DRDO Lab Hands Over Landing Gear Systems, 18 Types of Filters for P-75 Submarines to Indian Navy in Chennai

The CVRDE, a laboratory of the DRDO, on Sunday handed over retractable landing gears for Tapas and Swift unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as well as 18 types of filters for P-75 submarines to its users, an official statement said. While the retractable landing gears were handed over to the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), another laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the filters were handed over to the Indian Navy, the defence ministry's statement noted.

 The handing over ceremony took place in Chennai in the presence of Lok Sabha MP Kalanidhi Veeraswamy, member of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, and G Satheesh Reddy, Chairman, DRDO, said the statement. The aforementioned products have been designed and developed by Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), the statement noted. The CVRDE has developed three-ton and one retractable landing gear for Tapas and Swift, respectively, it mentioned. "Eighteen types of indigenously developed hydraulic, lubrication, sea water and fuel filters for P-75 Submarine were designed and developed by CVRDE. These filters are now being manufactured with the help of Indian Industries based at Hyderabad and Chennai," it stated.

 ///News 18

Five Weapon Platforms The Indian Armed Forces Are Likely To Induct In 2021

With Covid-19 restrictions now being eased as the outbreak ebbs, and facing an aggressive China on the Line of Actual Control and in the Indian Ocean, the Indian armed forces are preparing to induct multiple platforms this year. Here are five platforms that are likely to enter service in 2021: 1) MH 60R During US President Donald Trump’s 2019 visit to India, the two countries had signed a $2.6 billion deal for the supply of 24 MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopters to the Indian Navy. The first of these helicopters will be delivered this year. The MH-60s will replace the Indian Navy’s obsolete Sea King anti-submarine helicopters inducted in the 1970s and 80s. The Indian Navy’s MH-60s will be equipped with AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, the Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile with proven sea-skimming capabilities for the anti-ship role and Raytheon MK54 torpedoes. These helos will also have Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) laser-guided rockets, which can be used to destroy targets with accuracy and minimum collateral damage. According to its maker, BAE Systems, APKWS “redefines precision” and gives a “low-cost surgical strike capability”. 2) P 15B Destroyers INS Visakhapatnam, the first of the Project 15B destroyers, is currently undergoing sea trials. The lead Visakhapatnam-class destroyer is likely to complete sea trials this year and enter service in the Indian Navy before the end of 2021. Three more stealth guided missile destroyers — INS Mormugao, INS Imphal and INS Porbandar— are being built under Project 15B by the state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders. While INS Mormugao and INS Imphal have been launched in 2016 and 2019 respectively, INS Porbandar is still under construction. All three destroyers are likely to be in service by the end of 2025. 3) INS Arighat INS Arighat, India’s second ballistic missile submarine, is currently in the last stage of its sea trials and likely to join the sea leg of Indian nuclear triad this year. The nuclear submarine, which was launched in November 2017 by the then Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, is capable of carrying 12 K-15 or four K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missiles. While the K-15 has a range of nearly 750 kilometres, the K-4 can strike targets as far as 3,500 kilometres. 4) Light Combat Helicopter The Indian Air Force is likely to sign a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter this year. Expecting a deal by the end of 2020, HAL has already begun the production of five new aircraft. “…assuming we’re receiving the order, we’ve already begun production of five new aircraft immediately,” HAL Chairman R Madhavan said in an interview with Livefist in June 2020. “We are awaiting contract signature. The delivery of the first 15 can happen almost immediately,” he said back then. “We’ve already made structures for nine inhouse using HAL money. They only need to be equipped. Will take six months to deliver and we can do it before the stipulated time in contract. Will be the first time a delivery is happening well in advance to the users,” he said back then. 5) S-400 The delivery of the Russian-built S-400 Triumf missile defence systems will begin this year. India had signed a $5.4 billion deal with Russia in 2018 for the supply of five S-400 units to the Indian Air Force. The missile defence system has already been inducted by China, which had signed a deal with Russia in 2015. The S-400 missile defence system can be armed with four different missiles with ranges of 400 km, 250 km, 120 km and 40 km. It can track enemy targets up to a range of around 600 kilometres using its long-range radar. ///Swarajya

