India-Specific Assorted News Briefs From Paris Air Show 2009

Indian company Samtel (hall 4, E16) has launched a full-colour cathode ray tube display at Le Bourget. The CRT is designed for Airbus aircraft and is integrated into a 6 x 6in (150 x 150mm) Thales display unit. Samtel has signed a contract with Thales to develop the CRT through its AS9100-certificated production facilities in India. The unit has been specified under strict supervision by Thales to match stringent air transport specifications and quality requirements. (Why is this being done in India when the world over everyone else is going for AMLCDs is anyone's guess!--Prasun)

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a contract to supply a HAROP Loitering Munition (LM) system to a foreign customer, believed to be India. The contract is estimated to be worth over $100 million. Itzhak Nissan, President and CEO of IAI said: "HAROP is an extremely impressive system, and everyone at IAI is proud of this accomplishment. This is a state-of-the-art loitering munition system, which features accurate detection capabilities and minimizes collateral damage to the surrounding area." Separately, the German Armed Forces and the German Ministry of Defense (MOD) have approved an operational requirement utilizing IAI's HAROP system. The project will be implemented in cooperation with Rheinmetall Defense as the prime contractor. The German MOD has already invested funds for the adaptation of HAROP to its specific requirements. Part of the adaptation was successfully performed by a joint IAI/Rheinmetall Defense team, and a follow on contract is planned for this year. This activity is a reflection of the successful cooperation between IAI and Rheinmetall Defense, which has also included projects involving Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). HAROP is a long endurance LM which can be launched from a variety of platforms, and is equipped with tactical UAV capabilities: high performance FLIR/ color CCD EO seeker with 3600 hemispherical coverage. It searches, detects, attacks and hits high value re-locateable, time critical, land or sea-based, moving targets with pinpoint accuracy at long ranges. A HAROP unit is comprised of LM launchers and a Mission Control Shelter (MCS) that enables missile control with a Man in the Loop operation, engagement or abort attack capability in real time, avoiding collateral damage. The HAROP can be applied to a variety of battle scenarios, including low and high intensity conflicts, urban warfare and counter terror operations. HAROP LMs are launched from transportable launchers and navigate towards the target area, where they loiter and search for targets. Once a target, static or moving, is detected, it is attacked and destroyed by the HAROP LM. The attack can be performed from any direction and at any attack angle, from flat to vertical which is highly essential in urban areas. The operator monitors the attack until the target is hit. Another HAROP LM can observe and send real time video of Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) to the operator. The operator can command to abort the attack in order to avoid collateral damage, returning the LM to loitering mode, and restart the attack later.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has been awarded multiple orders of 34 units by India of its advanced Multi-Mission Radar (MMR) type EL/M 2084. ELTA Systems Ltd., a group and wholly owned subsidiary of IAI, is the prime contractor and developer of the EL/M 2084. ELTA's MMR addresses an emerging requirement to include all land-based radar functions in one operational unit. MMR combines a Weapon Locator Radar and an Air Defense Radar. The radar detects Surface-to-Surface medium- and short-range missiles, rockets and mortars, calculates the anticipated impact and launching points, and provides target data to air defense weapons systems. MMR is based on Active Electronically Steering Array (AESA) architecture and provides outstanding performance that was combat proven in the recent fighting in the Gaza Strip. The radar is mobile and scalable in order to meet different performance requirements. Scaling is performed by means of an antenna of varying physical size and the amount of transmit-receive (TR) module content. The current orders include 3 different versions of the radar.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has recently signed a contract worth tens of millions of dollars to provide India with GRIFFIN 3, the Next Generation Laser Guided Bomb (NGLGB) Kit. The GRIFFIN 3 Kit is an advanced guidance kit which is attached to a general purpose or penetration aerial bomb. Itzhak Nissan, President and CEO of IAI, said: "The GRIFFIN 3 is a product which stands out in its exceptional accuracy and ability to ensure maximum penetration of a general or penetration aerial bomb". The GRIFFIN System provides much better hit accuracy than previous generation kits, even in high wind conditions or when aiming for a moving target. Another important feature of the GRIFFIN 3 is its trajectory shaping capability, which, when used with a penetration warhead, is integral to achieving maximum penetration. The GRIFFIN 3 has an optional GPS guidance feature to enable dual guidance capability, and is one of a wide range of IAI's laser guided munitions. Others include LAHAT, a lightweight missile for helicopters, armored vehicles, and tanks; Nimrod, a longer range laser guided missile; and Fire Ball, a laser guided rocket kit.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has recently signed a contract with India to develop and supply the land-based Barak 8 Air and Missile Defense (AMD) System. The Barak 8 AMD, an advanced all-weather, day/night system capable of multiple simultaneous engagements in complex scenarios, provides a 360-degree defense against a wide variety of airborne platforms and munitions from short and medium ranges. The land-based system is based on the Naval Barak 8 AMD system that has been sold to the Israeli Navy and to foreign customers. Itzhak Nissan, IAI's President and CEO said: "We are very proud of the Barak 8 AMD system. IAI employed its technological and experiential knowledge-based on both the Naval Barak 8 AMD system, and on its four decades of work in the aerospace field to reach this significant accomplishment. The system is composed of a combination of IAI-manufactured products, creating a powerful system which can be a cornerstone to any defense plan." The Barak 8 AMD system includes a unique battle management, command, control, communication and intelligence center (BMC4I); an interceptor; and a Land-Based Multi-Function Surveillance, Track & Guidance Radar (LB-MF-STAR). The BMC4I, produced by the MBT Division of IAI's Missiles, Systems, and Space Group, offers both stand alone operation for a single fire unit, and joint task force coordination (JTC). The JTC mode allows for the synergy of all available resources, giving the user maximum operational flexibility. The Barak 8 interceptor, developed in collaboration with RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., can intercept at short and medium ranges. It is dual pulsed and has an advanced seeker, providing all-weather, day/night engagements in complex saturation scenarios. The interceptor is vertically launched from a mobile ground launcher.

