F-Insas Rifle Design Clears Audit, To Go Into Production From Jan 2012
Rifle factory develops weapon for future infantryman
Kolkata: The defence ministry may no longer have to search for an advanced rifle to arm the Indian infantry soldier of the future under the F-Insas project. Rifle Factory Ishapore (RFI) claims to have come up with an advanced variant of the existing 5.56 mm Insas rifle that will go into production from January, 2012.
"The rifle is an extremely modern weapon that will meet with the requirements of the future infantryman. Our designs have already cleared the audit and production is expected to start from January," a source said.
RFI has already manufactured over a million Insas rifles for distribution among security personnel in India. The Insas was first introduced before the Kargil war and several variants have since been developed. When the Future Infantry Soldier as System (F-Insas) project was launched by the defence ministry, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) got together to develop weapons for the soldier of the future.
Under the F-Insas project, the infantryman will be kitted with state-of-theart equipment including weapons, protective gear and communications systems. The soldier's uniform would include bullet-proof clothing and the visor on his helmet would display maps and gunsights. The future soldiers would also carry palmtops and other advanced communications gear.
Among the weapons for the F-Insas project is a multi-calibre carbine for Close Quarter Battle (CQB) and a rifle. OFB has already developed the Milap multi-calibre carbine and handed it over to the Army for field trials. The carbine is modular in structure and can fire 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm and also 6.8 mm rounds. It also has an under belly grenade launcher for air-burst grenades. The OFB believes that this weapon that is expected to cost nearly . 50,000 apiece will solve the Army's problems for days to come.
For the rifle, the defence ministry is on the lookout for something on the lines of the Israeli Tavor. In fact, nearly 5,000 Tavors have already been imported for use by the Special Forces. RFI sources say that the F-Insas developed by them at Ishapore would meet the ministry's requirements and there would be no need to go in for further imports.
The efforts that have gone in for this project has bagged S K Rath of RFI the best general manager award from OFB. Although details were not available, sources revealed that the new rifle will be modular and have several advanced components. It may even have a computer chip inside.
"The first phase of the F-Insas programme should be completed by 2012. We believe that the rifle developed by RFI will meet the requirements of the Army," an official said.
BATTLE-READY: Under the Future Infantry Soldier as System (F-Insas) project, the infantryman will be kitted with state-of-the-art equipment, including weapons, protective gear and communications systems. The soldier's uniform would include bullet-proof clothing and the visor on his helmet would display maps and gunsights
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