F-Insas Rifle Design Clears Audit, To Go Into Production From Jan 2012

The defence ministry may no longer have to search for an advanced rifle to arm the Indian infantry soldier of the future under the F-Insas project. Rifle Factory Ishapore (RFI) claims to have come up with an advanced variant of the existing 5.56 mm Insas rifle that will go into production from January, 2012. “The rifle is an extremely modern weapon that will meet with the requirements of the future infantryman.

Our designs have already cleared the audit and production is expected to start from January,” a source said.
RFI has already manufactured over a million Insas rifles for distribution among security personnel in India. The Insas was first introduced before the Kargil war and several variants have since been developed. When the Future Infantry Soldier as System (F-Insas) project was launched by the defence ministry, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) got together to develop weapons for the soldier of the future.
Under the F-Insas project, the infantryman will be kitted with state-of-theart equipment including weapons, protective gear and communications systems. The soldier’s uniform would include bullet-proof clothing and the visor on his helmet would display maps and gunsights. The future soldiers would also carry palmtops and other advanced communications gear.
Among the weapons for the F-Insas project is a multi-calibre carbine for Close Quarter Battle (CQB) and a rifle. OFB has already developed the Milap multi-calibre carbine and handed it over to the Army for field trials. The carbine is modular in structure and can fire 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm and also 6.8 mm rounds. It also has an under belly grenade launcher for air-burst grenades. The OFB believes that this weapon that is expected to cost nearly . 50,000 apiece will solve the Army’s problems for days to come.
For the rifle, the defence ministry is on the lookout for something on the lines of the Israeli Tavor. In fact, nearly 5,000 Tavors have already been imported for use by the Special Forces. RFI sources say that the F-Insas developed by them at Ishapore would meet the ministry’s requirements and there would be no need to go in for further imports.
The efforts that have gone in for this project has bagged S K Rath of RFI the best general manager award from OFB. Although details were not available, sources revealed that the new rifle will be modular and have several advanced components. It may even have a computer chip inside.
“The first phase of the F-Insas programme should be completed by 2012. We believe that the rifle developed by RFI will meet the requirements of the Army,” an official said.

Source : TNN

Prahaar awaits Army intent; DRDO luring IAF, Navy

Prahaar in Sanskrit stands for ‘Strike.’ And, it struck where it matters the most during its maiden launch in July this year. Kept under wraps until then, Prahaar is an offshoot of India’s Air Defence (AD) programme, with the scientists converting the endo-atmospheric interceptor, into a brand new tactical battlefield support missile. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) launched the project sans sanctions (no user requirements and approved budgets) in July 2010. One year later, the missile with a range of 150 km was successfully demonstrated to the Indian Army.Tough to be detected owing to its high maneuvering capabilities, Prahaar is a quick reaction missile, which can be used against targets between 50-150 km. Currently the DRDO is in talks with the Indian Army on the deployment philosophies and their needs, apart from generating confidence of the user, which is always a commodity in short supply. DRDO claims that the user ‘has shown a lot of interest’ taking into account its cost-effectiveness and the sheer numbers by which it can be fielded.

“The futuristic tactical operations will increasingly require long-range stand-off weapons with high accuracy and short reaction time to neutralize time critical targets. Prahaar can be be adapted to existing maritime platform as well as to an aircraft increasing its utility. It can neutralize the identified targets, provide effective counter force system and serve as an affordable solution to the future battlefield requirements,” sources said.

The missile is capable of carrying multiple warheads, has very fast reaction capability from mission command to execute the launch. “With all weather, day and  night launch capability, Prahaar’s range, if launched from an aircraft (read as Sukhoi), can be extended up to 350 km. This is quite feasible as the missile has less weight, diameter and radar cross section. As of now, we are waiting for a Letter of Intent (LoI) from the Army,” sources said.

Once the Army gives the LoI, the missile will have to undergo 10-12 trials to fine tune its effectiveness with

different warheads.  “The missiles are controlled and guided from lift off to impact and maneuver continuously so that the prediction of both launch point and impact point are difficult. Multiple launchers can be linked together to form a missile battery to deliver simultaneous multi-axis saturation attack on the target,” sources said.

