Indian Navy Developments & Discussions

[Sridhar]

Taste of Portsmouth for sailors of India
Published Date:
18 June 2009
By Matt Jackson
Defence correspondent
Hundreds of Indian sailors got their first taste of Portsmouth when they arrived in the city on a European tour.
Indian destroyer INS Delhi and frigates INS Beas and INS Brahmaputra are berthed at the naval base ahead of a six-day exercise off the south coast.

On Saturday the visiting crew will work with the Royal Navy to share tips and expertise on tackling piracy and terrorism.

But before the hard part they are taking time to see the sights. The visitors loved a trip to the Spinnaker Tower and were all excited about seeing the dockyard.

The man in charge of India's western fleet, Rear Admiral Surinder Cheema, said his group had been impressed with their welcome.

He said: 'We have completed a joint exercise with the Royal Navy since 2004 in Indian waters, and we are excited to be here in the UK.

'We have had a very warm welcome in Portsmouth, and we hope to profit as much as possible from this experience.'

Piping aboard the dignitaries yesterday were Seaman 1st class Alex Vinoth Arul, 22, and Leading seaman Sudhir Kumar, 24.

They said they had never left India before.

Mr Kumar said: 'This is my first visit to any country other than home – it's very exciting.'

Greeting the Indian party was Commodore Simon Ancona. He will lead the Portsmouth frigate HMS Westminster, the frigate HMS Northumberland, a nuclear submarine, support ships and a patrol plane in Exercise Konkan.

He said: 'We have an incredibly relaxed relationship with the Indian Navy, partly because of our history and partly because of our ongoing common focus.

'We are both maritime nations who look over the horizon, we can share our knowledge of coastal security, keeping sea lanes open and tackling piracy.

'In many ways the Indian Navy has kept our traditions going better than we have, such is their commitment to etiquette and custom.'

Working on deck, Petty Officer Shailesh Kumar said he was impressed with the Spinnaker Tower.

He said: 'It is fantastic, I would love to go up the top and see the view.'

Taste of Portsmouth for sailors of India - Portsmouth Today

 

[youngindian]

India's Defense Modernization Highlights Naval Designs

WPR Article | India's Defense Modernization Highlights Naval Designs






NEW DELHI -- Most of the attention given to India's big defense modernization program, valued at more than $50 billion, has focused on the $11-billion fighter jet contract that New Delhi is looking to sign. However, concerned by the threat from the seas, especially in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks in November, India has been looking to build its naval strength as well.

In a recent move, the federal government has also designated the Indian navy as the nodal authority responsible for overall maritime security, which includes coastal and offshore security.

Last week, India approved its biggest-ever domestic defense contract, valued at more than $9 billion, to produce seven advanced stealth frigates for the navy at shipyards in Kolkata and Mumbai. With the P17A warship project now cleared by New Delhi, the Indian navy is further gearing to bring in 40 new warships over the next three five-year plans. The government plans to invest more than $12 billion over the next 10 years on warships.

Rear Adm. Sudhir Pillai also said that in the next decade, 400 new aircraft will be inducted into the Indian navy fleet, including the advanced P8I maritime patrol aircraft manufactured by the U.S. aerospace contractor, Boeing. Pillai said that India would be the first country to acquire the Boeing P8I maritime patrol aircraft in a $2.2 billion deal, providing the Indian navy an edge in the Indian Ocean region and enabling it to operate a platform alongside the U.S. Navy.

Indeed, New Delhi believes that the navy will have to play a major role in the coastal areas to pre-empt attacks similar those in Mumbai last year.

To ensure that the sea-security assets are optimally deployed, there must also be synergy between organizations manning the sea, with the navy now designated to command all joint operations. The navy will be assisted by coast guard, state marine police and other government agencies for the coastal defense of the nation. The Indian coast guard has additionally been designated as the authority responsible for coastal security in territorial waters, including areas to be patrolled by the coastal police.

The anti-terror role of the navy will be enhanced with the establishment of a specialized force to protect naval assets and bases on the west and east coasts, as well as the island territories. Further, all coastal states will be provided with nearly 200 high-speed interceptor boats in the next two to three years. The boats are to be initially imported from Greece and subsequently prototyped indigenously.

Earlier this year India had said that its project to build three nuclear-powered submarines is nearing completion. "Things are in the final stage now in the ATV (advanced technology vessel) project. There were bottlenecks earlier. . . . They are over now," Defense Minister A K Antony has said.

