Indian Navy Developments & Discussions

[nandu]

Navy chief presents Gallantry Awards to Men in White

1. Chief of Naval Staff Adm Nirmal Verma inspecting the ceremonial parade of 24 platoons at the Naval Investiture ceremony held at INS Shikra, Mumbai.( Inset) Adm Verma presenting the Naosena Medal (Gallantry).
2. Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) award winners pose for an official photo call.
3. The Chief inspecting the 50-man Guard of Honour.
4. LCdr Rohit Mishra receiving the Nao Sena Medal (Gallantry) award from the Chief. (Photo: MoD/Mumbai)

(Press Release reproduced, as it is.)
The sea formed the perfect backdrop for the men in sparkling white uniform on the occasion of the annual Naval Investiture Ceremony held at the Naval Air Station, INS Shikra at Colaba today.
The Indian Navy paid homage to the awardees of the President's Gallantry awards at a glittering ceremonial parade. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma, took the salute and conferred the awards to the recipients on behalf of the President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
The CNS was received by Vice Admiral Sanjeev Bhasin, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, and inspected an impressive 50-man Ceremonial Guard of Honour. He thereafter reviewed the parade, comprising personnel of Indian Navy as also those drawn from the Defence Security Corps.
The awardees of the Nao Sena Medal for acts of gallantry included four Marine Commandos, namely, Lieutenant Commander Rohit Mishra, Lieutenant Vikas Dahiya, Petty Officer Yaimachoul Singh and Leading Seaman Vishwanath V Bhat for Anti-Terrorist flushing out operation in Taj on 26/11, Lieutenant Vikas Dahiya and Leading Seaman Jaidev for their exceptional act of gallantry in counter insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley. The courage and fortitude of Lieutenant GB Yaduvashi and Petty Officer Sajjan Singh (Clearance Diver First Class) while engaged for Anti Piracy Operations in Gulf of Aden were also afforded public recognition.
The warships INS Ranvir and Beas and the submarine INS Sindhughosh were awarded Unit Citations for their outstanding operational performance.
The Naval Investiture Ceremony was attended by families of the award winners, Flag Officers, Commanding Officers of ships and submarines, and a large number of defence-civilian personnel and their families.

http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/2010/04/navy-chief-presents-gallantry-awards-to.html

 

[nandu]

Stealth? 6000-tonne visibility
- India's latest warship begins duty with strengths & vulnerabilities

On board the INS Shivalik, Mumbai, April 29: In the bridge of India's latest warship that sets new standards, Captain M.D. Suresh knows just how vulnerable his vessel, the INS Shivalik, is.

The Shivalik at the Mumbai dockyard on Thursday


The smell of fresh paint pervades the warship with the chapati-maker and dosa-maker that will make life more comfortable for Shivalik's crew.

From today, the INS Shivalik is on 24-hour standby to go to war (if called for). It is mounted with equipment and components that are to be standard figments in all class of warships for the Indian Navy for the next half century.

Yet, she is there for the enemy to take out if detected.

For all the talk of "stealth" about the INS Shivalik that was commissioned this morning, the warship's first commanding officer said: "We are not invisible, understand? We can't be; this is a floating mass of steel, 6,000 tonnes in weight".

In military jargon, "stealth" implies a class of technology that renders weapon-platforms — ships, tanks, aircraft — difficult to detect.

A gun mounted on the Shivalik.

But so much for war machines: new as they come with ever-greater capabilities, those who man them always feel vulnerable.

So it is with this frigate — a type of warship that compromises a little on firepower compared to the larger "destroyers" so that they can manoeuvre with greater ease.

The INS Shivalik goes one better. Despite her large size, it has "reduced" radar signature. It sails as if it were a walled-in vessel with hidden guns that cuts through the water.

"We've done 23 sea sorties with her beginning in the peak monsoon of June last year and we fired the guns in the first sortie," Suresh said.

