Month: July 2012

First Indian C-17 Comes Together

The first Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, which came together in a ‘major join’ ceremony today at Longbeach, California, will make its first flight in December this year. Was a fun event — Indian Embassy, senior Indian Air Force and local politicians noisily drove ceremonial rivets into the aircraft to consecrate the ‘major join’…

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Two Boeing Birds

Checked out Boeing’s rotorcraft facility in Mesa, Arizona today (I first visited in 2008). Scoped the AH-64D Block II and Block III lines and the upcoming AH-6 Litte Bird line. Boeing plans to begin briefings on the AH-6i to the Indian Army by the end of this year (by which time they expect to win…

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FIRST IMPRESSION: What The IAF C-17 Will Look Like

Got this neat bit of official Boeing art depicting the C-17 Globemaster III in Indian Air Force colours and livery. Will be at Long Beach, Home of the C-17 on Tuesday for a full update on the programme. Follow @livefisthttp://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsFollow @ShivAroorhttp://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Apache, Little Bird Tour Tomorrow

Off to Mesa, Arizona for briefings by Boeing on the AH-64D Apache Block III and AH-6 Little Bird, and a tour of the facility. The Apache is poised for an expected win in India’s 22 attack helicopter competition, but curious about the inclusion of AH-6 in our tour programme. Will know more tomorrow. Stay tuned….

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VIDEO: 32nd Launch Of BrahMos

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Up Close With The Indian Navy P-8I

Had a brilliant tour of Boeing’s P-8 Poseidon Mission Systems Installation and Checkout facility in Seattle yesterday. As we entered the facility, the first thing we saw was a gleaming P-8I. The airframe we saw was the second P-8I for the Indian Navy that made its first flight out of Renton to the Boeing Field…

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At Boeing’s P-8I Line

Just took this picture of the 2nd P-8I at the Boeing Field facility in Seattle. Had a nice tour of the jet (this airframe joined flight-testing recently). Lots of fresh information about the Indian platform — will update tonight. Follow @livefisthttp://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jshttp://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsFollow @ShivAroorhttp://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

50 Years In Service, Chinook’s Next Hope Is India

PHOTO / U.S. ARMY On August 16, the Boeing CH-47 Chinook achieves the formidable feat of being 50 years in service. It was on that date in 1962 when the first CH-47A was delivered to the US Army. Amazingly, the airframe is still flying. In fact, it recently returned from a deployment to Afghanistan, and…

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Osprey Sparks Indian Interest. Again.

Just did a tour of Boeing’s Philadelphia rotorcraft facility where part of the V-22 Osprey is built (the rest is built at Arlington, Texas by Bell Helicopter). Mike Rolecki, director of the programme, says the Indian government has been given a couple of introductory presentations on the programme and system, and that Bell-Boeing was awaiting…

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Without CISMOA, The Indian Navy Works The P-8I

WASHINGTON D.C. / July 25: By now, it seems pretty clear that military interoperability agreements like the Communications Interoperability & Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA) are on ice as far as Indo-US relations are concerned. I’ve posted quite a bit in the last two years about the equipment and kit that the US government is…

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Off On Boeing’s Media Tour

Folks, I’m off to the U.S. for the next ten days for Boeing’s media tour 2012 as part of a group of Indian defence journalists. We’ll be visiting facilities and receiving briefings on equipment already contracted by the Indian military, including the P-8I Neptune and C-17 Globemaster-III, equipment currently competing in tenders yet to be…

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