Prahaar is a gift from DRDO’s 3rd generation scientists: Saraswat

DRDO chief Saraswat had a crucial review meeting (in South India) over a sensitive project on Monday. His team members were ready with a PPT containing the project update. To their surprise, he cancelled the meeting at the last moment and headed straight away to Balasore. The reason: “It was important for me to be with my team,” he said.

Shortly after Thursday’s maiden launch of Prahaar, an elated Saraswat spoke to Tarmak007. “Prahaar is state-of-the-art in terms of missile technology. It has a great potential to be used by the Indian Army as a battlefield support tactical missile. It can engage different targets at a time,” Sarsawat said.

When asked about DRDO’s decision to go-ahead with the Prahaar project without government sanction, Saraswat said: “It is our own technology development project and we did it in record time. The Army is extremely happy with today’s result. We are confident that the sanctions will follow soon. This is the DRDO I have been wanting for a long time. Your performance must speak always,” Saraswat said.

“It was such a delight watching this launch. It was really great and I am not exaggerating. We will have some more tests coming up, considering this was a maiden demonstration for the user,” the DRDO chief said.

The DRDO chief, who always prefers to reach the launch site in Balasore on a speed-boat, leaving the comforts of a VIP vessel, said that the whole missile was developed by scientists, below 35 years of age. “Be it the controls, navigation, propulsion, guidance, system engineering or structures – it is DRDO’s 3^rd generation scientists who developed Prahaar. I am delighted to say that it is their gift to India,” Saraswat said. 
source : htt p://tarmak007.blogspot. com/2011/07/prahaar-is-gift-from-drdos-3rd.html

Army wants Light Strike Vehicles for Indian Special Forces

The Indian Army is likely to procure light strike vehicles (LSVs) specifically for its  Parachute Battalions (Special Forces). An recent RFI issued in this regard says that the LSVs will be used as a fast attack vehicle for the Special Forces. It will also enhance the mobility and reach of the Special Forces in different types of hostile terrains.

The Army is keen to have these LSVs fitted with integral fire power systems. The Army has sought for a stable vehicle which can carry four persons (including the driver) in a full-combat mode, including personal weapon. The LSV must be configured to have stowage space for carrying communication sets, spare ammunition, water and fuel. The specs: 4.7m (length) x 2.1m (width) x 1.65 (height).

The RFI further states that the LSV must have hard points for a suitable weapon mount capable of firing a 7.62mm GPMG from co-driver’s seat (frontal arc). “The rear hard point must enable to mount either a MILAN anti tank guided missile launcher or a .50/12.7 HMG or an Automatic Grenade Launcher. The Army has also sought information on whether the LSV can be air portable\para droppable (AN-32, IL-76, MI17).

T-50 PAK FA Ends MAKS Hot & Low

This sucks. MAKS 2011 ended on a real downer for the PAK FA programme. The video above shows what happened during the take-off roll of the second T-50 prototype -- a starboard engine flameout after two sharp spikes of flame. The take-off was immediately aborted by pilot Sergei Bordan. Sukhoi has apparently put it down to a malfunction in the fuel supply system and the FADEC. Not a pretty way to end your first public show. Damn.
source : htt p://livefist.blogspot. com/2011/08/pak-fa-ends-maks-hot-low.html

PHOTOS: Navy Inducts 2nd Indian Stealth Frigate

The Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma today commissioned INS Satpura into the Indian Navy. Satpura is the second of the ingeniously designed and construct ed stealth frigates of the Shivalik Class, built by Mazagon Dock Ltd, Mumbai. This momentous occasion is a 'red-letter' day for the Navy, and is a tribute to the indigenou s ship building industry which further strengthe ns the Navy's resolve to move from a buyer's Navy to a builder's Navy.

The ceremony was marked with an inspectio n of a Guard of Honour by the Chief of Naval Staff. The CMD of Mazagaon Docks addressed the gathering after which the Commandin g Officer Captain Sharath Mohan read out the Commissio ning Warrant. The formal ceremony began with the Colour Guard presentin g arms while the National Flag & Naval Ensign were hoisted along with the Commissio ning pennant for the first time onboard the Ship, thus marking the induction of INS Satpura into the Naval Fleet. INS Satpura and also other ships in the Naval Dockyard were dressed overall for the occasion.

INS Satpura is armed with a formidabl e array of surface, sub-surface and air-defence weapons. These include long range anti-ship missiles, anti-aircraft missiles and anti-missile defence systems, which can detect and engage the enemy at extended ranges, thereby giving her significa nt combat power. The weapon-sensor fit of the Satpura is controlle d through a Combat Managemen t System, designed and developed by the Indian Navy and manufactu red by Bharat Electroni cs. The system allows the seamless integrati on of the ship's systems as well as with the weapons and sensors of other Fleet ships, thus enabling the concept of 'Co-operative Engagemen t Capabilit y' (CEC). The two multi-role helicopte rs that are embarked on Satpura provide enhanced surveilla nce and attack capabilit y.

INS Satpura has been conceived and designed by an Indian Naval design team. This class of ships will be the mainstay frigates of the Indian Navy in the first half of the 21st century. The incorpora tion of numerous new design features aboard INS Satpura effective ly reduces the probabili ty of her being detected at sea. The in-built structura l, thermal and acoustic stealth features augment the potent capabilit y of the ship to address threats in all dimension s of maritime warfare.

The ship is propelled by two modern LM 2500 Gas Turbine, which enable her to generate speeds in excess of 30 knots (or over 55 kmph), and two SEMT Pielstic Diesel Engines for normal cruising speeds. The ship's electric power is provided by four Diesel Alternato rs, which together produce 4 Mega-Watts of power-enough to light up a small town.The power generatio n and distribut ion on board is controlle d through an 'Automated Power Managemen t System' (APMS).

