India needs the support of US Navy to complete crucial trials of the naval version,NLCA

The Times of India ^

[MBT ARJUN]

KOCHI: It seems India needs the support of US Navy to complete crucial trials of the naval version of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA-N). Absence of pilots experienced in carrier-based operations has forced the Aeronautical Development Agency ( ADA), lead partner in the development of LCA-N, to request the US Navy to train its test pilots in catapult assisted take-off and barrier arrested recovery (Catobar).

None of the naval pilots, after the generation who flew Alizes on INS Vikrant, have any experience in Catobar. With this lacuna adding to its carrier woes, the Navy is training a batch of young pilots in US to prepare them to handle MiG29Ks. But the request to train test pilots further exposes chinks in India's defence preparedness. The help has been sought to complete their training before the year-end with a view to carrying out take-off and landing trials on the ski-jump installed at INA Hansa, Goa.

"The aircraft still weighs some 500 kg more than the desired weight. Feedback from each trial is helping us plane it further. Its performance has been steady. But it is the Catobar trials that finally give a thumbs-up to any naval aircraft," a top DRDO source told TOI.

[allendale]

Amusing. India has always looked to Russia for its military needs. Suddenly they are turning to the United States. Great. Just what America needs. More entanglements in a remote area of the world.

[laplata]

We need India and India needs us to counter the growing Chinese military.

But I agree with you—to hell with them all. No more American blood for the New World Order they’re bringing on.

[Yo-Yo]

to request the US Navy to train its test pilots in catapult assisted take-off and barrier arrested recovery (Catobar).

CATOBAR = Catapult Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery.

Barrier recovery is what they use if the aircraft can't lower their hook.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Barrier recovery is what they use if the aircraft can't lower their hook.

There are many other reasons to raise the barrier if the hook won't come down. As the picture shows, that Intruder has snagged the #2 wire.

[0.E.O]

India has always looked to Russia for its military needs. Suddenly they are turning to the United States

Russia doesn't have any experience with catapult launches. We do. So do the French and the Brazilians. That's about it.

[Oztrich Boy]

Amusing. India has always looked to Russia for its military needs.

is that code for "not a US client state" (see Pakistan)

eg 1972 the IAF had 38 combat squadrons sourced

• 19 Great Britain
• 14 USSR
• 2 France
• 2 local design (by German Kurt Tank, with British engines)
• 1 US (sqaudron of Super Connies used for MR/ASW)

hardly overwhelmingly Soviet supply

[Yo-Yo]

There are many other reasons to raise the barrier if the hook won't come down. (sic)

I'm sure you meant not just if the hook won't come down.

I don't know what all of the reasons would be, but I could guess:

1) If the arrestor wire(s) (cross deck pendants) are broken, fowled, or the arrestor engine is somehow not functioning, and it is urgent to get the aircraft down immediately,

B) If for some reason the angled deck is fowled and a missed pass (bolter?) is not possible, and again it is urgent to get the aircraft down immediately, or

III) The aircraft has made several attempts, is out of fuel, and for whatever reason cannot be air refueled to facilitate another attempt.

What are the others?

[Yo-Yo]

fowled (sic)

Stupid Yo-Yo. Fouled.

[Oztrich Boy]

Stupid Yo-Yo. Fouled.

Well if it's fowled, the chances of a engine malfunction would be very high.