Indian Build Up

[Bull]

New Delhi, March 12. (PTI): The Indian Air Force has inked a major deal to upgrade its 78 MiG-29 fighters as part of urgent measures to compensate for a rapid depletion of its fighter fleet.

Under the $800-million deal, signed recently with a consortium of Russia's state-owned Rosboronexport and United Aircraft Corporation, the IAF's fleet of three squadrons of MiG-29 air superiority jets will get their service life extended from 25 to 40 years.

The IAF, which is currently phasing out older MiG-21 and MiG-23 jets, has seen its squadron strength plunging to an all-time low of 29 squadrons, as against its sanctioned strength of 45 squadrons.

The force is also in the final stages of negotiating a 1.5-billion euro deal with French company Thales for upgrading 52 of its Mirage 2000H fighters to extend their service life by 25 years.

The MiG-29 upgrade will include installing beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, new Klimov-33 engines with digital fuel injection, Phazotron Zhuk-ME phased array radar, an all- glass cockpit and aerial refuelling prods.

Initially, two MiG-29s will be sent to Russia for prototype development and the rest will be upgraded in HAL's Nashik-based Ozar plant.

"The upgradation will be completed by 2010," a defence ministry official told PTI.

The agreement also stipulates the setting up of a service centre in India for the MiG-29s. This centre will also look after the navy's carrier-borne MiG-29K fighters, the first of which will be inducted by the end of 2008.

Officials said, the upgrade of the Mirage 2000s will begin by June.

Both the Mirages and MiG-29s will be armed with R-27 Rei-Dei and R-77 beyond visual range missiles for offensive air superiority operations.

The Cabinet Committee on Security has also cleared the licensed assembly of 120 Klimov RD-33 aero engines in a project worth $250 million. In the first phase of this programme that is already underway, 20 engines are being bought off the shelf from Moscow-based Chernyhhev machine plant and this will be followed by the delivery of engines in kit form to be assembled by HAL.

The IAF, with assistance from Russia's United Aircraft Corporation, has also begun upgrading its 80 MiG-27Ms, which are being equipped with glass cockpits, modern avionics, nose-mounted lasers supplied by Thales and AL-31F engines built by NPO Saturn. This will extend the life of these ground attack jets by 20 years.

The upgrade will also see the jets being armed with anti- radiation missiles, radar targeting pods and jamming pods.

 

[Bull]

IAF to acquire 126 new fighters: S P Tyagi

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 12: Indian Air Force would acquire 126 new fighter aircraft and 40 additional Sukhoi-30 this year to augment its fleet, Chief of Air Staff S P Tyagi said today.

Negotiations for the purchase of fighter aircraft were on and the best bidder would get the contract, he told reporters during his visit to southern air command headquarters here.

The Air Force would get three AWACS (airborne warning and control system) aircraft by the end of the year. AWACS was a multi-national product of Uzbekistan, Russia and Israel.

By the middle of this year, IAF would directly purchase 24 out of the 66 `Hawks` (advanced jet trainers) required by the force from United Kingdom. The remaining Hawks would be produced at HAL. Eighty new helicopters from Russia would also be acquired this year, Tyagi said.

The Chief of Air Staff said two airfields would soon be built at Sulur near Coimbatore and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. The Sulur airfield would a base for light combat aircraft, he added.

He said the role of armed forces in ensuring national security had increased as India was a strong economic power now. `No society in the world has grown economically without a strong armed force and India needs a stronger force,` he said.

Armed forces were now needed to protect India`s interests across the boundaries and the coastline. "Our international commitments are increasing and the forces are being asked to play an international diplomatic role," he said.

Bureau Report

 

[Contrarian]

Serial Production of LCA Tejas Fighter Jet Begins

The Aeronautical Development Agency's (ADA's) prestigious but delayed Light Combat Aircraft programme crossed another important milestone on Saturday with the first of the limited series production (LSP-1) aircraft successfully undertaking its low speed taxi trial.

The test will gladden the hearts of the LCA's end user - the Indian Air Force (IAF) - since the LSP aircraft are that much closer technically to the IAF's `SOP' (standard of production) requirements.

