Armani
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2015
- Messages
- 333
- Reaction score
- -6
- Country
- Location
(edited version of article taken from The Print, thanks to members from other boards for edits, as the original article contained a lot of inaccuracies)
New Delhi: This year promises to bring about some decisive and much-needed capability enhancement for the Indian military, with some top-of-the-line inductions scheduled over the next 12 months.
++++
Agni 5
The nuclear capable inter-continental ballistic missile Agni-5, with a range of over 5,000 km, has completed all developmental trials and is scheduled to be inducted into the Strategic Forces Command this year. A three-stage missile, the Agni-5 is 17 m in height, two metres wide and capable of carrying 1.5 tonnes of nuclear warheads.
Unlike the other missiles of the series, Agni-5 is the most-advanced in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead, composite construction and propulsion, and is the first Indian ballistic missile to be operationally carried inside a hermetically-sealed canister similar to the IR/ICBMs of Russia and China.
For navigation, the missile is guided by an on-board computer with the support of a Ring Laser Gyro-based Inertial Navigation System (RLG-INS), the Micro Inertial Navigation System (MINS), fully-digital flight control system and advanced compact avionics.
The missile RV has a terminal velocity of above Mach 24 and is likely to be the test-bed for incorporation of 3, 4 or 6-warhead MIRV technology down the line.
++++
VC-11184 Ocean Surveillance Ship
India’s secretive missile-tracking ship, being built by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. (HSL) on the east coast for the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), is set to be inducted this year. Given that the keel of the sophisticated 15,000-ton ship was laid only on 30 June 2014, experts say it remarkable that it is getting inducted in the quickest time possible. Sea trials are likely to begin in the first quarter of the year and induction likely before the end of 2019.
The OSS is an indispensable piece of the puzzle in order for India to test & validate MIRVed long-range land based missiles as well as SLBMs such as K-4 and K-5.
++++
INS Arighat
H.I. Sutton's impression of the first-in-class Arihant
The INS Arighat, the second of the Arihant-class nuclear ballistic missile submarines, is set to be part of India’s arsenal this year.
The submarine will allow the Indian Navy to maintain high deterrence patrol in the waters surrounding the country as the INS Arihant alone could not do the job completely. Although various sources believe the Arighat is an enlarged SSBN compared to the Arihant, with up to 8 missile tubes instead of 4, the secretive nature of India's strategic deterrence program guarantees one is unlikely to know the specifications of the Arighat until a later time.
With the induction of INS Arihant, India had completed the nuclear triad.
++++
INS Khanderi and INS Karanj
The second and third vessels of the Kalvari (Scorpene)-class diesel-electric attack submarines will beef up India’s underwater capability. A total of six Kalvari-class submarines are to be built under Project 75 at Mumbai's Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL), with an option for up to 3 more being on offer as part of the deal with France's DCNS (now called Naval Group).
++++
Rafale H/TH
In September 2019, the Indian Air Force will finally get its hands on its first Rafale fighter jet after a grueling wait of nearly 19 years.
With the latest avionics and missile systems like the Thales RBE-2 AESA radar, SPECTRA electronic warfare suite, Meteor BVR Ramjet AAMs and SCALP (A.K.A Storm Shadow) stealthy ALCMs, the Rafale jets, with the tail number initials of RB, named after Air Marshal Rakesh Bhadauria, and BS, named after Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, will be the most potent fighter aircraft in the IAF inventory.
The IAF Rafale comes with 13 India-specific enhancements/modifications including Israeli TARGO helmet-mounted displays, LITENING & RecceLite Electro-optic pods, ability to start at cold & high-altitude bases such as Leh, inclusion of IRST element as part of the electronics suite, and ability to incorporate Indian and third-party weapon systems.
As of late 2018, the first IAF Rafale, airframe number RB008, is already flying at Istres, France.
++++
Apache AH-64E
The first Apache attack helicopter, India’s first pure attack helicopter, is set for delivery in March. Considered to be one of the most deadly attack helicopters in the world, Boeing has sold over 2,200 of these machines since 1984.
The Indian Air Force's AH-64E is the latest iteration of the attack helicopters that have seen action in Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The Apache comes with a 30-mm cannon under the nose that can fire 1,200 rounds in less than two minutes. It is also equipped with 70-mm rockets that can be guided or unguided. The Apache can carry 80 of them in one go besides the Hellfire missiles.
