Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta Spells Out Vision 2022

[nitesh]

TIMESNOW.tv - Latest Breaking News, Big News Stories, News Videos -
Finally, Indian Navy to patrol Somali waters

10/15/2008 7:40:47 AM
The Indian government has finally allowed the Indian Navy to patrol the Somali waters to ensure that the safety of Indian sailors is not compromised.

In a statement issued yesterday (October 14), the government said," Neighbouring powers and international agencies are working with India to free the sailors."

The move came over a month after the Somali pirates set an ultimatum of 48 hours for paying ransom for the release of the 18 Indian sailors onboard the hijacked MT Stolt Valor.

The angry families have been demanding proactive action from the government and want the Navy to patrol the Somalian gulf in order to escort the ship back and avoid clashes with the pirates, as it could prove counter productive.

Seema Goyal, wife of captain of the ship Prabhat Goyal said she do not know which door to knock andcollect the money.

"Assurances don't work. This is the time when I want help from any quarter and solve the matter," she added.

She also urged the Indian government to take more initiatives. "I have never asked the government to pay ransom. I want the government to take initiatives and pressurise the Japanese
government to get our people back home soon," she said.

The seafarers on board MT Stlot Valor have been held hostage by the pirates who hijacked the cargo ship on September 15.

The ship is owned by a Japanese company and managed by Fleet Marine Ltd in Mumbai. The hijackers had earlier demanded a ransom of USD six million for the release of the crew and have now come down to USD two million.

The Somalian pirates have seized more than two dozen ships this year off the Horn of Africa.

Apart from the Valor, pirates have seized MV Faina - a Ukrainian ship loaded with weapons. US warships have surrounded Faina to prevent pirates from unloading the weapons. NATO is also sending seven ships to the treacherous waters where the Faina is being held, and the Russian missile cruiser Intrepid is on its way to rescue the loaded Fiana.

But there is a glimmer of hope to the family of the sailors, as in the last three months Somalian pirates have freed the crew of at least three vessels which they hijacked.

Yesterday, the pirates freed a cargo ship with 11 crew members, held for five days, after losing an offensive launched by the authorities to free the ship.

Four days ago, pirates freed 20 Filipino seamen who were held for more than 80 days.

Pirates also released 29 Iranian crew members and their cargo ship hijacked off Somalia's coast in late July.

Fresh hope for MT Stolt Valor crew

Even as the Indian government is mulling over options, Russia has already gone for the kill. Russia has dispatched its deadly Intrepid class frigates to the Somalian waters in a bid to free sailors taken hostage by Somalian pirates.

The intrepid class frigates are state of the art battleships carrying an impressive arsenal, which includes a battery of surface to air missiles, torpedoes and anti aircraft guns. The ship a part of Russia's Baltic fleet has been sent to intercept MV Faina hijacked by Somali pirates off the Somalian coast.

The ship entered the Meditteranean on October 4 and is likely to swoop upon the pirates very soon.

 

[nitesh]

part III about Chetak UAV

LiveFist: EXCLUSIVE: The Chetak UAV inside/out Part-3

Here are the technical parameters of the beautiful Chetak NRUAV in its present configuration:

PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

Endurance: 6 hours
Ceiling: 15,000 ft
Loiter speed: 60 knots
Max speed: 100 knots

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Max Take-off Weight: 2200 kg
Max Mission Payload Weight: 220 kg
Main Rotor Diameter: 11.02 m
Tail Rotor Diameter: 1.91 m
Length w/o Payloads
-Overall rotors turning: 12.84 m
-Fuselage, tail rotor turning: 10.17 m
Width (without payloads, blades folded): 2.6 m
Height to top of rotor head: 2.97 m

 

[nitesh]

PIB Press Release

Naval cooperation between India and the USA epitomises the logical relationship between two large and responsible maritime powers. Both navies have, over the years, undertaken diverse bilateral activities such as training exchanges, information exchange, and technical cooperation. The navies, much like their parent nations have significant convergence of interests, especially in the maintenance of maritime security in this fragile region. Towards this, an India – USA Framework for Maritime Security Cooperation was signed in 2006. What this translates into, on ground, is that, both navies need to periodically 'exercise' at sea / in harbour, so as to build interoperability, as also share 'best practices'.