The low speed taxi trial which follows the completion of equally successful ground runs, is a key precursor to the aircraft's maiden flight, which engineers say could happen within a month. "All that is now left before the maiden flight is the clearance from the Safety Test Review Board and two high speed taxi trials."

Though the eight LSP aircraft, along with the two technical demonstrators (TDs) and five prototypes vehicles (PVs), are part of the LCA's flight test programme, they are just a step away from the actual series production aircraft which will fly in the IAF's combat squadrons. The LSP-1 is also the first LCA to be manufactured by the Aircraft Division of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

The LCA project got a boost in recent months with the IAF (that has placed an order for 20 aircraft worth approximately Rs. 2000 crore) steering the programme, engaging with both the design agency (ADA) and the manufacturing agency (HAL), and driving the certification process. The IAF's commitment was also evident when it selected the recently appointed Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal N.Anil Kumar Browne to head the LCA Review Group.

The IAF has decided to support the programme by posting a 14-member LCA Project Management Team to Bangalore that will be led by an Air Vice Marshal. The team, which will report directly to Air Head Quarters and have officers from the electronics, flying and mechanical branches, will according to sources "drive every aspect of the LCA programme to ensure that the LCA matures quickly into an operational platform".

However, according to sources the IAF has also made it clear to ADA and HAL that it will accept "nothing short of what it has contracted for." Among the critical areas that the IAF wants accelerated progress on are the digital flight control computer, the flight control system software, design changes to reduce the noise levels in the aircraft, availability of adequate number of line replacement units (to reduce cannibalising of spares between the existing aircraft), a lessening of the mean time between failures, and fitting of drop tanks. The LCA is probably the only programme where even after 638 sorties the drop tanks are yet to be fitted on the aircraft.
http://www.india-defence.com/reports/2942

 

[Contrarian]

BrahMos production to be trebled

Special Correspondent

KOCHI: India is going to treble the production of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.

"We plan to increase the production of the missile system by 300 per cent in the next two years," A. Sivathanu Pillai, chief executive officer and managing director of BrahMos Aerospace, told reporters on Friday.

Dr. Pillai, who is also the chief controller of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), noted that BrahMos, already inducted into the Navy, was a world-class cruise missile. The Defence services required more number of the missile.

Dr. Pillai said there were plans for exporting the missile, too. He pointed out that the country had a huge potential for exporting defence products, particularly to Asian countries. India was a top manufacturer of sonar systems and these could be a key export item.

He said DRDO and other Defence units had in the recent years jacked up their partnership with private sector industries. Defence outsourcing was set to get a boost in the coming years. "Gone are the days when we partnered with only public sector undertakings," he said. Now, the private-public distinction had vanished.

"Whoever is capable of meeting our needs, whether public or private, will be picked up." Performance and the capacity to deliver the goods on time were the main criteria. The Government had taken a policy decision to partner with industry. This was mainly because Indian industry was doing very well now and they were capable of making top-class supplies on time.

Dr. Pillai, who presided at an industry-NPOL (Naval Physical Oceanographic Laboratory) interface, the first of its kind, here on Friday, urged the industry to partner with the Defence services. He told industrialists that the Navy was going to build many ships and submarines, which might together be worth around Rs. 3,000 crores. This was a wonderful opportunity for the industry. "We are ready to work with you; are you ready?" he asked.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/18/stories/2007031805011000.htm

 

[Contrarian]

IAF to acquire 24 advanced jet trainers by July

JAMNAGAR AIRBASE, MAR 20 (PTI)

The acquisition of 24 advanced jet trainers (AJT) from Britain is likely to begin by July and the aircraft are expected to start flying operations from September, the IAF chief said today.

These aircraft will be part of the total of 66 AJTs that the IAF is going to acquire, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi told reporters on the sidelines of a function organised to phase out the MiG-23MF jets after their last ceremonial flight here.

The acquisition of AJTs has been under consideration for the past two decades. These are small agile aircraft capable of flying at trans-sonic speed and can be of great help in imparting training in air combat techniques and air-to-ground weapon delivery.

