Indian Navy Developments & Discussions

[NSG_Blackcats]

Penguin AShM on offer for Indian Navy's Multimission Helicopter competition​

Norway's Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace is offering its Penguin littoral anti-ship missile for the Indian Navy's bid to purchase 16 multimission maritime helicopters. Among other helicopters, the missile is certified on the Eurocopter-Agusta-Fokker NH90 and the Lockheed-Sikorsky MH-60R that are contenders in the Navy's multi-role helicopter (MRH) competition.

Source - LiveFist

 

[p2prada]

Bhushan Y. Nigale,
New Thippasandra,
Bangalore 75.

This guy lives close to my place. Don't know him though.

 

[indianwarrior]

Eitam for indian navy

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has send its Gulf stream G-550-based conformal airborne early warning and control (CAEW) system (Eitam G-550) to the Aero India 2009 expo in Bangalore as part of its bid to promote the CAEWS to the Indian navy for its requirement of land based AEW&C. Indian air force have purchased Ilyushin Il-76 based Phalcon AEW&C. Request for proposals is expected in next few years. Other competitors for the deal are Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye, Ilyushin Il-76 Phalcon AEW&C, Indian DRDO EMB-145 AEW&C and Wedgetail AEW&C which is based on Boeing 737 like P-8I which were ordered by Indian navy recently.


CAEWS has been ordered by Israel and Singapore, with the first Israeli platform being delivered in February 2008 and the second following in May 2008. Singapore has ordered four such platforms that will be delivered through to 2010.


Eitam G-550 CAEWS with large arrays on the fuselage sides and uses small array at the nose and tail which operates in operates respectively in L and S bands (1GHz to 2GHz and 2GHz to 4GHz). Together, these give 360° airspace coverage without drag of a rotodome above the fuselage. Each CAEWS carries six operators with Windows-based, operator stations with 24in color monitors that are installed in the rear half of the main cabin and also has ESM antennae under the tail and wingtips, and above the nose, with a SATCOM array atop the vertical tail.


The Gulfstream G550 introduces advanced aerodynamic improvements over GV business jet with a 250 nautical miles increase in range. G550 is powered by two Rolls Royce BR710 turbofan engines rated at 15,385-lb of thrust. Taking off from New York (USA) the G550 jet spends 14 and half hours to Tokyo (Japan) flying at an altitude of 51,000-ft (15,000+ meters) high above commercial traffic, weather and adverse wind.


On August 28, 2003, the Israeli Ministry of Defense and Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation signed an accord with a potential value of $473 million for the purchase of four Gulfstream G550 business jet and two additional aircraft as option. The contract also included logistics support for 10 years at $18 million and additional 10 years at $26 million as option. These aircraft will be the first military application of G550 intended for Compact Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) by the Israeli Air Force.

Compared to the original G550, the CAEW redesigned aircraft has an increased zero-fuel weight, a modified structure, additional cabling, three (instead of one) power generators and a liquid cooling system to accommodate the mission equipment. One particular specification is the aircraft's low drag aerodynamic profile.

June 2005, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) ordered a new Compact Airborne Early Warning & Control (CAEW&C) aircraft based on the Gulfstream 550 which are developed by IAI's Elta Systems Group. The new platform, called the G-550 CAEW&C, includes phased array radar, phased array IFF, Signal Intelligence (SIGINT), and a communications system. The communications system includes a data-link and satellite communication (SATCOM) system for secure high-speed connectivity with ground stations. The G550 CAEW&C aircraft was designed to operate in network-centric environment.

The Israel Air Force G550 CAEW aircraft is the third generation of Airborne Early Warning and Control systems developed by Elta since mid-80s. Elta is a leader in radar and AEW&C technology and an international pioneer in the development and deployment of AEW&C utilizing state of art phased-phased array technology.

