India eyes Israeli tank, APC systems

[nadeemkhan110]

Israeli companies involved in the Merkava tank and Namer armored personnel carrier conducted a seminar in India, Israel's biggest defense customer.




Representatives of over 20 Israeli companies involved in the development and production program for the Merkava tank and Namer armored personnel carrier today finished the first seminar ever conducted in India. Dozens of Indian companies attended the seminar. The Ministry of Defense SIBAT - Ministry of Defense International Defense Cooperation Authority sponsored the seminar, in view of the emerging needs of Indian industry in order to prepare for the large-scale procurement of armored vehicles by the Indian army expected in the coming years.

The growing security ties between India and Israel have been reflected in recent years by major Indian procurement of Gil anti-tank missiles produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., upgrades of Indian tanks by Elbit Systems Ltd. (Nasdaq: Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) (TASE: Imco Industries Ltd. (IAI) (TASE: ARSP.B1) of Barak 8 missiles, and more. The Ministry of Defense, Manufacturers Association of Israel, and the Indian Industries Association are now trying to extend the ties even further and facilitate cooperation between Israeli companies and companies involved in future procurement of armored vehicles by the Indian army. The aim is to have Israeli systems developed in industries related to the Merkava in Indian armored vehicles. "We want to make connections between companies," Ministry of Defense Tank Administration Commander Brig. Gen. Baruch Matzliah told "Globes" today. "We have technology, and the Indians are interested in it, in addition to the need to create new jobs in the country. It appears that there is fertile ground for cooperation in the coming years." Two years ago, Elbit Systems signed an agreement to upgrade 1,000 T-72 tanks used by the Indian army. The deal was believed to total hundreds of millions of dollars. Elbit Systems will install advanced fire control systems developed for the IDF's Merkava in these T-72s.



In addition to upgrading T-72s, India is manufacturing another Russian tank, the T-90, in its territory under special license. The Ministry of Defense now believes that Israeli companies can also be included in this program through the installing of systems they have developed in tanks produced for the Indian army.

Representatives of Imco Industries Ltd. (TASE: C. Mer Industries Ltd. (TASE: CMER), Beth-El Zikhron Yaaqov Industries, Magam Safety, Bental Industries, and other companies manufacturing components for the Merkava and Namer took part in the seminar.


200 Israeli companies with a total of 10,000 employees throughout Israel are involved in these enterprises. Aggregate exports by these companies are estimated at $700 million.

In addition to production of the Merkava Mark IV and the Namer, the Tank Administration is also spearheading the development of the Eitan, a new wheeled Israeli APC currently under consideration. If and when it is decided to procure it, the Ministry of Defense's orders from these companies may increase.

The defense establishment is having trouble estimating the potential value of possible cooperative ventures involving Israeli and Indian companies aimed at the Indian armored vehicles procurement program. In any case, the Indian hosts have already explained the prevailing business environment in India to their Israeli guests. Every deal signed with India must include the transfer of Israeli know-how to India, and the production lines must be in the country. "In any case, we will take care to keep some of the production in Israel - and of course we will keep special know-how in this area," Matzliah said.


In recent days, representatives of Israeli industries and the defense establishment received a comprehensive survey from senior Indian army officers of its buildup of forces for the coming year and the defense challenges it faces, especially on the country's borders with Pakistan and China. "For a long time, our relations with India have been more than just buyer and seller," SIBAT head Brigadier General (res.) Michel Ben-Baruch says. "It's a partnership, a common road, it’s a real friendship."

The industries involved in the Merkava and Namer program have been exporting components and systems developed for the Israeli tanks and APCs for years. The Ministry of Defense has previously claimed that every shekel invested in the Merkava program is returned fourfold to the Israeli economy through these exports. At the same time, for the first time, the Ministry of Defense is referring a mass of companies in this area to a target growth market with potential for deals amounting to billions of dollars. "India is Israel's biggest defense export destination. There is a significant business opportunity here to expand the volume of our activity," says C. Mer Industries defense and technology division general manager and former SIBAT head Yaron Livnat. "Most of us are familiar with the Indian market, and we're confident that we have a great deal to offer them in cooperation with local companies."

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 30, 2016

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2016

 

[C130]

500 Merkava 4 "windbreaker" for $3 billion
2000 Namer "windbreaker" for $6 billion
5000 Eitan "ironfist" for $13 billion

 

[DavidSling]

 

[4GTejasBVR]

500 Merkava 4 "windbreaker" for $3 billion
2000 Namer "windbreaker" for $6 billion
5000 Eitan "ironfist" for $13 billion

U want to invade the world?

