Japan to develop longer-range anti-ship missiles as China pressure mounts

Japan on Friday said it will develop new "stand-off" anti-ship missiles that can target warships at greater distances around its southwestern Okinawa island chain, including near disputed islets in the East China Sea that China also claims. "The security environment around our southwestern islands has become harsh. We have to respond to that in an appropriate way," Japanese Minister of Defence Nobuo Kishi said at a press briefing. The missiles would allow Japan to expand a strategy known as anti-access area denial (A2AD), that is meant to stop foreign forces from operating freely in waters close to its home territory.The first major defence policy decision by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga comes as Japan acquires air-launched missiles that could be used to hit missile sites in North Korea and is considering other strike weapons such as cruise missiles that could reach ground targets in China. Japan has become increasingly concerned about Chinese activity in the East China Sea, including incursions into waters around the disputed islands know as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China. The Okinawa islands are part of a chain stretching from Japan down through to the Philippines that acts as a barrier to Chinese expansion. "Defending Japan's southwestern islands requires longer-range systems because the islands cover a large area and Japan needs overlapping fields of fire," said Zack Cooper, a research fellow at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute. Japan said its new stand off missile will be based on a 200-km (124-mile) range truck-mounted anti-ship version already deployed on the Okinawa islands. The ministry did not say what range it will have or when they will be deployed. Japan also said on Friday it planned to put new powerful Aegis NSE 0.91 % radars with at least three times the range of older Aegis systems on two new warships in order to reinforce defences against any ballistic missiles fired by North Korea. Deploying the new Aegis radars on ships could cost twice as much and take three years longer to complete than two ground-based versions it cancelled in June, a source with knowledge of the proposal told Reuters earlier. Japan had estimated the ground-based versions would cost around $2 billion. The government didn't give a cost estimate or say how long it expected construction of the vessels to take. ///(Economictimes)

India working on next ‘Astra’ missile with 160 km range as Mk1 is integrated in IAF & Navy

