Endangered

India key partner after China in military cooperation: Russia

MOSCOW, FEB 27 (PTI)

Russia perceives India as its second most important partner for defence cooperation after China and the two countries will soon increase production of the jointly developed BrahMos missile, a top Russian official said today.

"After China, India is our second major partner in military-technical cooperation," Mikhail Dmitriyev, director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said here.

"It was and remains the same, that the recent visit of the Russian President (Vladimir Putin) to (India) confirmed. This visit was quite successful and confirmed a high level of cooperation between our countries," he was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass.

Russia and India intend to increase the production of the BrahMos cruise missiles and to design an air-launched version of it, he said.

In January 2007, the two countries signed a contract worth 300 million dollars for the licensed production by India of RD-33 engines for MiG-29 fighters.

Proposals for the sale to India of 347 T-90 tanks, 44 Su-30MKI jets and 80 Mi-17 helicopters have also been discussed, Dmitriyev said.

The Indo-Russian military-technical cooperation programme up to 2010 includes over 200 various projects worth about 20 billion dollars, and most of them have been fulfilled.

URI

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Wild Wild Web

Endangered

Tavor-21 Rifle Headed Into Service With Indian Special Forces

In late 2002, India signed a Rs. 880 million (about $20 million) deal with Israel Military Industries for 3,070 TAR-21 Tavor assault rifles, a new bullpup design developed for use by the Israeli Defense Forces. The Israelis had just selected the compact Tavor over the Colt M4/M16 as its next-generation assault rifle, and the compact new weapons would be issued to India's special forces personnel, where its ergonomics, reliability in heat and sand, and and fast-point/ fast-shoot design might give them an edge in close-quarters shootouts and employment from inside vehicles.

Then problems began, in India and in Israel. By 2005, IMI had supplied 350-400 TRA-21s without grenade launchers to India's northern Special Frontier Force (SFF). These were declared to be 'operationally unsatisfactory,' however, due to problems with their foldable butt; meanwhile, Israeli units like the Galatz were voicing complaints of their own. The required changes appear to have been made, however, and the Tavor now looks set to enter operational service within a couple of months - even as India gears up for a larger competition that could feature a 9mm Tavor version

India continued dealing with IMI even as it split in two and Israel Weapon Industries (IWI assumed the small arms portfolio; in 2005, the government claimed damages for the delayed deliveries, further deferring their arrival.

India Defence relays a report from Jane's Defence Weekly, however, noting that the way has been cleared for fulfillment of the contract. Tests in Israel during 2006 went well, clearing the contracted consignment for delivery. The new TAR-21s will have a 'modified' single-piece butt and new sights, as well as Turkish-made M203 40mm under-barrel grenade launchers (UBGLs). Singapore Technologies will supply the 5.56mm ammunition.

In the meantime, IWI sold around 130 Galat'z (Galil 7.62 sniper riles) and around 450,000 rounds of ammunition to the SFF and the army for $1.4 million in 2005. They have also partnered with India's state-owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) to build the Tavor Micro/ MTAR (9mm version) for India's Special Forces and parachute regiments. The OFB-produced MTAR is now undergoing user trials.

All this would appear to be especially timely, as the Indian Army is reportedly about to release a request for proposal (RFP) to at least 5 local and overseas companies for some 80,000 5.56mm light machine carbines to replace the WW2-era Sten guns still in use by some parts of the army. Technology transfer and licensed production are expected to be part of the requirements.

Variants of the Tavor rifle are currently in use by Israel, Georgia, and the Portuguese Policia Judiciaria.

URI

Endangered

Satyam and Northrop Grumman link up
28 February 2007

Hyderabad: Satyam Computers has announced the formation of an alliance with $30-billion US global defence and technology company Northrop Grumman, through which both companies will jointly bid and provide high-end engineering services to global players in aerospace and defence.

While the alliance provides Satyam with an opportunity to become a significant presence in the aerospace domain, Northrop will benefit from Satyam's off-shoring strength in the engineering, development and consulting areas. Satyam hopes to significantly enhance its business in the domain, from its current levels of 15% of overall revenue to a 100% year-on-year growth pattern.

Satyam and Northrop are looking at possibilities of developing and customising the Hawkeye to suit the requirements of the Indian Navy. The E-2 Hawkeye airborne early warning and control aircraft has been a long-serving force multiplier for the US Navy.

Satyam already has an aerospace engineering centre of excellence in Bangalore, a centre for avionics and RFID labs in Chennai.