The IAF's target is to modernise technology and improve its prowess regularly to ensure peace and stability, which are important for economic growth, Tyagi said.

Noting that the IAF plays a vital role in defence, Tyagi said the aim is not to go to war but to avert war by having a strong defence.

He said historically, the basic threat has come from neighbours like Pakistan and China. "Though India is trying to better its ties with these two countries, peace can exist only when the country is strong enough to counter any threat," he pointed out.

To a question on suicides in the armed forces, Tyagi said statistically there has been no change in the suicide rate. It is only that there is more awareness about such cases among the people now because of the media, he said.

Most suicides were because of domestic stress rather than any official reasons, Tyagi said, adding that the defence minister had written to chief ministers to ask them to ensure that the problems of defence personnel were taken care of to prevent stress.

About the phasing out of the IAF's MiG-23 aircraft, Tyagi said these fighters needed to be phased out as maintaining them had become a problem because of difficulty in procuring spare parts and mounting costs.

He said eventually other MiG variants will also be phased out.

About crashes involving fighter aircraft, Tyagi said there is a "wrong" notion among people that the rate of crashes in the IAF is high.

"On the contrary, it (the number of crashes) has declined. It is only that the awareness among people has increased because of a spurt in the media, especially television channels," he said.
http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=459265

 

[Contrarian]

Army modernisation drive on at peak levels: Chief

NEW DELHI, MAR 20 (PTI)

The army's modernisation drive is moving at peak levels with over Rs 4,000 crores being spent on inducting night fighting equipment and force multipliers in the past three years, its chief Gen J J Singh said today.

Extensive modernisation has been undertaken in upgrading weapons and equipment of the infantry, armoured formations and special forces, and there was no "indecision" creeping into the purchase of 155mm .52 calibre guns for the artillery, he said.

"The past three years has seen the army inducting night fighting equipment, modern communication machines and special assault and multi-purpose weapons for the infantry," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a function to flag off the army's new expedition to the Mount Everest.

On the delay in the purchase of towed 155mm .52 calibre guns for the artillery, he said: "It is a high ended deal. So our personnel have to careful to evaluate the systems."

His remarks assume signifiance in the context of recent reports that the defence ministry might go in for re-tendering of the contract for the howitzers after conducting four rounds of evaluation trials with several guns.

India plans to purchase 400 towed guns at an estimated price of four to six billion dollars.

The army evaluated howitzers from three firms - Sweden's SWS Defence Bofors, Israel's Soltam and South Africa's Denel -- in three rounds of trials between 2002 and 2004.

Denel was not allowed to participate in the fourth round of trials held in the Thar desert and high altitude areas in Ladakh last year after being blacklisted in the wake of a CBI probe into allegations that the company was involved in paying kickbacks in a deal to sell anti-material rifles to the Indian Army.

"We are taking time to (ensure) that we buy the best system for the country," the army chief said.

On the plans to purchase 197 light helicopters for the army, Singh said his force had given its evaluation report to the defence ministry. "It is now up to them," he said.
http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?gid=73

 

[Contrarian]

BAe Hawk Jet Trainers to be Operational by September 2007
Daily News & Updates
Dated 20/3/2007
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The acquisition of 24 advanced jet trainers (AJT) from Britain is likely to begin by July and the aircraft are expected to start flying operations from September, the IAF chief said today.

These aircraft will be part of the total of 66 AJTs that the IAF is going to acquire, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi told reporters on the sidelines of a function organised to phase out the MiG-23MF jets after their last ceremonial flight here.

The acquisition of AJTs has been under consideration for the past two decades. These are small agile aircraft capable of flying at trans-sonic speed and can be of great help in imparting training in air combat techniques and air-to-ground weapon delivery.

The IAF's target is to modernise technology and improve its prowess regularly to ensure peace and stability, which are important for economic growth, Tyagi said.

Noting that the IAF plays a vital role in defence, Tyagi said the aim is not to go to war but to avert war by having a strong defence.

He said historically, the basic threat has come from neighbours like Pakistan and China. "Though India is trying to better its ties with these two countries, peace can exist only when the country is strong enough to counter any threat," he pointed out.

