E@zyVG’s Vichar::World Connected

GLONASS ( ГЛОНАСС - ГЛОбальная НАвигационная Спутниковая Система [Global'naya Navigatsionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema] or in English: GLObal NAvigation Satellite System) is a radio-based satellite navigation system, developed by the former Soviet Union and now operated for the Russian government by the Russian Space Forces. Its United States’ counterpart is the Global Positioning System (GPS) - an all-weather, space-based navigation system developed by the US Department of Defence (DoD), originated in 1973 and the first satellite was launched on February 22, 1978, which has been extensively used for many applications for the last two decades. Heck even I have access to GPS using my HTC P3300 phone which indeed is great service and very helpful in navigating the streets.

The Soviet Union started work on developing GLONASS in the mid-1970s to give its army exact bearings around the world. But the collapse of the Russian economy in the late 1990s drained funds away from GLONASS and the satellite system frayed. Beginning in 2001, Russia committed to restoring the system by 2011, and in recent years has diversified, introducing the Indian government as a partner, and accelerated the program with a goal of global coverage by 2009.

Russia has committed itself to bringing the system up to the required minimum of 18 active satellites by the end of 2007, and announced in mid-2005 reported that Russia would build the satellites and that between 2006 and 2008 two satellites would be launched from India’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh state, using the Indian Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) rockets. On 20 April the Indian Cabinet ratified an agreement with Russia on long-term cooperation in the joint development, operation and utilization of the Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) for peaceful purposes. The agreement covers augmentation of GLONASS by:

• Joint development of onboard equipment for geostationary satellites.
• Establishment of an associated ground infrastructure.
• Development of a combined receiver operating on signals from GLONASS and the overlay.

BTW, there is another major player in this market - started in 1994 the European Union’s GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems), known as Galileo, which it says will start beaming coordinates to customers by 2011. Here also India has partnered with the European Union’s Galileo system. But since Galileo would only be for civilian use, joining GLONASS becomes significant.

Like the GPS system, the GLONASS constellation consists of 24 satellites, 21 in operation, and three backups on station. The use of GLONASS in addition to GPS provides very significant advantages:

• increased satellite signal observations
• markedly increased spatial distribution of visible satellites
• reduced Horizontal and Vertical Dilution of Precision (DOP) factors
• decreased occupation times means faster RTK results

Satellite navigation technology is rapidly evolving. The modernisations in GPS, full deployments of GLONASS and GALILEO after 2008 will facilitate the development of new applications, and hence opening up of new markets. It is time to prepare for this new commodity: ubiquitous provision of reliable and accurate positioning and timing services has already started to transform our societies.

What will GNSS service be like 10-20 years from now? Such a fascinating question, especially for those who have over recent years witnessed the explosion of GPS capabilities and applications! Of course, no one can accurately predict the future. What actually happens will be the result of decisions and actions taken by the organizations that support each of these navigation systems. It surely isn’t an easy task, but the rewards justify the effort and investment. Finally, the improvements in GALILEO, GLONASS and modernized GPS will increase the signals for the GNSS user community. This will bring numerous benefits for applications requiring fast and accurate positioning.

For more information on different Global Navigation Satellite Systems simply search the web, google or yahoo around, whichever you prefer as it is packed with general as well as technical documents.

Militainment Inc. is a nine part documentary, written, produced, and narrated by Roger Stahl, assistant professor at the University of Georgia. The documentary shows how the Pentagon and the entertainment industries became partners in militarizing TV, games, sports and more.

“The film asks: How has war taken its place as an entertainment spectacle? and What does this mean for the ability of our democracy to consider this most destructive of human activities?”

It’s an informative and interesting documentary, worth the watch. The film is available on BitTorrent for free.

Download Militainment Inc. (621 MB)

Official website, with direct download.

The makers of the most beautiful, agile and at the same time the deadly jet fighters in the world.

Sukhoi (pronounced [suk-oi]) (Сухой) is a major Russian military fighter aircraft manufacturer. Founded by Pavel Sukhoi in 1939 as the Sukhoi Design Bureau (OKB-51, design office prefix Su), it is currently known as Sukhoi Corporation. It is comprised of the JSC Sukhoi Design Bureau located in Moscow, the Novosibirsk Aviation Production Association (NAPO), the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Production Association (KnAAPO) and Irkutsk Aviation. Sukhoi is headquartered in Moscow.