Upgraded Tejas fighter, touted as 'real desi game-changer', to fly in 2022-23

The Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC), a vibrant wing of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has completed the structural design of the new variant of Light Combat Aircraft, called Tejas Mk1A. The provisional set of drawings has also been released, which will finally be cleared by the certifying agencies. The additional system design activities are currently in progress. In six-months’ time, new set of equipment will start arriving ahead for integration. By then, the final system design is also expected to be in place. If HAL sticks to the current timelines, then the integration of new systems will begin early next year, followed by series of rig tests and later the all-critical flight tests. It is expected close to 200 flight trials will be undertaken before all new systems are being proven as per the requirements and satisfaction of the Indian Air Force (IAF). The advanced features of Tejas Mk1A will be proven on two limited series production (LSP) aircraft, which are part of the ongoing trials of the fighter programme. HAL hopes to have the final configuration of the Tejas Mk1A by 2022-23. All the current activities are expected to get a morale boost further when the ministry of defence (MoD) will finally award the contract of 83 Tejas Mk1As to HAL. The contract worth around Rs 38,000 crore (including spares, weapons, engine testbeds), is still under finalisation and is likely to be inked in the last quarter of this year. Onus on HAL Unlike the early versions of Tejas, ARDC will be the lead designer of Mk1A programme as per its workshare arrangement with Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). With this arrangement, HAL probably also got an opportunity to lessen the trust deficit other stakeholders had on them when it came to the Tejas programme. With so much of national pride pinned on the Tejas programme, the onus on HAL/ARDC has increased manifold now. In addition to Tejas variants, the team has the responsibility of other projects like the HTT-40, IJT and UAVs. Future programmes like LCA-MK2, TEDBF and AMCA will also see active participation of ARDC. Tejas Mk1A is an upgraded version of the final operational clearance (FOC) configuration (Mk1) with 80 per cent of the detail components being the same. HAL needs to deliver 20 MK1 variants to IAF for the second Tejas squadron in Sulur, the Flying Bullets. Desi game-changer The metal cutting is expected to commence one year after the contract finalisation and as things stand now, the Tejas Mk1A will have its first flight during the last quarter of FY 2022-23. The delivery of all the 83 aircraft will be completed within six years from the supply of the first fighter. HAL is to deliver 73 fighters and 10 trainers under the yet-to-beinked contract of 83 Tejas Mk1As. HAL insiders term Tejas MK1A as a ‘real desi game-changer’, which will be setting aeronautical benchmarks for India’s future fighter programmes. What give Tejas MK1A more teeth compared with earlier version of Tejas are four key capabilities over the current variant. The major improvements are planned in operational roles, enhancing the combat ability and maintainability improvements through incorporation of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, electronic warfare (EW) suite and beyond-visual range (BVR) missile capabilities. Desi air-to-air missile Astra Mk1 will be integrated on Tejas Mk1A, giving an edge to the fighter over its contemporaries in BVR warfare. “With the introduction of podded self-protection jammer (SPJ) and AESA on Tejas Mk1A, the survivability of the aircraft is further enhanced. Besides, Astra and ASRAAM (Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile), the fighter will also carry missiles for long-range as well as short-range operations. This is in addition to prevailing store configurations to increase offensive capability,” an official overseeing the programme said. The AESA radar will give Tejas improved range with near-simultaneous missile-firing options on multiple targets and increased situational awareness with mode interleaving. “The AESA radar will be electronically scanned agile beam radar based on transmit/receive modules (TRM) and supports multimode operation. The radar is having capability to track multiple targets at a time in air-to-air, air-to-ground and air-to-sea modes,” says the official. The unified electronic warfare suite (UEWS) will provide capabilities for electronic countermeasures (ECM) and ECCM (electronic counter-countermeasures), with extended band of operation for threat detection and jamming capability. “The EW capability will increase survivability of the aircraft in a networked environment. With the integration of an external jamming pod, the aircraft will be able to do its duty as offensive air combat platform,” he added. Additional features that are getting on board Tejas Mk1A, boosting its precision warfighting capabilities, include a digital moving map with 2D maps and 3D perspective view, provision for GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System), the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS)-based positioning system, GAGAN (GPS-aided geo-augmented navigation) and SBAS (Satellite-based Augmentation system). “The Tejas Mk1A will have excellent manoeuvrability, unhindered by control and stability considerations, over the widest possible speed and CG (centre of gravity) range from + 8 to -3g,” says the official. On the maintainability front, the new Tejas promises to be a delight for the ground support crew with ARDC planning to incorporate many new features. “The idea is to step up the availability of aircraft and reduce the turnaround time. Based on various inputs, we are making changes in the roots of the aircraft,” says the official. New panels are getting in to reduce the DI (daily inspection) time. A new concept called ‘panel-in-panel’ will be in place to increase the visibility of the components during DI. It is certain that the designers and engineers are leaving no efforts to create real estate on Tejas Mk1A to address long-term maintainability issues. New set of cables are to be used in increasing more space inside the aircraft. ///Theweek