Prahaar is capable of carrying a variety of warheads like pre-fragmented, incendiary sub-munitions, runway-denial sub-munitions, smart munitions and thermobaric (a fuel-air bomb, which produces a blast wave for longer period) warheads. Since the missile uses solid propulsion systems, it can be put on a ready-to-launch-mode quickly. It’s a zero maintenance, road-mobile system developed by young AD scientists in the average age-group of 35 years.

Source: Express News Service

With eye on China & Pak, India to revamp sub fleet

NEW DELHI: Faced with a fast-depletingunderwater combat arm even as both China andPakistan bolster their fleets, India is looking at major rejig of its submarine production plans to ensure its operational readiness does not get further eroded in the coming years.


For starters, the case for equipping the last two of the six French Scorpene submarines being built at Mazagon Docks with the crucial air-independent propulsion systems is being "progressed'', say defence ministry sources.


The six diesel-electric Scorpenes are slated for delivery in the 2015-20 timeframe under the ongoing Rs 23,562-crore 'Project-75', three years behind schedule. AIP in the fifth and sixth vessels, at a cost of an additional Rs 1,000 crore each, will give them a deadlier punch and stealth because they will be able to stay submerged much longer before surfacing to get oxygen to recharge their batteries.


India is likely to go in for three additional Scorpenes after the first six. "While no decision has yet been taken, it makes economic sense since six of them are being built at MDL. The second submarine workshop at MDL will get operational soon,'' said a source.


It will also be operationally expedient since, as was first reported by TOI earlier, the long-delayed follow-on 'Project-75India' to acquire six new-generation stealth submarines will take at least another two to three years to be finalized. It will take another seven years, if not more, after that for the first new submarine to roll out.


'Going in for three more Scorpenes is one way out of the logjam over P-75I, with Navy and MoD yet to agree on the shipyards to execute the project. The French companies will charge hefty amounts for the ToT (transfer of technology) packages for the three more Scorpenes,'' he said.


The P-75I programme may also be expanded to include nine submarines, all equipped with both tube-launched missiles for land-attack capabilities as well as AIP, instead of the six planned for well over Rs 50,000 crore.
Source : TOI

Modernized Il-476 Transport Assembled

Russia’s United Aircraft Corp. (UAC) has reported assembly of the first Il-476 flight prototype, a modernized version of the Ilyushin Il-76MD heavy transport aircraft.

The prototype was shown publicly for the first time during the unofficial ceremony at the Aviastar-SP production facility in Ulyanovsk in mid-December. A UAC representative told Aviation Week that the official rollout ceremony will be in early 2012, while the first flight is expected in the spring.

The Il-476 is the first aircraft of this type assembled in Russia. Previous Il-76 modifications have been manufactured at the Tashkent-based TAPO plant in Uzbekistan, which is not controlled by UAC. Compared to the basic model, the Il-476 features a reinforced wing, modernized landing gear, new Perm PS-90A-76 engines and a digital cockpit. Altogether, the improvements are aimed at increasing the aircraft’s payload from 50 to 60 tons, as well as the range by 27% and to reduce the fuel consumption by 18%, according to designers.

The center wingbox and the wing of another Ilyushin Il-476 prototype are undergoing static and endurance tests at TsAGI Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute in Zhukovsky, near Moscow.

UAC expects that the new transport will be purchased first by the Russian air force, but the military so far has not placed a contract for this type. The civil version, named Il-76-90A, reportedly will be available for commercial operators in 2015.

Photo: UAC

Elecon to supply gears for India’s first aircraft carrier

Gujarat-based industrial gears and material handling equipment maker Elecon Engineering Ltd is likely to deliver a pair of marine gearbox to the public sector shipbuilding major, Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) for construction of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy in the first quarter of the next fiscal, a source close to the development informed.

Elecon has joined hands with a German capital goods maker, Renk AG for a technical collaboration to build the marine gears for the Indian Navy. “The order for a pair of marine gears from Cochin Shipyard is likely to be delivered by the March 2012 or latest by the first quarter of the next fiscal. There were certain preconditions to qualify for the order. As a part of it, the company had entered into technical collaboration with German firm, Renk AG,” said a senior official from Elecon.

“The components are manufactured at the company’s facility in Vallabh Vidyanagar near Anand and then sent to Germany for testing required quality standards,” he added.

Elecon was awarded the order in 2006 amounting to around Rs 39 crore for design, manufacture and supply of one set of marine gearbox from Cochin Shipyard Limited to construct India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier for the Indian Navy.

