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IN PICS: IAF displays its might with Rafale, Apache, Tejas, and others during the annual Air Force Day airshow

The 12th edition of the biennial <keyword id="6793470" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aero-india-2019">Aero India 2019</keyword> air show kicked off on Wednesday with a dazzling flying display of aircraft at the Indian Air Force's (IAF) Yelahanka base at Bengaluru in southern India — albeit on a sad note — coming a day after a pilot <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/two-planes-collide-mid-air-while-during-aero-show-rehearsal-in-bengaluru/articleshow/68060530.cms">died</a> in a mid-air collision between two planes during rehearsal. <div type="twitter" handle="IAF_MCC" handlename="Indian Air Force" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/798477907316207617/dMQAtlFj_normal.jpg" favoritecount="1081" retweetcount="344" status="#MissingMan formation was flown, today, led by Su-30MKI at Yelahanka as a tribute to Wg Cdr Sahil Gandhi, who was m… https://t.co/gmaFEzFPmB" createdat="1550651705000" id="1098138959731965952"></div>

 The Aero India 2019 shows off India’s air defense, displaying 61 aircraft. The show began with paying tribute to Surya Kiran aerobatics team pilot Wing Commander Sahil Gandhi, who lost his life in the air crash on Tuesday. Here’s an insight into Asia’s largest aero show- <div type="Slideshow" msid="68080031" hostid="261" title="Aero India 2019: India begins Asia’s biggest air show on a sombre note with a ‘missing man’ formation as tribute to fallen pilot" firstImageMsid="68080076" slideCount="8"></div>

Aero India 2019: India begins Asia’s biggest air show on a sombre note with a 'missing man' formation as tribute to fallen pilot

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Israeli Air Force said on Thursday that it's dropped around 6,000 bombs on the Gaza Strip.</li><li>It added that it will "continue to attack forcefully and relentlessly, as long as necessary."</li></ul>The Israeli Air Force said on Thursday that it has dropped around 6,000 bombs on the Gaza Strip since October 7.The helicopter and fighter jet strikes were carried out against 3,600 Hamas targets, it said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/IAFsite/status/1712484101763342772" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.</a>The air force said these targets included command centers, military infrastructure, weapons production sites, rocket systems, intelligence assets, and Hamas leaders."We will continue to attack forcefully and relentlessly, as long as necessary," the statement added. The IAF released <a href="https://twitter.com/IAFsite/status/1712572698340061273">aerial footage</a> of several such strikes, showing missiles obliterating several multi-story buildings.The air force said Israeli fighter jets had attacked five residences used by "Hamas terror operatives," including a monitoring situation room and a house used by the brother of Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.Other videos showed strikes on <a href="https://twitter.com/IAFsite/status/1712330858848268368">vehicles</a>, and what Israel said were a <a href="https://twitter.com/IAFsite/status/1712329957458735253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">storage area for naval weapons</a> and homes of <a href="https://twitter.com/IAFsite/status/1712330480169750971" target="_blank" rel="noopener">senior Hamas operative</a>s.At least 1,537 Palestinians have been killed, while 6,612 others have been injured by Israeli strikes since October 7, the <a href="https://www.moh.gov.ps/portal/gaza-ministry-of-health-update-thu-10-30-pm-12-october-2023-gaza-1537-palestinians-killed-including-500-children-and-2760-women-since-the-start-of-escalation-on-the-morning-of-7/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Palestinian Health Ministry</a> said on Thursday evening. Many strike victims in the Gaza Strip were <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gaza-israel-airstrikes-children-doctors-without-borders-2023-10">children</a>, aid groups such as Doctors Without Borders have said.Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip with air strikes in retaliation to a series of sudden attacks by Hamas on dozens of Israeli towns.The October 7 attacks killed around 1,200 Israelis and injured another 3,000, <a href="https://twitter.com/IDF/status/1712409889367072876" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday.</a> Hamas fighters also took around 100 hostages back to Gaza.The Israeli military's response has been a full siege of the Gaza Strip, an area of around 17 square miles with a population of around 2 million people. Access to electricity, fuel, medicine, and food has been cut off by Israel, and repeated Israeli aerial strikes have leveled apartment buildings, mosques, and other multistory complexes. Meanwhile, an estimated 300,000 Israeli reservists <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-bosses-and-workers-joining-up-to-fight-in-israel-2023-10">have been mobilized</a> for what's anticipated to be a major ground offensive into the Gaza Strip.