INS Satpura is also equipped to operate in an environme nt contamina ted by nuclear, biologica l or chemical agents. The state-of-the-art 'Total Atmospher ic Control System' (TACS) ensures filtratio n of the air going into the ship at all times. In addition, it ensures the complete removal of radioacti ve, chemical or biologica l impuritie s, thereby protectin g the crew and shipborne systems.

The ship's domestic requireme nts of fresh water are met through two Reverse Osmosis plants, while a fully automated galley, ensures that the crew can be fed a variety of cuisines, including freshly baked bread and home-made ice cream. The accommoda tion for the 35 officers and 250 crew members of INS Satpura incorpora tes advanced ergonomic design and ensures crew comfort and space managemen t.

Source : htt p://andhrafriends. com/index.php?topic=228402.msg2820152#msg2820152

America warns China expanding its Navel power

The advances mean China will by 2020 close a technological gap that once left it lagging far behind major powers, the Defence Department said in a report.
China has ramped up efforts to produce anti-ship missiles that could knock out aircraft carriers, improved targeting radar, expanded its fleet of nuclear-powered submarines and warships and made advances in satellite technology and cyber warfare, the Pentagon wrote in a report to Congress.
The weapons buildup comes as the Asian economic giant places a growing priority on securing strategic shipping lanes and mineral-rich areas in the South China Sea.
“The evolution of China’s economic and geostrategic interests has fundamentally altered Beijing’s view of maritime power,” said the document, an annual report on China’s military.
While Chinese leaders continue to prepare for a potential conflict with Taiwan, they now see a broader role for the People’s Liberation Army, with the navy as a crucial element, it said.
“China’s leaders have offered unambiguous guidance that the PLA Navy will play a growing role in protecting China’s far-flung interests,” the report said.
US commanders worry that China’s advances could jeopardize America’s longstanding military dominance in the Pacific, while US officials have accused Beijing of aggressive tactics against neighboring countries over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
An expanded Chinese naval presence in the region would have “implications for regional rivalries and power dynamics,” Michael Schiffer, deputy assistant secretary of defense, told reporters.
Chinese leaders have insisted its modernization program is aimed solely at “self-defense” and accused US officials of trying to portray the armed forces as a threat.
Beijing has downplayed the advances, pointing out it was in fact last to get an aircraft carrier platform compared to the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
The Pentagon also said China had sought to strengthen its nuclear forces by adding more “road-mobile” ballistic missiles and by stressing “camouflage” tactics to ensure the atomic arsenal could better survive a potential attack, the report said.
The buildup includes a new aircraft carrier that recently held its first sea trial. But the Pentagon played down its importance, saying the ship was a first step towards a future fleet of carriers expected to be built over 10 years.
The new carrier, a Ukrainian ship modified by the Chinese, “will serve initially as a training and evaluation platform, and eventually offer a limited operational capability,” it said.
The aircraft carrier still has no warplanes on board and “it will take a number of additional years for an air group to achieve the sort of minimal level of combat capability,” Schiffer said.
If China begins building its own aircraft carrier this year, it would not be operational until 2015, the report said.
With an array of new weapons coming on line, China’s military will face a challenge in the coming decade as it tries to train troops in new tactics and revise its approach to “adopt modern operational concepts,” he said.
The report noted an internal debate in China about the role of the military and whether the PLA “should develop to advance China’s interests beyond traditional requirements.”
It renewed US warnings that China was extending its military edge over Taiwan, citing better artillery that could strike targets within or even across the Taiwan Strait.
China considers Taiwan, where the mainland’s defeated nationalists fled in 1949, to be a province awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.
The dispute over Taiwan, including US arms sales to Taipei, has remained a stumbling block to Washington’s attempts at promoting a security dialogue with the Chinese military.
Taiwan, and some US lawmakers, have called for the sale of F-16 fighter jets to help counter the Chinese threat.
The Pentagon report covered 2010 and was delayed for five months, following a high-profile visit to Beijing by the US military’s top officer in July.
The document estimated China’s overall military-related spending was more than $160 billion in 2010.
Chinese military spending, however, is still far below the US defense budget, the world’s largest, which was nearly 700 billion dollars in 2010.
source : htt p://www.dawn. com/2011/08/25/us-warns-china-expanding-its-maritime-power.html

Three Hundred Air Warriors inducted into Indian airforce

More than 300 Air Warriors were on Friday inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) at a passing out parade held at the IAF station at suburban Tambaram.
Air Commodore Alok Kumar, Command Flying Training Officer, reviewed the parade held at the end of their training.
In his address on the occasion, Kumar said the career prospects in the IAF had 'substantially improved,' and urged the newly inducted professionals to strive for excellence.
He said the operational efficiency of the IAF 'hinged upon,' maintenance and administrative support.
This was vital as the IAF was "in the process of a technology based transformation and modernisation with the phased induction of high performance, state-of-the-art aircraft and high precision military hardware and automation," he added.
Earlier, the Air Warriors had gone through a 'rigorous intensive training' at the Mechanical Training Institute and Workshop Training Institute (WTI).
Besides the 322 personnel, 13 soldiers from the Air Forces of Nepal, Myanmar and Sri Lanka also earned the training course certification, a defence release here said.
source : htt p://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes. com/2011-07-01/india/29725805_1_mechanical-training-institute-air-warriors-iaf-station

India Air Force to upgrade 8 ALGs in Northeast

In the next three years, the IAF will upgrade eight Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in the northeast to strengthen its capabilities to carry out aircraft operations in that region.

"We are planning to upgrade eight ALGs in the northeast... By August, we are expected to sign the contract and in next three years, our capabilities would be improved in that region," Air Chief marshal P V Naik told reporters here.