To a question on suicides in the armed forces, Tyagi said statistically there has been no change in the suicide rate. It is only that there is more awareness about such cases among the people now because of the media, he said.

Most suicides were because of domestic stress rather than any official reasons, Tyagi said, adding that the defence minister had written to chief ministers to ask them to ensure that the problems of defence personnel were taken care of to prevent stress.

About the phasing out of the IAF's MiG-23 aircraft, Tyagi said these fighters needed to be phased out as maintaining them had become a problem because of difficulty in procuring spare parts and mounting costs.

He said eventually other MiG variants will also be phased out.

About crashes involving fighter aircraft, Tyagi said there is a "wrong" notion among people that the rate of crashes in the IAF is high.

"On the contrary, it (the number of crashes) has declined. It is only that the awareness among people has increased because of a spurt in the media, especially television channels," he said.
http://www.india-defence.com/reports/2949

 

[Contrarian]

India on a nuclear super-highway

India is set to launch its first nuclear submarine later this year which if successful will put the country in an extremely exclusive club of hi-tech defense powered nation.

Currently Indian defense system only has few battery operated submarines, that are way back in technology as compared to the nuclear once. The last time the Indian Navy operated a nuclear submarine was in the late 1980s, when it leased a Russian Charlie class vessel.

The project codenamed the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) has been crawling since 1974. Now what does ATV actually mean?
The nuclear haves are increasingly relying on sea-based nuclear deterrence in preference to land and air segments. India has a number of foreign-produced cruise missile systems in its arsenal, to include Exocet, Styx, Starbright, Sea Eagle, and perhaps the Russian Sunburn supersonic missile. It also has some indigenous cruise missile systems under development to include the Sagarika and Lakshya variant.

The Sagarika (Oceanic) began development in 1994 as a submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM) which will have a range of at least 300 kms (a few claim 1000 kms); it was projected for deployment around 2005. The program has met with considerable delays and the missile is not expected to become operational before 2010. It will probably arm India’s nuclear submarine, the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV).

India is a nation that fights for entering the select group of countries that build nuclear powered submarines. Even after three decades it still had not presented results that could modify the current picture of the navies with nuclear propulsion. India has been working actively since 1985 to develop an indigenously constructed nuclear-powered submarine, one that was based on the Soviet Charlie II-class design, detailed drawings of which are said to have been obtained from the Soviet Union in 1989. This project illustrates India’s industrial capabilities and weaknesses. The secretive Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project to provide nuclear propulsion for Indian submarines has been one of the more ill-managed projects of India.

Although India has the capability of building the hull and developing or acquiring the necessary sensors, its industry has been stymied by several system integration and fabrication problems in trying to downsize a 190 MW pressurized water reactor (PWR) to fit into the space available within the submarine’s hull. Reports now indicate that India has overcome the biggest problem or miniaturisation of a nuclear power plant that is to be mounted on a submarine hull. The Proto-type Testing Centre (PTC) at the Indira Gandhi Centre For Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, was used to test the submarine’s turbines and propellers. A similar facility is operational at Vishakhapatnam to test the main turbines and gear box.

According to some accounts India planned to have as many as five nuclear submarines capable of carrying missiles with nuclear warheads. The Indian nuclear powered attack submarine design is said to have a 4,000-ton displacement and a single-shaft nuclear power plant of Indian origin. Once the vessel is fully completed, it may be equipped with Danush/Sagarika cruise missiles and an advanced sonar system. However, according to some analysts the most probable missile for the Indian submarine would be the Yahont anti-ship cruise missile designed by NPO Mashinostroyeniya.

