Despite Delay, Indian Buy of Howitzers Remains on Track.

Indian Govt says date of signing 31st March 2014?

The Indian government has announced that the purchase of 145 ultra light howitzer artillery guns from the US is not being withheld, despite a three-year delay since clearance was granted to buy the guns from the US subsidiary of BAE Systems.

Anonymous complaints to the Defence Ministry regarding the process have delayed finalizing the contract, officials said.In August, Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony told the Indian Parliament, “Various anonymous complaints regarding alleged irregularities in the procurement of ultra light howitzer guns have been received. The main issues raised in these complaints relate to technical parameters, cost effectiveness and economic viability of the gun.”

Defence Ministry sources said a Technical Oversight Committee set up by the MoD has since cleared the procurement.In a written reply to Parliament Dec. 9, Antony said, “The Government has not held up the purchase of 145 Ultra Light Howitzer artillery guns from the United States. The Government is proposing the procurement of 145 Ultra Unit Howitzers through the Foreign Military sale route as per Defence Procurement Procedure.”

Delay in finalizing the buy has led to nearly a doubling of the price in the last three years because of inflation and the falling value of the Indian rupee against the US dollar.The estimated cost of the 145 guns in 2010 was around 29.6 billion rupees. However, in the Pentagon’s Aug. 7 letter giving notification of the sale, the price of the guns is quoted at more than $885 million, or about 58 billion rupees.

The deal was awarded to BAE Systems after the tender was earlier canceled when Singapore Technologies was blacklisted in 2009.Ministry of Defence sources said the contract will be signed in the financial year ending March 31.

Chinese PLA test-fired new Dongfeng 41 DF-41 ICBM InterContinental Ballistic Missile

Last week Chinese army carried out its second test-launch of its new InterContinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Dongfeng 41 (DF-41), which could have the ability to fire multiple warheads. The missile was fired Friday, December 13, 2013, from the Wuzhai rocket-firing complex in Shanxi province.

The Dongfeng 41 long-range missile is thought to have a top flight distance of between roughly 10,900 km and 12,000 km, and to be designed to carry multiple independently targetable nuclear warheads.A recent annual report to U.S. Congress on China's military capabilities did not include mention of the road-mobile ICBM, though previous versions of the study detailed at some length the status of the weapon's development.

The Dongfeng-4 is a Chinese-made nuclear solid-fueled road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile. The DF-41 ICBM is the latest in a long line of Dongfeng missiles. According to military analysts, it's been in development since the 1980s and has a top speed of up to Mach 25. Directed by an Inertial guidance system, it can be launched from a range of platforms, it's around 15 metres long and weighs an estimated 30,000 kg.This would make the DF-41 the world's longest ranged missile, surpassing the range of the US LGM-30 Minuteman which has a reported range of 13,000 km.

The DF-41 was reported to have had its first flight test on July 24, 2012.

Russia to Develop 5th-Generation Attack Helicopter by 2017

Not actual photograph

It could take Russia about three years to complete the development of a fifth-generation attack helicopter and start testing its prototype, a defense industry official said Wednesday. The Mi-28NM, a modernized version of the Mi-28N Night Hunter attack helicopter that is being upgraded to standards of a fifth-generation aircraft, has been in development since 2008. “I think we will need no more than three years to develop a new modernized version of the Mi-28N helicopter,” said Andrei Shibitov, chief executive officer of the Russian Helicopters company.

Shibitov did not specify the characteristics of the future combat helicopter, but he was quoted earlier by the Russian media as saying that the criteria for a fifth-generation attack helicopter must include low radar signature, an extended flying range, an advanced weapons control system, the capability to combat fighter jets and have a speed of up to 600 kilometers (370 miles) per hour.

Tejas, world's lightest fighter jet, set to join Indian Air Force

The world’s lightest combat aircraft (LCA), Tejas, received the much-awaited initial operational clearance to be commissioned in the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday. The clearance paves the way for the full-scale production of the fighter jet from next month. Although the jet will be ready for use in combat operations by end-2014 or early 2015, the made-in-India aircraft will replace the ageing MiG 21 fleet by 2019.

“This day is a milestone. It signifies India’s entry into a select group of nations capable of designing their own state-of-the-art fighter aircraft,” said IAF Chief NAK Browne Each 9,800-kg Tejas aircraft costs about Rs 200 crore and has a top speed of 1,350 kmph. The aircraft has a lifespan of 30 years.

“The capabilities of the aircraft have been improved significantly in the last three years,” said defence minister AK Antony at an event at the HAL complex in Banagalore. “In recognition of the enhanced capabilities, IAF has decided to grant the aircraft a higher status after it is inducted into service. 

Two Tejas squadrons, each having 18-20 aircraft, are expected to be delivered in five years, that is, around 2019. The IAF is expected to station the fleet at the Sulur Air Force Station near Coimbatore.

Brazil Opts for the Gripen NG after NSA spying sours Boeing bid - Saab shares soar

Brasilia: Saab AB beat out Boeing Co. to supply 36 jet fighters for Brazil’s air force after President Dilma Rousseff called alleged US spying on her government an affront to the South American nation.
The deal is worth $4.5 billion through 2023, the defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. “Brazil picked Saab over the Chicago-based company because of the performance and cost of its aircraft as well as willingness to transfer technology,” defence minister Celso Amorim told reporters in Brasilia. The other finalist was Paris-based Dassault Aviation SA.