India is working on an extended range of the indigenous beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile ‘Astra’ (Sanskrit/Hindi for a launched weapon), which will enable it to strike enemy targets 160 km away, without getting out of its own airspace, ThePrint has learnt. The development comes even as work is on to integrate the current 110 km version of the Astra Mk 1 on board the Indian Air Force’s MiG-29 and Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’ Mk 1, and the Indian Navy’s MiG-29K aircraft. The Astra Mark 1 is already integrated with the IAF’s Su-30 MKI fighters, and the production process — by state-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited — has begun. Once the overall integration plans are completed, the Astra will be the standard long-range air-to-air missile across India’s entire fighter fleet, except the French-origin Rafale and Mirage. In July this year, the defence ministry formally sanctioned the purchase of 248 Astra missiles, including 48 for the Navy, after a successful September 2019 trial in which it hit a target 90 km away. Sources said Astra has export potential too, and will be considered for sale to friendly countries. Mk 2 by May 2022 As of now, with a range of over 110 km and a maximum speed of Mach 4.5 (over 5,500 kmph), the Astra Mk 1 is seen as a game-changer, which can bring back India’s air-to-air combat superiority over Pakistan. While India now also has European developer MBDA’s Meteor missiles with the Rafale’s induction, they are much more costly (Rs 25 crore each) compared to the Astra (Rs 7-8 crore). For the second version of the Astra missile, called Mark 2, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on dual-pulse rocket motor to extend the range up to 160 km by May 2022, sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint. Work is also going on to replace the Russian radio frequency (RF) seekers’ on the missile with indigenous ones, a source said. “Three air launch and captive flight tests have been completed with indigenous RF seekers. The indigenous seeker will be proven by June 2021. Subsequently, Astra Mk-1 & Mk-2 missile will be using the indigenous seeker in production,” the source said. At present, all subsystems, except the RF seeker and the inertial measurement unit (IMU), are indigenous. The seekers are being indigenised by Bharat Electronics Limited, Bengaluru, and will be inducted by June 2021, sources said, adding that efforts are on for the development of the indigenous IMUs too. Project Astra was initiated in 2001 In 2001, the DRDO had initiated discussions with various stakeholders on the design and development of an indigenous air-to-air missile system, which could take on adversary targets beyond the visual range, thus providing a strategic advantage. Subsequently, Hyderabad’s Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) was identified as the nodal lab, and a task force was formed to undertake preliminary studies. Sources said although financial sanctions were not available then, activities were initiated with the internal funds of the DRDO. “The major challenges were the development of RF Seeker, miniaturised and robust missile hardware, and integration on IAF frontline aircraft without the support of the foreign Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM),” a source said, adding that DRDO’s management wanted DRDL to demonstrate the basic capability even before the project sanction. Simultaneously, the IAF was requested to generate the programme standard and quality requirement (PSQR). Testing phase The initial effort was to prove the Astra’s performance in ballistic launch from the ground launcher. A source explained that this was done to demonstrate its safe release from the ground, before testing it on manned aircraft. In May 2003, three ballistic missile tests were conducted from the Integrated Test Range, Balasore, using the ground launcher. The propulsion system was proven and the safe release from ground was demonstrated. Subsequently, the PSQR was released, and the project named Astra was sanctioned on 1 April 2004 for a duration of 101 months. During this period, Astra was to be developed and integrated on the Su-30 MKI with the feasibility for integration on MiG-29, Mirage 2000 and LCA platforms as well. “One of the specifications in the PSQR was the requirement of a smokeless propellant system. However, the propulsion system used in the 2003 ground flight trials was with a certain level of smoke. This called for a re-development of a new smokeless propellant for Astra,” a source said. The team then started working on the system, even as in parallel, a team was formed within DRDO laboratories for the development of the avionics system, meeting Astra’s space constraints. In 2007, the control and guidance flight trials were initiated. In the first trial, it was found that the missile was experiencing wing-induced oscillations, which had serious implications for the performance. “One of the most critical technologies required for Astra was the RF seeker technology which was not available in the country then. Therefore, a decision was taken to develop the seeker to meet Astra specifications through AGAT, Russia, an established seeker manufacturer,” the last source cited above said. In 2011, the final missile configuration was frozen and hardware developed to conduct the guided trials, which were conducted successfully in December 2012. Meanwhile, SDI Bangalore was identified to modify the software of Su-30 MKI aircraft — mission computer, radar computer and display computer — to integrate the Astra missile. A launcher was designed and developed to integrate Astra missiles on aircraft. The design of the launcher was such that it should let the missile be integrated on any aircraft with minimum changes, sources said. In May 2014, Astra was air-launched for the first time with all systems performing meeting mission requirements. “In order to prove in various scenarios and envelope of the aircraft, 35 air launches and 150 captive flight sorties were conducted to meet the requirements of the IAF. With the successful launches in September 2019, the Astra weapon was finally accepted by the users,” another source said. Export potential of Astra Sources said the present Astra missile has export potential and can be offered to friendly countries. “No production version is required to be developed separately. The present version is a platform-independent design, but a few modifications may be required as per platform interfacing and data exchange between missile and aircraft,” a source said when asked if any changes need to be made for export. But the source added that integration of the Astra missile on an aircraft needs some changes in the fighter too, and hence, the LCA ‘Tejas’ will be a good platform to export, so that all technical expertise will be within the country.///(The Print)

India on track to acquire Russian S-400 missile defence system

India is on track to acquire the S-400 missile defence system, while it examines the US decision to impose sanctions on NATO ally Turkey’s defence industry over the purchase of the Russian system. Persons familiar with the dynamics of India’s global outreach told ET that since New Delhi maintains autonomy in its foreign policy, the US decision won’t affect the Indian deal. Last week, the external affairs ministry had emphasised that it pursued foreign policy based on national interest and hoped that this was appreciated by partners. “Our relations with Russia stand on their own merits, including in the sphere of military-technical cooperation,” MEA spokesperson had said.Diplomatic sources indicated that India’s case is different from that of Turkey as Ankara went ahead with the purchase of S-400 system despite being a NATO member. The MEA had earlier made it clear that India had no plans to scrap its S-400 deal with Russia despite the US nudge. The Ministry of Defence had also expressed similar views. The Indian government has not been comfortable with repeated US attempts to dissuade it from purchasing the S-400 system. Moreover, India has often taken a strong stand against the use of sanctions as a political tool by one country against the other. In fact, after the June 15 clash with the Chinese PLA on LAC in eastern Ladakh, which resulted in the killing of about 20 Indian military personnel, India had requested Russia to expedite S-400 supply, following which Moscow assured that some systems would reach much before the deadline of 2021-end. /// economictimes

US Congress passes defence policy bill that calls out Chinese aggression against India