In 2004 it was reported that the first ATV would be launched by 2007. At that time it was reported that it would be an SSGN and displacing some 6,500 tons, with a design derivative of Russia’s Project 885 Severodvinsk-class (Yasen) SSN. The ATV multirole platform would be employed for carrying out long-distance interdiction and surveillance of both submerged targets as well as principal surface combatants. It would also facilitate Special Forces operations by covertly landing such forces ashore. The ATV pressure hull will be fabricated with the HY-80 steel obtained from Russia.
This way it would have the possibility of multiple performance: it could use missiles of cruise of average reach (1,000 km), ballistic missiles of short reach (300 km), torpedoes and mines, besides participating of operations special. The vessel displaces 6,500 tonnes and can stay submerged for upto 100 days. Armed with guided missiles, it can carry a crew of 70 people. India is also in negotiations to acquire two Russian-made nuclear submarines of the Akula class.
Some Important stats:

* Vessel Type: Submarine
* Country: India
* Program Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV)
* Total Number 4-6 Unit Cost (US$) 1B (Est.)
* Builder Vishakapatnam Naval Dockyard (VND) with assistance from Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL).
* Displ. Tons 5,500 – 6,500
* Length 100m (328ft)
* Beam 15m (49.2ft)
* Draft 9m (29.5ft)
* Machinery Nuclear: one pressurized water reactor (PWR) using 20% enriched uranium fuel (160-190MW); one turbine (47,000hp/70MW); one shaft; one 7-bladed, high-skew propeller.
* Speed (Knots) 12-15 (surfaced) 30-34 (submerged).
* Range Unlimited. Diving Depth 300 m (984.2ft).
* Complement Undetermined.
* Weapons Torpedoes: Six 21 inch (533mm) torpedo tubes. Mines. A total capacity (mines, torpedoes, and missiles) of 30 weapons.
* Missiles Submarine launched cruise missiles (SLCM) using either a vertical launch system or a torpedo tube launch, surface-to-surface missiles (SSMs), and a submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

Note: All the above data is estimated and not exact.

If this is successfully achieved, then it would be valid to assume that the Indian Fleet will count on four to six of these submarines until the year of 2020.
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=124552&category=Technology&catID=4&rtFlg=rtFlg

 

[Contrarian]

Defence: private sector poised to play a big role

Ravi Sharma

Government will invest for design, development of products

# Applicants must have a Rs. 1,000-crore turnover
# A few companies have made presentations

BANGALORE: The Government of India might shortly enter into financial collaborations with the private sector in defence equipment manufacture.

Its investment will primarily be for the design and development of defence products that will be jointly developed, and could amount to a maximum of 25 per cent of the developmental costs.

The Government's financial stake will ensure product quality and assured orders from the armed forces. But the investments will be restricted to manufacturing companies that are listed as `Raksha Udyog Ratnas' (RURs), or "Champions."

According to N.R. Mohanty, former chairman and managing director of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and the Independent Technical Expert on the Defence Ministry's committee that is selecting companies that are to be given the RUR status, the list of such companies could be out as early as April.

Mr. Mohanty said: "Applications have been invited from the companies that have a Rs. 1,000-crore turnover and a capital outlay of Rs. 100 crore. A few companies have made presentations before the committee; some have also been visited (by Engineers India Limited who are providing the requisite technical support) for verification."

Once on the RUR list, a company will be able to compete on a par with public sector enterprises (PSEs) or other RURs for lucrative contracts such as undertaking licence production with transfer of technology from overseas sources and involve in prestigious development projects.

The RUR list could have giants such as Larson and Turbo, Tatas, Reliance, Mahindra & Mahindra and others that have the technical and financial competence to build fighter aircraft, tanks or warships.

Those PSEs, which are not in defence production, but keen on getting into it, could also apply for the RUR status.

Mr. Mohanty disagreed that defence PSEs would be at a disadvantage vis-à-vis their private sector competitors. "This will enhance competition and efficiency in the defence PSEs."

According to Mr. Mohanty, the decision to go in for RURs would not only enlarge the country's technical base, but also create employment and wealth to small and medium enterprises.

"Becoming an RUR naturally means more global business opportunities," he said.

Once recognised as an RUR, a company would enjoy the status for five years, with the possibility of a three-year renewal.

The genesis for RURs stems from the Government's Defence Procurement Policy 2006, under which in a bid to strengthen self-reliance in defence preparedness, it had constituted the Vijay Kelkar Committee "to examine and recommend changes in the acquisition process in order to synergise the efforts of various stakeholders, improve the prospects of indigenous production and to utilise the resources available both in the public and private sector".