Rousseff in September called off her state visit to Washington following reports the US National Security Agency (NSA) intercepted her communications with staff. On Wednesday she said the armed forces had a key role in strengthening cyber-security to protect privacy and Brazil’s sovereignty.
“Boeing only didn’t win the deal because of the lack of trust created by the spying incident,” Welber Barral, who was Brazil’s trade secretary from 2007 to 2011, said by phone. “Had the decision been last year, Boeing would have won.”

Boeing is disappointed and will work with Brazil’s air force to determine why it lost, according to an e-mail statement from the company.“Brazil’s government will maintain close commercial ties with the US,” Amorim said.

Brazil expects to sign the aircraft contract within 12 months, Air Force Commander Juniti Saito told reporters. Saab’s Gripen NG fighter jet will replace the Mirage 2000 that Brazil’s air force is scheduled to retire on 20 December. “It will be based on a similar model already being used in other countries,” Saito said.Saab offered a financing package and collaboration between the Swedish and Brazilian governments as part of its bid, the company said in a statement e-mailed yesterday.

It has marketed the aircraft as a less costly and more reliable alternative than that of some of its competitors. Switzerland has committed to buying 22 of the jets, though the decision may face a national referendum next year. Current Gripen versions are in service with the Swedish air force as well as the South African, Thai, Hungarian and Czech Republic armed forces.

Brazil’s decision is a setback for Dassault’s Rafale aircraft, which has struggled to build a presence outside France, with only India so far saying it wants to buy the fighter jet.

SAVING THE GLOBAL CLIMATE FROM RUNAWAY ARCTIC METHANE RELEASE AND SEA ICE LOSS

=  =  =  STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  =  =  =  NEWS RELEASE  =  =  =  DATE: DECEMBER 18, 2013  =  =  =

SAVING THE GLOBAL CLIMATE FROM RUNAWAY ARCTIC METHANE RELEASE AND SEA ICE LOSS

The Greenhouse Gases that human civilisation has emitted have warmed the Arctic more than any other area on Earth.

The reasons for this are well known and will not be repeated here. This has resulted in a loss of sea ice especially in the late summer. More recently still Methane has started to be released from Methane Hydrates especially from the East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS). Emissions of Methane from this area increased from 8 to 17 Tg (teragrams or megaton) between 2009 and 2012 according to research done by Natalia Shakhova and in 2013 appear to be about 22 Tg.
See: arctic-news.blogspot.com/2013/11/quantifying-arctic-methane.html

My understanding is that the climate research organisations broadly accept that Methane emissions from the ESAS have risen substantially in the last few years, as indicated above, and are a serious concern, but they are still small compared to total global emissions of Methane and they do not accept that they will runaway in the near future. This needs examination.

The warming of the Arctic seems likely to lead to the total melting of the Arctic Sea Ice in late summer no later than the summer of 2018 and to massive release of Methane from the melting of Methane Hydrates beneath the ESAS by the same date leading to runaway Global Warming and the end of most life on earth. In 2018, and probably before, the Arctic will be much warmer and the rate of Methane emissions by 2016 will cause alarm worldwide. In 2016 it will probably no longer be possible to prevent a runaway greenhouse event. The problem is that until after a runaway event has started, drastic climate impacts will not occur, so most people will not be alarmed by the situation. Nonetheless, immediate action is essential to cool the arctic.

The reason for this is that the ice is melting earlier in summer than has been the case for several millennia, because of Arctic Warming caused by the increased concentration of Greenhouse Gases in the atmosphere. Methane is still being released in relatively small quantities from Methane Hydrates beneath the ESAS now, but this will accelerate rapidly as Methane concentrations increase in the arctic atmosphere, since they will absorb more sunlight and warm the Arctic, causing further Methane releases.

Arctic Methane Impact

Humanity may be able to prevent this from occurring, if drastic action is taken almost immediately, but if we don’t react then this will very rapidly become a runaway Greenhouse Event and out of our control. We must drastically reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and take action to cool the arctic.

It is essential that your government responds to this emergency by publicising this worldwide and by trying to obtain a global agreement to drastically reduce global Greenhouse Gas emissions and to cool the Arctic.

John B Davies (personal)

This statement is supported by:
Prof. Peter Wadhams, Sam Carana, Paul Beckwith, Malcolm Light, John Nissen, Albert Kallio
Annie Mond, Carl Vilbrandt,


N.B. The truth of this prognosis should rapidly become apparent by measuring Methane emissions and concentration in the Arctic atmosphere in 2014. Thus very closely measuring arctic Methane emissions and atmospheric concentration is essential in 2014 and thereafter.

If you like to have your name added in support, please comment at the facebook post below.

Post by Sam Carana.

Indian Aircraft carrier Vikramaditya (R33) in Lisbon, Portugal

To leave Lisbon for home base tomorrow on 18 Dec 2013.

INS Vikramaditya is now in Lisbon and waiting for refueling in the morning on December 18 ship should head towards the Strait of Gibraltar.

The carrier is now waiting for a tanker in Lisbon, 18 in the morning leave their current parking lot and will go through the Strait of Gibraltar.