IN News and Discussion

Gents, this thread is getting far too long. I’m closing it, please start another. Thanks.

BATTLELINES DRAWN

Ahmedabad, December 8: Target one Madhavpur beach. Then Keshod airfield, and finally securing Porbandar town. A major joint services exercise — the first on Gujarat coast — in which the Army, Navy and Air Force displayed their operational preparedness was conducted on the scenic beach of Madhavpur, 60 km from Porbandar, on Wednesday morning.

Operation Defence of Gujarat Exercise (DGX) ’04 aimed to secure Madhavpur beach first and than take over nearby Keshod airfield and secure Porbandar town.

The importance of the operation can be guaged from the fact that three senior officers — Lieutenant-General B S Thakur, Andaman and Nicobar; Vice-Admiral Madanjit Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command; and Air Marshal S K Jain, AOC-IN-C, SWAC — were present.

It all began with an amphibious assault landing by troops from INS Gharial in Infantry Combat Vehicles and assault boats. The INS Gharial had crept to a few hundred metres from the coast before it launched a wave of attacks. With an extra-fast attack craft circling to provide a security cordon around the attack boats, the first wave of troops — from Maratha Light Infantry — hit the beach in the face of ‘‘enemy firing’’ —dummy gunfire and rockets.

By the time they secured the ‘‘beach head’’ — a secure landing place — the second wave of attack came.

The BMPs, which translate from Russian as Infantry Assault Vehicles, resemble tanks which have buoyancy and can be launched by landing ships very near to the coast. They can travel in water before hitting land and moving in further.

By the time the third wave landed on the beach, the area was taken over by troops armed with assault rifles, bazookas and rocket launchers supported by BMPs.

In the second phase of the operation, two AN-32s dropped commandoes, including eight marine commandoes — a tricky operation for the huge AN-32s streaming overhead. A landing zone officer stationed in a ship just a km off the coast monitored wind speed and direction, and guided the para drop.

The AN-32s circled for several minutes before identifying the right spot and altitude, which is impossible in a real war scenario where the drop has to be made in one go.

A ‘‘duck’’ — a container with two inflatable boats and equipment weighing 1,000 kg — was dropped. The marines jumped out from a height of 1,200 feet and, after securing boats and equipments, made their way to land.

Meanwhile, another AN-32 which climbed to 12,000 feet dropped nine other commandoes. After free-falling for several seconds, the commandoes made a perfect landing at an identified spot on the beach.

In the third operation, eight commandoes performed static live jumps from a very low altitude over bajra fields along the coastal highway. The commandoes included Captain Ramakrishnan, who lost a leg in an explosion in Kargil. He made the jump wearing a Jaipur foot.

The operation involved the participation of naval ships like INS Gharial, INS Matanga and INS Sharab, which had sailed from the Joint Command Centre at Andaman and Nicobar, besides Army units like Maratha Light Infantry.

Himanshu, considering the case of TES, wherein ISRO acted as the agency in charge of launch and maintainance of a satellite whose services were utilized by the armed forces, I cannot think of any agency except for ISRO which will be responsible from the Indian side for the L&M of Glonass. Also, there has not been any development to suggest that any arm of the armed force is in the process of acquiring a sat-launch capability, independent of the ISRO.

Improved ‘Trinkat’ class ship launched for IN

KOLKATA: The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) today launched “Bangaram”, its fast attack craft for the Indian Navy, equipped with the latest navigation, communication and global positioning system equipment.

The 260 tonne improved ‘Trinkat’ class ship built at a cost of Rs 48 crore has an endurance of 2000 nautical miles and offers a cost effective platform for patrol and resuce operations and sea.

The armament on board constitute a 30mm gun and small arm to be supplied by the Navy, CMD of GRSE rear admiral Rajeev Paralikar said.

dont think I have ever heard of an MPA that can drop a decent number of paratroops….

More like … a few (covert insertion)

India Studies Maritime Aircraft Proposals

Eleven overseas companies are vying to sell the Indian Defense Ministry two maritime surveillance aircraft for $27.7 million in response to a global tender the government floated in September, a ministry official said.

French companies ATR and Dassault Aviation, Spain’s CASA, , Sweden’s SAAB, Brazil’s Embraer, Ukraine’s Antonov, Russia’s Ilyushin Aviation, Germany’s Dornier, Canada’s Bombardier and U.S. firm Lockheed Martin have submitted proposals, along with India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. The Defence Ministry is reviewing the technology of the offers, the ministry official said.

In the past, it has taken India up to 10 years to complete defense acquisitions, due to bureaucratic red tape. But the Defence Ministry official said the maritime surveillance aircraft purchase will be completed within a year.

Detailing Navy and Coast Guard requirements, the official said the twin-engine plane and its sub-systems should be tropical-weather worthy. Other essential parameters specify that the aircraft should have:

• Short takeoff and landing.

