Just another guy on Twitter. RT/Likes != Endorsement
Mar 31, 2023 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
This thread. Given this situation it seems GE can keep hopes up.
I want to make a point here - note how the best of the best in the world still struggle in the Jet Engine field routinely. Their Air Force make do with the best that their Ind can make for them and move ahead while
working with them in parallel to improve things. They have all the money to do all the R&D and buy all the stuff they want to buy and yet, the most powerful airforce still has to make significant concessions for the new programs, even till 3 decades into it and perhaps for whole
May 25, 2022 • 32 tweets • 6 min read
A very lucid and crisp presentation by Grp Cpt Prabhu on a complex matter of developing AAR capability for the very first time in India. Thanks for sharing this gem.
Some key takeaways for enthusiasts
1. A conceptually simple looking task in an aircraft development becomes
incredibly complex fundamentally because of a large number of variables impacting the flight. This not only includes the environmental & human factors but also a large number of aircraft systems involved in achieving any particular task.
So some juicy updates have starting rolling in from the stalls at the AI.
First look at the #TejasMK2#MWF model by @ReviewVayu.
The model looks in much better finish than the last time. Though I see some changes. There is a Boundary layer spillway seen over the wing. And a modified fuselage side walls for canard mountings. @Indrani1_Roy
When Airshows world over are getting cancelled, Aero India is going ahead with a shorter version focused on business side. I have no doubt, it is going to be a success with all the precautions and measures in place.
Though its not ideal this time for
non-biz visitors like me, I am looking forward to the virtual platform. It looks cool and I hope it will be continued for all the future events too. No Aero India Technical Seminars, which is a bummer though.
Anyway, let the show begin.
Aug 20, 2020 • 9 tweets • 2 min read
Human Vs AI is about to start.
Interestingly, Lockheed's AI bot lost the competition in the Finals where they had pitted F16 against F16 against a AI bot called Heron (must be from a small company, as the Final was being called David vs Goliath match).
Col @sdinny14 who has actually commanded the area spanning #PangongTso to #GalwanValley, has given a lucid and Crystal clear explanation of the terrain and the situation in the area of so-called "conflict" and single-handedly demolished the whole narrative of "India under massive
Incursion" or "India under attack" from China. Thank you @sdinny14 for clearing the air on the matter.
Kudos to @nitingokhale for bringing out this interview. You hv once again proved that you remain the most reliable and accurate Journalist on India's Def and Strategic matters.
May 28, 2020 • 26 tweets • 5 min read
Thread.
1. This interview of the DG BRO from sometime back. The DG talks about the DS-Shyok-DBO road which is the centerpiece of current #GalwanValley standoff between India and China. The importance of the road is nicely summed up by the DG by mentioning that the Road would
Allow reaching DBO from Leh in mere 6hrs, cutting down from current 2-day long journey. DBO is otherwise accessible only via Air and given its high altitude and consequent payload restrictions and the semi-prepared runway means each sortie has lesser effectiveness. Hence the road
May 27, 2020 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
I have a gut feeling that Indian Economy will bounce back much faster and strongly from the impact of the pandemic than what the current imdicators would lead us to believe.
The GST collection is close to 90% of the avg monthly collection in pre-COVID19 era.
It is in fact 91% of the June 2019 collection figure.
A thread on the Mathematical modelling by ICMR to predict the spread of #WuhanVirus in India.
Finally we see some mathematical modelling from ICMR. The gist of the study is
- Screening all symptomatic incoming travelers would only delay the introduction of the virus in India by only 3-21 days. Because large number of asymptomatic travelers will
Mar 17, 2020 • 31 tweets • 8 min read
Current testing protocol as per ICMR
- Home Quarantine of 14 days of all Foreign travellers in past 14 days who are asymptomatic. Testing for Virus only if they have symptoms of fever, cough and breathing difficulty. If found positive trearment will start.
#IndiaFightsCorona
- All contacts of Lab confirmed Positive cases to have 14 day home quarantine. Testing if they turn symptomatic as above.
- Health Care workers managing respiratory distress should be tested if they become symptomatic.
HAL has successfully completed IOC for #LUH. HAL is all poised for production. Had the orders bn given by MoD 2yrs in advance, HAL would hv set up assy line by now & we would hv seen LUH getting inducted rightaway. The ancient looking Cheetah helis needed
Replacement like a decade ago. But MoD not only sat on orders for LUH, but it also didn't bother to oder Ka226. So currently we have neither and our Air Worriers are still having to endanger their lives flying those ancient machines. @rajnathsingh@PMOIndia should answer why.?
