WANTED: 'OUT OF THE BOX' SOLUTIONS TO COUNTER FUTURE TWO FRONT WARS

Vol VIII, Issue VIII, JANUARY 2018 n `100

DEFENCE n DIPLOMACY n SECURITY

www.geopolitics.in

INDIAN ARMY
GOES FOR
A MAKEOVER
Obstacles and roadblocks notwithstanding,
the Indian Army has moved ahead to
indigenise military systems in an effort to
stop imports.
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Dear Readers,
Greetings of the season and a very happy and prosperous
New Year!
The year has begun on a new note but there are signs
that the long-awaited modernisation of our armed forces
could face more roadblocks. How else can one describe
the cancellation of the order of the army’s Anti-Tank
Guided Missiles (ATGMs) – despite the fact that our army
urgently required these missiles? While Geopolitics is not
going into the reasons for the cancellation do we need to
tell our readers about the enemy at our borders and how
they have been ramping up for a showdown? Perhaps,
what is most important is the fact that there has been no
formal statement from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on
the status of the Spike ATGM procurement till the time of
going to press. Reports indicate that the task of providing
the army with a new generation ATGM has been given
to the Defence Research Development Organisation
(DRDO). When the final product will make its appearance
is anybody’s guess.
The same is the case with the Rafale deal which seems
to have hit a huge wave. Charges have been levelled
about the cost of the programme, the number of fighter
aircraft being procured and Dassault Aviation’s choice of
Reliance Defence as its key partner for the Rafale India
programme. Perhaps, the only consolation – if at all it
is any consolation – is the fact that the programme has
been taken up by a private player who could be cornered
and held responsible if the Dassault Rafale ‘Omni-Role’
fighter aircraft are not delivered on time. Till then,
charges and counter-charges will be bandied about in
the press and other places.
www.geopolitics.in
These hitches notwithstanding, the ‘Make in India’
programme is going ahead to use a naval term, ‘full-
steam’. This issue of Geopolitics details how the army has
begun procuring India-made artillery guns in the last
year. The move will boost the Indian defence industry in
the private sector and technology in the public sector.
The Tata Power SED and Bharat Forge tie-up will see
the production of 20 guns of the 155mm Advanced Towed
Artillery Gun System (ATAGS). In addition, there is also a
detailed report on the manner in which the Indian Army
has been emphasising the indigenisation of 18 military
systems and put an end to imports. The idea behind
the move is to ensure that the Indian Army improves its
‘Make in India’ footprint and enable the creation of local
industries that can become part of the supply chain so
that the country relies less on foreign help for spares and
replacements of its equipment.
All these moves of modernisation will help our
army to be prepared for the future when wars will not
be fought as they were done in the past where attrition
and manoeuvre were used to defeat the army that
chose to fight from a static position. Future wars will
be fought from and on domains that will include space,
cyber, information, air, land and sea. With China scaling
up its capabilities to fight future wars in multi-domain
battlefield scenarios, we must also prepare ourselves to
counter such multi-domain battles.
Geopolitics January 2018 is packed with thought-
provoking reading material. In addition to our special
stories, we also have our regular features.
Happy and informative reading!
January 2018
3
 CONTENTS

LANDPOWER
EAST OR WEST,
DESI IS THE BEST 10
The dictum goes for the Indian Army too. It has
begun procuring locally-made artillery guns in
the last one year, including some foreign-origin
guns that are to be assembled and produced by
domestic private sector manufacturers.

Indian Army readies to be more Indian 14 One step forward, two steps back 22
Indian Army is emphasising on indigenising military sys- In another case of a procurement roadblock, the Army’s Anti-
tems in an effort to stop imports. It expects Indian industry Tank Guided Missile procurement has misfired. A view of the
to come up with local solutions for its requirements. situation.

FRCV, FICV have a future in the Indian Army 26 MRLS edge over howitzers? 30
Future armoured columns of Army would be infantry combat India is once again boosting its artillery divisions with brand new
vehicles and battle tanks. The first step has been taken to field howitzers. But, is the army pouring resources into a weapon
create the environment to build future armoured vehicles. that is far less capable than multiple rocket launcher systems?

4 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in

 CONTENTS

LANDPOWER
NORTH EAST MERITS
Future firepower 33 FOCUSED ATTENTION 58
The North East continues to
remain neglected. In the past,
Challenges to fight future wars 35 the neglect was largely due
to a nonchalant government
Prepared response 38 and bureaucracy in Delhi.
But today, with country’s
Army sharpens its attack with ‘Act East Policy’ in full sway,
Northeast India has to be
Apaches 40 developed so that the region
prospers.

FOCUS
Myth, reality or an avoidable
conundrum? 43 PUBLISHER
K SRINIVASAN

EDITOR VOL VIII, ISSUE VIII, January 2018

FAREWELL TIRTHANKAR GHOSH
DIRECTOR
Fitting finale 46 CONSULTING EDITOR RAJIV SINGH
M MURLIDHARAN
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
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CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
SPECIAL REPORT ADITI BHAN LEGAL ADVISOR
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INTERVIEW
“We offer a host of strategic All information in GEOPOLITICS is derived from sources we con-
benefits for India” 56 sider reliable. It is passed on to our readers without any respon-
WANTED: 'OUT OF THE BOX' SOLUTIONS TO COUNTER FUTURE TWO FRONT WARS
sibility on our part. Opinions/views expressed by third parties in
abstract or in interviews are not necessarily shared by us. Material
Vol VIII, Issue VIII, JANUARY 2018 n `100

appearing in the magazine cannot be reproduced in whole or in

DEFBIZ
DEFENCE n DIPLOMACY n SECURITY
www.geopolitics.in

INDIAN ARMY
GOES FOR
part(s) without prior permission. The publisher assumes no re-
A MAKEOVER sponsibility for material lost or damaged in transit. The publisher
“India is a prestigious market for
Obstacles and roadblocks notwithstanding,

reserves the right to refuse, withdraw or otherwise deal with all

the Indian Army has moved ahead to
indigenise military systems in an effort to
stop imports.

advertisements without explanation. All advertisements must

the company” 62 comply with the Indian Advertisements Code. The publisher will
not be liable for any loss caused by any delay in publication, error
or failure of advertisement to appear.
BOOKS Cover Design:
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5
 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

W e all know that India’s

responsibility of
keeping a strong vigil on sea
SEAPOWER
to be a maritime nation
but reality is different.
The advantage of a long
is very important as China coastline can serve the
has heightened its activity INDIA’S 212-WARSHIP TARGET country during war but
in the same waters and has FOR 2027 IS FAR AWAY there are many loopholes
India's responsibility as a net security provider for the Indian Ocean region is huge. The only
SEAPOWER
also sold its submarines force that is capable of taking up that responsibility is the Indian Navy. Being a maritime nation
primarily, India needs a strong navy that befits its size, geographical location and global stature,
that lie deep beneath the
argues this report from Geopolitics bureau
to other listed rivals of surface that is making us
‘INDIAN NAVY IS RECOGNISED
INS Delhi is the lead ship

the country. India’s 212 an easy target for enemies.

of her class of guided-
missile destroyers of the
Indian Navy

AS A PREDOMINANT FORCE IN warship target for 2017 The story was a total eye-
INDIAN OCEAN AND BEYOND’ is far away (Geopolitics, PIB
opener, as it clearly talked
December 2017) story about how we cannot
NAVY CHIEF ADMIRAL
SUNIL LANBA, PVSM,
AVSM, ADC tells Geopolitics

has dealt with the topic I afford to relive the history

how the Indian Navy is n the 70 years since indepen- expanded this truism a little further to If that scenario continues to play out
preparing itself to be a force dence, India has emerged as a state that Indian Navy's responsibility in China's backyard, the situation will
major maritime nation, with a and area of interest would be to go and not be dissimilar in India's backyard,
of the future naval power that is the world's effectively operate across the oceans too. China first ventured into the Indian

in detail. This story on of wars, and with things in

fourth largest in size, but scores
better than those on capabilities. In-
dia has fought four major wars with its
There has been a realisation that our Navy traditional rivals China and Pakistan,
has grown to be an effective force, which of which at least two had major naval
and seas, wherever India's economic
and strategic interest lay. This is to
euphemistically state that Indian Navy
would demonstrate force and power
in waters such as the South China Sea,
Ocean region in 2008 on the pretext of
sending its warships to patrol the Gulf
of Aden waters close to the Horn of
Africa against the Somali pirates. This
was a move, albeit at least two years

maritime protection – hand, we are surely falling

can ensure security of our maritime bor- power on display. where India has economic interest in oil earlier than expected, that had taken
ders. Could you elaborate on this steady India's maritime history and legacy and gas exploration. the maritime world by surprise. India
and silent growth of our Navy’s strengths is not what will define its navy's future, That strategic shift in Indian was actually dismayed.
and effectiveness to meet national security but the present and clear dangers Navy's stated operational objectives In the nine years since, China has
requirements?
lurking in its backyard will. India is definitely going to give headaches heightened its activity in the Indian

which has been dealt short.

Yes, the Indian Navy has, indeed, come
a long way since its inception. We were has always held that its main area of to China that has claimed almost the Ocean region, through increased forays
a small force of a little over 30 vessels interest and responsibility lies in the entire South China Sea as its maritime by its submarines, some even close
at independence. Today, the size of Indian Ocean region stretching from territory and thus led to conflict to India's waters, and much to New
our Navy has grown to 139 ships and the East coast of African continent on situations. This has been clearly Delhi's chagrin. The last straw has been
submarines and 224 aircraft. But it is its western seaboard to the Malacca indicated by Chinese spokespersons the nuclear submarines of the People's

with in past issues also –

not just the numbers that count. Our Straits on the eastern seaboard. time and again, asking India directly Liberation Army (Navy) lurking in the
worthy predecessors kept their focus Indian Navy's former Chief Admiral and indirectly to stay away from South waters close to India and docking at
on developing capabilities required R K Dhowan had during his tenure China Sea. ports all around in India's maritime
for modern naval warfare. We owe it to
their vision that today the Indian Navy

was discussed in a much

is a multi-dimensional force capable of
operating across the full spectrum of
naval warfare – not just surface, sub-
surface and air, but also cyber and Space.
Through this journey over the last 70
14 December 2017 www.geopolitics.in

broader and analytical S Maheshwari

years, self-reliance has been the foremost
guiding principle of the Indian Navy. It
is a matter of significant achievement
that our focus on indigenous warship
design and construction has transformed

way. India has been known Chennai, Tamil Nadu

the Indian Navy from being a ‘Buyer’s
Navy’ to a ‘Builder’s Navy’. All 34 ongoing
construction projects for naval platforms
are being progressed in Indian shipyards.
Let us also appreciate that the Navy is not
known only by the platforms it has in its
PIB

10 December 2017 www.geopolitics.in

T he naval force of our

country has come
S pace, cyber and the
maritime domain
will face a tough time in
time for India to decide
upon its strategic course
of action to counter the
SEAPOWER

a long way since its the future considering threatening intrusions

INDIAN NAVY NEEDS A
inception. Navy Chief STRIKE BOMBER
the disruptive nature from neighbours got a
Admiral Sunil Lanba’s of the present political, bit more clear with the
interview ‘Indian navy diplomatic, military and story. The story very
is recognised as a economic competition brilliantly brought out
predominant force in from the world the fact that it’s now or
With China aiming for a 415-ship navy by 2030, India needs to develop a
maritime strike bomber that can neutralise Chinese fleets far from Indian shores, writes

India Ocean and beyond’

RAKESH KRISHNAN SIMHA

beyond our borders. never for the country.

(Geopolitics, December F
or more than five decades, the battle groups or large flotillas out in the of always being at the IAF’s mercy.)
Indian Navy has deployed a open sea; that is, before they come close Second, the Air Force isn’t waiting to

India
variety of specialised planes to your shores. respond to a call from the navy. Its fight-

The article, If we do not set our such as multirole combat

fighters and patrol aircraft
Their second – and equally impor-
tant – role is to kick down the door of
ers could already be deployed – or com-
mitted for deployment – in other distant

2017) was the highlight of

but a maritime strike bomber has never coastal air-defence systems, thereby theatres.
figured in its war plans. For a country making it safer for your navy to ap- Third, the Air Force jets lack the

needs comprehensive strategic course in the

building a 200 ship navy – which would proach the enemy’s coast. range required to go looking for war-
make it the world’s fourth largest fleet in And, finally, maritime bombers ships in the vast expanse of the ocean.
the 2020s – this is a glaring omission. can devastate the enemy’s mainland Carrier-borne fighters – whose primary

the month’s special issue.