The US Congress has officially passed the USD 740 billion defence policy bill, which among other things include calling out Chinese aggression against India along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The US House of Representatives and the Senate on Tuesday passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included key components of Indian-American Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi's resolution language urging the Chinese government to end its military aggression against India along the LAC. China and India have been locked in a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since May this year. Several rounds of talks between the two countries to resolve the standoff have not yielded any concrete outcome.The House and Senate versions of the bill were reconciled by a bipartisan Congressional conference committee earlier this month. The inclusion of this provision, which Krishnamoorthi led as an amendment when the bill passed the House, reflects the US government's strong support for its allies and partners like India in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. Krishnamoorthi's measure, which passed each chamber with overwhelming bipartisan support, will become law if President Donald Trump signs it. Trump has threatened to veto the bill as it lacks a repeal of legal protections for social media companies. However, the NDAA has been passed by Congress for the last 59 years. "Violent aggression is seldom the answer, and this is especially true for the Line of Actual Control, which is the disputed border region that separates the People's Republic of China from India," Krishnamoorthi said. "By including my resolution language in the NDAA and signing that legislation into law, the United States government will send a clear message that China's military provocations of India will not be tolerated," he said. "The United States is committed to standing with our allies and partners like India in resolving the border standoff using diplomatic means,' Krishnamoorthi said. As approved by the conference report, the powerful NDAA says that it is the sense of the Congress on the aggression of China along the border with India and its growing territorial claims. The Senate agreed to include the provisions of the bill that was passed by the House in its version of the bill. The House bill contained provisions that would express the sense of Congress on cross-border violence between China and India and the growing territorial claims of Beijing. Expressing "significant concern" over the continued military aggression by China along the border with India, the NDAA says that China "should work with" India toward de-escalating the situation along the Line of Actual Control through existing diplomatic mechanisms and refrain from attempting to settle disputes through coercion or force. Attempts by China to advance baseless territorial claims, including those in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and with respect to Bhutan, are destabilising and inconsistent with international law, says the bill. China is also engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea. China claims sovereignty over all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims. Beijing has built up and militarised many of the islands and reefs it controls in the region. Both areas are stated to be rich in minerals, oil and other natural resources and are also vital to global trade. ///(Economictimes)

HAL’s Avionics Div Assembles first Israeli AESA Radar 2052 for Jaguar jets

HAL’s Avionics Div, Hyderabad has acquired clearance for the primary AESA Radar (CBU part) to be fitted on the Jaguar DARIN III UPG plane. That is the primary AESA radar being fitted on any platform in India. HAL Hyderabad is the manufacturing company for a complete of 54 AESA radars underneath ToT from IAI, Elta Methods, Israel In a short ceremony held on 20 November 2020, the Clearance Certificates was handed over by HV Kumar, RDAQA (Hyd) to Mr Rajeev Kumar, GM (AD). “ELTA ELM-2052 is a Hearth Management Radar FCR designed for air-to-air superiority/strike missions, based mostly on totally solid-state Energetic Electronically Scanning Array AESA tech enabling the radar to attain lengthy detection ranges and multi-target monitoring capabilities”: IAI web site In February 2020, HAL entered right into a contract with IAI for 54 of those underneath ToT. As a part of the TOT, HAL will manufacture Gallium arsenide (GaAs) based mostly transistors and receivers that are a part of the radar Antenna . ELTA ELM-2052 can also be being chosen for the 83 Tejas Mk1A fighter jets./// (PG-Intel)

