Unknowncommando 2
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Packed and shipped! Large volume delivery of Arjun thermal weapon sight for the Indian armed forces. #MakeInIndia
Indian Special Forces (archived)
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Unknowncommando 2
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In service
From LOC
TONBO Arjun-H Thermal Sight mounted on Team Wendy EXFIL Ballistic High Cut Helmet. This sight can be mounted on guns also. Helmets are procured with sight as a combo according to the Indian Army GSQR.
Link : https://tonboimaging.com/products/tactical/arjun-h/…
itsme
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@Unknowncommando 2 when will you be posting the fully loaded Sig from LOC?
Unknowncommando 2
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I haven't received those pics yet. I do have pictures of new SAKO TRG 42 of PARA SF. Will post them soon.
Contract for LMG signed, assault rifles are on their way, delivery of NVGs and Thermal sights have begun, carbines are in pipeline, massive upgrade for infantry underway. Things have started to change.
12arya
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There is no peace time for special forces
Varun Chhabra was just nine when his father was killed in action on October 14, 1989. A recipient of the Sena Medal, Lt Col Arun Kumar Chhabra was second-in-command of 10 Para (SF), and was about to take over as its commanding officer, when he sacrificed his life in the Army’s Operation Pawan against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka. His team had surrounded an LTTE stronghold, killing two militants, when he got hit in retaliatory fire. Despite being wounded, he gunned down the LTTE commander, while his men took out the stronghold.
The nine-year-old who lost his father grew to become a gentleman soldier. As commanding officer of 10 Para (SF), Colonel Varun Chhabra has kept his vow to fulfil his father’s dream.
What was your motivation to join the Special Forces?
Ours is a great nation. The very basis of the society is the family system where sons and daughters grow up seeing the world through the eyes of their parents. My father cherished a dream of commanding this elite and finest unit one day. I only hope, that he sees his dream come true through his son. This was and is my motivation.
What makes a special forces commando different from a regular soldier?
Unlike the rest of the Army, a soldier does not get commissioned into the special forces. Be an officer or a jawan the individual has to be a volunteer for joining the special forces. Out of a million-plus-strong Indian Army, the SF comprises a few hundred selected men. These men undergo a rigorous three-month probation, which replicates actual battlefield conditions that he would face as a special forces operative.
He is checked on the physical aspects of training, to test his limit of taking stress. His performance is tested in 30-, 40- and 60-mile runs [carrying] 30kg loads. He is checked for high IQ…. He is made to survive on the bare minimum, and deprived of all comforts of living. He has to deliver in all aspects and excel in all skills.
But, this alone does not guarantee selection. He is made to endure unending agony in the scorching heat of the day and the biting cold of the night in the desert. As he gets cut off from the civilised world, isolation, pain, despair and fear of the unknown become his constant companions. He is broken, over and over, to see if he has the willpower to survive. Most volunteers give up in the first week of training; others give up within a fortnight. Again, someone who finishes this gruelling probation period is not guaranteed selection. Out of a hundred who come here, only three or four get to wear the coveted maroon beret.
Why are the special forces such a potent force despite them being numerically small?
These are people who are highly skilled in battlecraft. They are trained to use all kinds of weapons—machine guns, sniper rifles, grenade launchers and guided missiles—to make their mission a success. They fire from their primary and secondary weapons with the same expertise. When need arises, they would achieve their purpose even without a weapon.
They are like ghosts in the battlefield. Armed with exclusive weaponry, they have the capability to come through land, sea or air, so as to quickly converge on an unsuspecting enemy, deliver a solid punch and disperse within moments. It is this daring action, carried out in the most swift and silent manner, and executed with such precision and tenacity, that makes them achieve results disproportionate to their numbers.
In a firefight during a counter-terror operation, a young captain was taking stock of his party. He asked his sergeant if he were all right. The soldier replied, “Haan, saab... Bus aisa lagta hai ki meri aankh chali gayi hai [Yes, sir. It just seems that I have lost my eye].”
These are men of steel. Their levels of enduring pain are different.
How is the officer-men bonding in SF?
In the special forces, there is no staunch hierarchy. There is mutual respect and regard. This is the only force where men select their own officers. The officers and jawans who volunteer for the special forces undergo probation together. Officers don’t wear their ranks during probation, and everyone is treated as equals and judged on their performance. Be it operations or peacetime duties the special forces officers and men spend majority of their time together and are often called ‘Buddies’. They sweat together and shed blood together. They trust each other for their lives. Rightly so, they are brothers from another mother.
The recent surgical strikes have put focus on the special forces. Do you think that, in the emerging security scenario, there is a greater need for such covert strikes?
