Indian Missile News

BALASORE (ODISHA): India's indigenously developed Pinaka rockets were on Thursday successfully test-fired thrice from a multi-barrel rocket launcher at an armament base in Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from here.

"Three rounds of Pinaka rockets were successfully tested from the proof and experimental establishment ( PXE) at Chandipur," defence sources said.

Pinaka, which has undergone several tough tests since 1995, has been inducted into the armed forces and the present trials were conducted with some improvements in the system, the sources said, adding some more tests are likely to be held.

The unguided rocket system is meant to neutralise large areas with rapid salvos.


The rockets with a range of 40 km and capable of acting as a force-multiplier, were developed to supplement artillery guns, the sources said.

The quick reaction time and high rate of fire of the system give an edge to the Army during a low-intensity conflict situation, they said.

The system's capability to incorporate several types of warheads make it deadly for the enemy as they could even destroy solid structures and bunkers.

The Pinaka system with a battery of six launchers can fire a salvo of 12 rockets in 44 seconds and neutralise a target area of 3.9 sq km.

In July last year, some advanced, second generation Pinaka Mark II Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher System had undergone successful trials at Chandhan area in Pokhran field firing ranges in western Rajasthan and are in development stage, the sources said.

The development and trials of the advanced system would continue and the rocket was expected to enter service very soon, they said.


India's Supersonic Akash Missiles Intercept Moving Targets in Test

Bhubaneswar: India's supersonic, medium-range surface-to-air Akash missiles on Wednesday successfully intercepted fast moving targets in ripple mode in a test carried out from a defence base in Odisha, an official said.

The missiles were launched from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) of Chandipur in the coastal Balasore district of Odisha, about 230 kms from Bhubaneswar, on towed body targets of Lakshya (pilot-less target aircraft) moving at "low altitude far boundary" and ripple mode missions.

"The missiles intercepted the fast-moving and manoeuvring small radar cross-section (RCS) targets within small interval of five seconds in ripple mode," Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) spokesman Ravi Kumar Gupta told IANS.

Indian Air Force teams operated the deliverable Akash missile system including targets, he said.

The missiles were successfully guided by multifunction phased array radar developed by Electronics and Radar Development Establishment (LRDE) of the DRDO and produced by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

The missiles, developed by Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) along with 13 other DRDO laboratories, were produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited.

The launchers were developed by R&DE (Engrs), a DRDO lab and produced by Tata Power and L&T, he added.

Avinash Chander, scientific advisor to the defence minister, congratulated all the teams from DRDO, production agencies and Indian Air Force for successfully organizing the event and fulfilling the mission objectives of the evaluation tests on deliverable equipment, said Gupta.

Various industries across the country are engaged in production of Akash subsystems of military grade or aerospace quality systems and have emerged successfully in meeting the stringent requirements, he added.

The 700-kg all-weather missile Akash can carry a 60-kg warhead at speeds of up to Mach 2.5. It can operate autonomously and simultaneously engage and neutralise different aerial targets.

It can be launched from static or mobile platforms, enabling flexible deployment by the armed forces.

Tejas completes advanced weapon trials

BANGALORE: Three aircraft from Tejas flight-line have successfully completed advanced weapon trials in Jamnagar as part of the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) campaign, which began in December last year. Sources associated with the project confirmed to Express on Wednesday that the integration process of all new weapons on the aircraft has been completed.

“We have fired all the new weapons in all possible release modes and the results have been satisfactory. We have also completed the integration of a new drop tank as part of the FOC activity. With this, we have successfully completed the carriage, fuel transfer and jettison trials,” an official, who was part of the Jamnagar trials said. It took three Tejas aircraft (LSP-3, LSP-5 and LSP-7) over 30 sorties to complete the weapon trials.

As part of the FOC, the aircraft is now being readied for all-weather trials in Bangalore. “One aircraft is also being readied for night flying with upgraded systems and software. Plans are afoot to take Tejas for hot weather trials in Gwalior next month,” the official added. So far, since its maiden flight on January 4, 2001, Tejas has completed 2,587 sorties logging in over 1,750 hours of incident-free flying.

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) Chairman R K Tyagi said that the company is on track in rolling out the first Series Production (SP-1) aircraft. He said ahead of the Initial Operational Clearance in December last year, HAL was working parallel with the Aeronautical Developmental Agency for the finalisation of the production configuration of the aircraft.

