black eagle124 tanks, 126 jets to be acquired by 2009: Minister
124 tanks, 126 jets to be acquired by 2009: Minister
Chandigarh, Oct 10: India will acquire 126 multi-role combat jets for the Air Force and 124 main battle tanks for the Army by 2009, Minister of state for Defence Production Rao Inderjit Singh said here today.
The letters of intent for the fighters have already been received from US, French, Swedish and British companies and it will take a few months for the request for proposals to be issued, Singh told a meet-the-press programme here.
“We will induct the fighters in phases,” he said, adding the Indian Air Force’s ageing Mig-21s are scheduled to be phased out by 2011.
He said the 66 Hawk advanced jet trainers purchased from Britain’s BAE systems would soon begin arriving.
Five Arjun MBTS were recently given to the army and they had been thoroughly tested and found satisfactory.
Singh, who recently reviewed the production status of the MBT, said the cost of producing each tank in ordnance factories worked out to Rs 17 crore.
He also said that production of anti-material rifles had started in an ordnance factory at Trichi. “The state-of-the-art rifle can use 13.5 mm and 20 mm bullets,” he said.
To a question, Singh said the Defence procurement policy introduces increased levels of transparency and accountability in the arms purchase process.
black eagleIndian Air Force to acquire more aircraft
Worried that India might be losing the defensive edge to Pakistan in the air, the Strategic Policy Group will meet on Wednesday (October 11) to finalise a fighter aircraft acquisition plan.
An additional Rs 10,000 crore is likely to be set aside in the current budget for aircraft acquisitions. This acquisition plan is geared to counter Pakistan’s purchase of 40 F-16s. The delivery schedule will be spread over ten years between 2006 and 2016.
The Mirage and Sukhoi fighter aircrafts are the favourites for the Indian Airforce. The Policy Group that will decide on the plan consists of the Cabinet Secretary, the Defence Secretary and the three Armed forces chiefs. The plan, once finalised by the SPG, will be submitted to the CCS.
Currently the ratio for fighter aircraft numbers is said to be somewhere in the region of 1:2.17 in favour of India. If India’s aged and outdated fleet is discounted, the ratio falls to 1:1.79. But critically, after the induction of 40 F-16s by Pakistan, this ratio will further be reduced to 1:1.15.
Air Force Chief’s take
Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi has backed the TIMES NOW report saying Pakistan’s latest batch of F-16’s can alter the strategic balance of power in the sub-continent.
“Of course it is an area of concern. We have to look at it. If the balance of power changes in the subcontinent, I will be slightly amiss if I ignore it. Those factors have to be taken into account in my planning not only on force, but on training, defensive postures, and doctrines. This is the job of the military,” says Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi.
The options
But what options does India have? Air Chief Marshall Tyagi has spoken of more planes for the IAF.
India can go for an outright purchase from international partners or in the interim, it can turn to indigenous solutions. 20 more upgraded jaguar strike aircraft are to be made in India by HAL.
20 Indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft are on the way; but the plane is still in a prototype stage and is some years away from deployment. And of course, there are 126 multi-role combat aircraft.
India vs Pakistan
Where do the two countries stand head to head?
India has an army of 1.2 million men, whereas Pakistan has an army of about half a million.
The Indian Army has 5,500 tanks to Pakistan’s 3,500.
India has over 700 warplanes, twice as many as Pakistan.
India has about 25 major warships to Pakistan’s 8.
India has 16 submarines, while Pakistan has 10.
When it comes to nuclear missiles, according to some estimates, India has 60 and Pakistan has 25.
black eagleMalaysia May Buy Brahmos Missile From India
NEW DELHI, Oct 5 (Bernama) — Malaysia may buy the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from India.
India’s Defence Secretary, Shekhar Dutt, who visited Malaysia last month, pushed ahead discussions that could make the country the first foreign buyer of the missile, the English daily, the Indian Express, reported.
