Two days before Royal visit, Sweden sends tough statement on Kashmir

Two days before the arrival of the Swedish Royal couple King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia, and senior Ministers, including Foreign Minister Anne Linde, Stockholm sent its strongest message on Jammu and Kashmir thus far, urging the government to lift all restrictions placed in the former State, and calling for it to “involve” Kashmiris for a resolution of the issue. The statement, made by Ms. Linde in the Swedish Riksdag or Parliament on Thursday in reply to a question, came ahead of a week-long visit (December 1-6) by the Swedish delegation, where the two sides are expected to announce an important polar research agreement, hold the first “innovation council” dialogue, discuss cooperation on defence, clean technologies, tackling air pollution, and trade.

‘Involve Kashmiris’ ::

“We emphasise the importance of respect for human rights, that an escalation of the situation in Kashmir is avoided and that a long-term political solution to the situation must involve Kashmir’s inhabitants. Dialogue between India and Pakistan is crucial. Sweden and the EU (European Union) urge the Indian government to lift the remaining restrictions imposed on Jammu and Kashmir. It is crucial that free movement and communication opportunities are restored,” the statement by Ms. Linde in the Riksdag said. The statement calling the situation in Kashmir “worrying” follows a shorter statement made in the Swedish Parliament on September 13, and a Twitter statement issued by then Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom on August 10, days after the Indian government’s move on Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.



‘Aligned with EU’ ::

When asked about Sweden’s position, its Ambassador Klas Molin said that Stockholm was fully aligned with the European Union that has issued similar statements and held a special hearing on the situation in Kashmir in recent weeks.

“The Kashmir issue is a long-standing one. We see it as emanating from a bilateral dispute and thus has to be resolved through dialogue between India and Pakistan. That is the EU’s position. The other main tenet is that Kashmiris should have a say in their own future,” Mr. Molin told The Hindu.

The Swedish statement follows statements of concern by other visiting European leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto. Mr. Molin did not rule out that the Kashmir issue would be raised in bilateral discussions next week, when a meeting between Ms. Linde and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is expected to be scheduled, but said King Gustaf was unlikely to make any “political” comments. However, he said that Sweden accepts India’s position that the move on Article 370 was an “Indian” issue, that Sweden had noted that both Houses of Parliament supported it, and that “the Supreme Court is hearing petitions on the constitutionality of the measure”.


Defence, trade ::

Defence is another major area of cooperation between India and Sweden. Swedish major SAAB has pitched its Gripen fighter jet for the Indian Air Force tender for 114 jets for which the bid documents have been analysed and specifications are being finalised. In addition, the two countries are working on a maritime agreement for logistics services sharing in the Artic and in Antarctica, to be announced during the visit.

Apart from the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Swedish delegation comprises a large business delegation, which is expected to discuss new collaborations to boost the present bilateral trade of $3.37 billion, as well as prospects for the India-EU Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA).

“We would like to see an FTA (free trade agreement) and an investment protection agreement as part of an FTA,” Mr. Molin said, referring to a statement by Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal during his visit to Stockholm last month about the BTIA talks, which have been suspended since 2013. “The outgoing European Commission made many statements but we were not able to restart the negotiations and we hope the new Commission will do that,” he added.

Travel plans ::

During their visit, the Swedish King and Queen will travel to Delhi and Mumbai for official engagements, and will also visit Uttarakhand, and see the Ganga river at Hardwar and Rishikesh, and spend time in at the Jim Corbett National Park.

thehindu

War of words breaks out between Israeli firm and DRDO over anti-tank missiles

An unseemly war has broken out between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and an Israeli firm over man-portable “tank-killers”, or Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM).

The first salvo was fired by Rafael Advanced Systems Thursday, to which a furious DRDO responded on Twitter.

The reason for this spat is that Rafael had won a Rs 3,200 crore Army tender for 8,356 Spike missiles, 321 launchers and 15 simulators. But in 2017, the order was scrapped after DRDO said it could deliver an indigenous equivalent. The Army, which has been seeking the next generation of ‘fire-and-forget’ ATGMs for over a decade, instead only ordered just 210 Spike missiles with about a dozen launchers, worth Rs 280 crore, from Rafael.

Rafael’s attack ::

Rafael released a statement, through its public relations agency, announcing the test firing of two newly-acquired Spike LR anti-tank missiles at the Infantry School in Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, which was witnessed by Army chief General Bipin Rawat.

In the statement, Rafael also hit out at the DRDO’s ATGM programme, saying “while there seems to have been some progress on the DRDO development programme, it will take a long time for it to reach the user in the field”.

The firm added that the Army needed to rethink its order for third-generation missiles, while its system is fourth-generation.

“With the confidence in the Spike missile established, the Indian Army may need to revisit their plans for 3rd Gen missiles. Both the DRDO ATGM programme, as well as the invitation to Indian industry to develop a 3rd Gen missile will need a rethink, as having a 4th Gen missile will put the plan for development of a 3rd Gen missile questionable,” the firm stated.

DRDO’s response ::

A furious DRDO took to Twitter to hit back. It tweeted that the DRDO ATGM is a state-of-the-art missile in the advanced stages of development.

- - - - - - - -
A News item relating to Spike Missile testing at the Infantry school MHOW purportedly based on a press release is circulating incorrect facts. The DRDO ATGM is a state of art missile in advanced stages of development.
- - - - - - - -

DRDO, which conducted three successful trials of the weapon system at the Kurnool range in Andhra Pradesh in September, is confident that its MP-ATGM, with a range of 2.5 kilometres, will be available for “user trials” by 2020.

What is a fourth-generation missile?

Explaining why its ATGM was better, Rafael said the fourth-generation Spike LR has fire and forget capability, as well as the ability to fire, observe and update, providing substantial flexibility to the firer to pinpoint the impact point. It also has the ability to switch to a different target mid-flight, should the firer want to do so.

“The missile has an inbuilt seeker, which gives the firer the flexibility to use any of two modes: Day (CCD) and Night (IIR). The dual seeker adds to the missile’s reliability, already established at more than 90 per cent during the field evaluation by the Indian Army in 2011,” the firm stated.

India is the 33rd country to have the Spike missile as part of its inventory, and Rafael claimed it has a high success rate.

“More than 5,000 Spike missiles have been fired so far worldwide, with the overall hit percentage being more than 95 per cent. The firer also has the option to fire from either low or high trajectory,” it said.

The Army currently operates second-generation Milan-2T (2-km range) and Konkurs (4-km) ATGMs. Produced by Bharat Dynamics under licence from French and Russian companies, these do not have night-fighting capabilities.

 theprint

Indian Army Set to Deploy 200 Armoured Fighting Vehicles With Guided Missiles Along Pakistani Border

India and Pakistan have been engaged in a serious border escalation since a cross border aerial strike by the Indian Air Force in February. The two arch-rivals have deployed their troops and military equipment at forward bases to retaliate in case of a misadventure by either side.

The Indian Army has decided to deploy around 200 armoured fighting vehicles equipped with locally developed anti-tank guided missiles in the country’s Punjab and Rajasthan regions. These are set to boost the army’s capabilities, as it can operate in terrain interspersed with rivers and canals.

“Armoured vehicles will be deployed in plain region bordering Pakistan", an official on Friday confirmed. The 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicles will have a minimum cruising range of 500 km on road and 250 km in a region with rivers or canals.
For the vehicle's protection, two long-range anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) launchers will be available.

The Indian Army also asked manufacturers to provide a man-portable ground anti-tank guided missile launcher in addition to the vehicle-mounted ATGM. 30mm cannon with 7.62mm coaxial machine gun will also be available for the crew.