Long-range naval aviation is a force
multiplier component of all the major
global powers. The Soviet Navy was the
first to see the value in having dedicated
land-based bombers to attack sea-borne
by launching cruise missiles from safe
standoff distances.
Attack is the best defence
Besides the obvious need to counter the
role is to defend the carrier – have even
shorter ranges. For instance, the MiG-
29K – for safety reasons – rarely takes off
with a full tank of gas, which severely
limits its combat radius to well below its

From team to equipment

targets. The United States, which has a
forward deployed navy with as many as
10 aircraft carriers, is currently in the
process of modifying its B-1 and B-52 air
force bombers for maritime missions.
threat from China – which is building a
more modern maritime bomber with an
enhanced range – there are other com-
pelling reasons for India to acquire a
maritime bomber.
official 850 km range.
The fourth reason is that scanners
on board Air Force jets are not always
effective over water. Without special-
ised equipment, an aircraft cannot tell

that has evolved and

The Peoples Liberation Army Air Force
(PLA Air Force) has a dedicated fleet of
Xian H-6D strategic bombers armed
with anti-ship cruise missiles. Consid-
SEAPOWER SEAPOWER ering India's size, strategic location and
If the Indian Navy detects a large en-
emy fleet that needs to be neutralised,
it cannot expect to call in strikes by
the IAF at a moment’s notice. First, the
chain of command makes this cumber-
whether a large contact held by its on-
board radar is an aircraft carrier or oth-
er ship configured to simulate a carrier,
a decoy, or a large and perhaps neutral
merchant vessel.

surpassed numbers over

importance, such a capability is a must. some if not impossible. (This is the rea- The fifth reason is that Air Force pi-
The primary task of maritime bomb- son why the Indian Army is raising its lots do not generally train for maritime
ers is anti-access – to destroy carrier own fleet of assault helicopters instead missions. You want crews who do this

time in safeguarding our The Union Minister for Defence, Nirmala

Sitharaman at the commissioning
ceremony of INS Kiltan into the Indian
Navy, at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam
of ocean and SLOCs in the Indian Ocean
Region (IOR). Maritime capabilities
can also act as a counterbalance to the
coast in the west and extends up to the
Mediterranean Sea. It is high time for the
political leadership to define India’s stra-
down the roadmap for development of
capabilities, there is a need to have “to-
getherness in thinking” and vision among
46 December 2017 www.geopolitics.in

coasts from intruders,

on October 16, 2017. The Chief of Naval
military superiority of China along the
Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba and other northern borders. Thus, are the current
dignitaries are also seen maritime capabilities enough to secure
India’s maritime interests? If not, what
should be that capability and what should
be the roadmap to build such capabilities
tegic frontier through a national security
strategy and provide a direction to the
capability-building to secure and contest
the encroachment if any by China or any
other extra regional power.
Geography has dictated the destiny
the political and military leadership. Even
the three services are required to come
together to build a comprehensive power
projection capability.
Capability building would require
change of outlook and an outward look-

the interview talked of all

is a question that needs an answer. of India and thus it places the country ing strategic vision by discarding the ter-

T
China has maintained its maritime as a pivotal power in the Northern In- ritorial mindset of fixed geographical

he need for India to have a strike

presence in the Mediterranean, West Asia, dian Ocean, provided the nation realises frontiers. For the political leadership to
Western Pacific Ocean and South/East its potential and political ambition to give direction there is a need to carry out
China Sea. Willy-nilly the entire Chinese play a dominant role in the IOR. If India periodic strategic defence and security

the future plans of one

naval fleet has gained operational expe- does not play a dominant or larger role to reviews (SDSR) to crystallise the threat-
rience as a blue water navy operating si- guarantee security in the northern Indian cum-capability based force structure to
multaneously in two of the biggest oceans Ocean, it is likely to be encroached upon deal with the short and long term security

bomber that could counter

of the globe. In addition, Chinese subma- by China or other regional and extra re- challenges. Simultaneously, a robust de-
rines have been regularly operating in the gional powers. The capability and power fence planning process based on 15-year

of the vital forces of our

Indian and Pacific Oceans familiarising in a current competing environment will long term perspective plans with budget-
with the maritime environment and un- ary support is mandatory to develop the
dersea currents. As per the Globalfirepow- capabilities of the future maritime force

China’s aim of having 415 navy ships

er.com, China has 68 submarines while for India. How much power is enough will
India has just about 15 submarines. Sean be determined after the political leader-
Stackley, US Assistant Secretary of the strategic ship has defined the military objectives
not set its ctory

country. The fact that the If India does

Navy said that by 2030, the US will start and the vital national interests to be se-
traje
falling behind China as far as undersea
the correct in cured in the near and distant future. HQ
course in be too late to rega

by 2030 was dealt with in detail in

capabilities are concerned. The Chinese IDS on the basis of operational research
Navy is focusing on effective implemen- now, it willspace that will be or should determine force structure, type
strategic ed upon by China
tation of anti-access (A2) and area denial of ships, formations (divisions, ships,

force has broken gender

(AD). The focus is on stealth, undersea ca- squadrons), ability to absorb new tech-
pabilities (submarine fleet), amphibious encroach neighbours nology, upgradation of old systems, readi-
landing ship tanks and minimum three regional ness profile and sustainability of a force.

Indian navy needs a strike bomber

PIB operational carrier battle groups (West-

INDIA NEEDS COMPREHENSIVE

ern Pacific Ocean, South China Sea and Maritime capability for future

boundaries and explored

Indian Ocean). The idea is to simultane- Future warfare is not restricted to a single
ously develop near and far sea capabili- service domain. Integrated force struc-
ties. The Chinese Navy is one of the fastest ture is the need of the hour to build near

MARITIME CAPABILITY (Geopolitics, December 2017).

growing naval fleets in the world and is and far sea capabilities to project power.
‘going blue and going deep’. There is a need to take a relook at the cur-
never be given on a platter to India and rent force structure of the navy. Should

opportunities for women

Strategic maritime frontiers of India has to be taken by developing superior India continue to persist building three
If India does not set its strategic course in military power projection capabilities. To aircraft carriers or should India first lay

Despite having many specialised

the correct trajectory now, it will be too do so India need not be a hegemonic mar- down priorities to build on a priority basis
late to regain strategic space that will be itime power but a credible maritime pow- a modern fleet of submarines, stealth and

H
encroached upon by China or regional er capable of protecting its vital national battleships? In other words, India should

in the force, I as a
It is high time that our leaders
chalk out a military doctrine
ow much power is enough
to protect vital national
national interests spread beyond the ter-
ritorial boundaries?
neighbours. It was Lord Curzon who first
defined the physical frontiers of India. He
interests. How can India play a dominant
role is a big question? The answer lies
lay down priorities to develop A2 AD capa-
bilities against China. To demonstrate the
interest depends upon India’s growth is propelled by stated that India was geo-strategically po- in securing shared economic interests, maritime capabilities India must ensure

planes in the service, we will be

strategic awareness and energy flow from the Middle East sitioned to exercise a dominant role from ensuring freedom of navigation, secure maritime presence by a flotilla in the Bay
that should be in sync with aspirations of a nation. through sea lines of communication Thailand in the east to Persia in the west SLOCs and humanitarian assistance and of Bengal, Malacca region, Arabian Sea
the national security strategy

woman, was impressed

Comprehensive military capabilities al- (SLOCs), raw material from across the and Afghanistan to Tibet in the north. disaster relief (HADR) in the IOR and rim and periodic presence in Western Pacific
low a nation to defend itself against in- globe and there are approximately six Henry Kissinger outlined the role of India nations. Ocean as part of joint exercises with US,
and military objectives, writes ternal and external threats and, in fact, million Indian diaspora in West Asia from Aden to Singapore, thus literally de- Japan and Australia. A carrier battle group

unable to counter a competitive

are a leverage to deter wars. Space, cyber and North Africa that remit close to $75 fining the geostrategic boundary of India India needs dynamic and outward-looking is certainly an essential requirement but
BRIG NARENDRA KUMAR and maritime domain will see immense billion every year and could become in the Northern Indian Ocean region. In strategic vision in the absence of credible ballistic missile
(RETD). Only then will operating competition in future because of politi- targets of Islamic radicals in the near the two Maritime Doctrines released so Admiral Kailash Kumar Kohli, the former defence and impregnable air defence, a

by what the Chief said in

cal, diplomatic, military and economic future. In addition, India also requires far by the Indian Navy, the maritime in- Western Fleet Commander, had said that carrier battle group remains vulnerable.
environments, threats and competition. All the three domains have military capabilities to counter the terests of India are defined as ‘primary’ "history has taught India two bitter les- Cyber and space has become integral part

rival like China in the future which

the potential of disruptive capabilities collusive threat from Pakistan and and ‘secondary areas’. The ‘primary’ area sons: firstly, that neglect of maritime pow- of a force operating on land, sea and even
opportunities and timelines that may impact growth, development China over unsettled borders. With encompasses the northern Indian Ocean er can culminate in a cession of sovereign- air. There is a need to strengthen marine
for maritime capability-building and strategic autonomy of a state. But such diverse security challenges, India region from Malacca to Red Sea. The ‘sec- ty, and secondly, if maritime capability aviation, air defence for offshore and on-

his interview. Indeed, the

the moot question is what capability needs comprehensive military power ondary’ area of interest defined include building is neglected, it takes decades to shore assets and anti-ship/anti-subma-
will be realised is enough for a nation that has its vital projection capabilities and dominance the Indo Pacific in the east to the African recover and regain the lost power”. To lay rine capabilities.

www.geopolitics.in December 2017

29 30 December 2017 www.geopolitics.in
had been building a more modern
Navy’s race to becoming maritime bomber with an enhanced
the fourth largest in the range. Are we future ready to meet
world in size was well maritime capability right direction now, it the situation? The story just made
celebrated in the issue. (G eopolitics , December will be too late for us to the ‘No’ sound more apt. Hence, the
2017), provided a regain strategic space need to formulate a strategic plan
Raashi Verma practical solution to that will be encroached of action, keeping in view the right
Patna, Bihar the present situation upon by our traditional investments and a revamp of the
– the comprehensive enemies. fleet in hand. Now is the time that
All correspondence may be
maritime capabilities – our force should start planning in
addressed to: The Editor, Geopolitics, which I found was a well right directions.
D-11 Basement, Nizamuddin East, thought-out plan. The Sameeksha Verma
New Delhi-110013. fact that it’s the crucial Udaipur, Rajasthan Poonam Singh
Or mail to: geopolitics@newsline.in Gurugram, Haryana

6 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in

REFERENCE
 ONLOOKER

MADE IN INDIA
“After a gap of nearly two decades India has got this kind of a submarine and
Kalvari is a fine example of the ‘Make in India’ testimony. It is also a good model
for international collaboration…In order to make the country self-reliant, the
Government is forging strategic collaborations with private companies. Just like
other western countries we want that even Indian companies should manufacture
everything right from fighter planes to helicopters to tanks and even submarines
on this soil”
NARENDRA MODI, Prime Minister, at the commissioning of INS Kalvari, the first of the six
Scorpene-class submarines built under Project 75 (Kalvari Class)

EVER READY HAL

“HAL has the world class facilities and given the successful integration of BraMos
on Su-30 MKI, 40 more aircraft will undergo such integration. Besides this, HAL
can shift part of its LCA manufacturing at Nashik and there is possibility of FGFA
work happening at Nashik”
DR. SUBHASH BHAMRE
Minister of State for Defence, emphasizing the national
importance of HAL’s Nashik facility

WINGS ON WATER
“We have a naval air wing, which has 238 aircraft at the moment. It has a combination of
fighters, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft, both – long range and short range. And we
have a plan in place...in a decade’s time this Naval air wing will grow close to 500 aircraft of
different types”
ADMIRAL SUNIL LANBA
Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy, on expansion plans of the Indian Navy

8 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in

 ONLOOKER

LEVERAGING STRENGTH
“The advanced manufacturing and high technology environment in Indiana provides a key element
in our selection. We are excited to leverage the availability of skilled engineering talent as well the
state’s strong education system to meet the growing skill demands of the future”
SUDHAKAR GANDE
Vice Chairman, AXISCADES, on the setting up of the North American HQ in Indiana, USA

FOR INDIA - ALWAYS

“Ordnance Factories and vendors may cooperate in a symbiotic fashion. The
idea is to have higher indigenisation of content in the existing ‘Buy (Indian)’ and ‘Buy and Make
(Indian)’ schemes…Defence industry is in a dynamic and evolving mode. Archaic processes and
trappings of unnecessary regulations are being abandoned. The hallmark of the concept of ‘Make
in India’ is public-private partnership”
ATUL GUPTA
Deputy Director General, Ordinance Factory Board on the keenness of
Ordnance factories to partner with MSMEs to leverage maximum
output for defence preparedness

TOGETHER TO BOLSTER DEFENCE

“Godrej and BrahMos have been partners for 17 momentous years.
Over that time, we have taken great pride in doing our bit for nation-building through our
contribution to bolstering India’s defense capabilities…the completion of the 100th set of
(BrahMos) airframe assemblies is a proud moment for Godrej, BrahMos and India, and an
assertion of our commitment to serve our country through technologically
driven solutions and indigenous manufacturing”
JAMSHYD N GODREJ
Chairman and Managing Director, Godrej & Boyce on the partnership with BrahMos

SHOWCASE OF THE BEST

“The new exhibition will give potential clients an opportunity to learn about the full range
of aviation systems and components produced by Technodinamika Holding. Apart from
off-the-shelf items, we also showcase prospective technologies, new concepts in the aircraft
industry and our truly unique competence in both military and civil segments”
SERGEY CHEMEZOV
CEO, Rostec State Corporation on the contents of the Moscow showroom of modern aircraft components

www.geopolitics.in January 2018

9
 LAND POWER

EAST OR WEST,
DESI IS THE BEST
The dictum goes for the Indian Army too. It has, in fact, begun procuring locally-made artillery
guns in the last one year, including some foreign-origin guns that are to be assembled and
produced by domestic private sector manufacturers. Geopolitics Bureau provides an insight
into how the Indian Army artillery modernisation is going desi
Advanced Towed Artillery
Gun System (ATAGS)