The annual MALABAR series of exercises that commenced in 1992 provides such an opportunity. Eleven such exercises have been held so far. The twelfth of the series, Exercise MALABAR 08, will be conducted in the Arabian Sea in Oct 08, in which frontline units from both the navies will participate. The scope of MALABAR exercise includes diverse activities, ranging from gun-firing and fighter combat operations from aircraft carriers, to combating the scourge of terror, through Maritime Interdiction Operations exercises.

During MALABAR 08, the US Navy will be represented by the Ronald Reagan Strike Group (RRSG) of the USN 7th Fleet which is based at Yokosuka, Japan. The RRSG will include USS Ronald Reagan, a nuclear powered aircraft carrier, USS Chancellorsville, USS Gridley, USS Decatur, USS Thach and USS Bridge, an underway replenishment tanker. In addition, one submarine, USS Springfield and one P3C Orion aircraft will also participate in the exercise.

The Indian Navy will be represented by, INS Mumbai, an indigenous Delhi Class guided missile destroyer, INS Rana, a Rajput Class guided missile destroyer and four guided missile frigates, namely, INS Talwar, Godavari, Brahmaputra and Betwa. In addition, INS Aditya which is an underway replenishment tanker and one Shishumar class submarine, Sea Harrier fighters, fixed and rotary wing aircraft are also scheduled to participate in the joint exercise.

The regular IN-USN interaction over the years has resulted in an increase in the complexity and professional content of the bilateral exercise. The thrust of the exercise this year would be on Surface/Air Operations, Advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Surface Firings, VBSS (Visit Board Search and Seizure) and Submarine Operations.

The exercise is primarily aimed at deriving mutual benefit from the experiences of the two participating professional navies. The confidence gained through interoperability during such exercises has proved to be of immense use, particularly, when involved in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.

A joint IN – USN Press conference is being schedule on 18 Oct at Goa.

 

[nitesh]

India Today - India's most widely read magazine

Navy to have its own selection board
Sanjoy Bhadra
Kolkata, October 15, 2008

Come 2010, Navy aspirants will not have to appear before the Army Selection Board as Indian Navy will launch its first ever selection board centre of the country at Diamond Harbour in West Bengal.

Till now, Indian Navy aspirants had to undergo their selection before the Indian Army selection panel.

Waking up to the need, the Defence Ministry has cleared the proposal of the Indian Navy to have a staff selection board of its own.

Indian Army spokesman, Group Captain R K Das said, "We have received the clearance order from the ministry. We will soon start the work to erect the complex at our Naval Coastal Battery Office in Diamond Harbour."

Since Independence, Indian Navy applicants, after completing the written test, appear before the Indian Army Selection Board for their selection process.

These selection board offices are located at Bangalore, Bhopal and Allahabad. This norm had attracted criticism from several quarters. With Selection board of its own, Indian Navy will have its selection exam conducted at its own unit.

Defence sources revealed that the proposal to have its first selection board was proposed by the Indian Navy two years back.

The proposal, however, was cleared last week. The clearance order reached the Eastern Zonal headquarters in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Indian Navy officials briefed that they will have their board office at Diamond Harbour.

The work will start on January, 2009 and is expected to be completed in one year. As soon as the selection board office will be completed, the Naval selection board office will start functioning.

 

[nitesh]

PIB Press Release

Indian Naval Warship Deployed in Gulf of Aden
18:7 IST
Government has approved deployment of Indian Naval warship in Gulf of Aden to patrol the normal route followed by Indian Flagships during passage between Salalah (Oman) and Aden (Yeman). This anti-piracy patrol will be carried out in coordination with DG Shipping, who will keep Indian Flagship vessels informed in case they want to travel in Indian Ocean along with Indian Navy ship. The patrolling is commencing immediately. The warship will be carrying helicopters and marine commandos. The presence of Indian navy warship in this area will be significant as Gulf of Aden is a major strategic choke point in the Indian Ocean region and provides access to the Suez Canal through which the sizeable portion of India's trade flows.

The presence of Indian Navy in the area will help to protect our sea borne trade and instil confidence in our sea faring community, as well as function as a deterrent for pirates.

Sitanshu Kar/ HS

 

[nitesh]

RIA Novosti - Russia - Russia to build second missile frigate for Indian Navy by March

Russia to build second missile frigate for Indian Navy by March

KALININGRAD, October 16 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian shipyard said on Thursday it would complete the construction of the second of three missile frigates for the Indian Navy by March 2009.

