Indian Military News

07-10-2009, 08:09 AM

G.Subramaniam · (This post was last modified: 07-10-2009, 08:37 AM by G.Subramaniam.)

For the MCRA, the best bet is to buy the following
1. 30 Mig-35, to eventually replace Mig-29
2. 40 Rafael to replace the Mirage , since the Rafael is designed to carry nukes
3. 30 F-18 since it can also land on aircraft carrier
4. Bulk of buy must be Gripen-NG, qty 100

In except for specialised tasks for which Sukhoi-MKI, Rafael, etc,
everything else must be Gripen
Gripen is as cheap as Mig-35, and much better quality build
and has much less infrastructure demands

The Gripen is an LCA that performs like a MCA

G.Subramaniam · 07-11-2009, 07:28 AM

Why is the Arjun not scrapped and not upgraded with Merkava next gen either as collaborative effort with Transfer of Tech, like Su-30-MKI

07-12-2009, 04:13 AM

Army court-martials its first woman officerQUOTEFor the first time in the Indian Armyâs history, a military court on Saturday ordered the court martial of a woman officer for disobeying orders, levelling false allegations against her superiors and communicating service matters to the media.

Captain Poonam Kaur had accused three officers, including her commanding officer and second-in-command, of sexually harassing her last year. She was then serving with an ASC (Army Service Corps Battalion) at Kalka near Chandigarh.

The judge advocate, who helped conduct the General Court Martial in Patiala, was also a lady officer. Ironically, three years ago she had accused a senior officer of molesting her in Nagrota near Jammu.

But for Captain Kaur (in her mid 20s) to be dismissed, the military courtâs verdict has to be confirmed by the general officer commanding-in-chief, Western Command as the matter comes under his purview. Even after the sentence is confirmed, she could seek relief from a high court or the newly constituted Armed Forces Tribunal.

A court of inquiry conducted before the court martial had slapped 21 charges on Captain Kaur â whose father is a retired army havaldar âof which 11 were dropped, as there was no evidence to substantiate them.

The charges levelled against her included wrongfully getting married accommodation allotted and having an improper relationship with her driver.

In the past, women officers in the army have been ordered to face courts-martial for charges ranging from corruption to being absent without leave to professional impropriety. But none has been sacked.

Major Dimple Singla, from the armyâs legal branch, had faced a court martial for allegedly demanding bribes during trials by the military court. The verdict is not out yet.

The Indian Air Force had for the first time dismissed a woman officer â Flying Officer Anjali Guptaâfor indiscipline three years ago.

There are around 1,100 women (excluding lady doctors) among 35,377 officers in the army, some 750 out of 10,563 officers in the air force and 260-odd among 7,336 naval officers.

What a shame!!!
They are just trying to prove they are not less than men.

Capt M Kumar · 07-15-2009, 12:18 PM

<!--emo&

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /> Veterans say the country's elite are looking at victory celebrations through political blinkers. Is victory not being celebrated because it came at a time when the BJP was at the helm of affairs or is it that the government is too timid to antagonise Pakistan? Whatever be the reason, the soldiers are feeling let down.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/index.php?opt...d=1&issueid=114

ramana · 07-16-2009, 12:41 AM

CSIS Publications on India

Naresh · 07-17-2009, 01:51 AM

India set to launch nuclear-powered submarine

NEW DELHI : Fifty-four years after the world's first nuclear-powered submarine USS Nautilus took to the ocean depths, smashing all submerged speed and distance records thereafter, India's long hunt for its own N-sub has finally entered the last lap.

Sources say India's first nuclear-powered submarine, built under the top-secret ATV (advanced technology vessel) project, will be 'launched' for 'preliminary trials' at the shipbuilding centre at Visakhapatnam naval dockyard around 10 days from now.

In fact, if things go as planned, it will be PM Manmohan Singh's wife Gursharan Kaur who will break the 'auspicious' coconut against the ATV hull on July 26 to mark India's entry into the exclusive club of US, Russia, China, France and UK, which design and operate nuclear submarines.