Indian Navy to lease F18 Super Hornet from the US

As per several sources, The Indian Navy in an advanced stage of negotiations to take one squadron strength of American-made F-18 jets. Under the newly introduced Defense ministry leasing guidelines, the Indian Navy is looking to lease several platforms. Including, light utility helicopters for its logistical needs among others. The Navy is looking to fill vital gaps in the frontline warships by urgently leasing 12-18 helicopters from foreign vendors. Amid the ongoing border row between India and China, last month Navy leased two Sea Guardian drones from the American giant General Atomics for intelligence gathering, surveillance, and reconnaissance over the Indian Ocean. A possible lease of 15-18 units of FA-18 Block III or one squadron multirole fighter jets is under advanced stages of negotiation. Could be operated from the Indian Aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and under trails INS Vikrant IAC. Though there are no official confirmations, there are no smokes without fire. Boeing has been flying a F/A-18E/F Super Hornet off a ground-based ski jump at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. This is part of a demonstration effort for the Indian Navy to show that the aircraft can operate from short take-off but arrested recovery configured (STOBAR) aircraft carriers, such as the INS Vikramaditya and the future INS Vikrant. F-18 ski-jump demonstration program :: An Indian defense analyst who goes by the Twitter handle @hukum2082 was first to reveal this flight testing, which was then picked up by another Indian analyst, Saurabh Joshi, in another series of tweets, on Aug. 19, 2020. The Chicago-headquartered plane maker subsequently confirmed that this ski jump demonstration program is presently taking place at Patuxent River, though it is not clear when exactly it began. The naval air station has a ground-based ski jump that it used during testing of the short and vertical takeoff and landing capable F-35B variant of the Joint Strike Fighter. Twitter handle user @hukum2082 now claims that the Indian Navy in an advanced stage of procuring Boeing,s F-18 Block III. “Boeing and the U.S. Navy are in the beginning phases of operating a F/A-18 Super Hornet from a ski jump at Naval Air Station Patuxent River to demonstrate it is STOBAR compliant for the Indian Navy,” Justin Gibson, a Boeing spokesperson, told The War Zone. “Boeing completed the extensive analysis and more than 150 flight simulations on F/A-18 compatibility with Indian aircraft carriers, and while our assessment has shown the Block III Super Hornet is very capable of launching off a ski jump, this is the next step in demonstrating that capability. More details will be released upon the conclusion of the test demonstration.” McDonnell Douglas F18 Legacy McDonnell Douglas, which developed the original F/A-18 Hornet and was subsequently acquired by Boeing. Had also previously conducted ski jump tests with that aircraft at the tail end of the Cold War. That testing showed that with as little as a nine-degree incline, the total required takeoff roll for the Hornet could be cut in half, though it’s unclear what the jet’s gross weight had to be to achieve this performance. Ski jumps generally increase the takeoff performance of combat jets in the absence of catapults and also provide an added margin of safety. The Mighty F18 The F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet is the world’s most lethal, advanced, combat-proven, multi-role frontline fighter-jet. The Block III version which is currently being manufactured for the United States Navy will enable the Indian armed forces to challenge the next generation of adversaries. It can perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defense, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and buddy refueling. Significant technology insertions in the form of advanced cockpit, new computing & advanced data link, conformal fuel tanks, increase airframe life, and ability to carry a wide variety of weapons makes F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet most lethal platform for Air Force and Navies of the world. More than 700 F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets are in operation today. F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet will offer superior economics to the Indian armed forces in the form of low cost of acquisition, operations, and high mission readiness./// (ifenewsnetwork.)

Amid China stand-off, Mountain Strike Corps to get its own artillery brigade

Amid the ongoing tensions with China in Eastern Ladakh, the Panagarh (West Bengal)-based Mountain Strike Corps (MSC) is set to get its own artillery brigade, ThePrint has learnt. An artillery brigade is already attached to the Mountain Strike Corps’ only division but the new brigade will be attached to the Corps. In military parlance, a division is typically constituted of three brigades, which usually consist of armoured, infantry and artillery units besides other elements. Two or more divisions then make up a corps. Sources in the defence and security establishment said work has already started on raising the new artillery brigade, which will see larger deployment of the Ultra Light Howitzers besides other guns. Although the grand plans of a full-fledged Mountain Strike Corps, which would have involved over 90,000 troops and expenditure of over Rs 64,000 crore across an eight-year period, was put on a back burner in 2016 due to budgetary constraints, the ongoing Ladakh conflict has shown how useful they can be, sources said. The Mountain Strike Corps has only one division as of now. Sources, however, said there was no progress in the potential raising of another division, which is meant to be based in Pathankot. The developments come even as the Army is reportedly looking at converting some of its fighting formations into dual-tasked ones, which would allow them to fight against both China and Pakistan. A critical component in mountain warfare Sources said the new artillery brigade with the corps would be useful as the infantry, artillery and Air Force are critical for mountain warfare. “The armoured elements in the heights are possible in Ladakh and some areas of Sikkim but not in the rest of the terrain. Air Power is essential but it is dependent on weather. The only thing available to act as a punisher round the clock in the mountains are the artillery,” a source said, while explaining why the guns were important. Sources explained that while in the plains, 1:3 is the ratio needed for an offensive infantry operation, it increases to 1:9 in the mountains. “So to counter one enemy in the heights, you would need nine of our own for offence. The dynamics of mountain warfare is very different,” said a second source. The Mountain Strike Corps Although originally envisaged way back in 2000, the Mountain Strike Corps was finally sanctioned only in 2013. However, the raising of the new corps, which was to be manpower- and equipment-intensive, hit a financial roadblock. While the corps was supposed to have two divisions instead of the regular three, only the Panagarh-based 51 Division was raised. Plans for raising of the second division were put on hold due to a paucity of funds. It was then thought that the MSC can be divided into Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs), a new concept brought in by then Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat. The Mountain Strike Corps, also known as the 17 Corps, debuted last year in the massive exercise called “HimVijay”, which also saw the IBGs concept in action . / (The print)