Such operations are important. Firstly, we need to have an upper hand in any fluid situation and keep the enemy confused. He must know he will be punished for his misadventures. It is also important to keep him guessing.
How does an SF commando outwit a terrorist who is on a death mission?
In a way, both are ready to sacrifice their lives. But the difference is we are not here to die, we will take away his life if need be. The real difference is in the intent with which a terrorist and a commando pulls the trigger. An SF commando is a soldier's soldier. The best any leadership can have on a mission to protect his countrymen. While a terrorist is drugged to insanity—physically by narcotics and mentally by eccentric beliefs—a special forces commando is on a high that comes from taking immense pride in his profession.
What does an SF commando do during peace time?
There is no peace time for such units. They are constantly at war with the enemies of the state, covertly or overtly. Other than doing special operations, they participate in tri-services exercises. They take part in joint training with foreign armies. They undergo professional courses to maintain their professional competence. They constantly prepare for rescue operations involving hostages, or other emergency situations.
Do special forces have their own intelligence and communication networks, or are you dependent on the Army and intelligence agencies?
Assets like satellite-based communication and human intelligence are made available to the special forces on a need basis. If we have our own intelligence network, I can’t comment on it. Intelligence is the most critical part of any successful operation. But work has to go on even with limited intelligence. Our capability to operate deep and for longer duration gives us the edge and increases our chances of success when intelligence is hard to come by.
Between capturing the enemy and killing him, what choice does a commando make?
We are not war junkies or mercenaries. We are soldiers who believe in peace. But, we are fully aware of the fact that this peace would have to be earned…. A captured enemy soldier is a source of information on enemy tactics, morale and routine, which is critical in planning and furthering our missions.
Why do you think violence is necessary for peace?
Who wants to be violent? Throughout history, men have taken to arms to protect their countries. While violence should be avoided, the enemy should always be afraid that we have the might to strike him at a place and time of our choosing.
What kind of warfare do you foresee in future? What will be the role of special forces?
After observing the current situation, I feel warfare in future would be network centric. Future wars will be short and intense and will be fought in the vicinity of population centres, favoring the side which is technologically advanced. Special forces would be employed to continuously shape the battlefield from conventional wars in nuclear backdrop to asymmetric and fourth generation wars. They would always perform at the sharp end of warfare and would thus need to keep ‘their skills extraordinary, their means irregular and their actions daring’.
Where do the Indian Army’s special forces stand when compared to the US Navy Seals or Israeli forces?
The Indian Army special forces have had the best of exposure in operations and combat. We have been the first to be inducted into almost all the wars the country has fought. The only difference is the scope of employment. Though technological advancement and modernisation is essential, it is finally the man behind the machine who matters. You can give a man the best of weapons, but if he lacks killer instinct, the weapons would just be mere metal parts. Someone who is passionate about his job may do wonders with whatever is made available to him. It is this burning desire that fuels the professionalism of our special forces, and puts them at par with other special forces across the world.
Varun Chhabra was just nine when his father was killed in action on October 14, 1989. A recipient of the Sena Medal, Lt Col Arun Kumar Chhabra was second-in-command of 10 Para (SF), and was about to take over as its commanding officer, when he sacrificed his life in the Army’s Operation Pawan against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka. His team had surrounded an LTTE stronghold, killing two militants, when he got hit in retaliatory fire. Despite being wounded, he gunned down the LTTE commander, while his men took out the stronghold.
The nine-year-old who lost his father grew to become a gentleman soldier. As commanding officer of 10 Para (SF), Colonel Varun Chhabra has kept his vow to fulfil his father’s dream.
What was your motivation to join the Special Forces?
Ours is a great nation. The very basis of the society is the family system where sons and daughters grow up seeing the world through the eyes of their parents. My father cherished a dream of commanding this elite and finest unit one day. I only hope, that he sees his dream come true through his son. This was and is my motivation.
What makes a special forces commando different from a regular soldier?
Unlike the rest of the Army, a soldier does not get commissioned into the special forces. Be an officer or a jawan the individual has to be a volunteer for joining the special forces. Out of a million-plus-strong Indian Army, the SF comprises a few hundred selected men. These men undergo a rigorous three-month probation, which replicates actual battlefield conditions that he would face as a special forces operative.
He is checked on the physical aspects of training, to test his limit of taking stress. His performance is tested in 30-, 40- and 60-mile runs [carrying] 30kg loads. He is checked for high IQ…. He is made to survive on the bare minimum, and deprived of all comforts of living. He has to deliver in all aspects and excel in all skills.
