime security advisory board to establish effective pede multilateral action does not seem to be justified. For po- functional linkages and mechanisms across the entire marilitical and even psychological reasons of public morale, some time domain. The CC will not be a physical regional command riposte to Mumbai massacre was obligatory. Once it had been but an all-encompassing central coordinating mechanism, ascertained that Pakistan was involved in the Mumbai atroc- with strengthened coast guard at its epicenter. It will have a ity, especially after the captured terrorist Qasab had spilled the central operations room, backed by regional hubs. What is imbeans, some concrete action should have been taken imme- portant is the centrality factor, with the Indian Navy playing the diately as part of a carefully calibrated bilateral action. While primary role in all maritime matters and ensuring a seamless there are differing opinions on the subject, that was perhaps system. The same factor needs to be applied in the land and the right time to launch precision aerial attacks against the airspace with Indian Army and the Indian Air Force ensuring terrorist camps, especially the ones in PoK where Qasab and seamless systems in their respective domains. his accomplices had been trained. The attacks would have Finally, the forces will have to be equipped with qualitatively been largely symbolic as suitable and quantitativethe terrorist camps are ly adequate sensors and “NO PAKISTANI INVOLVED IN MUMBAI TERROR ATTACK WOULD BE HANDED hardly more than a cluscounterforce weapons OVER TO INDIA.” ter of huts/dormitories systems in all three do—ASIF ALI ZARDARI, PAKISTAN PRESIDENT with open grounds surmains for a 24X7 vigil to rounding them for weapseal the borders. Timely “I AM BEING OBSERVED WITH GREAT ATTENTION ons training but, it would and accurate intelligence, AND NO ONE HAS KILLED ME YET.” have demonstrated sedisseminated in a seam—HAMID AMIR, EDITOR OF ISLAMABAD-BASED GEO CHANNEL, WHO DARED TO TELECAST CAPTURED TERRORIST QASAB’S FATHER riousness of India’s inless system with Rapid FROM FARIDKOT, OKARA DISTRICT tent. The threshold could Action Forces is the key always be increased to to thwart Pakistan’s ne“NEXT, THEY (INDIA) WOULD BE ASKING FOR ME TO GO THERE.” isolate Muzaffarabad, the farious designs. SP —PAKISTAN ARMY CHIEF GENERAL ASHFAQ PARVEZ KAYANI IN RESPONSE TO INDIAN PRIME MINISTER MANMOHAN SINGH’S DEMAND FOR PAKISTAN TO SEND ISI CHIEF hub-centre of terrorist — Air Marshal LT GENERAL SHUJA PASHA TO BE PART OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO 26/11 training in POK by de(Retd) V.K. Bhatia Issue 12 • 2008

SP’S AVIATION

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

AIR FORCE CHIEF

‘Space-based assets essential force multipliers’

PHOTOGRAPHS: RATAN SONAL

In the concluding portion of the interview of the Chief of the Air Staff,Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major, Editor-in-Chief Jayant Baranwal and Senior Visiting Editor Air Marshal (Retd) V.K. Bhatia draw out his opinions and views on a vast range of issues pertaining to the development, equipment and enhancement of the force. SP’s Aviation (SP’s): Participation by the Indian Air Force (IAF) in international air exercises, including Exercise Red Flag 2008 in the US, has amply proved the force’s capability of strategic reach, albeit on a small scale. Are there any plans to enhance this capability to meet the demands in the future? Chief of the Air Staff (CAS): Today, India is a resurgent nation with a growing economy and seeks to enlarge its area of influence. It is but natural that India will need to project power in order to safeguard its interests at the extremities of these areas. The IAF seeks to develop credible capability across the spectrum of conflict and demonstrate strategic reach so as to safeguard national interests. Our plans will remain within the context of this requirement. 8

SP’S AVIATION

Issue 12 • 2008

SP’s: How is the IAF equipping itself to achieve its stated core competencies pertaining to precision attack and allweather capabilities? CAS: The ability to deliver hard power, with precision and under all conditions, is an essential capability of the IAF. The IAF has planned its future acquisitions keeping this factor in mind. To achieve this, all combat platforms which are being acquired will possess the capability in terms of avionics and aids to deliver ordnance under all conditions. We are also acquiring weapons of compatible capability that can be delivered with precision and under all weather conditions. We also continue to train and refine our tactics constantly so as to maintain a high level of proficiency, in the delivery of these specialist weapons. www.spsaviation.net

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW AIR FORCE CHIEF SP’s: The aerospace industry in India, you have often stressed, cannot be managed as just a public sector outfit and the defence industry is keen on integration with the private sector for achieving self-reliance. How can the IAF help in achieving the desired goals? CAS: The IAF is very supportive of the government’s effort to encourage private defence industry. We must admit that the Indian defence industry has largely been confined to public sector units and has been sheltered for far too long. The situation in India after Independence did warrant such measures and there were definitely justifiable reasons then. Today, whilst the defence PSUs continue to serve the nation well, the pace of change demands faster response time and an infusion of fresh energy. The private sector in India today possesses immense capability and we feel that it must be actively involved in the process of manufacture of defence products. The Defence Procurement Policy 2008 (DPP-08) has made many provisions to encourage the participation of private industry and these must be utilised. It permits partnerships and joint ventures with foreign companies, as also licence productions. The offset clause will require a re-investment of 30 to 50 per cent of the contracted amount back into the country. The IAF interacts very regularly at all levels with the private industry and its requirements are regularly communicated at various levels. There is a lot of interaction with the Confederation of Indian Industries and institutional steps have been formalised to cement this relationship. We recently held a seminar, INDAIR-08, which helped us understand each others perspectives and laid the foundations for increasing partnerships.

the IAF are used by regular commercial airlines. Nearly 250 flights operate from these bases daily. In fact, Pune and Agra now operate on a 24x7 hour basis to accommodate commercial traffic. All our airfields, including frontline ones like Srinagar and Jaisalmer, which are run by the IAF, are fully supportive of commercial operations. The IAF has also deputed, often at very short notice, its ATC officers, fire fighters and other supporting operational staff at various civil aerodromes, whenever required, to enable commercial operations. In fact, it is the Indian Air Force that initiated the concept of ‘flexible use of airspace’. Whenever our airspace is not in use, we permit civil flights to transit through, thus reducing time and fuel consumption. In a similar manner, IAF aircraft could use civil airspace and routes when available. Such an arrangement would be of mutual benefit. We have tried this out very successfully in the southern sector.

SP’s: It is heartening to see the convergence of interests between the Ministries of Defence and Civil Aviation with regard to sharing each other’s infrastructure facilities and airspace. Could you give an update, especially on the concept of ‘flexi use of airspace’? CAS: The IAF recognises the growing demands of the civil aviation sector in our country. The force operates a number of bases in the country, and has a certain volume of airspace earmarked for military training. This airspace is required for our combat assets to carry out routine training to maintain the required level of operational preparedness. The IAF has gone out of its way to accommodate the needs of the civil aviation industry. At the moment, 19 major airfields of

SP’s: The IAF has always been advocating the establishment of the Space Command under it to ensure optimum use of space for military applications. The latest pointers, however, indicate that as and when it happens, the Space Command is likely to be triservice affair. How can it be ensured that in the likely set up, interests of the air force are safeguarded? CAS: Space-based assets are essential force multipliers in future operational scenarios. I foresee that these assets will be used by all the three services, as well as many other security and civil organisations. Hence, it is natural to assume that every organisation will have a stake in the exploitation of space. I advocate that assets in space would be controlled by a tri-service organisation, with the IAF as the lead service,

“All combat platforms which are being acquired will possess the capability in terms of avionics and aids to deliver ordnance under all conditions.”

SP’S AVIATION

Issue 12 • 2008

SP’s: It is rumoured that the Hawk fleet is afflicted with serious problems of quality and product support resulting in low serviceability with adverse effect on training. How is the IAF coping with this situation? CAS: There have been a few teething problems in the induction phase of the Hawk. But I think that is to be expected in a project of such nature. We have taken very active steps in co-ordination with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and BAE Systems to overcome the issues that have affected operations. The response has been very positive and the supply of spares and providing specialist teams for rectification and maintenance, have been addressed. As many as 18 pilots have finished training on Hawks at Bidar.

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Working as a team ensures success

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW AIR FORCE CHIEF by virtue of its nature, experience and quantum of exploitation. Such an organisation will evolve with time, and we will safeguard our interests by working within the system and gainfully utilising it to everybody’s advantage.

as well. Matching their aspirations to organisational goals is our endeavour, and remains a challenge. Regarding policies, I am of the firm opinion that unless something is really inappropriate, no drastic change must be made in policies. Anomalies and deficiencies in our policies are corrected and amended in an evolutionary manner. But let me assure you, that all these issues are deliberated upon in great detail, and considered very empathetically.

SP’s: In recent years, the IAF air warriors have won many laurels through participation in air exercises with foreign air forces. But they must have faced a few problems as well, such as the lack of network centric capability in the recently concluded multinational Exercise Red Flag. How were these problems overcome and, what were the lessons for the IAF? Secondly, most of these exercises were done with the western powers. Are there any plans to conduct similar exercises with the Russian and Chinese Air Forces just as the Indian Army has done with its counterparts from these countries? CAS: The Indian Air Force has emerged out of isolation and has carried out a number of bilateral and multilateral exercises in the past IN THE FOREFRONT: few years. We have carried out exercises with AN SU-30 MKI OF THE IAF CONTINGENT AT THE RED the air forces of France, the US, Singapore, FLAG EXERCISE IN THE US South Africa, UK, UAE and Russia. Exercise Red Flag provided us with an opportunity to plan and deploy a detachment of our combat assets across the Atlantic and maintain them for over a period of two months. We operated in a highly in- SP’s: What concrete steps are being taken to ensure availability tense operational environment and carried out all missions of suitably skilled manpower in adequate numbers to absorb a that were tasked. The lessons are being collated. plethora of new and forthcoming acquisitions and inductions? It is true that our aircraft were not on the same network CAS: Induction of new technology obviously involves the as the USAF elements, but our crew made up for it by rely- provisioning of adequately trained personnel, to operate ing on more traditional means. The IAF is in the process of and maintain the new equipment. Most of our equipment is integrating all its assets on a common network, so as to re- being inducted in a planned and phased manner that allows duce response times. All our future acquisitions will possess us to absorb the new capability, without creating any kind the capability to plug in seamlessly, whilst we integrate our of disruption. We have reviewed our training systems and present assets into the network. Project Integrated Air Com- methods, so as to prepare our personnel for the new sysmand and Control Systems is being set up so as to automate tems. Training is planned in staggered batches, so that there the Air Defence Command and Control System of the IAF. is no sudden shortfall. At the moment, I can assure you that We are conscious of the fact that success in future opera- our plans have worked well and we have adequate trained tions will hinge upon our capability to dominate the informa- personnel for all our new inductions. tion domain. A concerted effort is being made, to achieve this capability. Coming to the scope of future international exer- SP’s: The Indo-US civilian nuclear 123 is a done deal. In its cises, we are rationalising our participation in view of the wake, the two countries’ defence cooperation is also reportexpenditure involved. Meanwhile, our Surya Kiran Aerobatic edly poised to touch new heights. How will it impact the Team is visiting China in November this year. Whilst mili- IAF’s chances to get access to cutting-edge US aeronautical tary interaction with China has not been very intensive in the and space technologies? past, we do intend to carry out exercises with all friendly CAS: Indo-US defence cooperation is in line with national nations in the future. policy and is part of the nation’s and IAF’s endeavour to enlarge its area of influence. Having been insulated for so long, SP’s: Human resource management has always been a it has been very heartening to learn that our practices and challenging task for any organisation and very rewarding tactics were comparable to the world’s best during Exercise if done the right way. Are any new policies in the offing or Red Flag. We have tried to learn from these exercises and under implementation to better the lot of the air warriors, exposure, in order to improve our air force. I think that with both officers as well as airmen cadre? the 123 agreement being signed, Indian industry will have CAS: Whilst technology is the essential core of an air force, I access to materials and technologies that were denied earfirmly believe that it is our air warriors who are the true force lier. I expect that it will provide an impetus to our industry multipliers. Looking after their concerns is my responsibility by enabling access to the latest technologies. SP and my staff and I pay a great deal of attention to this aspect. I am aware that the growing opportunity and higher remu(For full text of the interview, pick up SP’s Military neration in civil society exerts its influence on our personnel Yearbook 2008-2009.) 12