“The first SP-1 is in advanced stages of equipping and we will have the ground run by end of June. The SP-1 should start flying by August. The second, third and fourth production aircraft are in various stages of structural build and we hope to deliver four aircraft in the current year to the Indian Air Force (IAF),” Tyagi said.

Summer trials for Indian Bofors in June

Source TOI, NAGPUR: The indigenous 155mm artillery guns, made on the lines of the Bofors howitzers procured by Indian Army in the 1980s, will go for the last round of firing trials next month. After successful winter trials in snowbound Sikkim during March, the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) is now preparing for the summer rounds of Operation Dhanush, as the project has been christened.

The tests will be held in June-end and shall continue till July in the Pokhran desert. If everything goes well, this will be the last time these guns will blaze to prove their mettle. However, other tests, which include an evaluation by the directorate general of quality assurance (DGQA) of the Army, will follow before the howitzers are finally inducted. The other tests will not involve test fires however, said a source.

A year ago, during the summers trials in August, the barrel of the gun being tested had exploded, pushing back the indigenization process. Had the accident not taken place, it would have been the last round of test firing. But the project was pushed back for a year. The winter trials followed, which were successful, said a source in the ministry of defence.

The guns are being developed at the Gun Carriage Factory at Jabalpur. There are plans to add two new howitzers in the coming couple of months. "There are plans to make close to 20 pieces in the coming months," said the source, who refused to divulge the number of guns developed so far.

The guns developed by GCF are of 155x45 calibre as against 155x39 of the original Bofors guns procured from Sweden. This means the Indian version has a longer barrel, ensuring a higher range. But, at the same time, the army itself is looking for 155x52 calibre guns from the open market and is also in the process of acquiring ultralight M777 howitzers from the US. The process of indigenization started over three years ago, after the Army's efforts to buy fresh lot of 155mm guns from the global market did not meet any success.

​

Officials said OFB would be taking up new products such as new generation assault rifles, CQB carbine, 155/52 artillery guns, 155/52 mounted gun system, Smerch rockets, grad rockets, successor to L-70 AD gun, very short-range air defence missile and latest generation ammunition for 84 mm rocket launcher through technology transfer.

Improved Gray Eagle Flies with Sigint Pod and Hellfire Missiles

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI),has announced the successful second endurance flight of the U.S. Army’s Improved Gray Eagle (IGE) prototype Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), an advanced derivative of the mission-proven Gray Eagle UAS that has accumulated over 100,000 flight hours since 2008. The flight of IGE lasted 36.7 hours, taking off on January 17 and landing on January 19 at the company’s El Mirage Flight Operations Facility in Palmdale, California.

“Improved Gray Eagle is a significant capability leap forward, providing for longer UAS endurance, enhanced payload carriage, and increased reliability”, said Frank W. Pace, president, Aircraft Systems, GA-ASI. “We are pleased that this long-endurance flight was executed seamlessly, with all objectives met.”

During the flight, IGE demonstrated its ability to carry an external signals intelligence (SIGINT) pod on one wing and two Hellfire missiles on the other. The flight test was funded by the Army’s Product Office for Medium Altitude Endurance (PM-MAE) UAS and was a significant milestone for the Improved Gray Eagle program, proving the validity of the aircraft’s endurance claims in this specified payload configuration. IGE’s first endurance flight occurred in October 2013, when the UAS flew over 45 hours in a Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition (RSTA) configuration, with no external payloads integrated.

Following this test, IGE will receive software updates that will allow its operation from the U.S. Army’s One System Ground Control Station (OSGCS) and future Universal Ground Control System (UGCS). The Army plans to flight test the upgrade this summer.

An updated version of the U.S. Army’s Gray Eagle, IGE was developed by GA-ASI on Internal Research and Development (IRAD) funds, with its maiden flight taking place last July. In addition to the prototype aircraft currently undergoing flight test evaluation, the company has committed to manufacturing an additional “production first article” aircraft.

IGE has a Max Gross Takeoff Weight (MGTOW) of 4200 pounds, utilizing the 205HP Lycoming DEL-120 engine. The aircraft’s deep belly design and 500- pound centerline hard point allows for 850 pounds of internal fuel load, with an optional external fuel pod that can accommodate an additional 450 pounds. Use of this extra fuel would allow for RSTA missions in excess of 50 hours.