But, this alone does not guarantee selection. He is made to endure unending agony in the scorching heat of the day and the biting cold of the night in the desert. As he gets cut off from the civilised world, isolation, pain, despair and fear of the unknown become his constant companions. He is broken, over and over, to see if he has the willpower to survive. Most volunteers give up in the first week of training; others give up within a fortnight. Again, someone who finishes this gruelling probation period is not guaranteed selection. Out of a hundred who come here, only three or four get to wear the coveted maroon beret.
Why are the special forces such a potent force despite them being numerically small?
These are people who are highly skilled in battlecraft. They are trained to use all kinds of weapons—machine guns, sniper rifles, grenade launchers and guided missiles—to make their mission a success. They fire from their primary and secondary weapons with the same expertise. When need arises, they would achieve their purpose even without a weapon.
They are like ghosts in the battlefield. Armed with exclusive weaponry, they have the capability to come through land, sea or air, so as to quickly converge on an unsuspecting enemy, deliver a solid punch and disperse within moments. It is this daring action, carried out in the most swift and silent manner, and executed with such precision and tenacity, that makes them achieve results disproportionate to their numbers.
In a firefight during a counter-terror operation, a young captain was taking stock of his party. He asked his sergeant if he were all right. The soldier replied, “Haan, saab... Bus aisa lagta hai ki meri aankh chali gayi hai [Yes, sir. It just seems that I have lost my eye].”
These are men of steel. Their levels of enduring pain are different.
How is the officer-men bonding in SF?
In the special forces, there is no staunch hierarchy. There is mutual respect and regard. This is the only force where men select their own officers. The officers and jawans who volunteer for the special forces undergo probation together. Officers don’t wear their ranks during probation, and everyone is treated as equals and judged on their performance. Be it operations or peacetime duties the special forces officers and men spend majority of their time together and are often called ‘Buddies’. They sweat together and shed blood together. They trust each other for their lives. Rightly so, they are brothers from another mother.
The recent surgical strikes have put focus on the special forces. Do you think that, in the emerging security scenario, there is a greater need for such covert strikes?
Such operations are important. Firstly, we need to have an upper hand in any fluid situation and keep the enemy confused. He must know he will be punished for his misadventures. It is also important to keep him guessing.
How does an SF commando outwit a terrorist who is on a death mission?
In a way, both are ready to sacrifice their lives. But the difference is we are not here to die, we will take away his life if need be. The real difference is in the intent with which a terrorist and a commando pulls the trigger. An SF commando is a soldier's soldier. The best any leadership can have on a mission to protect his countrymen. While a terrorist is drugged to insanity—physically by narcotics and mentally by eccentric beliefs—a special forces commando is on a high that comes from taking immense pride in his profession.
What does an SF commando do during peace time?
There is no peace time for such units. They are constantly at war with the enemies of the state, covertly or overtly. Other than doing special operations, they participate in tri-services exercises. They take part in joint training with foreign armies. They undergo professional courses to maintain their professional competence. They constantly prepare for rescue operations involving hostages, or other emergency situations.
Do special forces have their own intelligence and communication networks, or are you dependent on the Army and intelligence agencies?
Assets like satellite-based communication and human intelligence are made available to the special forces on a need basis. If we have our own intelligence network, I can’t comment on it. Intelligence is the most critical part of any successful operation. But work has to go on even with limited intelligence. Our capability to operate deep and for longer duration gives us the edge and increases our chances of success when intelligence is hard to come by.
Between capturing the enemy and killing him, what choice does a commando make?
We are not war junkies or mercenaries. We are soldiers who believe in peace. But, we are fully aware of the fact that this peace would have to be earned…. A captured enemy soldier is a source of information on enemy tactics, morale and routine, which is critical in planning and furthering our missions.
Why do you think violence is necessary for peace?
Who wants to be violent? Throughout history, men have taken to arms to protect their countries. While violence should be avoided, the enemy should always be afraid that we have the might to strike him at a place and time of our choosing.
What kind of warfare do you foresee in future? What will be the role of special forces?
After observing the current situation, I feel warfare in future would be network centric. Future wars will be short and intense and will be fought in the vicinity of population centres, favoring the side which is technologically advanced. Special forces would be employed to continuously shape the battlefield from conventional wars in nuclear backdrop to asymmetric and fourth generation wars. They would always perform at the sharp end of warfare and would thus need to keep ‘their skills extraordinary, their means irregular and their actions daring’.
Where do the Indian Army’s special forces stand when compared to the US Navy Seals or Israeli forces?
The Indian Army special forces have had the best of exposure in operations and combat. We have been the first to be inducted into almost all the wars the country has fought. The only difference is the scope of employment. Though technological advancement and modernisation is essential, it is finally the man behind the machine who matters. You can give a man the best of weapons, but if he lacks killer instinct, the weapons would just be mere metal parts. Someone who is passionate about his job may do wonders with whatever is made available to him. It is this burning desire that fuels the professionalism of our special forces, and puts them at par with other special forces across the world.