The Kelkar Committee had in turn recommended that tier-I industries may be identified and systematically encouraged to contribute in defence production, eventually becoming system integrators of large weapon systems and producers of platforms that are required by India's defence forces.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/21/stories/2007032102161500.htm

 

[Contrarian]

Indian Army to purchase Bell 407 Shen helicopters

Six years after American defence firms forayed into the Indian arms market after the lifting of US embargoes, a company is set to bag the first commercial deal for selling 197 light helicopters to the Army.

After almost two years of evaluation, including trials at the world's highest battlefield on the Siachen glacier, the army has, according to highly placed sources, opted for Bell Helicopter's 407 Shen model in preference to EADS' Eurocopter.

Though the army has given its technical evaluation to the defence ministry, the deal is yet to be cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council headed by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherhee as well as the Cabinet Committee on Security.

Though the price negotiations are yet to be finalised, the deal, which includes the training of Indian pilots, is estimated to be worth over 400 million dollars.

The deal envisages the initial delivery of 60 helicopters in a fly-away condition and co-production of 137 helicopters after 100 per cent technology transfer by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

And for the first time, the deal will include a 30 per cent offset to be negotiated according to the defence ministry's requirements.

Under the new arms procurement policy, the government has enforced 30 per cent offsets in all contracts worth over Rs 300 crores and made it mandatory for firms selling arms to India to sign an integrity pact.

After the lifting of sanctions, the US made military sales of the ANTPQ fire-finding radars and reached an agreement to sell the retired warship USS TRENTON. All these were government-to-government deals done through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme of the US.

 

[Contrarian]

Andaman military base gears for energy security role


India's southernmost military base that lies closer to the country's littoral states than the mainland, is gearing itself for an energy security role in the Indian Ocean, even as it hopes to further New Delhi's Look East policy.

Located in this capital of the Andaman and Nicobar chain, a cluster of 572 islands that extend in a 720-km long chain, some 1,200 km off the southern and eastern coasts, the military base guards an area that comprises just 0.2 percent of the country's land mass but is tasked with protecting a whopping 30 percent of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Toward this end, the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) envisages a major ramping up of its assets by permanently deploying at some stage fighter aircraft, as also creating infrastructure to enable the docking of large naval vessels.

'This is the place where the action will be,' the ANC head, Air Marshal P.P. Raj Kumar, told reporters here, a day ahead of a visit by Defence Minister A.K. Antony to study first hand the strategic location of the base.

The ANC is also India's first tri-services command, which means it has under its wing assets from all three wings of the armed forces, as also the coast guard. Its chief is drawn by rotation from the army, the navy and the air force.

The ANC, which also includes an element from the coast guard, had played a stellar role in the wake of the devastating Dec 26, 2004 tsunami that ravaged the islands by providing succour to its inhabitants and also to countries like Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives that too were badly affected.

'The reason we were able to do this so effectively was because we are a tri-services command. Thus, there were no problems of coordination that usually arise on such occasions,' ANC deputy chief Rear Admiral P.V. Nair pointed out.

During his visit, Antony will witness first hand the interoperability the three services have achieved as they conduct a series of exercises, including amphibious landings by soldiers with ships and aircraft providing close support.

'There is the question of protecting the EEZ. There is also the question of guarding the approaches to the Malacca Straits (the world busiest water through which 70,000 vessels transit each year and which is prone to sea piracy and other criminal acts),' Kumar added.

'The ANC also has the unique responsibility, in consonance with India's Look East policy, of reaching out to the defence forces of India's maritime neighbours and building bridges of friendship,' he pointed out.

Speaking about the importance of the SEZ for India's energy security, Kumar said that with oil and gas having been discovered in the seabed on the Myanmarese side of the zone, 'it is only a matter of time before similar discoveries are made on our side.'

India's exploration major Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has, under the New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) 2005-07, already invited bids for two exploration blocks off the eastern coast of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and prospecting is expected to begin soon.