"My word, she was so stable," he added. The makers and the sailors do not fully know the ship's capabilities even if "ships are built to take damage".

In the naval dockyard where it is moored now, the INS Shivalik is almost the size of the older and slightly larger INS Delhi. In front of it, the now-scrapped aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, and the navy's only carrier, the INS Viraat, are berthed. Also moored are corvettes, the Russian-made Talwar-class frigates, a little more than half the displacement of the Shivalik.

This is where India's maritime firepower is concentrated — the core of the western fleet in the western naval command. The Shivalik is for now unique — it is largely Indian-built.

Mazagon docks chairman-cum-managing director, Vice Admiral (retired) H.S. Malhi, said: "The steel was imported but its sonar to detect submarines and its combat management system (CMS), that is, the nerve-centre of its weapons capabilities, is wholly Indian."

In the fo'c's'le — the front part of the vessel below the deck where sailors generally live — the Shivalik has a gun mount with a stealth cupola. Like the slanted sides of the vessel itself, this too has sloping walls designed to deflect searching enemy radar waves.

Defence minister A.K. Antony posed for customary photographs under the front gun's barrel after the Shivalik was commissioned today.

Behind the cupola are two circular mounts ringed by rocket launchers. In between the two is the Shtil (Russian-origin) anti-aircraft gun, now covered by a near semi-circular cap. The Israeli-origin Barak missiles — the ship's close-in weapons system — is embedded in the deck.

"There are some features I cannot talk about," Suresh said during a guided tour of his ship. "But I can tell you that some of our biggest threats are under water — from enemy submarines — and we have emphasised reducing noise wherever possible," he added.

Suresh's own quarters are below deck. He also has an additional quarter. Should an admiral board the ship, he will move into it.

Like the wardroom, the dining hall for officers is equipped with an LCD big-screen television and speakers from one of the best-known brands in acoustics.

500 Dosas an hour

At a deck even lower — the Shivalik has eight decks — in the galley, in the sailors' kitchen and mess, the equipment is the same. The interiors and furnishings were contracted to the largest Indian companies in the business of interior designing.

On the way to the galley, Suresh turned the knob into a room that is full of computers and finds a packet of food on the floor. Two officers and four sailors are inside. "Let this be the first and the last time anyone eats outside the dining halls in the ship," Suresh said.

In the galley, the chapati-maker is placed in a linear fashion, designed to churn out 400 chapatis an hour. With so many sailors in the Indian Navy coming from chapati-eating communities, the force had to address the issue.

"We had some trouble with it," Suresh said. He assigned an engineer to look into it. The problem was the pair of automated rolling pins through which the kneaded dough was put did not flatten the bread enough. So the engineer replaced the rolling pins with a pair of flat-faced plates that clapped as the dough came through. That made the chapatis thinner and chewable.

"This ship can do about four weeks at sea without replenishment," explained Suresh. "So crew comfort and recreation is essential".

The dosa-maker in the galley turns out 500 dosas an hour. About 400 meals must be prepared in a day.

http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NEWS/newsrf.php?newsid=12833

 

[nandu]

Cruising in the Trade Winds

http://sagarparikrama.blogspot.com/2010/05/cruising-in-trade-winds.html

 

[nandu]

Indo-US Navy EOD Exercise "Spitting Cobra" Concluded Successfully

US Navy Statement: Exercise Spitting Cobra 2010 concluded successfully April 22 after two weeks of intense training and simulations between the U.S. and Indian Navy on Guam. During the exercise, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) technicians from each country's Navy worked together and learned from one another.

In its seventh year, the annual joint exercise saw interaction between Sailors of EOD Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5 and members of the Indian Navy. The service members participated in a variety of training activities, including demolition exercises, helicopter operations and hostage threat simulations.

During a day of improvised explosives training April 21, EODMU 5 Sailors instructed Indian Sailors on the construction and effects of kicker charges, which utilize water to neutralize suspected hazardous devices and materials. EODMU 5 also taught their Indian counterparts the proper use of detonation cord, timed fuses and other explosive devices. The day ended with a show of explosive force, as EODMU 5 blew an automobile to smithereens using an improvised explosive device, an event that would not usually be seen outside of a war zone.