 

[F-14]

i think that the Glufstream package would be taken for the IAF and the E-2D Hawkeye for the navy

 

[IBRIS]

India sending Dornier aircraft to Maldives for surveillance mission

NEW DELHI: As part of the overall strategy to prevent China from further spreading its influence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), India is sending a Dornier aircraft to Maldives to help the country in maritime surveillance.

Defence ministry sources said an Indian Navy Dornier would begin its maritime reconnaissance missions from Male over the weekend. This comes in the backdrop of defence minister A K Antony's recent visit to Maldives, where he promised measures to bolster defence cooperation with Maldives.

Under the new plan, India will apparently help Maldives set up a network of ground radars in all its 26 atolls and link them with the Indian military surveillance systems.

Moreover, amid fears in Male that one of its island resorts could be taken over by terrorists, India will also provide Maldives with a couple of helicopters, as also help patrol its territorial waters with both warships and reconnaissance aircraft.

India has taken several steps to build bridges with IOR nations, which range from joint patrols with Indonesian and Sri Lankan navies and exercises with Singapore and Oman to providing seaward security for international summits in Mozambique.

Maldives, in particular, constitutes an important part of this strategy since China is making persistent moves in the region as part of its military diplomacy.

India, on its part, has always been willing to help Maldives in times of crisis. Indian paratroopers and naval warships, for instance, were rushed to Maldives in November 1988 by the Rajiv Gandhi government under Operation Cactus to thwart the coup attempt against the Abdul ***oom government.

Similarly, India had deployed two ships and four aircraft to Maldives after the killer tsunami struck in end-2004. "In April 2006, India gifted a fast attack craft INS Tillanchang to Maldives as a goodwill gesture. Apart from training, hydrographic and military assistance, our ships visit the country regularly,'' said an officer.
India sending Dornier aircraft to Maldives for surveillance mission - India - The Times of India

 

[Vladimir79]

Penguin AShM on offer for Indian Navy's Multimission Helicopter competition​

Source - LiveFist

Thanks but no thanks, I think India can build its own short ranged ASMs.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

China's 'Increasing Naval Threat' Overstated

Defense Tech: China's 'Increasing Naval Threat' Overstated

China's 'Increasing Naval Threat' Overstated

China's Navy -- officially the Peoples Liberation Army's Navy -- held an impressive naval review in the historic port city of Qingdao on 23 April, the 60th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy. By any criteria, the event was a great success. Beyond a Chinese contingent of 2 nuclear and 2 diesel-electric submarines, 5 missile destroyers, and 6 frigates, there were 21 ships representing 14 other nations at the review. The U.S. Navy's contribution to the anniversary celebration was the Aegis missile destroyer Fitzgerald (DDG 62).

By the criteria of many American newspapers and, of course, bloggers, the event revealed the increasing "threat" to Western interests from China's Navy. Indeed, a Time magazine blog showed an Associated Press (AP) photo of a Chinese warship with the caption, "A Chinese navy soldier guards on a battleship at Quingdao port..." The photo, however, shows what is probably a frigate. China does not have any battleships; nor does any other nation.

Other articles -- some citing official Chinese statements indicating that aircraft carriers will be constructed "in the future" -- tell how the Chinese Navy is about to overtake the U.S. Navy, although by which measures is usually ignored. Indeed, one AP article declares that Chinese nuclear-propelled submarines "are considered just a notch below cutting-edge U.S. and Russian craft."

Reality is quite different. First, simplistic numerical comparisons are too often misleading. But quantity does provide a quality. For example:

Nuclear aircraft carriers (CVN)
U.S. = 11 China = 0

VSTOL/helicopter carriers (LHA/LHD)
U.S. = 11 China = 0

Guided missile cruisers (CG)
U.S. = 22 China = 0

Destroyers (DDG/DD)
U.S. = 60 China = 27

Frigates (FF/FFG)
U.S. = 30 China = 48

Ballistic missile submarines (nuclear)(SSBN)
U.S. = 14 China = 3

Attack/cruiser missile submarines (nuclear)
(SSN/SSGN)
U.S. = 57 China = 6

Attack submarine (non-nuclear) (SS/SSK)
U.S. = 0 China = 55

Second, numbers alone to not convey an adequate comparison. For example, each U.S. CVN-type carrier can operate 60 or more high-performance aircraft. All U.S. cruisers and destroyers have the Aegis advanced radar/fire control system; only a few Chinese ships have the equivalent. Similarly, all U.S. cruisers and destroyers have vertical-launch systems for firing long-range Tomahawk strike (land-attack) missiles as well as surface-to-air missiles. The Chinese have no ship-launched strike weapons and their surface-to-air missiles are inferior.

Further, there is no public evidence that the Chinese SSBNs have an operational missile, and none is known to have undertaken a long-range patrol. No long-range patrols have been reported of nuclear torpedo-attack submarines (SSN), and relatively few are made by diesel-electric undersea craft.

The one category in which the Chinese Navy does pose a potential threat to the U.S. Navy -- in this writer's opinion -- is in non-nuclear submarines. The Chinese Navy has modern, Russian-built Kilo (Project 877EKM) submarines as well indigenous-built diesel-electric submarines. An Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP) submarine program is underway.

The U.S. Navy's ability to detect these craft, especially in littoral areas is limited. This was demonstrated for two years when the U.S. Navy operated against a Swedish AIP submarine, the Gotland, "loaned" for anti-submarine exercises. According to the Swedish officers, the U.S. carrier battle groups operating against the Gotland off the southern California coast invariably failed to locate the craft.

Less is publicly known about the results/lessons of several South American diesel-electric submarines that periodically exercise with the U.S. Navy.

The Chinese Navy, supported by a large, land-based air arm and land-based anti-ship missiles, could most likely deny U.S. surface and air operations off of the lengthy Chinese coast, and in the Taiwan Strait. At this time U.S. (nuclear) submarine operations in those areas appear to be feasible. Those submarines, armed with torpedoes, mobile mines, and Tomahawk missiles provide a considerable war-fighting capability.

But the most likely scenarios for a U.S.-Chinese conflict appear to be in Third World, resource-rich areas, such as Africa and South America. And today, and for the foreseeable future, the Chinese Navy cannot project meaningful political or military power to those distances. To develop such a capability would take at least a decade, and most likely longer.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Chinese-Indian naval comparision by a neutral reader

Good Evening Folks,

I think I will start off with a little clarification here, I'm not accusing any one of plagiarism but it looks like much of the story line come form a WSJ article in the April 18-19 Weekend edition titled: CHINA FRIEND OR FOE? by Andrew Browne and Gordon Fairclough. The WSJ story was a good piece and deserves credit.

Now off to where Norman gets it wrong. The Chinese are far from any kind of Naval parity with the United States, the idea that this is a decade away is absurd. I won't address all the classifications mentioned nut will break them down to three.

Carriers: China is behind both of its regional rivals India and Japan in this ares. India has had carriers mostly old British and has learned how operate these prickly vessels, India is in the process of designing and construction its own carriers, maybe a decade maybe longer, Japan has just or in the near future will launch a VTOL/helicopter carrier shortly. China is nowhere near building a conventional carrier let alone a nuclear carrier, which, just ask France, is not all that easy.

Fixed Wing Carrier Aircraft: India has become the licensed manufacturer of the Russian aero space industry and has the infrastructure and manufacturing technology to build carrier aircraft. Japan can but F-18 and F-35's from the U.S. China still hasn't been able to after over 20 years make the J-12/13 combat operational.

Blue Water surface ships: Norman give the USN credit for having 122 the WSJ says 107, I think the WSJ's number is closer. Again India has the license from Russia to build it's ship design and with in a decade I'm sure India will be producing 5-8K ton surface combat ship based on modified and vastly improved russian design. Japan is already building it's own version of the Burkes. China although they have according to Normans article 75 surface combat ship, they are suited only for costal patrolling and shaking up Taiwan every few years by firing a missile or two.