The project is part of India's $3-billion plan to build five submarines and complete the triad of nuclear-weapon launch capability from air, land and sea platforms. The submarine strike capacity would complement India's land-based nuclear delivery platforms via ballistic missiles, such as the Prithvi and Agni.

Given the huge volumes of oil movement between the Persian Gulf and Malacca Straits towards North Asia, the Indian navy is looking to possess a long-range nuclear platform on the eastern and western seaboards, with adequate strike capability. Concomitantly, India is developing submarine-launched ballistic missiles which can be nuclear-tipped if required.

India has developed a submarine-launched supersonic missile with a modification of the BrahMos cruise missiles. Such a capability has to date been limited to advanced nations such as U.S., France and Russia. Ship- and land-launched versions of the BrahMos are being inducted in the navy and army. The state-controlled Defense Research and Development Organization is also undertaking a joint development project with Israel Aerospace Industries for a surface-to-air missile to be deployed from both land and ship.

 

[Sridhar]

Mighty dragon in the sea
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Thomas Mathew
June 23, 2009
First Published: 21:39 IST(23/6/2009)
Last Updated: 21:45 IST(23/6/2009)



Print



Sixty years ago, on April 23, defections from Chiang Kai-shek’s navy gave the People’s Republic of China its first naval vessels. This event was commemorated in April this year at Qingdao in an impressive display showcasing the expanding naval prowess of a nation predicted to be the largest economy in the world by about the middle of the 21st century.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chinese President, Hu Jintao, assured a world wary of his nation’s growing military power that the Chinese Navy’s objective is to safeguard “world peace”. The carefully chosen theme of the celebrations, ‘harmonious ocean’, provided the right setting. The President’s words that China’s armed forces will “never be a threat to other nations” were carefully calibrated to convey the message that none has to fear from the ‘peaceful’ rise of China.

Not many were convinced though. As the US report on the ‘Military Power of the People’s Republic of China, 2009’ states: ‘Much uncertainty surrounds China’s future course, particularly regarding how its expanding military power would be used.’

Riding high on defence budgets that have seen double-digit growth in the last two decades, the Chinese Navy has swelled to 860 vessels. Its defence budget has become the second largest after the US. With such increasing outlays that are estimated to be two to three times the official figures, the US intelligence agencies have forecasted that the Chinese Navy could grow to be the largest within a decade.

Every nation has the right to acquire weapons and platforms to protect its legitimate security interests. But there is a lack of nexus between China’s declared peaceful intentions and its deeds. The Chinese Navy lends credence to this fear by its aggressive manoeuvres at sea. In March 2009, Chinese ships and aircraft harassed the US surveillance ship Impeccable near the Hainan Island — the home of China’s new underground facilities with caves to hide submarines from prying satellites. The US had to dispatch a destroyer to escort the harassed ship. Its embassy in Beijing lodged a protest with the Chinese government. But in May, another US ship — Victorious — was harassed in the Yellow Sea by Chinese vessels.

While China may have an ostensible reason to oppose the US for supporting Taiwan, what can the growing Chinese Navy portend for India? Despite declarations of friendly ties between the two nations, there is a hidden distrust for each other. India and China have land disputes and Beijing is unrelenting in its claim of Arunachal Pradesh. The latest blocking of the Asian Development Bank’s assistance to India is yet another reminder that China would loath to miss an opportunity to oppose India.

China would not evidently countenance a competitor in India. New Delhi would, therefore, have to guard against the dragon in the water. India is critically dependent on the Sea Lines of Communication for economic growth and energy needs. India would also have to build a stronger navy to prepare for the impending competition for natural resources. Unfortunately, it may already be getting too late for India.

First, China has quietly obtained a string of naval facilities around India, called the ‘string of pearls’. These could enable the Chinese Navy to project power further away from its shores. Second, the pace at with China is augmenting its naval power doesn’t augur well for India. For instance, the phenomenal growth in submarines is worrisome. While the Chinese have commissioned more than three submarines, on an average, every year since 1995, India’s submarine level has decreased since 1999. All its submarines are old and, as the Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s report 2008 has pointed out, more than 50 per cent of them have completed 75 per cent of their operational life. Some have already outlived theirs.