The vehicle is also capable of detecting all types of chemical, biological, and nuclear contamination.

The development comes against the backdrop of an escalation in tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pulwama terrorist attack in Kashmir in which over 40 Indian security personnel were killed by a purportedly Pakistan-based terrorist organisation called Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The escalations reached a near war-like situation after a cross border aerial strike by the Indian Air Force in the Balakot area inside Pakistan in February this year.

For the past four months, a huge deployment of forces took place in the western sector after Pakistan threatened India with massive retaliation in the wake Jammu and Kashmir's special status being revoked by New Delhi.

 sputniknews

DRDO defends Nag missiles

The state-of-the-art indigenous Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) Nag is in advanced stages of development, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has said in a sharp response to statements that raised questions on the programme. A new Man Portable ATGM (MPATGM) was also in advanced stages of trials, it noted.

Early this week, the Army fired two newly inducted Spike-LR (Long Range) ATGM at the Infantry School at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh. It recently procured a small lot of 12 launchers and around 250 missiles from Israel under the new financial powers for emergency procurements sanctioned by the Defence Ministry a few months back.

A statement on the test-firing, issued by a public relations firm on behalf of Spike manufacturer Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, said that with the confidence in the missile established, the Indian Army may need to “revisit” their plans for third generation missiles.
 “Both the DRDO ATGM programme, as well as the invitation to Indian industry to develop a 3rd Gen missile will need a rethink, as having a 4th Gen missile will put the plan for the development of a 3rd Gen missile questionable,” the statement said.

It further stated that Rafael had established a joint venture with the Kalyani Group, which was “capable of manufacturing Spike missiles in India, and will also look at export opportunities from India.”

A DRDO statement on Twitter said the statement was circulating “incorrect facts.”

‘Best in its class’ ::

Nag, the 3rd gen ATGM, was in the process of being inducted after extensive tests. The MPATGM, in an advanced stage of development, defence sources said, was a fourth generation ATGM. Six tests had been conducted so far and all developmental trials were over, a defence source said. “In a year it will be ready for production.” The Nag missile, the best in its class, was built for Indian conditions, officials said.

During summers, in desert conditions the temperature of a battle tank and the sand were the same, the source said and added that “identifying that and firing is a challenge.”

Another official termed the statement on Spike test-firing “unacceptable”. He said it questioned the entire Indian capability. “We now have the capability to build complex systems as per specifications. Our private industry has also come a long way and can support the development,” he added.

Earlier, the Army tried to procure a large number of ATGMs and for this, trials were held and the Spike was short-listed. However, the tender was cancelled during the cost negotiation phase and attempts to procure some systems through an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) did not fructify either. The government then decided to fill the requirement through the indigenous MPATGM.

The Spike-LR being procured is a different variant from the one tested and short-listed as part of the earlier procurement for over 8,000 missiles and 300 launchers along with technology transfer.

Earlier, before the IGA was concluded, Army sources stated that some validatory trials of the Infrared Seeker (IR) of the missile would be held during Indian summers, as the missile “did not perform as desired in the previous trials during peak summer temperatures in the desert.” The validatory trials were not conducted as the IGA fell through.

 the hindu

DRDO launches naval Tejas fighter with Israeli, Russian missiles

The Defence Research and Development Organisation on Friday announced it had achieved another step in expanding the capabilities of the naval variant of the indigenous Tejas fighter, which is under development.

In a tweet, the DRDO announced it had launched the aircraft with two beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles and two close-combat missiles from its land-based testing facility. The DRDO's official Twitter handle informed, "One more step in launch capability expansion for LCA Navy. Two BVR plus Two CCM missiles.”

The beyond-visual-range missile is the Derby, a radar-guided missile from Israel, and the close-combat missile is the R-73 from Russia, a weapon that uses infra-red guidance.

DRDO also tweeted an image of the naval Tejas aircraft taking off from a 'ski-jump' at the shore-based test facility in Goa. Ski-jumps help an aircraft take off on their own power, while improving their climb rate. Ski-jumps are the only option to launch aircraft at higher weights for aircraft carriers lacking catapults for assisted take-offs. The shore-based facility simulates the launch of aircraft from aircraft carriers such as the INS Vikramaditya and the under-construction INS Viraat, both of which use ski-jumps.

The Derby missile was first purchased by the Indian Navy nearly a decade ago for its Sea Harrier fighters, which are now retired. The missile is also in service with the Indian Air Force in its ground-launched SpyDer air defence system. The Derby missile can shoot down a target nearly 60km away. Interestingly, Israel's Rafael, the company building the Derby, has offered to sell India an upgraded variant of the weapon called the I-Derby ER, which has a range of 100km.

In April last year, a Tejas fighter successfully tested a Derby missile.

The R-73 has been in service with the Indian Air Force and Navy for several years on their Russian-origin fighter jets. The R-73, a highly manoeuvrable missile, can hit a target about 25-30km by homing in on its heat emissions. Interestingly, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman claimed to have shot down a Pakistani F-16 with an R-73 missile fired from his MiG-21 fighter during the February aerial skirmish over the LoC.

The test flight with the Derby and R-73 missiles marks another milestone for the naval Tejas programme, which was almost staring at an abyss in 2017, when the Indian Navy sought to disassociate itself from the initiative on the grounds the aircraft was 'underpowered'. Since then, the Indian Navy has sought to obtain a 'Mk2' variant equipped with a higher-thrust engine.

In November, the naval Tejas achieved its first night-time arrested landing at the shore-based test facility, two months after the first successful arrested landing. Arrested landings are an essential part of aircraft carrier operations.

theweek

We Know Our Price For Gripen Is Quite Competitive: Ola Rignell, SAAB India

SAAB India raised questions over the process which he said it is about 'control verses responsibility' under the Strategic Partnership(SP) model for the ambitious P75I program for the Indian Navy. Ola Rignell, Chairman & Managing Director, SAAB India speaks with Manish Kumar Jha over such issues and, especially, Gripen E that is about the new Tactical Software and new age weapon integration.

What is your proposition for Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) 2.0. What are fresh ingredients for your proposal for Gripen E?

When it comes to the proposal, there was an Request for Information (RFI) reply submitted earlier, July last year 2018. Since then we have been interacting with the Indian Air Force. We have  submitted additional information. The baseline offer is already discussed. There are hundred and fourteen aircraft in accordance with the requirements from the Indian air force and 18 of them would be from Sweden, and the remaining 96 will be produced in India, together with the Indian partner, depending on the SP process. But within that scope, we will have the full transfer of technology. We will handle with our Indian partner, all the knowledge that is needed to produce the 96 aircraft. We first want to build an ecosystem-an aeronautical ecosystem in India together with our partner and Indian air force. 

We will give India the capability to actually produce the next generation of air crafts by themselves. If it AMCA or LCA whatever you would like to call them, we are ready to hand over full transfer of technology. 

As far as MMRCA 2.0 is concerned you have the mix of two types of engine- single and twin. How would you navigate through as you won’t have 114 with one configuration? How will the number mix and match as IAF has not decided so far yet? 

As we have seen the RFI, It does not depict if it should be single engine or double engine. Neither does it say anything about whether there should be a mixture of single or double engine within the 114.  Our offer consists of 114 single engine aircraft which we think, it would be ideal for the Indian air Force. When it comes to capabilities, performance and cost -not only their initial procurement cost but also for the life-cycle cost, Gripen is fit for the IAF When you get aircraft for 40 to 50 years, Life-cycle cost is even more important than procurement cost because that's why we have a big amount of money being utilized over time. 