On the final day of hands-on training, an urban hostage situation was staged. Members of the Indian Navy boarded a helicopter, flew to the hostage site and rappelled from the chopper. Once at the hostage site, an Indian Navy EOD officer diffused a simulated bomb that was strapped to the chest of a hostage.

US Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Corwin Colbert


http://livefist.blogspot.com/2010/05/indo-us-navy-eod-exercise-spitting.html

 

[Dark Sorrow]

PHOTOS: Indo-US Naval Exercise Malabar 2010

1. USS Shiloh (Ticonderoga-class cruiser)
2. INS Mysore (Delhi-class D60) with USS Chaffee (Arleigh Burke-class DDG 90) and USS Curts (Oliver Hazard Perry-class FFG 38)
3. IN-USN ships in formation

 

[bhramos]

nice pics, but look like old pics, could those be old pics...........
mainly 3rd pic...........

 

[nitesh]

http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/04/stories/2010050461170500.htm

A joint venture of Larsen and Toubro and TIDCO, the ship building yard was coming up at Kattupalli in Tiruvallur district. It would build very large cargo carriers, specialised cargo ships for liquid/gas transportation and cruise vessels, defence ships and submarines and off-shore platforms for oil/gas sectors.

It would also undertake refitting and re-engineering of commercial and defence ships and heavy engineering fabrication and components production for ship building.

 

[plugwater]

An Indian Navy Marine Commando embarks a rigid-hull inflatable boat assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82) prior to a visit, board, search and seizure exercise. Lassen is assigned to Destroyer Squadron 15 and is currently underway supporting Exercise Malabar 2010.

 

[RAM]

Elecon Engg eyes FY11 capex of Rs 70 - 100 crore

Elecon Engineering Co Ltd plans to seek board approval to spend between Rs 70 crore and Rs 100 crore on capital expenditure this financial year, Chairman and Managing Director Prayasvin Patel said on Tuesday.For FY10, the materials handling equipment and industrial gearbox maker had a capex of around 800 million rupees, he said.

Elecon will supply a gearbox system to Indian Navy's Air Defence Ship (ADS), a new aircraft carrier being built at Cochin Shipyard for the Indian Navy, Patel said.The company, jointly with Renk of Germany, had won the Rs 40 crore order two years ago, he said. "It would get despatched in a couple of months, definitely by September".The company had also developed a gearbox for Indian Navy's INS Shivalik, which was commissioned last week. Elecon Engineering also has no immediate fund-raising plans.Shares of Elecon closed 2.22% lower at Rs 77.05 a share in a weak Mumbai market, that was down 1.43%
http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/elecon-engg-eyes-fy11-capexrs-70-100-crore-_455759.html

 

[nandu]

Cross Posting

Indian Navy UAV crashes

An Israeli made unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of the Indian Navy crashed at about 7:30 PM today while on a routine mission. The accident occurred just short of the runway, as it was approaching for landing. There are no casualties or injuries. A detailed inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident. The incident happened at Kochi.

Indian Navy in January 2006, commissioned its first Unmanned Aerial Reconnaissance Squadron INAS 342 Squadron at its Southern Naval base in Kochi. The Naval UAV squadron comprises six Israel-made medium altitude Heron and high-altitude Searcher MK II UAV's.

