Boeing KC-135 is on wet-lease under which the aircraft will be flown, manned and maintained by the pilots and crew belonging to an American firm. The US Air Force also uses a KC-135.
In a sign of the normalisation of India-US ties and increasing defence cooperation between the two nations, the Indian Air Force has leased a Boeing KC-135 plane, which is a mid-air refueller.
The US-made plane, which has a system to re-fuel fighter jets, transport planes and helicopters in mid-flight, landed at the IAF’s Agra base today.
This is the second strategic lease of military equipment from the US. Two high-altitude ‘predator’ drones have been leased from US company General Atomics. These drones provide excellent imagery during the military stand off with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)
The plane would also be used for operations of the Navy. At present, the IAF and the Navy use the fleet of six Russian IL -78 tankers, which are ageing and face maintenance issues. The IAF has been trying to get new mid-air refuellers since 2007.
The plane is on wet-lease under which the aircraft will be flown, manned and maintained by the pilots and crew belonging to an American firm. The US Air Force also uses a KC-135.
Watch: Wing Commander Namansh Syal’s final video just hours before fatal Tejas crash
In the last 20 months, this is the second time that the aircraft manufactured by the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd was involved in a crash
India’s Braveheart Pilot of Tejas Fighter Jet Wg Commander Namansh Syal seen here in a video during Dubai Air Show with India’s MoS Defence Sanjay Seth & India’s Envoy to UAE Deepak Mittal
The Indian Army’s Ram Division, part of the Kharga Corps under Western Command, conducted Exercise Ram Prahar, a major integrated all-arms and services manoeuvre, reaffirming Army’s evolution into a modern, adaptive, agile and technology-enabled fighting force.
The exercise underscored the Army’s focus on operational agility, multi-domain capability and real-time decision-making across land, air and cyber domains – reflecting a posture of preparedness, deterrence and strategic assurance in the current fragile regional security environment.
In a run-up to the exercise, the Division undertook a series of battle drills and validations of tactics, techniques and procedures. The exercise witnessed coordinated operations by armoured, infantry, engineer and aviation elements in a dynamic battlefield environment.
Employment of next-generation equipment, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) integration, AI-enabled decision support tools and network-based command and control systems demonstrated the Army’s ability to adapt, respond and prevail in complex, technology-driven battlefields.
The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, Lt Gen Manoj Kumar Katiyar, reviewed the exercise in the general area of Haridwar on Saturday and validated the operational doctrines and procedures.
Exercise Ram Prahar reflects the Indian Army’s resolve to remain agile, resilient and future-ready, drawing strength from synergy, innovation and its enduring bond with the people, a spokesperson for Western Command said.
Himachal pilot’s body flown back for last last rites at hometown Kangra
A day after a Tejas jet crashed at an airshow in Dubai, killing a pilot, top sources in the Indian Air Force dismissed speculation that the indigenous fighter jets would be grounded.
“No such grounding has taken place. All (Tejas) planes are cleared for flying,” said the sources. The IAF has 36 such jets in its fleet.
Meanwhile, the mortal remains of Wing Commander Namansh Syal, who died in the crash, have been flown back to India. An IAF plane flew in from Dubai with the remains of the pilot to Sulur, Tamil Nadu, the home base of one of the Tejas fighter jet squadron. Sources in the IAF said the cremation was planned at the family hometown in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh.
Wing Commander Syal was posted to the squadron at Sulur. The military leadership at the base and his colleagues will pay their last respects at an associated solemn ceremony. The mortal remains would then be moved to Kangra by the IAF for the last rites.
Wing Commander Syal was piloting a Tejas Mark-1 fighter aircraft at the Dubai air show and he died when the plane plunged to the ground while he was executing a low-flying manoeuvre called the ‘barrel roll’. The pilot tried to stabilise the jet, but could not eject in time. The ill-fated plane nosedived and erupted into a fireball on impact.
The Tejas Mark-1 plane manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is powered by the F-404 engine made by US company General Electric. The HAL delivered 38 jets in the first tranche, of which two have been lost. Another 180 jets of the upgraded variant of the jet, called Tejas Mark-1A, are on order with the HAL. Deliveries are yet to start.
A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident. Sources said there could be multiple reasons for malfunction, including trouble in the fly-by-wire system, engine failure, or any control system malfunctioning. The IAF would be retrieving the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder.
India-US navies to scale up drills, eye new-age domains
Admiral Tripathi’s US visit pushes tie-up in unmanned systems, cyber & space
India and the US are looking to collaborate on emerging military domains and refine the scope of their maritime exercises to make these more complex and challenging. These issues were discussed between the military leadership of both countries during Navy Chief Admiral DK Tripathi’s recent six-day visit to the US.