Satyam currently services some of the top global aerospace OEMs, regional jet makers, engine makers and tier I suppliers in the aerospace domain.

URI

Endangered

Defence budget increased to Rs 96,000 crore

NEW DELHI, FEB 28 (PTI)

Continuing its drive to modernise the armed forces, the government today hiked the defence budget for 2007-08 to Rs 96,000 crore, an increase of 7.8 per cent over the current fiscal's outlay.

The increase was Rs 10,000 crore more in actual terms, as the defence ministry spent Rs 86,000 crore as against its outlay of Rs 89,000 crore for 2006-07.

Presenting the budget in Parliament, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the allocation of Rs 96,000 crore would include a whopping Rs 41,922 crore for capital expenditure or acquisition of new hardware, signalling that the armed forces would go ahead with some big ticket weapons deals.

He also promised to provide more funds to the defence ministry if the need arose. "Needless to say, any additional requirement for the security of the nation will be provided," he said.

Defence Minister A K Antony said the continued hike in defence expenditure signalled the UPA government's "resolve to go full steam ahead with the modernisation" of the military.

"I am satisfied with the commitment of providing extra funds made by the finance minister," he said.

Antony, however, said there had been some laxity in certain fields during the modernisation drive, and efforts would now focus on ensuring the upgradation of the arsenal of all three services.

Though Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said that efforts would be made to meet the demands of defence planners for taking defence spending to around three per cent of the GDP to push the modernisation process, the proposed outlay was only 2.1 per cent of the GDP.

For the past few years, defence spending has been hovering around 2.5 per cent of GDP, much below China's whopping 7.2 per cent and Pakistan's about four to 4.5 per cent of GDP.

It was only in 2004-05 that India made an unprecedented hike of 28 per cent in the capital outlay to become the world largest arms purchaser, pushing China to the second spot.

In a break with tradition, the government made a bold move to hike the outlay on capital expenditure to almost 45 per cent of the total defence budget.

This is part of a new effort launched by the defence ministry to balance defence budgeting equally between recurring expenditure on items like salaries and the outlay for hardware and arms purchases -- a growing concept in the Western military powers.

The idea to strike a 50-50 per cent ratio between expenditure and outlay was the brainchild of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who held the defence portfolio till last year.

"This indicates we are moving in the right direction," Mukherjee said.

With the proposed revenue expenditure of Rs 34,086 crore for 2007-08, the Army continues to hog almost 58 per cent of the defence budget, an increase of 5.54 per cent against last year's allocation.

The Navy has got an allocation of Rs 6,968 crore, a marginal hike of 3.8 per cent against last year's allocation and the IAF Rs 10,193 crore, a hike of about 3.9 per cent.

The allocation for the 39 state-run Ordnance factories continues for the sixth year in running to be on the negative side, making the Government intentions clear for them to perform or perish.

However, the allocation for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been pegged at around Rs 3,188 crore marking an almost 5.8 per cent increase against last year's revised allocation of Rs 3,011 crore.

But the biggest quantum jump has been the allocation of a whopping Rs 41,922 crore, on capital outlay, which is almost an increase of more than 11 per cent against last year's figure.

Much of the capital outlay is expected to be cornered by some mega arms purchases including floating of international tenders for purchase of 126 Medium Combat Role Aircraft for the IAF and moves by the Army to acquire 197 light helicopters.

Action has also been initiated to acquire much needed spy planes for the Navy and medium lift helicopters for the IA F as well as the Navy.

India's most of the capital outlay expenditure is going in for foreign arms procurements, as the country favours for across the board puchases unlike selective and targeted acquisition by China and Pakistan.

Pakistan by investing mostly in nuclear and missile fields has almost achieved strategic parity with India. China on the other hand by pumping almost 60 billion US dollars into arms imports has raced far ahead.

While Indian money has substantially revitalised military industrial complexes in Russia and Israel, hardly has money or spinoff flown into domestic defence industry.

But with the new concept of 50-50 budgeting, the Defence Ministry hopes to bring technology quantum jump to the Indian defence industry by its new offset policy, making it imperative for all foreign bidders of contracts more than Rs 300 crore to invest thirty per cent of the amount in India.

Endangered

Govt seeks to strike parity in defence spending in Budget

Government today outlined a bold new approach to defence spending, seeking to strive for parity in capital and reveune expenditure, in the new defence budget which is pegged at Rs 96,000 crore marking a raise of 7.8 per cent over current fiscal outlay.

In the new budget proposals, government has for the first time hiked the share of capital outlay to almost 45 per cent of the total allocation signalling that the drive to modernise the armed forces would continue at full steam ahead.

