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50
SU 30 aircraft to
be purchased from IAPO and subsequent manufacture of 140 by HAL in
India. This is the largest deal signed and will cost the nation over
2.5 billion dollars.
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The
LCA has completed
12 flights and is a long way away with many imponderables and hence
HAL team has just discussed the modalities.
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MRBLs.
–– One battery
of BM 9A52 Smerch 300 mm multiple-barrel rocket launchers, which can
land saturation fire up to 90km. It can decimate high-value targets in
the rear of the battlefield, such as command and control centers, fuel
dumps and vehicle concentrations. It is understood a trial unit is in
India and will augment the GRAD M that were used with great effect in
the Kargil war. The DRDO Pinaka is under trials and is still low
powered and slow.
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Howitzers
–– Up to 200 Bofors-type FH-77B 155 mm towed howitzers worth $250
million or equivalent to add to the 310 units bought off-the-shelf in
1986. The Bofors contract has expired and the Government has been slow
to support India’s Artillery. Gen Pervez Musharraf and Gen S
Padmanabhan are both Artillery officers, so IDC recalls what India’s
former Chief of the Army Staff Gen K V Krishna Rao had commented
earlier, “In the 1971 war Pakistan had heavier caliber weapons and
used these to considerable effect… As in the 1965 conflict, the
infantry found it difficult to stand against the devastating fire of
the US supplied Pakistani Artillery, in most cases. The need for heavy
caliber long range weapons was much felt by the Indian Forces”. Yet
the needs of the Artillery were neglected in favour of the Armoured
units. It is against this backdrop we know that Indian Army took 12
years to carry out selection of a 155 mm Howitzer gun and finally got
Government to sign the contract for 310 FH 77 155 mm Bofors in Mar
1986 for 700 million dollars. These guns saved the day in the Kargil
War. The purchase however led to a scandal of pay offs involving the
Bofors Agent Win Chaddha, involvement of the Hinduja brothers of UK
and Italian businessman Ottavio Quatrochhi, now absconding in
Malaysia. The matter is in Indian courts, but the gun has proved
itself to be world class beyond doubt and IDC wonders why these were
not co-manufactured especially as the Army is familiar with this good
Howitzer. In fact the Army cannibalised so many pieces for Kargil and
the need for more is evident. India also failed to get a weapon
locating radar for counter bombardment and Pakistan caused most
casualties by their counterfire on India’s artillery. India fired
250,000 155mm rounds in the Kargil war.
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Ammo
rounds of 120mm, 130mm, 155mm and 160mm caliber worth more than $7
million have been procured from Israel and South Africa. Some were
destroyed in recent fires in ammunition depots.
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10,000
Krasnopol-M 155 mm laser-guided artillery projectiles worth $
15.5 million from Russia and 8 systems have been purchased and high
altitude trials carried out.
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Possibility
of acquiring initial 120 self-propelled howitzers, each comprising a
Denel/LIW-built T-6 turret containing a 155mm/520 calibre gun and
mounted on the Arjun MBT’s armoured hull. The system, called Bhim
had achieved a sustained rate of fire of 116 rounds at a desert firing
range in Pokhran in western India. The cost of procuring 520 such
howitzers eventually is estimated at $972 million. Much is not known
of the progress.
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310
T-90 MBTs with the Reflecks anti tank missile and B 31 diesel
engine worth 700 million dollars. This deal for import of 120 has
begun and local production has been finalized and special vehicles
like the BREM 1 and 1MR 2 MA will come with them from Uralgrad Zavod.
Some issues still to be resolved will be discussed at the Joint meet.
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250
AGS-17 lightweight
automatic grenade launchers from Russia at a cost of $3.5 million.
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150
new landmine-resistant armoured vehicles worth $14 million to
augment 90 such Cassipir trucks already imported from South Africa.
IDC learned that the first lot have done well and although they were
second hand but well reconditioned.
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Four
Zoopark 2 counter-battery S 300 PMU1
low to high altitude systems with radars from Russia and the Green
Pine from Israel. Israeli media reported supplies have begun and
could be for DRDO or up to 150 S-300 V anti – ballistic missile
launchers and their related command and control systems worth $1.4
billion, along with the Israeli ‘Green Pine’ ballistic missile
early warning radar system are under discussion
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200
frequency-hopping radios worth $7 million
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200
of the latest Gen-3 thermal-imaging devices worth $6 million
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180
ELTA-built EL/M-2140 tripod-mounted battlefield surveillance
radars worth $65 million that can detect enemy movement a least 5 km
away.
-
Up
to six IAI Malat built Searcher Mk II Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
(UAVs) and their ground control units worth $46.5 million from Israel,
for landing accurate fire on enemy gun positions in the battlefield.
The Searcher MkII has a height ceiling of nearly 30,000 feet and the
Artillery awaits their arrival.
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Up
to 45 2S6 Tunguska M-1 mobile gun / missile V-SHORADS type
systems indicating importance of Air Defence, some of which have
arrived.
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155
VY-72 B ARVs from ZTS Tees Martin of Slovakia for $ 723,000
each and 42 WZT-3 ARVs, built by Bumar –Labedy, from CENZIN of
Poland for $723,000 each State –owned Bharat Earth Movers Ltd will
build another 400 such vehicles.
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India
has a contract with Soltam of Israel to upgrade an initial 35
Soviet-supplied M-46 130 mm field guns to 155 mm /45-calibre
for about $238,095 each. A further 550 M –46s will be upgraded by
India’s state-owned Ordnance Factory Board.
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Three
Krivak III-class, Project 1135.6 guided missile frigates ––
INS Talwar, Trishul and Tabar worth $600 million. The third was
launched in the presence of the Defence Secretary end May 2001.
Normally a lady does the honours and the Embassy in Moscow helped out.
The ship is to have Indian equipment and Wartsila generators etc and
the coordination has delayed the commissioning. The crew has been
ready for some time under the Command of Captain S Soni.
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Two
Type 877 EKM Kilo-class SSK Submarines worth $ 388 million,
plus one Amur-Class SSK have been offered as India’s own
Submarine building programme has been a mess since the HDW scandal.
The Scorpene Type 75 is delayed.
-
Up
to 200 Novator 3M54E Klub Club supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles
in the three Kilo class under going changes and refit in Admiralty
Shipyard at St Petersburg, Krivacks and the Sindushastra and the Type
17. The Indian Navy is truly excited about this missile and calls it
the Russian Tomahawk.
-
RAFAEL
–built 7 Barak anti-missile defence systems for installation
on the Indian Navy’s carrier INS Viraat and the INS Brahmaputra and
some other ships.
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DCN
–– The Mazagoan Docks and the GOI are negotiating to build 3
Scorpene submarines in India as the Type 75. Cost could go up to $ 800
million and then Pakistan and India will have common builders of
submarines.
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Four
Kamov Ka-31, air borne early warning helicopters worth
$28 million, and six Ka-28 ASW helicopters worth $18 million
all of which will be delivered soon.
-
The
converted and refurbished aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov
free but with a refit priced at $500 million, which will host a N-010
active phased array fire control and surveillance radar, a 13’ ski
ramp and arrestor aircraft recovery system. The decision is far gone
and chances of back tracking seem remote but Indian Defence has seen
many dramas and media hypes it up. IDC adds: when a senior Air Force
officer asked why the nation needs a carrier a young Naval officer
said, “Sir you know where Hindon is.” He said of course. He
politely asked, “Sir can it move.” and the senior IAF officer
said, “don’t be stupid.” Then the junior officer asked, “Sir,
do you know where INS Viraat is, and where it will be tomorrow.” The
senior officer was furious so the junior said “ Sir, we need the
carrier because it is the only airfield that can move and support the
Navy,” and that in simple terms is the short answer.
-
Up
to 66 ANPK MiG-295MK carrier-borne fighters armed with Vympel
RVV-AE R-77 medium range, active radar-guided air-to-air missiles; the
R-73 E infra-red guided dogfight missiles, Zvesda / Strella Kh-31A
anti=ship and Kh-31P anti-radar missiles; and Kh-35 Uran E anti-ship
missiles for the Gorshkov and the air defence ship to be built at
Cochin. Only when Gorshkov is finalized can the design for the ADS be
frozen.
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IAI
/ MALAT’s Heron long-endurance UAVs are on offer as DRDO’s
Nishant cannot climb above 10,000 feet and is not operational.
-
Six
new-build Tu-142 Bear F maritime patrol / ASW aircraft armed
with Alfa and Uran-E anti-ship cruise missiles to supplement the eight
currently in service with the Indian Navy are on offer.
-
Six
Tuploev TU –22M3 strategic bombers, which are at the Gorbunov-based
plant in Kazan, southern Russia are on offer and ready to be delivered
from Russia’s large excess stock.
-
Two
IL-76 based A-50 AEW & C aircraft, and four IL-78 aerial
refueling tankers worth $388 million are on offer. Air Chief ACM A
Y Tipnis has witnessed trials as VCAS in October at the Kubinka air
base near Moscow.
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One
squadron (18 aircraft) of Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000D
tandem-seat fighter-bombers “hard wired” for carrying nuclear
missiles as part of its minimum nuclear deterrent, are on offer. India
is already buying French equipment for the IAF upgrades.
-
Ten
additional Mirage 2000 TH to replace accident losses and as
part of the war wastage reserves are due to arrive soon. The IAF has
lost at least three/four of 49 single-seat Mirage 2000s inducted into
service in the mid 1980s. France has reportedly received the major
payment and a small scandal involves Keyser Corporation fighting for
its commission in French courts.
-
Hectic
efforts have also been launched by IAF to procure add-on chaff/flare
countermeasures suites and missiles approach warning systems from
ELISRA of Israel, which will be retrofitted on to the IAF’s Mi-8T
and Mi-17 helicopters and Mi-25 helicopter gunships.
-
An
avionics and self-protection suite upgrade worth $25 million for 20
Mi-35P and six Mi-25 helicopter gunships. This contract has gone to
IAI / Tamam
-
A
comprehensive upgrade of the IAF’s 20 Mi-35 P helicopter-gunships
that includes a day /night imaging and target designation system
supplied by Elbit Computers, ELISRA, EI Op and ELTA of Israel.
-
The
IAF is also expected to procure additional laser-guidance kits
for its 1,000 lb bombs from Elbit Computers of Israel.
-
The
ELTA subsidiary of Israel Aircraft Industries is likely to supply
pod-mounted EL/M-2060 synthetic aperture radars for the IAF’s
Mirage 2000 H fighters.
-
The
IAF has also sought permission to procure an initial 66 AJTs for
the IAF and 11 AJTs for the India Navy worth $1.38 billion, as
well as proceed with the mid–life avionics upgrade of its fleet of
120 SEPECAT /HAL-built Jaguar and 165 ANPK MIG / HAL-built MiG-27 M
strike aircraft, and 65 MiG –29B-12 air superiority fighters. BAe
was close to clinching the deal but India wishes to wear them down and
sweat it out on the price as the IAF seems to be helpless and
accommodating.
-
Satellite
–– For enhancing round-the-clock satellite surveillance, India is
fabricating a satellite, called Cartosat-1, with 2.5-metre resolution
to monitor the Line of Control in Kashmir. It is believed that the
vital photo imagery-gathering sensors for these satellites will
be procured off-the-shelf from EI Op of Israel. Total cost of this
satellite is estimated at US$ 27.9 million