Aero India 2017: Catch the Rafale, Tejas, home-built AEWC in action

Aero India 2017, Asia's largest air show, is going to see a big first: A Chinese delegation. The show, which started on Tuesday, will see a five-member team from China participate, reported the BangaloreMirror. The Chinese delegation belongs to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

The other big news? The airshow also saw the induction of the indigenous surveillance aircraft by The Indian Air Force (IAF). So far, the IAF had been operating airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEWC) which are based around Israeli-built primary sensors and Russian platforms. While more than six years behind schedule, the DRDO-built AEWC aircraft was handed over to the IAF on the opening day of Aero India 2017, reported The Hindu.  

Testament to exactly how large the show, held at the Yelahanka air force base, is? This time around, over 550 defence and aerospace firms, including 279 foreign companies, are taking part in the event. 

Here are the highlights and things to watch out for

1) Catch the Rafale, F-16 and Gripen

The show will see the participation of 72 state-of-the-art aircraft, including the French-built Dassault Rafale and the American Lockheed Martin F-16 combat aircraft. While Dassault has already secured its deal for supplying the IAF with 36 Rafale fighter jets in a government-to-government contract, Lockheed Martin is still looking at a way to shift its F-16 production line to India and is competing against the Swedish-built Saab Gripen for supplying fighter jets to the IAF. The Rafale will perform solo flights daily during the air show, officials from Dassault Aviation have said. Three Rafale fighter aircraft will take part in the biennial air show. 

2) Catch the Indian acrobatics team

The show will also witness aerobatics by IAF's 'Surya Kiran' and 'Sarang' teams. Further, the air show team from Sweden and the UK's Evolvkos aerobatic team will also enthral spectators. The 'Surya Kiran' team, flying the Hawk AJT aircraft since 2015, is scheduled to perform for the record 500th time on Tuesday. 

(https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/aero-india-2017-set-for-flying-start-on-tuesday-with-over-70-aircraft-117021300573_1.html) 

3) Catch the Tejas, and more from HAL

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will showcase a mock-up of India's first indigenous multi-role helicopter, while an indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) will also be present at the event. The IAF plans to purchase 83 Mark 1A LCA at a cost of Rs 50,025 crore and the Defence Acquisition Council has already given its nod to the procurement by way of acceptance of necessity. This is over and above the 40 Tejas aircraft that the IAF is already getting. Further, the IAF inducted two Tejas LCA in July last year. The maiden flight of HAL's Light Utility Helicopter was also one of the highlights of the show. 

(https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/big-defence-deals-cleared-arms-firms-wont-get-blanket-bans-for-corruption-116110800225_1.html, https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/aero-india-2017-set-for-flying-start-on-tuesday-with-over-70-aircraft-117021300573_1.html) 

4) Naval fighter?

While the Tejas has seen continuing success with the IAF, albeit after years of delay, the Indian Navy does not seem to be too hot for the Indian bird. As reported earlier, the navy is hunting for a new foreign fighter jet after rejecting the Tejas as too heavy for carrier-borne operations. The navy last month invited manufacturers to pitch for 57 planes for its aircraft carriers. Boeing Co has pitched its F-A/18 Hornet, that the US navy flies from its carriers, while Sweden's Saab AB said on Friday it would offer a naval version of its Gripen fighter. While this iteration of the air show is unlikely to see live presentations by these naval fighters, it could well prove to be the place where others join the race. Specifically, the Rafale also has a naval version which the French Navy operates from its sole nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.  

5) The Made in India AEWC

 With the government's push for Make in India in defence, one of the biggest highlights was the induction of the home-built AEWC aircraft. The AEW&C system is a system of systems, comprising a state-of-the-art active electronically scanned array radar, secondary surveillance radar, electronic and communication counter measures, LOS (Line of Sight) and beyond LOS data link, voice communication system and self-protection suite, built into an Embraer-145 aircraft.