India has always pursued independent foreign policy: MEA on S-400 purchase from Russia

 

India has always pursued an independent foreign policy that also applies to its defence acquisitions and supplies, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday, days after a US Congressional report warned that New Delhi's purchase of the Russian-made S-400 air defence system may trigger American sanctions.

Prepared for the members of the US Congress for them to take informed decisions, the report said, "India's multi-billion dollar deal to purchase the Russian-made S-400 air defence system may trigger US sanctions on India under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act."

Asked how does the MEA reacts to recent observations by US Ambassador to India Ken Juster and a US Congressional report on the possibility of sanctions over India's purchase of the S-400 missile defence system, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava at an online media briefing said India and the US have a comprehensive global strategic partnership.

"India has a special and privileged strategic partnership with Russia. India has always pursued an independent foreign policy," he said, adding that this also applies to "our defence acquisitions and supplies which are guided by our national security interests".

Meanwhile, to another question on Canadian leader Ramandeep Brar being reportedly seen supporting the farmers' protests at Delhi borders and if it amounted to violation of visa norms, Srivastava said, "We have noted these reports and we are ascertaining these facts."

On Nepal's political developments, he said this was Nepal's internal matter and as a neighbour and well-wisher, India will continue to support Nepalese people in moving ahead on the path of peace, prosperity and development.

To another question on a social media claim that the Centre has removed the column of nationality on passports, the MEA spokesperson said this is "absolutely incorrect" and in all categories of travel documents issued by the government, the nationality column has been kept and there has been no change.

On the beginning of India's two-year tenure at the UN Security Council as a non-Permanent Member and becoming the chair of the Taliban Sanctions Committee, Srivastava said during its tenure in the UNSC, India will be guided by a commitment to promote responsible and inclusive solutions to international peace and security, a new orientation for a reformed multilateral system and a world view anchored in ethos of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam'.

"With regard to Afghanistan, India and Afghanistan as contiguous neighbours share a natural historical relationship. Our strategic partnership and long-term commitment to the development of Afghanistan reflects this time-tested partnership," he said.

India has invested heavily in peace and development in Afghanistan and supports all efforts to bring peace and stability there, Srivastava said.

"Our position on the peace process has also been articulated. The peace process must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled. As an important stakeholder, we look forward to working towards a peaceful, prosperous, sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan," he said.

At the briefing, Srivastava also gave an update on the Vande Bharat Mission, pointing out that its phase nine has been made operational since January 1, 2021.

"This phase would involve operating 1,495 international flights from 24 countries to facilitate the return of an estimated 2.8 lakh people. As on January 6, 2021, 261 of these flights have already been operated, facilitating the return of an estimated 49,000 people from 19 countries," he said.

This brings the total number of people who have been facilitated through different modes of the mission since it started in May 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic to more than 44.7 lakh, the MEA spokesperson said.

///Economictimes

How The C295 Aircraft Deal With Airbus Will Bring Relief For IAF And Indian Defence Industry

 

The Defence Ministry will sign a $2.5-billion deal with Airbus in the next few months for the purchase of 56 C-295 transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

The long pending deal for the twin turboprop transport aircraft will bring much-needed relief not only for European aerospace giant Airbus, which has seen its campaigns for lucrative defence contracts in India fail over the last few years, but also for the Indian Air Force and the domestic defence industry.