Kolkata shipbuilder to launch high-tech stealth warship next week

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, a state-owned shipyard, will launch the first of three stealth frigates for the Indian Navy on Monday (December 14). The three ships belong to the Project 17A class of frigates; The Mazagon Docks Limited in Mumbai is building four ships of the same class. The Narendra Modi government had cleared the construction of the seven warships in February 2015 with an estimated budgetary allocation of Rs 50,000 crore. Last year, Mazagon Docks launched the first ship of the Project 17A class, to be called the INS Nilgiri. CMD of GRSE retired rear-admiral V.K. Saxena gave details of the project in an interview to The Times of India earlier this week. “The order for the three stealth frigates at a cost of nearly Rs 19,289 crore is the biggest ever for GRSE. The ships… have a displacement of 6,670 tonnes each. They will have the most advanced, state-of-the-art sensors and armaments on board. The ships will also have advanced stealth features. These frigates are among the best in the world and the whole country and West Bengal as well as Kolkata should be proud of this achievement." The Project 17A class frigates will be the most advanced class of major surface warship in the Indian Navy in a decade's time. Though the design of the Project 17A class is derived from the preceding Shivalik class frigate, the former uses more features to reduce its chance of radar detection. The Project 17A uses a 'flush deck' layout in which the deck has a uniform, continuous layout from bow to stern, which reduces its radar cross-section. The Project 17A class frigates are being built using a 'modular' technique in which different parts of the ship are built separately and welded together. Modular construction allows for both increased pace of construction of multiple ships and also ease of incorporating upgrades. The Project 17A will have an armament similar to the Kolkata class destroyers, including BrahMos supersonic surface-to-surface missiles to attack ships and shore targets and the Indo-Israeli Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles. While the Project 17A will have the same EL/M-2248 radar to acquire targets for the Barak-8 missiles as the Kolkata class has, it will also have an advanced secondary radar. There has been speculation the Project 17A will have the LTR-25 'Lanza' radar from Spanish company Indra. The LTR-25 has a range in excess of 400km and can detect a large number of aerial targets, including ballistic missiles. The Project 17A will also have torpedoes and rockets to hit submarines and rapid-fire guns to destroy anti-ship missiles as well as a heavy main gun to engage ships and coastal target . / (The week)

First separation tests of Safran’s 1,000-kg AASM “Hammer” air-to-ground weapon on Rafale a success

The new 1,000-kilogram version of the AASM “Hammer”* air-to-ground modular weapon, designed and produced by Safran Electronics & Defense, successfully completed its first two inert separation tests from a Rafale omnirole fighter. The tests were conducted at the French defense procurement agency DGA’s Cazaux flight test center in southwest France. The separation dynamics observed during the two firings were in line with simulations. These industrial validation tests were designed to check the correct sequencing of all components of the wing hardpoint and the weapon, as well as the wing deployment mechanism on the range extension kit. Following these successful separation tests, the first live firing tests will be conducted in 2021 as part of the final development and qualification of the 1,000-kg AASM. The 1,000-kg AASM features a guidance kit derived from the 250-kg version and a specific range extension kit. The 1,000-kg AASM has the same modular characteristics as the 250-kg version with the BLU109 penetrating bomb body and MK84 conventional body, as well as its close functional integration with the Rafale, especially for fire control system and configuration options. This new weapon will give the Rafale an enhanced strike capability, with payload configurations of up to three 1,000-kg AASMs per aircraft. Its standoff range is also extended, thanks to the integrated propulsion system. Developed and produced by Safran Electronics & Defense based on existing bombs from 250 kg to 1,000 kg, the AASM Hammer family is the air-to-ground weapon of choice for the Rafale. The 1,000-kg version rounds out the AASM range. Qualification is planned for 2022, leading to service entry on the new Rafale F4 standard. / ( Indian Defence News )