The visit, says the report, was the “first concerted push to develop the region as a market for New Delhi’s new missile export policy”.
black eaglePak arms build-up: Govt holds high-level meet
NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 4: Cabinet Secretary BK Chaturvedi called a high-level meeting of the security establishment today for a detailed review of modernisation and force levels in the three armed forces as against perceived build-ups in the Pakistani armed forces and Islamabad’s prospective modernisation plan over the next decade.
Cadet ends life on IMA Raising DayBoundary row reaches Army landArmy copter crashes, 3 killed MiG-29 crashes in Ambala, pilot safeArmy told to put ‘satisfied soldier’ on agenda for meet
The Defence Ministry , however, made no official statement on the two-hour meeting held this evening at the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) operations room in the South Block basement, attended by the intelligence chiefs, Army chief Gen JJ Singh, Air chief SP Tyagi, Navy vice chief Vice Admiral Venkat Bharathan (chief Admiral Arun Prakash is away in Kochi), Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt and senior officials from the ministry.
The meeting, understood to have included presentations and classified intelligence briefings on Pakistan’s arms build-up over the last decade and near-term acquisitions for its three armed forces, reviewed the modernisation process being undertaken for the armed forces here.
Apart from the purchase of F-16 fighters and a constituent upgrade package by Islamabad from Washington, its smaller purchases have struck as equally significant.
black eagleIndian airforce to get new planes, systems in 2007
NEW DELHI, Oct 5 (Reuters) – India will acquire new aircraft, weapon systems and missiles from next year in a bid to boost the capabilities of the world’s fourth-largest airforce, its chief said on Thursday.
Hawk Advanced Trainer Jets would come from Britain’s BAE Systems Plc and an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWAC) would be acquired by 2007, Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi told a news conference ahead of annual Air Force Day on Oct. 8.
A airforce spokesman later told Reuters around 50 Hawks and three AWACS, built by Israel on Russian platforms, would be delivered next year.
Tyagi also said India was acquiring two types of missiles — medium-long range missiles and quick-reaction missiles.
“On quick-reaction missiles all negotiations are over and we are awaiting final clearance,” he said, adding the deal should be signed in a month or two.
Military analysts said India had been negotiating with Israel for the “Spyder” surface-to-air missiles to target low-flying aircraft, helicopters and unmanned drones.
In addition, India is also planning to purchase six new flight-refuelling aircraft and is also awaiting delivery of 80 medium-size helicopters from next year, Tyagi said.
Pravin Sawhney, editor of “Force”, a leading defence magazine, welcomed the purchases and said the Hawks and AWACS would act as “force-multipliers”, enhancing the capabilities of existing weapons platforms.
Tyagi said the airforce was also looking at buying 20 Jaguars and 20 Light Combat Aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), India’s flagship aircraft manufacturing company.
The force was also accelerating the production of Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets and upgrading its MiG series planes, he said.
The Indian air force has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Hawks, for which negotiations continued for nearly 20 years.
Analysts say the Hawks would help better train pilots and bring down the high rate of accidents, especially on the force’s mainstay MiG-21 series fighter jets.
Out of nearly 800 MiG-21s that India’s airforce has acquired since 1963, 330 have crashed, mostly due to human error, according to official figures.
black eaglePak F-16 may upset power balance
New Delhi: Pakistan’s acquisition of additional F-16 combat jets is “an area of concern” as this would upset the balance of power in South Asia, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi said on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference ahead of the 74th IAF Day on Sunday, Tyagi spoke on a wide range of issues including the acquisition of additional aircraft, missiles and anti-missile systems, the creation of an Aerospace Command, and a controversy on whether or not the IAF should celebrate its platinum jubilee from October 8.
Speaking about the US decision to sell additional 36 F-16s to Pakistan and to upgrade its existing fleet of 32, Tyagi, who is known for calling a spade a spade, described this as “an area of concern”.
“If the balance of power in the region changes then this has to be taken into account but I would not call it a worrisome development as some (in the media) are saying,” he said.