Brief History of Sukhoi Design Berau

Su-27 and Su-35

Su-34 Fighter Bomber

Su-33 Navy Single Seater

Su-30 MK

The Sukhoi Su-37 (NATO designation: Flanker-F) is a Russian multi-role jet fighter aircraft. Here are couple of videos showing the power and extreme manuevrability of Su-37. The Su-37 is a super-maneuverable thrust vectoring fighter derived from an Su-35 prototype. The Su-37 represents a new level of capability compared with the Su-27 and Su-35.

Su-37 Super Flanker

Commercial on the latest Russian Su-35 (4.5th Generation)

Sukhoi Su-47 Berkut (Су-47 “Беркут” - golden eagle), also designated S-32 and S-37 during initial development, is an experimental supersonic jet fighter developed by Sukhoi Aviation Corporation, a testbed for developing technologies for the next generation of aircraft. The basic dimensions and weight of the Su-47 “Berkut” are similar to those of Su-37, although they are different aircraft, and the tail, nose and canopy are similar to those of the Su-35. The NATO reporting name for this aircraft is “Firkin“. A distinguishing feature of the aircraft is its forward-swept wing. Although the Berkut has been referred to as the Su-47 since 2002, suggesting that it is a ready-for-production warplane, it will more likely be heavily redesigned (as part of the Prospective Air Complex for Tactical Air Forces or PAK FA program) before any series production begins. Any production S-47 would presumably be able to carry most air-to-air missiles in service with the Russian and Indian Air Forces. (some more info here)

The FSW (Forward Swept Wing) is a better performer at high angles of attack in post-stall manoeuvring much needed in close-in dogfight. The fact that Simonov had chosen FSW for his fifth-generation fighter once again confirms Sukhoi’s commitment to the super agility as a crucial requirement for the next generation air-superiority fighter. This approach, so much different from western concepts of stealth, supercruise and BVR engagements, was taken to the limits in Su-37.

The Indian Air Force, often abbreviated as the IAF, is the world’s fourth largest air force and operates more than 1130 combat and 1700 non-combat aircraft, including latest Su-30MKI (MKI: ‘Multifunctional Commercial - Indian’) which is the IAF’s prime air superiority combat aircraft. The MKI variant is considered to be the most advanced fighter aircraft of Russian origin in service, except for Su-35. The MKI version is the ultimate development of the Su-30 series, and regarded as superior in capabilities to all versions of F-15 aircraft of the USAF. The Su-30 MKI is significantly more advanced than the basic Su-30 or the Chinese Su-30 MKK aircraft. The aircraft was jointly designed by Russia’s Sukhoi and India’s HAL. India exercised its Su-30 MKIs against the Royal Air Force’s Tornado ADVs in October 2006. This marked the first large scale exercise with any foreign Air Force, in which the IAF used its MKI’s extensively. This exercise was also the first in 43 years with the Royal Air Force.

IAF pilots flying their ‘top-gun’ Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets are developing a habit of simply outgunning their rivals. After ’splashing’ F-15Cs and F-16s, they have now blown the British Tornados out of the clear blue skies. With a comprehensive package of super-manoeuvrability and firepower, the two-seater Sukhoi-30MKIs were a cut above the rest …….

“Sukhoi-30MKI is our golden goose. We don’t want to expose all its eggs to even friendly forces. We did not exploit its spectrum of capabilities. For instance, we did not open all operating modes of its radars,” said a senior IAF officer.

Su 30MKI with the Indian Air Force is the world’s first operational fighter with thrust vectoring capability.

The Su-30MKI’s distinctive features:

• 

  * For the first time in the world, a production aircraft has an engine with thrust vector control (AL-31FP, developed by the RDC named after A. Lyulka), and a remote control system integrated into a single control loop. Taken together, this renders the Su-30MKI extremely manoeuvrable;

• * For the first time in the Design Bureau’s history, a plane features a large-scale integration of avionics systems of foreign and domestic origin. The Su-30MKI has an “international” avionics portfolio, including as it does systems and units made by 14 foreign firms from 6 countries of the world.
• * For the first time in the world, a production plane has a radar with PAA (”Bars” developed by the Scientific Research Institute of Instrumentation Technology). Moreover, the plane has a new ejection seat, the K-36D-3.5, and a number of other innovative systems of domestic origin.
• * The ADO line-up has been significantly upgraded with the addition of the RVV-AYe air-to-air guided missile, Kh-29L/T/TYe, Kh-31A/P, Kh-59M air-to-ground missiles, and KAB-500 and KAB-1500 guided bombs.

Su-30MKI: Air Superiority fighter, MultiRole Fighter, Strike fighter, Heavy class fighter