Third, when China acquires multiple carriers, a plan it is pursuing diligently, it could signal a quantum jump in its capability to project power. In contrast, India’s lone aircraft carrier — INS Viraat — is on perpetual life extensions and requires upgrades to keep her afloat. India’s indigenous carrier, being built at the Cochin Shipyard, may not be available to the Navy before 2015 and the carrier, Admiral Gorshkov, from Russia, is embroiled in a price war. India needs multiple carriers. The navy should establish a dedicated yard at Cochin, the only facility in India capable of building large ships and which is ideally located, opposite to the naval base in Cochin.

The Chinese threat is for real, as Admiral Arun Prakash, former Chief of the Indian Navy said, “The Chinese Defence Minister, Liang Guanglie, has announced that a class of 4-6 Chinese aircraft carriers is on the way...It is time for India to shed her blinkers and prepare to counter PLA Navy’s impending power-play in the Indian Ocean”.

Therefore, India has to allocate more for defence, particularly for the navy, and put in place an acquisition organisation to give the armed forces the teeth they require. India cannot drift into a slumber on remixes of ‘Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai’. Having learnt a bitter lesson in 1962, it bears repeating that it would be unwise to be militarily unprepared when it comes to China.

Thomas Mathew is Deputy Director-General, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi.

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[youngindian]

Rs 27 crore compensation for 1941 missile base

Rs 27 crore compensation for 1941 missile base - Mumbai - Cities - The Times of India



25 Jun 2009, 0032 hrs IST, Shibu Thomas, TNN
MUMBAI: Sixty-eight years after the British government took over two private plots for a missile coast battery base at Worli for the city's
defence during World War II, the owners of the land may finally be compensated. The Bombay High Court recently ordered the Union government to pay the necessary compensation along with interest to the Advani family—residents of Bhulabhai Desai Road—within three months. In 1995, the government had decided the amount was more than Rs 27 crore.

Missile Coast Battery is an Indian Navy unit set up at Worli Hill to counter a threat from the sea. Earlier, this unit, which is of strategic importance to the city's defence, had guns mounted on machinery to neutralize any enemy ships that attempted to approach the coast. Today it has missile launchers.

In 1941, the Governor General in Council signed a lease deed for the land at Worli Hill—spread over 3,145 square yards—with the original owner, E S Marker. As per the lease, the property and an adjoining parcel of land were let out to the defence forces during the period of World War II and six months thereafter. Subsequently, the land was sold to the Advanis. The present owners of the land are Leela, Anil and Aruna Advani.

In 1995, the government issued a notification acquiring the land. The land acquisition officer computed a compensation of Rs 27.87 crore to the owners of the land. Four years later, in 1999, the authorities said they were withdrawing from the land acquisition. The Advani family then went to court.

Advocate A V Anturkar, counsel for the petitioners, pointed out that a similar legal controversy had arisen over the adjoining piece of land. The court had then ruled that since the government was always in possession of the land, it could not withdraw from acquisition proceedings. The high court agreed. "Since the award is common in both cases, the stand taken by the government is highly unjust," said the division bench of Justice P B Majumdar and Justice R M Savant.

"It is not expected of the Union of India to compel a litigant to approach this court even though the point (that the government cannot withdraw from acquisition proceedings if the land is already in its possession) has already been decided earlier. The (government) cannot discriminate between citizens."

On a request by the counsel for the Union government, the high court stayed its order for two months. This will give the government a chance to file an appeal, if it so wishes, before mid-August.

 

[nitesh]

Navy gets nod to court martial officer

 

[nitesh]

India to build 7 stealth frigates worth $9 billion

09:17 GMT, June 24, 2009 As India Defence Online reported today, India will pump in $9 billion to manufacture seven advanced stealth frigates for the Indian Navy at shipyards in Kolkata and Mumbai. Being one of the landmark indigenous defence deals, this ambitious project called the P17 A warship project will give India its most advanced stealth frigates. The project has been cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC).

Interestingly, the Indian Navy had issued a Request for Information (RFI) in 2007 to international ship manufacturers including French DCNS, Italian Fincantieri, American firms Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman besides shipyards in Russia and Korea to manufacture the frigates. However, the two Indian shipyards, namely Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai (MDL) and the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, insisted that t all the frigates could be manufactured indigenously and there was no need to outsource the warships.

DAC has clearly ruled out the possibility of any foreign manufacturer and the indigenously designed P-17 A frigates will be manufactured in Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai (MDL) and the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. The P17A frigates will be even more advanced than the P17 Shivalik class warships that are currently being inducted by the Indian Navy.

It may be noted that the P-17 A warship project will apply modular manufacturing. The frigates will be put together using 300-ton blocks that will be fitted together, similar to the construction style used to manufacture the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) in Kochi.