Assassin 2.0
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Tavor for FIBUA—Gun for Indian urban set-up
Tavor is one of the fanciest looking guns that I have ever come across. Being an Army brat, I often get bombarded with pictures of guys serving in the Army holding fancy toys in their hands. Toys— atleast that’s what I thought soldiers treated their weapons as, until a soldier told me about his passion for guns, and the reason why Tavor is one of the best suited guns for the operations carried out by Indian defence forces in an urban setup. This is an interview of a soldier I did recently.
Me: Soldier, I saw your pic holding a Tavor in your grip. The pic looks good. Could you…
The first question is interrupted by the soldier…
Soldier: Yes Mam, Tavor lets you hold it tightly. The weapon is such that it is easy to hold, and when it’s held, it feels like a part of your body—the weapon merges with you.
Me: I see, what makes Tavor so user-friendly?
Soldier: In assault rifles, center of mass of the weapon plays an important role. To engage an enemy at a long distance, say 300-400m, you need a weapon that is accurate and stable. Tavor has both the traits as it is a bullpup.
Bullpup is the firearm’s configuration, in which the action is located behind the trigger group, alongside the shooter’s face. The bullpup reduces overall size and weight of the weapon when compared to guns that have barrels of similar size like an American M4 carbine. The best thing about the configuration is that it doesn’t compromise the power of the weapon. Apparently, the bullpup configuration reduces the length of the weapon by 25%.
Bullpup Tavor with a heavier end, when compared to a FAB modified AK-47
Me: Yes, I have heard about Tavor being a bullpup. Does it increase the comfort level the soldier has with his weapon?
Soldier: Absolutely. The advantage of a bullpup configuration is that the weight lies towards the rear of the weapon, so when the operator places the gun on his shoulder, it feels natural. Imagine having a gun with its concentrated weight towards its front or center? The weight in front would make it difficult for the soldiers to swing the weapon up and around.
In Tavor’s case, the weight towards the rear also assists in controlled one-hand shooting. I have yet to come across another weapon which gives that ease to the operator.
The most commonly used Tavor is TAR 21, which stands for Tavor Assault Rifle of 21st century. TAR-21 usually weighs about 3.27 Kgs, add to it 150 rounds that an infantry guy carries with him, with so much load strapped to him the operator’s mobility is impeded. As you know, a soldier has to move around a lot, so reduced weight of the weapon increases his efficiency. A weapon’s reduced weight is also a life saver.
Me: Life saver? How?
Soldier: With a reduced weight and shorter length, Tavor is easier to maneuver.
Guns are usually pointed in a downward direction when not in use and during an ambush i.e when you are not expecting an attack, your reduced reaction time to bring the gun to your shoulder and to fire it, works as a life saver.
Infact during an operation you really do not have the luxury to take your eyes-off the target, and under such circumstances, effortless and quick tactical reloads, without taking your hand off the grip is a huge advantage to the operator. In Tavor’s case the ease of changing magazines is such that you can just flick the mag release with your thumb, and quickly insert the new magazine with your support hand.
Most of the time in places like Kashmir, it’s a FIBUA like situation.
Me: What is FIBUA?
Soldier: It’s an acronym for Fighting in built-up area. Commonly known as urban warfare.
Me: Do you mean Tavor is an apt weapon for places like Kashmir?
Soldier: Yes. A lot of times during CASO (cordon and search operation), we have to fight terrorists in places surrounded by buildings for a long duration, sometimes for as long as 18hours. Under such circumstances, we have to keep our hands stretched for hours at length, and while the operation is on, any fatigue can cause death. This is when one realizes the importance of having a powerful yet lighter gun like Tavor. In places like the valley, we are on constant move, we prefer having a gun which is easy to store in the vehicles we travel while commuting from one place to another. Tavor, the Israeli weapon, is custom made for such challenges posed by the urban warfare. An Israeli soldier, day-in and day-out, has to fight his enemy in a built-up area.
Me: How are the situations in Israel and India similar?
Soldier: This is not just about India and Israel, modern warfare is fought indoors– in confined spaces– and in & out of vehicles. There have been times when we were fighting the terrorists while it was raining and we had nothing over our head to prevent water from drenching us and our guns. On other occasions, we have had to carry out operations under scorching sun, at places where it was windy and dusty.
Thankfully, Tavor has a completely sealed mechanism that makes it mud and water proof. Well, almost! The weapon has apparently been tested by submerging it first in water and then in dirt, yet it managed to fire accurately without effecting its efficiency.