Indian navy has not identified the type of UAV that crashed.

http://frontierindia.net/defense/indian-navy-uav-crashes

 

[RAM]

Navies of 35 nations to work out anti-piracy plan

Navies of 35 nations from the Indian Ocean Region will meet next week at Abu Dhabi to debate and chalk out an action plan for anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. The three-day meeting will be held under the aegis of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) initiative of the Indian Navy. The IONS-2010, the second conclave of the Navy Chiefs of nations from the region including Pakistan, would take place between May 10 and 12 when the mantle of leadership of the naval grouping would pass on to UAE Navy Chief from Indian Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma for a two-year tenure. "The IONS-2010 will discuss efficiency in anti-piracy operations (in the Gulf of Aden) where the expertise gained by the navies in countering piracy threat will be shared and other means of tackling the menace will be worked out," Navy's Assistant Chief (Foreign Cooperation and Intelligence), Rear Admiral Sudharshan Shrikhande told reporters here today.

This will be the first time the two-year-old grouping would discuss the threat from the sea brigands, "as piracy was not a major issue in the region" when IONS met for its inaugural session in February 2008.
"The meet will discuss means to combine the capacities of the 35 Navies, including Somalia which is a member, and also debate what the Navies wanted to do and how to do it (in anti-piracy efforts)," he added. Asked if the discussions in Abu Dhabi would lead to the formation of an Indian Ocean Region Task Force (IONTF) on the lines of European task force and the US-led Combined Task force, Shrikhande said it was a futuristic proposition and since it was the first time the topic was being debated by the grouping, it could take some time before any plans could take a concrete shape

He said IONS-2010 would also debate technical expertise sharing, intelligence and information sharing among the Navies of the Indian Ocean Region, apart from cooperation in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR). Among the topics IONS-2010 would discuss include 'Reinforcement of Regional stability and establishment of good order at sea', 'Cooperative efforts to enhance maritime security including threats, risks and vulnerabilities', 'Common maritime security strategy', and 'Regional capacity building and capability enhancement'. On the possibility of US, UK and Japan showing keen interest in joining IONS, Shrikhande said the three nations had applied recently for observer status and the applications would be taken up by tDhabi meet for a decision. China, however, had not applied for either membership or observer status, he said.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/navies-of-35-nations-to-work-out-antipiracy-plan/615997/2

 

[nandu]

Indian Maritime Aircraft To Find Home At Kochi Airport

The Indian navy and coast guard soon will have dedicated hangars for their current and generation-next maritime aircraft at Kochi airport.

Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) sources told Aviation Week that 10 acres of land have been given to the navy free of cost, while the Coast Guard has acquired 5 acres of land from the Kerala government.

The Southern Naval Command, the training wing of the Indian navy, is based in Kochi.

The construction work for the naval facility would only begin after a formal approval of the plan by the Director General of Civil Aviation. "Once operational, the facility would further strengthen the southern tip of India. Currently [the] navy is operating its assets from INS Garuda [old Kochi airport] and the new enclave would be ideal for Boeing P8-I maritime reconnaissance aircraft," sources said. "We will have a tax-link to the CIAL runway."

The navy is already making use of Kochi airport for operating IL-76 and AN-32 cargo aircraft. "Despite some [dissent] among the investors, we were able to convince them [it is] in national interest, and also to respect the spirit of our agreement with the navy," CIAL sources said.

The Indian navy has ordered eight Boeing P8-Is, with the first aircraft expected to enter service by 2013, to replace its aging fleet of Tu-42s and IL-38 aircraft. The P8-I is a multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft capable of operating over land or water while performing anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue (SAR) and surveillance operations.

The foundation stone for the coast guard facility near CIAL was recently laid by Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony. Coast guard assets like the Chetak, Dhruv helicopters and Dornier are expected to be based here. "The Coast guard enclave would have a 50-meter taxi link to the runway at CIAL and would consist of aircraft hangars, technical areas and administrative buildings. The facility is vital for India's stepped-up coastal surveillance," sources said.