According to the Defence Ministry, the frigates are expected to be inducted by 2021. The project is expected to start by 2011 when both GRSE and MDL complete an upgrade which will enable them to start modular construction and the first frigate will roll out approximately four years after the project work is initiated.

 

[Singh]

Nirmal Verma named Indian Navy chief

Nirmal Verma named Indian Navy chief​

Vice Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, the chief of the Eastern Naval Command, will be the next Indian Navy chief, it was announced in New Delhi on Saturday.

He will take over from incumbent Admiral Sureesh Mehta, who retires August 31.

Verma was commissioned on July 1, 1970 into the Executive Branch of the navy. During his long and distinguished service, he has served in a variety of command, staff and instructional appointments.

His sea command includes Leander class frigate INS Udaigiri, guided missile destroyer INS Ranvir and the aircraft carrier INS Viraat.

Before taking over as Eastern Naval Command chief he was the vice chief of naval staff.

Verma is an alumnus of the Royal Naval Staff College and the US Naval War College. He has instructional experience at the National Defence College as senior directing staff and at the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington. He also commanded the Naval Academy at Goa.

Verma is a recipient of the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) and Ati Vishisht Seva Medal (AVSM) for his distinguished service.

Nirmal Verma named Indian Navy chief- Hindustan Times

 

[youngindian]

Russia to take part in Indian diesel submarine tender

Russia to take part in Indian diesel submarine tender | Top Russian news and analysis online | 'RIA Novosti' newswire


ST. PETERSBURG, June 26 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will participate in an expected tender to supply diesel-electric submarines to the Indian navy, the Russian state arms exporter said on Friday.

"We will offer India an export version of the Lada class diesel submarine - the Amur class vessel. We will take part in the Indian tender when it is announced with these submarines or vessels of another class," said Oleg Azizov, head of Rosoboronexport's delegation at the International Maritime Defense Show 2009 in St. Petersburg.

"We have a bilateral cooperation agreement [in the military-technical sphere] until 2020, which includes the possibility of supplying submarines to this country," Azizov added.

The Project-677, or Lada class, diesel submarine, whose export version is known as the Amur 1650, features a new anti-sonar coating for its hull, an extended cruising range, and advanced anti-ship and anti-submarine weaponry, including the Club-S integrated cruise missile systems.

Azizov also said Vietnam and Egypt were studying the possibility of buying Russian Project 636 Kilo class diesel submarines.

"Vietnam is still studying various possibilities for the development of its submarine fleet. If they choose Project 636 submarines, offered by Russia, we will start talks on the issue," the official said, adding that the same approach applied to Egypt.

The Project 636 Kilo class submarine is thought to be one of the most silent submarine classes in the world. It has been specifically designed for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in relatively shallow waters.

Russia has built Kilo class submarines for India, China and Iran.

Azizov earlier said Russia could sell up to 40 fourth-generation diesel-electric submarines to foreign customers by 2015.

 

[nitesh]

Russia will deliver 3 frigates as per "contract deadline"

 

[nitesh]

MOU signed between PHHL & Indian Navy

 

[Daredevil]

Russia to offer Amur Class subs for Indian Navy's next submarine tender

Russia to offer Amur Class subs for Indian Navy's next submarine tender

29 June 2009
St. Petersburg: Russia will participate in an open tender for the supply of next-generation diesel-electric submarines to the Indian Navy, according to a senior official of the Russian state arms export agency.

"We will offer India an export version of the Lada class diesel submarine - the Amur class vessel. We will take part in the Indian tender when it is announced with these submarines or vessels of another class," said Oleg Azizov, who is leading Rosoboronexport's delegation at the International Maritime Defense Show 2009 in St. Petersburg.

"We have a bilateral cooperation agreement [in the military-technical sphere] until 2020, which includes the possibility of supplying submarines to this country," Azizov added.

Amur Class

The Project-677, or Lada class, diesel submarine, whose export version is known as the Amur 1650, amongst other things, features a new anti-sonar coating for its hull, an extended cruising range, and advanced anti-ship and anti-submarine weaponry, including the Klub-S integrated cruise missile systems.

The project's general designer Yuri Kormilitsin has said: "The submarine has been conceived as a kind of an underwater sea hunter, capable of destroying any target surface naval ships, transport vessels, or submarines using torpedoes, missiles, mines and also with the help of frogmen."

The use of state-of-the-art acoustic protection systems and original engineering innovations on Amur-class submarines will make them several times quieter than the earlier Project 877 Kilo-class submarines, a number of which currently serve with the Indian Navy.