Together with the on-board avionics and the Longbow fire-control radar, these missiles can identify, track, and hunt targets in the dead of night.
While India has been operating the Russian Mi-35, on the verge of retirement, it was an assault chopper. It was designed to carry troops into heavily-defended territories whereas the Apache is an out and out attack helicopter.
++++
Chinook CH-47F
The Chinook, a multi-role, tandem-rotor vertical-lift platform, which is used for the transport of troops, artillery, equipment and fuel, is scheduled for induction from July this year. It is also used for humanitarian and disaster-relief operations, in missions such as transportation of relief supplies and mass evacuation of refugees.
The Chinooks will have the capability to airlift the M777 ultralight howitzers that the Indian Army is buying. This means that these artillery guns can be taken from one position to another using the helicopter, even if it is inhospitable terrain inaccessible by road.
While the original Chinook first flew in 1962, it has undergone several upgrades, with the CH-47F being the latest variant in service.
++++
M777 and K9 Vajra
The first regiment of the much anticipated M777 light-weight howitzers and the K9 Vajra self-propelled guns will be operationalised this year, providing much-needed relief to the Indian Army’s artillery fire power. Notably, these 155mm pieces are the first artillery gun purchases since the Bofors gun. The M777A2 is a 155mm 39-calibre gun while the K9 is a 155mm 52-calibre system.
The 10 big defence inductions by Indian military in 2019
++++
The article writer had originally considered the Khanderi and Karanj as two different entries in their own right, but I'm making them a single entry in order to make space for another thing that's coming in 2019:
Last C-17 Globemaster-III
The last remaining C-17 that came off Boeing's Long Beach production line will be delivered to the Indian Air Force in the third quarter of 2019, adding one more plane to the existing fleet of 10 Globemasters that have been indispensables pieces of equipment with regard to tactical & strategic airlift capability, responding to disaster-relief situations and maintaining a high degree of readiness that was previously impossible with the Soviet-origin Ilyushin Il-76MD transports.
The IAF had originally wanted to place orders for 3 additional C-17s, but bureaucratic red-tape prevented the order from going through before Boeing made the call to shut the production line. An IAF officer had stated that there could have been a requirement for up to 10 more in future (adding up to 20+).
That said, 11 of these monsters is still better than 10. The last plane is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2019.
New Delhi: This year promises to bring about some decisive and much-needed capability enhancement for the Indian military, with some top-of-the-line inductions scheduled over the next 12 months.
++++
Agni 5
The nuclear capable inter-continental ballistic missile Agni-5, with a range of over 5,000 km, has completed all developmental trials and is scheduled to be inducted into the Strategic Forces Command this year. A three-stage missile, the Agni-5 is 17 m in height, two metres wide and capable of carrying 1.5 tonnes of nuclear warheads.
Unlike the other missiles of the series, Agni-5 is the most-advanced in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead, composite construction and propulsion, and is the first Indian ballistic missile to be operationally carried inside a hermetically-sealed canister similar to the IR/ICBMs of Russia and China.
For navigation, the missile is guided by an on-board computer with the support of a Ring Laser Gyro-based Inertial Navigation System (RLG-INS), the Micro Inertial Navigation System (MINS), fully-digital flight control system and advanced compact avionics.
The missile RV has a terminal velocity of above Mach 24 and is likely to be the test-bed for incorporation of 3, 4 or 6-warhead MIRV technology down the line.
++++
VC-11184 Ocean Surveillance Ship
India’s secretive missile-tracking ship, being built by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. (HSL) on the east coast for the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), is set to be inducted this year. Given that the keel of the sophisticated 15,000-ton ship was laid only on 30 June 2014, experts say it remarkable that it is getting inducted in the quickest time possible. Sea trials are likely to begin in the first quarter of the year and induction likely before the end of 2019.
The OSS is an indispensable piece of the puzzle in order for India to test & validate MIRVed long-range land based missiles as well as SLBMs such as K-4 and K-5.
++++
INS Arighat
H.I. Sutton's impression of the first-in-class Arihant
The INS Arighat, the second of the Arihant-class nuclear ballistic missile submarines, is set to be part of India’s arsenal this year.
The submarine will allow the Indian Navy to maintain high deterrence patrol in the waters surrounding the country as the INS Arihant alone could not do the job completely. Although various sources believe the Arighat is an enlarged SSBN compared to the Arihant, with up to 8 missile tubes instead of 4, the secretive nature of India's strategic deterrence program guarantees one is unlikely to know the specifications of the Arighat until a later time.
