Aerospace Diary

by   Neelam Mathews  -  December 18, 2014, 12:24 PM Russian president Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi(Photo: Indian Prime Minister’s Office) India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi was quick to reaffirm friendly ties during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Delhi on December 11 by signing defense agreements that include possible licensed production of the Kamov Ka-226T helicopter. But Russia’s policy tilt toward Pakistan, with the lifting of an embargo on the supply of military hardware and the start of talks with Islamabad for the sale of Mi-35 helicopters, seems to have rung alarm bells in Delhi. The Ka-226T is a competitor for the Reconnaissance Surveillance Helicopter (RSH) requirement that has been postponed twice in the past decade. The new Indo-Russian defense agreement could result in scrapping of theRFP for 197 RSHs for the Indian Army and Air Force. The Airbus Helicopters AS550 C3 Fennec and the Bell 407 ...

ROTORHUB 08th September 2014 - 15:20 by  Neelam Mathews  in New Delhi  With more than 1200 villages affected by the worst floods in 50 years in India’s northern region of Jammu and Kashmir, the military is carrying out relief and rescue operations, with the Indian Air Force (IAF)  Mi-17-1V workhorse  at the forefront. Pakistan, across the border, is also facing a familiar situation. At the time of writing on 8 September, 1737 people and 315.5 tonnes of relief material had been airlifted by the IAF using 45 fixed and rotary wing aircraft flying 186 sorties.   The state government of  Jammu and Kashmir  – which has access to a small fleet of King Air 350 turboprops,  Bell 407s , and....Read more on Shephard Media (subscription)

20 March 2014 - 11:13 by  Neelam Mathews  in New Delhi India has received its first batch of 19  Mi-17V5s  as New Delhi continues to clash with Italy over the  termination of its deal  to purchase  AW101 helicopters . India’s Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the government will file an appeal against a Milan court order rejecting India’s plea ... Subscribe to get the full article and a whole lot more from Shephard Plus

AVIATION INTERNATIONAL NEWS  »  AUGUST 2013 by    NEELAM MATHEWS India’s air force rescued thousands trapped in the mountains after June’s landslides and flooding. August 2, 2013, 4:55 AM Landslides and flooding in the mountains of North India in mid-June that killed approximately 10,000 and stranded more than 80,000 triggered the largest-ever search-and-rescue operation by the Indian military. The more than 60 aircraft involved in the operation contended with treacherous weather, low visibility and strong winds; high-tension wires; and no infrastructure or lights on the ground in perilous landing zones with no helipads. “Military pilots are trained always to find a place to land,” Nasir Hanfee, retired  IAF  helicopter pilot, told  AIN . However, this skill can prove elusive for larger helicopters that need more space. For example, while a Chetak (Alouette  III ) can land in a three-meter-diameter spac...

Paris Air Show  »  2013 by  Neelam Mathews The AS350 B3e is ideal for passenger transport, EMS, aerial work, law enforcement and disaster management. June 14, 2013, 1:10 PM India’s small-but-strategic South Asian neighbors, including Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, will procure around 30 helicopters in different categories in the next five years, according to an internal study conducted by Sikorsky. While Indian military helicopter procurement plans are for more than 1,000 helicopters by 2020, including light utility, attack, Mi-17 medium transport, heavy-lift and multi-role platforms, even as its GDP grew by over 6 percent last year, Bangladesh has the largest budget for procurement in the Indian periphery. With no helicopters of its own, the disaster management and...

Neelam Mathews Dec 24, 2012 With numerous bids pending, news is coming in that a contract to buy additional 42 Sukhoi 30 MKI fighters and previously announced 71 Mi-17 helicopters has been signed with India's old ally, Russia. India has already signed a pact for delivery of 80 Mi-17 V5 helicopters, of which 42 have already been inducted since February this year.