 

[Rage]

United States Offers India a Lease on 12 Surveilance Helicopters for Coastal Security

United States Offers India to Lease 12 Surveillance Helicopters

Dated 29/6/2009


In the midst of the Indian Defence Ministry scurrying for aerial surveillance aircraft, speedboats and vessels for coastal security, the U.S. has offered 12 helicopters on lease to India for more effective surveillance of the Indian coastline, according to India Defence Online.


While India is ruminating over the U.S. offer, it will be the first time it will be leasing aircraft from U.S for defence purposes. It may be noted that the Indian Coastguard is undergoing a shortage of helicopters, especially the twin-engine helicopters. The U.S has reportedly offered Sikorsky and Augusta Westland helicopters to India.


Since coastline security framework is top priority for India, the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has been asked to deliver 12 Dornier aircraft to Coast Guard at the earliest. India has also requested private players to make offers for helicopters and other surveillance aircraft.


http://www.india-defence.com/reports-4474

 

[Vladimir79]

Russia will participate in the Indian tender for the purchase of submarines

11:48 26/06/2009

St. Petersburg, June 26 - RIA Novosti. Russia will participate in the Indian tender for the purchase of submarines, told journalists on Friday in St. Petersburg, the head of the delegation of "Rosoboronexport" at the naval salon Oleg Azizov.

"We will offer India's diesel-electric submarine" Amur "after completion of testing the same type submarine of the type" Lada ". We will be with these boats, or another project to participate in the Indian tender, when it is declared" - said Azizov.

According to him, India is a strategic partner of Russia.

"We have a bilateral cooperation program until 2020, which defines the possibility of supply in this country of submarines," - said the representative of "Rosoboronexport".

Source: RIA Novosti

 

[slug55]

India would be foolish to purchase these. They already have the Scorpene line going why not have DCN propose an upgraded version of the Scorpene for this Tender. Same money and Logistics.

 

[slug55]

Is this an interim option till the P-8's arrive?

 

[Daredevil]

Navy to network-target test Derby AAM

Navy to network-target test Derby AAM

LiveFist 7/7/09 4:12 PM Shiv Aroor

As part of the Limited Upgrade Sea Harrier (LUSH), the Indian Navy will shortly conduct its second live firing test of the Israeli Derby beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), a weapon system that has been integrated to the last of the Navy's Sea Harriers as part of the upgrade programme. While the first live firing of the Derby active-radar seeker missile was conducted using the aircraft's primary sensor, the next test will be from one of the Navy's upgraded Sea Harriers with its radar switched off. Guidance will be provided from another platform, either on the ground or in the air.

According to Navy sources, the LUSH programme has made the Sea Harriers fully new aircraft. The heart of the upgrade is of course the replacement of the venerable old Ferranti Blue Fox monopulse airborne intercept radar with the time-tested EL/M-2032 multimode advanced pulse doppler radar. The new radar, in the words of one of the pilots, has put the aircraft in "a different league". While sea clutter proved to be the bane of look-down missions with the Blue Fox radar (the sweep would be swamped), the Elta sensor has none of those issues.

Of the nine Sea Harriers involved in the LUSH programme, seven have been upgraded and delivered back to the Navy, while two are currently being upgraded by HAL. The INS Viraat, currently undergoing a mini-refit in Kochi, will be back in service by September-October, and will have the LUSH Harriers on board.

 

[venom]

Derby is capable but not as good as R-77.

R-77 is the standard BVR on most of IAF fighters like Mig-29,Su-30MKI.

y did the IN not consider to upgrade Harriers by R-77?

 

[p2prada]

Derby is capable but not as good as R-77.

R-77 is the standard BVR on most of IAF fighters like Mig-29,Su-30MKI.

y did the IN not consider to upgrade Harriers by R-77?

Money and time. The Sea Harriers are due for retirement anyways.

 

[indian_sukhoi]

That may be a good idea. But the big question is can the EL/M-2032 radar in Harrier Aircraft can fire a R-77?

Compare to R77 the derby missile doesnt have a good range, range is 50 km.


Does Israel Airforce use Derby or AIM-120 for BVR role?

 

[venom]

According to my knowledge EL\M-2032 can be modified to fire R-77 . It was the radar which was considered in mid 2000's as a replacement of MMR on Lca & Lca's Primary BVR is R-77 & Astra.So it should be capable of handling R-77.