Extensive sea trials will, of course, have to follow after the first of the three approved ATVs, designed to carry a miniature 80MW pressurized water reactor (PWR) and its containment vessel in the hull, is put in the water by flooding the dry dock at the naval dockyard.

"It will take a minimum of two years before the first 6,000-tonne ATV can become fully operational," said an official. Nevertheless, it will constitute a big step towards India's endeavour to build a 'credible nuclear weapon triad' â the capability to fire nukes from air, land and sea.

India does have fighters like Mirage-2000 jury-rigged to deliver tactical nukes as well as nuclear-capable Agni ballistic missiles. But airbases and missile launch infrastructure can conceivably be taken out with a crippling first-strike by an enemy. This is where the triad's third leg comes in, especially for a country like India which has a declared no-first-use nuclear doctrine.

A nuclear submarine, whose reactor usually needs to be refuelled only after a decade or more, provides a difficult-to-detect-and-target platform for launching punishing retaliatory nuclear strikes.

Even US and Russia have ensured that two-thirds of the strategic warheads they eventually retain, under arms reduction agreements, will be in the shape of SLBMs (submarine-launched ballistic missiles).

Interestingly enough, India's first ATV is to be named INS Arihant (destroyer of enemies). Incidentally, defence minister A K Antony earlier this year declared the ATV project was in the "final stages now". This was indeed a rare admission because even existence of the project, first conceived during Indira Gandhi's reign as PM in 1970 but which really got going only in the mid-1980s, has been officially denied in the past.

With a massive Rs 30,000-crore funding, it still remains largely a 'black' project even 11 years after India came out of the nuclear closet with the Pokhran-II tests in 1998.

But while a formidable weapon, a nuclear-powered submarine by itself does not give strategic deterrence. For that, ATV needs to be armed with nuclear-tipped ballistic or cruise missiles.

So, DRDO has been concurrently working on the equally hush-hush Sagarika project since the mid-1990s, under which the 700km range K-15 missile has been tested from submersible pontoon launchers till now. The next challenge is to test-fire the K-15 missile from the ATV.

Moreover, with US, Russia and China fielding over 5,000km range SLBMs, Indian scientists are also working on an SLBM variant of the 3,500km Agni-III missile. For a country which had build only two diesel-electric German-origin HDW submarines at Mazagon Docks in 1992-94, constructing a nuclear submarine was never going to be easy.

Building a SSBN or a "boomer", after all, is an incredibly complex process, with marine, nuclear and missile technologies all being integrated into a holistic whole. ATV's meandering saga has extended from Vishakapatnam dockyard, where the basic submarine hull and structure have been fabricated, to the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research at Kalpakkam, where the PWRs have been built and tested, apart from several other secretive facilities chipping in with their expertise.

Designing the miniature nuclear reactor, fuelled by highly enriched uranium, was obviously one of the main hurdles, with initial designs by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre failing to work. Then, the nuclear technical expertise of Russia and some others was sought to overcome the technical roadblocks. Now, with the ATV launch finally happening, the defence establishment is keeping its fingers crossed. The eventual aim is to field three SSBNs well before the next decade ends.

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

Capt M Kumar · 07-21-2009, 09:40 AM

Independent India needs to start the conversation: is what we need a limber, mobile army, close to potential flashpoints? Or a force scattered across the country in deference to history and tradition?

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/cantt-...t/492024/0

HareKrishna · 07-21-2009, 11:29 AM

QUOTE(Naresh @ Jul 17 2009, 01:51 AM)India set to launch nuclear-powered submarine

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />
[right][snapback]99715[/snapback][/right]

Range of only 3500km?should be an least 5000-6000km ,an least 30 such nukes and an least 10 billion $ more every year for this goal(from 31 bl$ to 40 bl$).

**shamu** · 07-21-2009, 11:36 AM

QUOTE(HareKrishna @ Jul 21 2009, 11:29 AM)Range of only 3500km?should be an least 5000-6000km ,an least 30 such nukes and an least 10 billion $ more every year for this goal(from 31 bl$ to 40 bl$).