'There is also the question of transporting the oil and gas that will be found. Whether this is done by tankers or through a seabed pipeline, this route will have to be made secure,' Kumar pointed out.

To hone its skills in these areas, as also to counter sea piracy and terrorist activities, the ANC regularly conducts joint exercises with the navies of Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore, as also the larger Milan exercise, the 2006 edition of which saw the participation of 20 vessels from eight countries, including Australia.

The ANC began life in February 1964 as the naval base INS Jarawa, named after one of the tribes that inhabit the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. By the end of 1976, the base had expanded with the addition of another naval station and a coast guard station, and the induction of a 900-men army infantry battalion.

INS Jarawa was re-christened Fortress Andaman and Nicobar (FORTAN) in 1981 and this saw the addition of a third naval station, an increase in army strength to brigade (3,000 men) level and the addition of an air wing.

In 2000, a panel that studied the conduct of the Kargil War with Pakistan the previous year recommended that FORTAN be converted into a tri-services command to enable better coordination between the armed forces both in times of peace and during war.

ANC came into being in October 2001, its first head being Vice Admiral Arun Prakash, who eventually rose to be the Indian Navy chief.

'Ours is a unique feature of the armed forces,' Nair said of the experience of the past six years, adding 'what we have done here can be replicated across the spectrum of the defence forces.'
http://www.indiaenews.com/india/20070323/44468.htm

 

[Contrarian]

Indian Army to get Brahmos missile this year: Pillai


Moscow, March 23: With the successful completion of tests of the Brahmos, the Indian Army will start inducting the supersonic cruise missile this year, a top official of the Indo-Russian venture that makes the weapon system has said.

"We will start delivering the Brahmos cruise missiles to the Indian Army in 2007," Brahmos Aerospace CEO Sivathanu Pillai said in an interview to weekly Nezavisimoye Voyennoe Obozrenie (Independent Military Review).

The army will get the missiles mounted on mobile platforms in "large numbers". a total of 13 tests were conducted with the missile jointly developed by India and Russia and the Indian Army was satisfied with its "precision hits", he said.

India and Russia are the only countries possessing a supersonic cruise missile, which will end the era of the much-hyped US Tomahawk cruise missiles, Pillai said.

The Indian Navy has inducted the anti-ship version of the Brahmos. An air-to-surface version is in advanced stages of development and the only task remaining is its integration with the on-board avionics of the platform that will deliver it, he said.

Bureau Report
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=8442

 

[Contrarian]

Astra missile to be tested on Monday


Balasore, March. 23 (PTI): India's indigenously developed beyond visual range Astra missile is slated to be tested from a range at Chandipur near here on March 26.

Hectic preparations are on for the fourth test-firing of the air-to-air missile from the integrated test range, 15 km from here, defence sources said.

There was also the possibility of another launch the next day, they said.

A team of scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from Hyderabad and ITR have been busy for the last couple of days to give the preparations the final touches.

The missile was first launched on May 9, 2003 from ITR and the second and third trials were conducted on May 11 and May 12, 2003, at the same range.

The Balasore district administration, at a meeting with ITR authorities, have decided to shift over 6,100 people, including around 1,800 children, belonging to 826 families of six villages living within a radius of 2.5 km of the launch site to four temporary shelters on the date of the launch.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200703231860.htm

 

[Neo]

Saturday, March 24, 2007
India gets ready to test-fire missiles

Close on the heels of Pakistan's successful test-firing of nuclear capable Hatf VII Babar missile Thursday, India prepares to test fire its two home-grown missiles from a defence base in Orissa in the next few days.

Scientists are all set to test 'Dhanush', the nuclear-capable naval version of the 'Prithvi' short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) and an air-to-air 'Astra' missile from the Chandipur defence base in the state's coastal district of Balasore, some 230 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar, defence sources said.

Astra is being considered as a new system in India's guided missile development programme. With solid propellant, the missile has a striking range of 25 to 40 kilometres.

http://nosint.blogspot.com/2007/03/india-gets-ready-to-test-fire-missiles.html

 

[Contrarian]

Dhanush! That would mean we would finally have a nuclear triad!