AVIATION WEEK has learned that the Indian air force also is mulling the idea of having a presence near CIAL.

http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene...ritime Aircraft To Find Home At Kochi Airport

 

[nandu]

Amelioration in Naval Systems

Amelioration in Naval Systems


BrahMos Crosses Historic Milestone

The Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile programme crossed another milestone achieving manoeuverability at supersonic speeds, a complex technical task. The missile, which has been tested in various configurations, was successfully test fired from a newly developed, state-of-the-art, vertical launcher onboard the Indian Navy's Kashin-class destroyer, INS Ranvir. The missile slammed into the target ship INS Meen in the Bay of Bengal. The launch met all mission requirements and was completely successful. The test proved it was possible to manoeuvre the missile at supersonic speeds before hitting the target.

The Joint Venture company has also developed and patented the Universal Vertical Launcher, from which the missile was launched. The vertical launcher will fit under the warship's deck which will protect it from atmospheric conditions and also impart stealth advantages to the ship. The vertical launcher allows the missile to provide 360 degree coverage. The existing versions of the Brahmos are launched in inclined configurations.

The missile, which has a range of 290 km and flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach, can take on a target lying anywhere in the 360-degree range of the ship. It is capable of carrying conventional warheads up to 300 kg. The missile, developed as a land attack version for the Indian Army, is available in various ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore versions with the Indian Navy.

Indian Navy Seeks Carrier-based Fighters

The Indian Navy has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for an unspecified number of multi-role, new generation carrier-based fighter aircraft to four global aerospace firms including Sweden's SAAB for their Sea Gripen, which is a naval version of the Gripen JAS39.

Other contenders are the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company for the Eurofighter Typhoon, the Boeing IDS for their F/A18 Super Hornet and Dassault for the Rafale. If selected, the new aircraft would in all likelihood, be deployed aboard the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC), which is expected to be commissioned around 2018. Of these four contenders, the Super Hornet and the Rafale have been developed as carrier-based platforms from the initial design stage while the Typhoon and the Gripen will require modification.

The new aircraft, which will be in addition to the 16 MiG29Ks that are under induction, as well as the naval version of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas currently under development. It is understood that while the MiG29Ks will operate from the 44,570 tonne Admiral Gorshkov (re-designated INS Vikramaditya), the Tejas will operate from the first 38,000 tonne IAC currently under construction at the Kochi shipyard. The Indian Navy's fighter jet complement consists only of the British-made Sea Harrier jump jets which operate from the aircraft carrier, INS Viraat. The Harriers will continue to operate as long as the Viraat is operational, which is till 2019.

General Dynamics to Support US Navy

General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics has been awarded a five-year, $21.8 million contract to support the new US Navy, Air and Missile Defense Command (NAMDC) at Naval Support Facility, Dahlgren.

General Dynamics will provide expertise to support NAMDC in the areas of fleet unit-readiness assessments, training, resource and requirements planning, systems engineering as also science and technology experimentation. General Dynamics has supported NAMDC since early 2009 when the command was established as the Navy's lead organization for Naval Joint and Combined Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD). Serving as the single warfare centre of excellence to integrate Navy efforts across the full spectrum of air and missile defence, including air defence, cruise missile defence and ballistic missile defence, NAMDC supports the Chief of Naval Operations and fleet component commanders by integrating technologies, warfighting concepts and command & control.

Successful User Trials of Prithvi

A ship-based Prithvi ballistic missile variant, 'Dhanush' with a range of 350 km, and the land-based Prithvi II have been successfully test-fired in the last week of March 2010. The missiles are capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads.

Both missiles were fired almost simultaneously as part of user training trials for the Indian Navy and the Indian Army. While the 'Dhanush' was fired from the INS Subhadra, in the Bay of Bengal by the Indian Navy, the Prithvi II was test-fired from a mobile launcher by the Army at the Complex 3 of Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur.

The Subhadra is a Sukanya-class patrol vessel of the Indian Navy and, along with INS Suvarna, has been used as a test bed for installation of the Dhanush launch system. The missile is essentially a Prithvi which is held in place by the Dhanush launch system installed on the rear-deck of a ship. The Dhanush system lifts and holds the Prithvi in position on the ship when it has to be test-fired.