Israel's air force said it's bombed the Gaza Strip 6,000 times and will 'continue to attack forcefully and relentlessly'

The Indian Air Force (IAF), civil administration authorities and the Indian Army are carrying out a massive rescue operation at Tato in <keyword id="46408" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arunachal-Pradesh">Arunachal Pradesh</keyword>, after an AN-32 aircraft crashed. The aircraft went on a mission on June 3 with 13 people on board. The IAF found the wreckage of the plane on June 11, and is now searching for the survivors. This year has been bad for IAF aircraft, and has been replete with crashes. The Jaguar crash <div type="image" title="300px-Jaguar_DF-SD-05-05511" tempid="135948" msid="69758505" hostid="261"></div>

 In January, a Jaguar aircraft developed a snag and crashed near Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh. The IAF pilot who was flying it, had a narrow escape. Surya Kiran’s mid-air collision aircraft <div type="image" title="5c6be1b9eb3ce811893a21f4-750-563" msid="69758478" hostid="261"></div>

 In February, two Surya Kiran aircraft crashed after a mid-air collision while rehearsing for 'Aero India 2019' air show in Bengaluru. Aero India did not permit the Surya Kiran team to participate in the show after the incident, which led to the death of two pilots. Mirage 2000 crash <div type="image" title="Mirage-2000-air-crash-696x392" msid="69758479" hostid="261"></div>

PTI In a second incident in February, a French-built Mirage 2000 aircraft crashed minutes after taking off from HAL Airport in Bengaluru. An investigation on the incident which killed two pilots, hints at a possible mechanical issue. Mi-17 helicopter crash in J&amp;K <div type="image" title="download" msid="69758480" hostid="261"></div>

 The same month, an Mi-17 helicopter crashed in an aerial engagement at the Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir’s Nowshera sector. The event led Pakistan to capture the Indian pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who ejected from the aircraft and landed in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. MIG-27 crash in Eta village <div type="image" title="300px-MiG-27_(cropped)" tempid="135917" msid="69758434" hostid="261"></div>

 Yet again in February, an MiG 27 jet that was flying on a training mission, crashed into Eta village of Pokhran range. The aircraft was flying from Jaisalmer Air Force Station, but the pilot ejected safely. The Jodhpur crash <div type="image" title="plane" tempid="135886" msid="69758352" hostid="261"></div>

 In March, an MiG-27 fighter jet, which was on a routine mission from Jodhpur, crashed in a village in Sirohi, Rajasthan following an engine failure. The pilot and the co-pilot ejected safely. The crash in Bikaner <div type="image" title="300px-MiG-21_Lancer_C_cropped" msid="69758392" hostid="261"></div>

 In early March, an MiG-21 Bison fighte<a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/indian-air-force-mig-21-fighter-jet-crashes-in-rajasthan-s-bikaner-pilot-ejects/story-RxSDygeTyAUAZy9EL6PFkP.html">r jet crashed </a>in Shobhasar ki Dhani, 12 km from Bikaner city of Rajasthan after it reportedly suffered a bird hit. The pilot of the aircraft ejected safely before the crash. Crash of Russian-origin aircraft <div type="image" title="f394283382cb82444d5368f90a61e2ef" msid="69758248" hostid="261"></div>
An IAF An-32 transporter with 13 people on board, went missing while flying from Assam to Arunachal Pradesh on Monday. There was no trace of the plane or its wreckage till June 11 when IAF found wreckage of the plane. A rescue operation is currently underway.

