The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in late 2020, included the heavy use of missiles, drones, and rocket artillery. Clearly, Azerbaijani drones were the centre of attention in this war and helped Azerbaijan take control of the skies. Azerbaijani drones provided significant advantages in ISR as well as long-range strikeContinue reading “Lethal Autonomous Aerial Weapon Systems – Realities of the Future”
Category Archives: Aerospace Now
IAF’s Fighter Fleet Requirements and Options Ahead
The Galwan showdown of June 2020 and the continuing stand-off between the world’s two powerful nations India and China has brought the focus back on Indian Armed Forces capability building. Indian Air Force‘s (IAF) fighter fleet modernisation has been in discussion. The convergence of strategic interests between China and Pakistan and their rapidly modernizing airContinue reading “IAF’s Fighter Fleet Requirements and Options Ahead”
MILITARY AVIATION INDIGENOUS PRODUCTION – STRATEGY INDIA
India’s defence aviation industry is at times accused of not having significantly met the indigenous production needs of the air arms of the Indian armed forces despite being in existence for nearly seven decades. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), for long had master the art of license production, wherein they assembled aircraft from Original Equipment ManufacturerContinue reading “MILITARY AVIATION INDIGENOUS PRODUCTION – STRATEGY INDIA”
Chinese Wing Loong UAVs – Proliferating Across the World
The Chengdu Pterodactyl I, also known as Wing Loong, is a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group of China. Designed for surveillance and aerial reconnaissance platform, the Pterodactyl I is capable of being fitted with air-to-surface weapons for use in an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) role.Continue reading “Chinese Wing Loong UAVs – Proliferating Across the World”
Leasing Defence Equipment – Faster, Cheaper, and Effective
Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 that became effective last year, was meant to hasten the procurement process. It introduced for the first time the option for the armed forces to procure military equipment on lease. Given the resource crunch facing the Indian armed forces, the option of leasing would be a handy option for theContinue reading “Leasing Defence Equipment – Faster, Cheaper, and Effective”
Drones – Security, Sovereignty and Identities
Drone attacks entered the mainstream news and gained prominence around the very beginning of the 2010s decade their increased usage by the Obama administration, even though it wasn’t the first time drones were used in the role. The use of drone strikes to eliminate supposed terrorist elements hurting the American War on Terror in AfghanistanContinue reading “Drones – Security, Sovereignty and Identities”
A Professional’s Rambling? Evolution of Airpower – Challenges, Questions, and Thoughts
End of Manned Figher Jet Era? During an informal chat with Lt. Gen John Thompson of US Space Command, Elon Musk made a very provocative statement and that too, in a room full of fighter pilots. He stated that the manned “fighter jet era has passed”. This happened during the annual US Air Force Association’sContinue reading “A Professional’s Rambling? Evolution of Airpower – Challenges, Questions, and Thoughts”
Does India Need a Long-Range Bomber?
A saying that was allegedly unpopular with fighter pilots is that there are only two types of pilots, those that drop bombs and those who support them. While fighter flying has attained a type of romantic image of the rakish cur with goggles and a devil-may-care attitude, the bomber has created a more sinister imageContinue reading “Does India Need a Long-Range Bomber?”
Akash Air Defence Missile– India’s Formidable Weapon System
Akash is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile defence system developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for Missile Systems, Bharat Electronics (BEL), Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division and Larsen & Toubro for radars, control centres, launcher systems. The Akash New Generation missile system can target aircraftContinue reading “Akash Air Defence Missile– India’s Formidable Weapon System”
Analysis of Peacetime Attrition of Historical IAF Aircraft
As a long term, non military observer of the Indian Air Force for over 50 years I believe I have a unique outsider’s perspective of the Air Force. In this era of social media the number of military aviation enthusiasts and followers can be seen to be enormous, but up to the early 1990s observersContinue reading “Analysis of Peacetime Attrition of Historical IAF Aircraft”
Air Power Asia 