Sources at Cochin Shipyard informed that the first phase of the construction of the carrier will be over by December-end that includes completion of the construction till the hull part of the carrier.

“By the end of this month, the first phase of contract would be over and the construction till hull part of the ship will be completed. The construction is largely progressing as per the schedule and comparable with the time taken by any global shipbuilding player,” informed a source at Cochin Shipyard, not willing to be quoted.

The ship will be constructed in two phases with delivery to the Indian Navy scheduled in end-2014. CSL commenced steel cutting for the project in April 2005 and achieved the keel laying in February 2009.

The design and construction of the first indigenous aircraft carrier was sanctioned by the government of India in January 2003. The carrier has been designed by the Directorate of Naval Design (DND), only government-run organisation in the world to undertake indigenous design of warships. The carrier, with a a length of 260 meter and maximum breadth of 60 meters, is being constructed using high strength steel developed in-house with the help of DRDO and SAIL.

The ship will be propelled by two shafts, each coupled to two LM-2500 gas turbines developing a total power of 80 megawatt to attain speeds in excess of 28 knots.

The aircraft carrier will have two takeoff runways and a landing strip with three arrester wires. It can carry a maximum of 30 aircraft with an adequate hangarage capacity.

Presidential Fleet Review: India showcases maritime might

MUMBAI: India on Tuesday showcased its growing maritime might, in all its three-dimensional power with potent warships, lethal submarines and maritime strike supersonic fighters, underlining its intent to safeguard its geo-political interests stretching from Hormuz Strait till Malacca Strait in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and beyond. 

Though the Presidential Fleet Review (PFR) held with much fanfare off here was largely a ceremonial occasion, the strategic underpinning was all too clear. India does not want to be reduced to playing catch-up with China in IOR, in a repeat of New Delhi's ongoing belated attempts to counter Beijing's massive build-up of military infrastructure all along the 4,057-km Line of Actual Control. 

"The Navy, today, is poised to achieve new milestones with the imminent induction of aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya (refitted Admiral Gorshkov slated for inducted by early-2013), the Kolkata-class stealth destroyers, the follow-on Talwar-class frigates, the indigenous anti-submarine warfare corvettes and an impressive number of submarines and aircraft,'' said President Pratibha Devisingh Patil. 

"Indian Navy is one of the most capable in the region, and with its well-thought out modernization plans, is destined to grow even further,'' said Patil, after taking the salute at the impressive PFR with 81 warships and 44 aircraft displaying their war-waging capabilities. 

The Navy will indeed grow. But it will not come cheap, especially if India has to defend its economic interests far way from its shores. The recent exploration stand-off with China in South China Sea, with an Indian warship even being threatened by Beijing in the region, is a case in point. 

Consequently, India plans to spend well upwards of Rs 3 lakh crore over the next 15 years to transform the force into, as Admiral Nirmal Verma himself puts it, "a brand new multi-dimensional Navy'' with "reach and sustainability''. India has 49 new warships and submarines as well as 45 MiG-29K fighters and 12 P-8I long-range reconnaissance aircraft on order, with several new projects in the pipeline. 

All this is crucial to counter China's ever-expanding footprint in IOR. After forging extensive maritime links from east Africa to Cambodia, which includes help in construction of ports like Hambantota in Sri Lanka, Chittagong in Bangladesh and Kyaukphyu in Myanmar, China has recently established a full-fledged embassy in the Maldives, and also announced "a new turn-around'' naval facility in Seychelles. 

India has 132 warships, including 50 "major combatants'' and 14 ageing submarines, 80 aircraft, 122 helicopters and 14 spy drones. 

In sharp contrast, in terms of surface and sub-surface warfare, China has over 75 "principal combatants'', 55 large and medium amphibious ships, 85 missile-equipped smaller warships and over 60 submarines, a dozen of them nuclear ones. 

Indian Navy, however, is much more experienced in "blue-water'' operations. But it still has to keep a hawk-eye on the Chinese Navy, which is spreading its wings now, driven though as of now it may be by its desperate need to secure its energy and other needs being transported through sea routes. 

India's economic growth, too, is inextricably linked to the seas, which in turn requires a potent Navy capable of tackling any exigency. Over 90% of India's trade by volume and 77% by value are transported over the seas. 

