Indian Army: News and Discussion

[Sridhar]

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/ballistic-missile-agnii-testfired/article8351488.ece
Ballistic missile Agni-I test-fired

 

[cobra commando]

INDO- Indonesia Joint Training Exercise Garuda Shakti IV Continues at Magelang, Indonesia

 

[Superdefender]

Indian Army's Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV) is Make The Best in India
Jun 25, 2015


The Indian Army's recent RFI on the Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV) has drawn flak from a section of the press. It's being alluded that the Army initiative is in contravention to the present government's Make-in-India policy and is anti national since it ignores DRDO capabilities.

(The author of this article broke the news on FRCV on June 13, 2015 and you can peruse some important details of the project here.)

Make in India
The Army needs a futuristic medium tank that can be deployed in all terrains, including the Tibetan plateau, the likely battleground for the next war that India is drawn into.

Most importantly, the Army wants to induct the tank by 2025-27 to replace the T-72 tanks of the Armored Corp, which would have outlived their design lives by then.

This tracked fighting vehicle would feature a modular design that will be leveraged to create a family of combat vehicles.

The Army doesn't care who designs the FRCV, who builds the prototypes, and who ultimately manufactures the family of vehicles. The Design Agency and Developing Agency (DA) could well be separate entities. The best design would be chosen and given to nominated DA(s) for production of the prototype(s). The selected prototype will be given to Production Agency(s) (PAs) for bulk production.

The Army will own the tank designs once they are submitted by the competing vendors, the Army will own the tank prototypes when they are made available for trials, and the army will own the IPR for the FRCV variants when they are under production at one or more PAs.

Time to pause and ask ourselves - Would the FRCV project be in contravention to the government's Make-in-India policy? Are the generals making a mockery of the nation's aspiration?

My take is - this is not Make-in-India! It is Make-the-best-in-India!

What the naysayers need to understand is that 'Make in India' does not mean

1. Make with Indian technology only.
2. Make with Indian bureaucratic managerial oversight only.
3. Make with Indian PSU talent only.

DRDO Capabilities
The FRCV press criticism suggests that DRDO capabilities and potential are being ignored. Not true!

DRDO's past record with building tanks has been questionable. The Arjun MBT is too heavy and unreliable. Had it been reliable, it would have been useful in the Rajasthan desert. But there is another damper! Most analysts believe that the next war that India is drawn into would be fought in mountainous territory, not the desert!

Successive Indian Army leadership have resisted further induction of the Arjun. Because, it makes little sense for the Army to fritter its budget preparing for a desert war that will never occur, because rapid mobility of tanks could destabilize nuclear deterrence.

The Arjun Mk-2, with 93 upgrades, will reportedly be a much better tank than the Arjun Mk-1, but it will also be a much heavier tank at 66 tons, further anchoring it to the desert.

Let us be pragmatic. DRDO weapon system specs are mostly dictated by DRDO capabilities, not GSQRs. And this is acceptable in many cases. The Army has worked with the shortcomings of the INSAS rifle, for example. But, no one should even think of equipping the Indian Army with tanks that it cannot use!

DRDO's Future Main Battle Tank (FMBT)

DRDO's Future Main Battle Tank (FMBT) referred to in the press criticism is a concept, not an approved design! What the government has approved so far is for the DRDO to proactively develop enabling and critical advance technologies to reduce foreign dependence for all the future Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFVs). The government approval was given in 2012 and the technologies cleared for development are:

1. Design and development of a tank engine and automatic transmission system.
2. All electric drive for gun control system.
3. Active protection system.
4. Missile development.

In other words, DRDO has already been working for 3 years on systems that would go into the Army's FRCV project. That is a handsome lead over other vendors that should help DRDO grab the project! Provided it has been doing its homework and not squandering the funding.

Conclusion
The FRCV is out-of-the-box thinking that breaks away from past policies without compromising the nation's aspiration to produce most of its weapon systems within the country. Criticizing the FRCV project because it does not conform to the Defense Procurement Policy is petty pedantry.

The FRCV presents a challenge that should galvanize the DRDO and the private sector alike. The project would allow a private sector company to set up a joint venture with the Russian manufacturer of Armata MBT, Uralvagonzavod. Indeed, there are many similarities between Armata and what the Indian Army wants.

In many ways, the FRCV is the more pragmatic and timely parallel to the IAF's FGFA project. Imagine the Armata modular design powered by DRDO developed engine, transmission, active protection system and AD missiles tested and accepted for induction within 10 years - all manufactured in India! Do you share my dream?

By VK Thakur


Vijainder K Thakur

 

[A Tripathy]

Sorry to post it here. But I thought should share so did.