Indian Air Force has lost over 10 aircraft-- and the year not even halfway through

A group of eight fighter jets will descend on Agra-Lucknow expressway on the day of its grand opening on November 21, which is also the eve of party supremo <keyword id="6357168" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mulayam-Singh-Yadav">Mulayam Singh Yadav</keyword>'s 78th birthday .The aircraft will then take off and do aerobatics in the skies. 
 UP expressways industrial development authority (UPEIDA) CEO <keyword id="3976511" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Navneet-Sehgal">Navneet Sehgal</keyword> told TOI, “All arrangements have been made to conduct the grand inauguration.A group of eight fighter jets will land and then take off from the newly-constructed expressway .“ 
 The 302-km expressway , which is chief minister <keyword id="6355031" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Akhilesh-Yadav">Akhilesh Yadav</keyword>'s dream project, has been completed in a record time of 22 months and has cost Rs 13,200 crore. It will get operational by December. The longest expressway in the country is currently a six-lane project, expandable up to eight lanes. 
 The expressway which will pass through Unnao, Kannauj, Etawah, Mainpuri and <keyword id="55697" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Firozabad">Firozabad</keyword>, will reduce the travel time between <keyword id="6356295" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Agra">Agra</keyword> and Lucknow to just four hours, nearly half of what it takes now. Two farm mandis, a logistics hub, an IT City and a residential town are planned to be built along the expressway. 
 <keyword id="4855" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sehgal">Sehgal</keyword> along with Air <keyword id="3844676" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="vicemarshal-rajesh-issar">ViceMarshal Rajesh Issar</keyword> and other senior officers of <keyword id="6705798" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Central-Air-Command">Central Air Command</keyword> inspected the expressway stretch in <keyword id="3844677" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bangarmau-of-unnao">Bangarmau of Unnao</keyword> district on Saturday . 
 “Indian <keyword id="6354954" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Air-Force">Air Force</keyword> planned the special air show as a tribute to the rapid completion of the expressway before its 26-month deadline,“ Sehgal said. The expressway was planned and constructed in a way that in the case of emergency or war, <keyword id="6355075" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="IAF">IAF</keyword> could land its fighter planes using the road as a runway.

