Russian Smerch rockets, Milan missiles defective: CAG
PTI
New Delhi, Aug 6 (PTI) Russian-made Smerch rockets bought by India for Rs 2,633 crore for its Army were defective, due to which these "could not be fully operationalised", government auditors have found. In a report tabled in Parliament today, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) also said the multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) system had several defects in its launch vehicles, outlaying fire controls and data transmission and there were defects in the Milan anti-tank missiles supplied by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). The Defence Ministry had signed two deals in December 2005, and March 2007, with Russian firm Rosoboronexport for importing 42 of the MBRL systems along with launch, transloader, command and staff, meteorological support complex and workshop repair vehicles. The supplies under the two contracts were completed in June 2007, and May 2009, but the audit found that the systems in the MBRLs were faulty, resulting in failure in operationalising them on time. It also found there was a delay in buying the logistics support equipment and formulation of war establishment. Moreover, four rockets were damage in transit from an Indian airport to the defence units due to the absence of a suitable material handling equipment, resulting in a loss of Rs 2.36 crore. In another instance of Defence Ministry buying poor quality weapons for its Army, the CAG found that it had ordered for 4,100 "outdated" 1970s vintage missiles for Rs 587 crore in 2008, from BDL, a Defence PSU, thereby "compromising the Army's requirement." In the report, it said the Anti-Tank Guided Missile Milan-2, a second generation missile with single warhead produced by BDL, had limited capability to defeat modern tanks, but it added that there was an upgraded version Milan-2T with tandem warheads that was more effective. Milan-2 has a range of 1,850 metres, whereas Milan-2T has a range of 2,000 metres. Though the orders were placed for Milan-2T missiles, BDL had supplied missiles that had a range of 1,850 metres under guidance phase while the last 150 metres were left unguided, the CAG said. .
http://theasiandefence.blogspot.com/2010/08/russian-smerch-rockets-milan-missiles.html