Source: Press Release

Russia plans to develop hypersonic missile by 2020

ASTANA, May 23. /ITAR-TASS/. The Tactical Missiles Corporation plans to develop the first model of a hypersonic missile by 2020, the corporation's director-general Boris Obnosov said at the Kadex 2014 exhibition of weapons and military equipment in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Russia had completed developing a program to create hypersonic missile technologies. The Defense Ministry and the Ministry of Industry and Trade had already approved the program, Obnosov said.

Twelve working groups were formed with the participation of dozens of institutes and companies. The program was already developed and approved. The main thing was to implement it, he said.

The United States and leading companies in other countries are intensively working on such a missile. India, China and France also try to develop in this direction, he noted. "If we are weak here, if we are behind, it will be hard to catch up with them later. Purposeful, systematic and everyday work is needed," the director-general noted.

"If somebody thinks that tomorrow we will pull a hypersonic missile from a pocket, he is mistaken, since the process requires serious scientific and technical developments, serious tests, personnel training and many other things," Obnosov said.

New missile for Russian fifth-generation fighter to be developed by 2016

ASTANA, May 23./Itar-Tass/. A new modified aircraft missile for Russian fifth-generation fighters would be developed by 2016, the director-general of the Tactical Missiles Corporation, Boris Obnosov, said on Friday at the Kadex 2014 exhibition of weapons and military equipment in Astana, Kazakhstan.

"We have established close contact with the Sukhoi design office. A permanent working group is formed. All the protocols of informational cooperation are agreed on. Models are made according to schedule. Everything must be done by 2016," Obnosov said, noting it was a new modified aircraft cruise missile X-74M2.

It was hard work. Intensity of tests was very high. Even the main test centre coped with it with difficulty, he added.

The Tactical Missiles Corporation also planned to develop the first model of a hypersonic missile by 2020, the corporation's director-general said.

Russia had completed working out a programme to develop hypersonic missile technologies. The Defense Ministry and the Ministry of Industry and Trade had already approved the programme, Obnosov said.

Twelve working groups were formed with the participation of dozens of institutes and companies. The programme was already worked out and approved. The main thing was to implement it, he said.

Key areas were determined. There was understanding in the Defence Ministry, he added.

"If we are behind others it will be hard to catch up with them later. Purposeful, systematic and everyday work is needed," the director-general noted, referring to other countries' developments in the field.

"If somebody thinks that tomorrow we will pull a hypersonic missile from a pocket, the one is mistaken, since the process to create it requires serious scientific and technical developments, serious tests, personnel training and many other things," Obnosov said.

Amazing HD PICS of T50 testing External Weapon bay

SWEETTTTT................