How do you calculate the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and reach up to a conclusion which according to you is substantially lower than the competitors? 

We have our track record. We have Gripen operational today in many countries- Sweden, Czech Republic, Hungary, Thailand, South Africa and now sooner in Brazil.  So, we have a very good understanding of life-cycle cost on the aircraft. We have also other independent people looked into LCC and verified. 

We are convinced that we have a very good offer and the life-cycle cost will give the Indian more bank to the bucks. 

You said recently that you have the best avionics and operating now among all the competitors in the fray. What are the elements that you are talking about? Could you define some of the elements of avionics in concrete terms?

When you look into the avionics of Gripen E, what we have the wide screen display which is more less entire cockpit. You have the possibility to customize depending on customer preferences. Also, the pilot will have the ability to personalize the display, it is very interchangeable. Within that display, we have integrated a new software where we have the ability to upgrade all tactical software rapidly.

So, what we have offered to India is to update tactical software capability.

What about the radars and other weapon along the Gripen?

Of course active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar; in weapons, we have offered broad weapons, where the prime weapons are the meteor missile. With MBDA SAAB is the partner for meteor missile. Meteor is a very long-range radar missile, we have a dual data link. Some have only one way data link. But we have dual data link. What does it mean? So when a missile is on its way to the target we can update data to the missile and we get data back from the missile. We get much better accuracy. So your hit probability will go up dramatically. So, Meteor missile will be a dramatic game-changer. Also, it is fully integrated in Swedish air Force. And some of the Gripen’s customers are on their way to get meteor missile soon. 

Are you already in talks with Indian Air force for such integration and also Indian weapon system? How do you look at Brahmos which is jointly on the Indo - Russian platform?

So far, what we have done is that we have replied to the RFI from the IAF. As you know the process currently, Indian air force is evaluating the reply and we are waiting for the Acceptance of the Necessity (AoN). Thereafter, the Expression of the Interest (EOI) which is to be sent out to all the interested OEMs and also the potential Indian partners. So, we have not discussed any specific platform. You can ask IAF as how they foresee integration requirement. We can integrate any weapons that is communicating with our computers. We have all the latest version of NATO compatible version. We have different weapons for different countries. In Sweden, for example, we are mostly utilizing western standard weapon. So as long as your weapon can communicate with our avionics, we can almost integrate anything. Of course, when you talking about missile of enormous sizes then it is different thing. But you have to talk to the Indian Air Force what they foresee  and what they want to integrate in 114 aircraft. But we can integrate anything if it is in sync with our avionics.

You propose to create such aerospace cluster in India. SAAB  had also organized conference with the potential partners here in Delhi. Could you share in details on your collaboration with Indian partners?

What we have done in India in the last two year, we started out inviting potential Indian partners. I think we had about 100 different companies attending. Conference was to perceive how are going forward. We also went to Bangalore and we had similar conference with local partners. And a month ago we had a road show together with our tier 1 supplier.  So, we tried to match our tier 1 supplier with Indian tier 2 and tier 3 suppliers.

We had some follow on discussions as well. We cannot name as currently we have to sign a no- disclosure agreements with them. During this trip, we signed up with three companies. We are preparing our networks both including tier 1 suppler from India and international supplier. But tier 2 and 3 suppliers are mostly from India. Today, we have production going on in India. 

For example, we are doing aero structures in Bangalore which are forthe international contracts, producing parts for Boeing and Airbus. We have put production into India already. it would benefit us because the quality is good and we also deal with the aeronautical ecosystem. In the same manner, we are working with Tech Mahindra in Hyderabad where we are developing software and hardware for other export customers. 

For the MMRCA 2.0, you also differentiate SAAB on the price point as you said with such offering it is worth for India. So, when compared with other competitors, are the price substantially lowered? What is price per unit?

We don’t know what other OEMs have replied to the RFI. What we know is what we have been offering to India and we know what we have offered to Brazil.  

If we go into open sources, you can compare what you have paid for a certain amount of aircraft. For example, in case of Brazil, for 36 fighter aircraft (Gripen) they paid about $ 4.9 billion and that includes all the weapons, design & development center. 

And currently we have 300-400 Brazilian going into training and facilitating. They have been through how to design, develop and produce in Brazil.  We are building a complete design and development centers in Brazil. We signed the Brazilian contract in 2014/2015. Yes we had contenders – more or less all western OEMs were there. But we were down selected. We delivered first Gripen to Brazil in August this tear. We now have Brazilian pilots and engineers working side by side. So that is what we included in our package. Come back to your question, we know our price is quite competitive.

SAAB questioned the policy lax in the strategic partnership model for P75I. Why did you withdraw from P75I?

There were two reasons why we withdraw from P75I. One was time schedule which was too short for us and second, what was depicted in the EOI for the submarines, we thought there was an imbalance between your responsibility verses amount of control. That is why we decided to withdraw. 

We are also currently participating in giving feedback on SP policy, as there is an ongoing review. So, SP policy is now utilized for naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) and the submarines. We are eagerly awaiting the Acceptance of Necessity (AON) and EOI. 

Over the modified SP model? Also, SAAB claims to have only submarines - A26 running and operational submarines- based on air Independent Propulsion (AIP). Is it true?

We will have to wait and see what will be depicted in EOI when it is published. And my guess is as good as yours when EIO will be published.  On AIP, I will have to correct you on that. AIP is up and running in already operational submarines in Swedish navy but also elsewhere. There are several navies today operating SAAB’s Stirling engine which is an AIP engine and gives capability to submarines of going submerged for a longtime. You can remain under water for a very long time. And yes we claim that we are the only supplier of AIPs today as fully operational system. Also, we have along track record of that system. We are offering to the same system for A 26 submarines which is the next generation submarine for the Swedish navy. 

There is a perception that you withdrew from P75I’s SP partnership because you wanted to focus solely on fighter program in a bold way rather than in submarines program? Or you really wanted to bring notice to key elements under SP model as in case of P75I program?

We participated in P75 I with the same ambition as we do in the fighter programme. We later on decided to withdraw from submarines but that was not the intention from the beginning as the reason mentioned earlier. We were here to compete for the order. We are as committed for the fighter procurement and we will be as committed to the new upcoming projects in India.  As you are aware we are competing for different missile program. but once in a while, there are circumstances that force you to withdraw and this was one.

Well. what I read and what I hear with the new BJP government that they are more committed to replace and bring new systems for the Indian Armed Force. From that perspective, I am hopeful that decisive decision will be taken going forward. We are waiting now for AoN and EOI. 

businessworld

Return PoK, Apologise for Old Sins and Take Tomatoes: MP Farmers Offer Barter Deal to Pak PM

A group of farmers in Madhya Pradesh has come up with an exchange offer idea for the prime minister of Pakistan where citizens are suffering due to the skyrocketing prices of tomatoes.

These farmers used to send tonnes of this pulpy vegetable to Pakistan until ties between the two neighbouring countries started deteriorating and reached rock bottom following a terror attack in Kashmir that killed 40 Indian paramilitary troops in February.

Soon after, India conducted an aerial strike on Pakistan’s Balakot region, following which Pakistan conducted an air raid on Indian military installations in Kashmir that the Indian Air Force foiled.Relations further deteriorated after New Delhi revoked Article 370 of its Constitution that granted special status to Kashmir.

The farmers from Jhabua have now started to feel the heat of these strained ties as their business got affected due to a halt in export of vegetables. With citizens of both countries suffering due to high prices of food items, they came up with the idea of writing to Pakistan PM Imran Khan.