The IAF chief said the upgrading of the ALGs along with the upgrade of the airfields there was the focus area for the force and more such fields were planned under the 12th Plan.

The IAF is strengthening its capabilities in the northeastern sector in view of the increased military presence of China along its border with India.

IAF has already based Sukhoi-30MKI fighters at airbases like Tezpur and Chabua.

ALGs in areas including Pasighat, Mechuka, Walong, Tuting, Ziro, Along and Vijaynagar as well as several helipads in Arunachal Pradesh are also being upgraded now, much like the western sector ALGs like Daulat Beg Oldi, Fukche and Nyoma in eastern Ladakh.

An empowered committee (on North-East infrastructure development) under the Chief of Air Staff-designate Air Marshal NAK Browne is continuously monitoring upgradation of the facilities, creation of new infrastructure and induction of assets in this region.

Asked about the gaps in intelligence set up, the IAF chief said, "Gaps in intelligence will exist in many countries as you would want more and more of it.

"There have been lot of moves by the Home Ministry in terms of combining the intelligence inputs of various agencies and it is paying dividends. Things have improved from what they were earlier."
Source : htt p://zeenews. india. com/news/nation/iaf-to-upgrade-8-algs-in-northeast_722295.html

Prahaar Missile to be test-fired on Sunday

Prahaar, a new quick-reaction, short-range tactical missile, which will fill the gap for a battlefield weapon system in India’s missile arsenal, is all set to be flight-tested on Sunday. It had been under development for the last four years.
It has greater accuracy as compared to other unguided missiles India has developed so far with a strike range of 150 km. Moreover, it can handle several targets at once and allow mixture of different kinds of missiles in just one launcher.
Terming ‘Prahaar’ as an excellent weapon, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and DRDO Director- General VK Saraswat said it would be equipped with omni-directional warheads and initially handled by the Indian Army.
The missile appears to be India’s response to Pakistan’s Nasr, a 60-km range tactical nuclear missile which was tested on April 19.
Defence sources said preparation for the first test at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, about 15 km from here, has reached final stage. Weather permitting, the test will be conducted on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the defence authorities have initiated steps to temporarily shift people residing in the 2-km radius of the test range. A meeting in this regard will be convened with the district administration on Friday to decide the pay package for the people to be displaced for a day.

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source : htt p://ibnlive. in. com/news/prahaar-missile-to-be-testfired-on-sunday/167739-60-117.html

India Russia Sukhoi T-50 PAKFA aircraft aborts 2nd flight due to technology issues

 Indo-Russian Sukhoi T-50 stealth fighter faced a major technical problem when it had to abort its second test flight at an airshow here, causing a temporary setback to the fifth generation combat jet project.

"The T-50 fighter aborted the takeoff for technical reasons due to engine overflow and its pilot Sergei Bogdan decided to apply emergency brakes with the tail parachute," Interfax reported quoting defence industry sources.

Earlier the government run RIA Novosti reported that a flash was seen during the fighter''s takeoff, after that the aircraft landed with a parachute at the MAKS-2011 International Aviation and Space Show.

The T-50 made its maiden flight in January 2010 and is expected to enter service by 2015.

Russia had lifted the curtain on the secret T-50 project on August 17 in the presence of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The project is being developed at a fraction of the cost of American F-22 and F-35 fighters.

A senior aviation expert quoted by the agency said that an emergency landing was normal for the period of test flights, especially in the conditions of high humidity and "taking into account the safety of the air show visitors."
The closing day of the airshow was marred by heavy rains and the demonstration flights for the public were limited to two hours only.

Under a 2007 intergovernmental agreement India and Russia are to jointly develop the futuristic stealth fighter capable of challenging the US Raptor F-22.
source : htt p://news.in.msn. com/international/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5381802

Indian Army downplays america warning about terror attacks in india

Asserting that the recent US warning about LeT attacks on India had "no special intelligence value", the Army on Sunday said it had eliminated top commanders of the outfit which has increased "desperation" of militants to infiltrate into Kashmir ahead of winter. "Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad are traditionally the major terrorist groups -- Jaish from the year 2000 and Lashkar even before that. It has no special intelligence value that Lashkar or Jaish are planning to increase attacks or their activity," General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt Gen Syed Atta Hasnain said. Hasnain said the Army has always known about Lashkar's attempts to target India.

"What is important is what we are doing to counter it. Jointly, security forces are targeting the leadership of Jaish and Lashkar, and our intelligence this year has been extremely good. It is because of this that the desperation has increased (among militants) and they are trying to infiltrate," he told reporters here.

Warning that LeT has the ability to "severely disrupt already delicate" regional relations, the US State Department had said the Pakistan-based terror outfit, responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, remained active in Kashmir and continued to target India along with groups like JeM and HuM.

The GOC said infiltration attempts will continue over the next two months. "Infiltration will continue and their (militants') mistakes will also continue and we will take benefit of their mistakes," he said. 


source : htt p://zeenews.india. com/news/nation/indian-army-downplays-us-warning-about-let-attacks_727450.html