Submarines: China has a fleet of 61 attack subs of which 55 are diesel powered Russian K models and 6 nuclear. India is n the process of buying two new Russian nuclear boats for $2 billion and has made no secret out of the fact that these will be the training vessels for an India built nuclear fleet to include SSBN's. The Russian are objecting but they need the cash. Japan already build a very good diesel sub and will be the first Asian country to develop AIP or Hydrogen (German U-212) powered subs. Meanwhile Chinas nuclear subs are cosidered to non seaworthy and are pie queens. Their boomers are in the same shape with their two newest the Type 094 Jen class station on Hainan Island in sea caves. Makes no difference anyway they have no missiles. The old JL-1 was a liquid fuel desaster, see destruction of one of the Xia class SSBN's in 1985. It's replace the JL-2 has been in the making for two decades and is still no where ready for testing. The Chinese are looking to but from the Russians some SLCM's for the Jen's.

Finally pictures are worth a 1000 words: With the WSJ article their is two pictures worth noticing. First is one the title page and it show what appears to be Chinese patrol boat and twin barrel AA gun, most likely belt fed 23mm. The punch line here is that such a weapon has not been on a USN ship since WWII. Any AA gun chores is to be done by the 20mm automatic Phalanx system. The second picture shows Chines Special Forces, carrying out a drill on a destroyer, they are armed with Type 090's rifles but no night vision equipment, no personal communication and most telling no optical sights on any of the rifles.

Clearly China is nowhere near being any threat to the United States nor it region. As for land forces a demonstration was conducted earlier this years and even the Chinese Generals gave it a grade of F. There was insufficient air and ground transport to move the troops and a non functioning supply system.

The U.S. meanwhile is moving ahead. The current budget gets rid of or ends many Naval projects that are eating up funds. The DD 1000, all 3 will be made in Bath not in the Hillbilly Ship Yards of the Gulf of Mexico that has been having huge quality problems since Kartina, bids are going out to start designing the next generation of both attack and missile submarines, the Ford looks to be like the Enterprise and one ship class and a post CVN 68 Class carrier will be the next one ordered and if anyone listened to the 17 April talk by Sec. Gates at Newport RI the Navy is moving into the 21st. Century.

To put a date when China may catch up, oh how about 2110, catch me later on that.

ALLONS,
Byron Skinner

Posted by: Byron Skinner at April 27, 2009 10:29 PM

 

[Arun]

India Mulls Land-Based E-2D
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

India Mulls Land-Based E-2D IDRW.ORG

The Indian navy is reevaluating the design of its future aircraft carriers and showing interest in the U.S. Navy’s Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (Emals), which is in development by General Atomics.

Emals uses a linear motor drive instead of steam pistons to accelerate aircraft for takeoff. India uses short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (Stovl) Sea Harriers from its current carrier, the INS Viraat, which is near retirement. The navy has been waiting some time for the refurbished Russian carrier Admiral Gorshkov, now due for delivery in 2012, and is working with Fincantieri of Italy on two carriers.

“When catapult technology improves, we are looking at building conventional carriers with electric rather than steam catapults,” former Chief of Naval Staff Adm. Sureesh Mehta tells DTI. With more than 7,500 km. (4,660 mi.) of coastline to patrol, experts say India needs at least five carriers.

For near-term patrol and force-projection needs, India is evaluating the Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. Discussions are underway following export authorization in August by the U.S. government to Northrop Grumman covering the latest version of the E-2.

India has a requirement for six E2Ds, which it hopes to use in surveillance sorties and antiterrorism patrols.

John Beaulieu, E-2 new business manager for the U.S. Navy, made an 8-hr. presentation in August to Indian navy officials who requested technical clarifications following a request for information in 2008. Northrop Grumman has been asked to supply a shore-based version of the E-2D, since India’s carrier-based naval aircraft are not catapult-launched.