SP’S AVIATION

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Working as a team ensures success

INDUSTRY

OPERATION

pportioning a i r s p a c e

ILLUSTRATION: RATAN SONAL

It is important to begin airspace design with the concept of shared use. No one operator type—be it military, airline, aerial work, government, recreation or business aviation—should be allowed sole use of large sectors of a nation’s airspace.

mixture of air traffic, comthe boundaries of an airspace type? Only By prising varying sizes and the amount needed for the task, often LeRoy Cook, Missouri, types, invariably and not with a compromise to accommodate comUSA before long will call for depeting interests next door. Bear in mind marcation and delineation that this includes vertical limits, as well of the competing users. To as lateral ones. facilitate this, an equitable airspace sysAirspace apportionments generally fall tem must be developed—not an easy task, as each user into two major categories—operational and restrictive. group seeks to preserve its hegemony. Competing inter- Operational airspace classes are most often designated by ests make fairness a near impossibility, as the needs of the letter codes, established by the International Civil Aviation varying missions and aircraft types interpose. Organization (ICAO) guidelines, beginning with the most The answer is to cleave the available airspace into or- demanding, Class A, and descending to the least authoriderly partitions, with rules applicable to each airspace class tarian, Class G. Other restrictive airspaces are established that make it more attractive to some users than others. By for specific needs, such as national security, hazard avoidestablishing de facto segregation, safety is enhanced while ance, military use and border crossing. allowing as much interaction as possible. Fortunately, the ICAO airspaces, as defined in Annex 11, are not uniperformance characteristics of smaller general aviation formly applied, varying in implementation from country airplanes, versus those of high performance airline, busi- to country. However, for pilots traveling internationally, ness and military aircraft, allow the most disparate users any use of ICAO standard airspace designators makes life to keep well away from each other except when manoeu- simpler. We will discuss each airspace type in the followvring at low altitude during arrivals and departures. ing paragraphs. It is important to begin airspace design with the conClass A, or Alpha, airspace may be used only by aircept of shared use. No one operator type, be it military, craft operating under instrument flight rules, with all airline, aerial work, government, recreation or business flights under positive air traffic control. While this sounds aviation, should be allowed to have sole use of large sec- like the safest option, it strictly limits the amount of traftors of a nation’s airspace. As a national resource, owned fic that can be handled in a given volume of airspace, by the people at large, use of the air should be shared, even with radar control, because instrument flight rules in the best interest of everyone. However, segregation by require large in-trail spacing (typically 5 miles) and 1,000 performance and capability is a reasonable adjunct of par- feet of vertical separation. If radar surveillance is lacking, titioning to promote safety. the application of time-and-reporting separation requires even more space. Class A is best restricted to mid-to-high OPERATIONAL AIRSPACES OF ICAO altitude en route sectors, which are normally flown under How much territory should be allotted when establishing IFR in any case. 14

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INDUSTRY OPERATION

Flight in Class B airspace is more convenient than Class A, because operation under VFR is permitted, although IFR in-trail separation is maintained between all aircraft, under positive ATC supervision. Vertical separation between participating VFR aircraft and an IFR aircraft can be as little as 500 feet, which increases capacity of the airspace. Aircraft flown VFR in the Class B airspace need not be IFR-capable, nor do pilots have to be instrument rated or current. Class B is primarily intended for enhancing safety of the airspace around busy airports used by scheduled airliners and aircraft of similar performance. For less active airports still requiring a measure of added safety, Class C airspace volume is typically slightly smaller than Class B, both in height and lateral distance, Most importantly, IFR in-trail separation standards are not used in Class C, but only the separation provided by radar target spacing, supplemented by pilot confirmation that the preceding traffic is in sight. Unlike Class B, pilots

Safety remains at the root of

of aircraft operating under VFR are not provided separation service from other VFR flights. Responsibility for avoiding conflicts under VFR is left to all airspace the pilot. This greatly increases classiﬁcation; in the controller’s flexibility when truth, no other handling aircraft of disparate legitimate reason airspeeds; VFR traffic, generally slower and less route reexists for adding stricted, can be routed to lesscomplication to busy airspace within Class C. a pilot’s life In the still-smaller Class D airspace, generally established around airports with operating control towers, but not necessarily with radar service, IFR traffic is only separated from other IFR flights. There may be, and should be assumed to be, VFR traffic in the area when the weather is suitIssue 12 • 2008

SP’S AVIATION

INDUSTRY OPERATION able for visual flying. With no radar separation available, IFR operation may be limited to one aircraft at a time within the airport’s Class D airspace, while VFR traffic is not limited. However, all flights operate under air traffic control, requiring radio contact or other means of receiving instructions. Class E airspace is designed for en route operations as opposed to airport terminal area flying, and IFR traffic will be separated from other IFR aircraft within the Class E, but not from VFR flights, which may have no contact with ATC. Responsibility for separation in visual meteorological conditions is entirely the pilot’s duty in Class E airspace. Class F airspace is similarly an en route designation, but is termed an “uncontrolled” category, wherein ATC advisory service, rather than separation, may be the only available IFR service. VFR aircraft may have some requirements to meet in certain areas, such as increased weather minima.

Class E FL600 (60,000)

Class A 18,000’

Class E 1500’ AGL

1000’ 14,500’

1 s.m. 1000’

1000’

Visibility 5 Statute miles 1 s.m.

Visibility 5 s. m.

1000’

Class G 10,000’

Victor Airways

1000’ Visibility 3 Statute miles

500’

Visibility 3 s. m. Clear of Clouds

Class C Class D Vis. same as class E

Airport

Vis. same as class E Airport

4 nm from centerline

1000’ 2000’

Visibility 1 s.m.

500’ 1200’ AGL 1200’ AGL

Class B

Visibility 1 s.m. clear of clouds

700’ AGL

2000’

Airport

Class G is the left-over volume of uncontrolled airspace, generally off-route airspace in remote areas beyond the reach of ATC or the low-level airspace not suitable for IFR due to terrain clearance standards. Within Class G, all flights operate uncontrolled, whether IFR or VFR, but still adhere to minimum standards of weather and height above ground. SUPPLEMENTARY DESIGNATIONS

Not all ICAO airspaces are used in all countries, and individual countries may have varying requirements within them, such as equipment and operating rules. In the US, for instance, no Class F exists, while neighbouring Canada does have such airspace. Some regions may not have enough airports or traffic to warrant the ATC service of Class C or higher, so Class A will exist at high altitude with Class E or F underlying it, a few outposts of Class D located 16

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Issue 12 • 2008

around controlled airports and Class G near ground level. Supplemental airspace designations may be needed in certain areas, such as restricted zones around sensitive military installations, political centres and hazardous locations. Levels of constraint may be shown by labels such as “prohibited” (don’t bother to seek permission), “restricted” (prior permission required) or “warning” (proceed at the pilot’s own risk). Some ICAO member states and regions would prefer to replace its seven designations with a simpler two or three category system, which may appear beneficial but will probably prove unworkable for pilots, particularly those accustomed to large amounts of less-controlled airspace. There must be some flexibility built into an airspace system, so it can be tailored to each area within a country. Otherwise, a rigid blockage of airspace with no justification will be routinely violated out of operational need, and safety will be compromised. While the restricted zones of Special Use Airspace are generally shown on operaICAO airspaces tional charts, there may be are not uniformly occasions when irregular applied, varying need for restriction exists, or in implementation a sudden disaster or event requires the application of from country control. This need can be met to country. by defining the loose intent However, for in formal regulation, without pilots travelling specific size and location, internationally, and then issuing a notice to airmen (NOTAM) to establish any use of the restriction’s specifics. A volcanic eruption or large forest burn might generate a temporary restriction, and a VIP visit could require such a designation. However, if a NOTAM-established restriction is located largely in uncontrolled airspace, uninformed pilots can be expected to violate the provisions with no ill will intended. As numbers of aircraft and flights grow, and the airspace is used by those with varying needs, a simple set of airspace classifications may require some added rules. It’s important to plan for growth, and even encourage it, by leaving room in the nation’s airspace structure for such uses as training flights, sport flying and personal transport. Out of such humble beginnings come a country’s next generation of professional pilots and a broad-based support for local airport infrastructure. Far too many governments think narrowly, in the mould of “we only need airline and military flying here”, casting off a potential resource that will boost economic ascent. Safety remains at the root of all airspace classification; in truth, no other legitimate reason exists for adding complication to a pilot’s life. Airspace categories should be used to resolve conflicts, smoothen the flow of traffic and encourage ever more flying. SP

ICAO standard airspace designators makes life simpler.

www.spsaviation.net

C O V E R

Cut

Rest

BUSINESS AVIATION

S T O R Y

CIVIL

Above the

The current economic downturn has not inhibited the growth of air charters to the same degree as the airlines. More and

PHOTOGRAPH: FLICKR.COM

more corporate sector players

are now venturing into the air charter business. By Group Captain (Retd) A.K. Sachdev, Mumbai

Issue 12 • 2008

SP’S AVIATION

CIVIL BUSINESS AVIATION

ILLUSTRATION: RATAN SONAL

cheduled air operations in India go back to 1932. In comparison, air charters—the non-scheduled complement of civil aviation—did not grow in corresponding proportions. In the last few years, however, air charters have shown signs of blooming and coming into their own and at last count, the number of registered companies in India was close to the century mark. Growing interest of global players in the Indian air charter segment has attracted expertise and experience from well-established international charter players from across the world. The current worldwide recession and the harrowing phase triggered by high aviation fuel prices has not inhibited the growth of air charters to the same degree as the visible repercussions on airlines. One major and apparent reason for the boom in air charters is the growth in the number of customers who can afford air charter. This includes corporate houses which do not own aircraft and, of course, the large and ever growing number of High Networth Individuals (HNIs). Related to this is the discernible shift in perception about air charters. Earlier, air charters were considered a luxury, to flaunt status and affluence. That has now changed. A large majority today view these as necessary accoutrements to facilitate corporate and personal travel, mostly for those who often make last-minute travel plans or frequently visit remote destinations. The much advertised air charter benefits of flexibility, point-to point service, cost-effectiveness, convenience and privacy aid the cause of air charter as also the higher security assurance. DRIVERS OF GROWTH

Significantly, the state elections in 2008 and the Lok Sabha elections expected this year are also drivers of the air charter growth, largely on account of the heightened demand for helicopters. In anticipation, Reliance Industries, Essar and 18