India ready to counter China`s border might

With Beijing flexing its muscles by strengthening its military capacity in Tibet, New Delhi has given an in-principle nod to beef up defences along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control. The Indian counter-move includes raising a new army corps at Pannagarh in West Bengal, an armoured
brigade each in eastern Sikkim and eastern Ladakh and an independent infantry brigade in the Barahoti plains in Uttarakhand.While the proposed upgradation of Indian military defences is being processed for final approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), it was given an in-principle green signal from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and defence minister AK Antony during an army presentation last month.
The strategic step was taken in the light of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) capability to deploy no less than 34 divisions (nearly half-a-million troops) within a month on the LAC due to a huge infrastructure build-up (see graphic) in Tibet. To add to India's discomfort, the PLA has been conducting airborne, para-dropping and artillery firing exercises in Tibet for the past two years.Government sources said the Pannagarh-based corps (around 15,000 combat troops) will include a Ranchi-based formation, which is currently part of the Mathura-based 1 Corps. This means that the army will raise two more divisions in the coming years to replenish the Mathura Corps and another to add to the Pannagarh formation. For this purpose, the army has earmarked 6,000 acres of land in Pannagarh, which has a functioning air force strip and is located 150 km from Kolkata.
Already a battalion and a tank regiment, which will be part of the armoured brigade, have been moved to Sikkim.
At the heart of the proposed Indian defence build-up is the threat assessment that the PLA may become assertive across the Arunachal Pradesh border in the coming years as Beijing still calls its South Tibet and has not given up its stapled visa strategy for residents of Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu Kashmir.
source : htt p://www.hindustantimes. com/Delhi-ready-to-counter-Beijing-s-border-might/Article1-735945.aspx

Coordination enhanced among maritime agencies: India defence Navy

There has been an enhanced coordination among maritime agencies to step up coastal security after the 26/11 terror attacks, Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said on Saturday.

"The number of agencies utilised in maritime domain is very large. Earlier, there was no adequate coordination with them. It was virtually non-existent," he said, adding after the sea-borne attacks in the metropolis in November 2008, the coordination has improved.

The Navy chief was talking to reporters here after commissioning Shivalik class stealth frigate 'INS Satpura'.

Asked if he favoured the idea of the Navy having operational control of all maritime agencies to ensure better coastal security, the Admiral said, "I think it would be too huge a task to execute with my own manpower. That is the reason I think that very wisely, the tasking has been given to different agencies who actually deal with the subject."

The responsibilities have been assigned after a great deal of thought, he maintained. "That is the reason why the Navy had been pursuing the proposal for a National Maritime Commission. When that did not happen, we were looking forward to the appointment of a maritime security advisor.

Unfortunately, this also did not happen."

Admiral Verma chief cited these factors as "the reason each one of us was operating in isolation. That could be one of the many factors which led to 26/11."

"Today, fishermen are giving information (on suspicious movements in sea). This information is very accurate in the sense that trawlers and boats always carry GPS with them. When you get such inputs you are able to deploy the forces that Navy and Coast Guard have got."

Technical measures like smart cards for fishermen are progressing well. The coastal belt is well covered by mobile telecom operators and there are toll-free numbers in operation virtually along the entire coast, the Navy chief said.

"With transponders and identification aids to be installed on our fishing craft, there would be an element of identification."

"We have been hearing about the fishermen being the eyes and ears of the (coastal) security network. I have said that this is a very important aspect of the coastal security matrix," Admiral Verma maintained.

The Navy and Coast Guard have put in a tremendous amount of efforts to carry out the coastal security awareness campaign, he said. "The objective being that over a period, you visit each coastal village and every possible landing site and make fishermen aware of the situation that prevails at sea."

On piracy incidents, the Navy chief said the menace was initially contained within 500 to 700 miles off Somalia coast.

"They (pirates) later ventured into areas that came 200 to 300 miles off the Lakshadweep islands."

On China's exploration of a 10,000 sq km polymetallic sulphide ore deposit in an international seabed area in the Indian Ocean region, he said, "Firstly, for whatever reasons, we did not stake claim (to the area), otherwise we could have been owners of that site. There are complex issues involved here because you have to prove that you have the technology to carry out (seabed) mining."

Earlier, addressing the gathering after commissioning INS Satpura, India's latest stealth frigate, the Navy chief said "we have come a step closer towards realisation of our long cherished dream of being self-sufficient in warship production."

"We fully realise and are conscious of our responsibility to the global maritime community to ensure safety of the international shipping lanes that criss-cross our regions of interest. The Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring the security of seafarers in our region."

Admiral Verma lauded Mazagon Docks Ltd, where INS Satpura has been built, for "continuing to excel" as the premier defence shipyard of the country.
source : htt p://www.brahmand. com/news/Coordination-enhanced-among-maritime-agencies-Indian-Navy/7806/3/14.html

