India Air-Force Indian Air Force General Archive

Lemurian · Dec 21, 2023

Indian Air Force inducts SAMAR air-defence system

20 DECEMBER 2023

by Kapil Kajal

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has inducted the Surface to Air Missile for Assured Retaliation (SAMAR) system, an IAF source told Janes on 20 December.

According to the source, the service also test-fired the system in mid-December at Air Force Station Suryalanka located in the southern coastal region of India.

The source did not elaborate on the number of systems the service has inducted. However, another IAF official told Janes in February that the first batch will include five SAMAR units.

SAMAR is a short-range air-defence system jointly developed by the IAF's 7 Base Repair Depot (BRD) and 11 BRD in association with Indian private-sector companies Simran Flowtech Industries and Yamazuki Denki.

The system provides air defence against low-flying aerial targets with a maximum striking range of 12 km.

Nilgiri · Dec 21, 2023

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1737847190536732690

Nilgiri · Dec 27, 2023

IAF Highlights in 2023 (Vayu Aerospace twitter)
Sourced from original release here (I think): https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1989502

Delivery of Twin Seaters, LCA Mk1 IOC & FOC contract commences
5 Firing Units + 1 training centre of MRSAM deployed
Fabrication of SAMAR Firing Units completed
A-321 acquired by DRDO from Air India for AEW&C; available for IAF before they are modified

1st C-295 MW inducted
Contract for supply of HTT-40 signed
Contract for Dornier-228 signed
Contract for Digital Receiver-118 (DR-118) RWR for Su-30MKI signed with BEL
IAF takes over independent VVIP ops on B-777
3 squadrons of Akash/advanced Rajendra MkII radars commissioned

Heron Mk II RPA inducted
MiG-21 Bison Drawdown Plan approved
New Generation Close Combat Missile fired 1st time
SCALP missiles fired & validated
Apache carries out firing of Stingers
ADRDE developing HDS for C-130J/C-17 under Tech Demo mode
Trials of Single/Twin ADR on C-17 (ADR = Air droppable rigid inflatable boat)

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1739914023460589697

Afif · Dec 27, 2023

Nilgiri said:
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1737847190536732690

Buying 5th gen fighter from whom? F-35 is not offered. (and unlikely to be given S-400 causes some genuine concerns)

Nilgiri · Dec 28, 2023

Afif said:
Buying 5th gen fighter from whom? F-35 is not offered. (and unlikely to be given S-400 causes some genuine concerns)

Probably to apply further pressure on MRFA progressing and completing. I don't see even a Russian import option lately either given they will be fully engaged with the Ukraine war and West a really long time and have no capacity to spare.

I think AMCA is really only route thats viable. If MRFA ends up being Rafale (hopefully), that will be best stopgap in that tier.

Nilgiri · Dec 28, 2023

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1489836169135230978

Gessler · Jan 7, 2024

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1743822260857885113

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1743867776983536095

Nilgiri · Jan 19, 2024

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1748281549932364285

Marlii · Jan 28, 2024

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1751599527956725766

Sai · Jan 28, 2024

I read similar news yesterday saying Rafale Production will start in Mihan-SEZ, Nagpur, India. I thought DRAL would only make some components for the jet (which they are already doing) and didn't believe they would manufacture the entire jet. So it's true then, haha.

Marlii · Jan 29, 2024

Sai said:
I read similar news yesterday saying Rafale Production will start in Mihan-SEZ, Nagpur, India. I thought DRAL would only make some components for the jet (which they are already doing) and didn't believe they would manufacture the entire jet. So it's true then, haha.

I knew something was going on in the background when the rafale m deal was getting slowed down. So ideally we will see a deal after the elections.so 150 rafales and 200 tejas mk1a are gonna provide some heft to the force with the su30mki modernisation going on.

Sai · Jan 29, 2024

Marlii said:
I knew something was going on in the background when the rafale m deal was getting slowed down. So ideally we will see a deal after the elections.so 150 rafales and 200 tejas mk1a are gonna provide some heft to the force with the su30mki modernisation going on.

Manufacturing 180 Tejas MK1A will definitely improve our military industry complex and now the Rafale will boost it. Once it is mature enough, our export capabilities will rise significantly. I believe this will happen post 2030. Btw, Tejas MK2 is in the same category as Rafale, but what about its capabilities? Is it 4.5-Gen as Rafale or below Rafale?

Marlii · Jan 29, 2024

Sai said:
Manufacturing 180 Tejas MK1A will definitely improve our military industry complex and now the Rafale will boost it. Once it is mature enough, our export capabilities will rise significantly. I believe this will happen post 2030. Btw, Tejas MK2 is in the same category as Rafale, but what about its capabilities? Is it 4.5-Gen as Rafale or below Rafale?

It is a 4.5 gen aircraft but this would be an unpopular opinion we shouldnt have gone with it in the first place. AMCA should have been given the top priority and instead of that HAL went on a jet developing spree with tejas mk2,TEDBF along with major projects like CATS warrior system. The whole premise of tejas mk2 was to develop a medium weight fighter as fast as possible to make up the numbers and instead we are seeing it getting delayed again and again.TEDBF is a necessity and it could have become a joint project with the airforce and navy but alas we went the other route.

Sai · Jan 29, 2024

Marlii said:
It is a 4.5 gen aircraft but this would be an unpopular opinion we shouldnt have gone with it in the first place. AMCA should have been given the top priority and instead of that HAL went on a jet developing spree with tejas mk2,TEDBF along with major projects like CATS warrior system. The whole premise of tejas mk2 was to develop a medium weight fighter as fast as possible to make up the numbers and instead we are seeing it getting delayed again and again.TEDBF is a necessity and it could have become a joint project with the airforce and navy but alas we went the other route.

Operating a 5-Gen is costly, so we do need some other jet to do the patrolling or at minor conflict times. But yeah, it's true that we don't need both Rafale and Tejas MK2 for that. But I believe Tejas MK2 orders will be reduced. Also, they may use MK2 as the test bed for the AMCA technologies, as they are both medium-weight fighters.