“We keep a close watch on what is happening around us and alter our doctrines accordingly,” Tyagi added.
His statement came a day after he attended a high-level meeting convened by Cabinet Secretary B K Chaturvedi to consider Pakistan’s growing military strength and India’s response to this.
It was noted at the meeting that the IAF’s combat strength had come down to 34 against a sanctioned level of 39 due to the delay in floating tenders for 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA).
Responding to a question, Tyagi maintained that changes in India’s defence procurement policy in 2005 and 2006 had caused a two-year delay but promised, “we are now pretty close to the baby being delivered”.
His suggestion to Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee that the process be fast-tracked has been shot down, but the Air Chief refused to comment on this, saying his communications on the issue were confidential.
black eagleAgustaWestland Awarded Indian Navy Sea King Recovery Contract
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica Company, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a contract by the Indian Navy to return to service seven Sea King Mk 42B helicopters. Work on the contract will commence immediately with AgustaWestland providing a specialist team that will work with personnel from the Indian aerospace industry to undertake the recovery programme.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will undertake the repair and overhaul of “rotable” items including the transmission and rotor heads in support of this contract. In March 2004 AgustaWestland signed a contract with HAL to enable it to perform indigenous Sea King repair and overhaul work in support of the Indian Navy Sea King fleet.
Bert Brookes, AgustaWestand UK`s Customer Support Director, said “We are delighted to have agreed this contract with the Indian Navy who are the largest export customer for our Sea King helicopters. The contract will ensure that seven existing airframes will be returned to service enabling the Indian Navy to achieve increased numbers at sea. This contract will aid AgustaWestland to further develop its business links with the Indian aerospace industry and will result in additional work for HAL’s Sea King repair and overhaul facility.”
The Indian Navy has received a substantial number of AgustaWestland Sea King helicopters including advanced Sea King Mk.42B and Mk.42C variants which were delivered in the late 1980’s.
black eagleIndia, UK to hold joint air exercises in Agra
The skies above this Taj city will reverberate with the sounds of fighter jets, including Tornados and Jaguars, as India and Britain hold joint air exercises in Agra and at Gwalior from October 13. The Royal Air Force (RAF) will send 100 officers for the joint exercise, codenamed Indradhanush, and 100 Indian Air Force (IAF) officers will join them at Agra. Working together under a common command will benefit the two sides, say officials. The image of the IAF personnel, trained to work in the most inhospitable and trying situations and often with dated defence equipment, is internationally very high. Senior US officials, who were in Agra for a similar exercise last time, had spoken very highly of the training given to the IAF cadre. Special arrangements have been made for the security of the RAF personnel. This is the first time that British fighter aircraft would be operating from Indian bases in Agra and Gwalior, 120 km away, to carry out intricate combat manoeuvres during the seven-day exercise, said a senior official. Eight Tornado aircraft, accompanied by a VC-10 aerial tanker, will participate in the exercises. Pilots of the two countries will also fly in each other’s aircraft as co-pilots. Sources said the IAF would use the Mirage 2000 aircraft. Other aircraft like the Su-30 and the Jaguar would be used in the exercises. Agra-based IL-78 mid-air refuellers would be an intrinsic part of the exercise. The joint air exercises are expected to go a long way in helping personnel from the two countries to learn about each others’ operational concepts and identify areas of commonality in terms of operations, administration and maintenance, said an official. Gwalior is one of India’s leading training and operational centres and the home base of IAF’s two Mirage 2000 squadrons, which had played host to joint exercises with the US Air Force earlier. Agra has the best training facilities and the only Para Training School in India. The para jumping centre at Malpura is equipped with the latest gadgets and the trainers have over the years acquired a high degree of proficiency. Two years ago, similar joint exercises were conducted in Agra with US air force officers who wanted to get a feel of the conditions in the sub-continent. Named Cope India, an extensive joint air transport exercise in October 2002 opened the way for more such exercises involving different countries. In October last year, Indian Army personnel and special airborne troops from Russia took part in joint air exercises for better understanding and coordination in combat operations.
black eagleThe Indian Army realised the need to have a dedicated chopper squadron specially trained to operate with the Special forces many years ago.