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Issue 12 • 2008

DLF have placed orders for helicopters; several other charter companies are also buying small helicopters, like the AU 109 and Bell 407, as the demand from political bigwigs will be huge and provide attractive returns on investment. Besides Augusta and Bell, Sikorsky helicopters S-76C++ and S-76D are also on their way to the Indian air charter milieu. There are other heartening portents of a bright future for the air charter industry. Northeast Shuttles Ltd (NSL) has announced the launch of an air charter service in the Northeast using a nine-seater Cessna Caravan 208B aircraft which needs just a 1,700 ft air strip to get airborne—even a semiprepared surface will do. Ostensibly the first air charter service in that region, NSL will serve not only tourism but also aid development, besides making it easier to access small and remote areas. Understandably, this charter service will survive on subsidies from the North Eastern Council (NEC). In a similar vein, by 2010 Pawan Hans plans to begin fixed-wing charter operations with services to the country’s outlying Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Reportedly employing amphibious aircraft, Pawan Hans will probably go on from there to provide air services to tourism and pilgrimage sites in Bangladesh, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Pawan Hans operates 36 of the 200-odd helicopters in India, including 17 Eurocopter SA365N Dauphins, nine Eurocopter AS365N3 Dauphins, three Bell 206s, one Robinson R44, two Mil Mi172s and four vh It also plans to purchase another 20 over the next few months (mostly Bell and Eurocopter helicopters) and charter them out for heli-tourism, offshore oil and gas exploration, and medical evacuation flights. Incidentally, Pawan Hans is probably the only company actually having a medevac helicopter in India—just one, in contrast to the 700-odd in the US. In July, Deccan Aviation started a helicopter charter service, Sky Limo, between Bengaluru airport and some points in the city. It also plans to launch a similar Sky Limo service in Mumbai between the airport and Nariman Point. At the moment, the service is constrained to operate during day time only but, as the helipads get cleared for night, it may get extended into the night as well. NEW PLAYERS

Moving away from helicopters, the fixed-wing charter segment is increasingly attracting new entrants. More and more corporate sector players are venturing into the air charter business. Raymond, Mesco, Sahara and Jindal Steel are some of the corporate houses that have applied for charter licences from the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Jindal Steel, for instance, plans to use its existing three aircraft for charter purposes without any new investments. City Group (its main businesses being banking, transportation and real estate) has outlined plans to operate a charter service called City Airlines. The company has already purchased two aircraft, a six-seater Beechcraft 90B and an eight-seater Cessna Bravo, and plans to have a fleet of 15 aircraft in three years. Club One Air, the fractional ownership programme company, plans to launch a subsidiary company that will field Eclipse, a very light jet, and Cirrus, a turboprop aircraft. The new entity, with Club One Air as its mother brand, will cater to a clientele different from that of Club One’s HNI customers. Instead, it will target individuals or corporates commuting between Tier 2 cities. Some other names associated with air charter services in India are Taj Air (belonging to the Tata Group), Subha Aviation, www.spsaviation.net

CIVIL BUSINESS AVIATION NON-SCHEDULED OPERATORS

Name

Aircraft Type

Name

Aircraft Type

Abir Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Bell 407

International Air Charter Operations (I) Ltd., Mumbai

Cessna 525A

Aerial Advertising Pvt. Ltd., Chandigarh

Piper Super Cub PA-184 “150”

Jupiter Aviation Services Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru

P-68-C

Aerial Services Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

Super King Air (B300) 350

Jagson Airlines, New Delhi

DO-228; Chetak –III (H); Mi-172

Ahmedabad Aviation & Aeronautics Ltd., Ahmedabad

Cessna 172; Piper Seneca

Kestrel Aviation Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

Agusta A 119 Koala

Air Works India Engg. (P) Ltd., Mumbai King Air B200

Malhotra Helikopters Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

Bell 206 BIII

Asia Aviation Ltd., New Delhi

Cessna Cit II; Bell-206B3(H); Cessna 550; Gulfstream G IV SP

M.P. Flying Club Ltd., Indore

P68TC

AR Airways (P) Ltd., New Delhi

Cessna Cit XL; Cessna Cit S.II; Cessna Cit II Cessna Cit 550; Cessna Cit 560XL

MDLR Airlines Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon

AVRO 146-RJ70

Airmid Aviation Services Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Bombardier 2B16(CL 604); Cessna 550 BRAVO; EC 135 P2+

Mesco Airlines Ltd., New Delhi

Hiller UH 012E; Ecureil (H); MI-172(H); P68 Observer-2

Air Charter Services Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi King Air C90A

North East Shuttles Pvt. Ltd., Tripura

Cessna Caravan 208 B

AAA Aviation Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

Robinson R-44 Raven II

OSS Air Management Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Agusta A109E; Agusta 119 K

Amber Aviation India Pvt. Ltd., Punjab

Cessna 172 SP Skyhawk; PA-34-220T SENECA-III

Orbit Aviation Pvt. Ltd., Chandigarh

Cessna 525A

Business Jets India Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Cessna 525A; Hawker-850 XP

Pawan Hans Helicopters Ltd., New Delhi

Dauphin 2 (H); Dauphin AS365N3 (H); Bell 206 L4 (H); Robinson (H); MI 172 (H); Bell 407 (H)

Futura Travels Ltd., Mumbai

Hawker 850XP

Pinnacle Air Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Beechcraft King Air C-90

Deccan Charters Ltd., Bengaluru

Bell 206 L3 (H); Bell 206 B3 (H); Bell 212 (H); Bell 407 (H); Bell 412 (H); Ecureil AS355 F-1 (H); Pilatus PC-12; Super King Air B-200

Ran Air Services Ltd., New Delhi

King Air C-90A; King Air C-90B; King Air B-200; Premier-I; Bell 430; Beechcraft 1900D; Hawker 800XP

Dhillon Aviation Pvt. Ltd., Noida

Bell-206B III Jet Ranger

Poonawalla Aviation Pvt Ltd., Pune

Cessna Citation 560XL; Bell 407

Dove Airlines Pvt. Ltd., Kolkata

Cessna Citation CJ2

Punj Lloyd Aviation Ltd., New Delhi

Gulfstream G-200

EIH Ltd., New Delhi

Hawker 850 XP; C-90A

Privilege Airways Ltd., Mumbai

Falcon 2000

E-Factor Adventure Tourism (P) Ltd., New Delhi

Ultramagic N210; Lindstrand LBL 150A; Cameron A-120

Quick Flight Ltd., New Delhi

Learjet 45

Forum I Aviation Ltd., New Delhi

Hawker 800XP

Raymond Ltd., Mumbai

Bell 206 L3 (H); AS355N (H); Challenger CL 604

Confident Airlines (India) Ltd., Bengaluru

P 68C

Reliance Infrastructure and Consultants Ltd., Mumbai

King Air B-200

Golden Wings Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

Challenger

Sun TV Network Ltd., Chennai

Bombardier BD- 700-1A10 (Global Express XRS)

Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir, Jammu & Kashmir

Bell 407

Reliance Commercial Dealers Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

A319-115 CJ; Falcon 900EX

Govt. of Rajasthan, Jaipur

King Air C-90A; King Air B-200; Agusta 109S

Sky Airways, Kolkata

ISLANDER BN 2T; Bell 407

GMR Aviation Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru

Falcon 2000EX Easy; Hawker 750

SAR Aviation Services Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi Bell 206 BIII

GVK Aviation Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai

Agusta A109S

Prem Air, New Delhi

Bell-230 (H)

Gujarat Adani Aviation Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad

Hawker 850XP

Saraya Aviation Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Super King AIR B200

Himalayan Heli Services P. Ltd., New Delhi

SA 315B Lama (H); SA 316B Chetak

SSP Aviation Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

CL600-2B16 (CL604)

HAL Rotary Wing Academy Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., Bengaluru

Schweizer 300C; Schweizer 300SP (H); Dhruv (ALH); Chetak

Spencers Travel Services Ltd., Chennai

Beechjet 400A

ILC Industries Ltd., Bengaluru

Bell 407

Trans Bharat Aviation Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Bell-206 B3 (H); Bell 407 (H); Piper Seneca IV

India International Airways, New Delhi

Bell 222UT (H)

Universal Airways Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi

Cessna Citation 650

Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd., Bhubaneswar

King Air C-90; Robinson R-44

Venture Aviation, Goa

Enstrom 480B

Welspun Logistics Ltd., Mumbai

Premier 1A

VRL Logistics Ltd., Bengaluru

Premier IA

SP’S AVIATION

Issue 12 • 2008

www.spsaviation.net

CIVIL BUSINESS AVIATION CBAS and, more recently, International Air Charters, an air charter management company claiming to have 40 different aircraft and helicopters at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Mumbai. Kingfisher Airlines will start operating charter flights with two helicopters in and around Mumbai. Later, it will also press into service a handful of very light jets. Big names in the fray include BJets, GMR, Videocon, Reliance Industries, Invision and SpiceJet. STUMBLING BLOCKS

The enthusiasm of air charters has been somewhat dampened by certain prickly issues. Foremost being inadequate infrastructure. Barring Mumbai and Delhi, where dedicated terminals are being set up (the latter spurred by the impending Commonwealth Games as much as by business or air charter demands) to cater to operations other than non-scheduled ones (that includes air charters and also business aviation), airports in other cities of the country are likely to continue being a bit of a problem area for the air charter traveler. Sadly, airports at the smaller cities continue to be a low priority area for infrastructure development and will take years to come up (in contrast to the availability of aircraft and helicopters capable of flying to them). Another major problem is the non-availability of adequate ATC staff and night landing facilities, thereby severely curtailing the number of operating hours. Absence of separate handling areas, buildings, heliports and so on at the existing metro airports is yet another bother. Worse is the vexing issue of restrictive regulations. In the first half of this year, DGCA and

the Customs Department did some hard-nosed detective work and slapped heavy penalties on companies that employed for private travel aircraft or helicopters imported under the guise of non-scheduled operator use that attract a much lower duty. Even a couple of non-revenue flights (that is, “private” flights) were singled out for flouting custom regulations. The drive had sent tremors through the business aviation fraternity as DGCA regulations permit use of such aircraft by owners for non-revenue purposes but customs regulations do not. Notwithstanding such roadblocks, air charters seem to be inexorably headed for growth. Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad are fast emerging as areas of air charter expansion. Offshore drilling areas and, more recently, the mining belt in Orissa are attracting more charter activity. What the air charter business really needs is a shot in the arm—or maybe even a couple of shots. Heading the list is the need for dedicated infrastructure to facilitate charter operations. Recent shifts in policy in terms of simpler processes and removal of Cabinet clearance for security and other paraphernalia are welcome steps but far from meeting the foreseeable demands of the air charter segment in India. The second initiative could be a boost to MRO facilities in support of the myriad aircraft employed by the air charter segment. The last budget raised the limits on FDI in non-scheduled operators to 49 per cent; raising it to 100 per cent in the next budget will bring some more cheer to both—the air charter companies and their ever expanding customer base. Implementation of these much needed steps would dictate how well India Inc appraises the contribution of air charters to national economy. SP

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Greening Airways the

Environmental responsibility needs to become a core business element of the aviation industry, rather than an add-on to impress politicians and appease the green brigade By Group Captain (Retd) Joseph Noronha, Goa

PHOTOGRAPH: AIRQUALITY-UCDAVIS.EDU

n early morning flight from Mumbai to Delhi— the sector which attracts the bulk of passenger traffic in the country—can be a memorable experience. Take off on schedule, friendly cabin crew, a comfortable flight. Then, just when it appears the destination is in sight, problems begin. The airliner enters an orbit and continues to circle for what seems like ages (delays of an hour are not unknown). Passengers get restive, anxiously enquiring if everything is all right. “Regular feature,” the cheerful air hostess assures them, “We’ll soon be down.” Finally, the plane comes in to land. The ordeal is not over, though. It could take another half hour or more to make the transit to the parking bay, accompanied by syrupy announcements of “deep regret for any inconvenience caused”. The ensuing litany of missed connections and rescheduled appointments can only be conjectured. Irksome as such delays no doubt are, the waste of costly aviation fuel is appalling—even criminal. And what of the noxious greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? Extra time in the air means more deadly GHG. Consider this. A Boeing 747 asked 22

