Indian Army thread

[nitesh]

The Hindu : Front Page : Unmanned robotic ground vehicles being developed


Unmanned robotic ground vehicles being developed

T.S. Subramanian

Infantry combat vehicles are being modified for the purpose


An artist’s impression of the unmanned robotic ground vehicle. —


CHENNAI: Three types of unmanned robotic ground vehicles for detecting and clearing landmines, fencing the areas affected by nuclear, biological or chemical (NBC) warfare agents and watching the enemy territory at night are being developed by the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), Avadi, near here.

The existing infantry combat vehicle (BMP-II version), which weighs about 14 tonnes, is being modified for the purpose. It will be remote-controlled from a base station.

CVRDE director S. Sundaresh said: “They will be on the road in the later part of 2009. They will be equipped with high-power lasers, sensors and have the global positioning system. Our ultimate aim is to develop an unmanned combat vehicle.”

Normally, manned vehicles travel into areas affected by the NBC warfare agents to demarcate such territories. The unmanned vehicle can navigate obstacles, travel to different terrains affected by the NBC warfare agents and mark such areas with pickets.

Mr. Sundaresh said: “It will have a five-metre tall mast with sensors. A camera will take high-resolution pictures of the enemy territory and send the pictures by radio links to the base-station so that the Army commander will know the enemy’s strengths and weaknesses,” he said.

This vehicle will have a self-destruct capability, if captured. It will destroy itself after cleaning up its electronics. “This is one of the exciting areas we are working on,” he pointed out.

The base station that will control the three types of vehicles will be located about five km away. The range can be extended up to 15 km.

Cross-country mobility

“The size of the vehicle is not a critical factor in NBC reconnaissance or clearing landmines. It can go close to the enemy area and take pictures,” the CVRDE director said.

As they will be tracked vehicles, they can boast of cross-country mobility. They can traverse different types of terrain.

“The electronics will be soon integrated into these vehicles,” said Mr. Sundaresh.

The CVRDE, a unit of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), had designed and developed Arjun, India’s main battle tank.

 

[nitesh]

CCS clears purchase of bullet-proof jackets for paramilitary forces

CCS clears purchase of bullet-proof jackets for paramilitary forces

New Delhi: Four years after floating a tender, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) today gave the Ministry of Home Affairs the go-ahead to purchase bullet-proof vests for the central paramilitary forces.

The purchase had got blown out of proportion due to plans to import the lightweight vests as they cannot be manufactured by Indian ordinance factories, sources said. “Today’s consideration was to decide whether the purchase required CCS approval. It was decided that it did not, and that the MHA could go ahead and contract in a routine manner,” they said.

Under its modernisation plan, the Home Ministry had floated tenders in 2004 for 65,000 bullet-proof vests for central paramilitary forces at a cost of Rs 52 crore. But it got bogged down in bureaucratic red tape due to quality and delivery issues. Home Minister P Chidambaram had pushed for a re-look at the proposal considering the time and cost delay, sources said.

While the traditional vests manufactured at ordinance factories have steel plates that can take an AK-47 bullet shot from 10 metres, they weigh nearly 10 kg and restrict the pace of its wearer. A lightweight vest cuts the burden into half and can take close range shots from the AK-47.

The CCS, which met for more than two hours, is learnt to have also approved the import of surface-to-air Spyder missile from Israel and the manufacture of Akash, a medium-range SAM developed by the Defence Research & Development Organisation in the wake of threats of a possible 9/11-like attack on Indian installations.

While Spyder is a low-level quick reaction missile with effective range of 15 km, Akash can target aircraft 30 km away, at altitudes up to 15,000 metres. Import of Spyder would be followed with its indigenisation through a joint venture project between Israel defence contractors and DRDO, sources said.

 

[tyagi]

has india bought the licence to produce tavor rifle .because on the site of indian ordinance factory they r showing a difrent model of tavor .
Ordnance Factory Board

and the 3070 tavor which were imported look like this


http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0fBU2Cb8NF0Zh/610x.jpg

they r being used by 9th para commandos .

