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January 26, 2022

AK 203 Assault rifle deal: First batch of 70,000 rifles added to the military by Russia

 


  The defense forces have acquired the primary batch of 70,000 rifles from Russia as a part of a bigger agreement to produce the AK 203 attack rifles in India. The preliminary batch has been delivered swiftly as asked by India, in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The rifles are being manufactured with a complete technology transfer clause with a purpose to additionally allow India to export them to overseas countries in the near future. The production might be performed via way of means of the Indo Russian Rifles Private Limited Joint Venture among Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Ltd (erstwhile OFB) and Russian Rosoboronexport.
The ‘5,124-crore deal is the biggest defense deal signed among India and Russia recently. The Russian government has given a commitment that the production with technology transfer will begin inside to 3 years, with The Korwa Rifle Factory in Amethi is being upgraded with a present-day manufacturing line in which today’s model of the Kalashnikov rifles is to be manufactured.technical groups being despatched to help India.

DefenceAviationPost

NATO Allies send more ships, jets to enhance deterrence and defence in eastern Europe

 


 NATO Allies are putting forces on standby and sending additional ships and fighter jets to NATO deployments in eastern Europe, reinforcing Allied deterrence and defence as Russia continues its military build-up in and around Ukraine.

In the past days, a number of Allies have made announcements regarding current or upcoming deployments. Denmark is sending a frigate to the Baltic Sea and is set to deploy four F-16 fighter jets to Lithuania in support of NATO’s long-standing air-policing mission in the region. Spain is sending ships to join NATO naval forces and is considering sending fighter jets to Bulgaria. France has expressed its readiness to send troops to Romania under NATO command. The Netherlands is sending two F-35 fighter aircraft to Bulgaria from April to support NATO’s air-policing activities in the region, and is putting a ship and land-based units on standby for NATO’s Response Force. The United States has also made clear that it is considering increasing its military presence in the eastern part of the Alliance.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said:  “I welcome Allies contributing additional forces to NATO. NATO will continue to take all necessary measures to protect and defend all Allies, including by reinforcing the eastern part of the Alliance. We will always respond to any deterioration of our security environment, including through strengthening our collective defence.”

NATO is a defensive Alliance. In response to Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO increased its presence in the eastern part of the alliance, including with four multinational battlegroups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. These units, led by the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany and the United States respectively, are multinational, and combat-ready. Their presence makes clear that an attack on one Ally will be considered an attack on the whole Alliance. There were no NATO forces in the eastern part of the Alliance before 2014.

Nato.int

January 17, 2022

From choppers to missiles, Modi govt cuts defence foreign shopping list, favours Make in India

 


 Defence Acquisition Council meeting chaired by Rajnath Singh puts emphasis on indigenous products. Foreign firms can tie up with Indian companies to produce for global market.
In a major move towards indigenisation, the government Friday scrapped some major defence procurements from abroad, including helicopters for the Coast Guard, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), and short range missiles, among others, ThePrint has learnt.
Sources in the defence and security establishment told . that the issue of procurement under Buy (Global) category came up for discussion during the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.Under the Buy (Global) category, procurement is done directly from the foreign Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).

The sources said the decision taken Friday will not impact deals already inked under the Buy (Global) route, those being pursued under the government-to-government route and the Foreign Military sales (FMS) route with the US.

They also said that foreign OEMs are now welcome to tie up with Indian firms or set up their own factories to not only supply the Indian military but also for other countries.
Sources said the defence services were earlier asked to prepare a list of procurement plans from abroad that could be replaced by indigenous items.
The items in question
One mega deal in this list was the procurement of 14 twin-engine helicopters, for which French firm Airbus was the prime contender.

Sources said a decision has been taken to shelve this project in favour of the naval utility helicopter (NUH) of the state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).

However, it was not immediately clear what happened to the $3 billion project of the Navy to procure 111 new helicopters of the same class (that is, NUHs).
Sources said there would be another meeting soon which will look into more projects but emphasised that the directive is very clear that indigenous products should be preferred.