Eight fighter jets to land on Agra-Lucknow expressway

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="11893746" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="indian-air-force" source="Orion">Indian air force</keyword> is in the midst of a massive modernization and expansion effort.</li><li><keyword id="11892747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> has focused on archrival <keyword id="11893449" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="pakistan" source="Orion">Pakistan</keyword> for decades, but it is now contending with a much larger foe: <keyword id="11892748" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="china" source="Orion">China</keyword>.</li></ul>Earlier this month, at the end of India's annual Independence Day parade in New Delhi, the Indian Air Force showed off its aircraft inventory in multiple flyovers of the Rajpath, a ceremonial boulevard in the capital.The flyovers included transport aircraft, helicopter gunships, fighters, and fighter-bombers. It was the latest show of force for a military branch that, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/after-himalayan-clash-india-prepares-navy-to-take-on-china-2021-6" target="_top">like its naval counterpart</a>, is in the midst of a massive modernization and expansion effort.Focused for decades on the threat from archrival Pakistan, India is now preparing its air force to fight another much larger foe: China.With roughly 2,000 combat aircraft from its air force and navy, China has the largest aviation force in Asia and the third largest in the world. Worse for India, China's increasingly close relationship with Pakistan is <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2021/07/the-china-pakistan-partnership-continues-to-deepen/" target="_top">resulting in closer military cooperation</a>, including joint development of fighter jets.Faced with the potential for an air war against two enemies, the IAF is increasing its size and capabilities.<h2>A significant inventory</h2><div type="image" title="Indian MiG-29 fighter jet" height="1116" width="2000" msid="85853169" hostid="261"></div>With well over 1,000 aircraft itself, the IAF is by no means small. Since India's independence, it has mostly fielded Russian aircraft made entirely in Russia or licensed for local production.Even today, the biggest fleets in the IAF inventory are those of the <keyword id="12004876" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="mig-21" source="Orion">MiG-21</keyword>, MiG-29, and the <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/su-30mki-multirole-fighter-aircraft-india/" target="_top">Su-30MKI</a> - a version of Russia's Su-30 made specifically for and by India. (India signed a contract for the Su-30MKI in the 1990s and has built more than 200 of them domestically since the mid-2000s.)The service also has some European models, such as SEPECAT Jaguars and Mirage 2000s, which are the IAF's <a href="https://www.airforcemag.com/article/0912kargil/" target="_top">primary strike platforms</a>. But those aircraft, which were acquired in the 1980s, are showing signs of age, and the IAF plans to retire them by 2030.India's MiG-21s, first introduced in the 1960s, are also expected to be retired by 2030 - even the modernized MiG-21 Bison models. The jet has <a href="https://theprint.in/defence/11-down-in-5-yrs-3-in-2021-but-many-in-iaf-still-swear-by-mig-21s-despite-its-safety-record/663813/" target="_top">a poor safety record</a>; as of 2013, more than 480 of India's MiG-21s had been involved in accidents that had caused over 200 deaths.<h2>Threats on two fronts</h2><div type="image" title="Indian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30MKI" height="800" width="1200" msid="85853174" hostid="261"></div>The Su-30MKI purchase was more than just a general upgrade. It came after the Pakistan Air Force in 1982 accepted the first of 28 US-made F-16s, which seriously increased the PAF's capabilities a decade after it <a href="http://www.indiandefencereview.com/spotlights/1971-air-war-battle-for-air-supremacy/" target="_top">last fought</a> the IAF.The US <a href="https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/pakistan%E2%80%99s-long-controversial-love-affair-f-16-fighting-falcon-47682" target="_top">paused</a> F-16 deliveries in 1990 because of Pakistan's nuclear program, but they resumed in 2005, and the PAF now has some 75 F-16s. Their use is <a href="https://warontherocks.com/2020/08/how-americas-experience-with-pakistan-can-help-it-deal-with-turkey/" target="_top">conditional and closely monitored</a> by the US, but Pakistan would likely have no qualms about using them in an all-out war.In 2019, a <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26836/we-cut-through-the-conflicting-claims-and-misinformation-surrounding-indias-strikes-on-pakistan" target="_top">series of skirmishes</a> between India and Pakistan included airstrikes on each other's territory and resulted in one MiG-21 Bison being shot down by PAF fighters, possibly by an F-16. It was the first time since 1971 that air attacks had been conducted across the Line of Control.During the Cold War, China sold Pakistan its J-6 and J-7 fighters, which were Chinese copies of Russia's MiG-19 and MiG-21. The PAF has also benefitted from Pakistan's closer ties with China in recent years.