India has to be prepared for the high-intensity shadow boxing unfolding on the high seas with China, in their hunt for the same strategic space in IOR, far away from their disputed land borders. The PFR signaled India's intent not to cede maritime ground easily


Source:TOI

Army to get indigenous IED disposal robot tomorrow

ndia’s first improvised explosive device (IED) disposal robot, Daksh, will be handed over to the army authorities in the city on Monday.

A total of five units of the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) developed by the Research and Development Establishment (Engineers) (R&DE[E]), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory, will be handed over to the army.

In an interview to DNA on Saturday, head of robotics, R&DE(E), Alok Mukherjee, said that Daksh, which was developed and manufactured in India at the cost of Rs1.7 crore each, was half the cost of imported robots. Mukherjee said that Daksh had surpassed similar category robots from the UK on 20 counts in recent comparison tests.

The robot was part of a package that also included a carrier vehicle, which could carry the robot, six personnel, a master control station, accessories and spares.

According to Mukherjee, the primary job of the robot was to detect a hidden IED or a bomb and diffuse it. Daksh is a compact robot on wheels which has a manipulator arm with six joints.

The robot, which can travel 500 metre from the master control station, is adept in cross-country situations and could even climb stairs. The operator in the vehicle has access to a portable, X-ray system, which allows him to see the insides of a bag.

“If there is a bomb inside the bag, the robot’s water jet disruptor can be activated to diffuse the bomb immediately,” Mukherjee said.

Tracing the history of Daksh, Mukherjee said that an opportunity to repair a Canadian robot at the College of Military Engineering in 2001 triggered an interest in the R&DE(E) team to develop an indigenous robot, and this is how the robotics development centre was formed in 2002.

According to Mukherjee, the first prototype of Daksh was produced in May 2005, and the army conducted trials over three years (2006-08) before giving it the thumbs up.

“The army even conducted a comparison trial with a UK-made robot and found that Daksh was better on 20 distinct counts. This is what actually clinched us the deal. The army gave us the bulk production clearance for 20 units of Daksh in September 2011.

We are happy that we could deliver the first five units in just three months,” Mukherjee said.

He is confident that the rest of the 15 units would be ready by March 2012.

Mukherjee said that Daksh would be invaluable to the armed forces, the police, the paramilitary forces and airport and railway authorities to track and diffuse IEDs in crowded places.

Mukherjee said Daksh is special because the product is completely indigenous and R&DE (E) has transferred the technology to three Pune-based companies, viz Messrs Dynalog, Theta Controls and Bharat Electronics, which are in a position to manufacture and sell the equipment with a specified royalty to be paid to the DRDO.

“The biggest advantage for the users is that the robot can be easily serviced and repaired in India,” he said.

India’s SLYBIRD MAV maturing fast

The Indian SLYBIRD hand-launched mini unmanned drone is maturing with a series of regular test-flights this year, and the coast clear for the second phase. Designed as a 2-kg all-composite fixed wing unmanned system with an endurance of 1-hour and a 10-km range, scientists developing the drone say they are extremely happy with flight test results and are ready to begin sensor integration for Phase-2 of flights.

The drone, being developed for a service ceiling of 14,000 feet (but which has only been tested at 3,000 feet and sea-level so far is intended for real-time telemetry and video surveillance using miniaturized electro-optic payloads or a daylight/IR video camera. The programme team intends to deliver a drone with capabilities and performance similar to the Israeli Elbit Skylark (being partnered by HAL in India) and the American AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven, demonstrated to the Army at Exercise Yudh Abhyas in 2009. SLYBIRD, first revealed earlier this year at Aero India 2011, is a major thrust area under the NP-MICAV (National Program on Micro Air Vehicles) jointly by DRDO-ADE, CSIR-NAL , IITs, IISc and National Design and Research Forum of the Institution of Engineers. Earlier this year, the National Aerospace Laboratory experimented successfully with a valved pulsejet engine on a miniature version of the Rustom-1 experimental drone. The development of man-portable tactical drones is aimed at the Army and paramilitary forces — both have officially announced their interest in acquiring such a capability.

The Army and CPMF have both tested Honeywell’s RQ-16 T-Hawk for counter-insurgency and anti-Maoist operations, while the Army is being seen as a possibly buyer of the American AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven or Lockheed-Martin Desert Hawk, though no decision has been taken yet.