• A patrol speed of 180 to 405 kilometers per hour.

• Internal and external fuel storage.

• A range of up to 2,000 nautical miles or a minimum of eight hours.

• Ability to drop paratroops.

• 360-degree radar and day-and-night capabilities.

dont think I have ever heard of an MPA that can drop a decent number of paratroops….

I’d say going ion for a Tu-204 based patrol a/c wud be the best one. Anyway we’d need 30 and more in numbers in future for patrol, so go in for these and also make it available for IAF’s VIP fleet and others . It will also gaurantee that we get a good share of work but free gadgets wont be there as the Chiese found out for their presedential a/c. Maybe the guys in w.d.c & pg though abt visual and audio treats from the chinese side …..

India Studies Maritime Aircraft Proposals

Eleven overseas companies are vying to sell the Indian Defense Ministry two maritime surveillance aircraft for $27.7 million in response to a global tender the government floated in September, a ministry official said.

French companies ATR and Dassault Aviation, Spain’s CASA, , Sweden’s SAAB, Brazil’s Embraer, Ukraine’s Antonov, Russia’s Ilyushin Aviation, Germany’s Dornier, Canada’s Bombardier and U.S. firm Lockheed Martin have submitted proposals, along with India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. The Defence Ministry is reviewing the technology of the offers, the ministry official said.

In the past, it has taken India up to 10 years to complete defense acquisitions, due to bureaucratic red tape. But the Defence Ministry official said the maritime surveillance aircraft purchase will be completed within a year.

Detailing Navy and Coast Guard requirements, the official said the twin-engine plane and its sub-systems should be tropical-weather worthy. Other essential parameters specify that the aircraft should have:

• Short takeoff and landing.

• A patrol speed of 180 to 405 kilometers per hour.

• Internal and external fuel storage.

• A range of up to 2,000 nautical miles or a minimum of eight hours.

• Ability to drop paratroops.

• 360-degree radar and day-and-night capabilities.

Yes, but I don’t know if it’s an above or below deck operation, or if it’s automated. This facility is’nt available on any other IN warship employing the Barak.

Very unusual!

Is the search radar on the model of the P17 STAR-MF as well?

Yes, but I don’t know if it’s an above or below deck operation, or if it’s automated. This facility is’nt available on any other IN warship employing the Barak.

Was Barak equipped looong ago. The holes were cut at Cochin and the ship equipped at Bombay. There are 2x 8 cell launchers, with reloads, just aft of the tower. Elta radar replaces the RAWS 08.

What do you mean “with reloads”? Are they planning to manually swap out expended canisters with loaded ones while at sea?

Was’nt installed when I saw it but a significant improvement in range was mentioned, meaning the STAR.

What is the Israeli RAWS 08 replacement?

INS Viraat is now Barak equipped, either with two 8-round launchers or one 8-round launcher.

Was Barak equipped looong ago. The holes were cut at Cochin and the ship equipped at Bombay. There are 2x 8 cell launchers, with reloads, just aft of the tower. Elta radar replaces the RAWS 08.

According to the latest JMR, INS Viraat is now Barak equipped, either with two 8-round launchers or one 8-round launcher. She is in the Arabian under going OPEVAL and will be back into full OPS status by the end of the year.

Sagarika.. that’s the name for the indigenous SLBM/SSBN project, IIRC.

I know the difference. But I have encountered the name Sakariga used specifically for the ADS project by NAFO and some other European sources. (prob quoting NAFO)

This proves my point . No russian cash money is involved in Brahmos and it is Russian product with half Indian name.
www.indiadefence.com
AFTER PUTIN –– RUMSFELD TO VISIT

An IDC Analysis (with inputs from Sayan Majumdar)

New Delhi, 05 December 2004

Putin visited Delhi for two days from 03 Dec and signed a series of defence protocols including one providing for an agreement on the key issue of protecting Intellectual Property Rights, in the case of weapon systems produced jointly. The Russians are learning the facts of IPR and they know that the BrahMos and other technologies are exportable so since India and Russia have jointly developed the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, they must jointly market it in the global Arms Bazaar, protecting the property rights of Russia. In any case India has always had to agree to many Russian demands in the past for its defence spares and line of supply for many future acquistions are tied to Russia. Even the BrahMos missile is 95% Russian and it was the brain child that evolved out of Russian investment from the amount India owes Russia in rupees, and a Task Force is looking into modalities of the balance two years payment. Putin knew he could lay conditions and has tried to keep the Indian defence market in the Russian fold and ward off USA and others. Now Rumsfeld is due in India and he too will try to peddle US hardware

Sagarika.. that’s the name for the indigenous SLBM/SSBN project, IIRC.
________
HANDJOB SLOW

I have encountered references to the ADS as project Sakariga. Is this correct?