<div type="image" title="India Kashmir MiG-21 Bison crash" height="998" width="1400" msid="85853179" hostid="261"></div>Their air forces <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/China-and-Pakistan-conduct-joint-air-drills-with-eye-on-India" target="_top">re</a><a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/China-and-Pakistan-conduct-joint-air-drills-with-eye-on-India" target="_top">gularly</a> conduct joint <a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202101/1211811.shtml" target="_top">exercises</a>, and they have even jointly developed a fourth-generation multirole combat aircraft, the <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/fc1xiaolongjf17thund/" target="_top">JF-17</a>, of which Pakistan has over 100.China and Pakistan are now <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/china-pakistan-upgrading-fighter-aircraft-used-against-indian-air-force-report/story-BS87X5ux3Xaj8QqS6jtssN.html" target="_top">planning</a> upgrades to Pakistan's JF-17 fleet, and China has <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chinese-pla-tries-to-psyche-indian-army-by-supplying-armed-drones-to-pak/story-tySb4UnKimFUYIxJdP3xGL.html" target="_top">announced</a> the sale of 50 <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/wing-loong-unmanned-aerial-vehicle-uav/" target="_top">Wing Loong II combat drones</a> to Pakistan. Pakistan may also <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/is-the-chinese-jh-7-an-answer-to-the-pakistan-air-forces-deep-strike-needs/" target="_top">acquire</a> Chinese strike aircraft.China's own air force also poses a threat to the IAF. Particularly worrying for India are the <a href="http://www.military-today.com/aircraft/j10.htm" target="_top">J-10</a> and <a href="http://www.military-today.com/aircraft/j11.htm" target="_top">J-11</a> fighters and the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2020/08/17/chinese-stealth-fighters-head-west-to-confront-india/?sh=5f36556a1b85" target="_top">J-20</a> stealth fighter.The aerial threat from China was abundantly clear after last year's deadly standoff along its disputed border with India.India has a longer history of air operations in the area, but China is <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/41065/tracking-chinas-sudden-airpower-expansion-along-its-western-border" target="_top">rapidly building and expanding</a> air bases and defenses along its western borders.<h2>A major modernization</h2><div type="image" title="Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jet" height="1333" width="2000" msid="85853182" hostid="261"></div>Appreciating the threats, the IAF has committed to modernization.In 2016, India signed a contract with French firm Dassault Aviation four 36 Rafale multirole fighters. Twenty-six of them have been <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-has-received-26-rafale-aircraft-till-date-govt/article35585665.ece" target="_top">delivered</a> so far, and some have <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/indian-air-force-deploys-first-rafales-in-east-to-counter-china-121072900013_1.html" target="_top">already been deployed</a> to counter possible Chinese aggression.The IAF has also purchased 15 CH-47 Chinook helicopters and 22 AH-64 Apache gunships, both of which have also been <a href="https://theprint.in/defence/iaf-deploys-apache-attack-helicopters-and-chinooks-in-ladakh-increases-combat-air-patrols/445072/" target="_top">deployed</a> to the border region.India has developed its own lightweight <keyword id="12004878" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fighter-jet" source="Orion">fighter jet</keyword>, the <a href="https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/tejas/" target="_top">HAL Tejas</a>, and has about 20 in service. The original order for 40 fighters was supplemented by <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/rs-48000-crore-landmark-deal-india-clears-purchase-of-83-tejas-jets-for-iaf/articleshow/80251469.cms" target="_top">an additional order</a> of 83 improved Tejas Mark 1A variants, with a second production line <a href="https://theprint.in/defence/govt-clears-rs-48000-cr-deal-for-83-tejas-mk-1a-all-you-want-to-know-about-the-aircraft/584743/" target="_top">built</a> to speed up production.To meet its needs in the near-term, India is <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/after-tejas-india-moves-ahead-to-procure-more-mig-29s-sukhois/articleshow/80320199.cms" target="_top">buying</a> another 21 MiG-29s and 12 Su-30MKIs. It is also <a href="https://tass.com/defense/1316503" target="_top">upgrading</a> its MiG-29 fleet and modifying its Su-30MKIs to be able to fire Brahmos cruise missiles.<div type="image" title="Indian Air Force Tejas fighter jet" height="1326" width="2000" msid="85853185" hostid="261"></div>The IAF is also seeking 114 medium multirole combat aircraft.The US-made F/A-18E/F and F-15, the French-built Rafale, the European-made Eurofighter Typhoon, and Russia's MiG-35 and Su-35 - all twin-engine jets - are in the running, as are the single-engine Swedish-built JAS 39 Gripen and US-built F-21, a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lockheed-martin-unveils-f21-fighter-jet-to-compete-for-india-contract-2019-2" target="_top">version of the F-16</a> designed specifically for India.India also has a number of high-profile domestic projects in development. It plans to fly a prototype from its own <a href="https://eurasiantimes.com/indias-5th-gen-aircraft-iaf-to-model-its-amca-on-us-f-35s-instead-of-j-20-or-su-57-jets-experts/" target="_top">fifth-generation stealth fighter program</a> by 2025 and recently <a href="https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/hal-announces-unmanned-fighter-jet-207899" target="_top">unveiled</a> an unmanned fighter jet program.India has relied on foreign suppliers for much of its military hardware - especially <a href="https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2021/07/21/russia-sees-india-as-prospective-buyer-for-checkmate-jet-but-will-iaf-want-it.html" target="_top">Russia</a>, with which it has a longstanding but <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-s400-purchase-risks-us-sanctions-amid-competition-with-china-2021-5" target="_top">increasingly fraught</a> relationship - but many of the new acquisition efforts will require some degree of local production as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" program aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing.Amid ongoing tensions with China and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china-pakistan-india-jockey-position-afghanistans-new-great-game-2021-08-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renewed uncertainty</a> about the future in Afghanistan, India's efforts to expand and modernize its air force show how serious it is about countering the threat from its two most contentious neighbors.