Ajai Shukla: Building a submarine fleet in india

The Indian Navy has acted decisively over the years to create the capability and infrastructure needed for building surface battleships, but it has dithered in setting up an industry that could build submarines. Consequently, even as India’s 140-ship surface fleet is an imposing presence across a swathe of the northern Indian Ocean Region (IOR) from the Gulf of Hormuz to the Strait of Malacca, its 14 diesel-electric submarines hardly provide a matching underwater capability. Meanwhile, China, with at least 53 conventional and seven nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), poses a viable threat to our waters. Even Pakistan is boosting its submarine fleet to 11 vessels, of which nine will have air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems that are superior to anything in the Indian Navy.What makes submarines so important? Naval warfare is about gaining “sea control”, or dominating an operationally important tract of water. In a war with China or Pakistan “sea control” would enable the Indian Navy to bottle up enemy warships in their harbours; prevent seaborne operations by the enemy; and block commercial vessels from resupplying those countries. Sea control is a rich man’s game, requiring the deployment of naval assets in multiple dimensions: underwater, surface, aerial and space. India can hope to gain sea control only in its vicinity, ie the northern IOR. Then there is “sea denial”, a less force-intensive, spoiler’s option in which a navy deploys submarines and lays mines to deny the enemy sea control. For example, three or four Pakistani submarines lurking off India’s west coast would tie up Indian naval assets in locating and neutralising them, diverting those Indian vessels from the task of sea control. The longer a submarine can lurk underwater, ie “remain on patrol”, the longer it ties down enemy assets. Diesel-electric submarines like the Indian Navy’s must resurface periodically to charge their batteries, giving away surprise. In contrast, submarines with air-independent propulsion (AIP), and SSNs, can remain submerged far longer.
The Indian Navy, which aspires to “blue water” capability, must be capable of sea control in certain sectors, as well as sea denial further away, for example, at the choke points leading into the Indian Ocean from the South China Sea. That requires at least 24 conventional submarines for our coastal waters; and at least five to seven SSNs that can carry out sea denial for extended durations at very long ranges.
Unfortunately, the building of such a submarine force has been beset with blunders. The Indian Navy makes do with 14 old-style, diesel-electric submarines, of which just seven or eight are operational at any time. Six Scorpene submarines are currently being built under Project 75, but when they come on stream by late 2018 an almost equivalent number will have retired from the current fleet.
The ministry of defence (MoD) and the navy are aware of this crisis. In 1999, the Cabinet approved a 30-Year Submarine Construction Plan, for constructing 24 conventional submarines in India. Two simultaneous construction lines were to build six submarines each. One line was to use western technology; and the other Russian know-how. Based on this experience, Indian designers would build the next 12 submarines.
Twenty years after the plan was finalised, in 2019, India will have built just six Scorpene submarines. The reason is as simple as it is astonishing: with Indian shipyards competing to build tens of thousands of crore rupees worth of submarines, the MoD has failed spectacularly to bring any order to this melee. Instead of adjudicating decisively, setting up design and construction partnerships, and placing orders in good time, the MoD has – in typical Antony style – avoided a decision. Instead, it has set up committee after committee to identify which shipyard should get the orders. The latest, the Krishnamurthi Committee, has submitted split findings, setting the stage for Mr Antony to launch a fresh round of doing nothing.
It is time to thin out the crowded field of aspirants. Within the public sector, only Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) has built submarines. Its ongoing Project 75 to build six Scorpene submarines should be extended by another three vessels. Of these nine vessels, the last six must have AIP and the ability to fire missiles, changes that can be made easily. This should be India’s west coast production line.
On the east coast, L&T (which has gained experience building India’s nuclear submarine, the Arihant) should be permitted to join hands with Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL), the MoD’s new shipyard in Vishakhapatnam, for building a second line of submarines with Russian technology. The L&T-HSL JV should also be designated the node for developing and building a line of SSNs, which remains a glaring hole in India’s defence capabilities. Every other country with nuclear submarine capability first built SSNs before developing the technology for SSBNs, as nuclear ballistic missile submarines are called. India alone has begun with a complex SSBN (the INS Arihant) and is continuing building more SSBNs without taking on the simpler design challenge of SSNs. Now, having leased the INS Chakra, an Akula class SSN, from Russia for the next ten years, India must integrate these experiences into an indigenous SSN line.
Meanwhile, the MoD must ensure that the expensive (Rs 6,000 crore) technology that it bought for the Scorpene, and will buy for the Russian submarine line, fructifies into a world-class indigenous design. This will require close involvement from the navy’s integral design establishment. A concurrent role must be allocated to NIRDESH, the newly set up National Institute for Research and Development in Defence Shipbuilding.
source : htt p://business-standard. com/india/news/ajai-shukla-buildingsubmarine-fleet/446636/

BrahMos sets the ‘gold standard’ for Russia India defence Technology projects

There has been a lot of talk recently about growing competition on India’s arms market, which is crucial for Russia. In Soviet times, Russia supplied some 75-80 per cent of the weapons for India’s Army, Air Force and Navy but now, as India matures financially, it is opting increasingly for more expensive western armaments. Back in the 1980s, German and French supplies brought India submarines and Mirage 2000 fighters and, in 1990, Israel broke in, making India one of its biggest sales markets, along with the US. Finally, the last ten years have seen a significant boost to Indian-US military and technical ties, with US’s sales of military transport and antisubmarine aircraft nearing $10 billion.  

In this situation, the best way for Russia to retain its position in India is to revise the trade paradigm of military and technical cooperation, shifting the focus to joint projects based on risk-sharing partnership, whereby the parties invest jointly in creation, production and promotion of products. Today, Russia and India have two joint defence projects, including the BrahMos programme for designing, producing and marketing supersonic stealth cruise missiles, and a project for building the MTA multirole medium transport aircraft. During Russian President Medvedev’s visit to India in December 2010, a contract was also signed to design India’s version of the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), which potentially means yet another joint undertaking. 

While the МТА programme has not yet shown any impressive progress, the BrahMos project can be seen as the ‘gold standard’ for joint military manufacturing programmes, effectively combining such factors as commercial profit for Russian and Indian partners, a tangible improvement in the combat ability of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, and development of new technologies, which is particularly important for India. Perhaps the project’s most valuable result is the accumulated experience of resolving difficult legislative, organisational and financial problems. In the future, this experience will be used for new joint programmes, including for the FGFA project.

What makes this programme so unique is that India is, in fact, buying one of its first standardised weapons systems that can be deployed by all three armed services - the Army, the Navy and the Air Force. 

The Indian Navy was the first customer for the BrahMos missile, which can be carried by a wide range of naval platforms, including most existing and future surface ships. The first ships to be equipped with BrahMos were Project 61ME (Kashin-Mod class) destroyers. Two of them, the Ranvir and the Ranvijay, will also be fitted with 8-missile vertical launch systems. Other ships that will carry BrahMos include three Project 15A (Kolkata class) destroyers, which are currently under construction in India, the future Project 15B destroyers, future Project 17A frigates, and three Project 11356M (Talwar class Batch 2) frigates now being built for India at the Yantar Shipyards in Kaliningrad. The future Talwar class Batch 3 frigates will also be equipped with the new missile, irrespective of where they are built, be it Russia or India.