I
ndian Army's artillery modernisa-
tion has gone the 'Make in India'
way. After buying two artillery guns
from foreign sources, India is now
going to buy locally-produced guns
on a large scale to boost Indian industry
in the private sector and technology in the
public sector. At a meeting of the Defence
Acquisition Council in December 2017,
the government has decided to procure 20
guns each of the 155mm Advanced Towed
Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) from the
Tata Power SED and Bharat Forge. That
would make a regiment each of the two-
gun systems.
Each of these regiments would exploit
the guns supplied by the two Indian pri-
vate sector companies first to test their
performance; and based on the response
from the users, the government will go in
for buying one of the two guns in large
scale to meet the requirement of the In-
dian Army's Regiment of Artillery.
The present gun purchase programme
will be part of the Indian Army artillery
modernisation plan of the government.
Thus, the DAC decision paves the way
for the commencement of the 'Make in
India' artillery systems in the private sec-
tor within the country. Interestingly, the
DRDO had displayed the two gun systems
during the Republic Day parade down Ra-
jpath in January 2017, as an indication of
the promise the systems showcased.
Ahead of this DAC decision, in Sep-
tember 2017, the ATAGS from both Tata
Power SED and Bharat Forge were tested
in the Pokhran Ranges in Rajasthan. Dur-
ing those trials, the ATAGS from the two
companies demonstrated the potential to
be world-beaters. In particular, on Sep-
tember 5, 2017, the Tata Power SED ATAGS

10 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in


fired three rounds to a world-record 47.2
km from the gun position.
The world record was achieved by
using a special, long-range ammunition
called the High Explosive-Base Bleed
(HEBB). In comparison, similar 155mm,
52-calibre guns in service globally have
fired the same ammunition for up to 45
km range. Thus, the Indian ATAGS has
displayed the capability to fire at targets
two km more than similar guns in service
worldwide.
The 155mm denotes the bore or the
width of the gun barrel, while the 52-cali-
bre refers to the length of the barrel and
the chamber size indicates the size of the
projectile that can be fired. A higher cali-
bre enables longer range, which a large
chamber and projectile mean greater de-
struction of the enemy targets.
In a previous trial in September 2017,
the Tata Power SED and the Bharat Forge
guns are said to have broken the world
record. The Tata Power SED gun achieved
the feat for firing the High Explosive -
Boat Tail (HEBT) ammunition to a range
of 37.2 km. This was possible for the Indi-
an ATAGS, as it had a larger 25-litre cham-
ber for packing high explosive propellant,
whereas contemporary 155 mm guns
such as the ones from France and Israel
have a 23-litre chamber.
The Bharat Forge gun, on the other
hand, registered an even longer range at
48.074 km from the gun position, surpass-
ing the maximum range of 35 km to 40 km
range fired by any other artillery gun in
this category worldwide. The ordnance
including barrel and breech mechanism,
on both variants of ATAGS, was devel-
oped at Kalyani Group Advanced Artillery
Manufacturing Facility. The achievement
of this historical feat reaffirmed Kalyani
Group’s expertise in metallurgical knowl-
edge and manufacturing technology.
According to military experts, an ar-
tillery gun has good characteristics, if it
demonstrates range, accuracy and con-
sistency. This is because, a longer range
allows the gun to engage more targets,
covering a larger area for attack from the
gun position, without having to redeploy
forward to reach those distances.
Developed by the Defence Research
and Development Organisation (DRDO),
the ATAGS is being readied under two par-
allel efforts. Two separate prototypes are
being developed each by Tata Power (Stra-
tegic Engineering Division) and Bharat
Forge. The DAC approval is for 20 each of
the two ATAGS from Tata Power SED and
Bharat Forge.
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
155mm/ 52 Cal
Tracked Self Propelled
(SP) Gun
Thus, this public-private partnership
between DRDO and the private sector de-
fence firms has worked out successfully
in the development of the ATAGS. For
the DRDO, engaging the private sector in
the project has resulted in a rich return
on investment. The production order for
the guns is expected to be in the range of
`30,000 crore, as the requirement of the
Indian Army is quite huge – at least 2,000
guns, once either of the guns is decided to
be the chosen one. Each of the guns is ex-
pected to cost `15 crore.
The two guns have already gone
through several rounds of intensive field
trials and are now ready to go into the ini-
tial production of 20 guns each to make
up two regiments. The DRDO conducted
the successful proof firing of armament
for the 155/52 calibre ATAGS in July 2016.
Fully integrated, the 155 mm gun fired
its first rounds of live ammunition at the
Proof and Experimental Establishment
(PXE) in Balasore, Odisha in December
2016. It was during the summer trials in
2017 that the ATAGS broke the world re-
cord for 155 mm gun by firing the round
to 47.2 km in Pokhran. The winter trials
were due in December 2017 and it was
supposed to be held in Sikkim, though no
word has been heard on this yet.
11
 LAND POWER

The ATAGS from DRDO and the two

private companies are larger in size than M777 Light
the Bofors Field Howitzer bought by India Towed Howitzer
in 1987 and was the subject of a bribery
scandal that rocked the then Rajiv Gandhi
government. The Indian ATAGS is also the
only gun globally with a six-round burst
in a matter of half-a-minute. That is, the
gun can fire at the rate of one round ev-
ery five seconds and can do so continu-
ously for up to six rounds. This provides a
greater capability to cause damage to the
enemy lines to the Indian Army.
The Advanced Towed Artillery Gun
System (ATAGS) project was started in
2013 by DRDO to replace older guns in
service in the Indian Army with a modern
155mm, 52calibre artillery gun. Arma-
ment Research and Development Estab-
lishment (ARDE) partnered with Kalyani
Group, Tata Power and Ordnance Factory
Board for the project.
The development of the gun took
about five years. The delay in comple-
tion of the project was attributed to the
realisation of ordnance and recoil system
and supply issue with manufacturing of
sub-systems. The gun's production will
start in 2019. The gun consists of a barrel,
breech mechanism, muzzle brake and re-
coil mechanism to fire 155mm 52calibre
ammunitions with a firing range of 40 km.
It has an all-electric drive, compared to
the hydraulic drive most other contem-
porary guns of a similar calibre, to ensure
reliability and minimum maintenance with Larsen and Toubro (L&T) for the sup- operations. The 45-km range, 155mm
over a long period of time. It has advanced ply of 100 self-propelled tracked artillery 52calibre K9 gun offered to India is also
features like high mobility, quick deploy- guns for the Indian Army. A month ahead an enhanced version of its South Korean
ability, auxiliary power mode, advanced of winning this contract, L&T had signed variant and has been jointly developed by
communication system, automatic com- a deal with the South Korean company L&T and Hanwha Techwin. The gun that
mand and control system with night ca- Hanwha Techwin for joint manufacture the Indian Army would receive from L&T
pability in direct fire mode. The gun is of the K9 Vajra-T self-propelled tracked would have a 50 percent indigenous con-
two tonne lighter than guns in the same artillery guns in India to meet the In- tent and would be produced at the Hazira
category and is designed to provide bet- dian Army's needs. The approval for the facility of L&T.
ter accuracy and range and is capable of K9 Vajra-T purchase had come from the In April 2017, L&T had signed up with
firing five successive rounds in short du- Cabinet Committee on Security in April Hanwha Techwin after over 10 years of
ration. It is also compatible with ACCCS- 2017. Under the contract's provisions, cooperation between the two companies
Shakti command and control network of L&T will be the prime to carry out deliv- in customising the K9 Thunder into K9
the Indian Army. eries to the Indian Army and the first lot Vajra-T, suitable for the Indian conditions
While ATAGS is going to help the In- of 10 K9 guns would be delivered within and meeting Indian Army requirements.
dian Army with a longer-range artillery 18 months of the signing of the contract, The K9 procurement has given a major
weapon in its inventory, the government which would arrive for acceptance trials boost to the Indian Army, which is in dire
has already taken giant steps in plugging before December 2018. The next lot of 40 need of battlefield guns. It is indeed a
the gaps found in the Regiment of Artil- more guns would be delivered within 30 record of sorts for the Indian ministry of
lery over the last decade or so, by deciding months of the deal and the rest 40 guns defence that within a matter of just over
to buy two foreign-origin artillery guns: within 42 months of the deal. a year since November 2016, it has been
the South Korean K9 Thunder and Brit- The tender for the self-propelled able to conclude three artillery guns deals
ish-American M777 ultra-light howitzer. tracked artillery gun was issued in 2011 for the Indian Army.
However, the bright side to the purchase and L&T, supported by Hanwha Techwin, The November 2016 deal was for 145
of these two foreign-origin artillery weap- had emerged as the sole qualified bid- M777 ultra-light howitzers from the BAE
ons is that these will be made in India for der following a series of technical evalu- Systems to arm the newly raised Moun-
the Indian Army. ations of its joint offering, K9 Vajra-T, tain Strike Corps, headquartered at Pan-
In May 2017, the Indian Defence Min- which has been customised for the Indian agarh in West Bengal, but having an of-
istry signed a contract worth `4,366 crore Army requirement including for desert fensive capability and focus on China's

12 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in


non-demarcated Line of Actual Control
with India. Under a programme for mod-
ernisation of the Indian Army's artillery
regiments, India is to procure two more
types of guns, including a wheeled self-
propelled gun.
The K9 is likely to be the support
system for the Indian Army's armoured
fighting formations, considering its ca-
pability to match the speeds of the battle
tanks and armoured personnel carriers in
a battlefield scenario. The K9 will increase
the firepower capability of the Indian ar-
tillery units that can pound enemy forma-
tions and positions, even as it moves high
speed alongside the battle tanks. Thus,
this gun is expected to revolutionise the
way India will fight its battle in the plains
and the desert areas bordering Pakistan.
Though the K9 deal between the In-
dian Army and the L&T-Hanwha combine
is a done deal, the contract itself was not
inked, as Geopolitics May 2017 edition
went to print. The K9 procurement is part
of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's $250
billion push to modernise the armed forc-
es and overcome a 30-year lapse in its fire-
power procurement programme, as India
prepares to counter potential threats from
tiller y
va n ced Towed Aroject
The Ad m (ATAGS) pr DO to
Gun Syste d in 2013 by DR e in
was startelder guns in ser vicodern
replace o n Army with a m gun
the India 52calibre artiller y
155mm,
Pakistan and China.
Plans to buy new equipment from
overseas have been held back by bureau-
cratic delays and the military's desire to
balance the needs of troops against efforts
to have equipment built domestically un-
der Modi's 'Make in India' programme.
Since the Bofors guns procurement scan-
dal broke out in the late 1980s, India had
not added a new artillery weapon for the
last three decades, crippling its artillery
formations.
The Modi government picked up the
ropes from where the previous govern-
ment left off on the artillery modernisa-
tion programme that is now already over
a decade-and-a-half-old and has pushed
ahead with guns' contracts with the best
in the industry. These procurements are
likely to change the way Indian artillery
formations fight their wars in the future.
The L&T and Hanwha relationship is
unique in the sense, it is neither a tech-
nology transfer nor a licenced produc-
tion. This was a new model and the first
of its type for the Indian private sector,
which could be a future trend in India.
The tender for the tracked self-propelled
guns was a global one, and this was the
first time ever an Indian prime was bid-
ding for a global tender and winning it.
The K9 Vajra-T was declared the sole
qualified gun after user evaluation trials
at Pokhran in Rajasthan against a Russian
competitor.
L&T will not only manufacture K9
VAJRA-T in India, with over 50 percent
indigenous content but also provide life
support to the army with the weapon.
L&T had contributed at least 13 indig-
enous systems for the Indian version of
the gun, including the fire control system,
hull, turret, electronics, NBC systems, au-
toloaders, air conditioning and direct fire
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
systems. Significantly, the most critical
parts of the gun – the barrel and breach –
will be imported.
The first time the Request for Propos-
als was issued for this type of a gun re-
quired by the Indian Army was in 2007. It
was then that L&T had tied up with Sam-
sung Techwin. However, under the South
Korean restructuring process, Samsung
was integrated with Hanwha Corporation
and thus, the company was renamed as
Hanwha Techwin during these 10 years.
Under the 2007 tender, L&T had emerged
as the top choice. However, the tender
got cancelled. The tender was reissued in
2012, but by then, the two companies had
made a lot of progress in developing the
K9 Vajra-T that is suitable to Indian con-
ditions.
India broke the Bofors jinx for the
first time in November 2016, nearly three
decades after the scandal had felled the
Rajiv Gandhi government when it signed
up to buy 145 M777 ultra-light howitzers
under the US government's foreign mili-
tary sales route. The M777 comes from
the US arm of the defence company BAE
Systems. The M777 is meant for use by the
Indian Army's newly-raised 17 Mountain
Strike Corps that is an offensive formation
focusing on the hilly northern borders
with China.
The November 2016 deal for the M777
is priced at nearly `5,000 crore and was
approved by the Cabinet Committee on
Security. While the BAE Systems has be-
gun delivery of the M777 guns to the In-
dian Army earlier this year, a total of 25
guns would be delivered from the US in
a fly-away condition. The rest 120 M777
guns would be assembled, integrated and
tested at a facility in India, set up in part-
nership with the Mahindra Group.
While the first two howitzers were de-
livered within six months of the contract,
the rest are to be delivered at the rate of
two guns a month. The howitzers that can
be heli-lifted were first proposed to be
bought from BAE Systems about 10 years
ago and the procurement has been made,
even as the US arm of the global defence
manufacturer was preparing to shut down
its production facility for the guns.
The Army's artillery modernisation
plan envisages procuring 2,800 guns by
2027. The plan included procuring 1,580
towed guns, 814 truck-mounted guns, 100
tracked self-propelled guns, 180 wheeled
self-propelled guns and 145 ultra-light
howitzers. Of these, only the mounted
gun system and the wheeled self-pro-
pelled gun are left to be procured. The rest
has fructified in the last three years of the
Narendra Modi government.
13
 LAND POWER

INDIAN ARMY READIES

TO BE MORE INDIAN
The Indian Army is emphasising on indigenising military systems in an effort to stop imports.
It expects Indian industry to come up with local solutions for its requirements. Geopolitics
Bureau takes a look at the 18 systems that the Indian Army wants to indigenise

T-90 Bhishma of Indian Army is fitted with a two-tiered

protection system: first, the composite armour in the
turret; second, the third generation Kontakt-5 ERA
H C TIWARI

F
acing criticism over its penchant
for foreign equipment, the Indi-
an Army has moved quickly over
the last three years to focus on
indigenisation and is building
local capabilities among the Indian in-
dustry to develop and produce products
for use by its troops. The idea behind the
move is to ensure that the Indian Army
improves its 'Make in India' footprint and
enable the creation of local industries that
can become part of the supply chain so
that the country relies less on foreign help
for spares and replacements of its equip-
ment.

