INDIA: Building a Modern Arsenal in India

[desiman]

India army launches RFI for medium range loitering missile

22 Mar 2010 : The Indian army has issued a global Request for Information (RFI) about medium-range loitering missile systems, seeking details about their day and night camera payloads, ground control stations, data links, launchers and the like.

The RFI has been sent to Israeli firm – IAI Malat and US-based Raytheon, as these are one of the few companies that can manufacture such sophisticated and hi-tech systems. The loitering missile is basically a UAV which can transmit data after hovering over a target undetected for about half-an-hour and then hit a selected target. The Indian armed forces have inducted over 100 Israeli Searcher-II, Heron and other UAVs as `force-multipliers' in reconnaissance missions as well as for precision-strike operations.

The RFI states that the Army is interested in a system with capabilities that include top-attack and the ability to abort an attack after target lock (and re-designate). The Army wants a system where the launcher can be mounted on a Tatra truck. The RFI has sought details on the missile's cruising speed, maximum range at which it can engage a target, its loitering time, data link's range and the like.

The Headlines Today video says that these missiles cost about US$10 million a piece and hence these will be used very selectively. Industry sources say that this will be the second purchase of such systems by India and offset contracts are already underway for the first purchase.

 

[desiman]

New foreign investment policy and also new manufacturing policy document on Mar 31

21 Mar 2010: Pushing for increased U.S. investment in India, Anand Sharma, Commerce and Industry minister said in Washington that a new foreign investment and also a new manufacturing policy would be released by the Indian government on Mar 31, 2010.

 

[desiman]

Wheelchair-bound army officer to get promoted as Major General

In a tale befitting to the Indian soldiers grit, determination and resolve to face the challenges of life head on, wheelchair bound Brig S.K. Razdan, a 55 year old Paratrooper, has been cleared by the promotion board to the rank of two-star General or Major General.

He will pick up his two-star rank as and when a vacancy arises. Razdan, then a Lt Col, was involved in an intensive counter-terrorism operation in Damal Kunzipur area of Jammu and Kashmir in October 1994 to save several Muslim women taken hostage by militants. While the women were successfully rescued, the brave officer suffered grave injuries to his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed below the waist. For his immense show of gallantry, an indebted nation awarded him the Kirti Chakra, the second highest peace time award.

As per Army rules, any injury or disability suffered in war, counter-terrorism or any other operation, which is called a `battle casualty', does not come in the way of any soldier in his promotion boards as long as he is capable of performing his duties. However, if a soldier suffers a `physical casualty', that is, gets disabled in training or an accident, then there is no recourse but to put him in a lower medical category. He is allowed to serve if he can perform his duties but there is a bar on him getting promoted or attending some particular courses. Otherwise, he is boarded out.

This is not the first time a physically challenged soldier has risen to such high ranks. In the past, soldiers such as late Lt-Gen Pankaj Joshi, former Gorkha Rifles soldier, who lost both his legs during a mine-clearing mission in Sikkim in 1967, went on to become a three-star General. He also commanded armoured brigade, an armoured division and a corps before becoming the Army commander of the Lucknow-based Central Command. He finally hung up his uniform after becoming the first-ever chief of the tri-Service integrated defence staff in October 200. In another similar case, Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi, who lost one of his legs during an operation as a young officer, rose to the position of the vice-chief in 2000 after first serving as the director-general of military operations, a strike corps commander and then chief of the Chandimandir-based Western Army Command.

The promotion is an example of the unbiased systems the Indian army follows while considering officers to the next ranks. However, the system has been criticised by officers who have failed to make it to the next grade due to the stringent and narrow rank structure of the forces. A junior officer speaking to 8ak remarked, "The procedures within the army are such that a soldier may occasionally get more than what he deserves, but will never get less than what he deserves."

 

[desiman]

India's Deepak Basic Trainers To Get Ballistic Recovery System

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) wants to give its troubled HPT-32 Deepak basic propeller trainer aircraft a ballistic recovery system (BRS) -- a capability that principally involves a heavy-duty parachute that deploys during an emergency (spins, stalls, etc) and lowers the entire aircraft to the ground with the intention of saving the lives of the crew and limiting mechanical damage to the plane. HAL has received clearance from the Indian Air Force to fit approximately 120 HPT-32s in service -- but grounded since August 2009 after a fatal crash -- with a BRS developed specifically for the aircraft type. HAL has floated a tender for the system, and is understood to have already begun discussions with American firm BRS Aerospace, which appears to have pioneered the technology for several light aircraft including the Cirrus series and the light Cessnas.

