Maritime Patrol Aircraft : P-8I Neptune, Dornier-228 : News & Discussions

[randomradio]

14 years to rebuild??! And you're justifying it?

We don't have fighter jets anyway.

The base there wasn't a priority until a few years ago. INS Baaz could handle everything else from Greater Nicobar. In fact, they were planning to hand over the entire A&N sector to the IN.

Now that the Chinese are pushing into "India's Ocean" with carriers and stuff, the IAF is reacting to that.

Also, the IAF is pressuring the IN to not bother with aircraft carriers since land bases are apparently "more than enough". They want the IN to cancel their MRCBF tender. So this base serves the dual purpose of allowing the IAF to react to Chinese forays through the Malacca Strait and also making our country weaker at the same time because some people have bigger egos than brains.

 

[_Anonymous_]

We don't have fighter jets anyway.

The base there wasn't a priority until a few years ago. INS Baaz could handle everything else from Greater Nicobar. In fact, they were planning to hand over the entire A&N sector to the IN.

Now that the Chinese are pushing into "India's Ocean" with carriers and stuff, the IAF is reacting to that.

Also, the IAF is pressuring the IN to not bother with aircraft carriers since land bases are apparently "more than enough". They want the IN to cancel their MRCBF tender. So this base serves the dual purpose of allowing the IAF to react to Chinese forays through the Malacca Strait and also making our country weaker at the same time because some people have bigger egos than brains.

What're you taking about? Isn't the P-81 with the IN? Isn't the IN going to operate out of Car Nicobar? Further, doesn't the command of the ANC rest with IN?

 

[randomradio]

What're you taking about? Isn't the P-81 with the IN? Isn't the IN going to operate out of Car Nicobar? Further, doesn't the command of the ANC rest with IN?

Yes, the P-8 is with the IN. And IN can operate out of any Indian base, not just their own. P-8s have been used in J&K also.

As for ANC, let's see who becomes the next CINCAN of the Islands after VM Verma. That will tell us if IN continues to retain control.

 

[Sathya]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1064888592517005313

 

[Sathya]

@R!cK Wont Japanese US2 be more suitable for MMMA ?

 

[R!cK]

@R!cK Wont Japanese US2 be more suitable for MMMA ?

With higher acquisition cost, I think a maritime patrol aircraft need not require amphibious capabilities. I think the purpose is well served with any turbo-prop aircraft with fairly decent endurance and capacity for required number of controller work stations. Capability of hosting weapons might be a requirement aswell. A US2 could be a very expensive choice for a patrol aircraft, they are best suited for SAR and transport roles for our island chains and remote coastal areas.

Good Day!

 

[Parthu]

With higher acquisition cost, I think a maritime patrol aircraft need not require amphibious capabilities. I think the purpose is well served with any turbo-prop aircraft with fairly decent endurance and capacity for required number of controller work stations. Capability of hosting weapons might be a requirement aswell. A US2 could be a very expensive choice for a patrol aircraft, they are best suited for SAR and transport roles for our island chains and remote coastal areas.

Good Day!

@Sathya

The C-295W is an almost perfect platform for this role. All the required items we might need have already been integrated & certified on this platform by other users, less risk all around. And enough space for all your OWS seating, mounting of underbelly SAR/ISAR radar (on an amphibious aircraft you have to mount them on the side and that gives you a blind spot, forcing the need to have at least 2 arrays, 1 on either side, thereby increasing cost)...

...Electro optics for all your passive surveillance, tracking & ship-identification needs (we'd probably put on an Elbit DCoMPASS)...

...and weapons for when the going gets tough (or even when some Somali pirates need warning shots):

 

[Gautam]

Where was this pic taken ? US? Does the P-8I Neptune have any uses over land ? Or is it only useful when flying over water ?

Look at that spot over the pilot cabin. Looks like an air to air refueling thing that the Americans use. What is it called ?

P-8I Dropping MK-82 Bomb

 

[Hellfire]

Where was this pic taken ? US? Does the P-8I Neptune have any uses over land ? Or is it only useful when flying over water ?
View attachment 5198

Has use over both. It is a platform meant for dominating the littorals ..

 

[Ashwin]

Indian Naval Air Squadron 312, also called 'Albatross' completes six glorious years of operations since induction on 15 May

 

[Gautam]

Ahead of Mike Pompeo's visit, India takes first steps to sign major defence deal with US

Srinjoy Chowdhury | National Affairs Editor, Updated Jun 20, 2019 | 00:15 IST
India wants ten more P-8I aircraft for surveillance, reconnaissance and anti-submarine operations in addition to the eight it contracted for in 2009 for the Navy.

India wants ten more P-8I aircraft for surveillance, reconnaissance and anti-submarine operations(Representative image) | Photo Credit:Boeing

New Delhi: On the eve of the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, to India, the first step towards a major defence deal with the United States has been taken.

India wants ten more P-8I aircraft for surveillance, reconnaissance and anti-submarine operations in addition to the eight it contracted for in 2009 for the Navy. The search for the additional ten P-8Is cleared its first hurdle today when the Services Capital Acquisition Categorization Higher Committee (SCAPCHC), headed by the Chief of Integrated Staff or CISC, a senior lieutenant-general and including the three vice chiefs of staff of the three services cleared the proposal of about Rs 22,500 crore.