For the Indian Air Force, C295s will come as replacements for its ageing Avro HS748 transport aircraft. The first of the now vintage aircraft flew with the Indian Air Force for the first time in the early 1960s. Around 50 of these, licence-produced in India by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, are currently in service.

“The Indian air force has a current active fleet of 60 Rolls-Royce Dart-engined HS 748s, aged between 35 and 58 years,” aviation news website FlightGlobal said in 2019, citing Cirium, a provider of travel industry data and analytics.

The C295 is a tactical transport aircraft capable of lifting 6 tonnes — Airbus says it can carry five cargo pallets or 71 troops or 50 paratroopers.

The aircraft can land on and take off from short, unprepared airstrips not accessible to heavier transport aircraft, a feature which makes it useful for operations from Advanced Landing Grounds along India’s China frontier.

The C295 is capable of operating “from short (no longer than 670 m/2,200 ft), soft and rough (CBR 2) unprepared airstrips,” Airbus says.

Of the 56 C295s to be ordered, the first 16 will be built by Airbus Defence & Space at its facility in Seville in the southern part of Spain.

The remaining 40 aircraft will be built in India under a joint venture with the Tata Group, which has partnered with Airbus for this deal.

The participation of an Indian company in the deal will come as a major relief for the domestic aerospace industry, experts have said.

“The case [C295 deal] is first of its kind which envisages participation of private companies and would prove to be a boost for our defence industry,” the Ministry of Defence said in its year-end review for 2020.

The number of C295s to be produced in India could go up in the future as the Indian Cost Guard, which plans to use it as a multi-mission maritime aircraft, has projected a requirement of six. While the Coast Guard’s requirement could go up a total of 19 in the near future, more numbers will be added if the Indian Air Force decides to replace its fleet of An-32 transport aircraft with C295s.

In fact, Dirk Hoke, the Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Defence & Space, recently told aviation news website FlightGlobal that the requirement for the C295 in India could eventually grow to “at least 150 and beyond”.

Replacing the An-32s with C295 will make sense because the IAF will already have the aircraft in the fleet. Induction of the aircraft to replace another type in its aircraft mix will make logistics of spares easier — IAF faces daunting logistics challenges due to the staggering diversity in its fleet.

The replacement of IAF’s An-32s with C295s will also make economic sense as the economics of scale will kick in, not only for the production of the aircraft in India but also for future upgrades of the aircraft.

“The C-295 aircraft would also be the natural replacement for AN-32s which too would be getting phased out soon,” Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd) has been quoted by the Hindustan Times as saying.

///Swarajya

US agrees to equip Indian Navy warships with heavy guns urgently

At a time when India and China are engaged in a border dispute, the American Navy has agreed to urgently equip Indian Navy warships with its own naval guns to help India be better prepared for a conflict in the earliest possible time frame. The two sides are moving ahead with a plan to take three American Navy inventory medium caliber guns and put them on the Indian warships of large size to use them in both anti-ship and anti-aircraft roles, top government sources told India Today. The 127 mm medium caliber guns are produced by the American BAE systems and the countries are discussing a $600 million deal to buy 11 such weapons systems. India has issued a Letter of Request to the US government for acquiring 11.127 mm medium caliber guns which are to be equipped on the large-size warships of the Indian Navy including the Visakhapatnam-class destroyers. As per the new plan, the LoR issued to the American administration and the first three guns to be provided to the Indian Navy would be from the American Navy inventory so that the Indian warships are fully equipped at the earliest. Once the production of the new guns starts in America and they are ready to be delivered, the American Navy guns on Indian warships would be replaced by fresh ones. The medium caliber guns would be a new entry into the Indian Navy and would be an upgrade on the existing weapons of similar class in the maritime force. The Indian Navy has developed a very close working relationship with its American counterpart as majority of the new acquisitions of the force are coming from the US only.The Russian equipment in the force including the surveillance planes have been replaced by the P-8I aircraft. The multirole helicopters are also coming from the US as the SeaKing choppers would be replaced by the MH-60 Romeos. The American Predator drones have also been leased by the Navy from the American firm General Atomics and more such unmanned systems are expected to come as part of a triaervice deal between the two sides.///indiatoday

20 years since LCA Tejas's first flight: What's next for India's indigenous fighter programme?