The Yantar shipyard in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad said the second Project 11356 frigate was more than 50% complete.

India and Russia signed a $1.6 billion contract for the construction of an additional three Project 11356 Krivak IV-class guided missile frigates for the Indian Navy in July, 2006. Russia previously built three Krivak-class frigates - INS Talwar, INS Trishul and INS Tabar - for India, and delivered them all in late 2004.

The final vessel is due to be delivered to India by 2011-12. All of the frigates will be armed with the BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missile system instead of the Club-N/3M54TE missile system, which was installed on previous frigates.

The Krivak-class frigate has deadweight of 4,000 metric tons and a speed of 30 knots, and is capable of accomplishing a wide range of maritime missions, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines.

 

[nitesh]

Indo-US bilateral naval exercise ”Malabar 08” begins

Indo-US bilateral naval exercise ”Malabar 08” begins

October 19th, 2008 - 12:37 pm ICT by ANI -

New Delhi, Oct 19 (ANI): Indo-US bilateral naval exercise ”Malabar 08” began today in the Arabian Sea, in which frontline units from both the navies are participating.
The scope of Malabar exercise includes diverse activities, ranging from gun-firing and fighter combat operations from aircraft carriers, to combating the scourge of terror, through Maritime Interdiction Operations exercises.
During Malabar 08, the US Navy will be represented by the Ronald Reagan Strike Group (RRSG) of the USN 7th Fleet which is based at Yokosuka, Japan. The RRSG will include USS Ronald Reagan, a nuclear powered aircraft carrier, USS Chancellorsville, USS Gridley, USS Decatur, USS Thach and USS Bridge, an underway replenishment tanker. In addition, one submarine, USS Springfield and one P3C Orion aircraft will also participate in the exercise.
The Indian Navy will be represented by, INS Mumbai, an indigenous Delhi Class guided missile destroyer, INS Rana, a Rajput Class guided missile destroyer and four guided missile frigates, namely, INS Talwar, Godavari, Brahmaputra and Betwa. In addition, INS Aditya which is an underway replenishment tanker and one Shishumar class submarine, Sea Harrier fighters, fixed and rotary wing aircraft are also scheduled to participate in the joint exercise.
The regular IN-USN interaction over the years has resulted in an increase in the complexity and professional content of the bilateral exercise. The thrust of the exercise this year would be on Surface or Air Operations, Advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Surface Firings, VBSS (Visit Board Search and Seizure) and Submarine Operations.
The exercise is primarily aimed at deriving mutual benefit from the experiences of the two participating professional navies. The confidence gained through interoperability during such exercises has proved to be of immense use, particularly, when involved in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.
A joint IN - USN Press conference is being schedule on Oct 18 at Goa.
Naval cooperation between India and the USA epitomises the logical relationship between two large and responsible maritime powers.
Both navies have, over the years, undertaken diverse bilateral activities such as training exchanges, information exchange, and technical cooperation. The navies, much like their parent nations have significant convergence of interests, especially in the maintenance of maritime security in this fragile region.
Towards this, an India - USA Framework for Maritime Security Cooperation was signed in 2006.
The annual Malabar series of exercises that commenced in 1992 provides such an opportunity. Eleven such exercises have been held so far. (ANI)

 

[nitesh]

The Hindu News Update Service

Russia set to refit Gorshkov
Moscow (PTI): Aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, to be inducted by the Indian Navy as "INS Vikramaditya", is set to be refitted next month even as India is yet to agree to the Russian demand for an additional USD 1.2 billion for its procurement.

Russia's Sevmash shipyard is set to launch the 44.5 thousand tonne Kiev class aircraft carrier, which is currently in the dry dock of the Severodvinsk-based Sevmash shipyard in the north of the country.

"It would take about 10 days to fill the dry dock with water before the 283 meter long and 51 meter wide vessel would be launched into the sea for further refit on the embankment of the shipyard," Sevmash spokesman Mikhail Starozhilov was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS.

India had reached a deal for its procurement in January 2004 at a cost of USD 974 million. It included repair and re-equipping of the ship, logistics support and training for operating it.

However, Russia raised the price due to increase in the scope of work, which was originally not envisaged by them and submitted a revised master schedule demanding an additional USD 1.2 billion.