 

[nitesh]

The New Indian Express - No. 1 site for South India News, Breaking News, Cinema, Business successfully tests Russia-made ‘Smearch’

India successfully tests Russia-made ‘Smearch’
Hemant Kumar Rout
First Published : 19 Dec 2008 09:48:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 19 Dec 2008 01:28:15 PM IST



BALASORE: Indian defence scientists have tested the Russia-made ‘Smearch’ Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) five times within last couple of days from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from here.

Defence sources said the tests were conducted twice in solo and thrice in salvo mode by the DRDO scientists and the rocket target acquisition unit of Army. The tests termed as sample tests were aimed to assess its stability in flight as well as accuracy and consistency. ‘‘The tests were successful and yielded desired results,’’ said a source in the ITR.

The Russian ‘Smearch’ MLRS is the most powerful and the perfect MLRS of the world. It is intended to defeat live power, destroy armored vehicles, fortifications and command centres in 20-70 km range. ‘‘Smearch launch vehicle can launch 12 rockets at a time. It is able to fire single rockets or salvo from two to all 12 rockets. Full salvo lasts 38 seconds. While the diameter of the launcher is about 300 mm, the rocket’s diameter is 214 mm,’’ said a defence scientist. He informed that its artillery part consists of 12 launching pipe package, turning base, turning, lifting and aiming devices, electronic and auxiliary equipment. Launching pipes are rifled.

The 300-mm ‘Smearch’ projectiles are fitted with solid fuel engines. Rockets are 7.6 m in length and 800 kg in weight. Weight of warhead is 280 kg. Warhead can be simple or cluster.

‘‘It also has the capability of launching surface to surface and surface to air missiles. The system can be integrated with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to provide a new dimension to artillery defence system,’’ he added.

 

[nitesh]

The New Indian Express - No. 1 site for South India News, Breaking News, Cinema, Business successfully tests Russia-made ‘Smearch’

India successfully tests Russia-made ‘Smearch’
Hemant Kumar Rout
First Published : 19 Dec 2008 09:48:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 19 Dec 2008 01:28:15 PM IST



BALASORE: Indian defence scientists have tested the Russia-made ‘Smearch’ Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) five times within last couple of days from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from here.

Defence sources said the tests were conducted twice in solo and thrice in salvo mode by the DRDO scientists and the rocket target acquisition unit of Army. The tests termed as sample tests were aimed to assess its stability in flight as well as accuracy and consistency. ‘‘The tests were successful and yielded desired results,’’ said a source in the ITR.

The Russian ‘Smearch’ MLRS is the most powerful and the perfect MLRS of the world. It is intended to defeat live power, destroy armored vehicles, fortifications and command centres in 20-70 km range. ‘‘Smearch launch vehicle can launch 12 rockets at a time. It is able to fire single rockets or salvo from two to all 12 rockets. Full salvo lasts 38 seconds. While the diameter of the launcher is about 300 mm, the rocket’s diameter is 214 mm,’’ said a defence scientist. He informed that its artillery part consists of 12 launching pipe package, turning base, turning, lifting and aiming devices, electronic and auxiliary equipment. Launching pipes are rifled.

The 300-mm ‘Smearch’ projectiles are fitted with solid fuel engines. Rockets are 7.6 m in length and 800 kg in weight. Weight of warhead is 280 kg. Warhead can be simple or cluster.

‘‘It also has the capability of launching surface to surface and surface to air missiles. The system can be integrated with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to provide a new dimension to artillery defence system,’’ he added.

 

[nitesh]

TIMESNOW.tv - Latest Breaking News, Big News Stories, News Videos -

Indian Army to buy new artillery gun
12/20/2008 7:15:52 AM

Twenty years after Bofors scandal, the Indian Army is looking to buy a new artillery gun. This was amongst the decisions taken at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council attended by Defence Minister AK Antony and the three service chiefs on Friday (December 19).