MiG29Ks for the Indian Navy

Speaking at the induction ceremony of the first batch of MiG-29K held at INS Hansa, the Indian Navy's shore-based establishment at Dabolim, the Indian Defence Minister AK Antony stated that over and above the initial order placed for 16 such fighters, the Indian Navy will get another 29 MiG29K combat jets for carrier-borne operations. The time frame for procurement of these additional jets was not stated. However, it is understood that the contract which has received clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security, is valued at $1.2 billion.


The induction ceremony was marked by a spectacular fly past performed by the newly inducted fighter aircraft. Antony along with the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma, and several other dignitaries from India and Russia were present on the occasion. It is understood that the four jets inducted in the first batch will soon be joined by another two that are currently undergoing tests. Ten more will be received over the coming months. Enhancement of the MiG29K contract has ramifications for the Indian Air Force's $11 billion Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft contract on account of commonality between the MiG-29K and the MiG-35, which is a contender for the MMRCA tender. With a capability to carry a variety of air-to-air missiles, including beyond visual range missiles as well as a host of air-to-surface weapons, the fourth generation plus MiG29K is a capable platform.

http://www.indiandefencereview.com/2010/05/amelioration-in-naval-systems.html#more-2140

 

[RAM]

Navy opens memorial for underwater warriors in Kochi
http://tarmak007.blogspot.com/2010/05/navy-opens-memorial-for-underwater.html

Jalveer Smriti', a Memorial dedicated to the Underwater Warriors of the Indian Navy who achieved Martyrdom was inaugurated by Vice Admiral KN Sushil, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command here at the Naval Base today. The event was conceived and conducted by the Indian Naval Diving School based at Kochi, the Alma Mater of all Special Operations personnel of the Indian Navy.The Memorial depicts a Naval Combat Diver emerging from the waves to launch a clandestine attack on the enemy. The verses of Holy Scripture exhorting the Warrior to perform his Duty as the Defender and Protector of the Right have also been engraved on the plaque. The Memorial has been conceptualized by Commander AK Sharma and Lieutenant Commander OP Singh of Diving School as a tribute to the Diving Legends of Indian Navy who chose the Nation before Self and sacrificed their lives to defend it. The most recent example is that of Chandrashekhar a Petty Officer of the Diving Cadre who sacrificed his Life in Jammu and Kashmir in September 2009, whilst fighting against anti national forces. The 'Jalveer Smriti' is also envisioned to inspire the young Officers and Sailors of Indian Navy being trained at the Southern Naval Command.The Diving Cadre of Indian Navy prides itself in being the most decorated cadre with the highest number of Gallantry Awards. The Naval Divers are employed in both offensive and defensive roles. The major roles include combat amphibious operations, salvage and submarine rescue operations, underwater explosive ordinance disposal and providing aid to civil authorities during floods, accidents in water bodies and underwater surveys. The elite and only amphibious Special Force of India, the Marine Commandos or MARCOS, is an integral part of this Cadre.

 

[plugwater]

Work begins on SBTF at Goa Shipyard

PANAJI: The first steel-cutting ceremony to mark the commencement of structural work on the state-of-the-art Shore-Based Test Facility (SBTF) was held at the Goa Shipyard Ltd., a Goa-based public sector shipyard, on Monday.

The proposed SBTF, when operational, will provide India a facility to test developmental aircraft before they are cleared for use on board aircraft carriers.

It will also provide the Indian Navy with a facility to hone the skills of its pilots before they are deployed on board.

Cmde A.S. Baghel, Chief Staff Officer (Air), Goa Naval Area, did the honours in presence of Vineet Bakhshi, Chairman and Managing Director of GSL.

The SBTF, being set up at the Naval Air Station, Goa, by the Aeronautical Development Agency, is a unique testing facility in the South Asian region and the third in the world, said an official spokesman of GSL. The facility will be used to simulate an aircraft carrier for full-fledged flight testing of ship-borne attack aircraft as well as for training of pilots.