The 196kg EL/M 20600 RTP recently ordered for the IAF’s upgraded Jaguar IS is a unique Radar Targeting Pod integrating High Performance Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging, Ground Moving Target Indication (GMTI) and Precision Target Tracking.The RTP is a complete All-Weather, Autonomous Real Time System. It provides high quality radar images of ground targets and terrain from Stand-Off ranges, even through clouds, rain, fog, battlefield smoke and man-made camouflage. The RTP incorporates ELTA’s multi-year vast experience in the development and manufacturing of a varietyof radars including Airborne Fire Control, SAR, GMTI and Multi-Mission Suites. The RTP enables:
Long Range, Wide Area Surveillance & Reconnaissance
Detection, Classification, Precision Tracking and Targeting of Ground Targets
Optimized Time Sensitive Targets (TST) engagement
Network Centric Warfare (NCW) support: Target data sharing and “Kill Sequence” execution
Short Sensor-to-Shooter loop
Accurate Geo-location data for targets
Support of a wide variety of Air-to-Ground weapons
Installation on board Trainers, Helicopters andvarious A/C
The RTP supports fighter Air-To-Surface missions:
Real-Time Tactical/Armed Reconnaissance
Precision Strike of Stationary & Moving Ground Targets
Bomb Damage Assessment (BDA)

The EL/K-1891 on board the IAF’s PHALCON AEW & C platform is a full duplex X or Ku Band microwave Satellite Communication (SATCOM) network ideally suited for uninterrupted wideband over-the-horizon (OTH) communication. Each subscriber port of the SATCOM network can be either static or mobile (ground-based mobile, airborne or shipborne) and must be within the satellite's footprint area with its antenna tracking the satellite. Communications between any two subscribers is bidirectional and routed via standard links of a commercial geostationary satellite. The digital data rate on the carrier link can be as high as 128 kbps and can include voice, data and compressed JPEG video. The SATCOM network is employed for military, paramilitary and commercial applications.