Talking about other procurement projects that have been shelved, the sources said the Army will now go in for indigenous ATVs that will come handy in both the desert and mountains.

Sources also said a project to acquire short range missiles from abroad has also been shelved in favour of the Make in India route.
Push for Make in India

Sources explained that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have been emphasising on indigenous defence products.

They said these issues came up for discussion multiple times and the forces were also amenable to this, since alternate items were already available domestically and foreign companies were willing to set up facilities in the country.

ThePrint had earlier reported that Singh, in his talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu, made it clear that the way forward was Make in India.

Similarly, during his meeting with French Defence Minister Florence Parly, Singh had called on French firms to “either collaborate with Indian companies or simply produce in India”.

Theprint

Indian Navy's indigenous INS Kochi takes part in joint exercise with Russian warships

 


 INS Kochi, the Indian Navy's indigenously designed and built guided missile destroyer, has conducted a joint exercise with ships of the Russian Navy in the Arabian sea. The exercise showcased cohesiveness and interoperability between the two navies and included tactical manoeuvres, cross-deck helicopter operations and seamanship activities.
"Indian Navy's indigenously designed and built guided missile destroyer, INS Kochi, exercised with Russian Federation Navy’s RFS Admiral Tributs on 14 January 2022 in the Arabian Sea," the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
"During the visit, various professional interactions are planned between the Russian Navy and Indian Navy," the statement said.
The three Russian ships are missile cruiser Varyag, destroyer Admiral Tribuz and tanker Boris Butoma, PTI reported.
The ships arrived at Kochi at 9 am on Thursday and were received by senior naval authorities in the background of fanfare by the naval band, the Indian Navy statement mentioned.

 indiatoday

January 15, 2022

India Launched A Torpedo From A Missile; Here's Why: U.S. Media


 



Sometimes, before a torpedo can travel underwater to sink a ship, it needs to fly through the air first. India, as part of the ongoing modernization of its military, recently tested a missile-delivered torpedo system.

That recent test began with a countdown and a roar of ignition, and then the torpedo-containing missile hurtled into the sky. Billowing a trail of smoke, the missile turned from vertical to horizontal, its ultimate destination far more aquatic than celestial. The weapon being tested was India’s Supersonic Missile Assisted Release of Torpedo, or SMART, weapon, and a reminder of the complexity of modern naval warfare.

The December 13 test, announced by India’s Ministry of Defence, took place on Wheeler Island, about 140 miles southwest of Kolkata. The missile was transported and then launched from the back of a special truck. This system takes a little time to set up, but it means that the launch site can be moved in anticipation of danger. Having the flexibility of changing locations can protect the launchers from being found and destroyed by enemy scouts before ever firing.

“This was a text book launch, where the entire trajectory was monitored by the electro optic telemetry system, various range radars, including the down range instrumentation and down range ships. The missile carried a torpedo, parachute delivery system and release mechanisms,” said the Ministry in a release.

Torpedoes are self-propelled explosives, typically launched below or just above the surface of the ocean. Once in the water, torpedoes navigate to their targets, and then detonate below the water line, letting the sea rush in to sink the struck ship. On the other hand, missiles travel through air (or, sometimes, space), before smashing their explosive payload into a target.

In its December test, India followed the example of other nations, using a missile to carry and then launch a torpedo.

Torpedoes date back to the middle of the 19th century, as a way for ships to strike other ships over distance. Popular Science first mentioned a military torpedo in January 1874, saying “the new Hertz torpedo gave the most surprising results, the torpedoes disposing of the objects attached with the utmost punctuality and in a strikingly summary manner.”

Since then, torpedoes have been a defining weapon of naval warfare. Mounted on ships, small attack boats, and especially submarines, torpedoes expand the ways in which naval combat can take place. When dropped from planes, torpedoes can let carrier-based aircraft sink enemy ships from ranges far greater than that of a battleship-born cannon.

