- Joined
- Feb 16, 2009
- Messages
- 3,474
- Likes
- 1,062
Indo-US military tango next week
BY : TNN
Shrugging aside some policy glitches and heartburn, India and US are now all set to launch their largest-ever ground combat exercise,
which incidentally is codenamed ‘Yudh Abhyas’ (preparation for war). But it’s really not conventional war that will be the focus of the 15-day wargames, which kicks off at Babina, near Jhansi, from October 12.
‘‘The focus of Yudh Abhyas is on mechanised infantry operations for counter-insurgency/counter-terrorism in semi-urban terrain. The aim is to further enhance interoperability already built through a series of exercises with US,’’ said a senior Indian officer.
Commander of the army forces under the US Pacific Command, Lt-Gen Benjamin Mixon, in turn, said, ‘‘It will be one of the most important training exercises that we’ve done with the Indian military to date…It’s on the high-end of fighting…We’re very excited.’’
The US, anxious to grab a major chunk of the lucrative Indian arms market, will undertake ‘live-fire ops’ of its high-tech weaponry like the Stryker infantry armoured vehicles and Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) during the wargames.
Incidentally, this will be the largest overseas deployment of the Strykers after Iraq and Afghanistan, coming as the over 200 American soldiers are with 17 of the eight-wheeled armoured combat vehicles.
Costing around $1.5 million apiece, the Strykers come equipped with advanced weapons, CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) protection and C4I (command, control, communications, computers and intelligence) systems.
Indian Army, on its part, has also shown interest in acquiring man-portable ATGMs like the Javelin since the indigenous ‘Nag’ ATGM is still to be operationally deployed.
That’s not all in the current phase of the Indo-US military tango. Mid-way through Yudh Abhyas, yet another exercise named ‘‘Cope India-09’’ between IAF and USAF, will begin at Agra on October 19.
In this primarily transport aircraft exercise, the US will showcase its C-17 Globemaster-III giant military aircraft, among other planes. India has already shown interest in acquiring at least 10 C-17 aircraft and 15 Chinook helicopters after inking the $2.1 billion deal for eight P-8i long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft and the $962 million contract for six C-130J heavy-lift aircraft with the US.
Indo-US military tango next week IDRW.ORG
BY : TNN
Shrugging aside some policy glitches and heartburn, India and US are now all set to launch their largest-ever ground combat exercise,
which incidentally is codenamed ‘Yudh Abhyas’ (preparation for war). But it’s really not conventional war that will be the focus of the 15-day wargames, which kicks off at Babina, near Jhansi, from October 12.
‘‘The focus of Yudh Abhyas is on mechanised infantry operations for counter-insurgency/counter-terrorism in semi-urban terrain. The aim is to further enhance interoperability already built through a series of exercises with US,’’ said a senior Indian officer.
Commander of the army forces under the US Pacific Command, Lt-Gen Benjamin Mixon, in turn, said, ‘‘It will be one of the most important training exercises that we’ve done with the Indian military to date…It’s on the high-end of fighting…We’re very excited.’’
The US, anxious to grab a major chunk of the lucrative Indian arms market, will undertake ‘live-fire ops’ of its high-tech weaponry like the Stryker infantry armoured vehicles and Javelin anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) during the wargames.
Incidentally, this will be the largest overseas deployment of the Strykers after Iraq and Afghanistan, coming as the over 200 American soldiers are with 17 of the eight-wheeled armoured combat vehicles.
Costing around $1.5 million apiece, the Strykers come equipped with advanced weapons, CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) protection and C4I (command, control, communications, computers and intelligence) systems.
Indian Army, on its part, has also shown interest in acquiring man-portable ATGMs like the Javelin since the indigenous ‘Nag’ ATGM is still to be operationally deployed.
That’s not all in the current phase of the Indo-US military tango. Mid-way through Yudh Abhyas, yet another exercise named ‘‘Cope India-09’’ between IAF and USAF, will begin at Agra on October 19.
In this primarily transport aircraft exercise, the US will showcase its C-17 Globemaster-III giant military aircraft, among other planes. India has already shown interest in acquiring at least 10 C-17 aircraft and 15 Chinook helicopters after inking the $2.1 billion deal for eight P-8i long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft and the $962 million contract for six C-130J heavy-lift aircraft with the US.
Indo-US military tango next week IDRW.ORG