With the induction of INS Arihant, India had completed the nuclear triad.
++++
INS Khanderi and INS Karanj
The second and third vessels of the Kalvari (Scorpene)-class diesel-electric attack submarines will beef up India’s underwater capability. A total of six Kalvari-class submarines are to be built under Project 75 at Mumbai's Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL), with an option for up to 3 more being on offer as part of the deal with France's DCNS (now called Naval Group).
++++
Rafale H/TH
In September 2019, the Indian Air Force will finally get its hands on its first Rafale fighter jet after a grueling wait of nearly 19 years.
With the latest avionics and missile systems like the Thales RBE-2 AESA radar, SPECTRA electronic warfare suite, Meteor BVR Ramjet AAMs and SCALP (A.K.A Storm Shadow) stealthy ALCMs, the Rafale jets, with the tail number initials of RB, named after Air Marshal Rakesh Bhadauria, and BS, named after Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, will be the most potent fighter aircraft in the IAF inventory.
The IAF Rafale comes with 13 India-specific enhancements/modifications including Israeli TARGO helmet-mounted displays, LITENING & RecceLite Electro-optic pods, ability to start at cold & high-altitude bases such as Leh, inclusion of IRST element as part of the electronics suite, and ability to incorporate Indian and third-party weapon systems.
As of late 2018, the first IAF Rafale, airframe number RB008, is already flying at Istres, France.
++++
Apache AH-64E
The first Apache attack helicopter, India’s first pure attack helicopter, is set for delivery in March. Considered to be one of the most deadly attack helicopters in the world, Boeing has sold over 2,200 of these machines since 1984.
The Indian Air Force's AH-64E is the latest iteration of the attack helicopters that have seen action in Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The Apache comes with a 30-mm cannon under the nose that can fire 1,200 rounds in less than two minutes. It is also equipped with 70-mm rockets that can be guided or unguided. The Apache can carry 80 of them in one go besides the Hellfire missiles.
Together with the on-board avionics and the Longbow fire-control radar, these missiles can identify, track, and hunt targets in the dead of night.
While India has been operating the Russian Mi-35, on the verge of retirement, it was an assault chopper. It was designed to carry troops into heavily-defended territories whereas the Apache is an out and out attack helicopter.
++++
Chinook CH-47F
The Chinook, a multi-role, tandem-rotor vertical-lift platform, which is used for the transport of troops, artillery, equipment and fuel, is scheduled for induction from July this year. It is also used for humanitarian and disaster-relief operations, in missions such as transportation of relief supplies and mass evacuation of refugees.
The Chinooks will have the capability to airlift the M777 ultralight howitzers that the Indian Army is buying. This means that these artillery guns can be taken from one position to another using the helicopter, even if it is inhospitable terrain inaccessible by road.
While the original Chinook first flew in 1962, it has undergone several upgrades, with the CH-47F being the latest variant in service.
++++
M777 and K9 Vajra
The first regiment of the much anticipated M777 light-weight howitzers and the K9 Vajra self-propelled guns will be operationalised this year, providing much-needed relief to the Indian Army’s artillery fire power. Notably, these 155mm pieces are the first artillery gun purchases since the Bofors gun. The M777A2 is a 155mm 39-calibre gun while the K9 is a 155mm 52-calibre system.
The 10 big defence inductions by Indian military in 2019
++++
The article writer had originally considered the Khanderi and Karanj as two different entries in their own right, but I'm making them a single entry in order to make space for another thing that's coming in 2019:
Last C-17 Globemaster-III
The last remaining C-17 that came off Boeing's Long Beach production line will be delivered to the Indian Air Force in the third quarter of 2019, adding one more plane to the existing fleet of 10 Globemasters that have been indispensables pieces of equipment with regard to tactical & strategic airlift capability, responding to disaster-relief situations and maintaining a high degree of readiness that was previously impossible with the Soviet-origin Ilyushin Il-76MD transports.
The IAF had originally wanted to place orders for 3 additional C-17s, but bureaucratic red-tape prevented the order from going through before Boeing made the call to shut the production line. An IAF officer had stated that there could have been a requirement for up to 10 more in future (adding up to 20+).
That said, 11 of these monsters is still better than 10. The last plane is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2019.
Last edited:
