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Russia to Host Military Exercises With India in 2006-2007

Russia will host military exercises with India in 2006 and 2007 involving the countries’ special forces, the Russian defense minister said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a press conference after a session of a bilateral commission on military and technical cooperation, Sergei Ivanov was quoted by the RIA-Novosti news agency as saying this years’ Indian-Russian joint exercises had been useful for both countries.

Indra-2005 was held in mid-October in India.

Ivanov said the joint production of certain military equipment for exports would be one of the top-priority themes of bilateral military cooperation and that the issue was high on the session’s agenda.

Russia and India are currently discussing contracts for the supply of Russian military equipment worth a total of $10 billion. The two countries are ready to start the joint production of defense technology for sale to third countries.

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Wild Wild Web

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India Leases Two P-3Cs for $133M

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress [PDF format] that the Government of India wishes to lease 2 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, plus training devices, support and test equipment, and other related training, support, and maintenance-related items and services. The two leased P-3 aircraft will replace two even older Soviet built IL-38 May aircraft, which are quickly reaching the end of their airframe fatigue life. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

India's rival Pakistan also operates the P-3 Orion, but this will be the first time India has done so. It's also an indicator of India's warming relations with the USA and increased military cooperation. The estimated contract value is $133 million, which will include the two aircraft and also the training and integration costs that accompany a new platform. The principal contractors will be:

Lockheed Martin in Eagan, MN
Lockheed Martin Aircraft Center in Greenville, SC
Logistics Support International, Inc. in Jacksonville, FL

Implementation of this proposed sale will require technical assistance prior to the delivery of the first aircraft and continued involvement by U.S. and contractor representatives to India for three years. Several U.S. Government and contractor representatives will travel to India for two-week intervals twice annually to participate in training, program management and technical reviews.

As DID has noted in earlier reports, the P-3 Orions have age issues of their own; nevertheless, they can serve in a stopgap capacity until other options become available. The USA's P-3Cs are also receiving substantial upgrades, as noted in DID's ongoing coverage of the P-3 platform; there was no word on which upgrades, if any, the Indian planes would be receiving.

The long-endurance Heron UAVs that India recently bought from Israel can also be configured for maritime surveillance if the need arises.

Over the longer term, India has expressed interest in the 737-based P-8A Multimission Maritime Aircraft, which is due to enter service around 2012-2014. The P-8A MMA is also envisaged as having a long-range UAV supplement; in India's case, this could be the Heron or it could be a different UAV platform.

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Israeli companies invited to Indian Army rifles tender

India is considering future infantry models, including Israel’s future model.

Israeli defense companies have been invited to bid in an Indian Army tender for the purchase of 50,000 rifles, “Defense News” reports.
According to the weekly, the Indian Army is planning to upgrade the equipment of its infantry units. Indian military planners are currently considering future infantry models, including the infantry program of the US Army, an overall technological project for the future soldier; Israel’s future infantry program; and South Africa’s African soldier program.

The Indian Army is planning to equip its soldiers with an upgraded 5.56 mm assault rifle, sights and observation equipment installed on helmets, a radio and data communications system, and armor and survival equipment.

Within 3-4 months, the Indian Army plans to publish an international tender for the purchase of 50,000 rifles. Companies from Israel, Germany, South Africa, and the US will be eligible.

”Defense News” says that all bids must include a program for transferring rifle technologies to India in order to make local production possible.

Rifles offered in the tender are likely to include electro-optical components, such as thermal sights, holographic sights, video cameras and still photographs, a digital compass, and a global positioning system (GPS). Other equipment is likely to include a digital map and a battlefield identification system. A fire control computer will coordinate all the elements, and make it possible to use electronically summoned air blast ammunition. Rifles will also be equipped with a grenade launcher.

The Indian Army is also planning to buy several thousand light helmets with equipment for distributing data from sensors and other digital information. Battle suits will include ballistic armor and atomic-biological-chemical (ABC) identification kits. The suits, made of infrared-absorbing camouflage materials capable of changing color to match the surroundings, will minimize physical pressure on the body.

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Cope India '05

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Cope India

KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India (AFPN) -- Staff Sgt. Trey Norris reels in a fueling hose after the refueling an F-16 Fighting Falcon during Cope India 2006. During the exercise, Sergeant Norris has worked closely with the Indian Oil Company to completing 146 aircraft refuels -- nearly 235,000 gallons of fuel. Sergeant Norris is a fuels distribution supervisor from the 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan.

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KALAIKUNDA AIR STATION, India (AFPN) -- Staff Sgt. Trey Norris monitors the fueling of an F-16 Fighting Falcon during Cope India 2006. During the exercise, Sergeant Norris has worked closely with the Indian Oil Company to completing 146 aircraft refuels -- nearly 235,000 gallons of fuel. Sergeant Norris is a fuels distribution supervisor from the 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Martin Jackson)

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IAF show leaves US forces spellbound

KALAIKUNDA, NOV 17: As the Cope India 2005 Indo-US air force exercises wound down today after two weeks of feverish action in the eastern skies, the US Air Force were left with a stark, double-edged realization.

One — that it is no longer the unchallenged leader in the skies, and two—for all future joint operations in South Asia, the IAF would, without doubt, be its natural partner.

Vice Commander of the US Pacific Air Forces Lt Gen Dave Deptula said: ‘‘I have never seen a better executed exercise in my 29 years with the USAF. This will go a long way towards establishing peace and stability in the region. Every single objective of this exercise has been met. It was not the US against India. It was an exercise on how to operate together.’’

Admittedly, the two forces still have much to learn from each other, especially in procedures and operational routines. Both sides said that given an immediate security threat, the two forces now had the capability to fly together in response. ‘‘We will now be prepared if called upon in the future for a contingency, unnamed and unknown. We will be in a position to respond. We can get onto the task of resolving crisis situations together without wasting time,’’ Lt Gen Deptula said. Today, the two sides flew a rare high value airborne asset (HVAA) attack simulation over Kalaikunda, which principally illustrated the cohesive nature of this round of war games. In the mission, the USAF’s E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft was escorted by American F-16s and Indian Su-30s in a scenario where the AWACS was attacked by a hybrid mix of American F-16s, Indian Mirage-2000s and Su-30s. In the words of one of Mirage pilots, this, more than any of the other maneuvers in the last weeks, epitomized what Cope India was about. Air Marshal Fali Major, Eastern Commander, said: ‘‘This exercise simulated a hot war scenario in a conventional setting. It was not about terror.’’

During the last Cope India exercise in February 2004, American F-15 pilots had admitted finding it bizarre that their Indian counterparts had routed them in many maneuvers. This time round, the buzzword was a studied ‘jointness’, though pilots told this newspaper off the record that the IAF had maintained its ‘‘one-up’’

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US pilots get 'surprises' from India's ageing MiG-21s

Rezaul H. Laskar, Kalaikunda (West Bengal): US Air Force pilots flying sophisticated F-16 jets were in for a few "surprises" when they squared off with their Indian counterparts in ageing MiG-21 fighters during an exercise at an airbase here.

Though senior Indian and US officials were at pains Thursday to emphasise Cope India 05 - the largest air force exercise between the two sides - was all about cooperation and not competition, others privately admitted the US pilots were often "amazed" by the performance of the Indians.

The nearly two-week-long wargame that began Nov 7 sparked angry demonstrations from Left parties opposed to New Delhi's growing military ties with Washington, but US and Indian pilots were unconcerned with such protests, focusing instead on training for possible joint missions in future.

Gen. D. Deptula, vice commander of the US Pacific Air Force, said the manoeuvres - which featured 12 F-16s flying alongside 26 Indian jets, including Su-30s, MiG-21s, MiG-29s and Mirage 2000s - led to increased mutual understanding that would help both countries respond to "unnamed and unknown" contingencies.