Shore-based operations may be the only way to go for the E-2D, as the navy has no carrier besides the Viraat. Sixteen MiG-29K fighters on order will equip the Gorshkov, which, when it arrives, will accommodate ski-jump takeoffs and arrested landings.

During his term as chief of staff, Mehta said the navy needed a robust overhead surveillance capability. India seems to be following the U.S. Navy’s approach by ordering the Boeing P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft to replace aging Tupolev Tu-142M turboprops.

India has also been interested for years in an aircraft that provides airborne early warning and battle management command and control. The E-2D, fitted with Lockheed Martin’s AN/APY-9 radar, would increase the territory India monitors by 300%.

Critics say the E-2 has low endurance, a cramped cabin, is expensive to operate and designed primarily for communication gear that is unique to the U.S. Navy. “We have addressed the extended fuel range to give 8 hr. of flight time,” says Beaulieu. “The only similarity to the E-2C and the E-2D is the shadow it casts on the tarmac.”

Northrop Grumman has, moreover, signed a memorandum of understanding with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. to develop a “wet wing” that holds additional fuel and permits the aircraft to fly for 8 hr.

“The E-2D is designed for maritime operations and [its radar] has a unique capability against air and surface targets,” says Beaulieu. A detailed life-cycle analysis calculated on flight hours using an E-2C indicates a cost of less than $3,000 per flight, he adds.

The interoperability of the E-2D with the U.S. Navy and NATO through data links is another advantage. “Interoperability is a very important aspect. It’s fine to have this airborne early warning system up in the air, but if you cannot communicate with not only our forces, but our allies around the world, it doesn’t do us, or [India], much good,” Beaulieu says. “If India desires to be interoperable with the U.S. Navy and NATO through data link systems, this is the platform of choice.”

The U.S. Navy wants Emals to replace large and heavy steam catapults. The trend toward heavier, faster aircraft will result in launch-energy requirements that exceed the capability of steam catapults. While the U.S. design might be too big for India, the launch stroke can be reduced and power supplies are modular. Electrical power would need to be added to a carrier with Emals, but high-energy-density flywheels will replace the low energy density of a steam accumulator.

 

[venom]

Very revolutionary Russian submarine will keep peace near US borders

In September 2007 a little Russian non-commercial newspaper from N-Novgorod made a row when published information about a previously unknown submarine project. In this news was noted that 'Sarov' submarine is finished its building in Severodvinsk (White Sea). Even the name of its commander, captain Sergey Kroshkin, became known to public. The basic specs of this submarine were also published there. The displacement – 2,300/3,950 t, dimension 72.6 x 9.9 m, deepness – 300 m, draught – 7 m, speed 10/17 knots, autonomy – 45 days. No people was disciplined for this seemingly severe leakage. So, the supposition says it could be an 'intended leakage' of information, kind of peaceful Russian gesture for putting pressure on hawkish Bush administration.



Three months after, the press-office of 'Sevmash' nuclear submarine plant confirmed a new submarine existence and its name - Project 20120, B-90 'Sarov'. The developer of its power plant is seemingly Afrikantov-OKBM design bureau, which is the leading Russian design house for submarine reactor building. TsKB 'Rubin' – is the developer of the submarine itself. As some reliable Russian sources said, the novelty of 'Sarov' is its super-compact power plant, working on nuclear fission energy, but without classic chain reaction. It allows to make a conventional size submarine with capabilities of nuclear one. The current characteristics are classified however, but in the late 80th the first testbed submarine with 600 kW VAU-6 auxiliary nuclear powerplant achieved 7,000 miles continuous submerged range at economic speed of 4 knots.

Early, in February 2007, another newspaper from the same city N-Novgorod published an information about a new compact nuclear powerplant for submarines. This powerplant was manufactured in 2006. Such a powerplant can be installed in Kilo/Lada size diesel-electric submarines without a big change in the frame. The name of this powerplant is KTP-7i 'Phoenix'. The name of the whole project is 'Kalitka'. In December 2007 the submarine touched the water and in August 2008 it started service in Russian Navy as a testbed for a new powerplant and weapons.

