I wonder when is this import frenzy going to stop, if ever.
Here we talk about S-400. My question is why can not AAD and Swordfish be developed into a S-400 kind of system? What is there besides long range anti air missile and a long range multi mode radar that a S-400 kind of system has? With dedicated military satellites in place, some spy satellites in orbit as well what section of building block that we are lacking? Considering any purchase in India takes its own fatty time, sometimes as much as a development period, isn' t it more logical for us to go for our own version of S-400 instead of buying it at hefty price while negotiating it over atleast half a decade?
A Single type of SAM never makes a good AD system, it's always a mix to ensure any single type of jammer is never enough. As I've stated weve embarked on possibly the largest consolidation of our air defence since 47. By the end of 2025 we will have incorporated 4-5 Super swordfish LR-Radar to a network comprising all Civilian & military radars(this includes shipborne & AWACS) Giving us an eye deep into the TAR and right across Pakistan into Iran as well.(see graphic below)
These will be the eyes of a formidable SAM network with overlapping kill radius.
BMD- AAD/PAD
LRSAM-S400
MRSAM-BARAK-8
SRSAM-AKASH+S125NEVA/PECHORA+2K12KUB(upgraded)
QRSAM-SPYDER+9K33OSA(upgraded)+9K35STRELA(upgraded to SOSNA-R)
SPAAG-TUNGUSHKA+PANTSYR(alongwith S400)+ Future SPAAG
AAA- L70 upgraded + Skyshield
This will buy us time to develop our own LRSAM systems as well.
T-90 purchase does not even qualifies for above explanation. It is outright criminal to buy T-90 or any MBT of this class when we have a ready MBT claimed as superior to T-90 and also all the prerequisits to develop a T-90 class MBT if necessary.
There still remain massive operational constraints to deploying Arjuns, sometimes we think of armored regiments as tanks alone and forget that tanks are but the tip of the spear there are a lot of trucks,tank carriers, railway wagons, maintenance depots, trained manpower * ancillaries that comprise the shaft of that spear. The IA operates a massive tank force that will need to be massively overhauled in all the terms quited above if we are to switchover completely to Arjuns, this will take time and money both of which we have in short supply. The T-90 will bridge the gap until we are logistically sound enough to deploy more Arjuns.
T-22M will be an interesting purchase. But a MKI with mid air refueling can very much do same job. To me submarines are more suitable for sneak attacks on China's east coast than a dedicated missile carrier in air. But still it will a good addition.
Sometimes the Enemy needs to see that you have a big stick, visual impact counts. There is another thing very interesting here The Journal of Electronic Defense edition of 2001 mentioned a possible buy of 4 Tu22m3 as well. combined with these 4 it could be a full maritime strike squadron.
Akulas should be welcomed whole heartedly. They are needed as our own SSNs will take a decade or so to start arriving.
true that!