India is updating its air force for a modern war, and China isn't its only concern

New Delhi, As Indians across the world gear up to celebrate the <keyword id="10606657" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="72nd-republic-day">72nd Republic Day</keyword>, Twitter on Monday announced the <keyword id="6356110" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="launch">launch</keyword> of a specially dedicated <keyword id="859539" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="emoji">emoji</keyword> to mark this momentous occasion. The unique emoji design depicts the <keyword id="15141" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> (IAF) fly past in the Indian tri-colours. The flypast soars the skies as part of the Republic Day celebrations each year. "With Covid-19 restrictions in place, we needed to find a way to bring the parade to the virtual public square. This year's emoji is not only a special tribute to the fly past - the showstopper of the parade each year - it is a way of bringing people together in the spirit of celebration," Payal Kamat, Public Policy, <keyword id="749437" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter-India">Twitter India</keyword> said in a statement. President Ramnath Kovind will <keyword id="6354904" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="tweet">tweet</keyword> with the emoji, calling upon Indians in the country and across the world to revel in the celebrations and sentiments of national pride and unity. The IAF too will Tweet out the emoji and urge citizens to use the hashtag #TouchTheSkies and show their respect to men and women in Blue as they soar the skies on Republic Day. The emoji will be live until 30 January and will be available in English as well as ten Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Urdu, Kannada, Punjabi. Marathi, Malayalam, Bengali, Telugu, Gujarati. This is the sixth year Twitter has supported Republic Day in India with a dedicated emoji. Previously, the service has added zing to the Republic Day conversations with emojis representing the map of India, Indian tricolour, India Gate, Ashoka Chakra, and a tricolour symbol of India Gate. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/an-american-electric-car-maker-explains-why-it-took-a-different-route-than-elon-musks-tesla-tata-motors-or-mahindra/articleshow/80442243.cms?upcache=2">An American electric car maker explains why it took a different route than Elon Musk’s Tesla, Tata Motors or Mahindra</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/new-realme-stores-in-india-and-ceo-says-there-is-plan-for-new-devices/articleshow/80443801.cms">EXCLUSIVE: Realme plans to open 500 new stores in 2021⁠— the CEO reveals the company will go beyond smartphones in the 5G era</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/amplify-ai-the-conversational-ai-startup-founded-by-two-south-asians-has-scored-big-with-brands-and-governments/articleshow/80443958.cms">From Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' win to the Modi government's COVID-19 reach out⁠— a startup founded by two South Asians has scored big with brands and governments</a>

Twitter celebrates India's Republic Day with a new emoji

WASHINGTON: India’s newly-acquired American C-130J Super Hercules plane that crashed last week near Gwalior has been under intense scrutiny in the United States and <keyword id="6356687" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="canada">Canada</keyword> after a Senate investigation concluded that counterfeit parts in the aircraft’s display systems could cause it to "lose data or even go blank altogether" in midflight, with potentially catastrophic consequences. 
 A 2011-2012 investigation by the US Senate armed services committee eventually traced the counterfeit electronic parts used in the C-130J, C-27J, and many other US military systems to a company in <keyword id="95282" type="COMPANY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Shenzhen">Shenzhen</keyword>, China, called Hong Dark Electronic Trade Company. Hong Dark sold the parts at issue to Global IC Trading Group, an independent distributor in the US, which in turn sold it to L-3 Communications Display Systems, which in turn supplied it to Lockheed Martin, the US military’s prime contractor for the C-130J. 
 Amid scathing observations by the Senate panel, the <keyword id="6404246" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="US-Air-Force">US air force</keyword> suspended and banned Hong Dark in 2012 from competing for government contracts and subcontracts, but testimony before the armed services committee showed stunning lapses in the supply chain and procurement procedures for the military systems, including the C-130J Super Hercules, six of which New Delhi contracted to buy in 2010 for $1.1 billion, around Rs 1000 crores apiece. 
 