For what purpose? India doesn't look forward to build an empire. Its aim is to defend itself from other imperialists.

Capt M Kumar · 07-21-2009, 12:29 PM

Brigadier Basant Kumar Ponwar, the armyâs counter-Naxalite expert and director of Counter Terrorism and Jungle Warfare College, tells R KRISHNA DAS that this is the right time to destroy the rebels militarily and dismantle their network.
Also Read

- 'I'm upbeat about change'
- 'India should recognise the Taliban'

The Union government has imposed a ban on Naxalites. How effective will this be in tackling the problem?
Very effective. Now, there will be one rule across the country that will help the states reeling under the problem to coordinate better. Now, Naxalites have been bracketed with terrorist groups, including Lashkar E-Toiba. This will help the army (if required) take action against Naxalites.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/new...algarhs/364318/

HareKrishna · 07-21-2009, 12:34 PM

QUOTE(shamu @ Jul 21 2009, 11:36 AM)<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(HareKrishna @ Jul 21 2009, 11:29 AM)Range of only 3500km?should be an least 5000-6000km ,an least 30 such nukes and an least 10 billion $ more every year for this goal(from 31 bl$ to 40 bl$).

For what purpose? India doesn't look forward to build an empire. Its aim is to defend itself from other imperialists.
[right][snapback]99814[/snapback][/right]
</div>
Thats a minimum for a credible defence.For building an empire you need more then above.

Naresh · (This post was last modified: 07-22-2009, 03:41 AM by Naresh.)

QUOTE(HareKrishna @ Jul 21 2009, 11:29 AM)Range of only 3500km?should be an least 5000-6000km ,an least 30 such nukes and an least 10 billion $ more every year for this goal(from 31 bl$ to 40 bl$).
[right][snapback]99813[/snapback][/right]


HareKrishna Ji :

You do seem to be obsessed with "Long Ranges".

A Nuclear Powered Submarine is extremely difficult to detect.

As such the "Sub" can arrive say 100 KM off the Coast of the "Intended Enemy" and may be rest at the sea bed.

Now tell me, which country targets are you thinking of which are say 5,000 KM away from the "Sea".

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

HareKrishna · 07-22-2009, 02:07 PM

QUOTE(Naresh @ Jul 22 2009, 03:40 AM)

HareKrishna Ji :

You do seem to be obsessed with "Long Ranges".

A Nuclear Powered Submarine is extremely difficult to detect.

As such the "Sub" can arrive say 100 KM off the Coast of the "Intended Enemy" and may be rest at the sea bed.

Now tell me, which country targets are you thinking of which are say 5,000 KM away from the "Sea".

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />
[right][snapback]99829[/snapback][/right]

A Sub is to slow ,it couldnt be ready in case of emergency.And what if you want to strike an inland target? To have 2-3 nuclear subs its a good idea.Nothing against.
China has 30 nukes whit half-earth range that can hit US.
They of course dont want to destory US just want to show that they have the power to retaliate (you know ,hope for the best,prepare for the worst).
No one think to use nukes except islamic fanatics and born-again christians and who knows who will came to power in some countries?
A 6000 km range is good for China.
If posible about 100 anti-missles should be build,one for every nuclear missile from Riotingstan. <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/guitar.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='guitar.gif' />

Naresh · (This post was last modified: 07-22-2009, 03:39 PM by Naresh.)

QUOTE(HareKrishna @ Jul 22 2009, 02:07 PM)A Sub is to slow ,it couldnt be ready in case of emergency.And what if you want to strike an inland target? To have 2-3 nuclear subs its a good idea.Nothing against.
China has 30 nukes whit half-earth range that can hit US.
They of course dont want to destory USÂ just want to show that they have the power to retaliate (you know ,hope for the best,prepare for the worst).
No one think to use nukes except islamic fanatics and born-again christians and who knows who will came to power in some countries?
A 6000 km range is good for China.
If posible about 100 anti-missles should be build,one for every nuclear missile from Riotingstan. <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/guitar.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='guitar.gif' />
[right][snapback]99867[/snapback][/right]


HareKrishna Ji :

You do exhibit the thinking-reasoning of the typical âKeyboard Basherâ Ilk.