In addition to surface ships, the Indian Navy plans to deploy BrahMos on submarines and, possibly, on land-based patrol aircraft. The suitable airborne carriers include the Russian Il-38SD ASW aircraft and, in a few years' time, the Boeing P-8I Poseidon ASW, which India has already ordered from the United States. It seems that the Indian Navy wants to make BrahMos its core weapon. The new missile’s long range (up to 280 km), high speed and powerful warhead will give Indian fighters not just a military advantage but absolute dominance over Pakistan’s ship groups, also creating a significant deterrent to China’s fast-growing navy.  

Another major customer is India’s land forces, which are buying BrahMos missiles in the mobile land-based configuration. These will be used not only against ships but also as high-precision weapons against land targets, such as command posts and key military, public and economic infrastructure facilities (the Block II LACM version). The Indian Army ordered 134 mobile anti-ship land-based BrahMos Block I missiles in 2006-2009 and another 240 land-attack BrahMos Block II in 2010, to a total of about 3 billion US dollars. 

Finally, the Indian Air Force is awaiting completion of research and development for an air-launched version of BrahMos, to be deployed primarily on Su-30 MKI fighters, with first deliveries expected in 2012. The Indian Air Force also plans to buy the BrahMos Block II version, which is designed to engage land targets. Currently, the Sukhoi Design Bureau is carrying out research and development to deploy the air-launched version of the missile on the Su-30 MKI. This will apparently become the focus for modernising the Su-30 MKI under the Super 30 programme. Indeed, the aircraft was designed in the early 1990s and is not due for an upgrade: an active phased array radar will be installed, along with BrahMos missiles.

All this is also of interest to Russian customers. Currently, BrahMos missiles and their Russian analogue, the Yakhont, are arguably the most powerful non-nuclear anti-ship weapons deployed in Russia and India and the Su-30 MKI is the only suitable carrier. The Russian Air Force plans, therefore, to order 28 Su-30 SM fighters, which will be technically similar to the Indian version, the only difference being that the Israeli and some French systems will be replaced by Russian ones. Russia’s Navy is also considering the possibility of buying 12 such aircraft for its own purposes.

In this respect, acquisition of BrahMos missiles would come in very handy. And it is not about Russian-made Yakhont missiles, but about BrahMos. From a military and technical perspective, this would mean acquisition by the Russian armed forces of the hugely effective Su-30 SM-BrahMos system, which would revolutionise the alliance of forces, for example, in the Black Sea region. And politically, it would underline the joint nature of the project. The Indians are extremely concerned about any symbols of their industrial and technological progress and acquisition by Russia of Indian products would be very much appreciated in a country that pays billions of dollars for Russian weapons every year. 

Strange as it might seem, the success of the BrahMos programme has boosted Russia’s chances of promoting its air and naval platforms on the Indian market. Normally, is the opposite would be the case: export of platforms opens up opportunities for missile supplies to be deployed on these platforms. But with BrahMos, it is the missiles that have become the driving force. So the Rubin Design Bureau is creating a special version of Russia’s new Project 677 (Аmur class) submarine to carry BrahMos anti-ship missiles as its main weapon system. This raises the submarine’s chance of winning India’s tender for six submarines worth up to $10 billion.

And last but not least, the BrahMos Aerospace joint venture has become a vehicle for further Russian-Indian projects, on an even larger scale and with greater Indian participation. The company is known to be already working on a new hypersonic missile. The unique experience accumulated since 1998 as part of the BrahMos project has paved the way for even more ambitious goals, including new strategic ballistic and cruise missiles.
source : htt p://indrus. in/articles/2011/08/22/brahmos_sets_the_gold_standard_for_russian-indian_defence_projects_12899.html

Indian Army fears rise in infiltration of terrorists into J&K

The General-officer-in-Command 15 Corps, Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain has expressed apprehensions that armed terrorists from across the line of control would step up their efforts to infiltrate in to Jammu and Kashmir in the coming months. General Hasnain said that August and September are generally considered the best time for infiltration but our troops are ready to face the challenge.
"We have so far killed 12 to 13 commanders of Lashker-e-Taiba and Jaish-e- Mohammad this year. The level of desperation in the militant groups is high as their leadership has been wiped out. When desperation rises mistakes happen and we will exploit those mistakes of militants," Gen Hasnain told reporters at wreath laying ceremony of Lieutenant Navdeep Singh inside Srinagar Army headquarters on Sunday.
General Hasnain said, "There is no intelligence communication with the army from across the border but we have different resources for intelligence."
He said, the Pakistani sponsors frequently change the route of the armed terrorists to keep the Indian troops guessing. "Whenever we get success on certain routes on LoC against infiltration attempts, those routes get blocked and the terrorists are pushed in from other routes," corps commander Hasnain said.
About Saturday encounter at the LOC wherein 12 armed terrorists were killed, he said it was a result of coordinated and synchronized intelligence.
Meanwhile, State Human Right Commission has revealed that 2156 unidentified militant bodies have been buried in unmarked graves at 38 different sites in the Kashmir Valley.
A report released by the SHRC here reveals that there were 21 unmarked graves in Baramulla, three each in Bandipore and Handwara and 11 in Kupwara and others in other districts of Kashmir. It also said that 851 unidentified bodies were found in Baramulla, 14 in Bandipore, 14 in Handwara and 1277 in Kupwara.
All these bodies, according to the SHRC report, were handed over by the police to the local population for burial with bullet injuries and were classified as "unidentified militants."
The report came after a three-year-long inquiry by an 11-member team led by Bashir Ahmad Yatoo, senior superintendent of police of the investigative wing of the commission.
The SHRC probe was the response to a campaign by the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons, which in March 2008, released a report, "Facts Underground" and pointed out the presence of unmarked graves.
source : htt p://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes. com/2011-08-22/india/29914040_1_infiltration-srinagar-army-kupwara