14 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in

 The Indian Army has identified 18
projects under the 'Make' category for
manufacturing in recent months that
are to be handed over to volunteers from
the Indian industry to try and indige-
nise the equipment critical for military
operations. This has been made possible
by the setting up of a new Army Design
Bureau at Army headquarters directly
under the Deputy Chief of Army Staff in
charge of procurement and perspective
planning.
In August 2016, the then Army Chief
General Dalbir Singh formally an-
nounced the establishment of the Army
Design Bureau during an Army Seminar
on 'Make' Projects. In the run-up to the
establishment of the Army Design Bu-
reau, the Indian Army undertook a se-
ries of Army-Industry-Academia inter-
actions since January 2016 which were
spearheaded by the then Deputy Chief,
Lt Gen Subrata Saha, and his team of of-
ficers with a view to promoting aware-
ness about the Army's modernisation
needs, discovering capabilities of the
industry and encouraging long-term re-
search in academia at various regional Smooth Bore Gun Barrel for T-72 and T-90 tanks with Missile Firing and Improved Ammunition
industrial hubs across the country.
Industry captains of major defence
companies, MSMEs, start-ups partici- PROJECT 1: 125mm Smooth Bore Gun Bar- and improvements may be offered by the
pated in these sessions. In addition, the rel for T-72 and T-90 tanks with Missile Fir- vendor as part of contractual obligations,
team carried out interactions with many ing and Improved Ammunition including annual maintenance contract
leading institutes like IITs at Delhi, The current T-72 and T-90 tank barrels are and lifetime product support.
Mumbai, Chennai and Gandhinagar not capable of firing high penetration Ar-
and the PSG Institute of Technology, mour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding PROJECT 2: 1,000HP Engine with Associat-
Coimbatore. These events provided an Sabot (APFSDS) rounds above 600mm ed Peripherals for T-72 tank and its variants
exclusive opportunity to industry and Depth of Penetration (DoP) due to the There is a need to upgrade the engine of
academia representatives to understand limitation of safety margin of 600 Mega the T-72 tanks, the power-to-weight ratio
the requirements and interact with the Pascals. There is a requirement to up- needs to be upgraded from the existing
army to seek clarifications directly from grade a common barrel system and am- 17hp/ton. There is a need to integrate a
the user. munition for existing T-72 and T-90 tanks. newly developed power pack with associ-
In order to streamline the procure- Development of ammunition to provide a ated peripherals in T-72.
ment process further, the Army also ini- capability of penetration and missile fir- The broad specification for the engine
tiated a number of other steps to include ing capability with these barrels also re- is 1,000HP plus 20HP, a power-to-weight
structural changes in the procurement quired to be developed together. ratio not less than 20 HP/Ton, with fuel
organisations and issue of a compen- The broad specification for Barrel/ consumption 750 km and cross country
dium of revised Standard Operating Gun Articles includes equipment barrel 650 km plus 10 km and on road 500 km
Procedures in line with the Defence Pro- (including gun articles) and associated plus 10 km. The ambient temperature for
curement Procedure-2016. systems, integration with T-90 and T-72 all environment condition during opera-
In the last year, for the information tanks with existing Fire Control System tions in the sub-continent should be of
of industry and the research agencies, (FCS), ammunition to include APFSDS, military standards and for evaluation, up
18 projects were identified, including High Energy (Fragmentation), HEAT and to 40-degree Celsius to 45-degree Celsius.
125 mm Smooth Bore Barrel with Gun ATGM. For the APFSDS ammunition, the The life of the engine should be up to 650
Article, improved ammunition for T-72 lethality and DoP of 600 – 800mm of RHA, hours. The Army is looking for a minimum
and T-90 tanks, 1000 HP engines for effective range of 3,000 metres, consis- of 1,000 numbers. The timeline for the
T-72, Individual Under Water Breathing tency less than 35 miles, adaptability with project involves prototype development
Apparatus, Environment Control Unit existing FCS and Armoured Fighting Ve- and trial evaluation by 2018, with produc-
and Auxiliary Power Units for T-90 tanks hicles sights. tion and supply by December 2019. All
Advanced Pilotless Target Aircrafts, Ma- The Army is looking to buy a mini- future upgrades and improvements may
neuverable Expendable Aerial Targets, mum of 1,000 quantities. The prototype be offered by the vendor as part of the
Tracked Light Dozers, Assault Track Way and trial evaluation should be done by contractual obligations, including annual
and Modern Aircraft Refueling Pump. 2019, ready for production and supply maintenance contract and lifetime prod-
Here is the list of the products: by December 2020. All future upgrades uct support.

www.geopolitics.in January 2018

15
 LAND POWER
1,000HP Engine with Associated Peripherals for T-72 tank and its variants
PROJECT 3: Individual Underwater Breath-
ing Apparatus for T-90 tank
During their operational life, the T-90
tanks are likely to negotiate a variety of
terrain features including water obsta-
cles. T-90 tanks have an ability to undergo
deep fording at five metres depth under-
water channels of up to five knots. Dur-
ing deep fording, in the eventuality of the
equipment stalling/switching off, there is
no alternative for the crew to escape from
the fighting/driver compartment and
reach the surface of the water, before the
tank is completely flooded. Towards this
end, the Individual Underwater Breathing
Apparatus (IUWBA) will ensure complete
safety of the T-90 tank crew and ensure
survivability.
The IUWBA sets would be worn by
tank crews during deep fording in the
fighting compartment, in a manner that it
does not restrain movement of the crew,
foul with other moving parts or hinder the
functioning of the existing components.
The IUWBA should provide for positive
buoyancy to each crew member during
the emergency escape procedure which
can be activated on demand.
The IUWBA should be compact
enough to be stowed in the under-stream
crossing equipment (USCE) toolbox of
the tank when not in use. The IUWBA
should be separate for each crew mem-
ber having a breathing inlet in the form
of a Face Mask or Oral Respirator for each
crew member. The weight of the IUWBA
should not exceed five kg.
The equipment should be dust,
moisture and leak proof and retain its
efficiency when stored at a temperature
range from -50C to 550C. The shelf life of
IUWBA should be seven years. The tenta-
tive quantity to be procured after success-
16
ful prototype development is 10,000. The
tentative timeline for induction is two to
three years.
PROJECT 4: Environmental Control Unit
(ECU) for T-90 Tank
The T-90S/SK tank has state-of-the-art
features like Computerised Fire Control
System, Thermal Imaging Night Sight,
missile firing capability, and carriage of
missiles. This equipment is highly sensi-
tive to adverse weather and dust condi-
tions and gets degraded under extreme
heat and dust. Although, the tank is de-
signed to operate in temperature condi-
tions up to 500C, however, the ambient
temperatures in our desert/semi-desert
regions rise even beyond that.
Resultant to the high temperatures
obtaining in the crew compartment the
electronic systems/sub-systems are likely
to get degraded. There is thus an impera-
tive requirement of an Environmental
Control System for T-90S/SK tanks to
avoid detrimental effect on the onboard
electronics and optoelectronics.
The system should be compact and
ergonomic wherein the existing fitment
items in the crew compartment should
not be removed, however, if relocated
same should not compromise the opera-
tional efficiency of the tank. The system
should not foul with existing features on
the tank. The ECU should be able to oper-
ate from the mains, 24V output and from
APU output.
The system should be protected by
providing a metallic outer casing. The
system should be rugged enough to with-
stand the hazards of cross-country move-
ment in plains and desert terrain. The
system should comprise sealed units and
be water resistant up to tank depth of 1.5
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
metre while the tank is carrying out me-
dium fording operations.
The tentative quantity to be procured
after successful prototype development
is 2,108. The tentative timeline for induc-
tion is two to three years.
PROJECT 5: Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) for
T-90 Tank
The engine of the tank T-90 is the main
source of power for any function, how-
ever, it is imperative to have an alternate
source of power to cater for varied re-
quirements to enhance the engine life of a
tank. Therefore, it is essential to install an
APU (Diesel Generator) in the tank T-90,
which would preserve the main engines
life without compromising on the opera-
tional capability of the tank T-90.
The system should be compact and
ergonomic wherein the existing fitment
items in the crew compartment should
not be removed, however, if relocated
same should not compromise the opera-
tional efficiency of the tank. The system
should not change the overall dimensions
of the tank in the vertical and horizontal
plane when viewed from the front. The
system should not foul with existing fea-
tures on the tank.
The APU should be designed to last for
minimum 1,000 engine hours for which
vendor should provide a certificate. The
APU should also be able to concurrently
operate the systems of the tank in silent
mode with the main engine of the tank
switched off for at least four hours. The
APU should preferably use 5W 50-grade
engine oil or any other oil which is com-
mercially available in India.
The APU should have an inbuilt over-
load protection system. The APU should
have a standby starting system apart from
the main starting system, that is, it should
be able to be started by an external power
source, such as another APU/tank. The
systems should have a built-in test facility
to isolate a defect that has occurred in the
system. The system should provide for a
minimum mean time between overhaul
(MTBO) of 1,000 hours for the APU for
which the vendor will give a certificate.
The tentative quantity to be procured
after successful prototype development
is 2,108. The tentative timeline for induc-
tion is two to three years.
PROJECT 6: Assault Track Way Class-24
The Assault Track Way Class-24 is envis-
aged as a lightweight track material to be
employed in Desert/Semi-Desert terrain
for mobility of wheeled vehicles of the In-
dian Army with load class up to Class-24.
It is proposed to replace the existing Alu-
minum Alloy based Assault Track Way
Class-12.
The temperature tolerance of the As-
sault Track Way should be over 500-de-
grees C. The surface finish should be able
to blend with the terrain without any
shiny surfaces. It should facilitate ease of
TRAJAN
laying and recovery with manual effort
as well as mechanical aids. The expected
life of the track material should be 10,000
passes of Class-24 vehicles. The weight of
one roll of track material should not ex-
ceed 300 kg.
The total requirement will be ap-
proximately 1,000 km and the annual re-
quirement will be 20-50 km per year. The
tentative timelines for development/pro-
duction are two to three years.
PROJECT 7: Manoeuvrable Expendable
Aerial Target (MEAT)
The Army Air Defence has a variety of
weapon platforms to include missiles of
varying ranges and gun systems. There is
a recurring requirement of suitable aeri-
al target systems for providing realistic
training to the crews during the annual
field firing exercises. The MEAT's maxi-
mum speed should not be less than 400
kmph (111 miles).
The maximum endurance should not
be less than 30 minutes at Wide Open
Throttle (WTOT) at sea level. The mini-
mum altitude should not be less than 20
metres and maximum altitude should not
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be less than 5,000 metres. The manoeu-
vrability should not be less than 2-g in a
sustained turn. The launch mode should
be ground-based and employability radio
control of up to 75 km or more.
The tentative quantity required by
the Army is approximately 50 a year. The
tentative timelines for Development/Pro-
duction are two to three years.
PROJECT 8: Armoured Fighting Vehicle Pro-
tection and Counter Measure Systems for
T-90 Tank
Contemporary combat vehicles have on-
board protective-cum-warning systems
to warn the crews of impending attacks
and create physical interference between
the vehicle and the hostile threat, thereby
enhancing survival. The existing fleet of
vehicles in service with the Indian Army
does not offer the crew these enhanced
protection measures as on date. There is
thus a need to install a modern active pro-
tection system on all Armoured Fighting
Vehicles (more than 3,000) of the Mecha-
nised Forces to significantly enhance
their survivability. The estimated quantity
required by the Army is 1,657.
I
 LAND POWER
The system should deflect or destroy
hostile attacks to protect against threats
from guided missiles, rocket-propelled
grenade/rocket launcher (RPG/RL) and
projectiles fired up to the velocity of 1,000
metre/second. The system should have
provision for future upgrades to degrade
Kinetic Energy projectiles. The percent-
age of protection against each type of
ammunition must be at least 80 per cent
from a minimum distance of 75 metres for
RPG/RL, 80 per cent for ATGM, and 70 per
cent for HEAT round from 125mm tank
gun.
The system should function when
static or on the move and should be ca-
pable of all weather, day and night opera-
tions. It should give warning when lased
on by incorporation of laser warning de-
vices and should provide a protective arc
in azimuth of 360 degrees and in eleva-
tion at a minimum of minus 60 to plus
200. The system should be light in weight
and complete weight should be less than
1,000 kg.
The system should detect more than
one direction of attack in case of near-si-
multaneous hostile threat (minimum of a
0.4-second gap) and neutralise up to two
threats. It should have multi-launcher ca-
pability/autoloading to address threats
from different directions simultaneously.
The fitting of the system should not affect
sealing of combat vehicle for deep fording
and NBC protection.
The system should be capable of con-
tinuous operation for at least eight hours.
The system should have a high safety
against accidental activation and the dan-
ger zone for dismounted troops operating
18
in the vicinity should not exceed 50m
radius from the tank. The normal power
consumption of the system (excluding
peaks) should not exceed 1 KW and the
operating voltage of the system should be
compatible with tank batteries.
PROJECT 9: Multi-Target Tracking System
for Tanks
In the present-day scenario with lat-
est technological development and in-
creased distances between two AFVs dur-
ing operations, handling more than one
target at the same time is a high possibil-
ity. To achieve this, it is imperative to de-
velop a high technology tracking system
which not only can detect and track mul-
tiple targets but also is able to assist com-
mander to prioritise targets and align the
prioritised target smoothly with Gunner's
Main Sight (GMS) to be able to destroy
the target. The commander will have pro-
vision to prioritise and queue the desired
targets. The commander should be able to
take control of the gun and engage targets
or hand over the prioritized targets to the
gunner main sight which should align to
the direction of the target handed over
by the commander thus achieving multi-
target tracking and engagement.
The system should have a provision
for image stitching and image enhance-
ment. The video of the targets to be ac-
quired to ensure the 360-degree field of
view in azimuth, with the capability to de-
tect and track multiple targets. It should
provide a user interface to prioritise the
targets, with provision for aligning the
selected target to Gunner's Main Sight
(GMS).
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
The Gunner should have an Auto-
matic Target Tracker (ATT) to track the
handed over target or an independent
target he has acquired. The target track-
ing system should able to characterise
targets with respect to sensor resolution
and distances.
PROJECT 10: Third Generation Missile for
125mm Gun Barrels of T-90 and T-72 tanks
As the design of the existing INVAR mis-
sile has been optimised both in terms of
range and Depth of Penetration (DoP),
it is imperative to upgrade to next-gen-
eration missiles with enhanced capabil-
ity. The envisaged third generation gun-
launched missiles should achieve a DoP
of 800-850mm and be capable of Beyond
Line of Sight (BLOS) engagement up to
eight km by day and night with the ability
to carry out pre-flight programmed ma-
noeuvres towards a BLOS target.
The missile should comprise of two
parts: a missile along with booster and
sustainer charge, and the second part
should only be a pusher/propelling de-
vice, which can be loaded in the carousel
autoloader of Tank T-90S/T-72. The esti-
mated quantity is 3,000. The broad speci-
fications include the capability to being
fired from existing gun barrels - 125mm
(Smooth Bore) Barrel, capable of engag-
ing during both day and night, both static
and mobile targets.
The maximum effective range ex-
pected of the missile is eight km with a
DoP of 800mm to 850mm. The shelf-life
under controlled conditions should be
10 years and shelf life under field condi-
tions should be five years. The hit prob-
ability on a standard NATO tank should
be greater than 90 percent at targets of
2.5-by-2.3 metre.
PROJECT 11: Advanced 30mm Cannon Am-
munition for BMP-2/2K
Advanced 30mm Cannon Ammunition is
for replacement of existing ammunition
being fired by 30mm cannon fitted on
BPM-2/2K. The ammunition is required
for all the BMP-2/2Ks held with Indian
Army. The estimated quantity is nine lakh
rounds a year.
The ammunition should be capable
of being fired from existing 30mm 2A42
Main Gun without any modification to
the gun design, feeding mechanism and
stowage. The ammunition being offered
should have a minimum penetration re-
quirement of Advanced 30mm AP ammu-
nition to be greater than or equal to 30mm
at an angle of 60 degree at 1,000 metre on
Rolled Homogenous Armour/specified
target, and new enhanced HE ammuni-
tion to be equipped with proximity fuse to
engage targets in defiladed position.