IAF’s RFI for IJT is a Joke : Hal official

Saddled with obsolete training aircraft, the Indian air force (IAF) has decided to snub the long-delayed, indigenous HJT-36 Sitara intermediate jet trainer (IJT) and purchase new trainers from abroad.
The IAF has issued a request for information for a lightweight, single-engine, twin-seat trainer with a secondary light attack capability, an official at India’s ministry of defense says.
“We have asked the vendors to provide cost details for the direct purchase of IJTs for batch sizes of 10, 20, 30 and 50 aircraft,” he says.
The RFI comes weeks after Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony said the much-delayed Sitara IJT is likely to be operational this year. “All efforts are being made by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. [HAL] for achieving the final operational clearance by December 2014,” Antony had said.
The IAF has been reluctant to exercise the option of buying an IJT since the state-run HAL has been developing a trainer for the force for the last 15 years.
“We are forced to take this decision as deadlines for getting the operational clearance for Sitara have been breached on a number of occasions,” the IAF official says.
The RFI for new a IJT states that the aircraft should be capable of operating from airfields at least 2000 meters above mean sea level (AMSL), with a goal of 3,000 meters. Submissions are due on April 4.
The official says the aircraft should be capable of carrying at least 1000 kg (2,200 lb.) of external load and be equipped with a minimum of five hard points, with each stressed to carry at least 300 kg.
“The aircraft should be capable of employing a lightweight gun-pod with adequate ammunition for at least five seconds of firing time [and] reusable rocket pods, and [should] be able to carry at least [four 250-kg bombs],” he says.
IAF also has made it clear that potential vendors will be put through a trial evaluation in India on a “no cost, no commitment” basis and a staff evaluation would be carried out to analyze the results of the field evaluation before shortlisting the equipment for introduction into service.
The deal will include costs for comprehensive annual maintenance support, including all spares program for supporting operations of 10, 20 and 30 aircraft at a utilization rate of 30 hr. per aircraft per month.
The lack of trainer aircraft to train new IAF recruits has been affecting the force, with new pilots often unable to handle highly demanding fighters like MiG-21s. Almost 40% of the 1,050 crashes recorded by the IAF since 1970, for instance, have been attributed to “human error.”
The HJT-36 was to have entered service with the IAF in June 2012 as a Stage-II trainer, replacing the aging HAL Kiran Mk. 1 and Mk. 2 in service. However, in 2011, flight-testing suffered a major setback when a Sitara crashed in stall testing.
Kiran Mk-I was due to be phased out this year but its lifespan has been extended by four years. Maintenance of Kiran Mk II has become a major issue because no support for its Opheus engine was available.
“IJT is a delayed project, I admit... We have faced major delays in getting the new Russian engines for IJT. These issues have been sorted out...Now, the aircraft’s development is in “advanced stages of certification with more than 800 test flights completed so far,” HAL Chairman R.K. Tyagi told Aviation Week recently.
Indian fighter pilots are trained in three stages: first on a basic trainer aircraft, then on an IJT and finally on an advanced jet trainer.
While the IAF does its basic training in the 26 Pilatus PC-7 Mk. 2s, out of a total order for 75 aircraft; the advanced jet trainer role is filled by BAE Systems Hawk 132s, which HAL is making under licenced production in India.
HAL also is trying to develop its own HTT-40 turboprop for the basic trainer role.
As per estimates, with 240 new trainee pilots joining the service every year, IAF requires 181 basic trainers, 85 IJTs and 106 advanced jet trainers. India has already inducted the bulk of the 123 Hawks ordered for its air force and naval pilots in an overall project worth around 160 billion rupees ($2.8 billion).
The IAF has signed two contracts with HAL for delivery of 12 limited-series-production IJT aircraft and 73 series-production IJT aircraft. HAL has confirmed the delivery of aircraft in a phased manner after initial operational clearance is granted. HAL was approved to receive 1.80 billion rupees in July 1999 to develop the aircraft and build two flying prototypes.

UK Launches Massive, Nuclear-Powered Submarine

 

Building a giant, nuclear-powered submarine is no easy feat, but the hardest part of the process might be getting such a massive vehicle into the water.


Yet on May 17, workers in Barrow-in-Furness, a seaport town in the northwest county of Cumbria, England, were able to accomplish this seemingly superhuman task when they successfully lowered Artful, the U.K. Royal Navy's newest aquatic behemoth, into its docking station.

The submarine measures nearly 320 feet long (97 meters) and weighs more than 8,000 tons, according to the U.K.'s Ministry of Defense. Artful is the third Astute-class nuclear-powered submarine built for the Royal Navy by British defense contractor BAE Systems. It cost approximately $1.7 billion U.S. ($1 billion British Pounds) to develop the high-tech submarine, Ministry of Defense officials said. [

On May 16, workers began moving Artful from its home in BAE System's massive construction hall, but the submarine wasn't ready to be lowered into the water until the following day.

"Moving a submarine of this size from its build hall to the water is very challenging," Stuart Godden, Astute program director for BAE Systems, said in a statement. "It's [a] testament to the experience and careful planning of the team involved that Artful is now ready for the next phase in her program."

Godden said BAE Systems' past experiences building these giant vehicles helped the company successfully launch Artful at an advanced stage of the craft's construction. This enables the company to focus on testing the submarine to prepare it for its first trip out to sea, which will likely occur some time next year, Godden said.

"The launch of this submarine brings it a step closer to entering into service, where it will provide a key capability for the Royal Navy and an essential component of the Submarine Service into the future," Rear Admiral Mike Wareham, director of submarines at the U.K.'s Ministry of Defense, said in a statement.

Both Wareham and Godden noted that seeing Artful afloat in the water was a huge source of pride for the thousands involved in the planning and construction of the submarine.

BAE Systems, the U.K.'s only designer and builder of nuclear-powered submarines, previously built two other Astute-class submarines — the HMS Astute and the HMS Ambush — for the Royal Navy. Five additional Astute-class submarines are still under construction, according to the Ministry of Defense.

A true beauty!!

KH 31 for Rafale ?

Breaking! IAF Moves Ahead with IJT Procurement from Abroad

SOURCE THUMKAR : The IAF recently released a Request for Information for an Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) that would be used primarily for Stage-2 training of its pilots with a secondary counter insurgency role.

