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India May Replace Global VSHORAD Tender With Domestic-Only One

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are they perhaps looking for multi purpose missile able to shoot down low altitude targets and tanks. Or something that provides high service ceiling.
 
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Saab

India may cancel 2010 global tender for VSHORADs that includes competing more

NEW DELHI — India's $1.5 billion global tender for man-portable very short-range air defense (VSHORAD) systems is facing cancellation for the second time since it was launched in 2010 — this time in favor of a domestic-companies-only competition, a Ministry of Defence source said.

While the flight trials of the competing systems were completed in 2013, the tender may be canceled because competitors MBDA, Rosoboronexport and Saab in the past have claimed there was a lack of transparency in the procurement process, the MoD source said. The government is weighing a new VSHORAD tender in the Buy and Make (India) category, restricted to Indian companies, the source said.

For the 2010 tender, Russia's Rosoboronexport fielded the Igla-S, Swedish company Saab offered the RBS 70 NG and France-based MBDA offered the Mistral system for trials.

The procurement process was also halted in 2012 as the MoD studied a proposal from US company Raytheon to supply the Stinger man-portable VSHORAD on a government-to-government basis. However, negotiations yielded no agreement because of issues relating to the transfer of technology.

Since the tender involves technology transfer, Saab had teamed with ndia's state-owned Bharat Electronics, while MBDA forged ties with privately owned Indian company Larsen & Toubro. Rosoboronexport chose to field the Igla-S system on its own.

However, should the government opt to restrict the tender to domestic companies, "fresh teaming up will be made as the private-sector defense sector has seen major new entrants like Pipavav Defence, Bharat Forge and Punj Lloyd," according to Mahindra Singh, a retired Indian Army major general.

The Indian Army is looking for VSHORAD systems to replace its aging Russian-made Igla air defense systems and wants a man-portable system weighing less than 25 kilograms with fire-and-forget capability. Other Army requirements include a capability of engaging aerial targets day or night with an effective range of 6 kilometers.

Of the 5,175 missiles and associated equipment sought under the 2010 tender, 2,315 missiles were to be delivered fully assembled and 1,260 partially assembled, with 1,000 missiles to be assembled entirely in India and 600 to be made at Indian facilities. Associated equipment includes launchers, sensors, thermal imaging sights, and command-and-control units.

But it isn't known what requirements might be included if a fresh tender for VSHORADs is issued to domestic companies, the MoD source said.

"There is an urgent need for VSHORAD systems and the order is likely to increase considering that even the Indian Air Force has a requirement of these systems," Singh said.

Email: vraghuvanshi@defensenews.com

India May Replace Global VSHORAD Tender With Domestic-only One

Nothing to worry here. This is akin to the MMRCA RFP cancellation to give more flexibility and expedite the negotiations to close the deal.
 
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A failure even if they are not involved , another 10 years without SAM.

People don't understand this simple fact you just stated.

Weapons building is a complex science which involves things like skills, knowhow, industrial infrastructure and resources. More importantly experience is needed and sadly DRDO fails in all departments. People talk of Brahmos as a success story, Brahmos is a lethal weapon no doubt but people forget that Russia controls the IP of Brahmos. For all possibility the Russians may have not even shared the source codes and critical data on Brahmos with Indians. It is not a 50-50 venture but more like 80-20 with 80 being Russian.

DRDO needs to work on basics, if a weapon is good customers would be interested. Export and sales is secondary, at least countries would show interest and ask for a demo/field evaluation. Not a single weapon of DRDO has been enquired by foreign countries.

Indian Army has constantly maintained that their air defence capabilities are 90% obsolete. India is stilll using late 60s early 70s SAM/AAA for air defence which is unpardonable.
 
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@PARIKRAMA does DRDO possess IP rights of Brahmos. As far as my knowledge and information, its the product of the Company named Brahmos Aerospace Ltd, which is the JV of India and Russia, and why should India have the IP rights, they will order Brahmos for the Missile. However critical subsystems like Motors, Seeker, Accutator, sensors might have been sourced from other parties and PSU's .
 
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@PARIKRAMA does DRDO possess IP rights of Brahmos. As far as my knowledge and information, its the product of the Company named Brahmos Aerospace Ltd, which is the JV of India and Russia, and why should India have the IP rights, they will order Brahmos for the Missile. However critical subsystems like Motors, Seeker, Accutator, sensors might have been sourced from other parties and PSU's .
In an old article in livefist Mr Pillai has stated the following in 2009
LiveFist has learnt that Dr A Sivathanu Pillai, the highly respected CEO of BrahMos has officially proposed to the government that he be appointed the head of a "ManTech (Manufacturing Technology) Cell", and report exclusively to the Secretary-Defence Production. Sources indicate that the proposal is a much-needed first step towards Pillai's real dream of making the BrahMos fully indigenous. India only makes the inertial navigation guidance system and fire control system of the BrahMos, while Russia continues to contribute the all-important engine, booster and seeker.

In 2003 in an interview to TOI, Mr Pillai said
We currently use fully indigenous steel for the missile. Now we are trying to undertake the integration part also at BrahMos," Pillai told reporters here.

"Efforts to make the missile engine at BrahMos will also be realized in three years. However, the explosive components of the missiles will be sourced from outside industries as we cannot handle explosives in our unit," he said.

By now I still think perhaps we may have achieved more but not complete localisation.

About IP no India cannot have as it itself is more like MTCR compliant version of Yakhont with upgrades and small differentiation. The JV is a means of transferring Yakhont tech which India can order from JV. The IP rights ideally should remain with Russia and at beat we are end users with mass production based licencising payers to the JV. Perhaps this way we can finally achieve the true range of Yakhont itself in newer version blocks n range.
 
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