They have suggested Khan to return Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to India, hand over terrorist Hafiz Saeed and underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, apologise for “past sins” and take tomatoes from them. The farmers have put their letter to Khan on Twitter, tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan embassy in the post.

Ever since the ban on export of vegetables, tomato prices have hit the rooftop in Pakistan and the vegetable is selling at Rs 400 per kg there. Several tehsils in Jhabua, especially Petlawad, have been exporting tomatoes to Pakistan for the past several years.

The farmers also staged a protest in Jhabua on Sunday wherein they shouted “PoK do-Tamatar lo” (Give PoK, take tomatoes).

“We heard through media reports that people in neighbouring country are buying tomatoes at Rs 300/400 a kg and we believe that if their PM considers tendering an apology, we too may think of offering tomatoes to them through Wagah border,” said an elderly farmer.

Mahendra Hapad, the head of Bharatiya Kisan Union Jhabua, told News18 that the farmers have sought an unconditional apology from Khan, besides asking him to hand over Hafiz Saeed and Dawood Ibrahim and peacefully returning PoK.

“If the Pakistan PM agrees to the conditions, our district unit would consider resuming exports and would urge the government of India to continue supplies,” read the letter. The farmers in Jhabua used to export tomatoes at Rs 400 to 500 a crate (around 25kg) when the relations were normal between the two neighbours.

 news18

Indian Army successfully test-fires Spike LR missile

The Indian Army has successfully test-fired two newly-acquired Spike LR (long-range) anti-tank missiles at the Infantry School at Mhow, Madhya Pradesh. The firing was witnessed by the top Infantry hierarchy of the Indian Army, including the Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat, who were all at Mhow for the annual Infantry Commanders' Conference.

Spike LR is a fourth generation missile that can engage a target with precision at ranges up to four km. In addition to fire and forget capability, the missile also has the ability to fire, observe and update, providing substantial flexibility to the firer to pinpoint the impact point, as also the ability to switch to a different target mid-flight, should he want to do so. The firer also has the option to fire from either low or high trajectory.

The missile has an inbuilt seeker, which gives the firer the flexibility to use any of two modes: Day (CCD) and Night (IIR). The dual seeker adds to the missile's reliability, already established at more than 90 per cent during the field evaluation by the Indian Army in 2011.


Since the induction and training, this was the first time that soldiers from the Indian Army carried out practice firing of the missile. The confidence of the firers in the missile was such that difficult firing scenarios were deliberately selected. This included firing into the sun with CCD, and firing with IIR without any heating of the target, using only the ambient temperature difference. All missiles successfully engaged the target.

As of date, more than 5,000 Spike missiles have been fired worldwide, with the overall hit percentage being more than 95 per cent.

For the last nearly three decades, the Indian Army has been using now-outdated second generation missiles. The need to replace the inventory with third generation missiles was recognized nearly ten years ago. Consequently, in 2011, an RFP was floated for more than 8,000 missiles with transfer of technology to Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). The Spike missile was the only one to qualify after going through the complex labyrinth of the Indian procurement process, and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) even completed the negotiation in 2016. The programme, however, did not see the light of the day as the government decided in favour of indigenous development by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Since then, while there seems to have been some progress on the DRDO development programme, it will take a long time for it to reach the user in the field. To overcome this critical capability void, the Indian Army procured a limited quantity of Spike LR missiles, so as to meet the urgent operational requirement. India became the 33rd country to have the Spike missile as part of its inventory.

 economictimes

3 JVs with Russia for helicopters, rifles, transport aircraft under 'Make in India' approved: Def Min

Government policies and initiatives encourage all foreign companies including Russian companies to set up their manufacturing facilities in the country through partnerships/joint ventures with Indian companies. So far, 42 FDI proposals and Joint Ventures (JVs) have been approved for the manufacture of various Defence equipments, both in public and private sector, which include 3 JVs with Russia, viz. M/s Multirole Transport Aircraft Ltd, M/s Indo-Russian Helicopters Ltd and M/s Indo Russian Rifles Pvt Ltd.

Recently, an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) on joint manufacturing of spares, components, aggregates and other material related to Russian or Soviet origin Arms and Defence Equipment was signed during the 20th India-Russia Bilateral Summit held at Vladivostok on 4 January 2019.

The objective of the IGA is to enhance the after-sales support of Russian origin equipment currently in service in the Indian Armed Forces through partnership of Russian OEMs with the Indian industry under the framework of the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

The IGA stipulates assurance of orders for minimum 5 years to manufacturing facilities created under the Agreement, subject to reduction in cost, reduction in time frame of supplies, and ensuring progressive indigenisation of products in India.

The Government has decided to set up one corridor each in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. During the Aligarh meet on UP Defence Industrial Corridor held on 11 October 2018, investments of over Rs. 3,700 Crore were announced by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), Defence PSUs (DPSUs), and private industries for the Uttar Pradesh Defence corridor.

Similarly, during the launch of Tamil Nadu Defence Industrial Corridor held at Tiruchirappalli on 20 January 2019, an investment of over Rs. 3,100 crore was announced by OFB, DPSUs, and private industries for the Tamil Nadu Defence corridor.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik in a written reply to Sanjay Mandlik and others in Lok Sabha on 27 November.

Earlier this week, Naik said that India is exporting helicopters, radars, ammunition and more Defence equipment, while it is also importing equipment from Russia, Israel, UK and USA.

Last week, Naik also revealed that Rs 1,812 crore FDI has been channeled into the Defence sector since 2014.

Visiting Russia earlier in November, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had urged Russia to jointly manufacture Defence equipment with India. A day after that, Russia announced it would support the ‘Make in India’ initiative with plans to jointly manufacture Kalashnikov AK-203 rifles in India.

 indusdictum

DAC approves procurement of anti-submarine warfare aircraft P-8I for Indian Navy

The Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Union Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, on Thursday approved the acquisition of medium range anti-submarine warfare aircraft P-8I for the Indian Navy.

“The DAC approved the procurement of medium range anti-submarine warfare P-8I aircraft for the Navy. These aircraft would greatly strengthen the Navy’s capabilities for maritime coastal surveillance, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-surface vessel (ASV) strike,” the government said in a statement.

The decision was taken at a meeting where the Defence Ministry approved the procurement of services and weapons to the tune of Rs 22,800 crores.“To boost the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the DAC accorded approval for indigenous design, development and manufacturing of ‘thermal imaging night sights for assault rifles’,” the statement said.

The DAC, additionally, approved the procurement of twin engine heavy helicopters (TEHH) for the Indian Coast Guard. “These aircraft would enable the Coast Guard to undertake missions to prevent maritime terrorism, infiltration of terrorists by sea routes as well as Search & Rescue operations,” the government said.

The DAC ensures swift procurements of approved requirements for the Indian armed forces when it comes to capability requirements, and within the prescribed time frame, by utilising allocated budgetary resources.

 timesnownews

Sweden pitches Gripen as ‘extremely cost effective’ option for India’s fighter jet programme

Sweden’s Gripen fighter jet is an “extremely cost effective” option for India’s plan to acquire 114 multi-role combat planes and its manufacturer Saab International is fully prepared to develop and make the aircraft in India, Swedish ambassador Klas Molin has said.

Molin also said India and the European Union (EU) should push forward with talks on the proposed broad-based Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement, adding Sweden was not discouraged by New Delhi’s recent decision to opt out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Negotiations alone can overcome “difficult” issues between the two sides, he said.