During the initial days of Tavor, somewhere in early 2005, about 350- 400 Tavors were supplied to India’s special frontier force (SFF). After field testing the guns they declared the performance of the weapon “operationally unsatisfactory” due to problem with its foldable butt. Then the gun was worked upon and when it gave good performance on the Indian terrain, the weapon was cleared for delivery.
The point I am trying to make is –the weapon is just right for the present circumstances under which we are operating.
Me: Now that we are discussing FIBUA, is it true that in the urban areas chances of close quarter battles (CQB) are high?
Soldier: Yes mam, in urban warfare not just the chances of a CQB are high but also of a casualty. The casualty ratio in FIBUA is 3.57:1, which means for every 3-4 terrorists killed, we have a casualty on our side too.
Me: That’s pretty high.
Soldier: Yes, this why it is of paramount importance to conceal the weapon. A lot of times, we are not in our uniform while patrolling in the valley and we do not like to alarm the civilians living in an area. If our gun is spotted then it also alerts the terrorists. Casualties in the valley, are high also because the terrorists use a 7.62mm bullet.
Me: How is a 7.62 bullet different from others?
Soldier: A long barrel chambered gun usually uses 5.56mm and 7.62mm. A 5.56mm is used for incapacitating a person. We might use it on an enemy whom we want to capture alive, as we want to injure him and not kill him. Au contraire 7.62mm can kill you, this is why terrorists have no qualms in using a 7.62mm. Sniper guns use bigger bullets, as it needs to cover a longer distance and needs more kinetic energy.
7.62mm bullets
Me: So why don’t we use 7.62mm ?
Soldier: We do use 7.62mm. Just that we may not use it as often in FIBUA. There are many reasons, and one of the most practical reason is– that for the same amount of weight, we can carry 3 times more 5.56mm bullets than the 7.62mm bullets. Next, we need heavier weapons to fire 7.62mm.
Also there’s this feature of 5.56mm that through a barrel of 16” to 18” length, it achieves great amount of kinetic energy such that it can hit the target accurately, without a drop in its velocity. The 5.56mm bullet when hits the target undergoes fragmentation, damaging the tissue around the wound severely and incapacitating the enemy immediately.
Tavor that uses 5.56mm is made for CQBs where we kick down doors, swing through windows and hallways, and fire while on the run. Any amount of extra weight whittles down our agility.
TAR-21 with 5.56mm bullets
Me: Understood. So how do you go about your operations in FIBUA?
Soldier: Mam, the operational strategies change with every operation, and for obvious reasons it cannot be disclosed, but the most commonly adopted procedure is dividing the sub-unit of about 10 people into an assault group and support group. The support group engages the terrorists first and the fire/assault group moves in to annihilate the enemy.
It is the guy in the fire group who usually carries UBGL (under-barrel grenade launcher). We call him a bomber man.
Me: What is UBGL?
Soldier: UBGL is under-barrel grenade launcher, but let me explain the different types of Tavor used by Indian Army, to help you understand the different variants of Tavor.
Basic Tavor : TAR-21 (9mm parabellum), this has a 457mm long barrel
UBGL: GTAR-21 (G for grenade), it has a 40mm long under barrel grenade launcher
C TAR-21: Compact TAR-21, this one has a shorter barrel length of 380mm, specially used by the SF (Special Forces).
S TAR-21: Sniper TAR-21, this is a designated marksmen rifle (DMR). It has a bipod and optical sight.
M TAR-21: This is micro Tar-21 or also called X 95. It uses 5.56x 45 NATO cartridge and 5.56 x 30 Indian cartridge, can be modified to use 9x19mm cartridge too.
We call it Zittara in India.
Me: Interesting. So what is the best thing about Tavor?
Soldier: That I can hold it like a woman’s waist.
Like a true soldier he said it with a stoic expression on his face and then continued…
Every Soldier is very passionate about his weapon. Over a period of time the weapon becomes a soldier’s best buddy that saves him from many perils. This kind of association is possible only if the soldier develops a certain amount of comfort while holding his weapon. The ease of holding a Tavor is such that I can also fire it with a single hand. This is why Tavor is used by about 15-16 countries around the world.
Me: What are the other rifles for similar purpose?
Soldier: The TAR-21 equivalents already in use within Indian Army are—German company Heckler & Koch’s MP5, MP7, MP9 , and the Swiss SIG Sauer 716.
In India, Punj Llyod manufactures Tavor, under the license of IWI (Israeli weapon industries).
In the pic: Evolution of Tavor design
Me: Are there any short-comings of Tavor?
Soldier: Yes, for an infantry man who still practices a Dhava (a style of attack with his gun’s bayonet), during an overhead attack or an under sling attack, he needs a knife at the front of his rifle, so that he can bring down an enemy even when he runs out of bullets. The bayonet also helps in maintaining a decent stand-off distance. In case of Tavor, this is not a possibility because it does not have an option for a bayonet to be attached.