One of the first proposed uses of torpedoes was coastal defence, with the torpedoes launched either from emplacements directly on the water’s edge, or from floating platforms just off-shore. With the SMART missile, India demonstrates a modern update of that same concept. By launching a torpedo inside a missile that itself came from a truck on land, India’s military can attack ships at greater range than by utilizing traditional coastal defences, making attacks from the sea that much more dangerous for any foes.

The Defence Research and Development Organization, the part of India’s military that developed the SMART weapon, did not list a range for the weapon, writing only “During the mission, full range capability of the missile was successfully demonstrated. The system has been designed to enhance anti-submarine warfare capability far beyond the conventional range of the torpedo.”

India is not the only nation with this type of tech. The Vertical Launch Anti-Submarine Rocket, a missile-borne torpedo fielded by the US Navy, boasts a range of more than 10 miles. The MK 54 Mod 0 Lightweight Torpedo, when not launched inside a missile, has a stated range of about 6 miles, so the missile adds at least 4 miles to that range. (By one estimate, the missile-delivered version can travel 7 miles further.)

It is likely that, when it comes to India’s SMART weapon, delivering the torpedo by missile allows a similar degree of range extension.

What’s more, weapons like this are harder to detect than delivering the same torpedo by plane or boat, both of which have larger and more persistent radar signatures than missiles that fall into the sea after releasing a torpedo into the water. To ensure that the torpedo splashes down gently, before propelling itself forward, it is released from the missile with a parachute. If it works like the US-made version, the Indian missile will launch, release its booster, and then separate the casing around the torpedo. At that point, the torpedo will parachute nose-first into the water, before detaching the parachute at the surface, and then seeking out the target vessel under water.

Once in the water, torpedoes employ guidance systems that direct them to their targets, be they surface ships or submarines hiding deeper below the waves. In the case of the US-made Vertical Launch Rocket, this weapon can be fired from coastal defence installations as well as mounted on ships, giving fleets already at sea the ability to reach out and fight enemies at great range.

Anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons like this demonstrate an investment in a growing range of weapons that increase the risks of naval warfare for enemies. While India, like its neighbours China and Pakistan, is a country with a nuclear arsenal, being able to respond to potential threats with a range of weapons gives military and political leaders more options in any conflict

Indian Defence news

Govt Cancels Chopper, Missile Import Deals Under 'Make In India' Push

 


 The central government has cancelled multiple deals for the purchase of short-range Surface-to-Air missiles and a tender for the purchase of 14 choppers for the Indian Coast Guard. This decision is being viewed as a strong message to the domestic defence sector.

A decision in this regard was taken during a meeting of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in New Delhi on Friday. The meeting was held to review import deals with foreign vendors, top government sources told India Today.

This was the first in a series of meetings of the Defence Ministry to push Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative.

A large number of defence import deals have already been reviewed, sources say, adding that they will not be allowed to progress any further.

Many other deals are under review, including the purchase of six more P-8I surveillance aircraft and Klub anti-ship cruise missiles for the Navy and Russian VSHORAD (very short-range air defence) missile system for the Army.

The initiative came after PM Modi chaired a review meeting with officials of the Ministry of Defence last year. The then Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat, who died in a chopper crash on December 8, was also part of the meeting.

Officials who attended the meeting last year felt that strong measures need to be taken to ensure that the country moves firmly towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat in the defence sector.

After the meeting, an additional secretary-rank officer of the MoD wrote a note to three services stating that "all stakeholders may take an in-principle call that no import of defence items is going forward".

 Indian defense new

January 8, 2022

Indigenous IJT demonstrates more capabilities successfully

 


 The indigenous Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT), designed and developed by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Thursday has successfully carried out six turn spins to the LH and RH sides.