With the offsets policy in place, the Government, top defence officials said was now aiming at partly neutralising heavy expenditure being incurred in buying sophisticated weapons and delivery platforms.

The new Defence Procurement policy lays down that any vendor getting a defence contract worth more than Rs 300 crore has to plough back 30 per cent of the amount in Indian defence industry in the form of technology transfer, joint ventures or joint collaborations.

"The near 50-50 ratio between capital and revenue expenditure is a bold step ahead", a top defence Ministry official said.

Endangered

Presidential fleet review of air force after 31 years

The full-scale presidential fleet review of the Indian Air Force (IAF) - the first in 31 years - to be held here March 7.

Even though clouds and rain in the last two days threatened to disrupt preparations for the biggest IAF event - also coinciding with the platinum jubilee of the force, IAF officials hope the sky will clear out in time.

A full dress rehearsal of the review and air show is scheduled here for March 5, air force officials said.

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the supreme commander of the Indian armed forces, will become the fourth head of state to do the full fleet review of IAF.

The last review was also held at Chandigarh Jan 19, 1976 when the president was Fakruddin Ali Ahmed.

The fleet review is seen as an exercise by IAF to honor the supreme commander and demonstrate its stature and strength.

In the review, the static and air display of IAF's entire fleet takes place, including an impressive parade by the air warriors. A unique feature would be that all 41 Presidential colours that have been awarded by the presidents of India would be displayed.

The aircraft and systems that would be on static display will comprise fighter jets MIG-21, MiG-23, MiG-29, Jaguar, Mirage-2000 and Sukhois, transport aircraft Dornier, Avro, AN-32, IL-76 and Embraer and helicopters Chetak, Cheetah, MI-8, MI-17, ALH, MI-25 and MI-26.

For the first time, the static display will include unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - Heron - used in surveillance.

The flying display will comprise fly pasts by MI-17, MI-26, advanced light helicopters (ALH), Chetak, Cheetah, M-35, HPT-32, mixed formation of Avro, AN-32 and Dorniers, Bisons, Mig-29, Mirage-2000s, Jaguars.

The IL-78 refuellers will fly past with two Mirage-2000 plugged in. Once overhead, the fighters will unplug and carry out a steep climb.

A unique feature of the fly past would be the Jaguar formation in which 17 aircraft will fly in close proximity making a figure of '75' - signifying 75 years of IAF's existence.

IAF SU-30 aircraft would perform the Trishul manouvre.

The Sarang (helicopters) and Suryakiran (jets) aerobatic teams will entertain viewers at the end of the review.

The first presidential fleet review took place in 1954 (President Rajendra Prasad) and the second in 1972 (President V.V. Giri). Both were held at Palam airport in Delhi. The third one was in 1976 in Chandigarh.

Endangered

Fourth Seaking lost by Navy since 1988

The British Seaking MK 42 Bravo, the Indian Navy lost allegedly due to a technical snag near INS Kunjali (II) in Colaba on Wedesday, was the fourth such helicopter lost by the services since its induction in 1988.

This leaves the Indian Navy with 16 Seaking MK 42 B’s of the 20 which were inducted between April 1988 and 1992. The MK 42 B’s, which was chosen by Indian Navy ahead of the French Super Puma, were inducted to serve the Godavari class frigates and the aircraft carriers Vikrant and Viraat.

With their capability to fire Sea Eagle anti-ship missiles, sources in the Navy say, the MK 42 B’s were chosen for their effective role in anti-submarine warfare and anti-ship role.

Ruling of out speculations of their compatibility and life period, Naval captain and chief public relation officer, Abhay Lambhate,VSM said, “These machines have been serving us well till now. Needed upgradation have been made as and when required.”

Meanwhile, a board of inquiry consisting of senior officers from various branches in the Western Naval Command is investigating into the accident. The inquiry might last for a period of two to three months.

Specifically as engine of the Seaking would have to be ripped apart to investigate the accident if needed, added sources. Lambhate, further said, “Prima facie it appears to be a technical snag. It would not be apt to speculate about human error with a board of inquiry investigating into the matter.”

Endangered

India declares deepwater capability drive

The Indian Coast Guard is to augment its deepwater capabilities with a range of new ships and aircraft by 2022, to render it a "reckonable" force in the Indian Ocean region, according to defence minister A K Antony.

The Indian Coast Guard has 27 ships, including five fast patrol vessels, two advanced offshore patrol vessels, three pollution control vessels and 11 interceptor boats, under construction in yards across the country. This is aside from the assets envisaged in the 15-year perspective plan as part of the force's overall aim of stepping out of the Indian Navy's shadow.

