Aerospace Diary

Feb 26,2019 Good Morning! Found this statement from Thales interesting. Also shows jobs are not getting lost but moving in different direction. Since 2016, Thales has hired 5,000 to 6,000 people a year. And in 2019, the company’s recruitment drive continues apace, with 5,500 new jobs created worldwide, including 2,500 in France. In 2019, Europe’s largest technology company is focusing on digital security to help invent the world of tomorrow — a world of autonomous systems and smart interconnected sensors. Thales will be recruiting all around the world, mainly in France with new jobs in all parts of the country, but also in Europe (United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands), Australia, Southeast Asia, India, the United States and Canada. About 70% of new hires will be engineers and managers to work in R&D, manufacturing, customer service and bid and project management. Thales is especially keen to attract experts in the four key digital technologies, with 400 jobs...

by  Neelam Mathews  - July 31, 2018, 11:52 AM As India’s general elections draw closer this year, the  deal signed in 2016  for 36 Dassault Rafales is getting attention in parliament as opposition political parties brawl over the contract they label as a “scam and graft,” while promising to make it an election issue against the present Narendra Modi government. Charges leveled against the government-to-government deal include lack of transparency on details and a cost that is claimed to be much higher than that negotiated in early 2012. That year, the Rafale emerged as the winner for the Indian Air Force’s 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft program. Negotiations by congress were not taken further due to unresolved issues on the transfer of technology and offsets between Dassault and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. The flyaway costs of the aircraft being supplied by Dassault Aviation now are less than those negotiated six years ago but, “the Mete...

by  Neelam Mathews  -  April 19, 2018, 10:01 AM A model of a Rafale in Indian colors displayed on the Dassault stand at an Aero India show. (Photo: Neelam Mathews) The training of Indian pilots and maintenance personnel in preparation for delivery of Rafale fighters is in progress in France, Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Eric Trappier told  AIN  in describing progress with the Indian air force contract for 36 Rafale fighters. He also commented on the latest Indian request for information (RFI) for more new fighters while visiting India as head of a delegation from the French Aerospace Industries Association (French acronym: GIFAS). However, Trappier made only passing reference to the financial and legal troubles that have recently beset the Reliance Group, Dassault’s partner in India for the Rafale contract.  In addition to the training in France, India is preparing a hangar at the Reliance Defence facility at Nagpur, where part...

by  Neelam Mathews   Jan 26, 2016 Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaffirmed India’s intention to acquire Rafale fighters from Dassault and military helicopters from Airbus, in talks with President François Hollande. France’s nine-year wait for a contract from India for the Rafale is not quite over, but an inter-government agreement covering acquisition of 36 fighters was signed during President François Hollande’s visit to New Delhi on January 26. Invited by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be the chief guest at India's Republic Day military parade in New Delhi, Hollande also joined the Indian leader in witnessing the confirmation of a previously announced partnership between Mahindra Defence and Airbus Helicopters. The Rafale signing “has effectively transformed the nature of the transaction from a commercial bid to a government to government sale,” Rahul Gangal, partner with consultancy group Roland and Berger, told  AIN . While Dassault Aviation...

by  Chris Pocock  and Neelam Mathews     March 26, 2015 The first two Indian air force Mirage 2000s to be upgraded were handled by the Dassault Flight Centre at Istres air base in France. (photo: Dassault Aviation) In a ceremony at Istres airbase in southern France on March 25, the Indian Ambassador to France accepted the first two Indian Air Force (IAF) Mirage 2000 fighters to be upgraded by Dassault and Thales. It has been agreed that the rest of the IAF fleet will be upgraded by HAL in Bangalore – a fact that the leadership of Dassault and Thales were keen to point out, in view of the long delays in sealing a licensed production deal for the Rafale. After a two-year development phase, the first flight of the upgraded Mirage 2000 I/TI took place at Istres on October 5, 2013. Today’s ceremony is the result of the excellent understanding between the Indian and French partners and of our commitment to India,” said Eric...

By  Neelam Mathews  -  November 26, 2014, 6:00 AM Indian defense ground radar requirements have driven the creation of a new Franco-Indian joint venture between Thales and Bharat Electronics ( BEL ), after a two-year delay.  BEL -Thales Systems will enable the French company to meet Indian offset and technology transfer commitments associated with an Indian Air Force ( IAF ) order for 19 radars. Thales holds 26 percent of the new company, and state-owned Bharat Electronics the other 74 percent. It has been created to design, develop, market, supply and support ground-based civilian and military radars. While Thales’s main strengths are in systems engineering, integration and testing,  BEL  has manufactured radars for the military. Thales will supply six of the 19 Ground Smarter ( GS 100) low level transportable radars ( LLTR ) that the  IAF  has ordered from France, with the other 13 to be assembled in  BEL 's facility nea...

AIN DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE  »  SEPTEMBER 19, 2014 by    NEELAM MATHEWS An upgrade to the Indian air force Mirage 2000 fleet is progressing, but a quarter of the unmodified aircraft are grounded for lack of spares. (Photo: Indian Air Force) September 19, 2014, 8:53 AM Although a $2.2 billion upgrade of India’s Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters is progressing, around a quarter of the fleet of 49 is grounded because a contract for spares has remained unsigned for years,  AIN  has learned  from sources involved in the program . “ Bureaucratic holdups have caused delays. As a result, parts are being cannibalized and there are some aircraft [inactive] since 2010. Life of some parts, especially avionics is expiring,” said an engineer   not willing to be identified.  Repairs of the Mirages are carried out at the base repair depot in Gwalior in the central state of Madhya Pradesh. The depot also does material planning ...

                                                                                           Posted by- Neelam Mathews              Aug 5, 2013 (Nb- Check out what's missing) MoD Release- The details of joint ventures by the private players in defense manufacturing is enclosed. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) amounting to Rs.24.36 crore (US$ 4.94 millions) has been received in defense industry sector from April 2000 to April 2013. The data regarding investment made by the Indian Private Sector Firms is not maintained.              63 applications have been received for Industrial License for manufacture of defense items from private companies in 20...