India has plans to buys six more to augment its transport fleet with the much-acclaimed aircraft, which has won plaudits for its safety record and its versatility. The acquisition enables the Indian military to put boots and supplies on the ground in remote and inhospitable terrain, giving it matchless reach in the region. 
 
However, the aircraft display systems itself will now come under scrutiny — if it already hadn’t been under the scanner — although the cause of the Gwalior crash is yet to be determined. The US Senate committee report is withering in its observations not only about US procurement and supply chain system, but also the casual manner in which private contractors treated the issue once the counterfeit parts were detected. 
 
The story begins in November 2010 when L-3 Display Systems detected that the company’s in-house failure rate for a chip installed on display units used in C-130J and C-27J had more than tripled from 8.5 per cent to 27 per cent. L-3 also noticed that the same part had previously failed on a fielded military plane. The company sent the chips for testing, which resulted in identification of "multiple abnormalities," with the tester concluding that the parts were "suspect counterfeit." 
 
"Failure of the memory chip could cause a display unit to show a degraded image, lose data, or even go black altogether," the Senate report said, noting that "unfortunately, L-3 Display Systems had already installed parts from the suspect lot on more than 400 of its display units," including those intended for the C-27J, as well as the C-130J. 
 
In effect, what the IAF’s court of inquiry will need to look at is whether India received any of the contaminated display units in the six C-130J it bought from the US, and if it did, whether the US, including Lockheed Martin, alerted IAF to it. India’s own procurement process, including whether the buyer tracked and followed up the troubles associated with the C-130J, including the Senate’s investigation, will also have to be reviewed. 
 
At least in Canada, another C-130J customer, a CBC investigation in early 2013 highlighted the troubles with the aircraft’s instrument panel, although the government there glossed over the issue initially. 
 
But the Senate investigation offers a disturbing picture of people up the supply chain not particularly alarmed at the contamination of crucial display systems with counterfeit parts. According to the senate report (page 35), following the detection of the fakes, L-3 Display Systems on November 4, 2010, issued a part purge notification, quarantining the company’s own stock of the suspect memory chips. 
 
It did not, however, recommend to its customer that assemblies affected by the suspect counterfeit chips be returned for replacement of those chips. As a result, hundreds of display units intended for and installed on C-130Js and C-27Js included the suspect counterfeit memory chip, well after its discovery by L-3 Display Systems. 
 Lockheed Martin, the US military’s prime contractor for the C-130J, does not cover itself with glory either in the episode. The Senate report notes that when L-3 notified Lockheed of the problem, Lockheed engineers discussed the matter internally and decided "no action" was necessary and the display units did not need to be returned for repair. Lockheed Martin also "did not formally notify the <keyword id="6354954" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Air-Force">Air Force</keyword> of the suspect counterfeit chip in the C-130J." 
 According to Senate investigators, while Lockheed Martin told the Air Force that the suspect counterfeit parts were "functionally complaint" to authentic <keyword id="1459679" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="genuine-parts">genuine parts</keyword>, the Air Force was apparently not informed that the failure rate of the part had tripled during acceptance and environmental stress testing. 
 
The Senate report concluded that since its investigation, hearing and public release of information about the counterfeit chips, the US Air Force had reported that they are aggressively taking action to remove the parts in question, audit the supply chains etc. But as of March 2012, the report noted, Lockheed Martin had removed and replaced only a handful of the display units in the C-130J that are affected by the suspect counterfeit memory chip. 
 The worrying part for Indian defense planners is that the Senate panel talks of several other US military platforms, such as <keyword id="6357957" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Boeing">Boeing</keyword>’s P8A-Poseidon — a custom-made variant of which has been supplied to the <keyword id="6355100" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Indian-Navy">Indian Navy</keyword> — being contaminated with counterfeit Chinese parts. 
 