At 10:00 on January 4, 2001, Wing Commander Rajiv Kothiyal took the maiden flight of India's fighter jet Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). In 2003, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee christened the fighter "Tejas". Now with two squadrons, the Tejas has become an important asset in the Indian Air Force's inventory along with frontline jets like the Sukhoi-30 MKIs, Mirage-2000s, MiG-29s and the newly inducted Rafales. And, the IAF plans to have more of them with an additional 83 of the Mark-1 version in addition to its naval version. It took 18 years to test the prototype of the aircraft. In 1983, DRDO had obtained permission to initiate a programme to design and develop a Light Combat Aircraft. The move was taken in anticipation of the life expiry of the MiG-21 fleet and the government allocated Rs 5.75 billion (equivalent to Rs 63 billion or $880 million in 2019) for the LCA programme. In 1985, the then IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Idris Hassan Latif supported the LCA programme and submitted Air Staff Requirements (ASR) for the fighter jet. DRDO Chief Dr G Satheesh Reddy, in an interview to the WEEK, had said that there are few nations in the world that have successfully made a fighter aircraft of their own. "We are one of them. It has taken about three decades of struggle," he added. The Tejas is a single-engine, delta wing, multirole lightweight fighter- designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The fourth-generation aircraft is designed to carry a veritable plethora of air-to-air, air-to-surface, precision-guided and standoff weaponry. It can travel at supersonic speeds at all altitudes and can carry a payload of 3,500 kg, with a service ceiling of 15km. It is best suited for air combat and offensive air support. Armaments of both Russian and European origin can be integrated with the platform. Speaking on the occasion of 20 years since the LCA's first flight, HAL CMD R. Madhavan told THE WEEK that the project is progressing very well, with an augmented production capacity of 10-12 LCAs per year with exclusive production facilities in Bangalore. "We have also developed partners for the supply of major structural assemblies. A new facility spread across 35 acres and with a built-up area of over 34,000 square metres is being made ready for production of structural assemblies of the advanced variant of Tejas—LCA Mk1A. This facility will be in full-fledged operation from FY 2021-22 onwards," Madhavan said, adding that HAL will be able to produce 16 aircraft per year from 2022-23 onwards to match the order for 83 LCAs. LCA Mk1A is an advanced version of the LCA Mk1 with four major capabilities over the current variant of LCA. These improvements are planned in operational roles, enhancing the combat ability and maintainability improvements through the incorporation of an AESA Radar, EW suite and BVR missile capabilities, an official said. LCA Mk1A will have the inbuilt capability to fire BVR missiles such as the Derby missile, with the current Tejas already proving such capability. The indigenously developed BVR missile (ASTRA Mk1) has been identified to be integrated on Mk1A, which will be a weapon of choice for the IAF. This versatile weapon will give an edge to LCA Tejas over its contemporaries in BVR warfare. Tejas Mk-II is a medium-weight fighter aircraft, which will replace the Mirage fighters. The preliminary design phase has been completed and detailed design work is in progress. It will have a higher-thrust engine compared with the LCA Mk-I. Speaking on the Tejas Mk-II, an official said that it will be a medium-weight fighter (MWF) and that its design is ready. The current Tejas has a maximum takeoff weight of 13.5 tonnes while the MWF is in the next class and is targeted to have a maximum takeoff weight of around 17.5 tonnes. The Indian Air Force will be ordering these aircraft in large numbers to meet its requirements. The first flight of the Mk-II will happen in 2022 and will take another 5-6 years to get into production. By that time, the Mirage-2000 fighters will complete their lifespan and the LCA Mk-II should get into production. And to fill the gap in the IAF's combat fleet, Tejas is expected to play an important role in the medium category. On September 13, 2019, the naval version of Tejas LCA achieved a successful "arrested landing" at the shore-based Test Facility of INS Hansa in Goa, achieved a milestone. Indian Navy had hailed this day as a "golden letter day" in its history—even after it first rejected the naval version of LCA. Eventually in January last year, LCA Navy made a maiden take off from INS Vikramaditya.///The week.