Me: Is Uzi also from the Tavor family?
Soldier: It is also a weapon produced by IWI but it’s not a Tavor. Micro Uzi can fire accurately upto 100m, and it can fire upto 600-900 rounds per min. With that kind of fire power the gun is used to suppress fire from the enemy side. Usually the member of the assault group who carries a rocket launcher also carries a micro Uzi as his personal weapon.
UZI
Me: I think the one’s giving protection to VIPs also use Micro Uzi.
Soldier: Right. It can also be used by intel operators. But they are usually issued pistols instead of BNT 90 or a Micro Uzi.
BNT-90
After some pause the soldier continued…
Had Ankit Sharma been carrying even a pistol as an int operator, he could have used it to fire a shot in the air, that could have caused chaos among the mob charging at him and he could have possibly escaped the predicament. Though I know he was just a GD, a guy on ground duty, so they don’t carry weapons.
An emotionless statement by the soldier, but it came after ruminating. He meant it seriously.
Me: That was an unfortunate incident. Where do you think we go wrong?
Soldier: Definitely in the acquisition stage. Every year wasted in acquisition of weapons creates a lacuna in our defence forces weapon armoury, while terrorists have no such disadvantage. They pop-up in front of us with better gadgets and weapons with each passing year, while we fight against them with the same old weapons, we really cannot afford to loose our soldiers to them. If you wish peace, then prepare for war.
The soldier ended his interview surmising his thoughts in crisp words and sentences. It is their style to not mince their words.
To me this interview was not just about Tavor and it’s operation, but it also illumined me on the close bond an operator shares with his gun. Only a person who has seen death up close can worship his weapon, I discerned.
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Published by Levina
Engineer by profession, Political Mugwump, Observer and Analyst of foreign affairs and national security. View all posts by Levina
Tavor is one of the fanciest looking guns that I have ever come across. Being an Army brat, I often get bombarded with pictures of guys serving in the Army holding fancy toys in their hands. Toys— atleast that’s what I thought soldiers treated their weapons as, until a soldier told me about his passion for guns, and the reason why Tavor is one of the best suited guns for the operations carried out by Indian defence forces in an urban setup. This is an interview of a soldier I did recently.
Me: Soldier, I saw your pic holding a Tavor in your grip. The pic looks good. Could you…
The first question is interrupted by the soldier…
Soldier: Yes Mam, Tavor lets you hold it tightly. The weapon is such that it is easy to hold, and when it’s held, it feels like a part of your body—the weapon merges with you.
Me: I see, what makes Tavor so user-friendly?
Soldier: In assault rifles, center of mass of the weapon plays an important role. To engage an enemy at a long distance, say 300-400m, you need a weapon that is accurate and stable. Tavor has both the traits as it is a bullpup.
Bullpup is the firearm’s configuration, in which the action is located behind the trigger group, alongside the shooter’s face. The bullpup reduces overall size and weight of the weapon when compared to guns that have barrels of similar size like an American M4 carbine. The best thing about the configuration is that it doesn’t compromise the power of the weapon. Apparently, the bullpup configuration reduces the length of the weapon by 25%.
Bullpup Tavor with a heavier end, when compared to a FAB modified AK-47
Me: Yes, I have heard about Tavor being a bullpup. Does it increase the comfort level the soldier has with his weapon?
Soldier: Absolutely. The advantage of a bullpup configuration is that the weight lies towards the rear of the weapon, so when the operator places the gun on his shoulder, it feels natural. Imagine having a gun with its concentrated weight towards its front or center? The weight in front would make it difficult for the soldiers to swing the weapon up and around.
In Tavor’s case, the weight towards the rear also assists in controlled one-hand shooting. I have yet to come across another weapon which gives that ease to the operator.
The most commonly used Tavor is TAR 21, which stands for Tavor Assault Rifle of 21st century. TAR-21 usually weighs about 3.27 Kgs, add to it 150 rounds that an infantry guy carries with him, with so much load strapped to him the operator’s mobility is impeded. As you know, a soldier has to move around a lot, so reduced weight of the weapon increases his efficiency. A weapon’s reduced weight is also a life saver.
Me: Life saver? How?
Soldier: With a reduced weight and shorter length, Tavor is easier to maneuver.
Guns are usually pointed in a downward direction when not in use and during an ambush i.e when you are not expecting an attack, your reduced reaction time to bring the gun to your shoulder and to fire it, works as a life saver.
Infact during an operation you really do not have the luxury to take your eyes-off the target, and under such circumstances, effortless and quick tactical reloads, without taking your hand off the grip is a huge advantage to the operator. In Tavor’s case the ease of changing magazines is such that you can just flick the mag release with your thumb, and quickly insert the new magazine with your support hand.