Indian Army plans mountain strike corps to counter China

The Indian Army is planning to set up a mountain strike corps and is talking to various states against the backdrop of a Chinese build up of military infrastructure on its side of boundary. “We are in talks with the governments of states including Assam, West Bengal and Bihar for setting up the Mountain Corps headquarters, which would require at least 4,000 to 5,000 acres of land,” senior army sources said here.
Around 10-12 locations in these states have been identified by the army to set up the formation, they said.
The Mountain Strike Corps is being planned by the army after it established two new Mountain Infantry Divisions for the northeastern region.
The two new divisions, with 1,260 officers and 35,011 soldiers, have their headquarters in Zakama in Nagaland and Missamari in Assam.
The army is also looking to deploy ultra-light howitzers and light tanks along the Line of Actual Control in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
The IAF, on its part, has already based Sukhoi-30MKI fighters at airbases like Tezpur and Chabua. Eastern sector advanced landing grounds (ALGs) like Pasighat, Mechuka, Walong, Tuting, Ziro and Vijaynagar as well as several helipads in Arunachal Pradesh are also now being upgraded, much like western sector ALGs like Daulat Beg Oldi, Fukche and Nyama in eastern Ladakh.
All these developments come against the backdrop of a major build-up of military infrastructure by China all along the border, which includes five fully-operational airbases, an extensive rail network and over 58,000-km of roads in Tibet Autonomous Region.
source : htt p://www.firstpost. com/fwire/army-plans-mountain-strike-corps-to-counter-china-66420.html

India Russia T50-2 PAKFA flame-out at MAKS air show

Flightglobal's Moscow-based correspondent Vladimir Karnozov was at the scene at 13:57 yesterday afternoon when Sukoi's T50-2 prototype experienced a dramatic flame-out at the ends of the MAKS 2011 air show. He files this witness report:

"Two bursts of flames erupted from the right engine and two loud "bumps" were heard. Thanks to the great length of the Ramenskoye runway - 5000 meters - the pilot managed to bring the airplane to a stop well before the aerodrome fence, but had to deploy brake parachute in addition to wheel brakes. The incident happened before eyes of some 200,000 visitors gathered to watch flight display. That day Sukhoi test-pilot Sergei Bogdan was to perform in the second operable PAKFA prototype, referred to as the T-50-2 or Side 52. Sukhoi admitted that the airplane suffered a technical malfunction and said the pilot acted "in accordance with manuals". The airframer ads the T-50-2 did not have any damage, while playing down the earlier media reports that the right NPO Saturn Item 117 engine developed surge. Rather, the company attributed it to "malfunctioning fuel supply system" in one case and "engine's FADEC" in another. The latter is strange since Sukhoi and Saturn claimed earlier the Item-117-powered PAKFA differs from the Su-35 with similar FADEC-equipped Item 117S engines in having a centralized comprehensive control system for flight controls, onboard systems and powerplant, which is a feature of fifth-generation fighters as opposed to fourth generation. Further to Sukhoi embarrassment, immediately after the incident the show organizers promised the public that the PAKFA would fly, calling for the first operable prototype T-50-1 to takeoff. But as the show closed down four hours later, the promise did not materialize. Rumors had it that the T-50-1 had gone to repairs shortly after flat-out flight performance on 17 August before Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin."

 Source : htt p://www.flightglobal. com/blogs/the-dewline/2011/08/video-witness-report-from-t50-.html

New strike corps for China border

In 2009, New Delhi acted decisively in sanctioning two new army divisions, about 35,000 troops, to strengthen Indian defences in Arunachal, which China claims as a part of Tibet. It can now be revealed that New Delhi has also sanctioned a new mountain strike corps,  of an additional 40,000 soldiers, to be permanently located in bases in northeast India. The new corps is to retaliate against any major Chinese ingress into India by launching an offensive into Tibet.
For decades after India’s humiliation at the hands of China in 1962, New Delhi shrank from a robust defence posture on the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control (LAC), fearing  it might provoke China. In the aftermath of 1962, through the 1960s and 1970s, the Indian Army stayed away from the border, remaining behind a self-imposed ‘Limit of Patrolling (LoP)’. In the 1980s, the army returned to the LAC, but remained entirely defensive in outlook. The sanctioning of a strike corps, therefore, signals a dramatic new assertiveness in New Delhi.Business Standard has been aware of this development since 2009, but has refrained from reporting on it after requests from top Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials. Now, with the outlines of this development emerging in the media, Business Standard no longer feels bound by confidentiality.
The new mountain strike corps will control two divisions, trained and equipped for an attack into Tibet. If China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) captures any Indian territory, by quickly concentrating an attacking force over Tibet’s impressive road network, the Indian Army would not be forced into bloody, Kargil-style counterattacks to recapture that territory.
Instead, the new strike corps would launch its own riposte, advancing into Tibet and capturing a vulnerable chunk of Chinese territory, e.g. the Chumbi Valley that projects into Sikkim and Bhutan. Several such objectives would be identified in advance and detailed preparations made for the offensives. The new strike corps will have its own mountain artillery, combat engineers, anti-aircraft guns and radio equipment. It would also be supported by Indian Air Force (IAF) fighters, operating from newly renovated bases in northeastern India. On July 26, the then IAF chief confirmed that Sukhoi-30 fighters had already been posted to air bases at Tezpur and Chhabua.
On June 25, he told NDTV that Jorhat, Guwahati, Mohanbari, Bagdogra and Hashimara were also being developed as air bases. The IAF is also modernising eight ALGs (Advanced Landing Grounds), essential for quickly building up and resupplying a strike corps. These bases would also be crucial for airborne operations, especially heli-lifting forces to key objectives behind the enemy frontlines.
The proposal to raise two additional divisions for the defence of Arunachal Pradesh, as well as a strike corps, dates back to 2007. It began as a decision of the China Study Group, a secretive government body that considers all strategic issues relating to China. Thereafter, the army’s Directorate General of Military Operations (DGMO) prepared a cabinet note. The decision to raise the additional divisions was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on May 14, 2009.
This was the last major decision taken by the UPA government before the elections of 2009. It was rushed through because top UPA leaders felt if the UPA were not re-elected, the new government would begin the decision-making process afresh, losing another two years. To manage the expenses, it was decided the two defensive mountain divisions would first be raised during the 11th army plan (2007-2012). Next, the strike corps, including its two mountain divisions, would be raised during the 12th Defence Plan (2012-2017). The cost of raising a new Indian Army mountain division is estimated to be Rs 700 crore.
The 4,057-km LAC consists of three sectors. In the western sector in Ladakh, which India’s 14 Corps defends, the PLA already controls most of the area that China claims. The central sector, at the UP-Tibet border, which India’s 6 Mountain Division defends, is relatively insignificant. The most contentious is the eastern sector, which includes Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, where China claims 90,000 sq km of territory that India occupies. It is here, driven by fear of Chinese aggression, that India is strengthening its capabilities by raising new formations.
A mountain strike corps will provide India with strategic capabilities that were badly missed when Mao Zedong marched the PLA into Tibet in 1950. While considering its responses, the Indian government asked the army chief of that time, General (later Field Marshal) K M Cariappa, what resources he had to intervene on behalf of Tibet. Cariappa could spare just one battalion (800 soldiers). And, so, New Delhi watched as Tibet was subjugated and the China border advanced all the way to the Himalayas.
source : htt p://www.business-standard. com/india/news/new-strike-corps-for-china-border/446854/