The IJT is meant for the second stage of training for the pilots of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The aircraft piloted by Gp Capt HV Thakur (Retd) and Gp Capt A Menon (Retd) demonstrated the capabilities of the IJT. Also present during the demonstrations were Wg Cdr M Patel (Retd) the test director and Gp Capt KK Venugopal (Retd) the safety pilot in command at telemetry.
More about IJT

To replace the aging Kirans of the IAF fleet, this aircraft was conceived by HAL.

According to the HAL statement, based on the requirements specified by the end user –IAF, this aircraft till date had successfully demonstrated its capabilities including limited armament capability, load factor, satisfactory stall factor and altitude and speed envelope.

The only task pending was spin testing.  In 2016, during the spin testing, the aircraft had departed from controlled flight. This brought the programme to a temporary halt.

HAL decided to use its own resources to complete the Spin test.



Why is the Spin Test important?

It is very critical for a trainer aircraft because it helps to familiarise the trainee pilot to recognise departure from controlled flight.

The actions that are required to recover from such situations.

Due to its unpredictability, assured recovery from spin is a very important part of very crucial flight tests.

This spin flight testing is intrinsically a high risk maneuver.

It progresses incrementally spin by spin.

Flight testing is the only way to assess the acceptability as it is a complex interplay of aerodynamic and inertia forces.

While in a spin the motion of the aircraft is unpredictable.

These spin tests are time consuming.

These are carried out in the presence of a team of designers, flight test engineers, and safety pilots who are constantly monitoring the various parameters during the flight.

Before the 6-turn spin flights are undertaken, several flight tests are required, before full certification is achieved.

What steps have been taken after the 2016 halt?

The company has undertaken major modifications and these include increasing the rudder area, and shifting the vertical tail aft on the airframe. The flight testing resumed in April 2019.



What were the modifications carried out?

For the safety of aircraft and test crew during spin testing the new modifications included the use of a new Anti-Spin Parachute system (ASPS).

This was integrated into the aircraft in July 2020. This was followed by the successful streaming of the parachutes in September 2020.

The IJT with its modified configuration commenced in November 2020, despite the global lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic.



What did HAL CMD say?

On the successful demonstration of spins, Mr R Madhavan, CMD,  “HAL with the right resources and backing has the capability of designing products that will meet the requirements of the Indian Armed forces.”

According to Arup Chatterjee, Director (Engineering and R&D), “The IJT has achieved a major milestone.” He attributed the success to the synergy between flight operations and certifying agencies (RCMA and DGAQA), as well as designers.

 

 financialexpress

It’s in area under Chinese occupation for 60 years: MEA on China building bridge across Pangong lake

 


 India on Thursday said the bridge being built by China across Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh is in an area that has been under illegal occupation of that country for around 60 years and it has never accepted such action.

At a media briefing, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi also slammed China for renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh and said instead of engaging in such antics, Beijing should work constructively with India to resolve the outstanding friction points in eastern Ladakh.He described it as a “ridiculous exercise” to support “untenable territorial” claims.

On the bridge being built in the Pangong lake area, Bagchi said the government has been monitoring this activity closely.

“As regards reports about a bridge being made by the Chinese side on Pangong lake, the government has been monitoring this activity closely,” he said.

“This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. As you are well aware India has never accepted such illegal occupation,” he said.

Bagchi said India has been taking all necessary steps to ensure that its security interests are fully protected.

“As part of these efforts, the government has also, in the last seven years, increased significantly the budget for the development of border infrastructure and completed more roads and bridges than ever before,” he said.