"As these unknown contingencies pop up, we can respond better without wasting time," Deptula told a news briefing.

Deptula and Air Marshal Fali Major, chief of the Indian Air Force's (IAF) Eastern Command, insisted that "kills" or successes during combat missions during Cope India 05 were not tallied or reported, but other officials from both sides privately said the Indians had often surprised the American pilots.

Major merely noted that the "home grown ingenuity and skill of IAF pilots has earned respect from different nations", but some Indian pilots admitted the performance of the ageing but refurbished MiG-21s had "dumbfounded" the Americans.

"This happened despite the fact that the Americans had an AWACS (airborne warning and control system) with them and we had little experience of operating in an AWACS environment," said an IAF pilot who did not want to be named.

Deptula brushed aside protests against the exercise by the Left parties that rule West Bengal state, remarking that the US and India were democracies whose militaries had to protect the rights of expression of all sections of society.

"That's what this is all about - protecting the people's right to articulate their feelings," he said.

Lt. Col. Pete Bastien, a fighter controller on the US E3Sentry AWACS sent from Japan for the exercise, had plenty of praise for India's Su-30 multi-role jets. "We had never flown in India and we had never operated with the IAF. The page was blank and we learnt a lot during this exercise," he said.

Capt. Ben Mosley, an F-16 pilot, was more forthright. "We're very proud to be allies with India and happy that we will work with the IAF," he said after a few training sorties with the Su-30s.

Cope India 05 also marked the return of US forces to Kalaikunda after nearly 60 years - the airbase was created specifically for US Army Air Force pilots to ferry supplies to China over the "hump" of the Himalayas during World War II.

The IAF recently refurbished the airbase for use in future joint exercise with foreign countries. It will also be "hired" by the Singapore Air Force early next year for training exercises, officials said.

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Modified AWACS for India by 2007

KALAIKUNDA, Nov. 17. — The Indian Air Force is to get three modified versions of the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), the US reconnaissance aircraft, the first being in 2007.
The IAF’s Russian made IL-76 transport aircraft will be fitted with radars from Israel, enabling them to function like AWACS, said a senior IAF officer. However, he did not reveal the price of the radars. The cost of converting the IL-76 into a reconnaissance aircraft will be much less than that of AWACS.
At the Kalaikunda air base, the AOC-in-C, Eastern Air Command, Air Marshal FH Major, said today that the IAF would get the first one in 2007.
The AWACS is part of the US Air Force fleet participating in the joint air exercise with the IAF. Made by Boeing, AWACS has a radar fitted atop it and can carry 25 to 40-member crew, Lt-Col. Peter Bastien, a crew commander, said. He said both IAF and USAF pilots flew together in AWACS and learnt how to monitor the aircraft and maintain liaison with ground staff and pilots.
“Since our chaps got an exposure during the joint air exercise, they now have working knowledge of the AWACS and can operate them with ease,” Air Marshal Major said.

He said: “Such exercises not only help in promoting mutual understanding but also enhance interoperability.” Both sides have learnt a lot from each other and all objectives of the exercise have been achieved, he said. Asked if he would recommend F-16s, he said: “We requested 126 multi-role aircraft. Requests for information have been placed with the USA, Sweden, France and Russia for F-16s, Griffin, Mirage and MiG-29s, respectively.”
Asked whether the USAF would use Indian air bases, Lt-Gen. DA Deptula, Vice-Commander of the US Pacific Fleet, said: “By co-operative security we mean joint operation during natural calamities like we did after the tsunami.” — SNS

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Mukherjee invites RAC MiG to present concept of fifth-gen plane

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee has invited Russian Aircraft Corporation (RAC) MiG to present its concept of fifth generation fighter aircraft before the top brass of Indian Air Force even as New Delhi has expressed its desire to join the Russian project.

