Gabbar
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2009
- Messages
- 2,118
- Reaction score
- 0
India needs an indigenous missile shield
The pro-American lobby is “upset” with President Obama concentrating on US’ primary interests — overcoming the recession, Iraq, “AfPak” and cozying up to China. The much-touted contract for eight Boeing P-8i LRMP aircraft for the Indian Navy will be “operationalised” after the EUMA (end user monitoring agreement) issue is resolved. Another impediment to US transfer of technology is the “CISMOA” (Communications and Information Memorandum of Agreement) that the US requires from all who buy or use its military technology. Without EUMA and CISMOA, the American F-16 and F-18 jet fighters cannot hope to compete in the ongoing 126 fighter deal for the IAF. A third agreement which the US wants India to sign is the LSA (Logistics Support Agreement), which seeks to enhance interoperability by providing refuelling to warships, while deferring the payment to a prearranged later date. I wonder how Indo-US relations will shape up if the US brings the FMCT, CTBT, PSI, CSI etc to the table, when the new government takes charge after the general elections.
The pro-China lobby in India is confused as to why Beijing is gifting two more nuclear power plants to Pakistan. Is the IAEA worried at all about the repercussions of these two known nuclear proliferators getting together yet again?
The pro-Russian lobby is fast running out of steam since the Russians have introduced a new system of first signing contracts and then hiking prices. A recent example is the original $900 million Gorshkov aircraft carrier contract, now being priced at an astounding $2.9 billion. India should now concentrate on its indigenous aircraft carrier and get it ready by 2015.
I am proud of the part played by the DRDO (and DAE) in India in acquiring its own indigenous strategic deterrent, and applaud the ongoing efforts to test the Agni-5 in 2010.
The Ballistic Missile Defence System (BMDS) project (phase 1, to counter Pakistan) recently underwent its third “successful” DRDO trials on March 6, and, as per media reports, is expected to become operational by about 2012 with a phase 2 (to counter China) being ready by 2014. These DRDO projects are meant to defend a selected city only, while for all of India we would need a complex, and unaffordable, “area” BMDS.
A single “area” BMDS, which would counter both Chinese and Pakistani ballistic missile threats, would be ideal. But it is ruled out due to prohibitive costs. This system would require “layered detection systems” viz an “outermost” layer with satellite-based surveillance systems to cover 3,500 km to 6,000 km, and a “middle layer” with early warning radar with a slant detection range up to 4,000 km to detect “high flying” ballistic missiles of the type China may use against us. In addition, a third “inner most” layer of “higher” frequency radar with ranges of about 1,500 km would be needed to detect “low trajectory” ballistic missiles and to discriminate between warheads and decoys or discarded booster/cruise stages. After detection, the early warning radar would pass on the information to one of the numerous suitable interceptor missiles, which would be launched with guidance from local fire control radar. These interceptor missiles too would be “layered”. For the “outermost” layer, interceptor missiles would need speeds of 4-1/2 km per second and ranges of over 200 km. The “middle” layer would comprise interceptor missiles. The “inner most” layer would need missiles like the American PAC-3 or Israeli Arrow-2 or the Indian PAD-cum-AAD.
No BMDS is foolproof. One out of every five modern ballistic missiles will reach its target. In addition, India would need a large number of expensive SAMs, AWACs, low-level radar and fighter aircraft to build an indigenous cruise missile defence system to counter the low-flying cruise missile threats from Pakistan and China. For the CMDS, the DRDO’s long-delayed AWACs and LCA projects are important.
The present Indian interceptor missile systems will only suffice to defend a single city. This system would not provide defence against the long-range and fast Chinese ballistic missiles. Since “phase 1” will not suffice, the DRDO has announced a “phase 2” BMDS by 2014, which will comprise a 1,500 km radar and a new PDV interceptor missile. A combination of phases 1 and 2 will provide limited point defence capability to selected cities, assuming that an Indian satellite surveillance system also becomes operational. India needs two “point” BMDS to defend, specifically, New Delhi and Mumbai, and also a very “limited” CMDS, by 2015. However, higher priority will have to be given to countering terror while providing adequate conventional warfare and strategic second-strike capability.