Beginning in 1977 with two frigates and five patrol boats leased from the Indian Navy, the Indian Coast Guard currently operates 76 ships and 45 aircraft.

Endangered

Italian and Indian team to supply Indian Army radios

Italy's Finmeccanica and India's Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) have signed an agreement to produce Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) standard secure radio systems for the Indian Army. TETRA is a digital trunked mobile radio standard conceived by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute for use by military, security and emergency services. The standard was designed to enable radio terminals built by one manufacturer to function with infrastructure built by another.

TETRA can broadcast encrypted voice and data that enable group communications and also functions in the event of network congestion.
Finmeccanica's unit, Selex Communications, will transfer technology to BEL for production of the radios in India, with around 100 systems to be built in the next three years under the contract that is expected to reach a total of several hundred systems with a value of 200 million euros ($263 million).

The Indian sale follows on the heels of the Italian government order in which the Italian Interior Ministry signed a 260 million euro contract in December to buy TETRA-standard radios for Italy's police and security forces, in the first installment of an expected 3 billion euro program.

Finmeccanica also signed a memorandum of understanding this month with Indian state-owned engineering company Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd.(BHEL) in Mumbai for the development of radar systems. In the past, BHEL has produced naval gun turrets for the Indian Navy and coast guard under license from Finmeccanica unit Oto Melara. Finmeccanica and BEL are also exploring the possibility of licensed production of large caliber gun mounts for warships.

Endangered

Talks on to finalise partner for Kaveri engine development

Bangalore: Key personnel from two global aircraft engine manufacturers who are competing to partner the Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) in the joint design and development of the Kaveri engine for the indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft are here to hold joint as well as independent meetings with officials from the GTRE.

Snecma Moteurs of France and Russian combat aircraft design giant NPO-Saturn, both who are yet to reply to the GTRE's second (issued last December) request for proposal (RFP), are seeking to know the details and clarifications required. It is hoped that the meetings, meant to be debriefing sessions, would help resolve these issues.

In 2005, the GTRE, a Bangalore-based Ministry of Defence (MoD) research and development laboratory, realised that they could not independently develop a combat aircraft engine. They sent an RFP to three global engine manufacturers — Snecma Moteurs, NPO-Saturn and the U.S. Pratt and Whitney — looking to choose a partner who would join it in forming a 50:50 joint venture company (JVC) that would develop the Kaveri engine.

Declaring a two-month deadline for replies to the RFP, a timeframe that ended in October 2005, the GTRE said they wanted the resultant JVC to get working by January 2006.

But with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (which will produce the Kaveri engine once it is developed) raising issues over the methodology to be employed during the production stage of the engine, the GTRE was forced to issue a revised RFP last December, seeking more details.

Both competitors (the second RFP was not sent to Pratt and Whitney) were unable to understand the clarifications sought by the GTRE in the revised RFP.

Talking to The Hindu during a recent visit, Jean Paul Bechat, Chief Operating Officer of the Safran Group (of which Snecma is a subsidiary company), said: "We don't understand what GTRE wants. We gave a full proposal to their RFP. We answered what we were asked." Both Snecma and NPO-Saturn want the JVC to be involved in not just engine design but with production as well; for it is here that the real business lies. As per estimates, around 300 Kaveri engines could be sold.

Mr. Bechat said: "We are interested in entering a full production programme. We have said that just designing an engine is not of interest to us. Just to undertake research on an engine, which we have anyway already done in the past, will be a waste. [The company] can't afford to spend money researching the same thing twice."

According to Mr. Bechat, the full developmental cost of a fighter aircraft engine like the Kaveri would cost around Euro 1 billion and take four to five years to fructify.

Currently, the Kaveri engine prototype K-9, a research and development effort undertaken by the GTRE, has been able to deliver 95 per cent of the desired thrust of 47 kilo Newton in stationary test bed conditions.

URI

Srirangan

United States, Japan, India to Conduct Military Exercises in the Pacific

China to Hike Defence Budget by 17.8% in 2007 | India Defence

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I rant, therefore I am.

Endangered

INS Viraat is a sitting duck



NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy’s only aircraft carrier, Viraat, may be an easy target for enemy aircraft and other weapon platforms.

The navy discovered the vulnerability during a month-long exercise that concluded a few days ago on the western sea front.

Tropex (Theatre-level Readiness Operational Exercises) is the navy’s most extensive annual drill in which all its major platforms collaborate. The air force, coast guard, and army components also take part in the exercise.