Trade and defence ties are expected to figure in the upcoming state visit to India during December 1-6 by Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, who will be accompanied by a delegation that includes foreign minister Ann Linde and business and innovation minister Ibrahim Baylan. Besides meeting President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Swedish head of state will travel to Mumbai and Uttarakhand.


Saab is among defence firms that responded to the Indian Air Force’s 2018 initial tender for 114 multi-role combat jets to be made in India through a partnership between a domestic company and a foreign manufacturer. The other contenders are France’s Rafale, F/A-18 and F-21 of the US, MiG-35 and Sukhoi-35 of Russia, and Eurofighter Typhoon.

Molin said Saab International has had a presence in India for long and had partnered with Tech Mahindra. The firm is committed to “developing and manufacturing in India” and its bid is backed by the Swedish government, he said.

“Some of the key points regarding the Gripen system is that it’s extremely cost effective, it’s a single engine aircraft, it’s multi-role and the life cycle cost, because of the way it’s been designed, makes it much less expensive than many others while maintaining quality and operability,” he said.

“It’s not a new version of something that was originally developed a long time ago. It is the newest generation of aircraft, which I think is also relevant in this discussion.”

Noting that Sweden wasn’t discouraged by India’s opting out of the RCEP, Molin said the citizens and consumers of India and Europe “would be well served by a free trade agreement, including investment protection”.

He said, “It’s working very well as it is but I think there is a clear potential and scope for more. We’ve been encouraged by commerce minister Piyush Goyal’s early statements and those of the government...there is a new (European) commissioner for trade and it’s certainly our hope that we will get on with talks that will lead to negotiations on a FTA, including investment protection.”

India’s decision on RCEP “doesn’t change our ambition and our desire for an agreement”. Acknowledging sensitivities on both sides, he said, “I think the best way forward is to sit down and map those, talk them through and have a negotiation about it because clearly there are areas historically that have been difficult and perhaps will remain so.”

Molin said healthcare, innovation, climate change, sustainable transportation, waste management, India’s smart cities programme and cyber-security will also be on the agenda during the Swedish king’s visit. The two sides will also assess progress on the eight-point Joint Action Plan finalised during Modi’s visit to Sweden last year and some MoUs will be signed.

The king will also be accompanied by a business delegation more than 100 people representing some 60 manufacturing companies. Sweden’s investments in India during 2000-2019 were worth $1.79 billion and bilateral trade in goods is worth $1.8 billion while trade in services is worth $1.4 billion.

 hindustantimes

Confident of India becoming permanent member of UNSC: Jaishankar

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar expressed confidence in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that India would become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) “one day” and said the work in this direction was progressing step by step.

The minister said it takes a long and patient effort for getting permanent membership of the council. “Well, I will hope soon. But I am realistic enough to know that it is a long and patient effort. We are not lacking in patience and not lacking in our perseverance and we are not lacking in our aspirations. We will get that one day. I am very confident and it is progressing step by step,” he said in the Upper House.

Jaishankar was replying to a query from Vijila Sathyananth (AIADMK) on India’s entry into the UNSC as a permanent member.


Currently, there are five permanent members of the UNSC -- China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

On India’s S-400 missile deal with Russia, Jaishankar assured the members that the country had made it “very clear” to everybody that it took decisions on merits.

“We will not be influenced by other countries on what we do in terms of our national security and defence. If we have committed to the S-400 agreement, which we have, then other countries need to respect that decision,” he said.

India and Russia have signed the USD 5 billion S-400 air defence system deal.

Talking about India’s relations with the US following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Houston visit, the minister said: “We heard two-three important messages from Houston. One, the Indian community stands united in support of India. They came to Houston to express support for India, the changes in India...I think that is important and should be welcomed.” As regards the concerns about how this would be perceived in the US, Jaishankar said the government handled the US in a bipartisan manner.

“I would like to assure you that our relationship goes across party divides in the US. It is today a very durable relationship. It is a relationship which has got a very firm foundation, so we can be assured that there won’t be any issue in that regard,” he said.

As regards Pakistan, he said, “We will have to accept that it is a unique neighbour, different from all other neighbours.

“But when it comes to the Neighbourhood First policy, our objective today is that all our neighbours work with us. In different ways, we have connectivity with them.” Jaishankar said if one looked at trade, projects and visas, every number with every neighbour, barring Pakistan, was better than what it was before.

“...we have made it very clear to them that we will be generous and large-hearted and I think that has been the prime minister’s message from his first visit to Nepal in 2014. The message which he carried to other countries as well. They have great faith in his leadership to deliver on that,” he added.

On India’s relationship with Sri Lanka, the foreign minister said he had visited the island nation a day after the new president was sworn-in.

“We briefly discussed bilateral relationship. The president of Sri Lanka is due in India for a visit, many of our bilateral concerns will be discussed. The relevant points which I would like to make for the consideration of the House is that the president assured us that he is the president of all Sri Lankans,” he said.

“So I think we need to a look at that assurance and obviously, whatever discussion will happen during his visit will demonstrate where that assurance holds,” he added.
 On a query related to the country’s relations with Nepal, Jaishankar said whatever issues were there were sorted out amicably.

The minister said negotiations with France were going on regarding a nuclear power plant. Elaborating further, he said there were issues with regard to the techno-commercial offer.

The issue was raised by Jairam Ramesh of the Congress.

“The member is fully aware that nuclear plants and contracts take years, in fact many years to negotiate and fructify,” Jaishankar said.

He added that the government was fully committed towards ensuring the safety and security of the nuclear plants in the country.

 hindustantimes

Rafale delivery on target, on schedule: French envoy

The first Rafale will be handed over to India "on time, right on schedule, on Indian soil in May 2020. We are on target", the new French envoy to India, Emmanuel Lenain, said in an interview, where the long-time China hand, who served in the U.N., backed India's stand on getting a seat on the United Nations Security Council and its abrogation of Article 370, while calling for a relook at the original deal to acquire not 36 but 126 nuclear-capable fighter aircraft.

Mr Lenain sees the India-France relationship, which he describes as the "strongest partnership possible," growing even more so in the backdrop of a far firmer understanding between the leadership in Paris and Delhi, with France throwing its weight behind India getting a seat at the UNSC high table and working on squeezing Pakistan on its export of terror. Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly cited Pakistan's use of terrorist groups against Jammu and Kashmir as one of the reasons for the more stringent security in that state.

"We support India's right to decide on its path forward," the French envoy said on the Modi government's move to alter the status of Jammu and Kashmir to an Union Territory, adding that "as anywhere else, we want human rights to be respected and we think the sooner the situation comes back to normalcy, the better."


France and Germany are on the same page on this, he said, echoing comments by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, during her recent visit to India on the need to return the state of Jammu and Kashmir to a semblance of normalcy.

Interestingly, in a clear rejection of U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated proffer of third party mediation, Mr. Lenain said the issue is a bilateral one with Pakistan, and that both countries should find a resolution through a peaceful discussion following that up with his India-leaning coup de grace - "There is no benefit in internationalising the issue."

But it was on the issue of the longstanding relationship on defence, that was not predicated only on the Rafale fighter jet, that the French envoy made a telling point. Saying it was not the first defence deal between the two countries, the French envoy pointed to the sale to India of the Mirage 2000 fighter jet in 1984, in response to Pakistan's acquisition of the F-16 from the U.S. "We are in India since the 1950s, we are one of the oldest suppliers to India and we have been always there when you needed any sort of equipment because we have the strongest partnership possible," Mr. Lenain said, speaking to this newspaper, in India's defence manufacturing hub, adding that France remains committed to Rs 30,000 crore offset deal to provide 36 Rafale fighters to the Indian Air Force.