DRDO's carbine successfully completes Army's user trials

At a time when the Indian Army is hunting for a new carbine, a DRDO-designed 5.56x30 mm protective carbine has successfully undergone the final phase of user trials on December 7, 2020, meeting all the qualitative parameters. The Army has been looking for a carbine for many years. Recently, its tender was stuck at the final stage in which a middle-Eastern weapon was selected. The successful trial of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) carbine has paved the way for induction into the services. This was the last leg of trials in a series of user trials which have been carried out in extreme temperature conditions in summer and high altitudes in winter. According to the Defence Ministry, the Joint Venture Protective Carbine (JVPC) has successfully met the stringent performance criteria of reliability and accuracy in addition to quality trials conducted by the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA). JVPC is a gas-operated semi-bull-pup automatic weapon having more than 700 rpm rate of fire. The effective range of the carbine is more than 100 m and weighs about 3.0 kg with key features like high reliability, low recoil, retractable butt, ergonomic design, single hand firing capability, and multiple picatinny rails etc. These features make it a very potent weapon for counter-insurgency/counter-terrorism operations by security agencies. The carbine has been designed as per the Indian Army's GSQR, by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), a Pune based laboratory of DRDO. The weapon is manufactured at a small-arms factory, Kanpur while the ammunition is manufactured at an ammunition factory, Kirkee Pune. The weapon has already passed the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) trials and procurement action is initiated by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and various state police organisations. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had unveiled the 5.56 x 30 mm JVPC during DefExpo- 2020 at Lucknow. .. .. TOI

Indian Army mulling dual-task fighting formations to deal with both China, Pakistan

Amid an ongoing conflict in Eastern Ladakh, the Indian Army is mulling converting some of its fighting formations into dual-tasked ones which would allow them to fight against both China and Pakistan. Till recently, the focus of the fighting formations was mainly towards the Pakistan border as the Line of Actual Control was not that active. The balance of the operational preparedness is heavily tilted towards the Western border can be seen from the fact that there are three Strike Corps deployed for offensive there while only one offensive Mountain Strike Corps has been created for the Northern borders. "There will be no need to raise any additional forces or a new strike corps in view of the ongoing conflict. The existing fighting formations can be given dual-tasking to look after both fronts," government sources told ANI. Different proposals in this regard are being considered by Army headquarters and suggestions have also been sought from the different Army commanders as a need has been felt to further enhance preparedness on the LAC, they said. The way these formations could be made dual tasked would be decided as per the discussions and decisions based on them, the sources said. The Strike Corps on the western front including the 21 Strike Corps in Bhopal along with the Strike One in Mathura and the Kharga Corps in Ambala are heavly armoured and have their formations located all over the western, central and northern sector Including some which are very close to the China border. The reorientation of the fighting formations of the 1.3 million force would be a major exercise and is expected to prepare the defence forces for a two-front war in real senses, the sources said. In the ongoing border conflict with China also, the Army has done some balancing and brought in a large number of the armoured element from Central and western India. The BMPs, T-90s and T-72s of the Indian Army have been deployed heavily to more than match the Chinese presence opposite the Ladakh sector. Over three Indian Army Mountain Divisions are additionally deployed in the Eastern Ladakh sector against around 60,000 Chinese troops in that area. India and China have been engaged in a conflict since April-May timeframe in Eastern Ladakh and the deployments have gone up significantly in other sectors too along the entire LAC. TOI

Why Indian Navy's Proposal to Acquire a Third Aircraft Carrier May Not Materialise

