India Turns to Domestic Sources for New Air Defense Guns

[skullMAN]

(India is turning to domestic sources to replace its Bofors
L-70 air defense guns. Here is a similar gun at Hatzerim Air
Base, Israel)



NEW DELHI — After failing since 2007 to buy replacements
for its Swedish-made L-70 air defense guns through global
tenders, the Indian Ministry of Defence has decided to
procure the guns only from domestic sources, in the Buy
and Make (Indian) category.
Under that category, only domestic companies or their joint
venture with overseas companies will be allowed to
compete, provided 50 percent of the system’s components
are indigenous.
While the move fits with a new policy designed to encourage
domestic production, defense analysts and serving military
officers are apprehensive about whether domestic sources
will be able to meet the weapon requirements.
The Defence Ministry has sent a request for information
(RFI) to domestic defense companies, including private
sector Tata Power SED, Larsen & Toubro, Punj Lloyd,
Bharat Forge, and state-owned Ordnance Factory Board
(OFB) and Bharat Earth Movers, seeking information about
their willingness and ability to compete for the tender, worth
US $1.7 billion.
Global tenders for the guns attempted in 2007 and 2009
were canceled because of single-vendor situations:
Rosoboronexport in 2009 and Rheinmetall in partnership
with OFB in 2007.
Both tenders sought to procure 428 air defense guns, and
required transfer of technology to OFB.
Several defense analysts fault the procurement process for
the failed attempts to buy the air defense guns.
“The story is all too familiar even in this case; lack of
foresight, poor planning, inadequate homework and no
accountability in the MoD as well as the armed forces has
led to the crisis in modernization of air defense in the Indian
Army. There is limited appreciation of potential vendors who
can qualify and their ability to subscribe to the tenders,” said
Rahul Bhonsle, retired Indian Army brigadier general and
defense analyst.
Rajinder Bhatia, CEO of private sector major Bharat Forge,
cites the blacklisting of overseas defense firms as the larger
issue.
“It is not the problem with the acquisition system but due to
the fact that the best technology for this gun is owned by
Rheinmetall Air Defense and a very large number of
countries are using that technology. Rheinmetall Air Defense
is, however, banned from business in India. And hence the
problem.”
The domestic defense companies will need to tie up with
overseas defense firms to manufacture the guns because
none of the domestic firms has experience in selling the
weapons, an MoD official said.
An Indian Army official said he is not sure if the domestic
companies will be able to forge tie ups with overseas firms.
“We are already behind scheduled in buying several priority
purchase for the defense forces, and we need to buy from
the overseas market immediately and later rely on the
domestic sector,” the official added.
Amit Cowshish, retired MoD official and defense analyst,
favors giving a push to the domestic industry.
“The Indian industry does not have the capability and
experience to make all the systems that the armed forces
need, but if that is the deciding factor we will have to
continue to buy from foreign sources. If we want to promote
Indian industry, such measures are unavoidable. The ball is
now in the court of the Indian industry, which must rise to
the challenge by getting into tie-ups with the foreign original
equipment manufacturer, investing in research and
development and creating capacities within the country
“When procured, the air defense guns will be employed for
providing air defense to selected locations in plains, deserts
and mountain terrain and should be capable of being towed
by an in-service gun-towing vehicle.”
The Army requires guns of a caliber greater than 30mm, and
capable of engaging air targets day and night using fire
control radars as well as electro-optical fire control systems
independently.
The Indian Army has about 1,200 L-70 guns bought in the
1960s from Sweden.

 

[Zarvan]

View attachment 32526 (India is turning to domestic sources to replace its Bofors
L-70 air defense guns. Here is a similar gun at Hatzerim Air
Base, Israel)



NEW DELHI — After failing since 2007 to buy replacements
for its Swedish-made L-70 air defense guns through global
tenders, the Indian Ministry of Defence has decided to
procure the guns only from domestic sources, in the Buy
and Make (Indian) category.
Under that category, only domestic companies or their joint
venture with overseas companies will be allowed to
compete, provided 50 percent of the system’s components
are indigenous.
While the move fits with a new policy designed to encourage
domestic production, defense analysts and serving military
officers are apprehensive about whether domestic sources
will be able to meet the weapon requirements.
The Defence Ministry has sent a request for information
(RFI) to domestic defense companies, including private
sector Tata Power SED, Larsen & Toubro, Punj Lloyd,
Bharat Forge, and state-owned Ordnance Factory Board
(OFB) and Bharat Earth Movers, seeking information about
their willingness and ability to compete for the tender, worth
US $1.7 billion.
Global tenders for the guns attempted in 2007 and 2009
were canceled because of single-vendor situations:
Rosoboronexport in 2009 and Rheinmetall in partnership
with OFB in 2007.
Both tenders sought to procure 428 air defense guns, and
required transfer of technology to OFB.
Several defense analysts fault the procurement process for
the failed attempts to buy the air defense guns.
“The story is all too familiar even in this case; lack of
foresight, poor planning, inadequate homework and no
accountability in the MoD as well as the armed forces has
led to the crisis in modernization of air defense in the Indian
Army. There is limited appreciation of potential vendors who
can qualify and their ability to subscribe to the tenders,” said
Rahul Bhonsle, retired Indian Army brigadier general and
defense analyst.
Rajinder Bhatia, CEO of private sector major Bharat Forge,
cites the blacklisting of overseas defense firms as the larger
issue.
“It is not the problem with the acquisition system but due to
the fact that the best technology for this gun is owned by
Rheinmetall Air Defense and a very large number of
countries are using that technology. Rheinmetall Air Defense
is, however, banned from business in India. And hence the
problem.”
The domestic defense companies will need to tie up with
overseas defense firms to manufacture the guns because
none of the domestic firms has experience in selling the
weapons, an MoD official said.
An Indian Army official said he is not sure if the domestic
companies will be able to forge tie ups with overseas firms.
“We are already behind scheduled in buying several priority
purchase for the defense forces, and we need to buy from
the overseas market immediately and later rely on the
domestic sector,” the official added.
Amit Cowshish, retired MoD official and defense analyst,
favors giving a push to the domestic industry.
“The Indian industry does not have the capability and
experience to make all the systems that the armed forces
need, but if that is the deciding factor we will have to
continue to buy from foreign sources. If we want to promote
Indian industry, such measures are unavoidable. The ball is
now in the court of the Indian industry, which must rise to
the challenge by getting into tie-ups with the foreign original
equipment manufacturer, investing in research and
development and creating capacities within the country
“When procured, the air defense guns will be employed for
providing air defense to selected locations in plains, deserts
and mountain terrain and should be capable of being towed
by an in-service gun-towing vehicle.”
The Army requires guns of a caliber greater than 30mm, and
capable of engaging air targets day and night using fire
control radars as well as electro-optical fire control systems
independently.
The Indian Army has about 1,200 L-70 guns bought in the
1960s from Sweden.

Your Armed Forces seriously need lot not of new weaponry your equipment vast majority is really old and needs replacement

 

[HariPrasad]

Your Armed Forces seriously need lot not of new weaponry your equipment vast majority is really old and needs replacement

As per Gen V K Singh, Any armed force need a combination of 30% modern Weapon and remaining 1 to 2 decade old technology with good working condition. We have latest weapons in Air force and Navy. We need to modernize our army.

 

[Secret Service]

air defense is importance part of every army which we usually neglect...strong air defense always provide threat to enemy air force and guns are of less use in modern environment...i think Pakistan should also consider to replace its ageing Oerlikon guns.