If you know, yesterday Hav Sudhir Yadav gave his interview to IBN7 News Channel over Kanhaiya Kumar's statement over the Women's RAPE in J&K. Just found this video on youtube so thought to share it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0ij6Mm0yqc

 

[Prashant12]

Army to get ammo worth Rs 15,000 cr

NEW DELHI: The 1.18-million strong Army, grappling with critical operational deficiencies on several fronts, is finally going to get some much-needed missiles, thermal imagers, weapon-locating radars and multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS).

Defence ministry sources on Friday said the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has cleared four long-pending arms deals worth 6,600 crore, while two others for over 8,300 crore are on the verge of getting the final nod.

"Contracts for the four cleared deals will now be inked," said a source. They will include the 1,200 crore acquisition of 65,000 new-generation 84mm rockets, with greater range and better armour-penetration capabilities, for the Swedish-origin Carl Gustaf man-portable rocket launchers.

The other contracts are for 4,000 hand-held thermal imagers with laser-range finders ( 1,400 crore), 5,000 Milan-2T anti-tank guided missiles ( 2,000 crore) and 30 indigenous 'Swati' weapon-locating radars ( 2,000 crore).

The two projects headed for CCS nod are for two more Pinaka MLRS regiments for 3,300 crore and another regiment of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for over 5,000 crore.

The two Pinaka regiments, which will add to the two such regiments already inducted by the Army, will help plug gaps in the force's medium-range, high-volume firepower. With a strike range of 40km, the Pinaka is manufactured by the Tatas and L&T based on technology developed by DRDO.

Similarly, the BrahMos land-attack missile, which flies almost three times the speed of sound at Mach 2.8 to targets 290km away, will help boost the Army's precision-strike capabilities.

With the Army already having three BrahMos regiments, the government has approved deployment of the missile's Block-III version in Arunachal Pradesh to counter China's huge build-up of military infrastructure all along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control. This missile variant has "trajectory maneuver and steep dive capabilities" for mountain warfare, as reported by TOI earlier.

But the lack of third-generation anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), with fire-and-forget capabilities, remains a big operational gap on the western front with Pakistan. The case for inducting these shoulder-fired tank-killers has been meandering for almost a decade now.

The acquisition of 'Spike' ATGMs from Israel, however, is still stuck in the commercial negotiations stage. Consequently, infantry battalions are making do with the second-generation Milan (2-km range) and Konkurs (4-km) ATGMs, which are produced by defence PSU Bharat Dynamics under licence from French and Russian companies. Being wire-guided, they have to be directed to the target.

Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has cleared four long-pending arms deals worth 6,600 crore, while two others for over 8,300 crore are on the verge of getting the final nod.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...mo-worth-Rs-15000-cr/articleshow/51465947.cms

 

[Yumdoot]

DRDO's past record with building tanks has been questionable. The Arjun MBT is too heavy and unreliable.

Being faithful to his class instead of the country.

In many ways, the FRCV is the more pragmatic and timely parallel to the IAF's FGFA project. Imagine the Armata modular design powered by DRDO developed engine, transmission, active protection system and AD missiles tested and accepted for induction within 10 years - all manufactured in India! Do you share my dream?

Was't this foreseen?

Anything but Indian!

Did V. K. Thakur in his long life ever write anything about the War Reserves as pointed out above by another poster?

 

[Yumdoot]

and 30 indigenous 'Swati' weapon-locating radars ( 2,000 crore).
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...mo-worth-Rs-15000-cr/articleshow/51465947.cms

Welcome home Swati ji.

Took such a long time coming.

 

[Superdefender]

Being faithful to his class instead of the country.



Was't this foreseen?

Anything but Indian!

Did V. K. Thakur in his long life ever write anything about the War Reserves as pointed out above by another poster?

You have to understand that Arjun Mk.II is suitable in desert; so ideal to take down Pak tanks. While China planned early to develope such a light tank, that can be taken to mountains for warfare. We are now in checkmate position from China. Arjun Mk.II will be a very bad choice for mountain land. That's why a futuristic lightweight FRCV (Comparable to T-14 Armata) is best thinking. Do not worry. Arjun will remain.

 

[WolfPack86]