PROJECT 12: Fuses for all Variants of Pina-

ka Rockets
The Army wants to indigenously manu-
facture fuses for all variants of Pinaka
Rockets. The types of fuses required for
variants of Pinaka Rockets are:
 For a variable time of the 10-metre
height of burst, the modes of opera-
tion should be through Radio Fre-
quency proximity and point detona-
tion with a disruptive output. It is to
be used in HEPF and RHE Rockets.
 For a variable time of 30 m HoB, the
modes of operation would be RF
proximity and point detonation with
disruptive output. It is to be used in
HEPF and RHE Rockets. The quantity
required for both the variants is 3,360
a year.
 For the electronic time, the modes
of operation are electronic time and
point detonation, with the electronic
output. The time range is between six
to 200 seconds, with a resolution of
0.1 and accuracy of 0.05 Area Denial
Munitions Type 1,2 and 3 rockets that
are under development. The quantity
required is 1,620 a year for year for
each type.
PROJECT 13: Light Weight Body Armour
The present and future concept of con-
flicts and challenges faced by a soldier
dictate him to be equipped with the light-
er battle load to face the dynamic and
swift natured battlefield. The Bullet Proof
Jackets presently do not provide adequate
protection to all the vital organs of a sol-
dier. The weight is the biggest challenge to
enable the soldier to operate in the field
with maximum efficiency.
The threat to the soldier has in-
creased day-by-day from low-to-me-
dium and to high-velocity projectiles.
Therefore, there is a need to equip the
soldier with lightweight body armour,
to have adequate protection against the
varying threat levels.
The armour must cover vital organs
and provide protection against the latest
enemy threat. It must be modular and us-
able in various operations. It should meet
the requirements of all three services for
inter-service operability.
The armour must provide protection
against 7.62 x 51 mm SLR at 10 metre, 7.62
x 39 mm AK 47 (mild steel core) at 10 me-
tre, 7.62 x 39 mm AK 47 (hard steel core)
at 10 metre, 7.62 x 54 mm R (Sniper) at 50
metre, 9 x 19 mm Carbine at 5 metre.
The Surface Area should be of the size
as mentioned here: For Small Size Jacket,
a minimum SAP size of 4,560 sq cm and a
minimum HAL size of 3,220 sq cm with a
weight of 4 kg; for Medium Size Jacket, a
minimum SAP size of 4,800 sq cm and a
minimum HAL size of 3395 sq cm with a
weight of 4.5 kg; and for Large Size Jacket,
a minimum SAP size of 5,190 sq cm and
a minimum HAL size of 3,670 sq cm with
a weight of 5 kg. The tentative timeline
for development of technology and ma-
turing of technology is within a year. The
detailed timelines are to be worked out
subsequently on successful evaluation of
the prototype.
At present, the capability with Indian
vendors is restricted to Protection NIJ lev-
el III. The current procurement as per lat-
est GSQR 1438 is underway. The trials are
in progress. The material used in the BPJs
by vendors is UHMWPE & Boron Carbide.
The weight achieved is 10.1 to 11.3 kg. The
BPJ is modular and covers entire vital or-
gans of the body of the soldier. The weight
can be further reduced by research and
development.
Among the few future technologies
available are (a) Liquid Body Armour that
consists of Kevlar soaked in either a shear
thickening fluid or a magneto geologi-
cal fluid, both of which show the unique
behavior of behaving like a liquid under
low or normal pressure and solid under
high pressure applied fields, (b) Carbon
Nano Tubes (CNT), which, due to their
unique combination of high elastic mod-
ule and high strain to failure, are capable
of elastically storing an extreme amount
of energy that can cause the bullet to be
absorbed or be deflected. There is a need
to carry out further research in the devel-
opment of Lightweight body armour, and
(c) Thermo Plastic Carbon Fabric Com-
posite (TCF), which are metals having low
density, higher strength, and higher shelf
life with hypervelocity impact properties.
PROJECT 14: Robotics Surveillance Plat-
form for Rashtriya Rifles
Terrorism over the years has evolved
to a large extent and as a matter of fact,
the footprints of terrorism has extended
largely from the jungle/rural areas to
the urban areas. The way the situation is
evolving, it may just be a matter of time,
when security forces (SF), and Rashtriya
Rifles, in particular, will be facing the
threat in the built up and super built-up
areas. It is hereby proposed that a proj-
ect for Robotics Platform be taken up as
a procurement project under 'Make' cat-
egory. The estimated quantity is 544.
These robotic surveillance platforms
can be extensively used by the Rashtriya
Rifles forces operational in BUA and Su-
per BUA for gathering of real-time input
prior to manual insertion. The sub-com-
ponents of the system will include a Sur-
veillance Camera, which will be the main
feeder unit of the system. The camera
must be able to provide input in both day-
and-night modes.

www.geopolitics.in January 2018

19
 LAND POWER

tection System Sub Components would

include a Ballistic Helmet, which is pro-
posed to protect the entire upper part
of the body, i.e. head and face, both. The
lightweight headgear will be an integra-
tion of many modern devices along with
protection mechanisms (against ballis-
tics, blasts, heat and noise) into a single
system for best possible outcomes during
modern warfare combats, such as sen-
sors, night vision devices and laser range-
finders.
The Ballistic Body Suit will be devel-
oped to protect the middle part of the
body from the ballistic impact and pro-
vide necessary inputs about the vitals of
an individual to be controlled. The ballis-
tic shoes will protect the lower part of the
body, which consists of leg and foot from
ballistic impact. The basic principle will
be same as the other component of ar-
mour with greater attention to main parts
of the boots viz sole, toecap and heel seat.

PROJECT 16: Programmable, Pre-Frag-

mented, Proximity Ammunition (3P) Ammu-
nition for 40mm L-70 Gun
With the increase in air threat envelope
In-built transmission system must be vidual protection project is taken up as and multiplicity of air threat platforms,
a part of the platform to provide real-time a procurement project under the 'Make' there is a requirement to enhance the le-
intelligence form with the camera to the category. The estimated quantity required thality and accuracy of the present air de-
user. The ideal range should be up to 200 by the Army is 59,825. fence ammunition of L70 gun system. The
metres. The platform must deliver a suit- The individual protection project ammunition should have multi-target
able ammunition at the intended target, is envisaged to be composed of Sensor handling capability along with capabili-
for example, stun grenade. Based Equipment, which would mean ties of an air burst, proximity, point deto-
Mostly the system will have to be de- the entire system can be divided into the nation and variable and programmable
ployed at a short notice in harsh terrain sensor part (that is, health assessment) provisions. The estimated quantity re-
conditions. Otherwise, also, the approach and the protection part. The Human Pro- quired is approximately 3,30,000 rounds
to the target area will have to be discreet,
that is, on foot to maintain surprise. This
calls for the system to be man-portable
(lightweight) and throw-able. At the same
time, the system has to be shockproof to
withstand the above conditions.
Many times, two or more teams must
operate in conjunction with a single tar-
get area. Thus a second Unit, which can
be operated alongside the first unit by a
single operator with the same remote
(having at least dual display screen)
should also form part of the system.

PROJECT 15: Individual Protection System

- Multi-Applicable Smart Sensor-Based Im-
pact and Blast Resistant Protective Shield
The threat of extremism and militancy
is percolating to a pan-India scale level
whereby it is imperative that the Rashtri-
ya Rifles must be more suitably adopted,
wherein they can be deployed anywhere
according to the need. A vital part of that
adoption will constitute individual pro-
tection gear of the soldiers. Considering
the above, it is proposed that an indi-

