IAF's First C-295 Aircraft Has Been Spotted In Malta, Heading Home

The first of the Indian Air Force [IAF] C-295 Aircraft is making it's way to India. The Airbus subsidiary EADS CASA handed over this CA-7101 airframe 5 days ago, on Sept. 13, '23. This photograph was captured when it landed yesterday, at the Malta International Airport for refueling & replenishment. The flight is being operated by a mixed crew consisting of IAF personnel & Airbus pilots.

via  Redeemer Saliba Photography 

The IAF would be inducting 56 of these aircraft into the fleet. They would help alleviate India's medium-haul logistics woes. The current platform performing this role, the Soviet-origin An-32 is heading towards obsolescence &, as Russian weapon systems go, also marred by poor availability.

As Airbus states,

"With 283 orders from 41 operators, the C295 is the undisputed leader in its segment and stands out for its versatility. It can carry up to 71 troops or 50 paratroopers, airdrop cargo, be used for medical evacuation and take off and land in short and unpaved runways."

The deal would see 40 of these aircraft being assembled in India by the Tata Advanced Systems Limited [TASL]. A milestone for the Indian private sector Aircraft industry.

via PlaneSpotters

Godspeed

Also Read:  This Tiny Aircraft Was India’s 1st All-Composite Bird Built In The Country

First Video Of INS Arighat - India's 2nd Nuclear Submarine

H/T @vivekrathod17

An intrepid ship-spotter caught the INS Arighat surfaced off the coast of Vizag. This is the first video of India's second in class indigenously developed Nuclear-powered Ballistic missile submarine [SSBN]. More in the pipeline.

From the picture, 14 years ago, where the wife of India's then Prime Minister broke a pre-weakened coconut on to a tiny exposed surface of the boat, to this video capturing it's crew "soaking in the sun" in the sail of the submarine, it has been a long-drawn wait.

Update: Earlier version of this post identified it as the INS Arihant. However, the towed Array Sonar [TAS] enclosure of this boat is more lengthened than that observed in the INS Arihant. Therefore, a high probability it's INS Arighat, the next submarine in the Arihant-class series.

Godspeed

Also Read: Stories Of Indian Navy's Submarines …….And Some Sweet Photos

Top Gun: Maverick - A Fanboy's Pilgrimage To The Theatres

"Maverick is re-engaging", three words that are akin to the eponymous "At the stroke of the midnight hour….." for an Indian Mil-avia fanboy. In real-life, a renewed thrust towards achieving something that isn't going as per intent, evokes a "Maverick is re-engaging" euphoria. "Rooster is re-engaging", on the other hand, sounds like a tortured poseur.

Indian Navy MH-60R Maritime Surveillance Helicopter

The Indian Navy is set to receive 24 of the MH-60R Helicopters, that Lockheed Martin manufactures at an estimated cost of $2.4 Billion USD. This Airframe, IN751, is retained in USA to impart training to Indian Naval Avatiators.

H/T SBGrad & Robert Brooks

Godspeed

Also read: Kopp-Etchells Effect Seen On IAF's Mi-17's Rotor Blades [Image Of The Day]

Surya Kiran Aerobatics Team At The Dubai Airshow

The Indian Air Force's air display team performing at the Dubai Air Show, last year.

This Neat Illustration Depicts The LCA Tejas Aircraft’s Widely Diverse Weapon Loadout

The Sanskrit saying, 'Big Thing Comes In Small Packages' or, as the Norwegians like to say, 'छोटे पैक में बड़ा धमाका', could well have been the design brief for the Light Combat Aircraft [LCA] Tejas.

46 Angry MiG-23 Aircraft Set To Make Their Bollywood Debut

This brief 3 seconds clip shows a CGI formation of MiG-23 fighters on a strike mission.

Outboard Motors Powering This Indian Army BMP-2 ICV Is Perhaps The Only Such Attempt In The World

Having 3000-odd examples of a system & some surplus under-utilised engines in inventory allows one to tinker with it that result in such curious, one-of-a-kind sight.

Sukhoi Su-30 Of The IAF & Other Air Forces - Recent Developments

Putin's ongoing, month-long '2-Day' invasion of Ukraine has thrown a spanner into upkeep of the Indian Air Force [IAF] fleet of Soviet/Russian Aircraft. With a pivot in Russian priorities, coupled with the imposed Western sanctions, there is a genuine growing concern among Indian planners that the OEM support henceforth would be unreliable.

This DRDO Lab Wants To Purchase A Single Black Coloured Submachine Gun

India's Carrier Programme - From A Modified Civilian Vessel To A 40,000 Tonne Behemoth

Previously Unseen Photograph Shows The Russian T-80U Tank In India

Twitter recently threw up an unseen photograph of a Russian weapon system in India.

First Picture Of The Rustom-H UAV, Integrated With It's EO System & SATCOM Link [Image Of The Day]

The Rustom-H, India's Medium Altitude Long Endurance [MALE] Unmanned Aerial Vehicle [UAV] is now under test with enhanced set of capabilities.

The Ghatak UCAV Takes Shape In India, As ADE Sets Eyes On Building Full-scale Prototype

High On Confidence, DRDO Puts Into Play Production Plans Of It's Abhyas Aerial Target

Babur And His American Father [Quote Of The Day]

The former Prime Minister [PM] of the Islamic Republic of pakistan becomes the most high-profile individual to acknowledge that a malfunctioned US Tomahawk Cruise Missile fathered it's Babur. The parentage, though, was never a secret, as it's recovery was a well-reported news, back in the 90s. That said, the purported repurposing has always been attributed to quotes from unnamed sources & interpretative analyses.

The self-exiled former PM has put his name to the quote.

کیا میاں نوازشریف کی تقریر اداروں کے خلاف تھی؟

نوازشریف کا موقف سنئے وہ وطن کی حفاظت پر مامور جوانوں کیلئے کیا سوچتے ہیں۔ pic.twitter.com/djeWw5kLjl

— Farid Qureshi (@FaridQureshi_UK) September 30, 2020

Seen here, reiterating his allegiance to pakistan's Armed Forces, he lists out his "achievements" in empowering it's Military. At 01:30 in the video, he explains how he was instrumental in making the Babur.

"यह जो टॉमहॉक, ये जो है, वो भी माशाल्लाह नवाज़ शरीफ ने बनवाया था, और वोह भी बलूचिस्तान से हम लेके आये थे"

A Tomahawk, launched as part of America's pre-9/11 strikes on Afghanistan, he confirms, fell in the occupied province of Baluchistan. He had it picked up & brought back from there. Carrying out "Back" Engineering, resulted in the birth of the Babur.

America, for pakistan, is a gift that unwittingly keeps on giving. It's raid on the garrison town of Abbottabad, to eliminate OBL, landed [no pun intended] the host a previously unknown variant of the Blackhawk Helicopter, incorporating extensive stealth characteristics. Unsurprisingly, she gave her Chinese benefactor a viewing. Result, as per gossips - Mysterious helicopter emerges in China: a new, stolen model or a cloned Bin Laden raid’s stealth chopper?.

Godspeed

Also Read: Shooting, Spotting & Blinding Lasers Protected India's Prime Minister On August 15, 2020

Circa 1986, An Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 & Il-76 Aircraft Landed In Greece [Photograph Of the Day]

More Firepower Per Manpower, IAF Garud Commandos Will Now Clip High-Capacity Drum Magazines To Their Assault Rifles

With This VR System, The Indian Air Force Signals Intent To Get Real With Virtual

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