According to the US air force, "approximately 84,000 suspect counterfeit electronic parts purchased from Hong Dark entered the DoD supply chain, and many of these parts have been installed on DoD aircraft."

Did IAF’s 'US-Made' C-130J Super Hercules That Crashed Have Fake Chinese Parts?

<ul><li>The Indian government has pushed through a stack of defence projects to the tune of $1.2 billion on August</li><li>This comes after the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) had already approved arms projects worth $5.5 billion last month. </li><li>The biggest beneficiary, <keyword id="86569" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hindustan-Aeronautics-Limited">Hindustan Aeronautics Limited</keyword> (HAL), saw its share price jump by over 4% as markets opening today morning. </li><li>The entire $1.2 billion will be spent on the domestic industry with companies like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and <keyword id="534703" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharat-Heavy-Electricals-Limited">Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited</keyword> (BHEL) reaping the benefits.</li></ul>India is spending another ₹8.7 lakh crore ($1.2 billion) on defence projects after having already having approved ₹38.9 lakh crore ($5.5 billion) for arms projects last month. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="77098939" title="New drones, Rafale fighter jets, tanks and much more — India-China border dispute has lit a fire to upgrade military technology" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Last time around the lion’s share of the capital— around ₹31.1 lakh crore ($4.44 billion) — was directed towards the domestic industry. This time the entire amount is going to local manufacturers like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL). HAL's share price saw a jump over 4% as markets opened today morning. <div type="image" title="HAL share price" msid="77497628" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;HAL&amp;#39;s share price since July&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> BHEL's share price on the other hand remained muted showing a marginal uptake of over 1%. <div type="image" title="BHEL share price since July" msid="77497651" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;BHEL share price since July&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> The projects approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (<a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetail.aspx?PRID=1645092">DAC</a>) in its meeting today headed by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh include new aircraft, more firepower for the <keyword id="6355100" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Navy">Indian Navy</keyword>, as well as approvals that will speed the procurement and upgrades of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The <keyword id="15141" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Air-Force">Indian Air Force</keyword> (IAF) needs more eyes in the sky In July, the DAC approved the proposal to procure 21 new MiG-29 aircraft along with upgrading the existing 59 already enlisted with the Air Force. It also sanctioned buying 12 new Sukhoi-20 MK I aircraft. Pushing on the narrative of Athmanibhar Bharat, self-reliant India, the government has put an order for 106 of the newly developed Basic Trainer Aircraft from HAL. Initially, 70 of these jets will be inducted to meet the IAF’s training requirements once they receive the required certification. The remaining 36 will be picked up once the HTT-40 fleet — another trainer aircraft that HAL invested ₹550 crore to develop — is operational. Increasing the Indian Navy’s firepower Other than, the primary beneficiary of the DAC’s project approval is BHEL. The government has approved the procurement of an upgraded version of the Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM). It is the main fun onboard Navy and Indian Coast Guard warships. According to the government, the upgraded version of the SRGM will increase the capabilities of the warships to manoeuvre against fast-moving targets like missiles. It will also enhance the engagement range of the guns. The <keyword id="6354416" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army">Indian Army</keyword> won’t be left out of the fray. It will be getting new 125 mm Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) ammunition. 70% of the product will be made in India and the ammunition will be brought in under a ‘design and development case’. Other approvals are aimed at speeding up the procurement of Indo-Russian AK 203 guns and push through faster upgrades for UAVs. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/tcs-tech-mahindra-hcl-tech-and-wipro-could-gain-from/articleshow/77478306.cms">India's armed forces are potential clients for TCS, Tech Mahindra, HCL Tech and the likes</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/heres-a-full-list-of-weapons-that-indias-defence-sector-can-get-from-local-companies/slidelist/77459796.cms">List of weapons that India can make at home — and the ones it cannot</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/indias-defence-ministry-introduces-import-embargo-on-101-items-to-boost-atmanirbhar-bharat-abhiyan/articleshow/77442031.cms">India’s Defence Ministry introduces “import embargo” on 101 items to boost Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan</a>

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