This article (look the pics) is about a possibility to use such type of submarines for different peacekeeping purposes near US shores. As a variant, it could be equipped with an intermediate or short-range ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads.

Defunct Humanity: Very revolutionary Russian submarine will keep peace near US borders

 

[RPK]

Former Navy Chief Mehta is New Envoy to New Zealand

news.outlookindia.com | Former Navy Chief Mehta is New Envoy to New Zealand

In a surprise development, India today named former Naval Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta as its new High Commissioner to New Zealand.

The appointment of 62-year-old Mehta comes within six weeks of his retirement from the Navy.

He is possibly the first retired Naval Chief to be appointed as an Indian envoy.

Mehta is expected to take up his assignment shortly, External Affairs Ministry said.

Earlier, the other Defence chiefs who served as Indian envoys were Field Marshal K M Cariappa and Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Cariappa was High Commissioner to Australia and New Zealand in the 1950s while Arjan Singh had served as envoy to Switzerland.

Mehta served as Chief of the Indian Navy from 31 October 2006 until 31 August 2009.

The first service chief from India's armed forces to be born post the Indian Independence, Mehta joined the Fleet Air Arm of the Indian Navy, where he flew the Hawker Sea Hawk off the aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.

He served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C) of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) from 30 September 2005 till his appointment as the Naval Chief.

He was appointed as the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) on 28 September 2007.

 

[youngindian]

India to strengthen maritime security: Antony

October 22nd, 2009

New Delhi, Oct 22 (IANS) Defence Minister A.K. Antony Thursday said India will beef up its maritime security to tackle any threat and an adviser on the matter will be appointed soon.
Antony said the Indian Navy is already looking after overall maritime security under the new maritime security plan.

“They (the navy) are in a better position” to deal with it, the defence minister told reporters on the sidelines of the four-day Navy Commanders Conference that began here.

Antony said: “Things are moving in right direction to appoint a maritime security adviser.”

“There is no issue at all,” he said, when asked if the government was facing any hiccup in appointing the adviser.

He said every coastal state in India will have a marine wing of its police and the states have already began establishing the force.

“Marine wing is a new concept. We will discuss how to strengthen it,” he said.

India is keen to beef up its coastal security in the wake of the Nov 26-29, 2008, attacks at key spots in Mumbai. Ten terrorists from Pakistan entered the city using the sea route. The mayhem, which claimed more than 170 lives, has put the focus on strengthening maritime security.

After the attack, multiple security agencies like the coastal police, Coast Guard and the navy were blamed.

India shares its maritime boundaries with seven countries. The Indian coastline extends to over 7,500 km making it the 15th longest in the world.

India to strengthen maritime security: Antony

 

[RPK]

Maritime Security Adviser to be appointed soon: Antony

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/31793/maritime-security-adviser-appointed-soon.html

Defence Minister A K Antony today indicated that the government will soon create the post of Maritime Security Adviser (MSA) and advocated strengthening of marine police wing in all coastal states to prevent Mumbai-type terror attacks.


"We are moving in the right direction. I am personally monitoring it. So are the Cabinet Secretary and Home Ministry. All of us are jointly doing it," Antony said when asked about delays in appointing a MSA.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Navy Commanders Conference that kicked off here, Antony said Marine Police was a new concept and all the Coastal States should a separate marine police wing.

"All coastal states should strengthen the marine police. The Navy and Coast Guard will provide them training. It is a new force and they need all support," he said.

He pointed out that the Navy Commanders Conference had discussed the maritime security issues and the coordination among various seafaring departments and enforcement agencies.
On Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's warning of a possible terror threat, the Defence Minister said the former got information from various sources on security challenges the nation faced and that his observation was based on those intelligence inputs.

Antony said the armed forces regularly reviewed their preparedness and the government had given support to strengthening the military whenever needed.