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Issue 12 • 2008

THE FIRST ‘SILENT’ AIRLINER: DESIGN OF THE SAX40 AFFORDS QUIETER, LOW-SPEED TAKE-OFFS AND LANDINGS AND MINIMAL FUEL-BURN WHILE CRUISING

to orbit for a minute burns 250 litres of fuel and spews 750 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2). Not surprisingly, the aviation industry is gaining the dubious reputation of being one of the fastest growing contributors to climate change. No wonder a worried International Air Transport Association (IATA) is in the forefront of efforts to streamline air traffic the world over. Airspace may seem vast and unlimited, but narrow airways are just as constricted as highways, and busy airports during peak hours are often the scene of “controlled chaos”. Weather, especially in winter, when most of north India is enveloped in a thick blanket of fog, undeniably plays spoilsport. But poor scheduling and outdated air traffic management (ATM) syswww.spsaviation.net

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tems add to the congestion. If it is any consolation, India is not the only one affected—even the most advanced country in the world is hard hit. In 2007 alone, the US lost $40 billion (Rs 1,93,800 crore) on account of rescheduled flights—almost a third of all flights were either delayed or cancelled. ATM HOLDS THE KEY

Airlines around the world, stung by mounting losses, have taken commendable steps to conserve fuel and cut costs. However, the single biggest advance in fuel conservation and emissions reduction could well be achieved by reforming the outdated ATM systems. Many are based on technology that is half-acentury old. Improvements over the years have been mostly ad hoc and incremental. The old adage applies: a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. It is still too much to hope that a

given flight will have a reasonable assurance of taking off on time, proceeding to destination by the shortest route and being cleared to land without delay. More often than not, aircraft are stacked up or instructed to join fuel-guzzling holding patterns before being cleared to make their final approach. Traffic in most parts of the world is organised on a national basis. Each time a plane enters the airspace of another country it is dealt with by a different air navigation service provider on the basis of different rules and operational requirements. This fragmentation affects safety, limits capacity, increases cost and boosts GHG emissions. However, most nations are perhaps understandably reluctant to cede control of

their airspace to ‘outside’ agencies. Then again, vast stretches of airspace are restricted or prohibited to civil aircraft, mainly to permit safe and unhindered military training. There can be no quarrel with that. But what about a pre-Google Earth mindset which fears that security could be compromised by permitting civilian flights over any military facilities? Reopening military airspace to civilian use would greatly increase ‘as the crow flies’ routes making for the most economical transits and drastically reducing overall aviation related GHG emissions. It is time that overly secretive attitudes were abandoned in the face of the far greater threat posed by global warming and climate change. AN EUROPEAN SOLUTION

The ATM system in Europe suffers from several delays and inefficiencies. On an average, each flight is 49 km longer than necessary. The single measure of allowing planes to travel unrestricted across the continent would reduce carbon emissions from aviation by 10 per cent overnight. Enter the Single European Sky (SES). Seeking to provide a seamless, pan-European ATM system, SES offers hope of greening the airways to a significant degree. It has the following objectives: • To restructure European airspace as a function of air traffic flows, rather than according to national borders; • To create additional capacity; • To increase the overall efficiency of the ATM system. In June, SES was augmented by a second package of legislation with environmental issues firmly at its core. Technological advances that would make it tick include the use of satellite navigation for more accurate trajectories and a better knowledge of meteorological data. These would help controllers and pilots plan the most efficient routes. A modern telecommunications network would be established to replace anachronistic radio control systems that increase the risk of mistakes and misunderstandings. The system would give all stakeholders simultaneous access to flight information, reducing arrival queues at airports and disembarkation delays and helping to improve responses to security crises. New sensor technologies, increased automation and ‘smooth approach’ procedures are also being developed to improve visibility and reliability while reducing noise and GHG emissions. By 2020, if all goes well, Europe would gain a three-fold increase in traffic handling capacity, safety could be increased by a factor of 10, ATM-related costs could be cut by 50 per cent, and the environmental impact per flight could be reduced by 10 per cent—a whopping 16 million tonnes of CO2 saved per year. Partners of Airbus-led project CRISTAL ITP (In-trail Procedure) carried out the world’s first demonstration in March last year of a flexible new procedure for oceanic airspace that saves fuel and reduces emissions. It enables aircraft to more easily perform altitude changes during cruise, which can significantly improve flight efficiency. When an aircraft is below its optimal altitude, fuel consumption and emissions are increased. As fuel is burned, weight is reduced and the aircraft then needs to climb to maintain its optimum cruise efficiency. Favourable tail winds at higher or lower altitudes could also be used to increase range. Perhaps as part of a carrot and stick approach, the European Union’s wide-ranging emissions trading scheme (ETS) is scheduled to cover the airlines from 2012. They will be allocated a fixed quota of carbon emissions. If they emit more, Issue 12 • 2008

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they must buy ‘carbon permits’. Operating costs, naturally, will go up. No wonder the airlines are opposed to the ETS. Several technological improvements, such as fuel-efficient engine designs and lighter-weight components, are in the aviation industry’s pipeline. But these measures will not achieve significant emission reductions before 2022. AMERICA’S NEXTGEN

Across the Atlantic, the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) is set to replace the antiquated radar-based US ATM with satellite technology. It will enable planes to fly point-to-point to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. NextGen incorporates several green initiatives. Required Area Navigation and Required Navigation Performance technology will help aircraft maintain a tightly defined corridor to within one-tenth of a nautical mile. Satellite-based control, paired with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast technology on aircraft, will allow for safer but closer separations between aircraft and more direct routeing. This will improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions. Fuel reserve requirements could be reduced to reflect smarter planes and better systems (the weight of unneeded fuel represents needless inefficiency). Continuous descent procedures that burn less fuel and result in quieter operations would be the icing on the cake. Overall, NextGen could triple air traffic capacity, reduce delays by at least half, improve safety and significantly curb GHG emissions.

east Asia would naturally prefer direct routes across Pakistani and Indian airspace. At present, this is only a dream. An exciting new project, GPS-aided Geosynchronous Augmented Navigation (GAGAN), would give India perhaps the most sophisticated ATM system in the world. GAGAN’s aim is to provide seamless navigation over the Indian airspace and waters, including across international boundaries. The Rs 774-crore project which is being developed jointly by the Indian Space Research Organisation and the Airports Authority of India, would continuously guide aircraft, providing them straight-line fuel-efficient routes and precision approach landings. It would afford continuous coverage of oceanic areas, which is not possible with the current terrestrial systems. It would also improve airport and airspace access in all-weather conditions and provide precision approaches even where Instrument Landing Systems do not exist. GAGAN’s technology demonstrator reportedly has an accuracy of 3 m. GAGAN enhances air safety because it uses three-dimensional approach operations. It would gradually phase out terrestrial navigation aids like ground-based radars. The final operational phase of GAGAN is likely to be completed by May 2011. In the interim, the prevailing congestion at busy airports could be dramatically eased by the introduction of the Central Flow Management System. The system will replace the existing five Flight Information Regions, and would provide real time information to aircraft about congestion at their destinations. Aircraft would be permitted to depart only if they were assured of being accommodated at destination.

ASPIRE TO GO GREEN

The Asia and South Pacific Initiative to Reduce Emissions (ASPIRE) is another major programme that includes: • ‘User Preferred Routes’ results in significant fuel and CO2 savings. Trials have already been conducted in the South Pacific with high emissions reductions. • Dynamic Airborne Reroute Programmes allow for airborne route changes to take advantage of changing wind and weather patterns—for example, a favourable jet stream. • Automatic Dependent Surveillance for In-Trail Procedures makes it possible to more accurately verify distances between aircraft and more efficient oceanic operations. • Oceanic Tailored Arrival is a satellite based, low power, continuous descent approach designed to reduce fuel burn, noise, and emissions while on approach to coastal airports. Trials have been conducted in San Francisco and Sydney with heartening results. ASPIRE has a good chance to deliver impressive results quickly since it mainly targets oceanic airspace, well out of reach of prickly national governments. Besides, even small improvements could add up to significant GHG savings during the 10 to 15 hour flights. In September this year, an Air New Zealand Boeing 777 flew from Auckland to San Francisco and demonstrated the utility of efficient technologies and procedures during all phases of flight to save time, reduce fuel burn, and produce fewer harmful emissions. THE SOUTH ASIAN SCENE

IATA is working with countries of South Asia to free up more military airspace for civilian use in order to help cut travel distance and fuel consumption. Airliners from Europe to South24

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NEED OF THE HOUR

Improving aviation’s environmental footprint represents a major challenge not least because demand for air transportation will continue to grow rapidly. Hubs and schedules need to be redesigned to promote greater efficiency. Better communication between the ATM agencies and the airlines, especially during adverse weather, could help rationalise rescheduling and minimise airborne holding. However, the architecture of ATM systems is what requires the most urgent modernisation. In a nutshell, ground-based, analogue systems need to be replaced by modern, satellite-based ones. Technology is currently available that enables extremely accurate pinpointing of the true position of an aircraft. This permits planes to fly safely at reduced vertical and lateral separation. Most new passenger aircraft are fitted with advanced flight guidance and management systems, capable of maintaining very precise flight paths that are not dependent upon fixed airways. All aircraft need to be so equipped, even retrofitted if necessary. This would shorten aircraft routeings and increase system capacity. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that infrastructure improvements—including implementing SES and NextGen—could reduce aviation CO2 emissions by up to 12 per cent. Since both programmes are still in the formative stage, there could be a historic opportunity to integrate and harmonise them for seamless operation. Ultimately, the whole planet could be networked, multiplying the gains. ATM improvements hold the key to quick results. The need of the hour is for environmental responsibility to become a core business element of the aviation industry, rather than an add-on to impress politicians and appease the green brigade. After all, the industry has as much to lose as the rest of humanity if the dire predictions of climate change ever come true. SP www.spsaviation.net

CIVIL

TECHNOLOGY

Brontosaurs

Resurrected

Galloping technology and escalating fuel costs are fuelling interest in airships as fresh endeavours are made to revive the

lighter-than-air behemoths

PHOTOGRAPH: WWW.JUELICH.DE

ecently, Friedrichshafen tures, intend to use it to ferry tourists By Air Marshal (Retd) was in the news again. and carry scientific equipment aloft for V.K. Bhatia The small city in Germatesting and research. So are the Bronny first came into promitosaurs making a comeback? nence at the beginning of the last century when BIRTH OF THE BLIMPS Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin launched Ungainly and ponderous, airships had his first flying machine, a rigid airship from Lake Constance been relegated to aviation history, virtually written off after in 1900. Thus began a chapter of aviation history that would a number of accidents culminating in the fiery Hindenburg propel the town onto the world stage, making it a prominent disaster in 1937 at Lakehurst, New Jersey. Besides, these target for Allied bombs during World War II and ultimately, had also proved highly inadequate and vulnerable as weapon bequeathed a sizable foundation financed by the successor platforms in war. Post World War II, Germany was totally decompanies to Count von Zeppelin’s original enterprise. nied any further development in this field which effectively According to city estimates, the foundation generates be- put paid to the rigid airship design, the technological forte of tween $60 million (Rs 295 crore) and $80 million (Rs 395 the Zeppelins. But in some other parts of the world (mostly crore) per annum for a population of just 57,000 supporting western), non-rigid airships (also known as blimps) contina large number of projects for the overall betterment of its ued to be developed, albeit in much smaller sizes than their citizens. The threat of losing this foundation prompted town rigid brethren. Blimps use pressure levels in excess of the elders to get back into the Zeppelin business two decades ago. surrounding air pressure in order to retain their shape. Today, the economically crippled enterprise, primarily underMost airships flying today have a non-rigid design. Howtaken to keep the ‘foundation’ alive, has suddenly hogged the ever, there is another novel, somewhat mixed, semi-rigid limelight, catapulting the city back in the headlines. Thanks design. Like blimps, these also require internal pressure to their low fuel consumption, airships have begun to enjoy to maintain their shape, but have extended, usually articurenewed attention as an alternative in an era of soaring fuel lated keel frames running along the bottom of the envelope prices. This is bound to give much needed fillip to the com- to facilitate suspension of external loads and allow lower pany, ZLT Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik, which hitherto had pro- internal pressures compared to the non-rigid blimps. The duced only four airships in the last 11 years. newly resurrected Zeppelins, the NT version, are instances Resuscitated, Zeppelins have been used for a variety of of the semi-rigid design. purposes, including air quality testing and crowd surveillance For most part of the later half of the last century, nonat public events. These have flown approximately 80,000 rigid airships—or blimps—were copiously used for aerial adtourists for panoramic rides, floating serenely across blue vertising. It was not uncommon to see a majestic Goodyear skies, but only in selective locales in Germany and Japan. Air- advertisement (one of the most notable blimp manufacturers) ship tourism, however, is gathering momentum in other parts leisurely floating in the sky. As a matter of fact, because of the of the world as well. The latest Zeppelin is now in London, instant attention-getter as they are, blimps became a major captivating tourists with a bird’s eye view of the city, and will tool in the advertising world for exhibiting various products. soon be transported across the Atlantic to its future home But was that to be the ultimate and the only use the airships in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its new owners, Airship Ven- could be put to? The horrible and incinerating end of the then Issue 12 • 2008