To fill the gaps in India’s defences, the government has decided to develop a short range surface to air missile and this will give protection to airfields and warships. This is being developed with French collaboration.

The Army will also get a light howitzer, one that can be transported by helicopter to mountainous terrain like in Kashmir, and this will be bought from the United States of America (USA). The development of a tactical communication system has been sanctioned. This will allow the Army to be in touch with forward units during battle. Private players are being roped in for this project.

The name Bofors is strongly associated with a 40 mm anti-aircraft gun based on a Bofors design which was produced and used by both sides during World War II, and often called simply the Bofors gun. The gun saw service on land and sea, and became so widely known that anti-aircraft guns in general were often referred to as Bofors guns.

 

[ejaz007]

India Wraps Smerch Tests
By vivek raghuvanshi
Published: 19 Dec 16:30 EST (21:30 GMT)

NEW DELHI - The Indian Army has received and begun inducting the 36 Russian-made Smerch Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) ordered in 2006 for $450 million.

The Army wrapped up flight stability, accuracy and consistency tests last month at India's missile testing range at Chandipur, in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, Army sources said.

The contract includes combat vehicles, auxiliary equipment, fire control systems, and training.

The Smerch can fire up to 12 anti-surface or anti-air missiles rockets in a salvo. Their range of 70 kilometers, extendable to 90 kilometers, is longer than India's current artillery.


India Wraps Smerch Tests - Defense News

 

[nitesh]

DRDO to develop long-endurance UAV

New Delhi (PTI): India's premier defence research agency, DRDO, will develop a medium-range and long- endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in association with an Indian industry partner.

"To reduce the time for design, development and subsequent transfer of technology to an industry for bulk production of a MALE UAV, DRDO has been authorised to associate with a production and development partner (PADP) from eligible industries on a competitive basis," Defence Minister A K Antony said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

To select the development partner, the DRDO has released a request for proposal (RFP), he said.

"DRDO has shortlisted four industries consortia through a transparent process and released a RFP for PADP," Antony said.

The selected PADP will work with DRDO during the design and development of the UAV and absorb the technologies.

"The PADP would become the system integrator and provide product support after induction," he said.

Replying to another question, the minister said the Defence Research Laboratory (DRL), Tezpur is working on fresh water algae to use them as source for bio-diesel.

"DRL is trying to identify a fresh water algal strain in North-Eastern region as a source of higher lipid content, which can be converted in to bio-diesel," he said.

"The laboratory is collecting samples of micro algae from different districts in North east for identification of a strain, which has higher amount of lipid contents for bio-fuel production," he added.

The Hindu News Update Service

 

[nitesh]

BSF develops indigenous surveillance and security devices

BSF develops indigenous surveillance and security devices

New Delhi, Dec 23: BSF has developed an in-house electronic rack for keeping arms which can alert the guards in case of any unauthorised person picking them and even keeps the count of weapons kept on it.

The Secure Electronic Management System on Kote (SEMSOK) is an indigenously developed weapons and arms securing rack which triggers an alarm as soon as the firearm is picked from it. The rack also keeps an electronic count of the number of weapons on it.

"There have been cases when arms have gone missing from their place or an unauthorised sentry has picked them up. The electronic marker will totally stop this," Inspector Harbans Lal whose team developed the device said.

This is just one example of innovative product from the border guardians. They have also developed a range of anti-intruder, alarm alert and border vigil surveillance and wireless communication systems.

The BSF has developed these gadgets with their own expertise keeping in mind the requirement of the force on the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, which is highly porous and infiltration prone.

Looking at the importance of wireless communication, the South Bengal Frontier sector has developed a Radio interface cum auto repeater interface.

"The radio interface will allow the radio frequencies of the force to be swapped with each other in case of exigencies.

Even cellular phones can be connected to the wireless frequencies," Inspector P Joseph said.

Bureau Report

 

[nitesh]

The Hindu : National : 24-hr. science channel

24-hr. science channel

T.S. Subramanian

It will highlight India’s achievements in layman’s language

CHENNAI: A 24-hour television channel dedicated to science and technology and highlighting India’s scientific achievements will be on the air in two months.