Now, the wish is about to come true the Special Forces are about to get their own dedicated helicopter squadron.
In 2001 Sierra Leone more than 300 Indian Peacekeepers were be-seiged by RUF Rebels.
An audacious heli-borne rescue mission was launched by the Indian Special Forces. The helicopters used were Chinooks from the SAS.
Very soon the special forces will fly in their own state-of-the-art ALH helicopters.
But what is crucial is that men in Olive Green will be in the cockpit. The Army and the Air Force have had problems in joint services operations in the past.
This specialist squadron now is from the Army’s own aviation corps.
“You need the crew to understand what Special Forces operations mean, to identify with the men and so their being from the Army is crucial,” said Lt Gen V G Patankar (Retd).
The Army had wanted six heavy-lift helicopters for long distance operations as well but for now even these medium-lift ALHs represent a quantum leap in capacity.
The squadron will soon be deployed in the Kashmir valley to support the para-teams serving there.
“It is a big leap the number of options for the battlefield commanders go up. You can now think of many different methods to achieve your war aims,” said General Patankar, retd GOC 15 corps.
This is the first small step in the development of the Indian Special Forces from a tactical force to one, which would give the Army a truly strategic strike option.
black eagleInduction of new combat aircraft unlikely now
Sandeep Dik****
NEW DELHI: Despite the dwindling strength of Indian Air Force’s (IAF) combat fleet, plans to induct 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) to replace the retiring MiG fighter series and other aircraft are unlikely to materialise in the near future, according to official sources.
The combat strength of IAF fighters is expected to dip to 29 squadrons by the end of the next fiscal. With neither the indigenous fighter Tejas nor the MRCA unlikely to be immediately inducted, the IAF is banking on an accelerated production of Sukhoi-30 MKI and the Jaguar to partially make up the numbers.
Sources said this depletion has necessitated the IAF designating the soon-to-be-inducted Hawk advanced jet trainer aircraft in the combat category. It has also decided to increase the number of MiG-21s, after providing them with an upgrade to increase their service life.
Recently, Chief of Air Staff S. P. Tyagi had said the IAF required the 126 MRCA “now.” However, Ministry sources said even if the Government asked companies to send in their proposals — through a process known as request for proposals (RFP) — today, a final decision would not be taken before at least two to three years. This optimistic timeframe would hold unless there are no complications such as the differing opinions among foreign aircraft manufacturers over the off-set clause.
Under the off-set policy, which will be put to its first test for the MRCA tender, manufacturers must ensure that 30 per cent of the value of contract originates from India in some form. American aircraft makers feel the definition of the off-set clause in the new Defence Procurement procedure is too rigid.
Cannot be circumvented
The off-set policy apart, the present policy lays down procedures that cannot be circumvented. An effort has been made to compress the time frame by asking companies to submit the technical and commercial bids together. But the time gained by this move would be neutralised by a technical oversight committee that would vet the technical parameters. As this would be one the largest orders for combat aircraft in the world and is sure to be contested fiercely, such a committee is necessary.
All this would mean that IAF would have less number of combat aircraft than it would ideally like to have in its inventory.
black eagleDRDO on the move: IAF towards space force
The Indian Air Force is now slowly graduating into an air and space force, a fast-growing modern concept first enunciated about a decade ago by the, then, Chief Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal SK Sareen. He was firmly of the view that a valiant manpower alone is not adequate in the present scenario. It needed a great technological advance where the exploitation of space for conduct of operation in the third dimension has to grow, as is happening in militarily advanced countries in the world. This is increasingly becoming necessary as the future wars would be won by those who exploited both the air and the space.
