The KA-31
Posted on 06/08/2010 4:01:35 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Indian Navy planning to procure 4 planes for airborne surveillance
New Delhi: Looking to strengthen its surveillance capabilities and control over the maritime zone, the Indian Navy is planning to procure four aircraft carrier-based Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) planes.
"We are planning to procure four carrier-based AEW&C aircraft to carry out airborne surveillance, detection and tracking of airborne and surface contacts and control air interceptions and air strikes," Navy officials told PTI in New Delhi.
At present, the Navy operates the carrier-borne Kamov-31, which were procured from Russia for early warning roles.
Using AEW&C aircraft on aircraft carriers will help in expanding the area under surveillance near the area of their deployment, they added.
"The control over the area would also be increased as the AEW&C aircraft can detect enemy fighter and maritime patrol aircraft and direct the fighter planes attached with it towards them and take them out," officials said.
The aircraft can be used as command and control platforms, they said adding, "The aircraft should be capable of providing an integrated air and surface picture of the area under surveillance in adverse weather conditions."
The Navy wants the aircraft to be capable of Catapult Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) technique for the launch and recovery of aircraft.
Navy is in the process of finalising the design on the second indigenous aircraft carrier, which is likely to be similar to the American aircraft carriers, which use the CATOBAR technique for launch and recovery of aircraft.
The Russian aircraft carriers such as the Admiral Gorshkov are built for ski-jump take-offs and arrested landings of fighter aircraft.
The Navy also wants the aircraft to carry out patrolling and search and rescue roles.
The KA-31
Ski ramps are one thing, but the Indians are going to build their own catapults?
Or buy. Why not? It's not rocket science. Carrier catapults have been around for decades.
Buy from good ol’ Uncle Sam seems a more reasonable option. And there is talk of looking at the EMALS.
http://kuku.sawf.org/News/60862.aspx
Sounds like they’re shopping for E-3s. That’s the only fixed wing carrier AEW aircraft in existence today.
E-2s
E-2
E-3
My bad.
By the time the Indians will actually be ready for carrier ops, the E-2D will be long in the tooth. Perhaps they should concentrate on the carrier first, then go shopping for aircraft to put on it.
Well don’t you always design carriers keeping in mind what sort of aircraft you want to operate. Or you would end up in the situation the Russians and Indians are in-trying to convert a missile cruiser capable of carrying STOVL aircraft into one carrying supersonic Migs.
About the E-2D, it’s probably the only AEW in sight for a long time. The only other realistic alternative is an Italian helo-based system. The Boeing V-22 based system exists only on paper.
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The E-2 is arguably the most important aircraft on a carrier.
I thought the Indians were involved in some of the R&D on EMALS. Overall it would be more reliable than the steam cats - steam accumulators, piping insulation, valving, etc. Cold cat shots are not nice.
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