Source:PTI

Indian Missiles to get smarter with onboard desi chips

BANGALORE/.HYDREBAD: : Indian missiles are set to go lighter and smarter with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on the verge of launching a System on Chip (SOC) component, to be embedded on to the onboard computer (OBC). The SOC will give a tech advantage to the scientists to either increase the range of the missile or the warhead, depending upon the mission. The processing speed also will go up 6-7 times with SOC.

A five-member team of young scientists are eagerly waiting for the final product, which will replace the PCB-based hardware consisting of various integrated components (IC) on single board. A missile typically carries a huge number of such ICs making the total weight of the OBC close to 4-5 kilos. The SOC with its power supply unit and connecters will weigh less than 200 grams.

DRDO scientists claim that it will be for the first time India will equip its missiles with such state-of-the-art component, though the US, Israel and China have made inroads in similar technologies. SOC will be a match-box size unit with high computing intense application and very low power requirement. The efficiency of the missile will also be increased by many folds.

S K Ray, director, Research Centre Imarat (RCI), told Express that miniatirisation of systems makes the missile high-performance in nature. “Smaller avionics means more options for warhead with more propulsion. Ours chips can be used for avionics applications in future too and we have a huge cost advantage having made them indigenously. It will be an integral part of all future navigation and homing guidance seekers,” said Ray.

DRDO hopes to get the first block of SOCs in December and later test it the on short-range air-to-air Astra missile by mid-2012. Astra - a BVR (Beyond Visual Range) missile - will be initially integrated with Su-30 MKI and later on Tejas and MiG-29.

B H V S Narayana Murthy, director, Real-Time Embedded Computers, RCI, says that the might of India’s futuristic missiles will largely depend on miniaturisation of onboard systems.

“Tactical missiles will be the biggest beneficiaries and we are now aiming to standardise and offer SOC to more platforms in future,” Murthy said.

Source:IBN

Russian submarine has good chances to win tender in India

The new Russian submarine “Amur-1650” is taking part in the tender which India is holding for purchasing and licensed producing 6 non-atomic submarines.Experts say that the Russian submarine has good chances to win.

The “Amur” has already been tested at a plant where it is produced – and found highly battle-worthy. Hydroacoustic cover of the latest generation makes it practically unnoticeable for radars.

“Still, it would be too early to have no doubts that the Russian submarine would win this tender,” the Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper “Nezavisimoe Voennoe Obozrenie” (“Independent Military Review”) Victor Litovkin says.

“The majority of diesel submarines which the Indian navy currently possesses are Russian-made, some of them made back in the Soviet time. In total, 80% of the weapons currently used by the Indian army and navy are Russian-made. However, it would be a bit too optimistic to say for sure that as far as Russian submarines have been popular in India until now, Indians will choose the Russian submarine this time as well. The matter is that India now wants new, modernized arms, and to make Indians prefer the Russian submarine to those made by other competitors, this time, Russia has to offer something really special. Still, Russia’s trump card is that we are ready not only to sell our submarines to India, but to help Indians produce submarines of their own.”

The producer of the Russian submarine, a design engineering bureau named “Rubin”, has done much to adjust its brainchild to the demands of the Indian navy. The submarine has an energy device of a new generation which can work out energy no matter how long the submarine stays under water (with the energy devices of the older generations, submarines had to regularly rise to the surface to reload their batteries). Besides, they made the submarine especially fit for accommodating the supersonic cruise missiles “BrahMos” (which are a joint production of Russia and India). Thus, the Russian submarine has good chances of winning the tender, though the ones suggested by other competitors, Germany and Sweden, are also highly evaluated by experts.

However, even if Russia doesn’t win this tender, it won’t mean a big loss for it in cooperation with India in the sphere of military equipment. The two countries still have many other joint projects in this sphere – for example, Russia is currently modernizing the Indian aircraft carrier “Vikramaditya”. It is planned to test it in the open sea in 2012.

Here is Victor Litovkin again:

“India has already received planes for this aircraft carrier and is already using them. Russia is also modernizing the non-atomic submarines once sold by it to India – to be more precise, we are adjusting them to use Russian “Club” supersonic anti-ship missiles, which have already become very popular in the Indian navy. Besides, Indians want to receive the finance leasing for Russian atomic submarines “Nerpa”. Russia also supplies its “T-90” tanks to India. Indians already have about 500 such tanks, but are intending to purchase another 1,500. Moreover, Russia supplies parts of the “Sukhoy-30” planes for Indians to assemble these planes at their plants.”