This is only the first step. The deal will have to be cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by defence minister Rajnath Singh and including the three chiefs and the defence secretary and then, by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and including the finance, defence, home and external affairs ministers.

The purchase will be through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route, meaning it is a government-to-government deal. It is also a follow-on order. This avoids the lengthy process of bidding and usually, charges of corruption and favouritism. Many large orders have taken the FMS route including very recently, the 145 M-777 light howitzers for the Indian Army and also, the C-130 and C-17 aircraft and the Apache and Chinook helicopters.

"This is a follow-on order and through the FMS system. We have indicated we especially want this aircraft," a senior navy official said.

The Pompeo visit later this month comes at a time when Indo-US defence ties are at a high, primarily after the signing of the COMCASA (Communications, Compatibility and Security Agreement) and a similar logistics agreement earlier.

But there are also some major differences: the USA is not happy with the purchase of the S-400 air-defence missiles from Russia. The Indian side feels there were indications of acceptance by the USA earlier. Issues like the purchase of Iranian oil, though that is coming down and the differences over the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) trade agreement also have to be sorted out between the two countries.

The USA is also keen that the Indian Air Force buys the F-35 fighter aircraft. India is keen to buy about 114 fighters and the French, Russians and Swedes are also bidding for the deal.

Ahead of Mike Pompeo's visit, India takes first steps to sign major defence deal with US | India News

Previously the plans were : 8 P-8Is in use in May 2016, additional 4 ordered in July 2016 to be delivered by 2020, 12 more units planned to be ordered. Now it seems out of that 12 planned, 10 are going to be approved. We might cap our P-8I numbers at a total of 22 or maybe there will be future orders.

 

[_Anonymous_]

India to acquire ten more US P-8I aircraft for ISR and ASW operations

 

[Sathya]

It's even used in search of An 32 crash site.

Seems its going to be used more even over land..

 

[Ashwin]

IN is going for a three-layer maritime surveillance fleet:

• 20-24 P-8I (8 in service)
• 9-12 C295 or equivalent M-MPA
• 30-40 Do 228 MPA (20+ already in order/service)

UAV Fleet

• 20-30 Sea Guardian
• 50-60 TAPAS (replacing heron)

Maybe by post-2027, we can expect a handful of Global Hawks into the mix. It would be complete IOR surveillance which no one else could match.

 

[Sathya]

Are we buying same configuration P8i with MAD?
Updates include Only advanced encryption capable network links? As in US version because of cismoa signature?

 

[Fafnir]

Got to fly on an American P-8A, German P-3C and French ATL-2 (exercise Dynamic Mongoose is ongoing in Norway - major NATO ASW exercise). Will be interesting to see how close the IN's new P-3Is come to matching the P-8A of the USN.

Wasn't allowed to take pictures of the good stuff. Can't talk about it either.

 

[Gautam]

P-3Is

we don't operate P-3 Orion, that would be the Pakistanis. I think you meant P-8I Neptune.

 

[Fafnir]

I think you meant P-8I Neptune.

3? 8? What's the difference?

 

[Gautam]

3? 8? What's the difference?

5

 

[Ashwin]

Indian Navy surveillance jets can now fly from Cochin Airport

In a move to boost the operational effectiveness of India's maritime reconnaissance and search and rescue capabilities, the Indian Navy has announced it has signed an MoU with Cochin International Airport.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Indian Navy announced the MoU was signed between its Naval Air Enclave (NAE) and Cochin International Airport on August 8.

The Naval Air Enclave is a facility located on the northwest side of Cochin International Airport. The Naval Air Enclave has been described by the Indian Navy as a “naval aviation facility comprising an independent dispersal, aircraft hangar, administrative building and taxi track”.

The Indian Navy said the MoU allows military aircraft to “use the CIAL runway for take off and landing and the NAE taxi track for proceeding to and from the dispersal/hangar”.

A key feature of the Naval Air Enclave would be its capability to support operations of the Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The P-8I, which is based on the Boeing 737 passenger jet design, is the Indian Navy's most advanced maritime patrol aircraft. In addition to being able to detect and hunt submarines and surface ships, the sophisticated radar, infrared, SONAR and magnetic detection equipment of the P-8I make it extremely useful in search and rescue operations.

The Indian Navy press release said the P-8I was used to coordinate search and rescue operations off Kerala and Lakshadweep Islands during Cyclone Ockhi in December 2017. In June, the P-8I was deployed by the Indian Navy to join efforts to locate a crashed An-32 aircraft of the Indian Air Force in Arunachal Pradesh.

IANS quoted an Indian Navy official as saying the runway at INS Garuda, the Indian Navy air station in Cochin, is not optimal for operating the P-8I. “Aircraft like the P-8I can now take off and land from the Cochin International Airport where they will be provided fuelling facility, aircraft ladders and starting supply," the official said. The main operating base of the P-8I in South India has so far been INS Rajali, a Indian Navy air station in Arakkonam in Vellore district, Tamil Nadu.