How Pathankot attack highlighted NSG’s weaknesses

[INDIAPOSITIVE]

SOURCE: INDIA TODAY

The January 2 Pathankot terror attack by carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed seven Indian security personnel. 5 Defence Security Corps men, an IAF Garud commando and one National Security Guard was killed in the pre-dawn strike on the air base before the 6 attackers were neutralised.

While 200 NSG commandos were expected to act swiftly and flush out the terrorists, they took over 70 hours to sanitise the airbase completely.

Was this loss inevitable? Could it not been averted if the NSG commandos had proper modern fighting devices?

The Pathankot operation not just questioned National Security Adviser Ajit Doval’s decision to send the NSG into the airbase, but also pointed towards the mismanagement and vulnerabilities of India’s premier anti-terrorist force – NSG.

India Today Magazine cover story, Eyes Wide Shut, exposed the shocking vulnerabilities of India’s premier counter-terrorist force.

India Today has also accessed exclusive government documents which highlights that the NSG lacked 72 equipments, which the force was promised long back.

The investigative report which is put together by India Today’s Sandeep Unnithan says, a Rs 1,400-crore modernisation plan that would have transformed it into a modern fighting force by 2017, still remains a pipe dream. The NSG is a force hollowed out by years of neglect, lurching from one crises to another.

The force continues to be bedevilled by a shortage of cutting edge equipment and training aids. Unnithan says, “Not even 1 percent of what was promised have been allotted to the force so far.”

All that the NSG has acquired for its commandos since then are sniper rifles, submachine guns and pistols.

Lt General (Retired) General Katoch says, “During 26/11 we lost many soldiers because we never had long-range night vision devices and conditions haven’t changed yet, we’ve seen it in Pathankot.”

What the NSG lacks

Long-range night vision devices and hand-held thermal imagers which would allow them to track the terrorists at night.

They did not have the drones that could fly continuously to scan the target area for suspects.

There was no command centre from where they could monitor the progress of operations.

 

[Fandingo]

Seriously wtf man. NSG badly equipped.LOL they have probably the best equipment in S E Asia. Drones? WTF? Is this Rainbow Six Seige?....

Presstitute

 

[Abingdonboy]

Was this loss inevitable? Could it not been averted if the NSG commandos had proper modern fighting devices?

Yup. These guys are so backwards:

Unbelivable.

The force continues to be bedevilled by a shortage of cutting edge equipment and training aids. Unnithan says, “Not even 1 percent of what was promised have been allotted to the force so far.”

^this is "not even 1%"?????

They did not have the drones that could fly continuously to scan the target area for suspects.

NSG uses quadrotor UAVs, yes with limited enudurance but is this idiot really asking for the NSG to be operating MALE UAVs?? The IAF had UAV assets over the airbase around the clock.



This clown has literally just recylced 8 year old news and hopes the ignorant masses simply swallows it whole and garners him the TRP these idiots worship.


At what point does this narrative of "oh, everything must be the fault of the polticans and our guys aren't equipped well enough" get thrown out? Stop trying to paint this clear strategic success as a failure.

There will be failures and lessons learnt for next time- that is the nature of these things.



@PARIKRAMA @Echo_419 @Levina @Vauban @mkb95 @Unknowncommando @Water Car Engineer @MilSpec @Parul @Koovie @Kinetic @nair @SpArK @AUSTERLITZ @Bang Galore @Star Wars @ranjeet @hinduguy


Can someone email/tweet this clown with the above photos? The NSG/MHA/GoI should launch some sort of defamation case against him at the least.

 

[Kinetic]

What NSG need more? They have got the best equipments, the trainings. They regularly train with the bests to keep themselves uptodate!!


Does the Freedom of speech, mean that anyone can say anything?

All keyboard warriors with big mouths.

 

[Abingdonboy]

What NSG need more? They have got the best equipments, the trainings. They regularly train with the bests to keep themselves uptodate!!


Does the Freedom of speech, mean that anyone can say anything?

All keyboard warriors with big mouths.

Hey, it's a win-win really- not only are the NSG well equipped but if there is enough (mistaken) perception created in the media that they are not then it simply encourages the GoI to give them even more top of the line kit.

 

[Kinetic]

He is talking about not having night vision devices, I have seen so many NSG pics with guys having helmet mounted long range NV scopes.

Hey, it's a win-win really- not only are the NSG well equipped but if there is enough (mistaken) perception created in the media that they are not then it simply encourages the GoI to give them even more top of the line kit.

Next they can get is chemical and biological weapons. Their sensors and devices are already good enough.

 

[Spectre]

Yup. These guys are so backwards:


NSG uses quadrotor UAVs, yes with limited enudurance but is this idiot really asking for the NSG to be operating MALE UAVs?? The IAF had UAV assets over the airbase around the clock.



This clown has literally just recylced 8 year old news and hopes the ignorant masses simply swallows it whole and garners him the TRP these idiots worship.


At what point does this narrative of "oh, everything must be the fault of the polticans and out guys aren't equipped well enough" get thrown out? Stop trying to paint this clear strategic sucess as a failure.

There will be failures and lessons learnt for next time- that is the nature of these things.



@PARIKRAMA @Echo_419 @Levina @Vauban @mkb95 @Unknowncommando @Water Car Engineer @MilSpec @Parul @Koovie @Kinetic @nair @SpArK @AUSTERLITZ @Bang Galore @Star Wars @ranjeet @hinduguy


Can someone email/tweet this clown with the above photos? The NSG/MHA/GoI should launch some sort of defamation case against him at the least.