The selected vendor will be required to discharge 30% offset obligations as per the provisions of DPP-2013.

First thing first! The release of the RFI doesn't mean the HJT-36 Sitara project is dead. Neither does it mean that the Sitara won't be the IJT that the IAF ultimately ends up procuring!

The RFI is likely aimed at ensuring that the IAF has a fallback if the Sitara fails to obtain IOC by June 2014 and FOC in reasonable time thereafter.

Even if HAL surprises the IAF and the country by obtaining IOC in June, and FOC in December, its HJT-36 Sitara may not measure up to the QRs stipulated in the IAF RFI, specially those pertaining to Stall and Spin characteristics.

An HAL rep told IDP Sentinel at DefExpo 2014 on February 7, 2014 that HJT-36 is likely to commence stall tests within a month. HAL has identified the point on the wing where the boundary layer flow is turning turbulent and breaking up leading to a pre-stall wing drop; HAL plans to use boundary layer energizing strakes to remedy the problem.

What is clear to me as a pilot is that there is little chance of HAL remedying the issue by IOC. In a recent statement in parliament, Minister of State for Defense Shri Jitendra Singh hinted that stall and spin characteristic refinement could wait till FOC. That would be a big mistake, because there is really no guarantee that the problem would be remedied - ever! Besides, there is too much optimism in the belief that it could happen by December 2014. If it was that simple, it would have been remedied already. After all, it's nearly three years since PT1 crashed in April 2011 following loss of control.

HJT-36 appears in compliance of all QR's stated in the RFI. Indeed, the QRs are likely to be an exact copy of the QRs given to HAL for developing the HJT-36.

I will go to the extent of saying, the IAF'S Spin QRs are contestable as being overstated.

Anyway, it's for the reader to judge. Here is a summary of the IJT RFI QRs

Luckily for HAL, there are few single engine jet trainers around. Two contenders could be Italy's Aermacchi MB-339 and Spain's CASA C-101.

General Characteristic

The IAF is looking for a light, twin seat (tandem or side-by-side?), single engine jet trainer with conventional controls in which the instructor seat can be used for simulating emergencies.

Stall and Spin

The aircraft must give an unmistakable natural stall warning, irrespective of the configuration. It must be resistant to spin but should allow intentional spinning with safe recovery upto six turns to either side. The aircraft behavior in the spin should be predictable and consistent.

Handling Characteristics

The IJT should be capable of performing loops, barrel rolls, rolls, combination maneuvers and negative 'g' flight without adverse effects on the engine and aircraft structure. It should be capable of sustained inverted flight for at least 30 seconds at sea level at maximum takeoff power.

Flying Envelope

When flying in Normal Training Configuration (NTC), the aircraft must be capable of maneuvering at up to to +7.0 g to -2.5 g. (NTC would correspond to clean configuration or with empty drop tanks) With external stores (other than empty drop tank) the aircraft should be cleared for operations at accelerations upto +5g and -1.5g

Max speed in NTC must not be less than 750 kph CAS and the aircraft should not display any marked compressibility effects upto 0.75 M. A service ceiling of 9-km is required.

In clean configuration in level flight stall speed must not exceed 175 kph without flaps or slats. NTC glide ratio should be better than 1:12

Climb and Turn Performance

In NTC, the takeoff distance to clear a 15-m obstacle from a dry, hard surfaced runway at sea level and with nil wind must not exceed 900-m; ROC must be at least 20 m/s.

The aircraft should be able to perform sustained turns up to 3.5 ‘g’ at sea level in NTC and 2.25 ‘g’ at max AUW.

Range and Endurance

NTC ferry range should be at least 1500-km and endurance, 2-hr at 3-km altitude.

Armament

The aircraft should be capable of carrying at least 1000 kg of external load, have a minimum of five hard points, each stressed to carry at least 300-kg stores. It should be, free from buffet, dutch roll, snaking and wing rock during air to ground weapon training.

The aircraft should be capable of employing the following armament :-

(a) Gun. A light weight gun/ gun-pod with adequate ammunition for at least 5 sec of firing time.
(b) Rocket Pods. Reusable rocket pods.
(c) Bombs. Should be able to carry at least 4x250 kg retarded or ballistic bombs. The stations should be capable of employing Carrier Bomb Light Stores (CBLS) type of dispensers for carriage of practice bombs (25 lbs and 3 Kg).