Most of the time in places like Kashmir, it’s a FIBUA like situation.
Me: What is FIBUA?
Soldier: It’s an acronym for Fighting in built-up area. Commonly known as urban warfare.
Me: Do you mean Tavor is an apt weapon for places like Kashmir?
Soldier: Yes. A lot of times during CASO (cordon and search operation), we have to fight terrorists in places surrounded by buildings for a long duration, sometimes for as long as 18hours. Under such circumstances, we have to keep our hands stretched for hours at length, and while the operation is on, any fatigue can cause death. This is when one realizes the importance of having a powerful yet lighter gun like Tavor. In places like the valley, we are on constant move, we prefer having a gun which is easy to store in the vehicles we travel while commuting from one place to another. Tavor, the Israeli weapon, is custom made for such challenges posed by the urban warfare. An Israeli soldier, day-in and day-out, has to fight his enemy in a built-up area.
Me: How are the situations in Israel and India similar?
Soldier: This is not just about India and Israel, modern warfare is fought indoors– in confined spaces– and in & out of vehicles. There have been times when we were fighting the terrorists while it was raining and we had nothing over our head to prevent water from drenching us and our guns. On other occasions, we have had to carry out operations under scorching sun, at places where it was windy and dusty.
Thankfully, Tavor has a completely sealed mechanism that makes it mud and water proof. Well, almost! The weapon has apparently been tested by submerging it first in water and then in dirt, yet it managed to fire accurately without effecting its efficiency.
During the initial days of Tavor, somewhere in early 2005, about 350- 400 Tavors were supplied to India’s special frontier force (SFF). After field testing the guns they declared the performance of the weapon “operationally unsatisfactory” due to problem with its foldable butt. Then the gun was worked upon and when it gave good performance on the Indian terrain, the weapon was cleared for delivery.
The point I am trying to make is –the weapon is just right for the present circumstances under which we are operating.
Me: Now that we are discussing FIBUA, is it true that in the urban areas chances of close quarter battles (CQB) are high?
Soldier: Yes mam, in urban warfare not just the chances of a CQB are high but also of a casualty. The casualty ratio in FIBUA is 3.57:1, which means for every 3-4 terrorists killed, we have a casualty on our side too.
Me: That’s pretty high.
Soldier: Yes, this why it is of paramount importance to conceal the weapon. A lot of times, we are not in our uniform while patrolling in the valley and we do not like to alarm the civilians living in an area. If our gun is spotted then it also alerts the terrorists. Casualties in the valley, are high also because the terrorists use a 7.62mm bullet.
Me: How is a 7.62 bullet different from others?
Soldier: A long barrel chambered gun usually uses 5.56mm and 7.62mm. A 5.56mm is used for incapacitating a person. We might use it on an enemy whom we want to capture alive, as we want to injure him and not kill him. Au contraire 7.62mm can kill you, this is why terrorists have no qualms in using a 7.62mm. Sniper guns use bigger bullets, as it needs to cover a longer distance and needs more kinetic energy.
7.62mm bullets
Me: So why don’t we use 7.62mm ?
Soldier: We do use 7.62mm. Just that we may not use it as often in FIBUA. There are many reasons, and one of the most practical reason is– that for the same amount of weight, we can carry 3 times more 5.56mm bullets than the 7.62mm bullets. Next, we need heavier weapons to fire 7.62mm.
Also there’s this feature of 5.56mm that through a barrel of 16” to 18” length, it achieves great amount of kinetic energy such that it can hit the target accurately, without a drop in its velocity. The 5.56mm bullet when hits the target undergoes fragmentation, damaging the tissue around the wound severely and incapacitating the enemy immediately.
Tavor that uses 5.56mm is made for CQBs where we kick down doors, swing through windows and hallways, and fire while on the run. Any amount of extra weight whittles down our agility.
TAR-21 with 5.56mm bullets
Me: Understood. So how do you go about your operations in FIBUA?
Soldier: Mam, the operational strategies change with every operation, and for obvious reasons it cannot be disclosed, but the most commonly adopted procedure is dividing the sub-unit of about 10 people into an assault group and support group. The support group engages the terrorists first and the fire/assault group moves in to annihilate the enemy.
It is the guy in the fire group who usually carries UBGL (under-barrel grenade launcher). We call him a bomber man.
Me: What is UBGL?
Soldier: UBGL is under-barrel grenade launcher, but let me explain the different types of Tavor used by Indian Army, to help you understand the different variants of Tavor.