So, it would be wrong to say that India is rejecting its former policy of cooperating with Russia in the sphere of military equipment, preferring Western partners instead. The plans of joint work of Indian and Russian designers over a warplane of the newest, the 5th, generation is more evidence of that.

Source:MOSCOW TIMES

IAF grounds Sukhoi till ‘precautionary checks’ over

A frontline Sukhoi-30MKIcrashed near Pune on Tuesday afternoon soon after taking off from the Lohegaon airbase, forcing IAF to temporarily suspend flying of the country’s most potent and advanced fighters till “precautionary checks” are carried out.  Fortunately, the two pilots Wing Commander G S Sohal and Flight Lieutenant U Nautiyal managed to eject safely before the “air-superiority” twin-engine fighter went down in an open field at around 1.10 pm. 

The pilots ensured the crashing jet would not cause casualties on the ground, said Lohegaon airbase chief, Air Commodore V R Chaudhari.

Added another senior officer, “The Sukhois have not been grounded…But yes, they will undergo some systematic technical checks now before they take to the skies again. The multi-role fighters have had a great safety track-record.”

The Sukhois are not the new MiG-21s, having recorded only three crashes in the last 13 years unlike the latter that go down with alarming regularity, the crash has heightened long-standing concerns about the poor servicing and the maintenance record of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).

HAL is manufacturing under licence the bulk of the 272 Sukhois ordered from Russia in deals worth Rs 55,717 crore. IAF has inducted over 130 Sukhois, with a couple of squadrons even coming up in Tezpur and Chabua airbases in Assam in the last couple of years as “a strategic deterrent” against China.

Though IAF ordered a court of inquiry to ascertain the exact reason behind Tuesday’s crash, what accentuated concerns is that preliminary reports held the mishap was due to “technical problems”, possibly due to the failure of “fly-by-wire (FBW) control system”.

“There was no engine failure or `flame-out’. It seems the pilots lost the controls of the fighter, leaving them with no option but to undertake planned ejection,” said an officer.

The main reason behind one of the two earlier Sukhoi crashes in 2009 was attributed to the FBW system (the other was due to “a fuel leak”), which led to summoning of Russian engineers to probe the crash and the entire Sukhoi fleet being grounded for three weeks.

Later, it emerged that one of the pilots had accidentally switched off the FBW system, located behind him in the cockpit, while trying to change the radar mode from one frequency to another.

“It was a combination of pilot error and a design flaw in the FBW system master-switch. Since then, all Sukhois have been modified to add a safety guard to prevent the accidental switching off of the FBW system,” he said.

The suspicion is again on the FBW system now. If the technical defect is major in terms of system malfunction or design problem, Russian engineers might once again be called to assist HAL and IAF in probing the crash. IAF itself is keen to clear the air soon, with plans already underway to base Sukhoi squadrons in Halwara (Punjab) and Jodhpur (Rajasthan) for the western front.

As reported earlier by TOI, 39.5% of the over 1,000 crashes recorded by IAF since 1970 have been blamed on “technical defects”, with “human error” being the second major reason with 39%. Since 2008, over 30 fighters (16 of them MiG-21s) and 10 helicopters have crashed, killing 26 military personnel and six civilians.

Source:TNN

Defence spend in 5 years to cross Rs 5,20,000 crore

NEW DELHI: Defending long unresolved borders against two potentially hostile nuclear-armed neighbours does not come cheap. Besides, acquiring a wide array of weapon systems for billions of dollars, India will spend upwards of Rs 60,000 crore over the next five years on developing military infrastructure and capabilities for the western and eastern fronts.


If the cost of raising the already-sanctioned new mountain strike corps in the north-east is pegged at another Rs 60,000 crore and a conservative estimate of defence capital outlay in the 2012-2017 timeframe crossing Rs 4,00,000 crore are taken into account, it adds up to a staggering Rs 5,20,000 crore. This does not include the huge day-to-day cost of maintaining a 13-lakh armed forces.


Defence minister A K Antony on Monday gave figures for the planned development of military infrastructure, with new fighter bases, helipads, bunkers, forward ammunition dumps and the like, to strategically counter China and Pakistan.