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CIVIL TECHNOLOGY awe-inspiring Hindenburg had jolted the psyche of the people on both sides of the Atlantic never to attempt this mode of travel again. The meteoric rise in the heavier-than-air and greatly faster airliners acted as a last nail in the coffin of this form of air travel. AIRSHIPS MAKE A COMEBACK

It took almost three quarters of a century thereafter, to rekindle public interest in getting airborne aboard an airship. By the turn of the current millennium, materials and technology had gone through such metamorphic changes as to make the airships inherently safe. In addition, use of helium as the lift medium has become absolutely mandatory for all airships carrying human beings (Remember Hindenburg. Count Ferdinand von’s Zeppelin was filled to the last cubic-centimeter of its lift envelope with the highly inflammable hydrogen gas—helium having been denied to the German inventor because of the then prevailing political relations between the Lockheed Martin US and Germany, the former has reportedly being the only country in the assembled a team entire world capable of proof industry leaders ducing helium at that time. The lapse ultimately led to the in autonomous inferno.) control systems, Galloping technology has regenerative ensured that the use of resurpower systems, rected airships will not remain envelope material confined to niche applications like tourism, advertising and and systems crowd monitoring. Unprecedented fluctuations and escalating crude oil prices have helped fuel interests with several countries actively developing airships for wide-area surveillance, communications relay and even missile defence roles. New technologies which have encouraged this interest include low-weight structures and propulsion, solar power and the high power-to-weight ratio of modern electronics. Airships—or lighter-than-air (LTA) platforms—are being developed for use at both stratospheric altitudes and surfacehugging levels to carry out multifarious tasks. The US, with its greatly enhanced (since 9/11) emphasis on homeland defence and security, is seriously considering the use of high-altitude airships (HAAs) for continuous surveillance. Current envisaged HAAs will hold some 70,000 to 80,000 ft above the Earth’s surface for up to a year at a time to provide early warning of ballistic-missile and other threats. According to the North American Aerospace Defence Command, a stratospheric platform system of just 11 HAAs stationed around the US coastline could provide overlapping radar coverage of all maritime and border approaches. Military planners believe that an HAA-based response to the post 9/11 era would be more affordable than satellites, Airborne Warning and Control System or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle alternatives. The untethered, unmanned LTA platform would be stationed in an atmospheric band, between powerful jet streams below and strong stratospheric winds above. The height of

integration to develop its highaltitude airship

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Issue 12 • 2008

this benign ‘sweet spot’ may vary according to geographic location, but once there, airships should be able to hold quasi geo-stationary positions with modest power expenditures. Such updated concepts takes LTAs to a realm that give the users capabilities on par with satellites in low earth orbits at a fraction of the cost (one to two orders of magnitude or even less). Another crucial advantage the LTAs would enjoy will be their ability to carry out multi-mission tasks with reconfigurable payload suits. For example, the HAAs provide warfighters affordable, ever-present Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, rapid communications connectivity and weather observation over the entire battle space. In position, an airship could survey a 600-mile diameter area and millions of cubic miles of airspace. In addition, unlike a satellite, an HAA could periodically return to base for maintenance and/or payload changing. GIANTS TAKE THE LEAD

Apart from the US, the UK, Canada, Korea and Japan also are actively involved in HAA projects. But arguably, the most ambitious programme is under way at the Lockheed Martin’s Maritime Systems and Sensors’ base in Akron, Ohio. The programme sponsored by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is worth $150 million (Rs 745 crore) with the first flight of the HAA planned during the current year. The performance goals for the prototype HAA include sustained operations for approximately one month, above 60,000 ft, while providing power to a user-defined payload. Its utility as a mobile, retaskable, high-altitude, geo-stationary, long-endurance platform will range from short and long range missile warning, surveillance and target acquisition to communications and weather/environmental monitoring. The HAA will also demonstrate station keeping and autonomous flight control capabilities. Lockheed Martin has reportedly assembled a team of industry leaders in autonomous control systems, regenerative power systems, envelope material and systems integration to develop its high-altitude airship. High-strength fabrics to minimize hull weight, thin-film solar arrays sewn/fixed into the hull structure itself instead of the cumbersome folding/ unfolding external solar panels for the regenerative power supply, and lightweight propulsion units are the cutting-edge technologies ready to convert the HAA dream into reality. The combination of photovoltaic and advanced energy storage systems provides the necessary power to perform the airship functions. Propulsion units will maintain the airship’s geostationary position above the jet streams, propel it aloft and guide it during various phases of flight such as takeoff and landing, climb and descent. The programme was on the verge of suffering a severe setback when it was dropped out of the Fiscal Year 2008 budget of Missile Defense Agency—a subsidiary of the DARPA—and which had been controlling the programme, due to funding constraints. Luckily, the US Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command was able to secure the transfer of the programme which though delayed, is likely to proceed without any further hindrance. If everything goes according to the rescheduled plan, Lockheed Martin could have a sub-scale flight demonstrator by mid-2009. This time around, the LTA behemoths, the high-tech modern day Brontosaurs, may just be able to survive. SP www.spsaviation.net

Hall of Fame

TTO LILIENTHAL, ONE OF the outstanding aviation pioneers of the 19th century, once said, “To invent an airplane is nothing. To build one is something. But to fly is everything.” He should know—he did all three. Otto Lilienthal was born in Anklam, Prussia, on May 23, 1848. He and his brother Gustav were keenly interested in the phenomenon of flight. In elementary school, Otto’s formal education included bird studies, a happy circumstance which gave him a lifelong appreciation of the lessons birds had for humans attempting flight. Otto and Gustav spent hours observing birds in motion, trying to unlock their secrets of flying. Later, Otto studied mechanics at the Regional Technical School in Potsdam and became a professional design engineer. Not one to remain idle, he invented a variety of interesting devices and was awarded 20 patents. But his lifelong passion was flying. Otto Lilienthal explored glider-based theories of flight and focused his attention on the shape of wings. His early experiments involved kites and other contraptions of his own design. In 1873, Otto and his brother went all the way to Great Britain to join the Aeronautical Society—so great was their interest in flying. Otto lectured at the Aeronautical Society and to other audiences on his observations and theories about bird flight and aviation. In 1889, he published a manual, Bird Flight as a Basis of Aviation, with detailed theories and calculations of the physics of flight, including his own illustrations of birds. This manual became Otto’s launch pad. His theories were now ready for practical application. In 1890, Otto began to experiment with human passengers and the following year he built his first glider with the help of his brother Gustav. Otto’s main inspiration for his designs was, not surprisingly, birds and butterflies. He was keen to replicate the flight motion of the seagull, because of its extremely broad wing strokes and its ability to sail on the sea breeze. He was, however, most intrigued by the stork which, he said, “seems to have been created for the purpose of serving as a model for human flight”. He used willow rods, wire, cloth and wax in his constructions. Otto’s “No. 11” model became the most popular and the most often repro-

duced of his glider designs. It went into serial production in 1894. It had an evocative designation: “normal soaring apparatus”. A remarkable feature of his work was the painstaking and meticulous record he kept of all activities

Otto Lilienthal (1848 – 1896)

15 monoplanes and three biplanes. All were controlled by weight distribution of the passenger. He completed more than 2,500 flights, covering a maximum distance of around 350 metres. Most flights were made from an artificial “hill” he built near Berlin. Interestingly, he mastered the art of remaining practically motionless in the air by balancing descent against an updraft at the side of a hill. By 1896, the Lilienthal brothers had built a motorised biplane with adjustable wing tips, powered by carbonic acid. They also experimented with motorised flapping wings, though without much success. On August 9, 1896, Otto Lilienthal was flying one of his own gliders when a heat eddy blew him off balance. He attempted to recover but the glider stalled and crashed. Thrown from a height of 17 m, he broke his spine. Unputdownable, he reportedly said, “Small sacrifices must be made!” He died in hospital the next day aged 48. Lilienthal’s great contribution to aviation was to impart respectability to it. Before him, people who attempted to build flying machines were dismissed as cranks and eccentrics. He changed all that. He was able to make sustained and replicable flights for the first time in history. He believed that flight would not be achieved suddenly with the invention of a single aircraft. He supported the belief that a long process of study, and a thorough examination of the axioms of aerodynamics, was essential to the successful invention of a progressive series of viable flying machines, each machine proving more capable than its predecessor. This philosophy was aptly borne out because he was the prime inspiration for the Wright Brothers’ early experiments in flight. Wilbur Wright said, “Of all the men who attacked the flying problem in the 19th century, Otto Lilienthal was easily the most important.” That effectively sums up Otto Lilienthal’s enduring legacy. SP —Group Captain (Retd) Joseph Noronha, Goa

On August 9,1896, Otto Lilienthal was ﬂying one of his own gliders when a heat eddy blew him off balance. He attempted to recover but the glider stalled and crashed. Thrown from a height of 17 m,he broke his spine. Unputdownable, he reportedly said,“Small sacriﬁces must be made!” He died in hospital the next day aged 48. and experiments with manned flight, including numerous photographs. In fact, his pictures mark the beginning of the art of action photography. Photographs of Lilienthal in flight became famous worldwide. Otto Lilienthal’s goal was to comprehend the forces and motions involved in flying. He could fly and also recreate his flights repeatedly with the same craft. He was actually guiding the movement of the aircraft, not just falling through the air. He designed 18 gliders, including