India to sign $2.5-billion contract for 56 transport planes for IAF

India will sign a $2.5-billion contract his year for the supply of 56 medium transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force to replace its fleet of aging Avro-748 planes, officials familiar with the development said on Tuesday. Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) will jointly execute the project to equip the air force with 56 C-295 transport aircraft under the Make-in-India initiative in the aerospace sector. Under the contract, Airbus will supply the first 16 aircraft in flyaway condition while the remaining 40 will be assembled in India by TASL, the officials said. The procurement of 56 C-295 from Airbus with participation of an Indian production agency for the manufacture of 40 aircraft (out of total 56) in India is at financial approval stage and the contract is likely to be signed in the near future, the defence ministry said in its year-end review. “The case is first of its kind which envisages participation of private companies and would prove to be a boost for our defence industry,” the ministry said. While the C-295s are meant to replace the Avro-748 transport planes, the new aircraft will also be suitable for demanding roles that the AN-32 currently undertakes, as previously reported by Hindustan Times. The Avro-748 entered service in the early 1960s and has been long due for replacement, said Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur (retd), additional director general, Centre for Air Power Studies. “The replacement C-295 project has been in the works for the past eight years and has spawned a new term --- the Avro model --- in the acquisition field due the unique path adopted. Actually, there is an acquisition fatigue that has crept in, a state that needs to be broken by actually inducting the aircraft that is sorely required by the IAF. The C-295 would also be the natural replacement for AN-32s which too would be getting phased out soon,” Bahadur said. The first 16 planes will be supplied in two years, and the deliveries of the 40 locally-assembled ones will be spread over an additional eight years. The aircraft can operate from short, unprepared airstrips and carry out a variety of missions in all-weather conditions. The contract for buying 83 LCA Mk 1A aircraft for the IAF from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is also likely to be signed soon after approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security, the ministry said its review. Last March, the defence ministry gave a green light to the purchase of 83 advanced Tejas jets from HAL. The deal is expected to be worth Rs 38,000 crore. The deal for the 83 Mk-1A jets will take the total number of Tejas variants ordered to 123. The 40 LCAs already ordered by the IAF are in the initial operational clearance (IOC) and the more advanced final operational clearance (FOC) configurations. The LCA Mk-1A will come with additional improvements over the FOC aircraft, making it the most advanced Tejas variant so far. The Mk-1A variant is expected to come with digital radar warning receivers, external self-protection jammer pods, active electronically scanned array radar, advanced beyond-visual-range missiles and significantly improved maintainability. India is also likely to sign a deal with Israel for additional Harop (P-IV) loitering weapon systems in the first quarter of 2021, the year-end review said. The Harop is designed to locate and attack high-value targets with precision. The weapon (also known as a suicide drone) tracks the target, dives on to it and detonates the warhead on impact, according to its maker Israel Aerospace Industries./// Hindustantimes

India plans deployment of nuclear-capable Agni-V this year

Riding high on the success of 30 missions in last three months, India plans to deploy its longest range most potent nuclear-capable ballistic missile Agni-V this year. With the 5,000-plus km range missile in its arsenal, India is the eighth nation in the world to have ICBM capabilities. Although the defence strategists had planned an early induction of Agni-V compared to its medium and intermediate range siblings, the Chinese aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has fast-tracked the process. Defence source said the indigenously developed game-changer missile, which is undergoing its pre-induction trials, would be finally deployed at strategic locations as selected by the armed forces. The canisterised Agni-V gives the forces the requisite operational flexibility to swiftly transport as per requirement on a short notice. “The induction process of the missile, which is under serial production, has already started. It would be officially deployed with the final induction trial in next three to four months. The deployment will pave the way for development of more long range missiles, which are on the drawing board,” the source told The Express. A symbol of DRDO’s technological excellence, the missile equipped with highly accurate ring laser gyro based inertial navigation and most modern micro inertial navigation system with advanced compact avionics is capable of taking down targets in whole of Asia and half of Europe. India has also planned to test some new technologies, including the multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV), which allows long range missiles to deliver multiple warheads programmed to destroy different targets hundreds of km away from each other and alternatively launch more than one warhead assigned to one target. This apart, several missions, including maiden flight trial of beyond visual range Astra Mk II having a strike range of over 150 km, user trial of guided Pinaka rockets and developmental test of an advanced version of home grown subsonic cruise missile Nirbhay have been planned in early 2021. “Development of new Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) planes and underwater unmanned vessels (UUVs) along with the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-II will be the areas of focus for the DRDO this year,” said a defence official. The DRDO has already received orders for development of AEW&C Block 2 aircraft under a Rs 10,500 crore project.///Newindia express