Happily, the present Chief, Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi has talked on the same lines nearly ten years after Sareen had expressed the view in an informal chat with this writer. Tyagi stated the other day while addressing the newly-commissioned Officers of the Indian Army. Belatedly though, the Defence planners have now started realizing, as does the Air Chief, that the exploitation of space for conduct of operations in the third dimension has already grown manifold. Today, the air forces of developed countries have a pictorial record of every aircraft that moves in and out of the hardened shelter, and the record is updated every 24 hours.
Against this backdrop, and looking at the military strategic scenario the world over, it would be prudent for the Indian Air force planners to grow into an air space force and exploit this potential. It goes without saying that an investment in a strong air force would imply an investment in peace.
Needless to stress again that since the air power would play a decisive role in future engagements, the strength of a nation would be judged by the deterrence capabilities of its air force. This undeniably requires more and more technological developments which could help the air force move towards the space.
The target can be achieved, given the will of the defence planners–and the required funds which have been promised for the national security time and again by India’s successive Finance Ministers. And more significantly, our defence scientists and technicians have proved beyond doubt that they are capable to design and produce any military system if only given the required support without the vested interests interfering in their work to enable them to go in for imports for their benefit. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is capable of producing anything developed and produced in militarily advanced countries. Its achievements in the missiles development are the envy of the whole world.
The DRDO’s contribution to the country’s defence is well-known, first under Arunachalam and then under the missileman APJ Abdul Kalam, now the President of India. The young Indian defence scientists under these two stalwarts are appreciated internationally–even in those countries where defence industry is the main economic activity. They have been designing and developing over the years military machines and systems that are comparable with the ones produced in developed countries. But it is another matter that problems arise at the production stage, giving one an impression that the country’s defence public sector enterprises and Ordnance factories lack the capability to produce the state-of-the-art machines and systems. This is far from the truth.
The DRDO’s latest praiseworthy development which would take the Indian Air Force closer to its desired objective of making it an air and space force is its successful work on the Beyond Vision Range (BVR) air-to-air missile “Astra”. The Organisation’s missile scientists believe that with the completion of aerodynamic configuration, which is now in advanced stage, a “control flights” of the missile can be conducted from “under-slung ground launchers. The Astra missiles are fired by fighter jets to destroy enemy aircraft at ranges beyond 40 kms. This development would give the IAF greater teeth as the BVR combat has now become the norm in the modern aerial warfare, as against the dogfight, WVR (within visual range in the air) combat.
So far only a few countries like the USA, Russia, France and Israel have successfully developed the BVR missiles and the Mirage-2000s are equipped with this kind of missiles with French and Russian origin. But now the DRDO has completed the systems design, including the aerodynamic configuration design of various sub-systems. These are to be tried soon to conduct “controlled flights” of the missile from under-slung ground launchers.
Already, the DRDO has conducted test-firing of three Astra missile proto-types from the Chandipur-on-sea interim test range in May last. The delivery of the missiles to the users would depend of the availability of funds for the Rs 1,000-crore project. Hopefully they would be inducted into the IAF by 2010.
Another praiseworthy achievement of the DRDO is its venture to exploit the country’s space-based assets to military purposes: Satellite spying that would ultimately turn out to be a potential force multiplier. A joint DRDO-ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) venture has been in progress for satellite-based surveillance and reconnaissance. The programme, also estimated to cost Rs 1,000 crore is expected to be completed by early next year. When made fully operational, the programme will help the Army keep closer tab on troop movement, missile silos, military installations and airbases of the neighbouring countries. It will in fact provide foolproof surveillance of Indian airspace.
Satellite imagery for strategic intelligence has undoubtedly been in use for the last few years. The latest programme for the space gives additional teeth not only to the land force but also to the air force. The IAF commanders and the country at large can justifiably feel proud about the Air Force’s glorious past. During the last seven decades the IAF has undoubtedly grown into a force of versatile capabilities more of its men of the machines. The force’s future now looks brighter with its force modernization plans that include exploitation of the space. The beginning has already been made in this direction and one hopes the plans will be followed up sincerely to make the air force inferior to none in the world.
black eagleUS offers the latest Harpoon missile to India
New Delhi, Sep 19 (IANS) The US government has cleared the Block-II version of the Harpoon anti-shipping and anti-surface missile to India.