Feb 1, 2020 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
So Lockheed Martin mixed up bolts and some of the critical areas on many of the F35 Airframes ended up with Ti bolts instead of Inconel bolts. Ti is significantly less strong than Inconel, and thus Inco bolts were recommended for critical areas. airforcemag.com/lockheed-poten…
LM Spokesperson says it's very difficult to distinguish between the Ti and Inco bolts as they appear quite similar. Strike One - why there is no visible indicator on the bolts to differentiate if it could so easily lead to such serious lapse..?
The assy lines in Texas & Italy
Jan 28, 2020 • 6 tweets • 2 min read
Lots of interesting details in the VC citation of WC Abhinandan. Do read carefully.
He thwarted a second wave of ground strike package with his surprising aggressive maneuvering which the PAF did not anticipate it seems. They ran away without offloading their weapons, while the
first Strike package was disrupted from completing their bombing run (which is also evident from their PGMs falling way off the intended targets).
Also, the citation indicates there was a low flying PAF formation (likely F16) hiding from the Indian AD radars and ready to ambush
Jan 17, 2020 • 21 tweets • 7 min read
1. A very interesting event - #GTRE has invited EOI from "reputed Indian Industries/Orgs" for component mfg, module-level assy, engine level integration and delivery to GTRE of 50kN class aero-engine - presumably the dry #Kaveri version for #Ghatak#UCAV.
2. Dry #Kaveri basically means #Kavari minus the A/B module. It's known to produce 52kN dry thrust based on various reports. It consists of 9-10 modules or sub-assemblies, ~2000 components and ~20000 parts count.
Oct 21, 2019 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
1. ACM RKS Bhadauria while speaking at #IDAS2019 again re-iterated that LCA Tejas MK2 will be a reality and IAF is looking for 10 Squadrons of LCA MK2.
2. Along with HAL, the ACM also challenged the Indian Pvt industry to rise to the occasion when IAF is looking at 200 LCA MK2 + 114 MRFA + 70 HTT40. He said if this is not an opportunity that A&D sector feels good enough for investing in it, nothing may ever surpass it.
This article basically has a generic foregone conclusion about Indian MIC that we are bad at Defense program management blah blah. Intro & Conclusion done, now lets fill the middle part with some rubbish and voila, we have an article.
Some observations from HAL Annual Report 2018-19. Not much interesting stuff which was not already known. And I am disappointed to see any real details on LCA Mk1A. But whatever I find interesting, here it is.
2. For FY 2018-19 HAL's
- Total Sale 19704Cr (+7.8% from last year) (Export - 405 Cr)
- Profit Before Tax is 3627 Cr (+12%)
- Profit After Tax is 2282 Cr (+14.5%).
- Order book at end of FY 18-19 = 58588 Cr (~3yr worth production, not v good)
- Dividend paid + Tax - 798 Cr
Sep 11, 2019 • 4 tweets • 3 min read
19. UPDATE HAL AR 2018-19: #HTFE25 core has two prototype under test - Core-1 and Core-2. FY2018-19 saw 96 test runs bringing total to 339 runs so far. #HTFE25 Core-2 was successfully run at 100% speed with and without IGV modulation in March 2019.
20. #HTFE25 also completed cold light up test at 14 degC with spark ignitors. HAL is working on the A/B development of #HTFE. The A/B module was successfully demonstrated on a PTAE7 engine along with a fixed area nozzle. With A/B in place #HTFE is expected to achieve max
Aug 25, 2019 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
Tender from HAL for outsourcing of Single Crystal Blade castings for HPT and LPT. Interesting. My best guess is this is for Adour 871 engines which power IAF's Hawk AJT fleet.
Not the first tender from HAL related to Single Crystal Blades. There was one similar tender for SCB, which I suppose meant for HPT of HTSE-1200 few years back and then a follow up tender for TBC coatings for the same.
Feb 24, 2019 • 19 tweets • 8 min read
1. @HALHQBLR embarked upon development of two engines about 5yrs ago. #HTFE25 and #HTSE1200. HAL's philosophy has been to master the Aero engine design and Dev with a smaller engine and then to transition to Kaveri class engine. Plus HAL has own products which need these engines
2. So it made sense for HAL to go for one engine for its Helicopters and one for the Trainer class aircrafts that its making. And the development costs are within the limited autonomy that the Navaratna Status offers HAL. Thus the class of the two engines are chosen to suite
