India and France on Thursday concluded negotiations on a $6-billion pact for short range surface to air missiles for use by the Indian Air Force and the Navy even as they made progress on a $10-billion deal for supply of Rafale fighter aircraft to the country.
United States has moved more warships and fighter aircraft to the Persian Gulf to keep the strategic Straits of Hormuz open and strike deep within Iran if the stand-off over its nuclear programme escalates.
The aircraft crashed somewhere near Alipurduar in Jalpaiguri district around 12:30 pm, a spokesman said. This is the seventh IAF aircraft crash this year and the third MiG to crash in the Dooars region of North Bengal.
A MiG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed near Halwara air base in Punjab on Tuesday, but the pilot bailed out safely.
The project was linked with the larger interest of the national security, he said.
This weekend, two Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters will land in Bengaluru for flight trials by the Indian Air Force, an eight-month-long selection process, involving six different aircrafts, to zero in on a multi-role medium fighter for the IAF.
Though ythe IAF has for the past few years been participating in bilateral exercises with foreign air forces, this will be the first exclusive IAF exercise in seven years.\n
Defence sources said the pilot spotted fire during the take off roll, aborted the take off and carried out safe exit.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reported that its forces are operating in what was described as a targeted manner at Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
The entire fleet of F-22s -- over 160 aircraft -- has been waiting on the tarmac since early May after the US Air Force reported 12 separate incidents of pilots experiencing 'hypoxia-like symptoms' in the past three years while flying the planes.
In the light of India's increasingly 'darkening' threat environment and the convergence of strategic interests between China and Pakistan, the IAF's declining combat capabilities are a cause for concern, says Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd).
Amid mounting tensions with the United States in the disputed South China Sea, China on Thursday said it is building a second aircraft carrier and hinted at plans to make a third one to enhance its blue water capabilities.
PAF also looked forward to strengthen its reconnaissance and surveillance capability, strike power, detection of enemy aircraft, platform to combat and weapons for defence.
Biden, in his call with Netanyahu, updated him on US military support and reiterated his warning against anyone seeking to expand the conflict, according to a readout of the call.
The IAF faces a 'fighter gap' of 13 squadrons. The IAF would be caught seriously short in a two-front war -- the worst-case planning contingency in which China and Pakistan attack India simultaneously, points out Ajai Shukla.
Sheela Bhatt talks to former Indian Ambassador Naresh Chandra about the raminfications of New Delhi's decision to drop American fighter aircraft from the mother of all defence deals
While Obama administration officials and representatives of US industry strongly expressed their angst over India's rejection of the American fighter aircraft but did not want to be quoted by name, leading South Asia policy wonks in Washington had no such compunctions in interviews with rediff.com.
Both pilots bailed out and there was no report of any casualty, official sources said.
Built by HAL with Russian technology, the frontline twin-seater Sukhoi 30MKI was rolled at the Ozar airbase in Nashik.
India's aviation industry is 20-30 years behind the United States and other western nations, believes US envoy Timothy Roemer.
Every Republic Day is an opportunity for us to contemplate, amid the frankly show-offy roar of our newest fighter aircraft, some of the foundational beliefs of this country. Like that Republic Day must be a dry day.
The Bush adminstration will also negotiate a $5 billion deal for multi-role combat jet fighters and a state-of- the-art radar sytem with India, while a $230 million weapons deal is in cards for Pakistan.
The government will zero in by the end of current fiscal a fighter jet it wants to build under 'Make in India' initiative, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said.
United States President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are expected to make meaningful advancements on the GE jet engine deal and civil nuclear technology during their bilateral talks, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was cited in a Reuters report.
Tezpur is the last of the IAF bases in the country to phase out the MiG 21.
The first batch of four Rafale aircraft will arrive in India by May 2020.
Boeing is also exploring the possibility of manufacturing aircraft components and assembling the jets in India.
'My adrenalin kicked in and the happiness returned! It was time to go in for the kill again.' IAF Veterans Group Captain Dilip Kumar Dass tells Air Commodore Nitin Sathe about how the IAF decimated tanks in the famous Battle of Longewala.
The incident occurred in Barmer district.
A procession of barges will take nearly 7,000 athletes along the river past Paris's most famous landmarks, while more than 300,000 spectators will watch from the banks.
"We are carrying out physiological studies. We also have to examine certain psychological issues involving the women and the job. Only when these are done, can the women officers be cleared for the new roles," Major said.
India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft is on schedule and would be comparable to frontline Mig-29 and Mirage 2000 fighters when it starts rolling out by 2011, Defence Minister A K Antony said in New Delhi on Thursday.
China successfully landed and took off the J-15 jet from The Liaoning aircraft carrier on Sunday.
The jet took off for a practice flight at around 1.00 pm with Squadron Leader Pandey piloting it.
In any conflict with China, the unmanned BrahMos could be advantageously used in the opening stages for pinpoint strikes on heavily defended targets -- such as air bases, headquarters, key roads and railways or logistics dumps -- which are too dangerous for manned fighter aircraft to attack.
Several reports in the media had said the US will make a formal announcement during President Pervez Musharraf's visit to the US beginning June 24.
The senior diplomat said that all 36 Rafale jets will be delivered to the Indian Air Force within the next two years. Calling it an excellent aircraft, he said it would add a lot to the capacity of the Indian Air Force.
The US would deploy its F-16s and other sophisticated combat aircraft for the exercise christened 'Cope India'
A naval formation consisting of aircraft carrier Liaoning has conducted take-off and landing drills in the South China Sea.
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