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that

WAS

1. IN NOVEMBER, CHINA PUBLISHED ITS FIRST MAP OF THE ENTIRE LUNAR SURFACE USING IMAGERY OBTAINED BY THE CHANG’E 1 LUNAR ORBITING UNMANNED SPACECRAFT; 2. CELEBRATING 76 YEARS OF THE IAF, AIR CHIEF MARSHAL F.H. MAJOR FELICITATED OUTSTANDING UNITS ON OCTOBER 8; 3. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATOR BOBBY STURGELL OFFICIALLY DECLARED THE THREE-DAY NBAA 2008 SHOW OPEN ON OCTOBER 6 IN ORLANDO, USA; 4. GREEN GIANT AIRBUS A380 OVERSHADOWS THE PUSHPAK IN INDIA AVIATION 2008 HELD AT HYDERABAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FROM OCTOBER 15 TO 18; 5. SP’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JAYANT BARANWAL FLANKED BY DIGNITARIES AT THE LAUNCH OF SP’S AIRBUZ IN NEW DELHI; 6. DEFENCE MINISTER A.K. ANTONY INAUGURATED DEFEXPO 2008 IN DELHI ON FEBRUARY 16; 7. AIR INDIA RECEIVED THE AIRBUS AT INDIA AVIATION 2008; 8. A BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF THE DISPLAY AT THE SIX-DAY ILA BERLIN AIRSHOW 2008 HELD FROM MAY 27; 9. CONTRACT FOR SIX SUPER HERCULES C-130J FROM LOCKHEED MARTIN WAS INKED WITH THE US GOVERNMENT ON FEBRUARY 7; 10. ON JULY 28, SIR RICHARD BRANSON UNVEILED THE WHITEKNIGHTTWO, THE MOTHERSHIP FOR SPACESHIPTWO WHICH IN TURN WILL LAUNCH IN MIDAIR AND SEND TWO CREW AND SIX PASSENGERS HURTLING INTO SPACE; 11. JAYANT BARANWAL WITH MP NAVEEN JINDAL AT DEFEXPO 2008; 12. MANAGER BRUMLEY SMITH AT THE LAUNCH OF CESSNA PILOT CENTRE AT RAIPUR ON JANUARY 16; 13. JULES VERNE ON ITS MAIDEN ATV MISSION DOCKED WITH INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ON APRIL 3; 14. IAF’S SARANG HELICOPTER DISPLAY TEAM WAS ADJUDGED ‘THE BEST’ AT ILA BERLIN AIRSHOW; 15. INDIAN NAVY CHIEF ADMIRAL SUREESH MEHTA AT THE HELIPOWER INDIA 2008 SEMINAR; 16. CAPTAIN SATISH SHARMA (SECOND FROM RIGHT) WITH ROBERT VADRA AT THE INAUGURATION OF INDIA AVIATION 2008; 17. DIRECTOR GENERAL INFANTRY LT GENERAL RAJENDER SINGH AT SP’S STALL DURING DEFEXPO 2008

15 DEFINING POWER

16 FRONT ROW FACES 17 WARM GREETINGS

2008

REMINISCENCES

THE YEAR THAT WAS

TurbulentFlight

India rallied around daunting adversities even as the country’s aviation industry struggled to retain its cheer amid the gathering gloom

early as perilous as attempting to and Embraer continued to accumulate orders By Group Captain (Retd) predict the future is trying to asfor the Phenom 100 which is yet to receive Joseph Noronha, Goa sess the year just ended. Events certification, other manufacturers didn’t fare and images of the past 12 months so well. Adam Aircraft went bankrupt in Febare still vivid in the imagination and one is ruary and air taxi company DayJet suspended tempted to assign undue importance to occurrences that will operations in September. Perhaps the biggest blow was Eclipse ultimately subside to mere ripples in the sands of time. Even so, Aviation’s bankruptcy in November. which other year has seen such a spectacular rise and equally precipitous fall in the price of oil? Which year has seen such BEST & WORST OF TIMES dramatic drops in passenger numbers? Which year has seen Does 2008 mark the beginning of the green age of the aviation so many airlines fold up across the world even as many oth- industry? In March, Virgin Atlantic successfully tested a 20:80 ers were pushed to the brink? The double whammy of rising mix of biofuel and Jet-A in one engine of a Boeing 747 on the prices and falling demand created what the IATA’s Giovanni London-Amsterdam route. Air New Zealand rounded off the Bisignani termed “perfect storm” conditions. Though the price year by successfully using a 50:50 blend of jatropha and Jet-A1 of oil has dropped sharply off its peak of July, few are willing to in one engine of a Boeing 747 in the vicinity of Auckland. Inpredict a revival of passenger demand any time soon. cidentally, India and However, 2008 had begun on a bright note. In January, Africa are shaping Virgin Galactic unveiled the final design of SpaceShipTwo, a up as prime sources sub-orbital spaceplane intended to give well-heeled tourists a of jatropha. two-and-a-half hour long out-of-this-world experience. Virgin In July, the EuGalactic is offering tickets aboard the spaceliner for an initial ropean Parliament price of about $200,000 (Rs 95 lakh). As many as 200 potential voted in favour of passengers have already paid up and around 65,000 are ea- including aviation gerly awaiting their chance. in the EU Emissions At the other end of the commercial aviation industry’s Trading System spectrum, the fledgling very light jet (VLJ) fell upon hard times. from 2012. Under While Cessna progressed with deliveries of its Mustang VLJ the new scheme,

1 BONHOMIE 30

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Issue 12 • 2008

2 A NEW BEGINNING

3 MISSION MARS www.spsaviation.net

REMINISCENCES THE YEAR THAT WAS greenhouse gas emissions from flights to, from and within the EU will be included in the system. The big story of the year, of course, was the fuel price rise that triggered dramatic shrinkage of carriers, savage slashing of schedules, pink slips for employees, unexpected mergers, bankruptcies and failures and disgruntled passengers. The steep fall in price to less than a third of its peak by the end of the year brought some cheer. But global economic downturn Without going put paid to any hopes of a reinto the politics covery in passenger demand.

ruptcy, although 31 airlines folded up across the globe. Year end, most Indian carriers succumbed to government pressure and announced substantially reduced fares. The sharp fall in the price of aviation turbine fuel was one reason; the other was steady fall in passenger traffic. Only 30 lakh passengers flew in November 2008, an amazing decline from the 38 lakh who took to the skies in the same month the previous year. On a brighter note, the first Indian civilian air show, India Aviation 2008—an International Exhibition and Conference on Civil Aviation—was held from October 15 to 18, 2008 in Hyderabad.

WHEN IN CRISIS, CONSOLIDATE

MANY FIRSTS & SOME FEARS

of the deal, the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement brought cheer, ending as it did the era of defence technology apartheid practised against India by the West

A year ago did someone say that China and India had economies strong enough to weather a US recession? Not any longer. Both have suffered dramatically and their airlines are among the worst affected. Chinese airlines are in deep trouble and have demanded cash bailouts. They are likely to get them, but with strings attached—strings that are quite likely to lead to consolidation in 2009 or 2010. The Indian airline industry is in the same boat, although traffic has slumped for different reasons. Many airlines that were undercutting each other aggressively in the fight for market share, and growing rapidly in the process, used up their cash reserves. From mid-year, demand fell substantially and the same airlines were forced to increase fares, practically eliminating low cost travel. Consolidation offered the best survival strategy. A blockbuster alliance between Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways—bitter rivals thus far—was a sign that desperation was setting in. Some airlines preparing to lay off employees by the thousands backtracked under government pressure. IATA projected a cumulative loss of $1.5 billion (Rs 7,248 crore) for Indian carriers this year. Yet, no airline in India declared bank-

There were several space triumphs in 2008. NASA, celebrating its 50th birthday, landed on Mars, photographed distant worlds, added to the International Space Station and, incredibly, took part in a lunar science mission with India. The Indian Space Research Organization continued its remarkable progress by launching Chandrayaan-1 on October 22 from Sriharikota. Meanwhile, the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement brought cheer, ending as it did the era of defence technology apartheid practised against India by the US and many of its partners in the western alliance. The Indian Air Force (IAF) will be a direct beneficiary, because long coveted technological capabilities will now be within its grasp. The IAF also inked a number of agreements for aircraft and advanced weapon systems during the year. In February, in a small step with major implications for pilot training, the IAF received its first indigenously built Hawk Mk-132 Advanced Jet Trainer. The other defining event was the IAF’s participation in Exercise Red Flag 2008 in August. No account of 2008 can be complete without mentioning the terrorist attack on Mumbai on November 26. With the Centre receiving intelligence inputs warning about terrorist plans to next hijack a plane or take control of non-functional airports for aerial attack, security was further intensified at all airports. It is hard to think of a year that has had a more profound impact on the worldwide airline industry as 2008 . Will it prove to be a watershed for aviation? Only time will tell. SP 1. CHIEF GUEST AT INDIA’S REPUBLIC DAY PARADE FRENCH PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY BEING RECEIVED BY PRIME MINISTER DR MANMOHAN SINGH; 2. SP’S EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JAYANT BARANWAL WITH ASHOK CHAWLA, SECRETARY, MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION AT LAUNCH OF SP’S AIRBUZ; 3. ROBOTIC SPACECRAFT PHOENIX SUCCESSFULLY LANDED ON MARS IN DECEMBER; 4. CHANDRAYAAN-1 TOOK OFF TO SPACE FROM SRIHARIKOTA ON OCTOBER 22, MARKING INDIA’S FIRST MOON MISSION; 5. END-OCTOBER, THE TEST FLIGHT SERIES TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATION OF THE SINGLE-SEATER AND TWIN-SEATER EUROFIGHTER AIRCRAFT FOR AIR-TO-AIR REFUELLING FROM THE AIRBUS A310 MRTT TANKER BEGAN AT MILITARY AIR SYSTEMS IN MANCHING; 6. AIRBUS DELIVERED THE FIRST A380 SUPERJUMBO TO EMIRATES AIRLINES FROM ITS HAMBURG, GERMANY PLANT ON JULY 28

Full coverage on www.spsaviation.net

4 INDIA’S PRIDE

5 AIR MANOEUVRES

6 SMOOTH DELIVERY Issue 12 • 2008

SP’S AVIATION

Digest

NEWS

MILITARY

Integrated Defensive Aids Suite ordered for Dhruv Saab has recently received two serial production orders for the IDAS for the Indian Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv. The combined value of these orders from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is approximately SEK 195 million (about $25 million; Rs 120 crore). The IDAS will be installed on India’s weapon systems version of Dhruv in order to provide these platforms with electronic warfare self-protection. The helicopter features a modern glass cockpit with which the IDAS system is fully integrated.

The technical evaluation of the proposal is at present underway. This will be followed by field trials and subsequently commercial negotiations culminating in conclusion of the contract after the approval of the competent authority. Collaboration for development of UAV: The Government of India has allowed the Aeronautical Development Establishment to co-opt a partner from the Indian Industry to join in the development and production of the Rs 1,000 crore ($200 million) indigenous medium altitude long endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programme. In order to reduce the time for design, development and subsequent transfer of technology to the Industry for bulk production of MALE UAV, Defence Research and Development Organization has been authorised to associate with a production and development partner from eligible Indian industries on a competitive basis. Trainer aircraft in the IAF: All the trainer aircraft in the IAF have been in service for nearly 25 years, except for the recently inducted Hawk Mk-132 aircraft. Proposals are being progressed for procurement of additional Hawk aircraft and Intermediate Jet Trainer as well as for replacement of the existing HPT-32 trainer aircraft to modernise the trainer fleet of the IAF. Several steps have been taken to enhance the quality of training including induction of simulators and improvement of training syllabi in the training establishments so as to enable the trainee pilot to be adequately prepared for flying the aircraft and handle modern on-board cockpit systems with greater proficiency.

Antony briefs Parliament on Indian military aircraft In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony gave the following updates: Procurement of aircraft: Response to the Request for Proposal relating to procurement of 126 aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF) issued on August 27, 2007 has been received from six vendors.

Korean Air to develop unmanned spy plane The Defense Acquisition Program Administration has selected Korean Air as the main developer of an indigenous medium-altitude UAV to start missions after 2016. Korean Air, the country’s largest airline, won the bid over the Korea Aerospace Industries, which has dominated the country’s military aircraft pro-

Asia-Pacific India, China resolve to fight terrorism During the 2nd Annual Defence Dialogue it emerged that India and China would work collectively to tackle terrorism. Both sides agreed that international cooperation was vital to defeat terrorism and nontraditional threats sponsored by religious fundamentalism. Defence Secretary Vijay Singh led the Indian side while Lt General Ma Xiaotian, Deputy Chief of General Staff, People’s Liberation Army headed the Chinese delegation. Lt General Xiaotian also witnessed the Joint India-China Training Exercises in Belgaum. Participating in the day-long deliberations, Lt General Xiaotian said India-China relations are no longer a zero-sum relationship and that growing defence cooperation has enhanced mutual trust and confidence. The Chinese leader condemned terrorism and the recent attacks in Mumbai and conveyed condolences for the victims.