We must use our limited finances wisely. While good relations with the US and Russia are important, we also need a pro-India lobby.
The pro-American lobby is “upset” with President Obama concentrating on US’ primary interests — overcoming the recession, Iraq, “AfPak” and cozying up to China. The much-touted contract for eight Boeing P-8i LRMP aircraft for the Indian Navy will be “operationalised” after the EUMA (end user monitoring agreement) issue is resolved. Another impediment to US transfer of technology is the “CISMOA” (Communications and Information Memorandum of Agreement) that the US requires from all who buy or use its military technology. Without EUMA and CISMOA, the American F-16 and F-18 jet fighters cannot hope to compete in the ongoing 126 fighter deal for the IAF. A third agreement which the US wants India to sign is the LSA (Logistics Support Agreement), which seeks to enhance interoperability by providing refuelling to warships, while deferring the payment to a prearranged later date. I wonder how Indo-US relations will shape up if the US brings the FMCT, CTBT, PSI, CSI etc to the table, when the new government takes charge after the general elections.
The pro-China lobby in India is confused as to why Beijing is gifting two more nuclear power plants to Pakistan. Is the IAEA worried at all about the repercussions of these two known nuclear proliferators getting together yet again?
The pro-Russian lobby is fast running out of steam since the Russians have introduced a new system of first signing contracts and then hiking prices. A recent example is the original $900 million Gorshkov aircraft carrier contract, now being priced at an astounding $2.9 billion. India should now concentrate on its indigenous aircraft carrier and get it ready by 2015.
I am proud of the part played by the DRDO (and DAE) in India in acquiring its own indigenous strategic deterrent, and applaud the ongoing efforts to test the Agni-5 in 2010.
The Ballistic Missile Defence System (BMDS) project (phase 1, to counter Pakistan) recently underwent its third “successful” DRDO trials on March 6, and, as per media reports, is expected to become operational by about 2012 with a phase 2 (to counter China) being ready by 2014. These DRDO projects are meant to defend a selected city only, while for all of India we would need a complex, and unaffordable, “area” BMDS.
A single “area” BMDS, which would counter both Chinese and Pakistani ballistic missile threats, would be ideal. But it is ruled out due to prohibitive costs. This system would require “layered detection systems” viz an “outermost” layer with satellite-based surveillance systems to cover 3,500 km to 6,000 km, and a “middle layer” with early warning radar with a slant detection range up to 4,000 km to detect “high flying” ballistic missiles of the type China may use against us. In addition, a third “inner most” layer of “higher” frequency radar with ranges of about 1,500 km would be needed to detect “low trajectory” ballistic missiles and to discriminate between warheads and decoys or discarded booster/cruise stages. After detection, the early warning radar would pass on the information to one of the numerous suitable interceptor missiles, which would be launched with guidance from local fire control radar. These interceptor missiles too would be “layered”. For the “outermost” layer, interceptor missiles would need speeds of 4-1/2 km per second and ranges of over 200 km. The “middle” layer would comprise interceptor missiles. The “inner most” layer would need missiles like the American PAC-3 or Israeli Arrow-2 or the Indian PAD-cum-AAD.
No BMDS is foolproof. One out of every five modern ballistic missiles will reach its target. In addition, India would need a large number of expensive SAMs, AWACs, low-level radar and fighter aircraft to build an indigenous cruise missile defence system to counter the low-flying cruise missile threats from Pakistan and China. For the CMDS, the DRDO’s long-delayed AWACs and LCA projects are important.
The present Indian interceptor missile systems will only suffice to defend a single city. This system would not provide defence against the long-range and fast Chinese ballistic missiles. Since “phase 1” will not suffice, the DRDO has announced a “phase 2” BMDS by 2014, which will comprise a 1,500 km radar and a new PDV interceptor missile. A combination of phases 1 and 2 will provide limited point defence capability to selected cities, assuming that an Indian satellite surveillance system also becomes operational. India needs two “point” BMDS to defend, specifically, New Delhi and Mumbai, and also a very “limited” CMDS, by 2015. However, higher priority will have to be given to countering terror while providing adequate conventional warfare and strategic second-strike capability.
We must use our limited finances wisely. While good relations with the US and Russia are important, we also need a pro-India lobby.