Hey can you list down necessary cutting edge gear for any Elite CT unit to give them a comprehensive edge over the hostile forces?

I am sure we all know about Kevlars, Night Vision Equipment, Sniper Rifles and Assault Rifles but these are not much different from what was the norm decade or two away even though India has only recent caught up.

I am more interesting in what are the advances in electronics, communications, IT, protective armor and stimulants which advanced countries have employed. I for one see a lot of tech being advertised and ex-positioned in magazines and documentaries but hardly anything makes it out to the field in a standardized manner.

 

[Zarvan]

He is talking about not having night vision devices, I have seen so many NSG pics with guys having helmet mounted long range NV scopes.




Next they can get is chemical and biological weapons. Their sensors and devices are already good enough.

If what you are saying is true than you need to suspend NSG over Pathankot debacle. Still where were Garud ? Why they didn't went in to defend Air Base. I think their number is more than 500

 

[mkb95]

people seems to forget that indian army is not a show-off type.yes,its true that our conventional force lacking some equipment but our sfs are not.our paras carried out successfull raid in maynmar during night using nvg.

 

[cerberus]

Yup. These guys are so backwards:

Unbelivable.


^this is "not even 1%"?????


NSG uses quadrotor UAVs, yes with limited enudurance but is this idiot really asking for the NSG to be operating MALE UAVs?? The IAF had UAV assets over the airbase around the clock.



This clown has literally just recylced 8 year old news and hopes the ignorant masses simply swallows it whole and garners him the TRP these idiots worship.


At what point does this narrative of "oh, everything must be the fault of the polticans and our guys aren't equipped well enough" get thrown out? Stop trying to paint this clear strategic success as a failure.

There will be failures and lessons learnt for next time- that is the nature of these things.



@PARIKRAMA @Echo_419 @Levina @Vauban @mkb95 @Unknowncommando @Water Car Engineer @MilSpec @Parul @Koovie @Kinetic @nair @SpArK @AUSTERLITZ @Bang Galore @Star Wars @ranjeet @hinduguy


Can someone email/tweet this clown with the above photos? The NSG/MHA/GoI should launch some sort of defamation case against him at the least.

Basically it politically motivated coordinated attack To target NSA

 

[mkb95]

If what you are saying is true than you need to suspend NSG over Pathankot debacle. Still where were Garud ? Why they didn't went in to defend Air Base. I think their number is more than 500

so usa should've suspend navy seal and delta bcos they've had many unsuccesful ops in history.
and what makes u think Pathankot was a failure.time that took in op is not the only parameter that decide success.
we didnt lose any asset and that was the main objective of terorist.

 

[Kinetic]

If what you are saying is true than you need to suspend NSG over Pathankot debacle. Still where were Garud ? Why they didn't went in to defend Air Base. I think their number is more than 500

How its a debacle? Tell me in short.

Garud is SF and NSG is anti-terror specialists. so NSG came not Garud.

NSG has ground penetrating radars, wall penetrating radars, heart penetrating, crawling robots, jumping robots, low flying UAVs, corner shots, sounding devices, lasers, and other bullshits. What they dont have a mind control machine to stop these idiots in press.

 

[Imran Khan]

There was no command centre from where they could monitor the progress of operations

films main to bhut dikhaty hain hahahahaha

 

[Abingdonboy]

Hey can you list down necessary cutting edge gear for any Elite CT unit to give them a comprehensive edge over the hostile forces?

I am sure we all know about Kevlars, Night Vision Equipment, Sniper Rifles and Assault Rifles but these are not much different from what was the norm decade or two away even though India has only recent caught up.

I am more interesting in what are the advances in electronics, communications, IT, protective armor and stimulants which advanced countries have employed. I for one see a lot of tech being advertised and ex-positioned in magazines and documentaries but hardly anything makes it out to the field in a standardized manner.

You are right, that the weapons and protective equipment have effectviely remained the same for a while now and simply been refined over time. The true changes in HR/CT have come in ISR such as:

-Micro-UAVs
-UGVs
-Through-wall radar


As far as NSG is concerned, check, check, check:

^here demonstrated by the PARA (SF) but NSG also has it.


As for communications, the most I can think of is the new generation of noise cancelling/whisper mikes that are moulded to the induvidual user's ear canal's. Admittedly the NSG don't have this (as far as I know).


Other than that, the most I can think of is body-worn cameras for C&C purposes and personal computers for induvidual field commanders to establish a greater situational awareness. This is an area the NSG is actively investing in and working towards this capability.

If what you are saying is true than you need to suspend NSG over Pathankot debacle. Still where were Garud ? Why they didn't went in to defend Air Base. I think their number is more than 500

Garud were there but only in limited numbers (perhaps <30) and in fact the first unit to intiate contact and contain the terrorists were the Garuds. But the Garuds are spread throughout the country deployed to other assets and other tasks, they do not have a rapid reaction cell like the NSG does who is waiting 24/7 for a call out such as this.

Calling Pathankot a "debacle" highlights your bias- 0 loss of civlian life, 0 damage to strategic assets, mission completed in 30 or so hours.

 

[Jaanbaz]

Because Bollywood and real life are so different.......