What Does Indian Defence Get in Military Projects Worth ₹34,260 Crore?

[Dem!god]

Defence Acquisitions Council clears worth ₹34,260 crore military projects.Reuters
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Saturday cleared ₹34,260 crore worth projects, including those stuck under the UPA regime, at the first meeting of the Defence Acquisitions Council after the new government came into power.



In the meeting held with the Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh, Army Chief Bikram Singh, IAF Chief Arup Raha, Navy Chief Robin Dhowan, Defence Secretary RK Mathur and other secretaries of the MoD, Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC) cleared several dealings, in which majority went to the Navy and the Coast Guard.



"There are several projects in the pipeline and we have tried to expedite many of them today. Replacement of Avro jet will be a significant project in which the Indian private sector will play a critical role," The Hindu quoted Jaitley.



Fund Distribution

• Indian Air Force gets 56 new aircrafts to replace old Avro aircraft, which is getting costlier due to the rising maintenance costs. Avro aircrafts were used for transporting troops and materials over short distances.
  DAC would issue tender to the private Indian defence companies - Reliance, Tata and Mahindra - who would build 56 aircraft worth ₹15,000 crore, in partnership with foreign firms. The first 16 would be manufactured by the foreign company, who would forward the technology to the Indian partners for the construction of the rest of the helicopters.

• Air Force has also been provided with 32 HAL-built Dhruv Advanced Light Utility Helicopters - used in troop transport, air assault, ground attack, cargo, etc - worth ₹7,000 crore. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd would supply 16 helicopters each to the Indian Coast Guard and the Navy and would also provide maintenance for the machines.

• Indian Navy would get five new combat support vessels worth ₹9,000 crore, within eight years. These vessels would be built by the Indian public and private companies. However, India has only one shipyard capable of building large vessels. DAC would also approach private sector companies, such as ABG and Pipavav in Gujarat and Larsen & Turbo with headquarters in Mumbai.
  These vessels would reportedly transfer personnel, food, fuel and oil to the battle groups operating across the deep ocean waters away from neighbouring ports. At present, Indian Navy has two carriers in use - the INS Vikramaditya and the INS Viraat, and one under construction at Cochin Shipyard - the Vikrant.

• The Indian Coast Guard would also get five Offshore Patrol Vessels worth ₹2,000 crore to be built by the Goa shipyard and five Fast Patrol Vessels worth ₹360 crore to be supplied by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Calcutta.

• Navy, Air Force and Army would also get equipments needed in search and rescue operations worth ₹900 crore.

DAC cleared projects worth almost one-third of the total allocation of ₹94,588 crore for defence capital expenditure in the Union Budget by Jaitley, according to New Indian Express.


What Does Indian Defence Get in Military Projects Worth ₹34,260 Crore?

 

[Koovie]

• Air Force has also been provided with 32 HAL-built Dhruv Advanced Light Utility Helicopters - used in troop transport, air assault, ground attack, cargo, etc - worth ₹7,000 crore. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd would supply 16 helicopters each to the Indian Coast Guard and the Navy and would also provide maintenance for the machines.

Wut ?

So does the IAF get 32 more Dhruvs as well? Or is it a mistake?

 

[sudhir007]

Wut ?

So does the IAF get 32 more Dhruvs as well? Or is it a mistake?

It navy who get the Heli

 

[Abingdonboy]

Wut ?

So does the IAF get 32 more Dhruvs as well? Or is it a mistake?

16/16 split for the IN and ICG AFAIK. My guess is they will all be for shore based SAR and will be equipped with FLIR pods and the ICG will be carrying the ALHs on their ships for SAR and surveillance purposes.

 

[Gessler]

@Abingdonboy @sancho @Dillinger - Those Fleet Support Ships...I guess those would be displacing anywhere between
20,000 to 40,000 tons, and they say they're gonna be built at home. So does anyone know whether they're of a foreign design or did NDB come up with it's own? If it's foreign, I believe it could be based on those DCNS designs, like the BRAVE type...

I hope and pray L&T or Pipavav get the contract to build these FSS vessels.

 

[Dillinger]

@Abingdonboy @sancho @Dillinger - Those Fleet Support Ships...I guess those would be displacing anywhere between
20,000 to 40,000 tons, and they say they're gonna be built at home. So does anyone know whether they're of a foreign design or did NDB come up with it's own? If it's foreign, I believe it could be based on those DCNS designs, like the BRAVE type...

I hope and pray L&T or Pipavav get the contract to build these FSS vessels.

Foreign design, with the last batch of vessels being built in India, and we've got L&T and MDL which can accommodate the size and tonnage, dunno about Pipavav.

 

[Abingdonboy]

@Abingdonboy @sancho @Dillinger - Those Fleet Support Ships...I guess those would be displacing anywhere between
20,000 to 40,000 tons, and they say they're gonna be built at home. So does anyone know whether they're of a foreign design or did NDB come up with it's own? If it's foreign, I believe it could be based on those DCNS designs, like the BRAVE type...

I hope and pray L&T or Pipavav get the contract to build these FSS vessels.

According to the RFI I'm pretty sure the designs will be foreign with Indian shipyards having to tie-up with foreign entities (BAE, DCNS etc) and yes I'm sure the RFI stated they would be closer to 40,000 tons- there was some discussion about this on the Indian Navy sticky not long ago.


Still no sign of the 4 LHD/LPDs for the IN- maybe next year? I guess it is smart to push for FSS before LHD/LPD.

 

[Dillinger]

According to the RFI I'm pretty sure the designs will be foreign with Indian shipyards having to tie-up with foreign entities (BAE, DCNS etc) and yes I'm sure the RFI stated they would be closer to 40,000 tons- there was some discussion about this on the Indian Navy sticky not long ago.