"MiG had presented its concept of fifth generation fighter aircraft when I visited them yesterday. I invited them to make a presentation in India for the IAF officers," Mukherjee told reporters before leaving for home tonight at the end of his three-day Moscow visit.

In the course of his press conference at the Russian Defence Ministry yesterday, Mukherjee had for the first time publicly acknowledged that India is keen to take part in the development and financing of the fifth generation fighter aircraft with Russia, which would rival the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) being developed by the United States.

Russia had for the first time made this offer to NDA government three years ago after successful completion of Sukhoi Su-30MKI project, which already incorporates some features of the futuristic super fighter plane.

Local defence experts have noted that China, a major buyer of Russian military hardware has not been offered stake in the project. France is the only other foreign nation, which has also been invited besides India.

Russian Air Force had identified Sukhoi Corporation as the designer of the fifth generation fighter aircraft, which has already made presentation in India. However, India seems to be in favour of a lighter aircraft, in which RAC MiG specialises.

On the last day of his Moscow visit the Defence Minister addressed the cadets and staff of the Russian General Staff Academy and visited NPOM, the Russian partner of Indo-Russian 'BrahMos' joint venture for the manufacture of supersonic cruise missiles.

Mukherjee said that several 'friendly' countries have evinced interest in the missile, which would be jointly marketed by India and Russia.

He, however, said that first it was the need to induct the missile by the armed forces of India and Russia before global marketing.

"Russia would require to amend some of its laws for inducting BrahMos, and we are pursuing this issue with them," Mukherjee said.

Describing his three-day stay in Moscow and talks with the Russian leadership including President Vladimir Putin and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov "quite successful", Mukherjee said that long pending Intellectual Property Right (IPR) agreement has been finalised and it would be signed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Moscow visit early December.

IPR agreement would help in resolving the problem of spares, he said.

India and Russia will also sign agreement on the joint development and production of 145 medium multi-role transport aircraft (MTA) of which IAF will get 45 aircraft for replacing ageing AN-32 fleet.

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Army, Air Force display prowess in 'Operation Desert Strike'

For the first time in 18 years, Indian armed forces today conducted large-scale war manoeuvres in the Thar desert baring its just-acquired lethal weapons platforms and systems before Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and observers from 40 countries, including China.

In 'Operation Desert Strike', as the war games have been codenamed, the Army and the Air Force deployed latest acquistions like Russian T-90 tanks, mechanised infantry combat vehicles in tandem with force multipliers like Israeli Searcher and Heron Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Air Defence Missile System and other electronic sensors and surveillance systems.

Synergy between air and ground forces marked the Corps level exercises with IAF fighters like Mirage 2000, ground attack MiG-27s, deep penetration Jaguars, upgraded MiG-21 Bisons and attack helicopters immaculately coordinating with their counterparts on the ground.

It is for the first time war games of this intensity were held in the desert after the famous 'Operation Brasstacks' in 1987, officials said.

For the first time, top level officers of the Chinese People' Army witnessed the exercise, army officials said. Indian army teams had observed Chinese military exercises earlier.

Over 20,000 personnel participated in the massive

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Pranab denies seeking cooperation from Russia on N-sub

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today denied that India has sought Moscow's cooperation for development of indigenous nuclear submarines during talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Ivanov as reported in a section of the media.

"We discussed Amur class diesel-electric submarines, which Russia wants to sell India. I told them that if and when required it could take part in the tender to be invited by India, but for the time being we have opted for the French Scorpene submarines," Pranab Mukherjee said, backtracking on his earlier statement at a joint press conference with Ivanov.

"There was some misunderstanding in reporting. I did not discuss ATV. While talking about ADS, I had meant Admiral Gorshkov in my mind," Pranab told reporters before leaving for home today. ATV refers to Advance Technology Vessel, an indigenous project for the development of nuclear submarine. ADS is the Air Defence Ship project for development of aircraft carriers.