The authorities were reticent about Viraat’s susceptibility to attack. But a source said “the enemy’s” unmanned aerial vehicles and long-range patrol aircraft were able to intrude into the carrier group’s airspace during the war-simulation exercise, determine the location of carrier, and close in on it.

The gaping breach in the security of the carrier battle group — a combination of warships with the carrier at its heart — raises questions about the utility of acquiring new aircraft carriers. India has procured the Gorshkov (INS Vikramaditya) from Russia, and another carrier is under construction in the Cochin shipyard. A proposal to build a second carrier in Kochi is also being considered.

A carrier, its support ships, and other electronic warfare systems on board are supposed to be on guard against enemy intrusion at all times. It is a cat-and-mouse game between the carrier group and the enemy’s potent aircraft such as the P3C Orion. If an intrusion is reported by the carrier’s consorts, then a combat air patrol is scrambled. The fighters from the carrier then chase the intruders away. No such alert was sounded during Tropex.

The thrust of this year’s exercise was to validate the concept of ‘maritime manoeuvre from the sea’. The exercise is designed to ensure that in a short, swift, and intense conflict, the navy is able to directly address and favourably influence the progress and outcome of the air-land battle.

The lessons learnt during the exercise will “now be fed back into the navy’s analysis organisations and used to refine operational doctrines”, a navy statement said. The statement did not mention the weak spot in Viraat’s defence.

“A detailed analysis of the exercise is now underway,” the statement said.

URI

Endangered

Pilotless target aircraft Lakshya flight-tested

Balasore, Mar 05: Laskshya, the pilotless target aircraft (PTA), was flight tested from the interim test range (ITR) at Chandipur, about 15 km from here today, defence sources said.

The PTA, developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment, Bangalore, is designed to perform discreet aerial reconnaissance of battlefield and target acquisition.

The sub-sonic and re-usable aerial flight system was remote controlled from the ground and designed to impart training to both air-borne and air-defence pilots, the sources said.

Usually the flight duration of the six-feet long microlight aircraft is 30 to 35 minutes and after making three to four laps in the sky it drops down to the ground with the help of a parachute, they said.

Fitted with advanced digitally controlled engine, PTA had been tested earlier and today's flight was carried out to check the viability of the engine and duration enhancement.

URI

Endangered

India, Japan, US to hold joint military exercise in April

TOKYO, MAR 5 (PTI)

India, Japan and US will hold their first joint military drill in April in the Pacific off Japan's coast that will focus on maritime security.

The week-long drill will focus on maritime security during large-scale natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis, Kyodo News agency reported today.

The drill, called by the Pentagon, comes amid rising concerns at the growing military power in the region of China, which announced yesterday an increase in its defence budget by 17.8 per cent for 2007, the agency said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said he wants to build closer ties with India. The move comes after Abe and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed in Tokyo in December to develop their geo-strategic relationship, the report said. Japan and India have also agreed to begin talks on a free trade pact.

Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force will dispatch escort vessels and patrol helicopters during the drill.

URI

Endangered

Army modernisation 15 yrs behind: Antony

NEW DELHI, MARCH 6: Admitting that modernisation of the armed forces had
suffered a body blow from multiple political controversies over the last few decades, Defence Minister AK Antony today said the process currently lagged behind by at least 15 years and it was imperative that it was put back on track.

His comments come at a time when the army’s long delayed procurement of artillery guns—in which the Bofors L-52 gun is reportedly a frontrunner—hangs fire with the Ministry. The government is also trying to get main Ottavio Quattrocchi, accused in the Bofors scam, extradited from Argentina. Antony refused to make any comment on the gun trials or the controversy surrounding his extradition.

“New procurements have commenced from five years ago, but we are still lagging by 15 years. We have to modernise fast. We have to modernise the army, navy, air force and the Coast Guard, which is the youngest and smallest of our services,” Antony said today.

Referring to China’s steeply hiked defence budget announced this week, Antony said, “We don’t want to compete with any countries. We want to strike a balance between bread, butter and security.” He, however, admitted that the Defence Ministry needed more that what Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s made in allocations for defence this year. At the same time, he reiterated that Chidambaram’s assurance that all security needs would be taken care of had reassured South Block that it would have enough resources to take care of modernisation plans for the year.

Referring to the Rs 3,000 crore that the MoD had to park back to the Finance Ministry this year in unspent funds, Antony said, “Next year, we will make sure that not a single Rupee is left unspent.”