Indian Navy to get second ballistic missile submarine

The Indian Navy will receive a major boost with the deployment of its second ballistic missile submarine. The INS Arighat is in the final stages of sea trials and is likely to be commissioned into service in early 2021. Arighat is the second of the indigenous Arihant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile-carrying submarine (SSBN). Sources in the defense and security establishment said the submarine has performed well during the sea trials so far, and added that the commissioning of the vessel was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Indian online newspaper ..Once Arighat enters service, India will be operating two SSBNs that are equipped with the 750km-range K-15 ballistic missile, designed for retaliatory strikes in case of a nuclear attack. The Arighat was quietly launched in November 2017 by the then Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Both INS Arihant, which is on operational deployment, and the Arighat have the capacity to carry four missiles each. While the original plan was to have four Arihant class submarines, it was changed by the UPA government, sources in the know said. Now, the two Arihant class submarines will have a displacement of 6,000 tons while two other SSBNs will be of a larger size (7,000 tons displacement). A key differentiating factor will be that the two larger vessels under construction — S4 and S4 at the Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam — will have eight missile tubes instead of four. India currently also operates a nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) INS Chakra II, which is under lease from Russia. It was in March last year that India and Russia signed a $3 billion deal for the lease of a third SSN — Chakra III — that is likely to be in Indian waters by 2025 at the earliest. Russian submarines are being leased to train crews for India’s own fleet of SSBNs. In 2015, the Narendra Modi government gave the green light to build six indigenous SSNs. About two years later, in 2017, then Navy chief Adm. Sunil Lanba had confirmed that work on the SSNs had started. It was in November 2018 that India completed its nuclear triad when PM Modi announced to the world the completion of the first deterrence patrol by Arihant. With that, India joined an elite group of countries that have the capability to launch a nuclear weapon from land, air and underwater. The only other countries capable of this are the US, Russia, China and France. INS Arihant was commissioned in 2016 by then Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, but a formal announcement came only two years later./// The Print.

US Congressman introduces bill to terminate Pakistan as major non-NATO ally

On the first day of the 117th Congress, a Republican Congressman introduced a bill in the United States House of Representatives to terminate the designation of Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally. Congressman Andy Biggs introduced the bill to remove the designation of Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally, a status that allows for various benefits such as access to excess US defence supplies and participation in cooperative defence research and development projects. "On the first day of the 117th Congress, my staff and I have hit the ground running, working hard for the great people of #AZ05. Today, I reintroduced 28 bills that keep the promises I've made to my constituents and help to reduce the size and scope of the federal government.," Biggs wrote in a tweet on Monday.According to the bill, the US President cannot issue a separate designation of Pakistan as a major NATO ally unless a presidential certification that Pakistan continues to conduct military operations that are contributing to significantly disrupting the safe haven and freedom of movement of the Haqqani network in Pakistan. The bill noted that Pakistan has taken steps to demonstrate its commitment to preventing the Haqqani network from using any Pakistani territory as a safe haven and that the Pakistan government actively coordinates with the Afghanistan government to restrict the movement of militants, such as the Haqqani network, along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The bill asks the president to certify that Pakistan has shown progress in arresting and prosecuting Haqqani Network senior leaders and mid-level operatives./// Economictimes