These 36 Rafale jets (include two trainer variants) would be fitted with 'Meteor' BVRAAM (beyond visual range air to air missiles), the active electronically scanned (AESA) radar for supremacy in the air, and most important, its ability to carry out nuclear strikes. Induction of Rafale jets to the IAF's fleet would serve as a deterrent to hostile neighbours, because of its capability to deliver nuclear weapons in the event of a war.

France, which was the point of attack by the opposition Congress on the $4.5 billion Rafale deal in a bruising 2018 election campaign, has remained committed to the delivery and training of IAF fighter pilots on Rafale. "We share analysis, intelligence, technologies with your country as much as with any other country," he said. "At various moments we have been very supportive; Like with your nuclear tests in 1998. We were there. A few years later, when you had the operations against Pakistan in Kargil, we were there with French aircraft, Mirage. We made sure that we worked together during the operation. It was another example of this great partnership with India. But Rafale, obviously has been the most advanced technology and this collaboration is a big signal."

On taking the Rafale deal forward, the envoy said: "We already signed a contract for 36 (Rafales); but at one point of time the number was 126. It's up to the Indian government to decide. The discussions for this contract have been going on since early 2001 to be precise and then the Indian government decided what its needs are, and how it shall be procured. The French company offered, as they always do, the maximum part of the procurement under "Make in India". But eventually given the technological aspects, it was decided that the planes would be produced in France but with offsets in India."

The first Rafale was handed over to the Indian Air Force in Bordeaux Merignac, on October 8, when Defence Minister Mr Rajnath Singh travelled to Merignac. "We could have done it earlier, but that was his decision - he wanted to have it on the Air Force Day," he explained.
 The first Rafale will fly into Indian territory in May 2020. Why the delay? "Only because between now and May, the Indian pilots and Indian technicians are getting trained on site in Bordeaux. But after that the delivery to India will be very regular - 1 or 2 planes per month and it will be done on time. And in terms of schedule, we couldn't do any better," he said.

Originally, the two governments agreed on an offset requirement of 30 per cent of the deal value to be invested by France in Indian aerospace and defence companies and creation of infrastructure for operating the fleet. The Indian government, however, increased this figure to 50 per cent while evincing interest in procurement of 50-plus Naval variant of Rafale fighters in future.

France and India share concerns over the rising terror graph, reflected in France's tough line on freezing the assets of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, and pushing the Financial Action Task Force on putting Pakistan on the grey list, the ambassador said the asset freeze is decided by the sanction committee of the UN, created by the Security Council of the U.N. Resolution 1267, which he knew all too well, given that he had personally worked on the resolution for three years.

"We faced and we are still facing terrorism. We stand side by side with India on this," he said, adding that on keeping Pakistan on the FATF grey list, when faced with "some countries opposing the move", France alongside several other countries kept up the pressure on Pakistan, giving it until February next year to clean up its act.

Between India and France, "there is a strategic dialogue going on since 1997. The idea is to take up the most strategic issues, which means that your Prime Minister and my President decided to work jointly last summer and adapted a roadmap on two important matters - digital and cyber terrorism."

France's invitation to the Indian premier to attend the G8 summit in Biarritz was at one level, a reaffirmation of the personal chemistry between the French president Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Modi, but equally, it demonstrated how far the South Asian power had come on climate change and bio diversity, issues that affect the first world as much as developing countries, in tackling urbanisation, water sanitation, smart grids, clean transportation.

Economic and business ties are also on the upswing, Mr. Lenain said, with more than 500 French companies employing close to 350,000 people in India. "One of the largest employers in this city is Capgemini - that's close to 1,50,000 employees in India. Trade is lagging slightly behind; it is true that there are some barriers (tariffs) but we are working with the Indian authorities and we can make progress with that, in everybody's interest."

With the French language taught in a slew of international schools in the city, and across the country, the French envoy said his top priority remained people-to-people exchanges. "This year, 10,000 Indian students will be coming to France as they have every year. We have a very ambitious target - to reach the figure 20,000, by 2025. To achieve this, we are going to help universities, colleges, schools find partners in France.
Most importantly, students who do enroll in schools and universities will be allowed to stay on in France for two years and work in that country, which makes it easier for young people to find employment in French companies once they are back in India, he said. In a further bid to up tourists numbers from India, Mr. Lenain says "all visas will be delivered in 48 hours soon."

 deccanchronicle

Why is the F-21 being offered to India?

United States aerospace giant Lockheed Martin has unveiled a ‘new‘ fighter, dubbed the F-21, which it intends to offer India, instead of the F-16, in the global contest to sell the Indian Air Force 114 fighters.

Launched on Wednesday, February 20, the first day of Aero India 2019 in Bengaluru, the F-21 has the tagline ‘The F-21: Different — Inside and Out‘.

But in almost every respect — engine, basic airframe and most avionics — it is a slightly improved F-16 Block 60, an aircraft already in service.

In rebranding the F-16 into the F-21, Lockheed Martin appears to have accepted what many have warned it for years: That the IAF would never buy a fighter whose very name is associated across India with the Pakistan air force which has operated the F-16 since the 1980s.

The F-16 also carries the reputation of a dated fighter, having already been in service for four decades.

A new F-21 which Lockheed Martin says is ‘specially configured for the IAF‘, would perhaps overcome the reputation of an old-timer.

To be sure, this is not the first time this ploy has been used.

Russia Aircraft Corporation rebranded its MiG-29 as the MiG-35 and fielded it as a new aircraft in India‘s medium multi-role combat aircraft contest from 2007 to 2015.

Lockheed Martin has briefed this correspondent on the improvements in the aircraft, not all of which it says can be revealed due to operational secrecy.

However, the airframe remains largely the same, as does the fighter‘s engine.

Randy Howard of Lockheed Martin says the changes include a ‘dorsal fairing‘ — a rib along the fighter‘s spine in which additional equipment can be carried in the future, in order to improve the fighter‘s avionic capability.

The IAF has not asked for a dorsal fairing, but Howard says it is a “unilateral offer from Lockheed Martin”.

Aerospace experts say there is little to differentiate the F-21 from the F-16 Block 70 which will first enter service in Bahrain.

The dorsal fairing, they say, is an attempt to overcome the IAF‘s key reason for rejecting the F-16 in the MMRCA contest — that it lacked potential for growth.

“This is a straight marketing play, following the same playbook as the Russians did when they rebranded the MiG-29 as the MiG-35,” says Pushpinder Singh, who publishes the aerospace trade journal, Vayu.

Incongruously, the US military already has an F-21 fighter, suggesting the rebranding was done in haste.

In the late 1980s, the US navy bought the Israeli Kfir fighter to play the role of ‘aggressor‘ (enemy) aircraft in two-sided air exercises. That aircraft was named the F-21.

In unveiling the F-21 fighter, Lockheed Martin stated: ‘The F-21 addresses the IAF‘s unique requirements and integrates India into the world‘s largest fighter aircraft eco-system with the world‘s pre-eminent defence company. Lockheed Martin and Tata Advanced Systems would produce the F-21 in India, for India.‘

Meanwhile, a US air force F-16 Fighting Falcon carryied out aerobatic displays at Aero India as did three Boeing F/A-18EF Super Hornets.

The Rafale had a high voltage presence, with two flying displays daily.

Swedish company Saab, which intends to offer the Gripen E in the IAF tender for 114 fighters, did not participate in the flying display, but displayed a fighter and a cockpit simulator.

The other aircraft in the contest — the Eurofighter and Russia‘s MiG-35 and Sukhoi-35 — were not displayed.

