INTERNATIONAL: NATIONAL, AVIATION & AEROSPACE: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Safran Helicopter Engines to Create JV to make Chopper Engines

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Safran Helicopter Engines have signed an agreement to create a new joint venture to develop helicopter engines. Through an MoU signed by R Madhavan, Chairman & Managing Director, HAL, and Franck Saudo, Chief Executive Officer, Safran Helicopter Engines, in presence of Olivier Andries, CEO, Safran.

Both the partners will extend their partnership by establishing a new aero-engine company in India. It will be dedicated to the development, production, sales and support of helicopter engines and one of its main objectives will be to meet the requirements of HAL and Ministry of Defence’s future heli­copters, including the 13-ton­ne Indian Multi-Role Helicopter.

Madhavan said: “We now look forward to utilize this opportunity to leverage HAL’s experience in manufacturing of more than 15 types of aircraft and helicopter engines to co-develop and manufacture engine with immediate focus on IMRH and its naval variant the Deck Based Multi Role Helicopter. This partnership will involve and utilize the Indian Defence manufacturing ecosystem within India”.

Saudo said the partnership with HAL recently illustrated the development and production of the Shakti engine, “and the inauguration of our joint venture Helicopter Engines MRO Pvt Limited (HE-MRO). With a fleet of over 1,000 engines, India’s Armed Forces are one of the largest operators of Safran-designed helicopter engines.”

HAL and Safran Helicopter Engines already have multiple partnerships, including the Shakti engine, which powers HAL-produced helicopters, including the Dhruv, Rudra and the Light Combat Helicopter. The Ardiden 1U variant also powers the new Light Utility Helicopter. Through HE-MRO joint venture in Goa, HAL and Safran Helicopter Engines will also provide Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul services for TM333 and Shakti engines in se­rvice with Armed Forces, and will be operational by 2023-

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

NATIONAL RECORDS: KARNATAKA: 2 Indian Air Force (IAF) Martyrs Flt. Lt. Guha & Flt. Lt. Mohan to be Honoured at St. Joseph’s Boys’ High School and OBA.

Two Indian Air Force (IAF) officers who laid down their lives for the country — Flt. Lt. Babul Guha and Flt. Lt. Krishna Kumar Mohan — will be honoured by St. Joseph’s Boys’ High School and the Old Boys Association (OBA) on Friday.

The men, who were martyred in 1965 and 1971, were also the alumni of the school and their names will be unveiled on the War Memorial in the school on which the names of other war heroes have been engraved. This will be followed by a wreath laying ceremony.  

“The school and the OBA have always held the sacrifices made by its alumni serving in the Armed Forces in high regard. A War Memorial Service and wreath laying ceremony are held traditionally each year on the occasion of the OBA Day that falls on the first Sunday of September. Currently, there are around 15 old boys serving in our Armed Forces, continuing over a century long proud tradition,” a press release from the school said. 

Trained in the 68th Pilot’s Course, Flt. Lt. Guha was attached to No. 1 Squadron, based at Adampur, flying the Mystere IV fighter aircraft during the time of 1965 Pakistan hostilities. After completing his bombing attack on the ammunition dump in Pakistan’s Sargodha airbase, he was shot by a Sidewinder missile from an F-86 Sabre. 

Flt. Lt. Mohan trained as a fighter pilot with the 89/90 Pilot’s Course and was also stationed at Adampur airbase with the 26 squadron when war broke out in December 1971. In an air battle during the war, his Sukhoi was believed to be hit by an enemy missile before crashing into the other side’s territory. 

The ceremony on Friday will be attended by Justice Arindam Sinha, High Court of Odisha, and Air Marshal Manavendra Singh, PVSM AVSM VrC VSM ADC, Air Officer Commanding in Chief, Headquarter Training Command, amongst others.  

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

INDIA RECORDS : KARNATAKA: SPACE -SATELLITE & LAUNCH VEHICLES: Ananth Technologies opens the Spacecraft Manufacturing unit at KIADB Aerospace Park in City. First Facility in Private Sector.

Ananth Technologies which designs and produces systems for Indian aerospace has set up a 15,000 square metre spacecraft manufacturing unit at KIADB Aerospace Park, Bengaluru, said to be the country’s first such facility in the private sector.

The manufacturing unit would be able to conduct assembly, integration and testing of four large spacecraft simultaneously, the company said in a statement.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Subba Rao Pavuluri, Chairman & Managing Director, Ananth Technologies, said, “India is on the cusp of revolutionising the spacecraft industry. As a nation, we are capable of manufacturing world-class spacecrafts.’‘

“Over the years, Ananth Technologies has successfully contributed to major launches of ISRO. Our technology acumen is such that none of the sub-systems supplied by Ananth Technologies has ever failed in orbit,’‘ he claimed.

Since its inception in 1992, Ananth Technologies has contributed to the manufacturing of 89 satellites and 69 launch vehicles built/launched by ISRO, including two satellites for European customers that ISRO had built in collaboration with Airbus, France.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

INDIA RECORDS: KARNATAKA RECORDS: CFTRI brings out Seven New Technologies

Licences for some of the technologies have been taken by entrepreneurs

CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) on Wednesday announced the new technologies it has developed in the last one year, on the occasion of the National Technology Day that was observed here.