Mazagon Docks launches 2nd Shivalik Class frigate with 60% Indigenisation

Indigenously-built stealth warship, INS Satpura, the second of the three-ship Project-17 Shivalik Class frigates built by the Mumbai-based Mazagon Docks (MDL) was commissioned by the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma. Conceived and designed by the Indian Naval design team, Satpura will be among the mainstay frigates of the force for the next few decades.

The next warship of the class INS Sahyadri is also expected to be inducted into the Navy in next six to eight months. Along with the three stealth frigates under Project-17, three Kolkata class destroyers under Project 15 A and six Scorpene class submarines are under construction at MDL. According to reports the total cost of the three Shivalik-class frigates (Project 17A) will be Rs 7,883 crore. Imported components, like the on-board weapons, sensors and radars, engines, transmission etc, account for approximately Rs 2,710 crore - approximately 40 percent.


An agreement with Essar Steel for manufacturing warship-grade steel helped in lowering the cost of imported equipment. Crucial dimensions of design and integration have also been indigenised. Indigenisation levels are expected to rise dramatically in the next two lines of warships that are coming on stream next year, i.e. in Project 15B (four destroyers) and Project 1A (seven frigates).

The ship is powered by 2 US-origin General Electric LM-2500 gas turbine engine and 2 French SEMT Pielstick diesel engine, one on each shaft driving a large diameter controllable pitch propeller.

The LM 2500 Gas Turbine engines enable the ship to generate speeds in excess of 30 knots (or over 55 kmph) and the SEMT Pielstic Diesel Engines are for normal cruising speeds. This is known as CODOG (combined diesel or gas) configuration.

The 142.5-metre-long warship, with 6,200-tonne displacement, has versatile control systems with signature management and radar cross-section reduction features. It has been provided with structural, thermal and acoustic stealth features to augment its potent capability. The Satpura is equipped with a mix of imported and indigenous weapon systems and sensors, including Barak surface-to-air missiles, 'SHTIL' air defence system, rapid fire guns and basic anti-submarine warfare weapons.

The ship’s electric power is provided by four Diesel Alternators, which together produce 4 Mega-Watts of power-enough to light up a small town.The power generation and distribution on board is controlled through an ‘Automated Power Management System’ (APMS).

A stealth warship is designed to have low signatures so that they remain undetected to enemy sensors. Its shape is designed to evade detection by radar; it is engineered to give off minimal infra-red (IR) emissions; and every piece of equipment on board, is designed to work silently to escape the enemy’s sonar and acoustic sensors.

From a small dry dock built to service ships of the British East India Company, Mazagon Dock Limited is today the Country’s premier warship building yard. By next year, MDL would have delivered all three in the series. The Shivalik Class frigates are part of the Project 17 of the Indian Navy under which multi-role frigates with stealth features are being built for the Indian Navy at Mazagon Dock Limited. The first ship of the Class INS Shivalik was commissioned on April 29 last year and launched India into the league of countries with the capability of building stealth frigates.
source : htt p://machinist. n/index.php?option= com_content&task=view&id=3658&Itemid=55

No compromise on nuclear safety: Manmohan

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asserted on Wednesday that there would be no compromise on the safety of nuclear installations and officials had been instructed to ensure that such units had world-class safety facilities.

Dr. Singh, however, said: “ ... because there is a nuclear threat we must put a stop to the country's economic and social progress and technological development, and that we should not make use of new technologies and not exploit the potential that exists would be a counsel of despair. I don't believe that it does justice to our capabilities to meet the challenges that are on the horizon.”

Dr. Singh was replying to a question in the Lok Sabha on the safety of nuclear power stations vis-à-vis the accident in the Fukushima plant in Japan after it was hit by tsunami last year. He said concerns relating to the safety requirements of the nation's nuclear installations were paramount in the minds of the government and the Department of Atomic Energy.

After the Japan tragedy, he asked the atomic energy establishment to look at the safety features of each and every plant, both by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board. “So, you have my assurance that we will not compromise in any way on nuclear safety.” 

source : htt p://www.thehindu. com/news/national/article2392302.ece