Even though the Indian Navy has once again reiterated its determination to acquire a third aircraft carrier, the possibility of materialising it, even in the distant future, appears nebulous due primarily to financial and operational reasons. At his annual press conference in New Delhi on December 3, on the eve of Navy Day, Indian Navy chief of staff, Admiral Karambir Singh, declared – like many of his predecessors had before him – that the navy was bent upon acquiring a third carrier: one for each seaboard and one in reserve. “As a navy, we are absolutely clear of the utility of a third carrier,” Admiral Singh categorically stated in his presser. Airpower at sea is required “here and now”, he declared. As a putative five-trillion-dollar economy, he added that India needed a navy with reach and sustenance to protect its expanding strategic interests. The third proposed indigenous aircraft carrier-2 (IAC-2) would supplement INS Vikramaditya (ex-Admiral Gorshkov), the 46,000 tonne refurbished Russian Kiev-class vessel, and INS Vikrant, the 40,262 tonne IAC-1 that is scheduled to join service in 2022 after sea trials scheduled to begin next year, following nearly a six-year delay. But sadly, the declaration of intent by the naval chief is simply not enough. The burden of financing Over years, the debate over IAC-2 has been plagued not only by its astronomical cost but also its overall operational efficacy in an environment of burgeoning anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capability via long-range ballistic and cruise missiles. Steadily declining domestic military budgets and vacillation by the ministry of defence (MoD) in approving the programme too had collectively thwarted the carrier project. Even within the navy, senior officers question the monetary logic of building a new carrier at the cost of inducting additional submarines – whose numbers had depleted to 15, of which 13 were between 19 and 33 years old and are nearing retirement. These numbers are nine boats less than the 24 submarines that the navy has been projected to operate by 2030 in accordance with its Maritime Capability Perspective Plan (MCPP). Correspondingly, equally critical surface combatants, like corvettes, nine-sweepers, destroyers, and frigates, have been in short supply like naval utility helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other assorted missiles and ordnance. These officers’ reasoning centred on the unresolved debate in other navies around the world between operationally pursuing a ‘sea denial’ strategy, largely by deploying submarines, or alternately seeking a ‘sea control’ approach via costly and relatively more vulnerable carrier battle groups (CBGs) that entail an inordinately large number of surface and underwater escorts. The Indian Navy’s doctrine, however, opts for CBGs on the grounds that these comprise the most ‘substantial’ instruments in securing this latter aim, as these assets possess ‘ordnance delivery capability of a high order’ to assist the navy in prevailing over the enemy’s ‘Centre of Gravity’ by degrading their decisive points. Be that as it may, one former naval chief has conceded to The Wire that a major debate is needed on whether or not to build another aircraft carrier, as any such programme had ‘massive’ financial implications. “India needs to decisively convince itself that operationally and doctrinally the navy needs a third carrier. But it is also imperative that it should not come at the expense of other military projects and weapon system requirements,” he adds, declining to be identified. The financial ramifications of building a 65,000-70,000 tonne conventionally-powered ‘flat top’ carrier, tentatively capable of embarking 50-60 fixed and rotary wing platforms, attaining speeds of up to 30kts for an estimated Rs 80,000-90,000 crore, is critical in times of continuing economic recession, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, the Indian Navy is desperately short of funds, with a capital allocation in the fiscal year 2020-21 of Rs 26,688 crore for new equipment and platforms, or a shortfall of Rs 18,580 crore of the Rs 45,268 crore the service had demanded. Earlier in 2019-20, the Indian Navy’s capital budget of Rs 23,156 crores was less than the Rs 25,461 crore it owed assorted vendors for previously acquired equipment and services, resulting in deferred payments. Also read: Recent Crash Brings Inherent Technical Problems With MiG-29KUB to the Fore Consequently, in recent months the Indian Navy has been forced to tighten its belt by reducing its long-standing requirement for 12 Mine Counter Measure Vessels to eight, and that for 10 Russian Kamov Ka-31 Helix early warning and control helicopters, to just six platforms. Earlier in November 2019, the MoD had sanctioned the import of six additional Boeing P-8I Neptune long-range, maritime multi-mission aircraft for $1.8 billion, instead of the 10 that the navy had wanted. Indian Navy officials also say that the reduction in such equipment purchases is part of its initiative to ‘rationalise’ its expenditure after the MoD had failed to meet its demand in late 2019 for an additional Rs 20,000 crore to fund long-delayed acquisitions. According to Admiral Singh, the ongoing resource crunch had forced the navy to revise its goal of operating 200 warships by 2027 in keeping with its MCCP to just 175. At his annual press conference in December 2019, the Indian Navy chief had stated that the navy’s share of the annual defence budget had dropped from 18% in the fiscal year 2012-13 to merely 13% in the fiscal year 2019-20 and that fielding even the reduced number of 175 platforms, was ‘optimistic’. Therefore, to mitigate shortages Admiral Singh advocated upgrading technology and weaponry on existing and under-construction platforms and finding cheaper substitutes. The MCCP had also envisaged Indian Navy