Try and read about Nuclear Powered Submarine âNuclear Warfareâ.

Those of not âThe Keyboard Basher Ilkâ send their Nuclear Powered Submarines with Nuclear Armed Missiles out to the desired locations Months â if not Years â in advance.

The Nuclear Powered Submarines do not have to âsurfaceâ for Months â possibly up to Six if not more - at an end and as such your basis of argument about the âslownessâ of a Nuclear Submarine is naÃ¯ve â to say the least.

The rest of you argument â based on your initial statement â continues in form.

I trust you appreciate that India's Nuclear Powered Submarines with Nuclear Armed Missiles are not for Terroristan or Riotistan but for China â if China continues its present Policy towards India.

In addition Naval Floating Assets like Aircraft Carriers, Nuclear Submarines, Large Destroyers as well as Frigates etc. are :

AA : To project a âBlue Waterâ Maritime Nation Perspective to the World â especially to safeguard its growing Merchant Fleet as well as the Sea Lanes connected with its Maritime Trade.

BB : To provide aid via the Marine Logistic Mode to Areas of Disaster â be they in India or in the âneighbourhoodâ.

CC : To protect over 7,000 KM of Indiaâs Coastline not only with a Strong & Capable Navy but also a Strong & Capable Army as well as Air Force.

Being a layman I cannot give you the exact details but I am sure that India is building up an Anti-Missile Defence not only against Crapistan but also against China.

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

Capt M Kumar · 07-25-2009, 04:25 AM

<!--emo&

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /> The CAG report apart, at present price negotiations are on and India could end up paying close to US dollars 2.9 billion for the carrier. Hence India will end up paying more than 3 times the price. This does not include the price of 16 MIG 29K fighters that will be on the deck of the ship. The original enhanced price of US dollars 1.8 billion included the fighters. Russia then re-revised the price to US dollars 2.9 billion. The CAG also gave a comparative chart of the prices calculated 2004, which showed that a new carrier would have cost Rs 1.14 billion and with a life of 40 years.

The most substantial increase, US dollars 522 million on account of sea trials, which were originally contracted for US dollars 27 million. This has increased by almost 20 times to US dollars 550 million.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090725/main7.htm

HareKrishna · 07-25-2009, 10:32 AM

QUOTE(Naresh @ Jul 22 2009, 03:17 PM)

HareKrishna Ji :

You do exhibit the thinking-reasoning of the typical âKeyboard Basherâ Ilk.

Try and read about Nuclear Powered Submarine âNuclear Warfareâ.

Those of not âThe Keyboard
gistic Mode to Areas of Disaster â be they in India or in the âneighbourhoodâ.
Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />
[right][snapback]99868[/snapback][/right]

Also agree that 3 nuclear subs are a must.Just pointed the need for a land-base long range nukes .
My wonder is what India can do whit a aircraft carrier?

Naresh · 07-25-2009, 02:23 PM

QUOTE(HareKrishna @ Jul 25 2009, 10:32 AM)Also agree that 3 nuclear subs are a must.Just pointed the need for a land-base long range nukes .
My wonder is what India can do whit a aircraft carrier?
[right][snapback]99949[/snapback][/right]


HareKrishna Ji :

Do not make statements which seem to be "Shooting from the Hip."

Improve your knowledge by askling "Uncle Google" for Help in respect of "The Aircraft Carrier Battle Group".

This will give you the number of various "Floating Assets" Comprising a "Carrier Battle Group".

In my opinion the CVBG must, in addition to Attack Submarines, also take along with it Two Boomer Submarines although it seems that the "Boomers" are already "Resting near the Sea Bed" in The Area of Conflict.

IMHO the Indian Navy must have at Least Four CVB Groups i.e. One for the West Coast, One for the East Coast, One which can go to the Support of the East or West Coast Groups and One to be in the "Repair cum Maintenance" Facility.

BTW : If you do not know what India can or will do with an Aircraft Carrier then I suggest you "procure" a Book on Naval Warfare!

