Hunt on for new generation assault rifles; upgraded INSAS not a replacement

[Bharat_Bhakt]

Every time an Indian product comes out somehow it just cant meet expectations. From my point of view Excalibur should be inducted for specialised operations. Rest for a battle field rifle they should look for a replacement.

you are saying the opposite Excalibur is for bulk while multi cal rifle is for special forces and Excalibur is a very reliable and good platform basically every thing what IA always wanted that is a reliable and sturdy weapon that can fire at least 650-750RPM accuracy for ranges from 150 - 450 meters and has semi and fully automatic firing options and should have rails to attach different optics plus should be cheap (500-800$s) now after working for so long when at last it is made and tested with just two stoppages for over 25000 rounds indian army wants to change the goal post again but wont mind diluting the requirements for foreign vendors and we all know why ?

 

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

Every time an Indian product comes out somehow it just cant meet expectations. From my point of view Excalibur should be inducted for specialised operations. Rest for a battle field rifle they should look for a replacement.

For specialized operations India would be using MSMC

 

[Grevion]

So all the rifles in the world failed to meet the Indian Army requirements and now they are critisizing the Excalibur which is designed to operate in India conditions.
IA should replace INSAS with Excalibur if there aren't any technical deficiency during trials and bring in private players for quality control. It will pave way for further improvements and will encourage design and development of modern assault rifles in India

 

[Maravan]

No international vendor able to meet IA requirements? Are they expecting a gun with 10km range and pin point accuracy?

 

[SmilingBuddha]

maybe they are looking for star wars like laser rifles....some one tell me there is anything out there that will fulfill there requirements.

 

[SrNair]

Ok Now Indian Army should consult some, inter galactic force for star war weapons .
What kind of idiots they are ?
We have a world class space systems ,missile systems and they couldnt find decent engineers and scientist to develop a simple rifle .
One year ago they trialed best weapons available in the world and none of them passes test .Really ??
What is their target ?Super man or General Zod .
Pathetic institutional mentality .I thing Parrikar and MoD team should move forward with tough measures .

If they have some minimum decency look at the Indian Navy and learn from it .That is how you protect your nation with best indigenous weapons and minimum corrruption.

You want to tell me entire Indian Army doesn't about weapons. Your own Army is testing Guns to replace a Gun which was only introduced in 1996 and your new Gun is not proving to be that good. As for Arjun and Tejas whole world knows How big disasters they are

At least they are still better than some disaster wrecked nations .
LCA is operational and Arjun is reducing its short comings.

 

[SmilingBuddha]

Ok Now Indian Army should consult so, inter galactic force for star war weapons .
What kind of idiots they are ?
We have a world class space systems ,missile systems and they couldnt find decent engineers and scientist to develop a simple rifle .
One year ago they trialed best weapons available in the world and none of them passes test .Really ??
What is their target ?Super man or General Zod .
Pathetic institutional mentality .I thing Parrikar and MoD team should move forward with tough measures .

If they have some minimum decency look at the Indian Navy and learn from it .That is how you protect your nation with best indigenous weapons and minimum corrruption.

Exactly...the navy built over there success ..INSAS has evolved into Excalibur, they should build over it or at least encourage it ...they should compare it to the other products that were tested and failed to come to a conclusion

 

[Vapnope]

If Excalibur is meeting requirements of IA, they should start a JV with any reputed gun manufacturer of the world. Personally i don't think this is possible that they cannot build (indigenous) a rifle which meets their requirements.

 

[IndoUS]

I understand that the army wants the best but when you realize that even the best from around the world can't keep up with your requirement then I believe it is high time you reconsider your requirement and see if they are feasible.

 

[nang2]

I understand that the army wants the best but when you are that even the beat from around the world can't keep up with your requirement then I believe it is high time you reconsider your requirement and see if they are feasible.

What if they don't require the best? Would that cause an uproar that complains the new rifle would put brave young Indian men and women in danger?

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

No international vendor able to meet IA requirements? Are they expecting a gun with 10km range and pin point accuracy?

Sheesh. Do not give them that idea.
They might actually see.

 

[IndoUS]

What if they don't require the best? Would that cause an uproar that complains the new rifle would put brave young Indian men and women in danger?

The whole issue is with army's insistance of having foreign weapons, because there is a cloud of disbelief that has been there which makes it hard for soldiers to believe that anything made by local industry is up to the notch. Which is understandable to some degree, but when you realize that even the world's best can't keep up with your requirement then you have to consider that your expectation have been through the roof to begin with and the paranoia of putting soldiers in risk will in itself come down.

 

[fsayed]

Army always sabotage indigenous product example we all know arjun tank and now it's Excalibur rifles

 

[Abingdonboy]

NEW DELHI: When it comes to the Army, a modern, reliable assault rifle is the very basic - the primary weapon of an infantry soldier posted either on the border or deployed for counter militancy missions in the hinterland.

However, despite a four year process to select a new generation rifle to replace the glitch prone Indian made INSAS, the Army is still not close to a viable option, with a new desi weapon being pushed by DRDO getting mixed reviews during ongoing user trials.

With the INSAS rifle - developed by DRDO and introduced in service in 1996 - not adequately meeting its requirements, the Army started the search for a new basic weapon in 2011. The contract was cancelled earlier this year - contenders failed to meet the stringent requirements - and a new variant of the INSAS, called the Excalibur, was fielded by DRDO.

The new rifle is being tested presently by the Army at two locations, with trials now at the final stage and results expected by February. However, several officials that ET spoke with say that the results till now have been mixed, with one team finding the rifle inadequate and the other seeing it as an improvement over the INSAS.

While the final results will take a few more weeks to come in, Army officials say that while the Excalibur would be an improvement over the INSAS, it would at best be a replacement rifle. "The Excalibur is an upgraded version of the INSAS, it is not a new rifle but the older weapon has been given additional features," a senior Army officer said.

But on the Army's parameters for a futuristic assault rifle, the Excalibur fails to make the cut. "It is at best a replacement for the INSAS rifles in service but for a future weapon, the rifle simply does not have the technical qualities," another officer told ET.

The Army is in urgent need to get a replacement for the INSAS but is also keen to get a world class product. Army officials have told ET that the ideal process would involve a fair competition in which the Excalibur also takes part to determine the best weapon systems suited for the Indian combat environment.

This is meant to be news? The Excalibur was always meant to merely be a stop-gap whilst the MCIWS is being developed.