Still no sign of the 4 LHD/LPDs for the IN- maybe next year? I guess it is smart to push for FSS before LHD/LPD.

Yes, the FSS must come before. We need to first ensure that we can facilitate optimum operational usage of our existing and upcoming surface combatants before we start looking around for LHD/LPDs, otherwise we'll be stuck with ships with legs limited by no logistical setup (replenishment etc., for blue water and sustained force projection).

This means that FSS and ASW helos are the top priority, sad to see no movement on the ship borne NMRH or ASW helos.

 

[Gessler]

Foreign design, with the last batch of vessels being built in India, and we've got L&T and MDL which can accommodate the size and tonnage, dunno about Pipavav.

I think Pipavav does build some large freighters...

 

[Dillinger]

I think Pipavav does build some large freighters...

Yes the pictures you had posted did indicate such capability, either way L&T is a guarantee, their yard is humongous.

 

[Abingdonboy]

Yes, the FSS must come before. We need to first ensure that we can facilitate optimum operational usage of our existing and upcoming surface combatants before we start looking around for LHD/LPDs, otherwise we'll be stuck with ships with legs limited by no logistical setup (replenishment etc., for blue water and sustained force projection).

Yes you are absolutely right.

This means that FSS and ASW helos are the top priority, sad to see no movement on the ship borne NMRH or ASW helos.

The IN is expanding at a time when its helo fleet is shrinking and growing increasingly obsolete it is a desperate and shameful situation that doesn't seem to be getting as much attention as the matter deserves. Inducting $1BN dollar warships with only 1/2 of their aviation fleet embarked (no way will the IN be able to sustain operations at present with all the ships with 2 hangers with 2 helos).

I've heard the IN is having to make do with a helo fleet of 20% of what they need to operate TODAY, considering they are inducting more and more vessels with the ability to operate helos this abysmal figure is going to drop and drop until the IN inducts more helos (whenever that will be).

Sadly it's not even solely a matter of numbers but capabilities also- a S-70B will be 3-4 (at least) times more capable than a Sea King Mk.42B not to mention with higher availability rates. The situation really is as grim as it could be and this is before we even start discussing the Chetaks. @Dillinger did you know that the DGCA's own norms don't allow for single-engined helos to operate over the sea/ocean and yet the IN and ICG are having to make do with this situation on a daily basis.


The more I think about it the more I the idea of inducting LHD/LPDs in this backdrop is sheer folly and would be an utter utter waste of money. LHD/LPD should only be ordered once the helos that will fly off them are already on order not before.


I do think there is hope with the BJP/NDA govt but let's see.....

 

[Dillinger]

Yes you are absolutely right.


The IN is expanding at a time when its helo fleet is shrinking and growing increasingly obsolete it is a desperate and shameful situation that doesn't seem to be getting as much attention as the matter deserves. Inducting $1BN dollar warships with only 1/2 of their aviation fleet embarked (no way will the IN be able to sustain operations at present with all the ships with 2 hangers with 2 helos).

I've heard the IN is having to make do with a helo fleet of 20% of what they need to operate TODAY, considering they are inducting more and more vessels with the ability to operate helos this abysmal figure is going to drop and drop until the IN inducts more helos (whenever that will be).

Sadly it's not even solely a matter of numbers but capabilities also- a S-70B will be 3-4 (at least) times more capable than a Sea King Mk.42B not to mention with higher availability rates. The situation really is as grim as it could be and this is before we even start discussing the Chetaks. @Dillinger did you know that the DGCA's own norms don't allow for single-engined helos to operate over the sea/ocean and yet the IN and ICG are having to make do with this situation on a daily basis.


The more I think about it the more I the idea of inducting LHD/LPDs in this backdrop is sheer folly and would be an utter utter waste of money. LHD/LPD should only be ordered once the helos that will fly off them are already on order not before.


I do think there is hope with the BJP/NDA govt but let's see.....

Lol, not just the DGCA, that's the global norm, single engined helos are not meant for sustained over water ops.

The S-70B is indeed the best out there, the NH-90s had some teething issues so the S-70 it should be, not to mention the FMS route should cut down on the "bribery" charges.

@Abingdonboy Not to mention that the LHDs would require their own complement of helos.

 

[Abingdonboy]

The S-70B is indeed the best out there, the NH-90s had some teething issues so the S-70 it should be, not to mention the FMS route should cut down on the "bribery" charges.

From what I've heard the S-70B has been the preferred bidder for some time and yes the FMS route would be less open to controversy so ideal not to mention would be tied to the USN's future upgrades for their MH-60Rs which is a powerful factor.

@Abingdonboy Not to mention that the LHDs would require their own complement of helos.

Exactly! 16 medium class helos per LHD (using Mistral as an example) means the IN would need 64 MRHs on top of their existing requirements which are already unfulfilled. Inducting LHDs without their helo requirements met entirely would be a colossal waste of $3BN+ at this time. I'd rather see this $3BN USD spent on the rotary fleet of the IN and the LHD/LPD requirement pushed back until 2016/17.

 

[Gessler]

@Dillinger @Abingdonboy Guys little clarification...are the FSS vessels acquisition going to cancel out the
supposed acquisition of 4 new replenishment vessels (PSG told me IN was looking for 4 additional RVs such as
Deepak-class), or does such an acquisition plan exist at all? I don't have much clarity about this.

 

[Dillinger]

@Dillinger @Abingdonboy Guys little clarification...are the FSS vessels acquisition going to cancel out the
supposed acquisition of 4 new replenishment vessels (PSG told me IN was looking for 4 additional RVs such as
Deepak-class), or does such an acquisition plan exist at all? I don't have much clarity about this.

Will have to check, no idea atm.