20 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in

over a period of 12 years.
The ammunition should be suitable
for a variety of targets, to include aircraft,
Helicopters, UAVs and soft-skinned ve-
hicles. The ammunition should, if pos-
sible, enhance the range of the round.
It should be capable of achieving three
to six km ranges for the aerial targets. To
increase the lethality and hit probability,
the munition should be pre-fragmented.
The fragments design should be such as
to cause maximum damage to the aerial/
ground target. The fragments should be of
desired metal and shape so as to achieve
maximum destruction to the target.
The munition should have adequate
lethality to damage the intended target
(ground or air). The ammunition should
have a system to ascertain the range and
distance of target through its integrated
system. It should be able
to modify distance to be
travelled before the am-
munition is armed. The
facility of programming
the fuze should be with
an aim to detonate the
munition at the calculat-
ed range in the intended
area.
The proximity fea-
ture should be integrat-
ed into the munitions
to enhance hit prob-
ability. The miss distance
should be minimum and
the fuse should be so de-
signed to at least cover
a 4-metre distance from
the target. The muni-
tions should be capable
of air burst for neutral-
ising the ground targets.
Airburst will ensure
damage to the target by causing blast in
and around it as per the time set on the
fuse keeping in mind the nature and size
of the target in the operational area.
Ammunition should be capable to
achieve blast on impact. It should have an
effective impact fuse. To ensure the mul-
tiple uses of munitions against varied tar-
gets, it should have the armour-piercing
capability of minimum 100 mm thick ar-
mour of the target. This can also be com-
bined with the delayed fuse to achieve
penetration.
The fuse or the programmable muni-
tions should be able to fire from the exist-
ing gun calibre, that is 40 mm. The system
should be designed to support the pro-
grammable ammunition to take inputs
of target parameters from Laser Range
Finder sight fitted on Upgraded L70 Guns
or from Fire Control Radar.
The programmable fuse should not
be affected by the Electronic Warfare en-
route the flight time. Electronic Counter
Counter Measures (ECCM) should be
inherent in the ammunition fired. The
pre-fragmented programmable proximity
round should be developed for use with
the QF 40mm L70 Gun system. The fuse
size should fit the 40 mm calibre of L70
gun.
Fixed type fuse or screwed type fuse.
The programmable projectile fuse should
be compatible with the existing L70 gun
ammunition. The dimension of the pro-
grammable, pre-fragmented, proxim-
ity ammunition should be in accordance
with the 40mm L70 Gun. The weight
of the programmable, pre-fragmented,
proximity ammunition should be such,
Gunner's Main Sight for
main battle tank Arjun
that it should not alter the firing capabil-
ity of the 40 mm L70 Gun.
A minimum shelf life of 10 years and
above should be provided in its original
container. It should be able to withstand
the operating and storage extremes in
terms of terrain and climatic conditions
existing in India.
PROJECT 17: Antenna Alignment System
for OSA-AK Missile System
OSA-AK Missile system is of Russian ori-
gin and is employed to provide low-level
Air Defence cover to the mechanised col-
umns of Armoured Division. There is a
requirement to align the antenna of the
OSA-AK Combat Vehicles after the change
from transportation mode to combat
mode which is done with the help of an
Antenna Alignment System (AAS). Exist-
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
ing vintage Antenna Alignment System
(AAS) needs to be indigenized and digi-
tised. The quantity required is five.
The system to be trailer mounted
four-wheeled with an assisted braking
system suitable to be adapted to prime
movers like 6x6 Heavy Mobility Vehicle
held by the Indian Army. To be suitably
designed to be able to be transported on
existing tank transporters of Indian Army,
low bedded Civil Hired Tank Transporters
available in open market and by rail on
wagons (type BOM).
Operational and Technical Param-
eters include a transmitter with tun-
able Ku-band frequency for Oscillator
1,2 and 3. The Horn should be conical
with Continuous wave modulation. The
spatial coverage would be Azimuth +120
degrees, Elevation (+)5 to (-)20 degree,
with (+)12-degree level-
ling. The Antenna sys-
tem should have a mast
with 20-metre height
without oscillator and
20.225 metre with the
oscillator. The mast from
the ground should be 22
metre, the collapsible
cylindrical section with
telescopic retraction
type and cable retraction
provided. The antenna
should have a hydraulic/
electro-mechanical hoist
power or a combination
of both.
PROJECT 18: 1,200-1,500
HP Modular Engine for T-
90S/SK Tank
The proposed modu-
lar engine for T-90S/SK
tanks will have a vari-
able power output of 1,200-1,500 HP with
multi-fuel to cater for high battlefield
agility mandated with system/platform
level upgrades planned for the T-90S/SK,
including its future variants. The system
will comprise of a base engine module
of 1,200 HP with a capability to add-on
additional engine modules including as-
sociated accessories/peripherals to up-
rate it to 1,500 HP based on operational
requirements. The estimated quantity
required is 2,011.
During cross-country performance,
the engine must provide enough power
for a maximum gradient of 300, a maxi-
mum tilt angle of 250, compression ratio
greater than 15:1, with an engine weight
of less than 1,500 kg. The power-to-
weight ratio should be greater than 25
HP/Tonne.
21
 LAND POWER

ONE STEP FORWARD,

TWO STEPS BACK

In another
case of a
procurement
roadblock,
the Army’s
Anti-Tank
Guided Missile
procurement
has misfired,
points
out MIKE While the Army's urgent need for a 3rd generation ATGM has now
been indefinitely delayed, technology has leapfrogged to the 5th
RAJKUMAR generation of ATGMs, such as MBDA MMP and Rafael Spike LR II
MBDA

T
he Indian Army has an ur-
gent requirement to induct
a new generation anti-tank
guided missile (ATGM) and it
now appears that the service
will need to wait to induct its choice of
ATGM. Media reports emerging in No-
vember 2017 stated that the Request for
Proposal (RFP) for procurement of the
Spike missiles had been retracted. In
response to the news, a Rafael spokes-
person was quoted by PTI as saying,
“Rafael has not been officially informed
of any change in the decision to pur-
chase Spike missiles. Spike is in use
with 26 different militaries around the
world, and was selected by India after
a long and rigorous process, in which it
successfully met all the requirements
in a wide variety of combat test scenar-
ios.” Surprisingly, no formal statement
has been made by the Ministry of De-
fence (MoD) on the status of the Spike
ATGM procurement till now. It now ap-
pears that the responsibility of provid-
ing a new generation ATGM to the Army
has been handed over to the Defence
Research Development Organisation
(DRDO).
Rafael’s Spike ATGM emerged as
the winner of an army requirement
for a new ATGM in 2014. The deal was
valued at approximately `3,200 crore
for 321 launchers and 8,356 missiles.
Additional orders were expected
keeping in mind the operational
requirements of the army to induct a
new ATGM for its infantry soldiers and
mechanised forces. Kalyani Group and
Rafael Advanced Defense Systems had
formed a Joint Venture in February
2015 for development and production
of missiles. The JV had inaugurated a
new production facility in Hyderabad
in August last year. The Kalyani Group
has also partnered with Elbit Advanced
Systems of Israel for an army artillery
requirement. The newest export
customer for the Spike missile is the
Romanian army which completed
user trials towards the end of 2017.
The Romanian army has deployed the
vehicle-mounted version of SPIKE LR
on a 30 mm RCWS on the BMP Platform,
and the SPIKE ER Missile (8km) on its
helicopters. The new missiles, are being
delivered with a new modern digital
launcher for SPIKE missiles called
Integrated Control Launch Unit (ICLU),
which affords very long-range target
detection capabilities and integration
to a tactical network. Over 27,000
Spike missiles and systems have been

22 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in


Rafael presented its new Spike LR II, 5th generation ATGM to the world for the first time at the 2017 Paris Air Show
supplied to more than 26 countries by
Rafael till date.
An Indian alternative
The acquisition of a modern anti-tank
weapon is a key priority for the army as
it seeks to modernise its mechanised
forces to meet the requirements of
the future battle field and enhance
the fire power capability of Infantry
soldiers. In fact, the induction of new
ATGM has been listed as one of the
thrust areas for modernisation of the
mechanised infantry. Keeping this
in mind, any delay in the induction of
these missiles is a matter of concern,
as there will be a cascading delay
in training, operationalisation of
the weapon system and set-up of
maintenance infrastructure. The army
will need to wait a few years before it
can look to induct the DRDO’s land-
based Nag (Prospina) ATGM in any
serious quantity. The DRDO developed
4km range ATGM completed successful
trials in June 2017 and is to undergo
user trials with the army this year.
‘Nag’ missiles can also be deployed on
a specially modified BMP-2 Infantry
Command Vehicle (ICV) vehicle
called 'NAMICA'. In September 2017,
the MoD announced that following
two successful flight trails held that
month, “the complete functionality of
Nag ATGM along with launcher system
NAMICA has been established and
marked the successful completion of
development trials of Nag Missile”.
Outdated inventory
The army presently uses Russian
Konkurs-M and French Milan-2T, which
are both second generation ATGMs,
manufactured by Bharat Dynamics
Limited (BDL). The DPSU also received
a contract in August 2013 for supply of
Fifth generation
ATGMs use uncooled
seekers and can
engage targets with
coordinates provided
from a third party
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
RAFAEL
Russian Invar laser beam rider ATGMs
which are capable of being fired from
a T-90 MBT. Invar ATGMs have a range
of 5km and deliveries of the missiles
as part of the `3,000 crore order are
to be completed by 2020. The Milan-2
is a second-generation missile of late
seventies vintage, produced by BDL
since the early Eighties under a Transfer
of Technology (TOT) arrangement. The
more modern Milan-2T which is fitted
with a ‘Tandem Warhead’ was first
ordered (4100 units) a decade ago. When
RAFAEL
23
 LAND POWER
RED TAPE SPIKES SPIKE
Army proposes, but DRDO
disposes. That, in effect, is
the story of Indian Army's
bid to arm itself with the
Israeli ‘Spike’ anti-tank guided
missile
A
fter nearly 10 years of expressing
operational criticality of the need to
procure the third generation anti-tank
guided missile and an eight-year pro-
curement process, the Spike missile
acquisition has crashed and gone up in flames,
without hitting the intended target of plugging
the gaps that the army had identified in its ca-
pability. The credit for this disaster should go to
Defence Research and Development Organisa-
tion (DRDO), which has not only failed to de-
velop a man-portable anti-tank guided missile
of its own, but has also not allowed the Spike
acquisition case to progress, as it still promises
to develop a successful system to meet the
Army's need by showcasing a prototype – yes,
just a prototype – in two years’ time.
Spike MR is a fire-and-forget, top-attack
anti-tank guided missile with day-and-
night attack capability, having a range of
2.5 kilometres. The Indian Army wanted to
procure the missile for its infantry units and is
considered an operationally critical weapon. At
present, the Indian Army is employing second-
generation anti-tank guided missiles such as the
Milan-2T and Konkurs, but the two systems are
not capable of carrying out night fighting.
orders for the Milan-2T were placed in
2008, it was also clear that the shelf life
of existing stock of Milan-2 ATGMs held
by the army would expire by 2013 itself.
5th generation ATGMs
Third generation ATGMs have a useful
range of up to 3 km and make use of a
cooled IR seeker. Fourth generation
ATGMs have ranges nearing 4 km and in
addition to lock on after launch facility
against non-line-of-sight targets, some
systems would also have a dual mode
TV/IR seeker. Fifth generation ATGMs
24
Based on the promise made by the DRDO
to indigenously develop and produce a Man-
Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM)
for the Army, the Ministry of Defence (MoD)
decided in November last year to cancel
the $500-million deal for the Spike anti-tank
guided missile. This deal was said to be the
cornerstone of India-Israel bilateral ties and was
wholly expected to be a done deal by both the
nations, till its cancellation decision.
Rafael wanted to keep the technology
for the seekers of the Spike anti-tank guided
missile as its part of the work so that it held
some key parts of the missile technology for
itself. With the cancellation of this procurement
process though, this technology transfer would
not happen anymore. DRDO has not ensured
that this happens, though it is nowhere near
product development, as an alternative to the
Spike missile.
The decision-making authority got carried
away by DRDO's assertion that importing the
Spike, a foreign anti-tank guided missile at this
stage would adversely impact the indigenous
programme for the development of the same
by it. “The DRDO has successfully produced
the Nag and Anamika ATGMs. It is confident
about providing the Army with an MPATGM of
third generation missile technology, at par with
Spike, within three to four years. It won't also
need any transfer of technology," according to
Indian Army officials.
This government's decision to cancel
the Spike procurement came even though the
Indian Army chiefs had repeatedly told the
Defence Acquisition Council meetings in June
2009, January 2011 and October 2014 that
there was a critical requirement of the anti-tank
make use of an uncooled seek and
can also be integrated into a Network
Centric Warfare (NCW) environment,
with the ability to engage targets
provided from a third party. This is in
addition to greater range, lighter weight
and far improved warhead technology.
Rafael’s Spike LR II, 5th generation
ATGM was presented for the first time
at the 2017 Paris Air Show in June. The
new missile weighs only 12.7kg and can
be launched from any SPIKE Launcher.
“The development of the SPIKE LR II
is based on Rafael's vast experience
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
guided missile for the army. The Indian Army
had projected a requirement of 845 launchers
and 45,000 missiles for making up absolutely
critical deficiencies in the quickest possible
time, whereas in August 2017 the deficiencies
stood at 68,000 missiles.
The Defence Acquisition Council, in
its meeting in January 2009, accorded the
Acceptance of Necessity for the anti-tank
guided missiles to buy only 321 launchers,
8,356 missiles and 15 simulators. The decision
came under the 'Buy and Make' category of
the Defence Procurement Procedure, which
entailed transfer of technology by the original
equipment manufacturer to Bharat Dynamics
Limited and an offsets clause under which the
winner of the contract would plough 30 per cent
of the deal's worth back in the Indian defence
and aerospace sector through direct purchases
or technology transfers. The decision also
provided an option to the Indian Army to look at
the foreign military sales route, which could be
exercised simultaneously.
Based on the Defence Acquisition council
decision, the Indian Army issued the Request
for Proposals to five vendors in April 2010,
but only Rafael responded to it, leaving the
procurement case with a single-vendor
situation. Simultaneously, India issued a Letter
of Request to the United States for its Javelin
anti-tank-guided missile from the Raytheon-
Lockheed Martin stable.
The Spike missiles underwent trials,
especially in Israel, for the Indian requirement
in 2011-12. The Ministry of Defence accepted
the trial evaluation in 2013. The US, once
again, tried to sell its Javelin to India along
with the transfer of technology. But the Indian
in the development of a wide variety
of missiles over the years, and was
largely possible due to Rafael's close
cooperation with the users at the IDF
and other militaries around the world,”
said Moshe Elazar, Executive Vice
President and Head of Rafael's Land
and Naval Systems.
The most significant upgrade
associated with the Spike LR II is the
new electro-optical seeker which makes
use of a high quality un-cooled IR
sensor and an advanced high definition
colour day sensor, in addition to two

