Indian DRDO To Start New AWACS Program

Indian New AWACS Aircraft

Indian DRDO has just started development of the Rs 6,000 crore Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) that will have the capability to penetrate "longer distances" enemy territory by its radars and electronic warfare equipment without venturing into the region physically, a top defence official said Friday.

‘DRDO’s  V K Saraswat said DRDO just started the programme, after clearance from the Government recently.

Asked how it's different from the indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system, he said: "AWACS is a heavier and high endurance system, which can give you in terms of coverage about 360 degrees as against AEW&C which is about 270 degree coverage".

"Both have a role. All over the world, people have AEW&C and AWACS in a tandem mode because each one does its role and that's what our country is also doing", Saraswat said.

He said two AEW&C aircraft would be ready this year, adding, "By 2014, we will complete delivery of all the three aircraft (AEW&C) to Indian Air Force".

China PLAAF To Shoot US Anti-Submarine Warfare Plane P3 Orion

J-10B Fighter Jet Takes Off

US aircraft were shadowed by Chinese fighters in airspace near the border between China and Japan on Jan. 10, reports the Global Times, a nationalist Chinese tabloid.

A US Navy P-3C patrol plane based at Misawa Air Base and a US Air Force C-130 cargo plane based at Yokota Air Base were tailed by Chinese J-7 and J-10 fighters last week. When both American aircraft reached the air border between China and Japan on Jan. 10, Chinese fighters were scrambled to intercept them, according to Tokyo's Sankei Shimbun newspaper. The report said the PLA Air Force's move was an apparent overreaction to movement of aircraft taking off from Japanese bases.

On the same day, PLA fighters also appeared near the disputed Diaoyutai islands (Diaoyu in China or Senkaku in Japan). P-3C, EP-3 and OP-3 reconnaissance aircraft attached to Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force were dispatched to collect data on the Chinese aircraft. Two E-2C early warning aircraft were also deployed to prevent a direct confrontation between the PLA Air Force and Japan's Air Self-Defense Force.

On Jan. 11, China's defense ministry said that as Chinese aircraft were followed by two Japanese F-15J fighters first, the two PLA J-10 fighters were only sent as a response to observe Japanese jets close to Chinese airspace.

Chinese Experts Says Y-20 outperforms Russian Il-76

China's Y-20 Military Transport Aircraft

China's first large military transport aircraft Y-20 carries the dream and expectation of millions of Chinese people. Compared with the Il-76MD, the Y-20 has larger volume, more reasonable fuselage space and layout, and higher engine power.

The Y-20 not only outperforms Il-76 but also has Chinese characteristics in super critical airfoils, integrated avionics, cabin equipment, composite materials and their processing.

The performance parameters of the Y-20 are quite close to those of Russian IL-476.Operated by three aircrew members, the Y-20 has the highest load-carrying capacity of 66 tons, a fuselage length of 47 meters, a wingspan of 45 meters and a height of 15 meters, and bears the maximum take-off weight of a little more than 200 tons. It has atraditional layout and strong adaptability to take-off and landing fields, as evidenced by being able to take off and land at airstrips and carry the vast majority of combat and support vehicles of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

China CAC Testing Its "Global Hawk" Like XiangLong UAV

China Global Hawk Like XiangLong UAV

China Global Hawk Like XiangLong UAV

Chinese Dark Sword Stealth Drone

Chinese Dark Sword Stealth Drone

Chinese J-10B Block 1 Fighter Jet Emerges

Chinese J-10B Block 1 Fighter Jet

Chinese J-10B Block 1 Fighter Jet

China Should Develop Larger Aircraft Carriers Armed With New-Concept Weapons

China should develop larger aircraft carriers armed with new-concept weapons, Chinese naval expert Li Jie said while communicating about the country’s first successful fighter jet landing on its aircraft carrier. 

China's Future Aircraft Carrier

Li said that China should develop larger aircraft carriers. The larger an aircraft carrier is the more aircraft it can carry, including fighter or attack aircraft. The United States has integrated fighters with attack aircraft, which can reduce the number of aircraft types and is more suitable for future wars. 

Li said that ski-jump takeoffs place limits on the takeoff speed and payload of an aircraft, so China should make efforts to deploy steam or electromagnetic catapults on its future aircraft carriers.