Vishal Thapar
New Delhi, August 31

Six years after it entered the nuclear club with Pokhran-II, India is still not ready with its missile-based nuclear delivery systems, the outgoing chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), V.K. Aatre, confirmed on Tuesday.

The upshot of Aatre’s admission at a press conference is that India is still a long way from acquiring credible nuclear deterrence. On his last day in office, he said the Sunday launch of the Agni-II intermediate-range ballistic missile was “to train the army” to fire the nuclear-capable weapon.

The Agni-II is India’s most potent nuclear delivery vehicle, which, going by Aatre’s disclosure, is not operational. The army, which will be handling the Agnis, had never fired this missile before. Similarly, the July 4 launch of the 700-km Agni A-I too was to tutor the army in firing the missile. “At present, we are handing over the Agni series missiles to the army,” Aatre said.

The army has created two missile groups to handle the Agni A-I and Agni-II respectively. When asked if the DRDO was part of the groups, Aatre said: “We will be part of the missile groups if necessary.”

Sources also conceded that the 3,000 km-plus Agni-III missile was still “six months to a year away from its first test-firing”.

This means that, at present, India’s only option for nuclear retaliation is air-delivered glide bombs from the IAF’s Jaguar, Mirage and Sukhoi-30 fleets. Submarine-launched ballistic missiles — the best option — are nowhere on the horizon.

Elaborating on his admission that the Agnis will take time to be operationalised, Aatre said, “There will be test-firing of the Agni missiles every year (in the near future).” However, he insisted that the development process of the Agni series and guidance systems was complete.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_981300,0008.htm

Neeraj
posted by Harry

“those are not solely air launched, as with the Sea Eagle. Production itself did’nt close down and supply of a batch of rounds to the IN from BAe, was quite recent.”

he refers to “quite recent” what he omits is that probably about 10 years old!

Neeraj
I assume you can read English, I asked for a Sea Eagle link.

Harry and Karna claimed that IN had recently aqquired Sea Eagles. This is blatantly false as they have been out of manufacture for some time. I asked for a link, they cannot provide one, what on earth has Bramhos got to do with the debate I am having with them?

Quite some envy you have there my infantile friend.

I dont recall mentioning that “others had cheap parts”. In fact, its rather clear that you, are usual, being dishonest. Quite a cheap attempt at trolling.

Kindly leave your medical personal issues and angst out of an aviation thread.

As for the rest- its quite well catalogued that:

1. India is standardising on the Brahmos A for its next gen ASM.

2. The Su 30 MKI’s are KH 31 and KH59 capable.

3. The Su 30MKI’s are earmarked for a Naval role as well and the Bars radar can simultaneously engage two targets.

4. The IN has quite current Sea Eagle missile stocks as a result of which it has standardised the Sea Eagle across the board- from the Il38 Mays to the Mk42 Sea Kings.

According to this website India has not recived any Sea Eagles since 1997…

http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029395474

Brahmos not expected in service for quite a while…..

Has the deal been signed yet?

The FMS is but a proposal.

A lot of FMS stuff to India is yet to see the light of the day.
Hardly certain.

Pak may hold out again for something else….

Karna
Believ what you want, but right now I have provided links and info, and apart from lots of hot air, whenever I ask any of teh Indian posters to provide links they go all quiet, why!?

Get your facts straight. The British do not operate the air launched AM-39. At the same time, there’s no such thing as a ship or sub launched Sea-Eagle. I’m sure Jonsey can tell you how valued the Sea Eagle was, as a part of British inventory and how they’d still love to have it.

Based upon the results from the Iran-Iraq tanker war, AM-39 variants prior to the block-2 upgrade, which itself was’nt very comprehensive, were clearly rubbish. A single shot from a Corvus chaff launcher, was enough to safely deflect the missile, during the Falklands conflict. Sheffeild only sunk because reactionary measures were’nt taken due to low response time.

Advanced versions of the Harpoon, are clearly irrelevant to the current context because the PN does’nt operate any. While the Harpoon may be further developed by Boeing, India has gone the Brahmos way.

That’s ECCM, not EW, genius. Active/passive EW suites are for aircraft to use in full time roles!

But after the lifting of sanctions.

No Harry, there has not been a single Sea Eagle sale that I know of……link?