SP’S AVIATION

Issue 12 • 2008

grammes. The national-flag carrier, with the technological help of a foreign defence firm, will develop and integrate the spy plane’s fuselage and other related systems, including a ground-control station and mission equipment package, in cooperation with the state-run Agency for Defense Development, said the source. The proposed UAV will be designed to perform missions as high as 50,000 ft for more than 24 hours and will have similar specifications to the MQ-1 Predator medium-altitude, long-endurance UAV of the US Air Force.

QuickRoundUp AFGHANISTAN • The Afghan National Army Air Corps has received the first three of six Mil Mi-35 attack helicopters, adding to its capabilities. The helicopters, donated by the Czech Republic, were refurbished by members of Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan. Ten months ago, NATO allies flew 90 per cent of the missions in support of the Afghans. Today, Afghans fly 90 per cent of their own missions, courtesy establishment of the Air Corps. AGUSTAWESTLAND

IAF not keen on French offer for Kaveri engine

• AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, has announced that it has signed a six-year contract with CEIIA of Portugal for the Research and Development, Design and Engineering Project. Under this contract Portuguese companies and universities will be involved in diversified aerospace-related projects. The main aeronautical fields targeted include mechanical systems, interiors, structures and composites, electronic and software systems.

The IAF is not keen on accepting an offer from the French company Snecma to join the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) in co-developing the long-delayed Kaveri turbofan combat aircraft engine. The Kaveri engine, which has been under development at the GTRE for two decades at a cost of almost Rs 2,000 crore ($400 million), is specifically being built to power the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas. A committee set up by the IAF has indicated to Air Headquarters that the Snecma offer will not meet the air force’s operational requirements, nor help India acquire the technological know-how to indigenously develop a combat engine.

• The Ministry of Defence of Cyprus has placed an order for three AW39 medium twin engine helicopters with AgustaWestland. The Cyprus MoD’s AW139s will be used to perform search and rescue and utility-EMS duties, covering the Cyprus Flight Information Region.

Americas US releases Unified Command Plan 2008 Every two years, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is required by law to review the missions, responsibilities, and geographical boundaries of each combatant command in the US military and recommend to the President,

ALENIA AERMACCHI • The Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced trainer made its first supersonic flight, reaching Mach 1.15 in the ‘supersonic corridor’ off the Italian Riviera coast. The first prototype M-346 reached the milestone during a 75-minute flight in Venegono Superiore. The M-346 is the only new generation advanced/lead-in fighter trainer under development in Europe. ALENIA AERONAUTICA • Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, and the Direzione Generale Armamenti Aeronautici (General Management for Aeronautical Armaments) of the Defence Ministry, have reached an agreement for the supply of four ATR72 Maritime Patrol aircraft. The medium-range, twin-engine turbine airplanes will be delivered to the Italian Air Force starting from 2012, to be used for the maritime patrolling with mixed crews with the Italian Navy. www.spsaviation.net

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through the Secretary of Defense, any changes that may be necessary. As in past years, the 2008 review process included the combatant commanders, service chiefs and Department of Defense (DoD) leadership. Accordingly, the DoD has updated the Unified Command Plan (UCP), a key strategic document that establishes the missions, responsibilities, and geographic areas of responsibility for commanders of combatant commands. Most importantly, UCP 2008, signed by President George W. Bush on December 17, 2008, codifies US Africa Command (USAFRICOM) and assigns several new missions to the combatant commanders. Significant changes made by UCP 2008 include: • Codifying USAFRICOM as a geographic combatant command through assignment of specific missions, responsibilities, and geographic boundaries; the command became fully operation capable on October 1, 2008. • Codifying influenza. • Updating ‘cyberspace operations’ responsibilities assigned to US Strategic Command. • Assigning all combatant commanders responsibility for planning and conducting military support to stability, security, transition, and reconstruction operations, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief. • Realigning the USNORTHCOM and US Southern Command areas of responsibility (AOR) by placing the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands in the USNORTHCOM AOR. JSF F-35 pips competitors in race to replace the F-16

The JSF F-35, meets all the requirements drawn up by the Netherlands for the successor to the F-16. This emerges from the findings of a comparison carried out with other aircraft.

THE CHIEF OF AIR STAFF’S MESSAGE TO THE AIR WARRIORS ON THE EVE OF NEW YEAR’S DAY 2009 Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major conveyed his warmest greetings and good wishes to all air warriors, noncombatants employees, defence security corps personnel, civilians and all families on the eve of New Year’s Day 2009. In his message, he said: “As the New Year dawns, the IAF celebrates by continuing its focused march towards becoming a truly balanced and modern Aerospace Force. The current and future inductions of a wide variety of assets would enhance our combat potential across the spectrum and promise to change the way we conduct operations. As air warriors, you are our true force enhancers and I have full faith in your unwavering commitments, professionalism, ability to steer our force through this process of transformation. “The past year has been truly remarkable in many ways. We have accomplished all our assigned tasks successfully. The strategic community across the globe took notice of the new professional heights scaled by the Indian Air Force. We credibly demonstrated our strategic reach by deployment and sustenance of a potent composite force, thousands of miles away in the US, for more than two months. During this deployment, the IAF participated in the prestigious multilateral exercise Red Flag for the first time, winning the admiration of our peers. The Sarang and Surya Kiran Display Team also enthralled audiences in Germany, UK, China and Laos. “Training on the newly acquired Hawk AJT has commenced in right earnest. Our UN missions continue to bring us laurels. The IAF rendered timely assistance to our countrymen during the widespread floods across various parts of our country this year. We also provided aid to China after an earthquake in Chengdu, as also to Myanmar after a devastating cyclone. “I am confident that the numerous administrative measures like the implementation of the VIth CPC recommendations, increase in Air Force Group Insurance Society cover, progress of Married Accommodation Plan projects, and review of human resources policies, give all air warriors a reason to cheer. “The past year has also highlighted the danger posed to our nation, by elements that seem intent on destroying our freedom. I exhort each one of you to remain increasingly vigilant at all our locations. I am convinced that, as we move into 2009, our Nation would increasingly look to us for solving the many security challenges that we face. I have no doubt, that the dedication, professionalism and commitment of our air warriors, will do us proud. “On this day, as we look back upon the achievements of the past year with pride, and usher in the New Year with hope, let us resolve to better our own high standards.” •

Accordingly a report has been sent by State Secretary for Defence Jack de Vries to the House of Representatives. The F-35 is the best multi-role combat aircraft and by around 2015 will certainly be able to carry out all six main missions successfully. The F-35 also has the greatest operational availability. In addition, the capital costs of the F-35 are the lowest and it is anticipated that the total life-cycle costs will also be the lowest. The comparative study, between the Advanced F-16, F-35 and the Gripen Next Generation, was carried out in cooperation

with Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research and Netherlands Aerospace Laboratory. Boeing A160T shifts gears in flight, passes 100 flight-hrs

Boeing has announced that its A160 Turbine (A160T) Hummingbird unmanned

QuickRoundUp AVIO • Avio, a leading player in aerospace propulsion, delivered the first structural module of the low-pressure turbine for the F-136 engine to General Electric, entirely constructed and assembled at Avio’s industrial plant in Brindisi, Italy. The F-136, developed by the Fighter Engine Team comprising General Electric and Rolls-Royce, is one of the propulsion systems scheduled for the F-35 Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter). BOEING • The Boeing Company has been awarded a firm/fixed/price contract for CH-47F multiyear contract for second year Production Lot 7, 16 each CH-47F new build aircraft, 15 each CH-47F remanufacture aircraft, over and above, Production Lot 8 Long Lead Items. The completion date is September 30, 2013. • A Boeing KC-767 aerial refueling aircraft built for the Italian Air Force transfered fuel to another Italian KC-767 during a flight test over northern Kansas, marking the first time a KC-767 tanker has been refueled by another aircraft. Boeing has two KC-767s in flight test for the Italian Air Force while building two additional tankers for them. The Italian tankers feature an advanced aerial refueling boom with a remote aerial refueling operator station, as well as wing pod and centerline hose-and-drogue systems. EMBRAER • Embraer and British Airways have signed a contract for 11 E-Jets, comprising six EMBRAER 170 and five EMBRAER 190SR jets, to be operated by BA CityFlyer. BA CityFlyer is British Airways’ wholly owned regional subsidiary that operates international and domestic routes from London. EUROCOPTER • Following the EU-Brazil summit, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil officially announced the contract for 50 EC725 helicopters which has been signed by the Brazilian government and a consortium formed by Eurocopter and Helibras. The helicopters will be operated by Brazil’s armed forces and the first deliveries

Issue 12 • 2008

SP’S AVIATION

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NEWS

APPOINTMENTS INDIAN AIR FORCE GETS NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL, INSPECTION & SAFETY With effect from January 1, Air Marshal T.S. Randhawa has filled the post of DG, I&S (Director General, Inspection & Safety) which was lying vacant since the retirement of Air Marshal V.K. Verma on September 30, 2008. Prior to taking over the present assignment, Air Marshal Randhawa was holding the post of Commandant, National Defence Academy. V.P. AGARWAL TO HEAD AAI With effect from January 1, V.P. Agarwal replaced Dr K. Ramalingam as the head of Airports Authority of India.. Agarwal has been member (Planning) of the state-owned airports body since November 2006 and had served as Executive Director of the Northern and Northeastern region earlier. WASSIM SAHEB NAMED BOMBARDIER BUSINESS AIRCRAFT SALES DIRECTOR, MIDDLE EAST Bombardier Aerospace has announced the appointment of Wassim Saheb as Sales Director for Bombardier Business Aircraft. He is responsible for all Learjet, Challenger, and Global aircraft sales in the Middle East and is based at Bombardier’s Dubai sales office. BAE SYSTEMS ANNOUNCES SENIOR STAFF APPOINTMENTS BAE Systems has named Doug Belair Senior Vice President for Strategy and Planning, and Herb Muktarian Vice President of Communications, at BAE Systems, Inc., its US subsidiary. The appointments will become effective January 2. NORTHROP GRUMMAN APPOINTS NEW VP, INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS FOR TECHNICAL SERVICES Northrop Grumman Corporation has named Jonathan “Jock” Scharfen Vice President of international operations for the company’s Technical Services sector. 34

SP’S AVIATION

rotorcraft has achieved two key milestones: using its two-speed transmission to change gears in flight, and passing the 100-flight-hour threshold. John Groenenboom, A160T programme manager for Boeing, said, “It allows us to significantly expand the flight envelope at higher gross weights and at higher speeds, while maintaining the A160T’s worldrecord-setting endurance. We now have an unmanned air system with the performance of a fixed wing and the precision and versatility of a rotorcraft.” The A160T Hummingbird is 35-ft-long with a 36-ft-diameter rotor and has reached speeds of up to 142 knots to date.

CIVIL AVIATION Asia-Pacific Flight powered by jatropha biofuel takes to the skies On December 30, 2008, Air New Zealand became the first airline to test a 50/50 blend of second generation jatropha biofuel and standard A1 jet fuel in a Boeing 747-400 passenger jet. The company has hailed the test as a milestone for commercial aviation. The flight lasted for two hours and ran one of the plane’s Rolls-Royce engines on the jatropha biodiesel blend. The flight crew conducted fuel tests measuring the performance of the engine and fuel systems at various altitudes and under a variety of operating conditions. The airline said the jatropha used to make the fuel came from south-eastern Africa (Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania) and India. Kolkata airport upgradation to be completed by 2011 Modernisation and development of the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport would be completed by May 2011, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on December 29, 2008. The Airports Authority of India would meet the entire expense of modernisation and development pegged at Rs 1,942 crore, Patel said,

Issue 12 • 2008

while laying the foundation stone for the project. The project would be completed within 30 months. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said upgradation of the Kolkata airport would be in consonance with the government’s ‘Look East policy’.