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

Capt M Kumar · 07-26-2009, 02:40 AM

The Kargil War: A feud for thought
July 14th, 2009
By Shankar Roychowdhury

July 26 is Kargil Vijay Divas, the time every year when national memory needs to be jogged into awakening about a not-all-that-distant past but one almost totally extinct in public consciousness. A front-page newspaper photograph captured the moment â two Sikh pipers playing against the forbidding mass of Tiger Hill looming through the clouds, in remembrance of its recapture by Grenadiers and Sikhs of the Indian Army on July 5, 1999, an incredible feat of extreme mountaineering under enemy fire.
http://www.hotklix.com/link/news/India/The...eud-for-thought

Naresh · 07-26-2009, 02:14 PM

PM launches INS Arihant in Visakhapatnam

HYDERABAD : India on Sunday reached a milestone when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur launched the country's first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine 'INS Arihant' for sea trials. ( Watch )

Prime Minister arrived at the ENC's airbase INS Dega in Visakhapatnam by a special IAF plane along with his wife at 11 am and drove straight to the naval dockyard to commission INS Arihant into the sea.

The 6000-tonne submarine will first be put on sea trials for two years before being commissioned into full service.

In these two years, the submarine will also undergo harbour trials of its nuclear reactor and other systems.

Sunday's launch coincides with Vijay Diwas marking India's triumph over Pakistani intruders in Kargil.

With the launch of the submarine India will join the exclusive club of US, Russia, China, France and the UK with similar capabilities.

The ENC headquarters in Visakhapatnam has been decked up for this historic event, navy sources said.

INS Arihant has been built under the advanced technology vessels (ATV) programme at a cost of $2.9 billion at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam.

Code-named Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV), the submarine christened 'INS Arihant' (destroyer of enemy) was launched for sea trials at the Matsya naval dockyard here.

As India has declared "no first use" of nuclear weapons, the country's weapons system must survive a first strike for retaliation. Therefore, Arihant's primary weapon is stealth as it can lurk in ocean depths of half a kilometre or more and fire its missiles from under the sea.

The 6000-tonne submarine is powered by an 85 megawatt capacity nuclear reactor and can acquire surface speeds of 22 to 28 kmph (12-15 knots) and submerged speed upto 44 kmph (24 knots). It will be carrying a crew of 95 men and will be armed with torpedoes and missiles including 12 ballistic missiles.

Four more nuclear-powered submarine of this class have already got government's nod and these would add to the Navy's underwater combat potential in the years to come.

Defence Minister A K Antony, Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy witnessed the event.

The Prime Minister flew to Vishakapatnam this morning by the IAF's newly acquired Boeing business jet and reached the venue of the submarine launch by road.

Sea trials of the submarine will be conducted in the Bay of Bengal off Vishakapatnam, where the vessel was under construction for the last two decades.

The Rs 30,000-crore secret nuclear submarine project was started in the 1980s though it was conceived by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1970s.

The first official admission of the project nearing completion came this February when Antony had announced it during the AeroIndia show in Bangalore.

INS Arihant can also be armed with cruise missiles. The DRDO is already working on an equally secretive Sagarika project for a 700-km K-15 missile, capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

With US, Russia and China already fielding 5,000-km range SLBMs, the DRDO too has recently tested an SLBM based on the design of 3,500-km range Agni-III.

The induction of ATV will help India to complete the nuclear weapons triad, as envisaged under its nuclear doctrine to deliver nuke-tipped missiles from land, air and sea.

India has land-based nuclear-capable Agni ballistic missiles, apart from IAF fighters such as Mirage-2000 that can deliver tactical nukes.

Two decades ago, India had operated a Charlie-class nuclear submarine, christened INS Chakra, leased from Russia for three years between 1989 and 1991.

Moscow will again lease out two Akula-class nuclear submarines to New Delhi for 10 years. Plans to deliver the submarines this June were hit by a mishap during sea trials late last year. But hopes have soared for its delivery in 2010 after Russia took out the repaired vessel for sea trials again early this month.

Cheers <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' />

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