Aviation

Man sent hijack email to airports to avoid trip with girlfriend, held

Hyderabad: A Hyderabad-based transport agent has found out — much to the chagrin of three airport authorities — that love is tricky.
Motaparthi Vamshi Krishna, who was arrested by the Hyderabad police today, sent an email to the Mumbai police chief last Saturday, warning of possible plane hijacks from Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai airports.
The reason? His Chennai-based cyber girlfriend wanted to vacation in Goa and had asked him to book her flight tickets from Chennai to Mumbai.
There was just one small problem. The transport agent, who claimed he was a hotshot businessman, was short on cash.

Trapped, Vamshi sent the hoax mail to the police and fobbed the girl off with news that the Hyderabad, Chennai and Mumbai airports were in panic mode after a hijack threat.
Since Vamshi had identified himself as a woman from Hyderabad in the mail, Mumbai commissioner asked the Hyderabad police to investigate.

Vamshi wrote ‘she’ had overheard six people talking about simultaneous plane hijacks from these three airports. ‘She’ also said the 23-member hijack gang would split into three.
The police traced the mail’s IP address to the E Net Zone Cyber Café in Madhuranagar. After analysing CC-TV footage, the police zeroed in on Vamshi.

Vamshi Krishna befriended the woman on Facebook three months ago, DCP, Commissioner’s Task Force, B Limba Reddy said. He had first asked her to drop the travel plans, but she insisted they go.
Reddy added: “He then thought of creating a fake air ticket for his friend to travel from Chennai to Mumbai. He abandoned the idea because the friend would have found out the ticket was fake and dumped him. So he created a fake email id instead and sent a hoax mail to the Mumbai Police Commissioner, identifying himself as a woman from Hyderabad.”

Vamshi, who is very active on social media, is a computer graduate from West Godavari. He is an old offender and was arrested in an extortion case and a cheating case in the city.
The police said Vamshi claimed to his social media friends that he was high-profile and rich.
Security was majorly stepped up at the Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai airports on April 16 following the hijack mail.

Deccan Chronicle

Aviation

Egypt has signed an agreement with China to purchase J-10C fighter jets

Egypt has become the second country, after Pakistan, to order China’s Chengdu J-10C “Vigorous Dragon” fighter jets, marking a significant shift in its military strategy.

The announcement, made during the inaugural Egypt International Air Show from September 3 to 5 at El Alamein International Airport, reveals Egypt’s intent to replace its aging fleet of U.S. F-16s.

The J-10C, a highly capable 4.5-generation multi-role fighter jet, was showcased by China for the first time on African soil during the air show. It features advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground weaponry, making it a formidable alternative to Egypt’s current fleet.

Known for its air superiority missions, the J-10C has often been compared to the American F-16, which has been the backbone of the Egyptian Air Force since the 1980s.

However, with Egypt’s F-16s now considered outdated against modern air defense systems, the decision to transition to the Chinese fighters underscores a major upgrade in Egypt’s combat capabilities.

This move not only signals Egypt’s intent to reduce its reliance on U.S. defense systems but also reflects a broader shift in its international alliances.

Despite a long-standing defense relationship with the U.S., evidenced by a recent acquisition of C-130J Hercules transport aircraft through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, Egypt is clearly looking eastward.

The decision comes amid growing concerns over U.S. policies in the Middle East, including its stance on Israeli operations in Gaza, which may have influenced Cairo’s pivot to Chinese military technology.

China’s increasing presence in the Middle East and North Africa is bolstered by such deals, as Beijing continues to expand its influence through military cooperation and economic partnerships, particularly in energy imports.

The Egypt International Air Show provided a platform for showcasing this growing military-industrial relationship.