Aero India 2019 also witnessed the of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft.

This clears the way for manufacture of another 20 Tejas fighters — the IAF‘s second Tejas squadron.

 stockdailydish

Indian Army to deploy Israeli missile on LoC along Pakistan border

The Indian Army is deploying Israeli spike anti-tank guided missile on the Line of Control on the Pakistan border.

The missiles would be used in the bunker-buster mode and they may be used against terrorist camps and launch pads inside Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

India has signed a deal with Israel for the acquisition of 240 spike missiles which are generally used for anti-tank roles in the forces.The spike missiles had been acquired after the Balakot operations when India attacked Jaish terror camps in Pakistan in February this year.

indiatoday

India can save billions of dollars as US to retire Global Hawk drones

Stemming from America’s changing security threats is a lucrative opportunity for New Delhi to save billions of dollars on its on-going purchase of 30 Sea Guardian unmanned aerial systems (UAS), and another 10 P-8I Poseidon multi-mission maritime aircraft (MMA) for monitoring the Indian Ocean.

Instead of spending an estimated $2.5 billion on Sea Guardian drones, India could buy up to 24 far more capable, sophisticated and longer-range RQ-4 Global Hawk drones that the US Air Force (USAF) wants to discard. It believes long-range drones are superfluous as Washington shifts attention from combating terrorism (which requires drones to track and kill terrorists) and focuses instead on building the capabilities needed to combat a new threat – superpower adversaries Russia and China.

To save money for buying cutting-edge warfighting weapons like stealth bombers and hypersonic missiles, the USAF has reportedly proposed to the US Department of Defense (the Pentagon) to scrap two-thirds of its fleet of about 35 Global Hawk drones.


If the Pentagon accepts the USAF proposal, that would clear the decks for India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) to ask for the retired Global Hawk UASs under the Pentagon’s “Excess Defence Articles” (EDA) programme. The Pentagon’s decision will be known in February 2020, when it submits its final budget projections to the US Congress.

The EDA programme allows the Pentagon to supply its unneeded weaponry to allies and partner countries at heavily discounted prices, or even free of cost in cases where US national security objectives are being furthered. Building India’s capability as a “net security provider” in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is a stated US national security policy objective.

In 2005, India experienced the cost benefits of buying US equipment under the EDA programme. That year, the Pentagon sold the Indian Navy the USS Trenton — an amphibious warfare ship, now renamed INS Jalashwa — for just $60 million, about a tenth of what it was worth. That price included the cost of six helicopters on the warship. The Jalashwa is currently the second-biggest warship in India’s navy.

The Global Hawk is classified as a “high altitude long endurance” (HALE) UAS, that can carry out surveillance of a stretch of land or ocean for over 30 hours continuously, physically scanning up to 100,000 square kilometres each day – more than the Sea Guardians that India’s millitary is currently acquiring.

Teams of drone pilots, working in shifts, fly long-range drone missions from ground stations thousands of kilometres away, using satellite communication links. The information the UAS picks up is transmitted to the ground station in real time, allowing the military to respond to threats immediately.

US firm Northrop Grumman, which designed and built the Global Hawk, is currently developing it into a maritime variant called the MQ-4C Triton, which is customised for oceanic surveillance. Under the so-called Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) program, Northrop Grumman is integrating the Triton with the P-8A Poseidon for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) maritime missions.

Joining the US, Australia, which also operates the P-8A Poseidon, has joined BAMS. With the Indian Navy currently operating the world’s largest Poseidon fleet (outside for the US Navy), acquiring Global Hawks under the EDA programme and modifying them to MQ-4C Triton configuration could provide a cheap and effective BAMS solution for surveillance of the Indian Ocean.

Since 2001, a generation of US drones like the Predator, Reaper and Global Hawk has played a central role in the “War on Terror”, killing hundreds of terrorists and their supporters in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen. But UAS are highly vulnerable to radar-based air defence systems of the kind that state adversaries deploy. This was underscored in June, when Iran shot down a Global Hawk that America was operating over the Strait of Hormuz.
 However, India does not intend to fly Sea Guardian drones (or Global Hawks if those are bought) over hostile airspace, but over international waters – to monitor shipping over the vast expanses of the Indian Ocean. Therefore the vulnerability of these UAS to radar-guided air defence weapons is not a major concern.

Asked whether it plans to approach the Pentagon for buying surplus Global Hawk drones under the EDA programme, the navy has not commented.

The Pentagon’s shift from counterterrorism to combating great-power threats from China and Russia has been laid out in the Pentagon’s National Defense Strategy document that was published in January 2018.

 business-standard.

India to get 6 new subs for Rs 400 bn

The Indian Navy currently has a submarine fleet consisting of 9 Russian-origin Kilo-class vessels; 4 German-origin HDW boats; 6 French-origin Scorpene submarines being built by Mazagon Dock Ltd.

The ministry of defence on Thursday, January 31, cleared the procurement of 6 advanced submarines for ‘over Rs 40,000 crore‘ (Rs 400 billion). This acquisition, codenamed Project 75-I, has been in the pipeline for a decade.

The 6 submarines will have ‘air independent propulsion‘, which will allow them to remain submerged for up to 14 days, during which it is difficult to detect them. Conventional diesel-electric submarines must surface every 48 to 72 hours to charge their batteries, when they become vulnerable to detection.This is the second project under the MoD‘s ambitious Strategic Partnership model that envisages indigenous manufacturing of major defence platforms by an Indian SP who will collaborate with a foreign original equipment manufacturerto set up production facilities in the country,‘ stated the MoD.

‘Today‘s Defence Acquisition Council approval would be the second such (SP model) project following indigenous production of 111 naval utility helicopters that was approved in August 2018,‘ the MoD pointed out.

In 2017, the navy sent out ‘requests for information‘ to a number of global OEMs, soliciting interest in Project 75-I. The navy chief, Admiral Sunil Lanba, stated in December 2017 that four vendors had come forward: ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems from Germany, Kockums from Sweden, Naval Group from France and Rosoboronexport from Russia.

This has opened the door for a two-track process: Floating a global tender to select the OEM, while simultaneously going ahead with shortlisting prospective Indian SP firms. Once that is done, the SPs will bid in partnership with their chosen OEMs.

The selection and contracting process and the actual building of 6 submarines could take another decade.

Meanwhile, the navy will make do with a depleted conventional submarine fleet that consists of 9 Russian-origin Kilo-class vessels; 4 German-origin HDW boats; 6 French-origin Scorpene submarines being built by Mazagon Dock Ltd, Mumbai.

In addition, the Indian Navy operates one Akula-class nuclear submarine leased from Russia, and plans to build 6 indigenous nuclear attack submarines.There will also be 4 to 6 Arihant-class nuclear ballistic missile submarines. These will be a part of India‘s nuclear deterrent, with no role in conventional naval warfighting.

 stockdailydish

HAL’s Light Utility Helicopter ready

Unperturbed by the tremors within and outside Indian desi military aviation company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is ready with its three ton class Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) and eagerly waiting for the orders from its clients Indian Defence forces.

A senior executive on the condition anonymity told The Pioneer that the company is wholly depending on Indian Defence forces for the orders on LUH. He said “ We are confident that Indian Defence forces will certainly buy this three ton class very agile LUH to replace its ageing choppers like Cheetah and Chetak. We are surely depending on more orders for Tejus and LUH from the Defence Ministry. This is a make in India product and will be produced in Tumukur factory near Bengaluru.”