HAL's tender stipulates that the BRS should be able to recover the HPT-32 in an emergency situation during any phase of its flight envelope including aerobatics. And on deploying, the system should be capable of lowering the aircraft with a rate of descent at touch down not exceeding 8.5 m/sec, and of course, without causing any injury to the crew. The minimum height of deployment for safe recovery of the aircraft has been put at 100-metres AGL or less.

 

[desiman]

Diagrams Of The Light Combat Helicopter Cockpit

 

[desiman]

Indian Army Scouts For New Heavy Machine Gun


Along with active tenders for virtually the entire gamut of infantry weapons, here's the latest. The Indian Army has just sent out requests for information (RFIs) on a potential new Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) for its forces -- 12.7mm x 99mm with a minimum effective range of not less than 2,000-metres. According to the RFI, the weapon should have the capability to be used from a Light Strike Vehicle/Infantry Fighting Vehicle and in a ground role while mounted on vehicle and tripod respectively. It continues: The weapon should be easy to carry by the three men crew in dismantled condition and be assembled with ease while being used in the ground role. The weapon should be robust enough to withstand rough usage and simple to maintain in operational conditions normally encountered in India including high altitude areas, jungles and desert. The gun should of course be capable of firing High Explosive Incendiary (HEI), Armour Piercing High Explosive (APHE), Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS), Target Practice (TP) and corresponding tracer ammo.

The specs put out are in fact almost identical to the superb Browning M2HB HMG already in service with the Indian Army, and which the new guns will replace. The other 12.7mm vehicle-mounted HMG in service with India is the Russian NSV 12.7mm HMG. RFIs for a new HMG have been sent to agencies that include Rosoboronexport for the Degtyarev Kord 12.7mm HMG, General Dynamics for the still in-development M806 HMG and also the Browning M2E50 (a modernised variant of the venerable M2).

 

[gurjot]

breaking news indian army is ready to recruit me

 

[1nd1a]

Some of the signature reduction features on Gripen

 

[1nd1a]

India:MORE THAN JUST A DUMPING GROUND

One of the most visibly high-profile and lucrative arms bazaars today happens to be India. The Big Boys of Europe (Russia included) and the United States of America feel happy to see in India a potential market of military equipment worth $50 billion over the next 10 years, and an expected $100 billion in the next 20 years.

The ‘mother’ of all deals, however, is that for the 126 Multi-Role Combat Aircraft, reportedly worth almost $11 billion. Expectedly, therefore, all top six companies — America’s Boeing, France’s Dassault Aviation SA (Rafale), America’s Lockheed Martin Corporation (F-16), Russia’s MiG-35, Sweden’s Saab JAS-39 Gripen and the EADS’s Eurofighter Typhoon — are competing with one another to clinch the deal.

One can well guess what is there in store for the one ‘victor’ and the five ‘vanquished’ once the government of India chooses the type of aircraft for its air force from amongst the six players vying for the deal. There is every possibility of the closure of those plants that fail to get the Indian order, as conventional military hardware markets all over the world have shrunk dramatically. But India being a compulsive big-ticket buyer, all foreign sellers of fighters are camping in New Delhi to woo the potential mega customer.

Perhaps the smartest seller so far has been America’s Boeing Company. Reportedly, the Boeing is to reinvest $640 million in India as part of its offset obligations. But many questions remain unanswered — will the Boeing’s planned investment upgrade indigenous technology? Or will Boeing remain content with asking Indian entrepreneurs to manufacture and copy a few non-technical and non-sensitive inventories such as the fuselage, doors, windows, galleys and tyres? One is not too sure as yet because if Barack Obama’s recent utterances are to be considered, “outsourcing” is anathema to him. And offset programmes of the government of India might be interpreted by American hardliners as outsourcing.

Boeing, however, was reportedly always “confident of securing export orders and the US Navy had sought international partners to share development of P-8A.” American companies (especially Boeing), consider India to be an important market — “We are here for the long haul,” declared an official of the company.

From India’s perspective, however, some puzzles remain. Serious defects had occurred and recurred in the F/A-18 Super Hornet programme. This spells trouble both for India and the USA. If a high-tech aircraft sold to India is found defective, then India — which has till date never produced the likes of F-4, F-5, F-15, F-16, F-18, F-22 and F-35 — certainly cannot be expected to repair or replace an aircraft that even the Americans today find hard to maintain.

It might be useful for India to emulate the Chinese in this regard — “Give us the latest technology first, then only we will take your hardware.” India must get the best stuff for itself, and should not be used as a dumping ground for obsolete technology.