Collaboration on expanding military domains would include unmanned systems, surveillance, cyber and space-enabled maritime capabilities. The two sides operate several common-origin platforms such as MQ-9B drones and Boeing P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft, allowing them to share a common operational picture.
In the space domain, during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in February, the Transforming Relations Utilising Strategic Technologies (TRUST) initiative was announced to advance cooperation in space alongside defence, artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors and biotechnology.
The India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) is aimed at fostering startup partnerships in satellite technology and space situational awareness. Defence space cooperation has also deepened with India’s participation in the US Space Command’s Global Sentinel exercise.
On military exercises, the two sides are exploring expansion. “The two sides deliberated on refining bilateral and multilateral exercises,” the Navy said after the visit concluded.
The navies are looking to add greater complexity to the drills, including “submarine hunts” and tracking “enemy vessels”, which would strengthen the India-US maritime partnership and advance shared strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, sources said.
Both navies are part of strategic multi-nation constructs such as the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), which operates in the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. India hosts the Milan exercise, in which the US is an important participant. Along with Japan and Australia, both countries are also part of the Malabar Exercise.
The latest edition of Malabar was conducted last week at Guam, a US base in the Pacific Ocean.
Admiral Tripathi and US officials reviewed key pillars of India-US defence cooperation, including strengthening maritime security and domain awareness, expanding operational interoperability, enhancing information sharing, safeguarding sea lines of communication and critical undersea infrastructure, and coordinated responses to counter-piracy and other non-traditional security challenges.
Admiral Tripathi also met Admiral Samuel J Paparo, Commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Stephen T Koehler, Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, and other senior naval leaders.
Kangra is preparing to bid a tearful yet proud farewell to Wing Commander Namansh Syal, who lost his life in the LCA Tejas crash during the Dubai Air Show. His mortal remains will arrive from Sulur Air Base, Coimbatore, to Kangra airport at 12.30 pm on Sunday.
According to Nagrota Bagwan SDM Munish Sharma, the last rites will be performed at his native village, Patialkhad near Yol, with full military honours.
The district administration has made comprehensive arrangements to ensure a dignified tribute to the officer. Col Gopal Guleria, Zila Sainik Welfare Officer, told The Tribune that the Air Force unit stationed at Yol is supervising all formalities, while the local ex-servicemen’s unit, led by Hony Captain KC Dhiman, will attend in full uniform to honour this ‘brave son of the soil’.
Deputy Commissioner Hemraj Bairwa confirmed that Yadwinder Goma, Minister for AYUSH, Youth Services and Sports, along with local MLA and HPTDC Chairperson Raghubir Singh Bali, will represent the state government.
Former Speaker Vipin Singh Parmar, former Minister Sudhir Sharma and several other political leaders are also expected to pay their respects as the region unites to honour its valiant son.
GTG today at AVI Noida. It takes great efforts to organize by Veterans. We are grateful to Maj SPS Rathore who came from Lucknow, Sushil from Jammu, Chand from Mathura. It was a great feeling to have Brig Manpreet Singh Dhillon Son of Col Amar Jeet Singh Dhillon , OC HQ Coy in Amritsar, among us. 60th Raising Day, Diamond Jubilee Celebrations due next year was briefly discussed. One thought is to celebrate Diamond Jubilee in Delhi Cantt and the responsibility to be taken by Serving Officers. Enthusiast and Josh is quite good and high for the same. Some of the photographs taken are share
BEAUTIES OF 55 ER
COL RN Khanna writes
GTG: DELHI-NCR 16th Nov.
1.PACHPANITES VETERANS have settled in specific areas. When I mooted & designated four separate CHAPTERS for ease of conducting GTGs, initially it looked odd. But it has worked & serving the purpose.
During the last few years GTGs being organised by each CHAPTER, have caught on & have become rituals. Participation & enthusiasm has also increased. Idea of Inviting the EXTENDED FAMILY members has caught on to associate the next generation. The atmosphere, atleast in Delhi-NCR, is so free & frankly Joice.
Though it takes lots of effort on the part of the organising team, as well as PACHPANITES, some of them coming from far off cities. All this ought to be appreciated.
While chasing & pursuing PACHPANITES on individual basis by organising team members, (some times several times) we come to know the constraints of some for not able to attend & some times last minute drop outs.
While on this exercise, 6 veterans, who were unable to attend this time, sent me their best wishes, which were read by two members of the organising team. Brig Hira Singh was badly off & was not able to even speak to me. So he sent his wishes in writing & posted on my WhatsApp. 😊
I mooted the idea of having next year’s DELHI-NCR GTG in Delhi , through general consensus. Could be syncrinised with the 60th Raising Day date with max participation. We can even think of combining DELHI-NCR & PUNJAB Chapters. It’s a long call, which has to be taken by Gaurav & Vijay. Long way & plenty of time to have views, discussion & plan. Let us hope for the next grand GTG.