“These have provided much-needed connectivity to the local population as well as logistical support to armed forces. The government remains committed to this objective,” he added.

 financialexpress

January 2, 2022

France to support bid to export next-generation tank to Indian Army

 


In June last year, 12 companies supplying main battle tanks received requests for information (RFIs) from the Indian government. The RFIs related to the supply of about 1,770 new tanks for the Indian Army under a programme dubbed the Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV).
In the works for over a decade, the FRCV envisages the replacement of the Indian Army's fleet of Soviet-era T-72 tanks. The first of the new tanks are intended to enter service by 2030 and will feature advanced networking capabilities to communicate with both land and air forces. The value of the FRCV contract was earlier estimated to be around $5 billion. France's Nexter was one of the companies to receive the RFI, along with firms in Russia, Israel, Europe, Turkey and the US.
Last week, the French government informed the National Assembly, the country's lower house of Parliament, it would support Nexter's industrial proposal for India. The FRCV project envisions manufacturing of the selected tank in India with a 'strategic partner'.
The French government's response was published on December 28 and came in response to a question from Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, a deputy in the National Assembly. Asking about India's FRCV project, Dupont-Aignan had called for resuming production of Nexter's existing Leclerc tank. The French Army had inducted a total of 406 Leclerc tanks by the mid-2000s. The Leclerc has also been exported to the UAE, which donated dozens of the type to Jordan.
In his question, Dupont-Aignan pointed out that France was modernising only around 200 Leclerc tanks for use until 2040. Dupont-Aignan pointed out that “during the next 20 years nothing is planned to effectively reinforce the heavy land combat means” of the French Army. He argued that Nexter winning the FRCV contract would mean separate production lines for the Leclerc in both France and India that would make “purchase price of this tank particularly competitive, both for the Indian and French armies and for export”.
He argued France needed at least 400 tanks. Dupont-Aignan also pointed to the possibility of sharing with India the cost of developing specialised versions of the Leclerc for purposes such as command vehicle, artillery platform and anti-aircraft defence.
In its response to Dupont-Aignan, the French government said it would ensure attention to synergies “that may exist between the needs of the Indian armies and our national needs”.
The Leclerc
In his question, Dupont-Aignan noted, “The Leclerc tank with its mass of only 55 tons, its good mobility with its 1,500 hp engine and the excellence of its turret and firing system, is very well placed” to win the FRCV contract.
The Leclerc is lighter than most major Western tanks such as the US M1 Abrams, British Challenger and German Leopard 2, all of which weigh over 60 tonnes.
 The Leclerc also has a three-man crew, unlike the other three Western designs, with the 'loader' absent. In place of the loader, a soldier who manually inserts rounds into the gun, the Leclerc has an 'autoloader' device for the purpose; Russian tanks such as the T-72 and T-90 also have auto-loaders. The Leclerc also has an advanced communications system to network with ground and air units.
The Leclerc tanks of the French Army are currently being upgraded to the Leclerc XLR standard, which would feature a modular armour package, new combat information system, radios, jammers and remotely operated machine gun.
Nexter is working on a futuristic tank project with Germany's Krauss Maffei Wegmann for a common tank to replace the Leclerc and Leopard 2, but the vehicles are unlikely to enter mass production by 2040. The French government's response in the National Assembly did not specify what kind of tank Nexter would offer to India.

the week

Deployment of first S-400 regiment to be completed next month

 


 The Indian Air Force is likely to complete the deployment of the first regiment of the S-400 Triumf missile systems at an airbase in Punjab by February, military officials said on Saturday.
They said the process of deployment of the missile system has begun and it will take at least six more weeks to complete the deployment.
The first regiment of the missile system is being deployed in such a way that it can cover parts of the border with China in the northern sector as well as the frontier with Pakistan.
"The transportation of various critical components of the missile systems as well as its peripheral equipment to the site of the deployment is going on," said an official.
In total, India will get five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems from Russia.
In October 2018, India had signed a $5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems, despite a warning from the Trump administration that going ahead with the contract may invite US sanctions.
The Biden administration has not yet clarified whether it will impose sanctions on India under the provisions of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) for procuring the S-400 missile systems.
The CAATSA, which was brought in 2017, provides for punitive actions against any country engaged in transactions with Russian defence and intelligence sectors.
The US has already imposed sanctions on Turkey under the CAATSA for the purchase of a batch of S-400 missile defence systems from Russia.

the week