Basic Tavor : TAR-21 (9mm parabellum), this has a 457mm long barrel
UBGL: GTAR-21 (G for grenade), it has a 40mm long under barrel grenade launcher
C TAR-21: Compact TAR-21, this one has a shorter barrel length of 380mm, specially used by the SF (Special Forces).
S TAR-21: Sniper TAR-21, this is a designated marksmen rifle (DMR). It has a bipod and optical sight.
M TAR-21: This is micro Tar-21 or also called X 95. It uses 5.56x 45 NATO cartridge and 5.56 x 30 Indian cartridge, can be modified to use 9x19mm cartridge too.
We call it Zittara in India.
Me: Interesting. So what is the best thing about Tavor?
Soldier: That I can hold it like a woman’s waist.
Like a true soldier he said it with a stoic expression on his face and then continued…
Every Soldier is very passionate about his weapon. Over a period of time the weapon becomes a soldier’s best buddy that saves him from many perils. This kind of association is possible only if the soldier develops a certain amount of comfort while holding his weapon. The ease of holding a Tavor is such that I can also fire it with a single hand. This is why Tavor is used by about 15-16 countries around the world.
Me: What are the other rifles for similar purpose?
Soldier: The TAR-21 equivalents already in use within Indian Army are—German company Heckler & Koch’s MP5, MP7, MP9 , and the Swiss SIG Sauer 716.
In India, Punj Llyod manufactures Tavor, under the license of IWI (Israeli weapon industries).
In the pic: Evolution of Tavor design
Me: Are there any short-comings of Tavor?
Soldier: Yes, for an infantry man who still practices a Dhava (a style of attack with his gun’s bayonet), during an overhead attack or an under sling attack, he needs a knife at the front of his rifle, so that he can bring down an enemy even when he runs out of bullets. The bayonet also helps in maintaining a decent stand-off distance. In case of Tavor, this is not a possibility because it does not have an option for a bayonet to be attached.
Me: Is Uzi also from the Tavor family?
Soldier: It is also a weapon produced by IWI but it’s not a Tavor. Micro Uzi can fire accurately upto 100m, and it can fire upto 600-900 rounds per min. With that kind of fire power the gun is used to suppress fire from the enemy side. Usually the member of the assault group who carries a rocket launcher also carries a micro Uzi as his personal weapon.
UZI
Me: I think the one’s giving protection to VIPs also use Micro Uzi.
Soldier: Right. It can also be used by intel operators. But they are usually issued pistols instead of BNT 90 or a Micro Uzi.
BNT-90
After some pause the soldier continued…
Had Ankit Sharma been carrying even a pistol as an int operator, he could have used it to fire a shot in the air, that could have caused chaos among the mob charging at him and he could have possibly escaped the predicament. Though I know he was just a GD, a guy on ground duty, so they don’t carry weapons.
An emotionless statement by the soldier, but it came after ruminating. He meant it seriously.
Me: That was an unfortunate incident. Where do you think we go wrong?
Soldier: Definitely in the acquisition stage. Every year wasted in acquisition of weapons creates a lacuna in our defence forces weapon armoury, while terrorists have no such disadvantage. They pop-up in front of us with better gadgets and weapons with each passing year, while we fight against them with the same old weapons, we really cannot afford to loose our soldiers to them. If you wish peace, then prepare for war.
The soldier ended his interview surmising his thoughts in crisp words and sentences. It is their style to not mince their words.
To me this interview was not just about Tavor and it’s operation, but it also illumined me on the close bond an operator shares with his gun. Only a person who has seen death up close can worship his weapon, I discerned.
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Published by Levina
Engineer by profession, Political Mugwump, Observer and Analyst of foreign affairs and national security. View all posts by Levina
Unknowncommando 2
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#NSG
SIG 552/553 Commando
SIG GL5040 UBGL
ACH with Militech Tactical Clamp
Credits : https://instagram.com/saviours_of_nation?igshid=1afafky41s6mz
Unknowncommando 2
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From official Indian Navy FB Page
Could you post the link to his article, bro ?from 2018 interview of Gen Katoch....proposed by him.
I'm really curious as to why is he proposing two parallel commands. Is it bcuz he is proposing NOD as Tier 1 ?
Kya boss, ab ye gadhe kb se armchair pe baithne lge
12arya
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Assassin 2.0
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We should be having his pic on the tshirt instead of fidel castro.
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It was theorized that many of these so-called terrorists were actually SSG personnel.
aditya g
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In the ceasefire period, Pak Army scaled down ghuspaith in terms of numbers, but improved in quality.
There are number of operations where the terrorists were of military or SF training. this was one of them.
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Yeah, I remember this incident. Apparently, all four of the Para SF KIAs were taken out by that sniper alone if I remember correctly. @COLDHEARTED AVIATOR
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