Israeli soldier with MR-LR type Spike launcher
government decided to stick with the Israeli
system and decided to clear the single-vendor
purchase from Rafael for its Spike missiles, in
a decision at the Defence Acquisition Council in
October 2014. This, in effect, was a rejection of
the Javelin offer under the Foreign Military Sales
route by the United States.
The cost negotiation committee began its
work with Rafael, to arrive at an acceptable price,
in March 2015. This negotiation progressed till
June 2016, when it was concluded, and a price
was arrived at by the two sides. Surprisingly,
after the cost negotiation, the government set up
an expert committee in February 2017 to check
if the Spike missile had compliance regarding
the Request for Proposals specifications on
Seeker performance, as one of the Seekers had
failed to perform during trials held in Israel, and
all-weather capability, transfer of technology
deliverables validation and evaluation of the
indigenous NAG missile from the DRDO.
The committee submitted its report the
same month, within 10 days of being set up,
recommending that the Spike missile met with
the laid down criteria for Seeker performance
unique warhead configurations: a
Tandem HEAT warhead configuration,
which offered 30% enhanced armour
penetration capability and a new
multipurpose blast warhead, which
includes controlled fusing by the
gunner. As compared to the 4 km
range of the original SPIKE LR, ground
launcher fired SPIKE LR II missiles
have a range of 5.5 km and up to 10 km
when fired from a helicopter (using
alternative option of RF Data link). The
Spike LR II also features an embedded
IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) for
An image of the Nag missile and the Nag missile Carrier Vehicle (NAMICA)
and all-weather capability and therefore,
proposed that the procurement of the Spike
missile be proceeded with to meet the urgent
requirements of the Indian Army.
The panel also recommended that, however,
parallel development of the NAG missile by
DRDO must continue and it must be fielded,
as and when it is ready to meet the future
requirements of the Army or the next phase of
acquisition of the anti-tank guided missile by the
Army. However, the DRDO representatives in
the committee had objected to the procurement
of Spike and favoured NAG procurement by
the Army, even though they could assure the
development of only a prototype in two years
from now.
The cancellation of the Spike procurement
is a huge setback for the Indian Army's efforts to
modernise its infantry formations with a suitable
anti-tank guided missile. This, even though, the
Army had pressed for the Spike procurement,
by highlighting the operational urgency of the
equipment and arguing that the Spike gave it a
major capability impetus, especially for troopers
deployed on the Line of Control in the current
missions where grid target coordinates
are provided by a third party-target
allocation.
MBDA which has set up a joint
venture with Larsen & Toubro called
‘Larsen & Toubro MBDA Missile
Systems Ltd’ has also expressed its
willingness to offer its new ATGM5
(MMP), which is a fifth generation
anti-tank weapon, whose deliveries
have already commenced to the
French Army. The new missile has a
range of more than 4km and can also
be safely fired from within confined
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
WIKIPEDIA
operational scenario.
As the next step, the Indian Army is waiting
for orders from the government to look at means
to acquire the Spike from Israel. The option
available to India is to reduce the quantity for
the off-the-shelf purchase of the Spike missile,
for which the Indian Army would have to go
back to the Defence Acquisition Council with a
fresh proposal and obtain necessary clearance.
However, in that case, there could be a shoot
up of the cost of the missile itself, as nearly six
years have elapsed since Rafael had put in its
commercial bids to supply the weapon system
to India. But, the Indian government hopes to
bring down the costs of the purchase by not
going in for a technology transfer under the new
procurement proposal.
The Spike missile procurement by India
has now become the classical example of the
bureaucratic red tape that ensures the Indian
armed forces are never modernised and are
always behind the curve when it comes to
possessing latest weapon systems, on a par
with global militaries.
— Geopolitics Bureau
spaces. The first batch of 50 missiles
and 20 firing posts for the new MMP
system, were delivered between 15 and
23 in November 2017. The MMP will
gradually replace the Milan, the HOT
missiles mounted on French Army
VAB Armoured Fighting Vehicles and
the ERYX for some of these missiles.
In addition to equipping French Army
infantry and cavalry units, it will
also be issued to Special Forces of the
Army, Navy and Air Force. MBDA
will deliver 400 firing posts and 1,750
missiles by 2025.
25
 LAND POWER
FRCV, FICV HAVE A FUTURE
IN THE INDIAN ARMY
Future armoured columns
of the Indian Army would
be state-of-the-art infantry
combat vehicles and battle
tanks. Geopolitics Bureau
details the first step that
has been taken to create
the necessary environment
to build future armoured
vehicles
T
he Indian Army is on the
verge of taking a big leap for
its armoured formations and
mechanised forces, even as it
is faced with a huge responsi-
bility on deciding on the course of action
on the Future Infantry Combat Vehicle
(FICV) and the Future Ready Combat
Vehicle (FRCV) projects. While the FICV
is an infantry combat vehicle, the FRCV
will meet India's futuristic battle tank
needs, though it is not to be miscon-
strued as the now abandoned Future
Main Battle Tank (FMBT) project.
Let's first look at what's going on
with the FICV programme. The project
has been mired in controversies and
delays since it was kick-started as a ma-
jor modernisation project of the Indian
Army's mechanised forces way back in
October 2009 when it was accorded the
Acceptance of Necessity by the Defence
Acquisition Council (DAC). After over
eight years in the works –with on-and-
off rumours of the project being shelved
– the FICV programme is now back on
the drawing board, according to officers
with direct knowledge of the develop-
ment.
Soon after Nirmala Sitharaman took
over as India's first full-time Defence
Minister, the project proposal had gone
up to the DAC headed by her and it has
decided to return the proposal to the In-
26
dian Army headquarters for further clar-
ification on involving around five Indian
private sector firms in the project under
the 'Make in India' initiative of the pres-
ent central government.
The FICV is to equip India's 50-odd
mechanised infantry units. The Indian
Army had originally proposed to give the
project to two Indian private firms and
the Ordnance Factory Board to develop
prototypes. Though the OFB prototype
would have a chance, the competition
was to be between the two prototypes
developed by the private firms to see
which one fitted the bill. Once the best
of the two prototypes was chosen, the
Indian Army wanted to give an opportu-
nity to the firm that could not clear the
trials to produce a part of the total order
for FICVs on the same design and cost as
the chosen one.
The FICV is to replace the ageing
four-decade-old fleet of BMP-I and BMP-
II that are in service with the Indian
Army and these infantry combat vehi-
cles of Russian origin have now been put
through an upgrade to extend their ser-
vice life. According to the Indian Army
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
Tata Motors’ FICV concept
plan, the government would fund the
prototype development up to 80 per cent
of the development cost, which is esti-
mated to be about `3,000 crore each. The
one selected would be finally taken up
for mass production. The Indian Army
had felt that picking five prototypes from
five different companies would escalate
the development cost it had planned to
`15,000 crore, instead of the planned
`6,000 crore. The total project cost en-
visaged for the FICV programme is said
to be `65,000 crore, which would come
under a strain if five companies were
chosen to develop the prototypes.
The decision of the government to
ask the Army to reconsider the proposal
came after representations from the left-
out companies that expressed keenness
to participate in the project. This had
raised questions over the procedure
followed by the Army to select the two
private firms that were to bag the devel-
opment project for the FICV prototypes.
The five private sector contenders for the
FICV project are Larsen and Toubro, Ma-
hindra, Reliance Defence, Tata Motors-
Bharat Forge consortium and Tata Pow-