Responding to queries on major projects of Military Engineer Services (MES) in Lok Sabha, Antony pegged the planned ``development'' of Army infrastructure and ``improvement'' of IAF infrastructure in the north-east at Rs 7,374 crore and Rs 1,753 crore, respectively.


Similarly, capability development along the northern borders will cost Rs 24,312 crore, while upgrade of storage facility for ammunition will come for Rs 18,450 crore.


Construction of suitable habitat for soldiers deployed in high-altitude areas like Kargil, Siachen-Saltoro Ridge and Ladakh, which includes insulation, dome and fibre-glass based shelters, will cost another Rs 6,000 crore.


Sources say the infrastructure coming up in the Eastern Army Command includes 5,572 ``permanent defences and bunkers'' along the Line of Actual Control with China as well as helicopter and drone bases at Missamari, Kumbhigram and Lilabari in Assam.


This is in addition to IAF deploying Sukhoi-30MKI fighters in Tezpur and Chabua as well as progressively upgrading ALGs (advanced landing grounds) in Arunachal and eastern Ladakh.


The Army's offensive punch will, however, come when the new mountain strike corps, with headquarters in Panagarh (West Bengal), takes concrete shape in the 12th Plan, with two new specially trained and equipped divisions under it.


Two divisions, with 1,260 officers and 35,011 soldiers, with their HQs in Zakama (56 Div) in Nagaland and Missamari (71 Div) in Assam, have been raised over the last couple of years.


Together, the four new divisions add up to around 75,000 troops. ``For decades, our posture against China in North-East has been defensive. This is the first time we will have offensive capabilities in the mountains if they are needed,'' said a source.


They are needed, even if for deterrence. With five fully-operational airbases, an extensive rail network and over 58,000-km of roads in Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), China is capable of rushing over 30 divisions (each with over 15,000 soldiers) at their ``launch pads'' on LAC in double-quick time, outnumbering Indian forces by at least 3:1 in the region.


Source:TOI

Rolls-Royce, HAL setting up aero engines production facility

India’s public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and British aero engines manufacturer Rolls-Royce Wednesday commenced construction of a new joint manufacturing facility in Bangalore, where components of Trent family of civil aero engines, marine, and energy gas turbines will be produced beginning 2012.

The production facility, about 7,200 square metres in size, is owned by International Aerospace Manufacturing Private Limited (IAMPL), a joint venture between HAL and Rolls-Royce formed in 2010, according to a release from the company.

‘This purpose-built production facility will produce components for the technologically advanced Trent family of civil aero engines, as well as for a number of marine and energy gas turbines. Located near the HAL airport, the facility will start production in 2012,’ it said.

IAMPL will incorporate the latest Rolls-Royce manufacturing techniques and create job opportunities for highly-skilled technicians and engineers in India.

On the occasion, HAL chairman P.V. Deshmukh said: ‘Rolls-Royce and HAL have been strategic partners since 1956 when HAL started producing the Orpheus engine under licence. As a result of our strong collaboration, we have progressively contributed to the development of the Indian aerospace industry. This ground-breaking event marks a milestone in the relationship between both our companies that will extend, well into the future.’

Rolls-Royce president India Anil Shrikhande said, ‘This new manufacturing facility demonstrates our commitment to the long-standing partnership with HAL. We plan to develop IAMPL as a centre of excellence, with the latest manufacturing techniques and training programmes. IAMPL furthers our common objective of enhancing high value-added manufacturing in India and will also contribute to the country’s growing aerospace and technology industry.’

Rolls-Royce has a significant presence in India stretching back 79 years and now has more than 1,300 engines in service, across four global market sectors – civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy – all well represented in the country.

Rolls-Royce has about 200 employees in India and 650 engineers work on a sub-contract basis in engineering centres in Bangalore

Source:IANS

DRDO successfully conducts maiden flight of AEW&C

NEW DELHI: The DRDO has conducted the maiden flight of Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system at a special facility in Brazil, taking a major step forward in the development of such system indigenously. 


The first maiden flight of indigenously developed AEW&C took place yesterday at Sao Jose dos Campos in Brazil with about 1000 mission system components provided by Bangalore- based DRDO lab, the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), a DRDO spokesperson said here. 


DRDO chief V K Saraswat, in his message after the successful first test-flight of the AEW&C, said, "The flight is a major milestone towards realising the dream of indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control system, which will put India into a select club of countries." 