 

[C130]

U want to invade the world?

India has 6,500 tanks and 6,500 AFV

India can start retiring it's T-72 and BMP-2 which are deathtraps compared to Merkava and NAMER

 

[4GTejasBVR]

India has 6,500 tanks and 6,500 AFV

India can start retiring it's T-72 and BMP-2 which are deathtraps compared to Merkava and NAMER

For T 72 we will replace with Armata tanks. BMP2 upgrading into Russian BMP3 or with the help of Ukraine or Israeli.

We can't afford 30 billion in tanks deals alone

 

[C130]

For T 72 we will replace with Armata tanks. BMP2 upgrading into Russian BMP3 or with the help of Ukraine or Israeli.

We can't afford 30 billion in tanks deals alone

if India get's Armata that would be interesting ,but Namer is better than BMP-3 protection wise not so lethality .

 

[Water Car Engineer]

For both FRCV and FICV programs you will need to tie up with private or public companies within India now.

 

[Zarvan]

Well it can be great news for India. India needs to drop that failure Arjun and go for latest version of Merkava and also the APC offered by Israel. It's the best thing which could happen to Indian Army.

 

[Indian_gorkha]

Well it can be great news for India. India needs to drop that failure Arjun and go for latest version of Merkava and also the APC offered by Israel. It's the best thing which could happen to Indian Army.

Since when were you appointed as spokesperson for Indian Army. I seriously pity you calling Arjun a failure. Do you even know how much work has to go in to make a tank.

Don't dip your fingers in every hole.

 

[SQ8]

Since when were you appointed as spokesperson for Indian Army. I seriously pity you calling Arjun a failure. Do you even know how much work has to go in to make a tank.

Don't dip your fingers in every hole.

Arjun is a failure, it is a project that the IA does not want. Nothing can be more insulting to a project that its primary intended operator has no interest in it even if it works perfectly.

 

[4GTejasBVR]

if India get's Armata that would be interesting ,but Namer is better than BMP-3 protection wise not so lethality .

Israel's formula won't work for us. They are small nation with less resources so they can afford costly technologies. But for India we need to have large numbers, maintain 3rd largest standing Army in the world. . . Russians have best combination of cost effective, Fire power Protection and they have large armed forces too.

But sure we should optimize our weapons with Israeli sub systems. That's makes our platform better than Israeli, and Russians

 

[Kaniska]

Arjun is a failure, it is a project that the IA does not want. Nothing can be more insulting to a project that its primary intended operator has no interest in it even if it works perfectly.

I beleive from your perspective you may be correct. But think about in a larger perspective, these projects are primarily intended to initiate a reserch and development process in India itself. Even also some of the projects are not achiving the intended objective, but it provides a ecosystem to further develop innovation in Military field in India.

And in other way, we are not in war zone where we are really fighting a war next day. So it is fine to take time but develop some R&D infrastructure in our country.

 

[SQ8]

I beleive from your perspective you may be correct. But think about in a larger perspective, these projects are primarily intended to initiate a reserch and development process in India itself. Even also some of the projects are not achiving the intended objective, but it provides a ecosystem to further develop innovation in Military field in India.

And in other way, we are not in war zone where we are really fighting a war next day. So it is fine to take time but develop some R&D infrastructure in our country.

I would agree from the LCA's perspective, it still has spawned multiple ancillary ideas and technologies. But the arjun has literally done diddly squat due to mismanagement tales so perverse and wasteful it demands a book.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

I would agree from the LCA's perspective, it still has spawned multiple ancillary ideas and technologies. But the arjun has literally done diddly squat due to mismanagement tales so perverse and wasteful it demands a book.

Dont think so, several technologies have been localized and are actually going to be used on T90, T72 upgrades. And will find use in the next generation tank.

LASTEC has designed and developed a laser warning and countermeasure system for Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFVs). A LWS is capable of handling multiple type of laser threats and has an operational range of more than 6 km for laser designator type of laser threat. After detecting the laser threat along with its direction, it also has the capability to generate trigger signal to activate the grenade launcher for firing of smoke grenade in the direction of laser threat to obscure the platform under threat. Technology of the LWS has been transferred to BEL, Pune.

etc
etc
etc
Several different rounds, hard kill protection suite, new engine, local RCWS, etc, etc. are being developed test on this hull.

Several different private industries from the big TATAs, to the smaller Tonbo Imaging, VEM tech, etc. are benefiting from this program as well.

It's anything but a waste, but it's being treated as a test bed at this point.