The Union defence minister, A.K. Antony, constantly harps on the “need of high level of indigenisation in defence sector”. One-way traffic of sale and purchase could be transformed into ‘cooperate and produce’ between equal partners. The existing imbalance has led to inequalities in India’s arms acquisition programme. Choose the best and chase the quality.

 

[desisoldier]

excellent, we are heading on the right track, with LCH, Eurofighters, Tejas, more MKI's and the T-50 coming along in the next decade, we'd have a unstoppable force and one to be reckoned with.

 

[1nd1a]

Lockheed adds probe to F-16 to attract India

Sorry if this a repeat one!!!

Lockheed Martin is to add an all-new capability for the F-16 specifically to entice a massive order by the Indian air force.

Lockheed has designed and demonstrated a probe refuelling system that extends from the right conformal fuel tank of the F-16IN, a proposed variant of the Block 60 tailored for India's 126-aircraft medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) requirement.

The new probe-and-drogue refuelling capability was demonstrated to Indian pilots during flight trials performed in September in India, said Rick Groesch, Lockheed's regional vice-president for Middle East international business development.

It represents the first time Lockheed has offered a probe refuelling capability for a newly delivered F-16. The Indian air force does not operate an aerial refueller that employs a boom system, which is the standard for the F-16.

Although the probe attached to the conformal tank is being offered to India, Lockheed is also discussing the capability with multiple F-16 customers, Groesch said. The system can be added for any F-16 already designed to employ conformal fuel tanks, which includes Block 50/52s and Block 60s.

The additional capability will surely boost the F-16's standing in the hotly competitive MMRCA competition. Its rivals, including the Boeing F/A-18E/F, already come with a probe and drogue refuelling system.

After completing the flight trials in India last September, the Indian air force will start Phase 3 evaluations in January, Groesch said.

The F-16 will be tested in the USA for weapons and systems, such as the Northrop Grumman APG-80 agile beam radar, that could not be shown in India.

India is expected to select the MMRCA supplier by late 2010, but subsequent contract negotiations could last for years.

 

[1nd1a]

Indian Coastguard vessel rammed, SINKS

Absolute and utter disaster. An Indian CoastGuard vessel, ICGS Vivek sank like a stone this afternoon minutes after being rammed by a Panamanian merchant vessel, MV Global Purity. The Vivek, a 1220-ton offshore patrol vessel that performed brilliantly with her crew during tsunami relief operations in 2004-05, had been docked at the Mumbai Port Trust's Indira dock for a major refit by private firm Krasny Marine Services. While entering the dock, possibly as a result of navigational error, the merchant vessel tore into the patrol craft, ripping a huge gash in its hull. The ingress of water quickly pulled the ship down as hapless harbour personnel watched in horror. The ship is a little over 20 years old and this was its first major refit. Investigations are on. Wait for heads to seriously roll.

The Vivek was a tough boat, that had almost consistent deployment on rescue and relief work and received a unit commendation in 2004. Following the tsunami in December 2004, the ship acquitted itself with distinction, earning its crew multiple decorations for meritorious service.

 

[desiman]

Indian Coastguard vessel rammed, SINKS

Absolute and utter disaster. An Indian CoastGuard vessel, ICGS Vivek sank like a stone this afternoon minutes after being rammed by a Panamanian merchant vessel, MV Global Purity. The Vivek, a 1220-ton offshore patrol vessel that performed brilliantly with her crew during tsunami relief operations in 2004-05, had been docked at the Mumbai Port Trust's Indira dock for a major refit by private firm Krasny Marine Services. While entering the dock, possibly as a result of navigational error, the merchant vessel tore into the patrol craft, ripping a huge gash in its hull. The ingress of water quickly pulled the ship down as hapless harbour personnel watched in horror. The ship is a little over 20 years old and this was its first major refit. Investigations are on. Wait for heads to seriously roll.

The Vivek was a tough boat, that had almost consistent deployment on rescue and relief work and received a unit commendation in 2004. Following the tsunami in December 2004, the ship acquitted itself with distinction, earning its crew multiple decorations for meritorious service.

When did this happen ?

 

[1nd1a]

excellent, we are heading on the right track, with LCH, Eurofighters, Tejas, more MKI's and the T-50 coming along in the next decade, we'd have a unstoppable force and one to be reckoned with.

Are you sure you are asking for Eurofighter. Have a look at this article. I am Eurofighter fan too but after going through this I am having a second thought. Each Typhoon hour in the sky works out at £85,000 for fuel, training and maintenance costs.

The future of defence part three: The RAF - Times Online

 

[1nd1a]

When did this happen ?

Today...