Aerospace Diary

by  Neelam Mathews  - September 22, 2015, 8:47 AM Even as India’s airlines remain undecided on the adoption of Gagan, the country’s indigenous  GPS  Waas-like system, the general aviation industry is likely to embrace the system once modalities on validation and certification are sorted out. To address these issues, the Airports Authority of India ( AAI ), general aviation aircraft  OEM s and members of India’s Business Aircraft Operators Association ( BAOA ) held an initial meeting last week in New Delhi. An independent directorate within  AAI  for communication, navigation and surveillance ( CNS ) is being proposed to ensure Gagan be given “a focus and priority.”  AAI  is currently developing procedures for 63 medium and small airports to make them Gagan-enabled. “The business aviation industry will find this useful given that the new civil aviation policy focuses on regional and remote connectivity,” said...

Neelam Mathews July 5, 2014 The government will need to start looking at aviation in its entirety and not in isolated blocks. Take for instance, the shortage of CNS manpower at Airports Authority of India, which is a  becoming a safety hazard even as new ATM facilities continue to be commissioned. If CNS staff, are not added as per present requirements, safety will be severely compromised, employees  informed the Chairman AAI recently. CNS and ATM Data Processing are the backbone of Air Traffic Services for safe and smooth operation of aircraft at airports and Indian airspace and accidents could be waiting to happen with overburdened and stressed people. Interestingly, DGCA’s Pre-commissioning Safety Audit for CNS-ATM facilities does not look into the Safety critical requirements of adequate CNS manpower for new facilities. “There is a missing link in the Safety Chain of Air Navigation Service….this is the weakest link in the chain....,” cautioned a recent letter...

April 17, 2014 Posted by Neelam Mathews Press Release The Government has appointed Admiral RK Dhowan PVSM AVSM YSM ADC as the Chief of the Naval Staff. Admiral RK Dhowan was commissioned in the Navy on 01 Jan 1975. He is a Navigation and Direction specialist who has served with distinction in an array of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments through his exemplary career spanning 40 years. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College and Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, USA. He has commanded frontline warships INS  Khukri ,  INS Ranjit , INS  Delhi  and served as Chief Staff Officer (Operations) Headquarters Western Naval Command. He has also served as Indian Naval Adviser at the High Commission of India, London. He has commanded the Eastern Fleet as Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet and served as Chief of Staff at Headquarters Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam. He also has the distinction of co...

Neelam Mathews December 3, 2012 A transparent sounding Chief of Indian Navy,   Admiral DK Joshi, minced no words at the Navy Day press conference, spiced with doses of subtle humor. Joshi informed Aerospace Diary that work on the Indian Aircraft Carrier-2 had started two years ago and ‘all options were being evaluated including arresting gear and it would take a “final shape” by mid- 2013. “We (then) hope to start requirement approvals.” This puts to rest all those critical of the IN saying no work had started on the IAC-2, a     sure recipe to another delayed program. An AEWC lands aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman   What is prime ofcourse, on everybody’s mind, is whether the carrier will opt for the catapult or ski-based design, which will determine the kind of aircraft that will be procured. Joshi was clear: “”if we are going in for big programs, we want a capability for operating that will have usage for the next 50 years...

Neelam Mathews Aug 11, 2012 I kept this as a weekend read. The grand old man of the Navy will soon be retiring and will be remembered for his candid, forthright, no-nonsense talk. At his final press conference on Aug 7, remarking on a publication that called him reticent, he said: “I ask myself, ‘Is it too late for an old sea dog to learn new tricks?’. …. One thing that I can assure you is that the Navy has not been short of significant accomplishments over the past three years.” Some excerpts: I took over as the Chief of the Naval Staff, nearly three years ago, on 31 Aug 09.Through a nautical perspective, I would say we were then in the close wake of two defining events in the maritime domain; the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai and the sharp increase in Piracy off the Gulf of Aden which was spreading dangerously close to our Lakshadweep and Minicoy islands.  In my first message to the Navy I had emphasized the need to focus on both ‘consolidation’ and ‘sust...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews Dec 2, 2011 Snippets- There is a growing acceptance of the fact that the maritime domain is the prime facilitator of our economic growth. More than 90% of our trade by volume and 77% by value is transported over the seas. Over 97% of our energy needs of oil are either imported or produced from offshore fields. Consequently, our economic growth is inextricably linked to the seas. We have commenced induction of assets and manpower and setting up of infrastructure to consolidate our coastal security organisation. Further, indigenous development of naval armament and equipment has been a focus area of the Navy and I am happy to state that there has been significant progress in this field. Perspective planning is the key to building and maintaining a force structure….. I am glad to note that earlier this year, we have formulated the Maritime Capabilities Perspective Plan and formalized the XII plan for 2012-17.    As I reiterate our firm commitm...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews Nov 17, 2011 Snippets- Today, the global significance of the Asia-Pacific region is universally recognized –in some quarters, the times that we live in are referred to as – the “Asia-Pacific Century”.   India undertook a strategic shift, when in 1991 we first enunciated our ‘Look East’ policy. Being naturally interested in matters military and maritime, two aspects particularly strike me as I reflect upon the region. The first is that the region has a distinct maritime footprint, not only because the dispersed Asia-Pacific nations are linked via the oceans, but also because the sea is a lifeline for economic growth in the region. The Asia Pacific is home to numerous major shipping lanes which service regional as well as global trade. Disruption of traffic flow on these routes could thus have a severe impact on the global economy. The second aspect relates to defense spending . The statistics are staggering by any account. In 2010, the Asia Pacific ...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews Oct 22, 2011 Speaking at the International Seapower Symposium in New Port, Rhode Island, Chief of Naval Staff, Adml Nirmal Verma said “ the international efforts towards combating piracy would benefit if there were fewer disparate task forces and independent naval operations. India ’s relative autonomy of efforts towards combating piracy off Somalia can be traced to its preference for a UN mandated operations which we believe if adopted would holistically enhance the efficacy of operations”. Ransom amounts have increased to an average of   $5.4 million per ship, from just $150,000. According to a recent study by One Earth Future the economic cost of piracy maybe as high as $12 billion a year. Presently nine ships with over 300 seafarers of a range of nationalities, including 53 Indians are hostages. Some excerpts: I would highlight the work of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) under the aegis of the United Nations, which w...

Adm. Nirmal Kumar Verma Neelam Mathews Printed headline: Master And Commander India is rapidly building its military into a world-class force that can defend the country’s burgeoning commercial interests, as well as provide security. The navy, in particular, has undertaken an expansion program that involves the acquisition and development of capital ships like aircraft carriers, frigates, destroyers and submarines; multimission aircraft, and advanced weapon systems. The navy has 7,500 km. (4,660 mi.) of coastline to monitor, is involved in antipiracy patrols off the east coast of Africa and in the Indian Ocean, and charged with guarding against terrorism and criminal activity, as well as with keeping sea lanes open in a region rife with tension. Contributing Editor Neelam Mathews interviewed the man at the helm of the Indian navy, Adm. Nirmal Kumar Verma, in New Delhi for his perspective on expansion and mission objectives. Defense Technology International: The navy is expandin...