INDIAN BATTLEFIELD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ADVANCES
NEW DELHI — The two consortia competing to provide India's new battlefield management system (BMS) have submitted their detailed project reports and the Defence Ministry will order prototypes within six months.
The proposed $6 billion system will be built in the "Make in India" category and reserved only for domestic companies. The two development agencies, Tata Power SED with Larsen & Toubro, and state-owned Bharat Electronics with Rolta India, submitted their detailed project reports last month, said a Defence Ministry source.
The reports will be vetted by the Army's Integrated Project Management Team and the MoD will then issue orders for development of the BMS prototypes within six months, said the MoD source, as effort is made to hasten creation of the system.
The development agencies will choose overseas partners for technical assistance but the tender will only be awarded to the domestic companies under the Make in India category.
Under Make in India, the government funds 80 percent of the prototype development and the development agencies cover the rest. Prototype development is estimated at about $300 million, said an executive of a domestic company participating in the consortium.
After trials of the BMS, final production will be given to a shortlisted agency; it could take up to two years to reach production stage, said the MoD source.
"The pace at which the ambitious BMS program lying on the desk for years has taken off is significant in India's defense industry," said Nitin Mehta, a defense analyst.
Once fully developed and proved, battlefield management systems will be critical elements of the Army's network-centric warfare program and will link infantry level troops on the battlefield to the command headquarters. It will also network ground troops with the various Army command headquarters and integrate all elements in a battlegroup, providing real time tactical scenarios.
The BMS will be able to receive and transmit data, voice and images from multiple sources, including radar, cameras, laser range-finders and ground sensors, allowing the soldier on the battlefield access to real time information simultaneously with the command headquarters.
BMS Prototype

Each BMS prototype will have four variants: for the infantry battalion group, combat group (armor), combat group (mechanized infantry), and special forces group. Technologies to be included in each prototype include a geographical information system, multi-sensor data fusion system, rugged computing devices, and a software defined radio-based communication system for soldiers.
The BMS prototypes will be developed and tested in the next 40 months; a final order of 600 plus systems would then be placed for more than $5.8 billion.
A senior executive of one development agency who requested not to be named said, "The challenge in developing a BMS is not on the hardware. With Indian vendors capable of manufacturing the latest state-of-the-art electronics, hardware will not be a challenge, but the challenge will be in deploying such a system. Considering the size of the Indian Army, an efficient command-and-control system is the heart of the system and the biggest stumbling block."
In February of last year, the Indian Army issued an expression of interest to 14 domestic companies, however only two consortiums, TATA Power SED-Larsen & Toubro, and Bharat Electronics-Rolta India, qualified the bids.

http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2016/03/indian-battlefield-management-system.html

 

[tharun]

Welcome home Swati ji.

Took such a long time coming.

"SWATI" what a naming convention....who names all these things

 

[garg_bharat]

The military leaders cry hoarse about shiny new toys but forget to maintain the ones they have already.

The correct approach is to upgrade existing weapons platforms simultaneously with production of new platforms. Even USA does the same.

 

[Rushil51]

http://defence-blog.com/army/indian-army-has-ordered-825-ashok-leyland-ambulance-4x4.html

Indian Army has ordered 825 Ashok Leyland Ambulance 4×4

 

[ezsasa]

Happened to go thru janes.com after a long time, one thing I realised is that very few countries even talk about the numbers during acquisitions like we talk.

Even say a army truck, we usually talk about minimum 600+ vehicles in one tender, other countries orders are usually in double digit or max 300 or something like that.

Other countries that talk in these large numbers are US and China(obviously). But then again Chinese numbers rarely comes out.

 

[Superdefender]

Russia Offers S-400 Triumph Missile Systems For $6 Billion To India
Our Bureau
08:38 AM, April 19, 2016

Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system
Russia has formally offered its S-400 Surface-to-air missile systems for $6 billion to India.

A deal is likely to be signed within the next few weeks, the sources add. Russia could also commence delivering the S-400 missile defense system to China by the end of the year; RBTH reported quoting a senior Russian defense official as saying Monday.

“The Federal Service has prepared a draft intergovernmental agreement on the supply of the S-400 systems to India and passed it on to our partners, so we are awaiting a response,” Vladimir Drozhzhov, deputy head of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) was quoted as saying to TASS during DefExpo India exhibition in Goa last month.

Russia and India were expected to sign an agreement on the sale of the systems in December 2015 when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Moscow for an annual summit. Sources close to the situation tell RBTH that differences on the price held back the signing of an agreement.

Source Link: http://www.defenseworld.net/news/15...iumph_Missile_Systems_For__6_Billion_To_India

 

[Indx TechStyle]

After 7 Years, Indian Army Will Finally Get 50K Bulletproof Vests

Seven years ago, the Indian Army requested nearly 200,000 bulletproof jackets on an urgent basis. Their request is finally being addressed. According to an NDTVreport, action is finally being taken to provide 50,000 vests, less than half of the original demand.

A contract for Rs 125 crore, for 50,000 vests is close to being finalised with a supplier who is reportedly part of the Tata group, according to NDTV’s investigation. A complete delivery of the consignment will take place within six months, the report said.

The contract with the Tata Advanced Materials Ltd will be finalised if they are able to provide “production-grade” samples which are in keeping with the quality of the samples of the jackets they showcased during field trials, the report added.

​

It is an unpleasant surprise for the Committee that in spite of critical shortages of bullet proof jackets being highlighted... no improvement in the situation has taken place, which is alarming.
Parliamentary Committee that looks at Defence​

A bigger agreement of 1.86 lakh bullet proof jackets was unsuccessful last year, as none of the bidders were able to meet the standards as specified by the Army, said the report.