INDUSTRY Asia-Pacific HAL bags Ecuador order for seven ALHs In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Production Rao Inderjit Singh intimated that HAL has received an order for supply of seven Advanced Light Helicopters to Ecuador. The helicopters will be delivered in three years time.

Americas Boeing considers 737 enhancements

Boeing Co., whose 737 is the world’s most widely flown plane, said it’s studying new ‘product enhancements’ as replacement plans for the aircraft have been delayed toward the end of the next decade. The Chicago-based company is considering rolling out more changes to the current version of the jet as it has done since 2000, with improvements to performance, comfort and navigation. Both Boeing and Airbus have struggled to meet customers’ demands for a 20 per cent reduction in operating costs for the 737 and the Airbus A320. With environmentalists and the slumping economy putting pressure on the industry, Boeing is considering a bridge model that would provide a 10 per cent improvement until a replacement is ready. Francebased Airbus, on the other hand, has begun testing a new kind of wingtip on the

QuickRoundUp are scheduled for 2010. This is the largest contract ever signed in South America and will provide Brazil with a fleet that is capable of performing an extremely wide range of missions. The contract will also allow Eurocopter to continue its expansion in South America. • Eurocopter and the UK Ministry of Defence have signed a contract for the through-life support (TLS) of the Royal Air Force fleet of all Puma and Gazelle helicopters and the contract will run up to end of March 2013. The TLS contract is a transformational logistic support solution in line with the UK MoD’s approach to modernising and rationalising all of its support contracts for the total helicopter fleet of the UK Armed Forces. ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES LTD • Elbit Systems Ltd and Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd (IAI) have announced that their respective subsidiaries, Elbit Systems ElectroOptics Elop Ltd. (Elbit Systems Electro-Optics) and ELTA Systems Ltd. (ELTA) have been awarded a contract to supply the Turkish Air Force with combined airborne IMINT (Imagery Intelligence) systems. LOCKHEED MARTIN • The US Air Force has awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin Space Systems Corporation authorising the latter to continue the Transformational Communications Satellite Risk Reduction and System Definition baseline efforts. • Lockheed Martin rolled out the first weight-optimised conventional takeoff and landing variant of the F-35 Lightning II fighter called F-35A AF-1. It joins three weight-optimised F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variants currently undergoing testing. The aircraft are structurally identical to the F-35s that will be delivered to armed services beginning in 2010. AF-1 is the first F-35 to have employed the moving assembly line at its full-rate production speed of 50 inches (127 millimeters) per hour. MESSIER SERVICES • Messier Services UK (SAFRAN Group) and EADS, have signed a contract to provide landing gear overwww.spsaviation.net

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NEWS

SHOW CALENDAR 19 January – 22 January DGI 2009 QEII Conference Centre, Westminster, London, UK URL: www.wbr.co.uk/dgi.asp 22 January – 23 January DEFENCE PARTNERSHIPS 2009 Thistle, Marble Arch, London, UK URL: www.iqpc.com 4 February – 5 February AIR POWER INDIA 2009 New Delhi, India URL: www.airpower-india. com 11 February – 15 February AERO INDIA 2009 Air Force Station Yelahanka Bengaluru, India URL: www.aeroindia.in 22 February – 26 February IDEX 2009, 9TH INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Abu Dhabi, UAE URL: www.idexuae.ae 26 February – 27 February DIRECTED ENERGY WEAPONS 2009 Thistle, Marble Arch, London, UK URL: www.defenceiq.com 11 February – 12 February ASIAN BUSINESS AVIATION CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION (ABACE) Hong Kong International Airport URL: www.abace.aero single-aisle A320 to boost fuel efficiency. Embraer Phenom 100 earns licence to fly

Brazilian manufacturer Embraer’s first clean-sheet business aircraft, the Phenom 100 light jet, was certified on December 9 by the Agência

Nacional de Aviação Civil of Brazil and three days later by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), bringing Embraer a step closer to its goal of becoming ‘a major player’ in the business aviation market. The announcement came a little over three years after the programme launch and 18 months after the first flight.

Europe

of an accord signed during the visit of the President of France on February 20, 2006, at Delhi between Antrix Corporation Ltd, the commercial arm of the India’s Department of Space and EADS Astrium to jointly build and deliver a communication satellite (W2M) to Eutelsat Communications, which is a global satellite communications provider based in Paris.

Rolls-Royce delivers VAVBN for F-35B Lightning II Rolls-Royce has delivered its first production Variable Area Vane Box Nozzle (VAVBN) to Pratt & Whitney for integration on the F-35B Lightning II aircraft. The VAVBN is now ready to be shipped to JSF partner Northrop Grumman for integration into the aircraft. Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems are the principal industrial partners developing the F-35 with Lockheed Martin Corporation. The VAVBN is integral to the aircraft structure and is used to control the LiftFan exit airflow when the Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing variant of the aircraft is operated in powered-lift mode.

Americas

SPACE

Arianespace to launch Egyptian satellite Nilesat 201

Orbital wins NASA’s space station cargo delivery order Orbital Sciences Corporation, one of the world’s leading space technology companies, has been selected for a longterm contract by the NASA to provide cargo transportation services to and from the International Space Station (ISS). Orbital stated that the contract, awarded under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) programme, covers ISS cargo transportation services for about 20 metric tonnes of cargo, which would be accommodated by eight missions of Orbital’s CRS system between 2011 and 2015.

Europe

Asia-Pacific Antrix, ISRO, EADS-Astrium built satellite launched State-of-the-art communication satellite W2M, built by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on a commercial basis in partnership with EADS-Astrium of Europe, was successfully launched by the European Ariane-5 launch vehicle from the Guiana Space Centre at Kourou in French Guiana. Exactly 32 minutes after its lift-off, W2M separated from Ariane-5, after reaching its intended Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit. Radio signals transmitted by W2M were successfully received by ISRO’s Master Control Facility at Hassan in Karnataka and the satellite’s health is normal. W2M project was undertaken in the context

QuickRoundUp haul services for the Royal Air Force’s Tornado fleet, via the aircraft prime contractor, BAE Systems. Messier Services provides maintenance, repair and overhaul services for aircraft landing systems as well as associated hydraulics. NORTHROP GRUMMAN • The US Air Force E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) test bed aircraft took to the air powered by new Pratt & Whitney JT-8D-219 engines. This flight marks the start of Northrop Grumman Corporation’s E-8C-specific military air worthiness certification test programme. • Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract to upgrade weather and navigation radar systems on Iraqi Air Force C-130 cargo aircraft. The Foreign Military Sales contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit by Lear Siegler Services, Inc. Sperry Marine will deliver AN/APN-242 weather and navigation radars to replace obsolete AN/APN-59 systems on the aircraft. PROVINCIAL AEROSPACE LTD • The Government of Canada announced the awarding of a contract to Newfoundland and Labrador-based Provincial Aerospace Ltd for the mid-life inspection and refurbishment of four CT-142 Dash 8 military training aircraft. The mid-life inspection on all four CT-142 Dash 8 aircraft will be completed over a four-year period. ROLLS-ROYCE

On the occasion of the visit of the French Prime Minister to Egypt, it was announced that Arianespace has been chosen to launch the Nilesat 201 satellite, as part of a turnkey contract that Thales Alenia Space signed with Egyptian operator Nilesat. Nilesat 201 will be placed into geostationary transfer orbit by an Ariane 5 or Soyuz rocket launched from the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, during the first quarter of 2010. •

• Rolls-Royce has announced that Etihad Airways, the Abu Dhabi-based national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has chosen the Trent 700EP to power a further eight Airbus A330 aircraft. The Trent 700EP is the latest and more fuel-efficient version of the best-selling engine for the A330. SAAB • Saab has signed a long-term contract with the Swedish Defence Material Administration regarding an overall commitment to the SK60 (105) air power system. The contract means that as the main supplier, Saab is responsible for operating, supporting and maintaining all of the Swedish Armed Forces SK60 aircraft.

Issue 12 • 2008

SP’S AVIATION

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the financial capital of India lay traumatised by this rape and the intelligence/security apparatus of the nation stranded without the proverbial fig leaf. What is more disconcerting is the response to the crisis. Isolated acts of bravery notwithstanding, the absence of a coherent counter terrorist strategy and the lack of capability of the civil police to handle the situation were glaring. There was also tragic lack of professionalism in the encounter in which three highly rated senior police officials of the Anti-Terrorist Squad, a specialised outfit created to tackle such incidents, totally misread the situation and fell victim to terrorist bullets without a fight. Deployment of the Indian Navy Commandos was delayed on account of bureaucratic hassles that exist in any effort at coordination between the state and central agencies. There was inordinate delay in the arrival of the National Security Guard perhaps for the same reason. The infantry battalion of the Indian Army located in Mumbai which is experienced in combating terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir was conspicuous by its absence—perhaps not requisitioned at all. Evidently, not only were the intelligence agencies defeated in their own homeland, response from the security agencies lacked speed, centralised control/direction, cohesion and coordination. Besides, operating at a low level of technology in respect of weapons and other systems, security forces were clearly handicapped vis-à-vis the intruders. The government response was injurious to the national psyche. It is hardly a matter of pride that India should approach the US and the UK for protection against the uncivilised conduct of a politically weak and unstable neighbour that is teetering on the verge of economic collapse and virtually a failed state. The approach of the Indian government lacked focus and was embarrassingly defensive, devoid of the slightest hint of capability or intention of resolute action beyond a bland “all options open” syndrome. Pakistan continues to be a client state of the US. Preparing for an imminent change of government and preoccupied with their own conflicts, Washington is hardly in a position to exert pressure on Islamabad. Britain, with little or no influence in the region, flaunts diplomatic support of cosmetic value. Fact is, diplomatic intervention by the US and Britain could prove damaging as 26/11 could then be clubbed with the larger problem of global terrorism, diluting its significance and implications for India. India’s armed forces are over a million strong and the para-military forces even larger. The command and control structures are fragmented among multifarious agencies and, as was evident on 26/11, effective response to a crisis is virtually impossible. The lines between external and internal threats to national security are getting increasingly blurred, accentuating the need for a coherent command and control structure, high degree of synergy between the various agencies and induction of higher level of technology. Internationally, efforts at demarche against Pakistan are unlikely to be effective unless riding piggyback on the enormous military power available with the nation. SP — Air Marshal (Retd) B.K. Pandey

tillthe

NEXTATTACK

omb blasts and terrorist attacks appear to have become a routine feature in India. Almost as soon as the debris is cleared and the blood stains washed off the streets, the carnage recedes from public memory into oblivion. In the last three years, there have been over 16 incidents in which hundreds of innocent lives have been lost apart from damage to property and disruption of livelihood. Such incidents are regarded as problems related to ‘internal security’ and statistical records are updated accordingly. Instead

ILLUSTRATION: MAMTA

The Indian government’s response to 26/11 was embarrassingly defensive and devoid of the slightest hint of capability or intention of resolute action beyond a bland “all options open” syndrome of bringing the real culprits to book, investigations and subsequent actions often degenerate into motivated and petty political controversies detracting from the core issues involved. The 26/11 episode, however, was different in character from the routine though somewhat similar to the attack on Parliament in 2001. A blatant and brutal assault on the sovereignty of the nation, the Mumbai episode was, in essence, a military operation exceptionally well planned and executed with incredible audacity without concern for reprisal or escalation. The impact of the mission was magnified as the targets were distinctly high profile. The victims included many from the affluent segments of society as also eminent citizens from abroad. Reeling under the impact of global economic meltdown, 36

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• Issue 3 • 2008 DESIGN AND PRODUCTION OF ELECTRONIC DEFENCE SYSTEMS.