W. Selvamurthy, Chief Controller, Research and Development, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), said the channel would be a product of public-private sector partnership. Many departments of the Government of India had committed themselves to providing a certain number of episodes. They included the DRDO, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Space, the Department of Atomic Energy, and the Department of Biotechnology.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Indian Institutes of Technology and premier engineering colleges would also contribute to the channel with their programmes. The DRDO had committed to giving 100 episodes.

“This is a good initiative because India’s achievements in various scientific endeavours will be propagated at the global level. The programmes will be in a simple language to enable even the lay man to understand them. The channel will disseminate information from the laboratory to the land,” said Dr. Selvamurthy, who heads the Life Sciences and Human Resource division in the DRDO.

Sashi Mehta of Signet Communications Private Limited had taken the initiative in forging the public-private sector partnership for the channel, he said. He described as “a milestone” the landing of Tejas, India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) in the rarefied heights of Leh, Ladakh, on December 13.

Dr. Selvamurthy said: “It successfully completed different trials in the cold environment in the high altitude of Leh. The trials are important for operating the LCA in cold weather close to the border. The objective of the flight trials is to expose the onboard systems to extreme low temperatures.”

Two Tejas prototypes were involved in the trials. The aircraft remained in cold weather overnight with temperatures plunging to minus 20 degrees Celsius and they were powered up the next day for operations.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) placed orders for 20 Tejas aircraft after their initial operation clearance, which was expected to be achieved in 2010. The LCA’s flight envelope, manoeuvrability, and safety would be tested first. If it passed these tests, the IAF would place orders for 20 more Tejas aircraft after their final operation clearance, the DRDO’s Chief Controller said.

 

[nitesh]

India?s bioterror plans will take some time to get off the ground - Home - livemint.com

India’s bioterror plans will take some time to get off the ground
The fundamental structuring of medical care in the country is such that more than 70% of it falls in the private sector, which is not “committed to community health services” but is confined to “care of individual patients”