According to Christopher M. Chadwick, Boeing’s Vice President and General Manager for Global Strike Solutions, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had recently floated a tender for an unspecified number of anti-ship missiles and that it is responding to that with the offer to sell Harpoons to India.
The missile has an all-weather, day and night capability, and a range of about 60 nautical miles. It can hit ships and land targets like ports, as also submarines on the surface. It can be fired from a variety of aircraft – combat jets like Jaguars, Su-30 MKI, F-18 or F-16, or transport aircraft like Boeing-737 if configured for such a role.
The sea-skimming missile, which carries a 500-pound blast warhead, can also be fired from ships and submarines, and accordingly offers commonality to both the air force and navy.
According to available information, the French MBDA Exocet, which the Indian forces already possess, is the only other match to the Harpoon. It has also been upgraded since it was first developed in the 1970s.
Notably, MBDA is supplying missiles to the Indian Navy for the Scorpene submarines it is to soon acquire.
The Harpoon was used extensively in the two wars against Iraq. Nearly 7,500 units of this advanced missile have been sold worldwide since it was first launched in 1977 by McDonald Douglas, a company that merged into Boeing.
Chadwick said that Boeing was also hopeful of selling its Multi Mission Maritime Reconnaissance (MMR) aircraft – based in the Boeing-737 platform – to India, and that the Harpoon would naturally be fitted on that.
The Indian Navy floated a tender for MMR aircraft sometime back. Among the contenders are Boeing’s P-8 MMA, Lockheed Martin’s P-3C Orion, Russia’s TU-142 and the Il-38.
The Harpoon missile is the common element in both the P-8 MMA and the P-3C Orion.
Pakistan was the first country in South Asia to get hi-tech weaponry when the US agreed in 1982 to sell it F-16 jets, Harpoon missiles, P-3 C Orions and C3I (Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence) systems.
The Harpoon then had a range of 40 to 45 nautical miles.
Although Pakistan has a coastline 10 times smaller than of India, and even smaller than that of California, the US has decided to sell another eight Orions to Islamabad, which claims it needs them in its war against terror.
The new Orions will have the new Block II version of the Harpoons.
Chadwick, who has been to India a dozen times to sell F-18 Super Hornets, P-8 MMA, T-45 Goshawk naval Advanced Jet Trainers (AJTs), and space and missile systems, said his company could sell weapons only after government-to-government agreements.
He pointed out that ‘there was never a better environment than today between the world’s most powerful democracy and the world’s largest democracy’ for military sales.
According to a Boeing statement, the Harpoon Block II provides accurate long-range guidance for land and ship targets by incorporating the low-cost inertial measuring unit from the Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), and the software, mission computer, integrated Global Positioning System/ Inertial Navigation System and the GPS antenna and receiver from the Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER).
All this would ensure precision hits.
black eagleF-16 under active consideration`
Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi today indicated that India might go for F-16 advanced fighter aircraft. Tyagi said F-16 was one of the many categories of multi-role aircraft the government was considering for procurement. “F16 is very much under consideration,” Tyagi told media after inaugurating the 54th International Congress of Aviation and Space Medicine here. The F-16s are built by Lockheed Martin. Earlier, Lockheed had offered to build exclusive F-16 fighters for the IAF. India has announced its plan to buy 126 multi-role fighter aircraft over the next 15 years. Tyagi said India would float request-for-proposals (RFPs) for buying the jets shortly. “RFP is issued by the Ministry of Defence but I know that it will be out very shortly,” he added. Tyagi said any purchase by the IAF would follow the normal complex procedure. “We send RFPs to various companies. We evaluate their products. This is followed by a technological evaluation, which takes care of the transfer of technology,Tyagi said. He said the government would have a detailed discussion with the manufacturers before deciding which aircraft to buy. Tyagi said the government was also considering the cost and complexities of technology associated with the products. “We will go to the world market and see which is the most suitable product in terms of price and technology and how quickly we can absorb the technology, he added. Tyagi said that the induction of indigenously developed light combat aircraft (LCA) by the IAF was on schedule. “We have placed an order for 20 LCAs and the production is on schedule. We are carrying out integration of weapons, which will take some time,” he said. He said the LCA would be first inducted in the initial operational capacity stage. The final operation would follow latter. IAF has signed a contract with Bangalore-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for development of a light combat helicopter (LCH). “This is at a design stage now. Its a concept which is being designed at the moment. This will also be weaponised for the specific use of the IAF,” he added.