He said the LUH would be used for Reconnaissance & Surveillance, reconnaissance, Aerial Photography, Airborne Forward Air Controller, Casualty Evacuation and to provide assistance in emergency to civil authorities etc.,

Light Utilty Helicopter (LUH) indigenously built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is 3-ton class helicopter with 4 Bladed Composite Main Rotor System, Main Rotor Blade Folding, 4 Bladed Tail Rotor System, Single Engine with dual channel automatic fuel control (FADEC) with additional backup control, Night Flying Capability, Glass Cockpit with Smart Cockpit Display Systems (SCDS), Skid Landing Gear, Fuselage to accommodate 2 pilots in side by side configuration and 6 passengers and Crashworthy Crew Seats.
According to available information thr Indian Army and Indian Air Force together are operating about 400 Cheetah (France Design Alouette III helicopter) and Chetak (France Design LAMA helicopter ) helicopters supplied by HAL ( Licence produced at HAL, Bengaluru) starting from 1960s. These helicopter fleet have served the country for nearly four decades, need to be replaced in a phased manner with a more efficient and state-of- the- art technology based helicopter.

It is in this backdrop, the Indian Army and Indian Air Force finalised the requirement of a Reconnaissance and Surveillance Helicopter (to replace Cheetah and Chetak helicopter) and issued a GSQR in the year 2008. The total projected quantity required by Armed Forces is 384 helicopters, of which, 197 helicopters are earmarked for direct global purchase and remaining 187 helicopters are classified under make category, to be indigenously manufactured by HAL based on Design and Development of Light Utility Helicopter (LUH).
 The GOI accorded approval to HAL, in February 2009 to go-ahead with design and development of Light Utility Helicopter. The time given to HAL was 6 years, including a buffer of one year to accommodate delays in Design and Development.

“We have done everything possible to meet the expectations of the Indian armed forces matching with global standards. LUH is being designed to provide excellent performance at high altitude operations.

These features make LUH to stand out in comparison to other contemporary helicopter in its class. The USP of LUH designed by HAL is its capability to hover at 6 km altitude (Hover performance) with considerable payload”, he added.

 dailypioneer

Indian Navy drops HAL, Reliance from its shortlist in the $3 B chopper programme

The Indian Navy wants the public sector kept out of $3 Billion Make in India programme to build 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) under the Strategic Partnership Model.

Public Sector giant Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and its joint venture with Russian Helicopters, India-Russia Helicopters Limited (IRHL) have been dropped from the final shortlist of Indian Strategic Partnership hopefuls.

From the private sector, Reliance and Laxmi Machine Works have been omitted from the shortlist, according to informed sources.

The Indian companies on the shortlist are Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), Mahindra Defence, Adani Aerospace & Defence and Bharat Forge.

The shortlist of both Indian and foreign companies is likely to come up for final approv before India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) at its meeting scheduled for November 28, it is reliably learnt.

The Indian companies on the shortlist are Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), Mahindra Defence, Adani Aerospace & Defence and Bharat Forge.

All the foreign OEMs which responded to the Expression of Interest (EoI) as technology providers to the Indian Strategic Partner earlier this year have made the shortlist.

These include Airbus Helicopters - which is fielding the AS565 MBe Panther and H145M, Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky for the S-76D and Russian Helicopters for the Ka-226T.The tender for this programme - the first under the ambitious Strategic Partnership Model - is likely to be issued to the four shortlisted Indian companies in the first half of 2020.

Under the SP Model, a shortlisted Indian company can submit only one bid in partnership with a foreign OEM. But a foreign OEM can tie-up with multiple Indian partners.

Airbus and Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky have declared partnerships with Mahindra and TASL respectively while Russian Helicopters is learnt to have arrived at a "gentleman's handshake" agreement with Adani.

The big question is whether Airbus will field both the AS565 MBe Panther and the H145M. If it does, this could open doors for a tie-up with Bharat Forge, which could complete the line-up.

The Indian companies have been shortlisted by the Indian Navy with technical advice by SBI Caps on the basis of Financial Gates, Technical Gates and Segment-Specific Gates.

The tender will spell out details on the Make in India plan and the trial methodology. The Indian Navy is learnt to be seeking 40 per cent indigenous content across the programme.The trials of the shortlisted helicopters will take place in the "green configuration" as per existing features. The finally selected helicopter will require changes as per the requirement of the Indian Navy. For instance, of the four helicopters in the fray, only the Airbus AS565MBe has an existing military variant.

 spsnavalforces

India will have the world‘s most 'Heavily Armed Warships'

The ministry of defence has stated that the four Krivak-III class frigates the Indian Navy is buying from Russia will be armed with the BrahMos anti-ship cruise missile, reinforcing their reputation as the world‘s most heavily armed 4,000-tonne warships.

The MoD‘s apex procurement body, the Defence Acquisition Council, approved the procurement of BrahMos missile systems for the first two Krivak-III frigates (also designated Project 1,135.6), which are almost fully built in Yantar Shipyard, Russia.

The third and fourth frigates will be built at the Goa Shipyard under a transfer of technology agreement.

‘The DAC granted approval for procurement of indigenous BrahMos Missile for two Indian Navy ships to be built in Russia. The indigenously designed BrahMos Missile is a tested and proven supersonic cruise missile and will form the primary weapon on board these ships,‘ an MoD release stated.

The MoD is exaggerating in describing the BrahMos missile as ‘indigenously designed‘. More than half the missile‘s systems are Russian.

BrahMos, a joint venture between Russia and India, assembles the missile in Hyderabad.The Cabinet Committee on Security had approved the procurement of four frigates in October 2018, says the MoD.

The price of the two ready built frigates has been agreed. The arrangements for building the next two in Goa are currently being negotiated.

Building in Goa will increase the cost, because of technology transfer, the cost of shipping raw materials and systems from Russia, establishing building infrastructure at the Goa Shipyard and indigenising parts of the warship.

The BrahMos systems for two ships approved, including the cost of the ‘vertical launch system‘ and missiles on board, are estimated to cost Rs 25 billion.

Russian sources close to the negotiations place the contract value for two ready-built Project 1135.6 frigates at under $1 billion (Rs 70 billion) — or Rs 35 billion each.

That means each vessel‘s BrahMos arsenal will amount to about a quarter of the cost of the warship, making it the world‘s most expensive anti-ship missile.

Separately, India is also negotiating a supplementary contract with Ukraine for the Zorya gas turbines that will power the four frigates.

After Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014, Ukraine cut off defence supplies to Russia.

However, given its strong defence relations with Kiev, New Delhi has persuaded Ukraine to sell India the Zorya turbines, which Yantar Shipyard will fit onto India‘s frigates.India already operates six Krivak-class frigates, which it calls the Talwar-class after the lead vessel. The first three frigates, INS Talwar, INS Trishul and INS Tabar, which were commissioned between June 2003 and April 2004, were armed with the Russian Klub ASCM.

However, the next three, INS Teg, INS Tarkash and INS Trikand, which were commissioned between April 2012 and June 2013, carried the BrahMos.

With the BrahMos now finalised for the next four ‘follow on‘ frigates, it has emerged as the navy‘s standard ASCM.

BrahMos also equips the navy‘s three Kolkata-class and four Visakhapatnam-class destroyers; and will also equip the seven Project 17A frigates that will shortly enter production.

The navy has pushed hard for the four Talwar-class frigates given that it currently has just 132 warships against the projected requirement of 198 vessels.

There are just 15 frigates in service against the 24 the navy calculates it needs.

Frigates are the navy‘s workhorses — multi-role 3,500 to 6,000 tonne warships that can operate alone, and are capable of engaging targets in all four dimensions: Underwater, on the surface, inland and in the air.

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