The test facility will have various systems for controlled take-off and landing as is done on aircraft carriers.

The GSL has been appointed main coordinator for this project and will handle work relating to steel procurement, structural fabrication, provisioning of equipment of Indian scope of supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the facility. GSL will also carry out the system integration while the civil work is being taken up by the DRDO's R&DE (E), Pune.

The project is scheduled to be commissioned in 2012

http://www.hindu.com/2010/05/11/stories/2010051151600300.htm

 

[nandu]

Maritime History Society marks anniversary with book release

Vice Admiral Sanjeev Bhasin, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command releasing the book on'Maritime Heritage of Southern Peninsular India' in the presence of its author Prof B Arunachalam.

The Maritime History Society, an adjunct of the Western Naval Command was set up in 1978 to encourage study of the maritime history of India and other maritime nations. India was and is a maritime trading power but without the clout that she should have by virtue of the volume and linkages of that trade. The Society has been holding seminars on maritime themes since 1979 besides lectures by eminent historians, scholars and educationists on maritime subjects. It also sponsors research proposals and publishes books on maritime issues.
A book on 'Maritime Heritage of Southern Peninsular India', by Prof B Arunachalam was released at the Western Naval Command Officers Mess by Vice Admiral Sanjeev Bhasin, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. This is the 12th book in the series. Prof Arunachalam is a reputed academician who retired as Professor and Head of Department of Geography at the University of Mumbai in 1993.
The book released today deals with the coastal areas covering south of Latitude 14 degree North. The extreme southern location in the sub-continent surrounded by the seas has ensured for the region a degree of isolation and segregation that permitted the people to evolve a distinctive socio cultural ethos over millennia. Evidences of maritime heritage of the Southern Indian peninsula are drawn from archaeology, epigraphy, numismatics, classical Tamil literature, over seas voyage accounts regional folklore, ballads and folk traditions living practices, sculptures and paintings, seaman's accounts in their own sea dialects, customs, traditions and sea trade. The book examines various aspects of the maritime heritage of the region as reflected in the language, living practices, tools and traditions. The book is illustrated with maps, line drawings and photographs.
The MHS plans to bring out the maritime past and heritage of the other coastal regions namely Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka on the west coast and also coastal regions on the East Coast.

 

[nrj]

Navy to procure floating bullet-proof jackets

New Delhi: As parts of efforts to equip its troops with sophisticated protective gear post 26/11, the Navy is procuring 4,500 "water-proof floating" Bullet-proof Jackets (BPJs) for its personnel deployed at sea and coastal areas.

"To tackle the threat of terrorists and sea-pirates in the maritime zone and along our ports and coastal areas, we are procuring 4,500 BPJs, which will be water-proof and floating," a top Navy official told agency.

The Navy has issued a global Request for Proposal (RFP) for procuring the BPJs and earmarked Rs 12 crore for the purpose, he said.

"Most of our installations are either in sea or close to it. So we are procuring jackets that can be used in water and help the troops stay afloat," he said.

The trial for procuring the BPJs will be held at two stages.

"In one set of trials, the ballistic protection provided by the jackets will be tested at DRDO's TBRL lab in Chandigarh where the competing jackets will be tested against AK-47, MP-5 and other small arms of the Indian armed forces," the official said.

The other set of trials will be to check the floating capability of the jackets where different samples will be conditioned in sea water for 24 hours.

"After that, they will be subjected to undersea trials. We want the BPJs to keep afloat personnel with their equipment for at least four hours," he said.

Companies likely to participate in the tender include MKU defence systems, which recently won the Home Ministry order to supply 59,000 BPJs for the paramilitary forces.

After the 26/11 attack, the Navy has taken various steps to increase its preparedness to deal with terror strikes and is also raising a new force -- the 'Sagar Prahari Bal' (Sea Protection Force).

Source

 

[ajtr]

India's plan for safe Indian Ocean​

Eagle eye: Indian navy personnel (bottom left) stand on the deck of the warship INS Mysore as Russian warship Marshal Shaposhnikov passes by during joint exercises in the Indian Ocean in this file photo.