South Korea to Push for SPADGMS, minesweepers deal with India

The $ 3 billion Self Propelled Air Defence Gun Missile System (SPAD-GMS) deal is expected to be part of discussions between the Indian Army Chief Gen MM Naravane and the top brass of South Korea. In the SPAD-GMS, South Korea’s Hanhwa Defence had emerged as the lowest bidder beating the Russian competitor. In line with the government’s `Act East Policy’ and to explore avenues for further expansion of the military ties, the Indian Army Chief Naravane has left on a three-day visit to South Korea on Monday (December 28, 2020). He will be holding talks with his counterpart – the army chief and chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff as well as the minister of defence. He will also meet with South Korea’s minister of Defence Acquisition Planning Administration (DAPA). The army chief’s visit to South Korea’s capital Seoul comes close on the heels of his recently concluded visit to the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. While in South Korea, the Indian Army chief will go to the Korea Combat Training Centre in Gangwon province and Advance Defence Development (ADD) facility which are located at Daejeon.Both countries have elevated their bilateral relations to Special Strategic Partnership in 2015. India and South Korea have been in discussions for several military platforms and weapons, especially naval shipbuilding. In 2019, the South Korean company Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering had responded to Indian Navy’s Expression of Interest (EoI) for six advanced conventional submarines under Project-75I (India). And KSS-3 submarine for the Rs 45,000 crore proposal of the Indian Navy. The Project 75I is expected to be processed under the Strategic Partnership Model (SP), and the submarines will be built in India through technology transfer. As reported earlier, the OEM will have to tie up with an Indian company for manufacturing under the Make in India initiative. South Korea considers India as a serious power and a key partner within the region and India looks at South Korea a major partner under the `Act East Policy’. Both countries have last year inked a logistics agreement, which is going to help the Indian Navy while operating in the Indo-Pacific Region and in interoperability. What Was The Army Looking For In The Self Propelled Air Defence Gun Missile System? In 2013, the Indian Army had floated a requirement for five regiments of a self-propelled air defence gun-missile system. The 104 units were budgeted at approximately $2.5 billion. Each unit having twin 30 mm cannons. There are four short-range missiles fitted on a tracked chassis. Why Are They Needed? Because they can help in protecting critical installations and areas which can be hit by drones, helicopters or low-flying aircraft. And, as has been reported by Financial Express Online, the South Korean Company Hanwha Defence had emerged as the lowest bidder by beating two Russian contenders. The decision to scrap the whole deal was taken by the Ministry of Defence on the grounds that the specifications mentioned are now dated. The South Korean company is willing to transfer technology to Indian company either L&T or any other Indian company for the manufacturing of this missile system. What Is The Indian Army Looking For? These SPAD-GMS are expected to replace 1360 obsolete Bofors L 70 40mm single barrel and Soviet-era ZU-23-2 towed 23 mm twin-barrel weapon systems of the Indian Army. And the Indian Army needs almost five regiments of the guns. These guns can be deployed with the forces and be relocated based on the threat perception. Mine-Counter Measure Vessels (MCMVs) For The Indian Navy When the Army chief talks with the military brass and the minister, there could be some forward movement in the negotiations for 12 mine-counter measure vessels (MCMVs) for the Indian Navy. These are to be built at the Indian Goa Shipyard through Transfer of Technology (ToT), under the `Make in India’ initiative. South Korean Company Kangnam Corporation and Italian shipbuilder M/s Intermarine had responded to the MoD RFI (Request for Information) for the MCMVs. These MCMVs are required on an urgent basis to fill gaps in the navy’s mine warfare capability. The discussions with the South Korean Company Kangnam Corporation was stalled due to certain issues related to the indigenous content as well as the terms and conditions of ToT. Why Do Navies Need Minesweepers? These are deployed to help secure the harbours by locating and destroying underwater mines and are considered vital for keeping critical sea lanes safe. India’s Act East Policy The Chief of Army Staff had accompanied Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla to a visit to Myanmar. During that visit in October, the Indian side announced its decision to supply an attack submarine to the Myanmar Navy and to further enhance military cooperation between the two countries. This was followed by Army Chief’s three-day visit in November to Nepal. The visit to the Himalayan neighbour had significant diplomatic overtones. During his visit to South Korea in 2019, the defence minister Rajnath Singh had invited the top defence majors to participate in various defence projects in India. The companies which specialize in military platforms in South Korea are allowed to Transfer Technology as there are no laws to stop the transfer. They are keen to work with the Indian private sector companies under a joint venture.///Indiandefencenews///