-------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Wishing all Goanetters | | a Prosperous | | and | | Happy New Year - 2006 | | Goanet - http://www.goanet.org | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- INDIA TODAY Dec 19, 2005 has a report titled "Harrier Hassles" which provides a capsule summary of the history of Sea Harriers in the Indian Navy (IN) in the aftermath of the Dec 5 crash.
These planes, which IN itself acknowledges are "extremely unconventional aircraft to fly" were "technological marvels" at the time they were inducted into the Navy in the early 1980s. They are "used primarily to defend ships at sea from enemy aircraft". Of the 24 aircraft procured in batches over the past 2 decades, only 14 remain the rest having been lost in crashes (of which 3 including the most recent occurred in less than 12 months till Dec 5, 2005). India is the world's only operator of the old model Sea Harrier as a result of which "maintenance of the present Harrier fleet has proved complicated" due to the difficulty of "procuring spare parts" despite the establishment in Kochi ten years ago of a facility to overhaul the plane indigenously instead of abroad. A nearly Rs 500 crore upgrade by HAL has been approved recently after a delay of about a decade " a case of too little too late". The aircraft carrier from which the Harriers operate is due to be retired in "a" (or should that be "this"? ) decade when a Russian acquisition enters the fleet in 2008. --------- This one also has (operationally) untried and untested fighters as India is the launch customer of the plane. A repeat of the Harrier hiatus may be on the cards very soon! And Goa will, perhaps unfortunately, have a ring side seat. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Goa - 2005 Santosh Trophy Champions | | | | Support Soccer Activities at the grassroots in our villages | | Vacationing in Goa this year-end - Carry and distribute Soccer Balls | --------------------------------------------------------------------------