DUBAI: India has proposed a three-pronged approach that would enable countries on the Indian Ocean rim to work together for better protecting their sea lanes and tackling natural calamities.

Underscoring the critical importance of the Indian Ocean to international commerce and energy security, the visiting Indian naval chief, Nirmal Verma said: "Two thirds of the world's oil shipments, one third of its bulk cargo, and half the world's container traffic passes through the expanse of the Indian Ocean. The world's pre-eminent energy and trade seaway, the Indian Ocean, will matter even more in future."

Admiral Verma, who spoke on Monday at the second Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) in Abu Dhabi, pointed out that Indian ocean littoral countries needed to prepare themselves well to tackle three key issues; humanitarian disasters, protection of the environment and the scourge of piracy.

The naval chief proposed a brainstorming session among member countries that would lead to the conduct of a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise.

"HADR could become one of the major fields of IONS activities," he stressed.

Delegations from 32 nations are attending this year's three-day conference, which opened on Monday.

The Indian Navy, which played a pioneering role in 2008, handed over the chairmanship of the IONS to Naval Staff Brigadier Ibrahim Salim Al Musharrakh, Commander of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy.

Highlighting the importance of concrete environmentally-friendly measures, the naval chief advocated the formation of a "working group" of a few navies within the IONS community that would propose measures "to reduce our carbon footprints."

Responding to the grave threat posed by piracy, Admiral Verma suggested that limitations of assets among member countries could, in substantial measure, be overcome through a well coordinated and secure information exchange network.

For starters, information exchanges could begin at a "sub-regional" level.

The naval chief also emphasised honing the skills of naval personnel, especially in the field of navigation.

He also called for the sharing of hydrographic data based on the

'North Indian Ocean Hydrographic Commission (NIHOC)' model.

 

[RAM]

Indian Navy to procure floating bullet-proof jackets

As parts of efforts to equip its troops with sophisticated protective gear post 26/11, the Navy is procuring 4,500 "water-proof floating" Bullet-proof Jackets (BPJs) for its personnel deployed at sea and coastal areas.

"To tackle the threat of terrorists and sea-pirates in the maritime zone and along our ports and coastal areas, we are procuring 4,500 BPJs, which will be water-proof and floating," a top Navy official told agency.

The Navy has issued a global Request for Proposal (RFP) for procuring the BPJs and earmarked Rs 12 crore for the purpose, he said.

"Most of our installations are either in sea or close to it. So we are procuring jackets that can be used in water and help the troops stay afloat," he said.

The trial for procuring the BPJs will be held at two stages.

"In one set of trials, the ballistic protection provided by the jackets will be tested at DRDO's TBRL lab in Chandigarh where the competing jackets will be tested against AK-47, MP-5 and other small arms of the Indian armed forces," the official said.

The other set of trials will be to check the floating capability of the jackets where different samples will be conditioned in sea water for 24 hours.

"After that, they will be subjected to undersea trials. We want the BPJs to keep afloat personnel with their equipment for at least four hours," he said.

Companies likely to participate in the tender include MKU defence systems, which recently won the Home Ministry order to supply 59,000 BPJs for the paramilitary forces.

After the 26/11 attack, the Navy has taken various steps to increase its preparedness to deal with terror strikes and is also raising a new force — the 'Sagar Prahari Bal' (Sea Protection Force).
http://idrw.org/?p=1655

 

[nrj]

Mate, everyone knows that it will include 8 Kashtan CIWS on board, but the question is will it be delivered with these CIWS system as and when the delivery is made to IN or will they equipped later on as the CAG report says ???

I am afraid, the reports seems to be true.

INS Vikramaditya will get its CIWS after 2017. CIWS retrofitting will be last ditch. Till then no idea if any area defense will be present or not.
Reports suggest that it'll feature Kashtan/Barak or both.