operating 458 fixed and rotary wing platforms by the end of this decade. But in view of the prevailing financial resource crunch, these numbers too had been revised downwards to around 320, naval sources said adding that even these quantities were ‘aspirational’. Growing support for submarines’ acquisition Meanwhile, much to the Indian Navy’s chagrin, chief of defence staff, General Bipin Rawat, too is opposed to the navy acquiring a carrier. On at least two occasions over this year the CDS, responsible for acquisitions and India’s overall military force development, has stated that the navy needs ‘more submarines than carriers, which themselves require their own individual armadas for protection’. The other principal opponent to financing a carrier for the IN remains the Indian Air Force (IAF) that too is competing for a greater share of depreciating annual defence budgets, as it grapples to make good its fighter, helicopter and transport aircraft shortages, amongst other essential equipment. “We need to prioritise our military equipment procurements in keeping with regional threats and limited financial resources that are fast reducing,” says military analyst Air Marshal V.K. Bhatia (retired). Under these precarious financial conditions, an aircraft carrier would not only be a costly indulgence but also entail fielding a platform that remains victim to layered missile defence systems employed under China’s evolved A2/AD strategy, he adds. Even the US Navy considers this a serious threat to its advanced nuclear-powered carriers. Other IAF officers have declared that Anglo-French fighters like SEPECAT Jaguar IM/IS and multi-role Russian Sukhoi Su-30MKIs, fitted with enhanced maritime strike capability and extended strike ranges via in-flight refuelling, could project power more economically and securely than a carrier. The IAF’s maritime Jaguar IM fleet, for instance, is armed with AGM-84L Block II Harpoon missiles of which India acquired 24 units in 2010 for $170 million, and will soon be fitted with Israel Aerospace Industries-Elta EL/M-2052/2060 multi-mode active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for sea-borne operations. And, in January 2020, the IAF had commissioned its first Su-30MKI squadron, coast-armed with the BrahMos-A(Air) supersonic cruise missile with a 292km strike range, at Thanjavur on India’s southeast coast to monitor the country’s eastern and western seaboards and the wider Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Military planners say that deploying Su-30MKIs armed with the BrahMos-A to police the IOR is a strategically prudent move in response to China’s expanding naval footprint in the area. They say that the Su-30MKI with its 1,500km operational range – without the assistance of mid-air refueling, and much further with it – would enhance the IAF’s capability to engage potential targets with pinpoint accuracy. Earlier, in May 2015, the MoD had sanctioned Rs 30 crore to the Directorate of Naval Design (DND) in New Delhi to begin conceptualising plans for IAC-2, but little or nothing had progressed thereafter. But, despite such obstacles, the IN has persevered incrementally with the IAC-2 project. In December 2017, former chief Adm Sunil Lanba had declared that the navy had determined the ‘form and fit’ of the 65,000-tonne platform that would be equipped with a Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) system to launch its fighters. For this task, the navy is considering acquiring the costly General Atomics Electro Magnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) from the US, which it has extensively discussed with the US Navy in the Joint Working Group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Co-operation (JWGACTC) established in January 2015. Thereafter, the Indian Navy had conducted at least three rounds of preliminary discussions on its planned carrier with the US Navy, but senior officers say it remains primarily a ‘talking shop’ till MoD approvals are secured to definitively progress IAC-2. The Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design (DND), however, believes the EMALS system would enable the Indian Navy to induct fighters heavier than the MiG-29K/KUBs that presently operate off Vikramaditya – and, eventually from Vikrant once it is commissioned – in addition to airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platforms, and even unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). Accordingly, the Indian Navy issued a request for information (RfI) in early 2017 for 57 Multi-Role Carrier Borne Fighters (MRCBF) in fly-away condition for IAC-2 for an estimated $10-12 billion. The RfI for the day-and-night, all-weather capable MRCBF requires the platform to conduct air defence and air-to-surface operations, buddy refueling, reconnaissance and electronic warfare missions. Potential vendors would need to stipulate whether their single or twin-engine MRCBF are capable of STOBAR and CATOBAR operations using the EMALS. Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, infra-red search and track (IRST) systems, laser range finders and helmet-mounted or direct retinal displays too are mandated fitments, like four beyond visual range (BVR) and two all aspect air-to-air missiles. The RfI also requires the shortlisted platform to be able to accommodate assorted indigenously developed and commercial off-the-shelf equipment. Four vendors have responded, like Boeing (US), Rafale (France), Russian Aircraft Corporation and Saab (Sweden), but a formal tender awaits MoD sanction. Adm Singh indicated in his press conference earlier this week that the MRCBF would, in all likelihood, be linked to the IAF’s pending procurement of some 110 fighters. But regrettably, like the carrier from which they will operate, the MRCBF too remain, for now, little more than a gleam in the Indian Navy’s eager eye. thewire