The aircraft will now undergo full certification process over next two years, but first two aircraft will be delivered to us by the middle of 2012, the spokesperson said. 


"After the aircraft are delivered, the mission systems developed by various DRDO labs will be integrated into them. Currently these systems are undergoing ground integration and evaluation at CABS," he said. 


The delivery of these aircraft with fully integrated mission control system is expected to take place by the end of 2013, he said. 


The systems developed by DRDO are being integrated on specially designed Embraer aircraft with capability of tracking airborne objects in all directions.

High-end DRDO unit in Hyderabad

VIGNYAN KANCHA (Hyderabad): The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is all set to launch its new hi-tech facility at the outskirts of the city.

Housed in a concrete masterpiece built just under four years, the Navigation and Embedded Computer Complex will house some of its discreet and critical missile technologies.

The facility, situated close to the Shamshabad airport and Pahadisharief Dargah and set in a picturesque background of lakes, hillocks and manicured lawns, will be inaugurated by former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on December 9.

Part of DRDO's Research Centre Imarat (RCI), the new Complex will develop navigation sensors like fibre-optic gyroscopes (FOGs), ring laser gyroscopes (RLGs), accelerometers (for accuracy requirements of longrange missiles), resonating gyros and star sensors - all pivotal to missile and military applications.

An advanced very large scale integration (VLSI) and simulation lab for the design of integrated circuit and system on chip (SOC) is also being incorporated into the building.

While DRDO is tightlipped about the details about the new Complex, defence sources told Express that the facility will house gen-next clean rooms of the Class 10- 10000 (parts per million particles) category.

The Complex will also have a limited series production facility, with industry participation on governmentowned- company-operated basis, to manufacture some of the systems and components.

While technologically and design-wise, the Complex is sure to outsmart many of DRDO establishments in India, the icing on the cake is a museum featuring navigation and computer equipment from the latest to those dating back to 100 years.

This Xshaped installation with a tow, is tipped to play a lead tole in DRDO's current and futuristic tactical and strategic missile programmes.

Though the state-of-theart facility will go fully live only in the next four months, it will be yet another fulfillment of Dr Kalam's dream to be on par with world leaders in the art of making home-grown missiles.

The denial of technology stemming from the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) unleashed by the West, forced the lab to derive ways and means to develop FOGs (control grade and inertial grade) for missiles, tanks and aircraft, RLGs for long-range long-endurance missiles and flight vehicles.

Source:IBN

Sea trials soon of India's indigenous n-submarine

NEW DELHLI: The sea trials of India's indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant are scheduled in a few months from now and it is likely to be inducted into the navy by the end of 2012, when it will lurk in the deep seas awaiting its prey.

Indian Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said at the force's annual press conference Friday ahead of Navy Day on Dec 4 that the process of readying the nuclear-powered submarine was "on track".

"By and large we are on track. A firm date can be given when we go for sea trials that will hopefully happen in a few months from now," Verma said when he was asked about his last Navy Day promise that INS Arihant will go out on high seas patrols by 2012-end.

India had launched the 6,000-tonne submarine into the waters at Visakhapatnam Naval Dockyard on July 26 in 2009. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur were present on the occassion.

INS Arihant has been built under the navy's advanced technology vessel (ATV) programme at a cost of $2.9 billion. The vessel is critical for India possessing the capability to launch nuclear weapons from an underwater platform.

With India's declared "no first use" policy on nuclear weapons, the country's weapons system must survive a first strike for retaliation. To that effect, INS Arihant's primary weapon is stealth as it will be able to lurk in ocean depths of half a kilometre or more and fire missiles from under the sea.

The submarine is powered by an 85 MW nuclear reactor and can acquire surface speeds of 22 to 28 kmph or 12 to 15 knots, apart from a submerged speed of 44 kmph or 24 knots.

With a crew of 95, it will be armed with torpedoes and missiles including 12 ballistic missiles. Four more nuclear-powered submarines of this class have already got government's nod, adding to navy's underwater combat potential in the years to come.

On the safety of the nuclear submarine, the navy chief said there was a requirement of a regulatory authority and Baba Atomic Research Centre will play a major role in this.

He said the issue was not about nuclear safety while the vessel is at port but while it is at sea and hence the modalities for that and basing of specialist on board the vessel are under consideration.

Source:ET