The Army has now sanctioned a new order for these jackets with clear specifications that the interested companies must submit their plans by June.

The Army wants the jackets to withstand .30 calibre armour piercing bullets. However, the 50,000 jackets being acquired urgently do not meet this benchmark and do not provide adequate protection for the soldiers deployed in the field.

Also read: Bullet-Proof Culture of Indecision: Soldiers Continue to Struggle

Though indigenous companies like Kanpur-based MKU and Tata Advanced Materials export protective gear to armed forces the world over, the needs of the Indian army are finally being looked at now, the report added.

So, again a private Co saved the hope again.

 

[garg_bharat]

We are finally getting some good news for Army. The procurement for Army was stuck for years. Now finally most stuff is moving. The remaining challenge is to streamline artillery ammunition.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Assam Regiment inducts 295 soldiers

Altogether 295 recruits of the 315 batch of the Assam Regimental Centre were inducted as soldiers of the Indian Army at an attestation parade here today.

Deputy Chief of Army Staff (P&S) Lieutenant General Subrata Saha and Colonel of the Assam Regiment & Arunachal Scouts took the salute and reviewed the parade held at the Assam Regimental Centre and congratulated the new soldiers.

The recruits took the oath to dedicate themselves to the service of the nation.

In his address to the attested young soldiers, the reviewing officer praised the virtues of selfless service to the nation and recounted the contributions of the North East and Assam Regiment towards nation building.

The parade was also graced proud parents and relatives of the passing out trainees. A large number of military dignitaries and civilian guests were also present.

Later, addressing the newly attested soldiers, Lt Gen Saha extolled thevirtues of selfless service to the nation and recounted the contributions of the northeast and Assam Regiment towards the Indian Army and nation building.

He also stressed the need of excellence through professional competence.

Swaying to the tilting tune of the Regimental song, they young soldiers erupted up in joyous cheer to mark a successful transition to valiant manhood from recruit to a soldier of Indian Army. Raised on 15 June 1941, this is the platinum jubilee year of the regiment. In its glorious history, the regiment has earned Seven Battle honours, Three Theatre honours, Nine Chief of Army Staff citations, 23 Army Commanders citations and Two United Nations citations. 55 Individual honours and awards Pre Independence and 1548 Post-Independence.

BComplementing the passing out batch for their immaculate standards, the general encouraged the warriors from the north east to persevere in pursuit of excellence.

Lt Gen Saha announced that the platinum jubilee celebrations of the regiment will be held from November 16 to 19. Colours will be presented to 16 & 17 Assam and 1 and 2 Arunachal scouts at ARC Shillong during the occasion.

 

[Rushil51]

Umm is this correct? @Kunal Biswas @Gessler

 

[cobra commando]

Army Training Women Officers for Combat Support Role at OTA Chennai

 

[ezsasa]

if we remember, Deal was announced in Oct 2014. That's around 17 months of negotiations for this..
.....
India completes price negotiation for Israeli Spike ATGMs

India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has completed price negotiations with Israel's Rafael Advanced Defence Systems for Spike anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) systems for the Indian Army for an estimated USD1 billion.

Industry sources said on 26 May that the MoD's contract negotiation committee concluded consultations to acquire 275 launchers and 5,500 Spike missiles in completed and kit form along with an undisclosed number of simulators.

The deal also includes a technology transfer to India's state-owned Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to build another 1,500 systems and around 30,000 additional missiles.

The contract for the manportable, fire-and-forget ATGMs featuring third-generation active/passive guidance systems, and a top-attack capability is likely to be confirmed before or during the visit of Israeli president Reuven Rivlin to India later this year, official sources said.

Deliveries are expected to be completed 48-60 months thereafter, while BDL will continue to licence-build the Spike for the next 20-25 years.

India's Kalyani Strategic Systems, which signed a joint venture with Rafael in February 2015, will also be involved in the Spike ATGM contract, supplying components and subassemblies from a newly erected facility in Hyderabad.

In 2009 the MoD approved the acquisition of 1,914 ATGM launchers and 37,860 missiles, including training rounds and 107 simulators, through direct imports and licensed manufacture to equip the Indian Army's 359-odd infantry battalions.

Rafael's Spike was the only ATGM to undergo user trials in 2010-11. Consequently over 50 of these guided missiles with a strike range of between 800 m and 4 km were tested and approved by the Indian Army.

The MoD has since continually deferred the Spike procurement on the grounds that it would be a single-vendor purchase, which since 2002 has largely been discouraged under successive editions of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP).

However, pressure from the army, which operates licence-built Soviet-era wire-guided 9M113 Konkurs as well as French MILAN and MILAN 2T ATGMs, fast-tracked their procurement.

http://www.janes.com/article/60741/india-completes-price-negotiation-for-israeli-spike-atgms