The additional price issue was discussed in a meeting with Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov during his visit to India last month.

The aircraft carrier has been rechristened as INS Vikramaditya and is expected to join the Indian Navy around 2012.

 

[Black Stone]

So are you guys going to pay the extra 1.2 Billion to the Russians?.

 

[nitesh]

So are you guys going to pay the extra 1.2 Billion to the Russians?.

It is clearly mentioned that the price is not agreed upon. Negotiations are still on. Let's see how much money is paid finally.

 

[nitesh]

when the hell we can see action against such things:

Pirates seize Indian ship with 13 crew members off Somalia-Rest of World-World-The Times of India

Pirates seize Indian ship with 13 crew members off Somalia
21 Oct 2008, 1644 hrs IST, AP

KUALA LUMPUR: Armed pirates in speedboats have hijacked an Indian ship with 13 crew members off the northern coast of Somalia, a maritime official said.

The cargo-laden vessel was en route to Somalia from Asia when it was seized over the weekend, said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting centre in Kuala Lumpur, on Saturday.

The bureau only received a distress report from a third party on Monday and is still verifying the time and date of the attack, he said. No further details were immediately available.

In a similar incident about a month ago, a ship, MV Stolt Valor, carrying mainly Indian crew was hijacked by Somali pirates in the gulf on September 17.

The attack comes despite increased international cooperation to crack down on pirates in the African waters.

"It shows that the momentum is still there, the attacks are still continuing in this key shipping route," Choong said, adding that the bureau has issued a warning for ships to maintain a strict watch to thwart the bandits.

The hijacking pushed the number of attacks this year in the African waters to 74. A total of 30 ships have been hijacked and 10 remain in the hands of pirates along with nearly 200 crew members, Choong said.

Momentum has been growing for coordinated international action following the September 25 hijacking of the Ukrainian ship MV Faina, which was carrying tanks and other heavy weaponry.

NATO has sent warships to the area to help US navy vessels already patrolling the region. India also announced it will send warships to the area, and several European countries have said they would launch an anti-piracy patrol.

Some naval commanders are also suggesting shipping companies hire private security firms to counter possible hijackings.

Somalia, which has not had a functioning government since 1991, has been impoverished by decades of conflict and piracy by Somali gangs has emerged as a lucrative racket that brings in millions of dollars in ransoms.

 

[nitesh]

NDTV.com: Hijacked Indian vessel freed in Somalia

Armed Somali men, helping out coastguards in the African waters, have managed to free an Indian cargo ship with 13 sailors on board, after it was hijacked by pirates off the northern coast of Somalia.

Four of the armed pirates, who had come in speedboats to hijack the Indian cargo vessel, have been captured in the encounter, a senior minister from Somalia was quoted as saying.

There were no reports of any injuries.

Earlier on Tuesday, an official of the International Maritime Bureau in Kuala Lumpur had said that pirates seized the ship which was en-route to Somalia and hijacked it south of Socotra island over the weekend.

The attack came despite increased international cooperation to crack down on pirates in Somali waters.

The hijack has pushed the number of attacks by pirates this year in Somali coast to 74. A total of 30 ships have been hijacked and 10 remain in the hands of the pirates along with nearly 200 crew members.

The Indian government had dispatched a powerful stealth warship to the area as momentum has been growing for coordinated international response to the spate of hijacking being unleashed by Somali pirates using speed boats.

A powerful US naval flotilla was also in the vicinity of the hijack area monitoring the boarding of a Ukranian ship M V Faina which was carrying tanks and other heavy weaponry.

 

[Black Stone]

It is clearly mentioned that the price is not agreed upon. Negotiations are still on. Let's see how much money is paid finally.

I know, maybe I haven't put my question clearly. What I wanted to ask is do you as an Indian think the GoI should pay the extra price demanded by the Russian or stick to your previously agreed price and not pay any extra.

 

[nitesh]

I know, maybe I haven't put my question clearly. What I wanted to ask is do you as an Indian think the GoI should pay the extra price demanded by the Russian or stick to your previously agreed price and not pay any extra.

Yes there will be some extra payment but how much it needs to be seen. 1.2 billion seems to be too high to accept. But you never know because Navy needs a carrier badly.

 

[nitesh]

LiveFist: Photos: Exercise Malabar 08