Yesterday at the press conference after the signing of the protocol of Indo- Russian Intergovernmental Commission, responding to a question whether Russia's cooperation in the thoroughly-guarded ATV and ADS was sought, Mukherjee had answered in affirmative. But late last night, Indian ambassador Kanwal Sibal strongly denied the report saying no nuclear submarines were discussed.

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ICF builds a strategic vehicle for defence needs

Demostrating its designing and building capabilities yet again, the Integral Coach Factory today rolled out "Jet Deflector Crane Car", developed exclusively for the "strategic" defence needs.

Stating that it was the first such venture for ICF, Union Minister of State for Railways, R Velu, who flagged-off the car, told reporters that the ICF had developed the vehicle indigenously as per the specifications given by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

DRDO had placed an order for four such vehicles at a total cost of Rs 6.4 crore. Of these four vehicles, one was flagged off today and the rest would be built by the end of current fiscal, he said adding the finalisation of the design of the car, a specialised self-propelled vehicle, used for strategic deployment, took nearly three years with constant DRDO inputs.

About the use of the car for defence, DRDO Director Y P Pathak said it was part of a system requirement and it "is a very important strategic vehicle". He declined to elaborate further.

Velu said the Defence department had also ordered for 14 military kitchen cars at a cost of Rs 9.6 crore and these vehicles were also likely to be ready by end of March 2006.

Assuring that ICF was ready to fulfill the defence needs, Velu said in 1992-93, 13 military kitchen cars were given to defence and in 1996-97, ICF had built nine military ward cars.

ICF and Defence department were also in dialogue for the building of a special communication car.

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Indo-US exercises could lead to joint operation possibilities

The ongoing Indo-US air exercise, 'Cope India 06', at Kalaikunda in West Bengal could lead to future joint operation possibilities in a third country, US Charge d' Affairs Robert O Blake said tonight.

"Possibly. This would be a national decision. It has to be made by the Government of India. But the current exercise is all about cooperation and learning," he said when asked whether this could lead to joint operations in a third country.

On the protests against the exercise by the left parties, Blake said, "India is a democracy. Everyone has a right to protest."

US relations with India, he said, were improving and the joint exercise was a reflection of this. "This relationship will grow even more. This should not be confined to the energy and defence sectors, but has also been extended to global disaster managment and science and technology."

He said that US President George Bush might visit India in the first quarter of next year.

On Indo-US trade, he said that there was 50 per cent rise in it compared to last year. "Indo-US trade will touch $ 20 billion this year and double by 2008.

Air Officer, Commanding, Eastern Air Command, F H Major who was also present said that the Indo-US joint exercise was going on "wonderfully well. Most of the objectives of the exercise have been achieved"

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Navy extending support to 'Look East' policy

In keeping with the Centre's 'Look East' policy, the Navy is working on building relations with its counterparts in South East Asian countries, a senior Naval official said today.

"We are the best suited instruments for the 'Look East' policy. A large number of naval ships from Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and beyond visit our shores. We are also building up relations with them," Flag Officer-Commanding- Officer-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Suresh Mehta told reporters here.

Observing that the Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean have become important sea lanes following increase in the movement of oil and cargo, he said Navy has carried out 'institutionalised patrolling' with Thailand and Malaysia to prevent terrorists, pirates and illegal movement of civilians in the straits of Malacca.

According to Mehta, there has been a reduction in the movement of contraband from Bangladesh following intensified vigil by the Navy.

In reply to a question, he said a 'type training' centre would be set up at Goa in collaboration with Russia to train figther pilots in 'Short Take-off But Arrested Recovery' (STOBAR) skills for 'INS Vikramaditya,' a refitted version of the Russian carrier 'Admiral Goshkov.' He said 'INS Vikramaditya' would be operational in the next two years and would have on board MIG-29K fighter aircraft, whose pilots are being trained in the US and later, in Goa.