Aerospace Diary

DEFENCE NOTES 13th February 2016 - 1:47 by  Neelam Mathews  in Delhi  The Indian Navy’s international fleet review, held off the Andhra Pradesh coast and featuring 75 warships plus 24 international warships, sent out a loud message. The force is moving beyond its initial role of protecting coastal waters to expand its role as a world-class blue-water navy. Already, India’s ‘Look East’ policy is gaining ground with Narendra Modi’s government upgrading it to ‘Act East.’ India has viewed with caution China’s growing naval presence in the Indian Ocean, and its large investments in ports in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. India’s policy has been led in part by a balancing act with China, and a desire for a greater international role following its economic growth.  In recent years, India’s readiness to play a bigger regional strategic role has expanded maritime relations with Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. Mari...

DELHI—The 14th “Malabar” exercise with frontline units of the U.S. Navy’s 7th fleet and the Indian navy’s Western Fleet are being conducted in the Arabian Sea from April 23-May 2. The thrust of the exercise this year will be anti-submarine warfare, surface firings,maritime interdiction,board-search-and-seizure and submarine operations. The Malabar exercises include a range of operational activities at sea. The U.S. Navy will be represented by ships from Combined Task Force (CTF) 70 of the Navy’s 7th Fleet, based at Yokosuka, Japan. The CTF will include the Cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67); destroyers USS Chaffee (DDG 90) and USS Lassen (DDG 82); and the frigate USS Curts (FFG 38). In addition, one Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Annapolis (SSN 760), two P-3C Orion aircraft and a 28-member U.S. Navy Special Forces team will participate. The Indian navy will be represented by: guided-missile destroyer INS Mysore; three guided-missile frigates—INS Godavari, INS Brahmaput...