Ctrl + Alt + Defence

In Episode 35 of #CtrlAltDefence, hosts Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor break down how India's induction of the 4.5-generation Dassault Rafale is reshaping the air power equation with China. They compare it head-to-head with Beijing's fifth-generation stealth platform, the Chengdu 
J-20-examining stealth versus combat experience, long-range missile reach versus real-world operational performance, and what the Meteor-equipped Rafale means for the balance of power in the region.

In Episode 34 of #CtrlAltDefence, hosts Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor tackle HAL's high-stakes moment: Private sector giants shortlisted to build AMCA prototypes, sidelining HAL for India's 5th-gen stealth fighter. Can HAL deliver capable Tejas Mk-1As on schedule amid delays and scrutiny? 

Perform or perish-deep dive now!

Pre-order your copy of The Sky Warriors by Vishnu Som now: https://bit.ly/4qnYIht

NEW EPISODE ALERT! 

The second episode of the new year is here!  

Episode 33 of #CtrlAltDefence with @ShivAroor and @VishnuNDTV has officially dropped! 

Topic: Is the IAF set to get 114 new Rafales?

Episode 32 of #CtrlAltDefence Drops!

Topic: The IAF's Tanker Woes

2003: First IL-78 arrives 
2009-2018: Multiple tenders, multiple cancellations 
2025: Finally leases a KC-135 (but only for training, no combat) 
2026: Boeing 767 deal 'expected soon'   

25 years of 'coming soon' vibes. Fingers crossed! 

Dropping now: Episode 31 of Ctrl Alt Defence.

Join Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som as they discuss the commissioning of India's second MH-60R Seahawk helicopter squadron and explain why this platform is increasingly being described as India's new "Flying Frigate."

Key highlights from the episode:

India has commissioned INAS 335 'Ospreys', the Indian Navy's second MH-60R squadron, at INS Hansa, Goa.

The first MH-60R squadron, INAS 334, was commissioned in Kochi in 2024. With INAS 335, the Western Seaboard now gains a major multi-role maritime capability.

The MH-60R is referred to as a "Flying Frigate" due to its extensive suite of sensors, radar systems and weapons, enabling it to perform roles typically associated with surface warships.

The helicopter is a critical anti-submarine warfare (ASW) platform, equipped with dipping sonar and Mk-54 lightweight torpedoes for detecting and engaging submarines across the Indian Ocean Region.

It provides a strong anti-surface warfare capability, armed with Hellfire missiles for precision strikes against hostile vessels.

The MH-60R features advanced multi-mode radar and FLIR systems, allowing effective surveillance and targeting during both day and night operations over vast maritime areas.

Beyond combat roles, the helicopter supports search and rescue, medical evacuation, and vertical replenishment, making it a versatile multi-mission asset.

It is fully compatible with operations from INS Vikrant, INS Vikramaditya, as well as Indian Navy destroyers and frigates.

The induction of the MH-60R enhances India–US defence interoperability, having already demonstrated its utility during major naval exercises and operations such as TROPEX.

The platform significantly strengthens India's maritime dominance in the Indian Ocean at a time of evolving and increasing regional security challenges.

Listen now and share your thoughts.

Episode 30 of #CtrlAltDefence drops! 

Link: https://youtu.be/5LPMqtuebGM

Focus: America's deep upgrade of Pakistan Air Force F-16s poses problems for the IAF!

Key Discussion Points:

Link-16 Data-link Transformation: How will the integration of the Link-16 data-link system revolutionize the situational awareness and network-centric warfare capabilities of Pakistan's F-16 fleet?

Progressive Upgrades: How have the Pakistan Air Force F-16s been systematically upgraded over time, including previous sustainment packages and MLU (Mid-Life Upgrade) programs?

Advanced AMRAAM Missiles: What are the strategic implications and potential new combat ranges if the US clears the transfer of advanced AMRAAM missiles (like the AIM-120D) for Pakistan's F-16s?

IAF Datalink Sophistication: In comparison, how sophisticated are the datalink systems and network-centric capabilities currently employed by the India Air Force (IAF), such as the indigenously developed systems?

Listen now for a full breakdown! 

On episode 29 of Ctrl Alt Defence, join Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som as they look at India's Pakistani AWACS killer, the S-400 system. 

We have this podcast at a time when the Russian President Vladimir Putin is here in India and we reflect on its capabilities and its future avatar, the S-500 Prometheus.

Listen in.

Join Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor as they dive deep into the historic test of the K4 sub-launched ballistic missile! 

India's Naval Nuclear Deterrent just levelled up! 
A MASSIVE NOTAM declared off Vizag coast! This is BIG.

What does it mean for India's nuclear submarine programme? 

Have our SSBNs finally come of age? 

This could be India's most significant ballistic missile test EVER.

We tell you why! 

Vishnu & Shiv return to discuss the heartbreaking Tejas crash at the Dubai Airshow 2025.

Wing Commander Namansh Syal, we salute you. What does the newly emerged footage reveal? How do IAF families cope with such devastating losses? 

Join the conversation.

With the Pakistan Navy set to acquire its first few made-in-China Hangor class submarines, Shiv Aroor and Vishnu Som look at its potential impact on the Indian Navy, particularly since the Project 17I project to build a class of diesel-electric submarines in India is nowhere near realisation.

Join Vishnu Som and Shiv Aroor in the latest installment of #CtrlAltDefence for a look at the future of the Rafale based on its wartime use during Op Sindoor. We also puncture Pak propaganda on their capture of IAF Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, who appeared in a photograph with President Murmu earlier this week. But the big questions on the Rafale remains - the IAF wants 114 more jets - but this will break the bank. Is the government willing to make this investment? Will Dassault, the manufacturer of the jet be ready for serious tech transfer to India if the jet is assembled here? Will Indian weapons such as the Astra 2 be integrated? Will there be problems in agreeing to the terms of integration? All that and a lot more in this deep-dive into the future of the Rafale in IAF service.

Can India match China's PL-15 in the skies? Are Indian air-to-air missiles already outgunned by Pakistan's F-16s? Is the IAF's Meteor on the Rafale really enough or already outranged? And what does it mean for India's Tejas and legacy fighters?

In CTRL ALT DEFENCE episode 24, Vishnu Som answers Shiv Aroor's burning questions on India's air defence vis a vis air-to-air missiles. A dive deep into the growing missile gap in South Asia  and what India must do to close it. From the Chinese PL-15's jaw-dropping range to the limitations of MICA, R-77, and even Meteor, this is a candid, fact-driven discussion on how ultra long-range air-to-air missiles are reshaping modern aerial combat.

Can India's Astra Mk2 arrive in time? Can indigenous tech hold its own?
And... can Vishnu and Shiv really make their INS Arihant dreams come true?
Recorded at the NDTV World Summit, this special edition brings the entire CTRL ALT DEFENCE team together - right from the heart of Bharat Mandapam.

Don't miss it. Defense is changing fast. Are we ready?