ILA2014: Eurofighter and MBDA announce 'paradigm shift' in Typhoon capabilities

SOURCE IHS JANE: 
Integration of the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), Storm Shadow/Taurus cruise missile, and Brimstone air-to-surface missile onto the Eurofighter Typhoon will represent "a paradigm shift" in the combat aircraft's capabilities, company officials announced on 21 May.

Speaking at the ILA Airshow in Berlin, officials from both Eurofighter and MBDA noted how the integration of these new weapon systems onto the Typhoon will keep the fighter at the forefront of military capability for the coming decades.

"For the air-dominance, deep-strike, and close-air-support roles these new weapons are paradigm-changing enhancements, [and] we don't see a threat that [the Typhoon] can't handle for the next 30 years," said Paul Smith, Eurofighter capabilities manager and former UK Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon pilot.

Smith described the Meteor BVRAAM as "a tactical weapon with a strategic effect", and noted the Typhoon's ability to carry six such missiles, as well as two Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (ASRAAMs).

Whereas similar-type missiles have a relatively short boost phase after launch, after which they glide to the target while bleeding energy, the Meteor's ramjet means it is propelled right up to the point of impact. This is significant, explained Smith, as it reduces the adversary aircraft's chances of escaping the missile and gives the Typhoon pilot much more confidence when engaging enemy aircraft.

"Combined with the Typhoon's wide field-of-view Captor [radar], PIRATE infrared search and track [IRST], and advanced targeting pod, the Meteor means there is now no escape," he said.

While coalition nations in general, and Typhoon operators in particular, have not had to concern themselves with air dominance over the previous decade or so of operations over Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya, Smith noted that the current crisis with Russia proves the continuing importance of air-to-air capabilities.

"We have taken air dominace for granted, but events in Eastern Europe right now show that it should not be taken as a given," he said.

Smith and Russ Martin - an MBDA weapons integration capability military adviser and former RAF Panavia Tornado F.3 pilot - said integrating stand-off Storm Shadow/Taurus missiles allows Eurofighter to put the stealth on the weapon rather than the platform. These missiles' ability to be fired from range gives the Typhoon pilot a 'launch and leave' capability that greatly enhances his or her survivability, they added.

Brimstone was described by Martin as "a game changer". When the missile has been fully integrated, the Typhoon will be able to carry 12 on four launcher packs of three missiles each, he said. Smith added that experience of the Brimstone on the RAF's Tornado GR.4 aircraft over Afghanistan and Libya has been so positive that pilots now routinely opt to use this weapon over the internal cannon when looking for low collateral effects.

"RAF crews now choose to use the Brimstone in preference to the gun, as it is a one-shot pass with a guaranteed kill," he said. During Operation 'Ellamy' in Libya in 2011 UK government ministers would be reassured when told the Brimstone would be the weapon used to strike a particular target, he added.

While the Meteor BVRAAM and Storm Shadow/Taurus systems are being integrated onto the Typhoon under the Phase 1 Enhancements B (P1EB) package to be rolled out in the next six to 12 months, the Brimstone integration is a separate effort being carried out by the United Kingdom with a view to having the Typhoon fully multirole capable by 2018, in time for the planned retirement of the Tornado GR.4 in 2019.

[Photo] French Rafale damages Refueling Probe while taking fuel from U.S. KC-135 tanker over Mali

By David Cenciotti

A U.S. Air Force KC-135 and French Rafale involved in an mid-air emergency over Mali.

Taken from a 100th ARW (Air Refueling Wing) KC-135 Stratotanker during what seemed to be (at least until then) a routine aerial refueling mission in support of Operation Serval, in Mali, the above image shows a French Air Force Rafale jet breaking to the left to separate from the tanker after the tip of IFR (In Flight Refueling) probe was severely damaged.

According to the Escadron de chasse 01.091 “Gascogne”, who posted the image, the aircraft, with full load of weapons, was refueling from the U.S. tanker in turbulent air due to an intertropical front.

A sudden and violent oscillation impossible for the pilot to compensate, forced the Rafale to disconnect from the tanker’s refueling hose causing a cloud of fuel to surround the cockpit and the basket to hit the probe of the receiver, damaging it.

As a consequence, the Rafale immediately separated from the tanker and, unable to return to N’Djamena, it proceeded to the nearest divert field, where it safely landed.

Just in case you thought that AAR operations are just routine…

Photo: 100th ARW / U.S. Air Force