Also, the CFTRI gave licences to entrepreneurs for commercialising some of its technologies, thanks to the initiatives of the Technology Transfer and Business Development Department. Certificates and mementoes were presented to the licensee at the National Technology Day event for having used the technologies, by former Vice-Chancellor K. Chidananda Gowda who was the chief guest.

In total, seven new technologies, including gluten-free biscuits, gluten-free cookie cake, buckwheat noodles and pasta, multigrain nutri cookies, chikki with moringa, coffee brew mix, and high performance advanced oxidation process for STPs, greywater, industrial wastewaters (food and non-food), were developed by the R and D teams.

source/content: thehindu.com (edited)

AVIATION : HAL-Israel Aerospace Sign MoU for Conversion of Civil (Passenger) Aircraft into Multi-Mission Tanker Transport Aircraft (MMIT)

In a move aimed at bolstering the ‘Make in India’ campaign, HAL has entered into a MoU with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to convert Civil (Passenger) aircraft to Multi Mission Tanker Transport (MMTT) aircraft in India.

The move will provide India’s defence ecosystem with new capabilities and cost effective solutions in the market.

The MoU will facilitate HAL and IAI’s decades’ long expertise in developing, manufacturing and producing leading defence platforms.

The scope of MoU also covers “passenger to freighter aircraft” conversion along with MMTT conversions.

A formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Delhi by D Maiti, CEO (MiG Complex), HAL and Yaacov Berkovitz, Vice President and General Manager, Aviation Group, IAI in the presence of Chandraker Bharati, JS (Aero), Ministry of Defence, Goveernment of India.

source/content: daijiworld.com (edited)

DRDO constructs multi-storey building in 45 days; to house R&D facilities for AMCA project

India’s premier defence research institute DRDO has built a multi-storey facility for flight control system at Aeronautical Development Establishment in Bengaluru in record 45 days using in-house technology, officials said on March 17.

The seven-storey building, with a plinth area of 1.3 lakh square feet, will house research and development facilities for the development of a fifth-generation medium weight deep penetration fighter jet for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

“The DRDO has completed the construction of a multi-storey infrastructure for flight control system at ADE Bengaluru with hybrid technology consisting of conventional, pre-engineered and precast methodology in record 45 days,” said one of the officials.

source: thehindu.com

** ISRO inspires Channapatna rockets as engineers collaborate with artisans

The Indian Space Research Organisation offers its achievements in a language that connects, just in time for National Science Day, with DIY rocket models, Mangalyaan jigsaw puzzles, T shirts and more

“What we do is rocket science,” proclaims a tee-shirt. Created by Indic Inspirations for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the tee -shirt is a part of its Vyom collection. Most of the products, which include jigsaw puzzles based on Mangalyaan, rocket collectible matchboxes, mySpace PSLV notebooks and fridge magnets, come with a storyline.

“This collection is about ISRO’s achievements in space science and technology. We had to create a line that would interest a child and adults alike,” says Yogesh Dandekar, architect and chief product designer of Indic Inspirations. “India is doing a lot of work in space technology and people should know about this.” He adds that minute details on the models build up curiosity.

** Christ University VC conferred Honorary Colonel Commandant rank

Dr. Fr Abraham Vettiyankal Mani, vice-chancellor of Christ (Deemed to be University) has been conferred the honorary rank of Colonel Commandant in the National Cadet Corps (NCC) by the Ministry of Defence. The pipping was done by Lt. Gen Gurbirpal Singh, AVSM, VSM, the Director General of NCC, at the Parachute Regiment Training Centre on Thursday.

“This privilege has been accorded to only three vice-chancellors from Karnataka and 11 in India in 2022 by the Ministry of Defence,” said a press release. This recognition is based on the contributions of the University to NCC with its cadets joining armed and paramilitary forces in significant numbers, the release added. 

* BEL to supply IoT devices to US firm

Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Hyperion Global Group, an infrastructure telecommunication distribution company, have entered into a contract to develop, manufacture and supply Internet of Things (IoT) devices for the US market.

As per the contract, BEL will manufacture and supply IoT devices worth US $73 million to Hyperion, based in the US, during the first year of commencement of supply, with a provision to negotiate and supply upgrades of the products, worth US $365 million, in the next five years, said a statement issued by BEL.

The contract was signed on January 21, by BEL’s New York Regional Office and Hyperion in the presence of M V Rajasekhar, Director R&D, BEL, Nick Studebaker, CEO,

*** Hassan: Man who found black box of crashed Navy helicopter awaiting prize from 30 years

A youth, who has reached senior citizen’s age now, who found the black box of the Navy helicopter that crashed on Western Ghats in 1991, did not receive the promised prize money.

In 1991, a Navy helicopter that was carrying very critical documents from Mangaluru to Bengaluru crashed on the plateau of Aramane Gudda on Western Ghats. Four people, including a colonel, lost their lives in the mishap. Even after frantic searching the helicopter could not be located.

Puttaswamy Gowda, a youth of 33 years, resident of Vanagoor village, continued his search in the quest of getting the prize, though all others stopped the hunt for the black box of the helicopter. After two years of continuous search he was able to locate the black box in 1992 October on the plateau of Aramane Gudda.