Bangalore: Even as India tries to prevent terrorist attacks such as the one in Mumbai in November, security experts say that despite not facing a biological attack so far, the country musn’t ignore that threat.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has begun preparedness, but concedes more cooperation is needed from companies and communities.
India isn’t alone in worrying about a potential bioterror attack. Earlier in December, the US Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism released its World at Risk report, which predicts the world is likely to experience a biological or nuclear weapons attack in the next five years, and calls for decisive global action.
NDMA had in July notified the biological disaster management guidelines, prepared under the chairmanship of Lt Gen (retd) J.R. Bhardwaj, former director general of the Armed Forces Medical Services.
“We are lucky that not a single incident has occurred in the continent because non-state actors haven’t tried the capabilities and they don’t have self-protection, but the day may not be far (of acquiring such capabilities),” says Dr Bhardwaj. The eight-member NDMA is chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
NDMA has started the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), which is funded by the World Health Organization, and for which the National Institute of Communicable Diseases is the nodal agency.
Modelled after a similar programme run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, the IDSP has started taking shape, but will be a while before it reaches many of the 600 or so districts in India, says Dr Bhardwaj.
To strengthen the existing eight battalions of the National Disaster Response Force, each consisting of 1,000, two more battalions have been sanctioned. Half of the existing force is specifically trained to deal with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats. NDMA has also asked the state governments to get part of the state forces trained in such areas.
At the time of the Sars (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreak in 2002-03, India had one BioSafety Level-4 (BSL) lab, but now it has two. Since such situations require BSL-3 labs, which can work with indigenous or exotic agents—dozens of these are coming up in medical colleges and defence institutions, according to Dr Bhardwaj.
Experts also say that funding hasn’t been a constraint so far. The 11th Plan has allocated Rs10,000 crore for medical preparedness. And 10% of all development plans can also be utilized for disaster mitigation. What is a constraint, though, is a “lack of participation from the people and private sector”, claims Dr Bhardwaj.
The fundamental structuring of medical care in the country is such that more than 70% of it falls in the private sector, which is not “committed to community health services” but is confined to “care of individual patients”, says Lt Gen (retd) D. Raghunath, principal executive of Sir Dorabji Tata Centre for Tropical Diseases in Bangalore, and lead author of the NDMA guidelines.
The private sector has to be more responsive to national needs and for which a complementary public health system needs  to  be put in place, notes  Dr Raghunath. “Public health has been moribund for sometime and moving that is a challenge.”
His worry, for instance, is that if a patient turns up at a private hospital with fever and vesicles on his face, it’s important that it is diagnosed properly to rule out small pox. “Will a private clinic come forward to report it?” he wonders.
That’s a challenge NDMA is battling with, even though most big private hospitals have shown interest and offered three days of free treatment in case of an outbreak. “But we need a legal instrument that would ensure they (private hospitals) must do it,” says Dr Bhardwaj. He has written to the government to enact a law.
Meanwhile, NDMA has chosen Gurgaon as the model district to sign a memorandum of understanding with private hospitals, laying down clearly roles and responsibilities in the case of an eventuality. “All district collectors need to sign a mutually agreed upon MoU (memorandum of understanding) with their respective hospitals,” insists Dr Bharadwaj.
Private sector participation also falls short when it comes to detection readiness.
“We have a tough time attracting the companies to manufacture the kits we develop,” says R. Vijayraghavan, director, Defence Research and Development Establishment, in Gwalior. His lab, he claims, has “perfected the rapid detection” of CBRN and stocks 500-1,000 kits for emergencies but can produce more within 6-24 hours.
For the livestock, which have seen surprise outbreaks from time to time including bird flu, Venezuelan equine encephalitis and glanderous infection in horses, Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Izatnagar says it is diagnostically equipped to handle any emergency. “We are now stepping up action for vaccines,” says its director S.P.S. Ahlawat.
But no measure is effective if people don’t participate.
“People should know if their neighbour’s pressure cooker is on all night, it is suspicious…he could be making anthrax spores,” says Dr Bhardwaj. Hence, Rs200 crore has been allocated to bring civil defence into disaster management. NDMA is running a pilot programme in Nagpur, which can become a model for the rest of the country.
The Armed Forces have always prepared for biowarfare, but to galvanize government machinery and prepare civilians for bioterrorism is no mean task. “The delay happens, but we’ll do it; we’ve done it in the Army for 40 years,” says Dr Bhardwaj.

 

[nitesh]

Deccan Herald - DRDO develops stealth parachutes for advance operations

DRDO develops stealth parachutes for advance operations
New Delhi, PTI:

The parachute will help the troopers to jump from a height of 30,000 feet as compared to the current jump height of 10,000 feet and will avoid detection from the enemy as the sound of aircraft, at this height would be inaudible.


The DRDO has developed a new "stealth-parachute", capable of para-dropping soldiers at three times the normal height at which they are presently dropped, to be used by defence forces in the operational situations.

The parachute will help the troopers to jump from a height of 30,000 feet as compared to the current jump height of 10,000 feet and will avoid detection from the enemy as the sound of aircraft, at this height would be inaudible, say experts.

"The benefit of such a capability will mean that we can start dropping our soldiers at a long distance (say up to 30 kilometres) from the objective, in a safer airspace. Besides, at this height the sound of the plane would go unnoticed by enemy forces on the ground," Chief Controller of Defence Research and Development Organisation W Selvamurty said.

The new system comes equipped with lightweight oxygen cylinders to avoid suffocation, as at these heights, oxygen becomes scarce. The system provides oxygen on demand during breathing for nearly 45 minutes after bailout, Selvamurty said.

"A paratrooper till now could only be dropped from a maximum height of 10,000 feet and one of the risks involved here is that while being airdropped from such lower heights, the para-jumper can get exposed to enemy," he said.