"Our armed forces are ever ready to meet challenges to national security. With regard to the Navy, they are now in the process of equipping themselves. They are in a better position now to meet the challenges (of coastal security)," he said, assuring that the Navy had made all arrangements to meet the challenges from any quarters.

The Navy Commanders, led by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma, will over the next four days review the coastal security issues in the backdrop of the 26/11 terror attacks, its procurement process and modernisation, apart from issues relating to personnel management and welfare.

 

[ppgj]

marine police as it stands now(drawn from state police forces) is no way capable of doing the job at hand. they are poorly trained and that too in a very civilian way whereas the job needs not just patrolling but commando tactics in times of need.
it would be nice if a separate central agency takes shape under the aegis of MHA or MOD, which is trained like a paramilitary force for marine operations.

 

[ironman]

Navy to get Dedicated Communication Satellite Next Year

Navy to get Dedicated Communication Satellite Next Year​

New Delhi | Oct 22, 2009

Navy will get a dedicated satellite for making its communication robust and secure and to also propel its network-centric operations and connectivity at sea, Defence Minister A K Antony said today.

"The Navy's efforts towards network centric operations and leveraging information technology are laudable. The launch of the Naval Communication Satellite next year will significantly improve connectivity at sea," Antony said, inaugurating the the Navy Senior Officers Conference here.

The satellite, being built by ISRO, would be on a geo-stationary orbit and would provide an overview of about 600 to 1,000 nautical miles of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), which India considers to be its primary area of responsibility in terms of maritime security.

"The new satellite, which will primarily provide for communication among naval stations and platforms at sea, is expected to transform the entire maritime domain awareness of the Navy," a Navy officer said, when asked about the satellite's capabilities.

At present, Navy depends on foreign satellites for providing data. Once the geo-stationary satellite is put in orbit by ISRO, it will provide a secure, independent data link and network-centric operations capability for the Navy.

Under the Defence Ministry plans for space-based military assets, Navy would get its dedicated communication satellite first, followed by the Air Force and the Army.

"US Navy, in fact, has capabilities to track underwater targets too using its satellites. We are not looking at that kind of a capability at present. We only want a secure communication network, as it is easy to intercept high frequency radio communications which Naval ships like to avoid," the Navy officer said.

On the need for a dedicated communication satellite, the officer said the Navy was not getting data of the kind the ISRO-built satellite would provide in the future.

"At present, we have to depend on polar satellite from foreign sources. That presents it own kind of problems of dependability. Hence, we need a satellite of our own," the officer added.

Antony also told the conference that the Navy must double its efforts towards synergising the widely dispersed intellectual capital available in the country from academia, research and development organisations and industry.

"Such a synergy would be the right step towards achieving self-reliance in areas where key technologies are being used," he added.

 

[tarunraju]

Now that is a step in the right direction. Our civilian space program should adjust itself with a credible military space program. Dedicated comsats apart, investments should also be made to upgrade, expand the RiSAT series.

 

[Sridhar]

Navy to have satellite over Indian Ocean



Navy to have satellite over Indian Ocean

 

[RPK]

Thoothukudi to take off as defence hub

THOOTHUKUDI: The proposed Indian Coast Guard (ICG) air station in Thoothukudi has all the potential to catapult it into the elite group of defence hubs in the country.


Presently, ICG and Naval aircraft in this stretch of Tamil Nadu use air bases at Ramanathapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Coimbatore, Kochi and Chennai. Once the project here is completed, ICG aircraft would be able to use the air station here as a key base because this coastal stretch is considered strategically important. It is believed that the proposed air station would give an edge to the ICG in south. Sources said that talks were already on to set up the air station near the Thoothukudi airport. Once it is operational, it would become the second ICG air station in TN.

 

[sandeepdg]

The IA and the IAF will also be getting their own commsats in 2011-2012......

 

[sandeepdg]

Aren't we buying anymore of the Phalcon AWACS other than the 3 already purchased ??