black eagleSpyder to target flying threats
New Delhi, Sept. 10: The army has decided to buy an Israeli missile defence system called the Spyder and has forwarded a Rs 1,100-crore acquisition programme to the Cabinet Committee on Security to buy four regiments of the weapon.
A missile regiment may have up to six systems.
The Spyder was presented at Defexpo — the defence exhibition in the city — early this year.
For India, the road-mobile systems would be mounted on Tatra trucks that the army already uses for some of its heavy equipment. Tatra trucks were originally procured from the Czech but are now indigenously made.
The decision to buy the Israeli system further diversifies the army’s inventory. Israel is the second largest supplier of military equipment to India but way behind the Russians.
Both the countries are also considering a joint venture project with the Ordnance Factory, Khamaria, to manufacture cargo ammunition. Israel is in the process of selling three Phalcon airborne early warning systems that were contracted in 2004 for more than $1 billion.
The Indian armed forces have also bought an unknown number — running into hundreds — of unmanned aerial vehicles from Israel.
It seems the army have decided not to induct AKASH.
black eagleSigning of Indo-French missile pact put off
The signing of a crucial Indo- French agreement on transfer of technology for production of French cruise missiles by India was put off due to last minute hitches, official sources said today.
The deal, which also would have facilitated the transfer of critical technology for sub-systems needed for India’s indigenious missile programme, was to have been the high point of Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to France.
Although Mukherjee had said late last night that the “deal is still on track” and details are “close to being firmed up”, sources today said certain hitches had resulted in the signing of the pact being put off.
There were no details about the hitches, and French officials too were tightlipped about why the deal was stalled. The sources said the deal would be signed later.
The proposed agreement envisaged the transfer of technology from European missile consortium MBDA to India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It was to have been signed in the presence of Mukherjee and his French counterpoint Michele Aliotte-Marie.
Doing some plain speaking at delegation-level talks yesterday, Mukherjee told the French defence top brass that they should declare their policy on transfer of critical technologies, and ensure that the strategic partnership between India and France was reflected in Paris’ arms sales policies for China and Pakistan.
Besides cruise missile technology, India is seeking from France the supply of ring laser gyros, a key component holding up progress of the nuclear-capable Agni missile programme as well as other indigenous missiles.
India has a joint venture with Russia for making the supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles with a range of about 300 km.
But with progress apparently stalled on the prestigious Agni III ballistic missile, India is keen to develop an alternative delivery system — a cruise missile with a range of 1,200 to 1,500 km.
The proposed agreement with France was not only for technology transfer as it envisaged joint research and development of missiles, Mukherjee said.
In addition to missile technology, India is looking to France for know-how for other futuristic weapon platforms with applications in space and survelliance, he said.
Elaborating on India’s wish-list, Mukherjee said it included the supply of spares and technical know-how as well as arrangements with French equipment manufacturers for setting up production facilties for spares and weapon sub-systems.
Before the start of bilateral talks yesterday, the minister told the French candidly that they had failed to supply some critical sub-systems to the Indian Air Force.
Despite the hard talk, Mukherjee also acknowledged that the French had been “supportive” in supplying critical technology to India and hoped this trend would continue.
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