The new parachutes also sport directional gadgets which will keep the para-jumper abreast of his landing directions.

"The para-jumpers will be airborne for nearly 45 minutes. With the help of directional gadgets, he can manoeuvre the parachute to reach the target," Selvamurty added.

"These new parachutes would come handy for operations close to the border and for cipher activities. We had some parachutes from abroad similar to this but they were not suitable for our requirements. We developed these parachutes keeping in mind our specific needs," he said.

Orders for nearly 700 units of these parachutes have already been placed by defence forces, he said.

 

[nitesh]

New Vice Chief of Army takes over

New Vice Chief of Army takes over

New Delhi, Jan 01: Lieutenant General Noble Thamburaj on Thursday assumed office as the new Vice Chief of Army Staff.

Lt Gen Thamburaj takes over from Lt Gen M L Naidu, who retired from service yesterday, Defence Ministry said here. Commissioned in 1969 into Bombay Sappers, Lt Gen Thamburaj, a second generation officer, is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy.

Before taking over as the vice chief, the General Officer was the Army's Southern Commander. He has been decorated with a Sena Medal and has won the Army Staff Commendation Card twice in his career.

A keen paratrooper, he has commanded a Rastriya Rifles Sector in the counter-insurgency operations and an Infantry Division during 'Operation Parakram' in the deserts.

He also saw action during Indo-Pak war and in the C-I operations in both Jammu and Kashmir and the North East.

Bureau Report

 

[nitesh]

The Hindu : National : ‘Naga chilly’ to shoo off wild elephants

‘Naga chilly’ to shoo off wild elephants

Shillong: ‘Naga chilly,’ the world’s hottest, could be the latest weapon against marauding wild elephants that have wreaked havoc in parts of northeastern India.

Called bhoot jolokia in the local Assamese dialect, the chilly pepper grows mostly in Assam. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) developed a non-lethal grenade from it that could be used in anti-terrorist operations. The DRDO and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) are now working on developing the chilly into a powder that could be coated on fences and ropes to shoo off pachyderms.

“A WWF experiment observed that the chilly powder… when coated on fences and ropes that are erected on routes of the elephants can scare them away,” R.P. Srivastava, director of the Tezpur DRDO lab said. — PTI

 

[nitesh]

Strategic firing range for army in Tawang- Hindustan Times

As the western front grabs attention following the Mumbai terror strikes, the army has quietly homed in on a strategic acquisition — an artillery firing range in the Himalayas near Tawang.

A major Buddhist pilgrimage boasting of historical links with Lhasa in Tibet, Tawang is the reason why China has been claiming some 90,000 sq km of Arunachal Pradesh.

Senior army officials on the northeastern frontier said the force deposited Rs 8 crore towards “compensatory afforestation” for the Gamrela field firing range at an elevation of 11,000 ft not far from the McMahon Line. This line marks the boundary between India and Tibetan Autonomous Region.

The Forest Department, which controls over 80 per cent land in Arunachal Pradesh, had in 2001 notified Gamrela as a temporary seasonal firing range. In view of Tawang’s strategic importance, the army had since made a move for acquiring the range.

“We are yet to receive the money for compensatory afforestation, which according to the Forest Conservation Act of 1980 is 10 per cent of the land considered for diversion to the army,” conservator of forests and nodal officer R. Kemp told HT from Itanagar. “The final approval for transfer of land will come from the Centre once the payment is received, but we have in principle given our approval.”

The land considered for diversion measures is some 6,000 hectares. The impact area, where actual firing is carried out, thus works out to 600 hectares.

In less than a fortnight, the army carried out two rounds of practice firing involving the indigenously developed 105 mm Indian field guns and 105 mm light field guns with a maximum range of 17 km. “What Gamrela means is battle readiness in snowy conditions and rarified atmosphere, since the nearest field firing range is in the humid plains of Assam 230 km away,” a senior officer said, refusing to be identified.

Notably, the Chinese army uses 122 mm and 130 mm field guns on the Tibetan side of the border.