er SED-Titagarh Wagons consortium.
The Army had initially planned to in-
duct at least 835 new FICVs by 2017, with
another 1,479 being delivered by 2022.
Due to the programme getting back to
square one, the entire project has been
set back by nearly a decade now, accord-
ing to defence ministry officials, with
knowledge of the timelines. The Defence
Ministry has suggested that the FICV
project should now first be considered
for a decision by the Defence Production
Board, headed by Defence Production
Secretary after the Army has made up its
mind. Under normal circumstances, the
Defence Acquisition Council decides on
procurement matters.
Even as the Army is grappling with
the issue of whether to get the five in-
terested parties to develop their proto-
types, with the government being a ma-
jor funding agency for the project, the
US government too, has shown interest
in offering the development and produc-
tion of the armoured personnel carriers
under a trilateral venture – also involv-
ing Israel – under its Defence Technol-
ogy and Trade Initiative.
The matter came up for discussion
between Nirmala Sitharaman and US
Defence Secretary James Mattis during
his visit to India in late September last
year. The US had in October 2009, dur-
ing the joint exercise, Yudh Abhyas, with
the Indian Army, showcased their Stryk-
er Armoured Personnel Carriers along
with the Javelin anti-tank missiles. The
exercise had taken place soon after the
Indian Defence Acquisition Council had
given their nod for the Indian Army's
FICV project.
The FICV is one of the most ambi-
tious projects of the Indian Army and
is also a sizeable programme. The FICV
would enable India to reduce its depen-
dence on the Russian-origin platforms
for its armoured personnel carrier re-
quirement. The FICV could also help
the Indian Army to meet its multi-utility
platform requirement for land and am-
phibious operations, as the project pro-
vides a larger canvas and scope.
While the Indian Army had issued its
first Expression of Interest for the FICV
programme to the contending Indian
companies in 2010, the same was with-
drawn after two years in 2012. The proj-
ect was resurrected and the Expression
of Interest was issued again to 10 com-
panies in 2015 under the 'Make' category
of the Defence Procurement Procedure.
Future Ready Combat Vehicle
For the second time in two-and-a-half-
years, the Indian Army had in November
2017 issued a Request for Information to
global armoured fighting vehicles man-
ufacturers seeking to know by January
31, 2018, if they could help it with the de-
velopment of what is now known as the
Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV).
The Army had, in June 2015, issued a
similar RFI for the FRCV programme
and had come under criticism for the
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
A Russian Army
T-14 Armata tank in
rehearsal for Victory
Day celebrations
WIKIPEDIA
specifications that it had sought. A Re-
quest for Proposal (RFP) is likely to be
issued in the middle of 2018.
The only difference between the
RFIs then and now is that the Army is
clear that the FRCV programme would
be done under the newly promulgated
Strategic Partnership programme un-
der the Defence Procurement Procedure
2016. This would mean that the FRCV
programme would be a 'Make in India'
project with participation and technol-
ogy sharing by foreign original equip-
ment manufacturers.
One fear is that the FRCV project
would sound the death knell of other
Indian indigenous programmes such as
the Arjun main battle tank and the Fu-
ture Main Battle Tank. The Indian gov-
ernment may, though, have options for
its FRCV programme in the Russian T-14
Armata, the Ukrainian T-84 Oplot, the
French Le Clerc, and the South Korean
K2 Black Panther, according to reports.
The FRCVs are to replace the Indian
Army's ageing fleet of the Soviet-era T-72
armoured fleet. The Indian Army wants
to design and develop a new generation,
contemporary state-of-the-art combat
vehicle platform for the armoured and
mechanised forces in the next decade.
The likely induction of the FRCVs is the
2027-30 period.
The Army has, however, expressed
its intent to populate its armoured fight-
ing vehicle fleet with the FRCV and to
subsequently develop 10 more need-
27
 LAND POWER
T-84 Oplot-M main battle tank at the Power of Unconquered Exhibition, Ukraine
based variants in various roles, with the
first 'tracked' variant of the FRCV as the
base vehicle for the future variants.
The FRCV fleet could be approxi-
mately 1,770 armoured fighting vehicles
in various kit combinations and these
could be inducted in a phased manner.
The procurement could also include
10 years performance-based logistics,
transfer of technology, engineering sup-
port package, personnel documenta-
tion, and spares package for replacing
a part of its ageing armoured fighting
vehicles fleet as part of the modernisa-
tion plan.
It will call for rapid dominance in an
expanded battlespace, characterised by
real-time awareness, all-terrain agility
and high mobility, precision lethal fire-
power, multi-layered protection and in-
creasing use of technology. The Future
Ready Combat Vehicle will be required
to conduct sustained, continuous opera-
tions by day and night in all terrain, in
various forms where applicable (except
in an amphibious role).
Increased all-around survivability
and ability to avoid, and thereafter, re-
spond to attacks by all kinds of anti-tank
threats would be essential. The arma-
ment of the Future Ready Combat Ve-
hicle should be able to inflict damage on
all targets, including mobile threats and
static fortifications.
The Armoured Fighting Vehicle is
likely to be employed in varied terrain
configuration, as existing in the Indian
28
WIKIPEDIA
sub-continent including High Altitude
Areas, Deserts, Semi-Deserts, Riverine
and Mountainous Terrains under varied
temperature conditions.
It should also be able to:
• Provide Fire Support to Assaulting oramic View for Commander, Data Link,
Forces, when required to do so.
• Fire while on the move, accurately.
• Fire multiple types of Ammunition, responder. The details of weapons and
including Anti-Tank Guided Mis-
siles.
• Include capability to destroy enemy It is an imperative that the Indian
tanks at ranges higher than he can
engage us, in a time earlier than he
can fire at us, with very high first
round hit/kill probability and ac-
quire targets at a longer range.
• Engage low flying manned and un-
manned rotary wing aircraft.
• Engage enemy massed armour led manufacturers shifting to other markets
attacks, when part of a defensive lay-
out.
The Future Ready Combat Vehicle
will be a tracked fighting vehicle of Me-
dium Weight Class (all up combat weight
not to exceed 50 Tonnes ± 15 percent)
and should present a small target signa-
ture. It should be capable of all weather,
day and night operations. All systems
should be able to operate in an ambient
temperature range of minus 30-degree
Celsius to plus 50-degree Celsius. The
Minimum Service Life of the Armoured
Fighting Vehicles is required to be 40
years to 50 years.
The Indian government’s Ministry
of Defence is desirous of acquiring com-
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
prehensive technologies, including de-
tailed design manufacturing know-how
of the Armoured Fighting Vehicles being
offered by the Original Equipment Man-
ufacturer. In line with the 'Make in In-
dia initiative of the Indian government,
the Original Equipment Manufacturer
is to ensure that all efforts are made to
maximise the Indigenous Content of the
project without any deterioration in Per-
formance Standards.
India is in the process of develop-
ing a vibrant Industrial Ecosystem for
Armoured Fighting Vehicles equipment
including design and manufacture of
cutting-edge components and equip-
ment for use on other projects. Original
Equipment Manufacturers are to maxi-
mise Indigenous Content in the pro-
posed design. The Indigenous Content
will be stipulated in the Expression of
Interest documents and shall not be less
than 40 per cent on the cost basis of the
'Make' portion of the contract.
The Weapons and Sensors integra-
tion experience shall include Primary
and Secondary Armament System and
Sensors such as Multi-Sensor-Aided Tar-
get Acquisition and Fire Control System,
Integrated Day-Night Vision Devices for
the complete crew, incorporating Fu-
sion Technology and 360-degree Pan-
Self-Protection Suite, Software Defined
Radio, and Identification Friend or Foe
nominated equipment shall be intimat-
ed at a later date.
government sees to it that projects like
the FICV and FRCV go through the whole
hog. Else, the delays and disruptions in
such projects reflect badly on the gov-
ernment, and the Indian defence sector
in the global market, leading to invest-
ment decisions from original equipment
where business is bigger, processes are
easier and decision making is quicker.
Success in kickstarting and complet-
ing of the FICV and FRCV projects have
their benefits to the Indian industry,
which has no demonstrated capability
for such programme on their own and
would have to depend on foreign origi-
nal equipment manufacturers for tech-
nology. The project not only opens the
door for defence technology infusion by
the Indian private sector, but it also en-
ables the establishment of an ecosystem
for such hi-tech military equipment in
India, skills development, inculcating
manufacturing processes, and creates a
large-scale export potential.
 LAND POWER
DOES MRLS HAVE
THE EDGE OVER
HOWITZERS?
A
rtillery is known as the God of
War because it is the destruc-
tive power of artillery regi-
ments that wins wars. Napo-
leon, the great exponent of
land warfare, had declared: “God fights on
the side with the best artillery.”
Throughout history armies with bet-
ter artillery have almost always emerged
victorious. Pulverising the enemy’s troop
and armour concentrations with sus-
tained cannon, mortar and rocket fire is a
copybook strategy for winning wars. Dur-
ing the climactic Battle for Berlin in 1945
the Russians threw an incredible 41,600
artillery pieces against Hitler’s defences.
The massive salvo broke the back – and
the spirit – of the German Army, leading
to a quick capitulation.
In the 1999 Battle of Tololing, Indian
howitzers rained more than 10,000 shells
on Pakistani positions. Whenever attack-
ing Indian soldiers found themselves in
a seemingly hopeless situation against
well-entrenched Pakistani troops, all they
had to do was call for artillery fire. Indian
Army gunners delivered cannon fire with
such outstanding accuracy and prompt-
ness that artillery alone saved hundreds
of Indian lives.
What the FARP!
After more than three decades of setbacks
– and criminal neglect by the political
leadership – the Indian Army is gear-
ing up for a major artillery procurement
spree in order to address the crisis in its
war fighting capability.
The army has laid down a roadmap
for inducting brand new 155mm weapon-
ry, including tracked self-propelled guns,
truck-mounted gun systems, towed artil-
lery pieces and wheeled self-propelled
guns. India is likely to spend upwards of
$8 billion to equip 169 artillery regiments
30
After nearly 30 years, India
is once again boosting its
artillery divisions with brand
new field howitzers. But is the
army pouring resources into a
weapon that is far less capable
than multiple rocket launcher
systems that are better suited
for lightning war, asks
RAKESH KRISHNAN SIMHA
with a mix of around 3,000 guns over the
next decade.
In a landmark moment in 2017, the
army received two M177 BAE guns – the
first new state of the art howitzers induct-
ed in the army since 1987, indicating the
extent to which previous governments
had run down the army’s war fighting
capability. As many as 25 guns will arrive
ready for induction while the remaining
120 will be assembled in India.
In August 2016 the Defence Acquisi-
tion Council (DAC) cleared the purchase
of 100 ‘K-9 Vajra’ tracked self-propelled
guns at a cost of $750 million. It will be
produced in India by L&T at its Talegaon
unit in collaboration with a Korean part-
ner. For the first time, India will be build-
ing a major self-propelled gun hull in
India.
Another big ticket item is the planned
purchase of 814 mounted gun systems at
an estimated cost of `15,750 crore. Of
these, 100 guns are to be imported and
the rest 714 are to be manufactured lo-
cally under a transfer of technology
agreement.
Another howitzer that has caused a made available and when the political
great deal of excitement in the army is leadership is sympathetic to the military’s
the DRDO’s ATAGS (Advanced Towed Ar- requirements. However, the army brass
tillery Gun System). During field trials at needs to induct artillery systems keep-
the Pokhran range in September 2017, the ing in mind two factors – the evolving
gun fired three shells out to a range of an nature of warfare and the leapfrogging of
unprecedented 47.2 km. The army may artillery technology. As well as howitzers,
acquire 2,000 units of this weapon. India must look at tube launched rockets
– also known as multiple rocket launcher
Different technologies systems (MRLS) – as a war winning tool.
It is understandable that after being MRLS can deliver a sustained volley of
starved for so long, the army seems to 20-40 rockets within seconds to obliter-
have acquired a ravenous appetite. Plus, ate a targeted area and practically every-
there is a favourable government at the thing that exists in that zone. In contrast,
centre so why not expedite the acquisi- in battlefield conditions a Bofors type
tions before a new dispensation arrives system can fire at most six rounds a min-
and cancels all okayed deals. Better to ute. Wheeled MLRS can shoot and scoot,
stock up now while resources are being thereby evading the enemy's fire finder
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
radars which heavy non self-propelled
howitzers cannot do.
Again, with MRLS you can achieve
incremental improvements – in range
as well as a payload. This offers several
advantages – if you can hit the enemy
from a range of say, 60 km, he cannot ap-
proach you at least up to that distance.
It's as simple as that. Even with its current
range, Pinaka can destroy targets west of
Lahore and Sialkot. In contrast, howitzer
shells on average travel 30 km; even with
expensive base bleed shells they cannot
land beyond 50 km.
The Russians have demonstrated the
destructive power of their MRLS systems
in numerous wars. Current Russian tube
launched rockets have ranges over 200
km. The US Army has also understood the
value of such systems and they are acquir-
ing 300 km range systems.
Strategy for modern wars
Unless war is thrust upon India, the In-
dian Army must not start a war it cannot
win. Like the United States, India must
always go into a war with overwhelming
superiority so that the outcome is not in
doubt.
Against China, the strategy should be
to have enough Mountain Divisions to
defeat Chinese aggression as happened at
Cho La in 1967. In fact, it was artillery that
ensured a resounding Chinese defeat. Af-
ter the battle the Chinese side of the bor-
der resembled Swiss cheese, with the war-
zone littered with the bodies of 340 PLA
soldiers. The Indian toll was 65 dead. The
humiliated Chinese left Sikkim and with-
drew 3 km from the border.
China is an ideological enemy and if
Communism collapses there, there is a
possibility that Beijing will tone down its
harsh rhetoric against India. On the other
hand, Pakistan, being an existential en-
emy, the strategy must be to break up the
country into several small ethnic nation-
alities. If that is not possible, and if there is
an all-out 1971-type war, India’s objective
should be to destroy Pakistani offensive
Pinaka 214 mm
multiple barrel
rocket launcher
system
H C TIWARI
capability so that Islamabad cannot start
another war for decades.
More artillery units needed
Currently, the Indian Army has three artil-
lery divisions, signalling a shift in its war
fighting doctrine – from offensive defence
to offensive. However, in order to acquire
the ability to decide the outcome of a war
before a bullet is fired, India needs to raise
more artillery divisions. Since the civilian
bureaucracy is likely to oppose further
expansion, the least the army can do is
use the current sanctioned number of
divisions more effectively. For, the gen-
erals always want the latest weapons but
armies ultimately have to fight with the
weapons available.
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
Secondly, artillery should be treated
as a combat arm rather than as a support
arm. The aim should be to concentrate
artillery fire not only on forward areas but
in the enemy’s rear as well, leading to a
greater scale and magnitude of destruc-
tion. India should not only hit the enemy’s
frontline troops and armour but also de-
stroy his supplies, ammunition and urban
infrastructure in the hinterland. This is
what the Russians did before the Battle
for Berlin. Some of their artillery divisions
began their attack on April 20, 1945 and
did not stop firing until Germany surren-
dered two weeks later.
Heavy and continuous suppressive
fire keeps the opponent in a defensive
posture – hunkered in his foxhole instead
of taking aimed shots. This, therefore,
limits the enemy's overall firepower. Sup-
pressive fire also prevents the enemy from
properly assessing the attack and organis-
ing a coherent and coordinated defence
or counterattack.
Another objective of heavy and sus-
tained artillery fire is to place your mech-
anised regiments and infantry in an ad-
vantageous position. That is, your troop
formations are concentrated without
committing them on the ground. This is
known as Manoeuvre by Fire.
In Manoeuvre by Fire, your troop for-
mations may not necessarily advance un-
der cover of the artillery offensive. Rather
they may advance to support the artillery
offensive. This completely transforms
that nature of war fighting and can poten-
tially disorient the enemy and unhinge
his decision making process.
Also, such a strategy is the way to ex-
ecute the Cold Start doctrine where long-
range artillery will have to kick in the door
and clear paths for the army’s Integrated
Battle Groups to pour into Pakistan in the
shortest time possible.
Right mix of shock and awe
For the army to sustain a high volume of
fire its artillery divisions must have large
numbers of MRLS. Currently, the Indi-
an Army has just 316 such units. These
mainly comprise the variants of the in-
digenously manufactured Pinaka which
is being produced at the rate of 5000 mis-
siles per year:
 Pinaka Mk1: Inducted (range 30 km)
 Pinaka Mk2: Induction phase (range
65 km)
 Pinaka Mk3:Under development
(range 120 km)
In the best traditions of a successful
weapon, the range and destructive power
of Pinaka MRLS is being increased incre-
mentally. Both Russia and the US have
31
 LAND POWER
kept improving the range of their own
similar systems, and today the MRLS sys-
tems in their arsenal have ranges of up to
300 km. The point is that Pinaka has great
potential to become a scare factor for the
Pakistan Army.
With India achieving considerable
success in rocket propulsion (thanks to
the advanced stage of development of the
BrahMos, Agni and Prithvi rockets), we
have the technology to leverage this pow-
erful weapons system. In contrast, howit-
zer technology has to be imported and it
is not yet clear how much technology the
South Koreans or BAE will transfer to In-
dia. Or even how much technology Indian
companies would be able to absorb given
the nascent stage of their operations.
Dispelling myths about MRLS
Currently, there are several arguments
against MRLS. One is accuracy – unlike
artillery shells, tube launched rockets do
not land on a dime. But they don’t have to
– the reason they are launched in multiple
salvoes (rather than individually) is to en-
sure the complete destruction of a general
area. At any rate, like all weapons systems,
MRLS too has gained in accuracy over the
years.
While the older, unguided Mk 1 and 2
Pinaka rockets follow a ballistic path and
are used only against area targets (spread
out over 500 square metres), the newer
guided Mk3 strikes designated targets
with better accuracy. In tests conducted
in January 2017 the guided Pinaka struck
targets over 60 km away with a CEP (circu-
lar error probable) of 25 metres.
32
Each Pinaka rocket packs 100 kg of
high explosives. The launcher has 12
rockets in its tubes, which can all be fired
within 44 seconds. This means a Pinaka
battery comprising six launchers can
launch a coordinated attack on a target
area, pummelling it with 7.2 tonnes of
lethal explosives in under a minute. The
rocket’s “pre-formed fragmented” war-
head explodes into 21,000 high-density,
tungsten alloy projectiles.
The second argument against MRLS is
cost. First up, comparing costs is pointless
because shell firing artillery and MRLS are
entirely different weapons. Nevertheless,
back of the envelope calculations show
that the Pinaka Mk1 costs $580,000 per
launcher while the M177 light howitzer
costs approximately $5 million per unit.
The wide gap is because the former is in-
digenous while the latter is mostly made
in the US.
MRLS artillery is also more expensive
than standard artillery shells but with vol-
umes will come economies of scale and
because they are made in India, the manu-
facturing expenses will continue to drop.
The third argument against MRLS is
that they offer suboptimal performance
at high altitude. This is yet again an argu-
ment without any basis in truth because
few countries have had the opportunity to
deploy them on the mountains.
India is perhaps the only country that
has used MRLS in high altitude warfare.
Not only did the Indian Army use the Rus-
sian built GRAD BM-21 rocket launcher
against Pakistani soldiers on Tiger Hill,
it also deployed the Pinaka, which was
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
A Russian BM-21 Grad
rocket launcher on
a Ural-4320 chassis
(2B17)
WIKIPEDIA
operated by a young DRDO scientist,
who was injured by Pakistani mortar fire
but continued firing until Tiger Hill was
cleared of the enemy forces.
The fourth argument is that MRLS
takes longer to reload whereas howitzers
can keep firing as long as shells are made
available. Because each of the 20 or 40
tubes have to be individually loaded us-
ing a crane, the process can take several
minutes. For instance, the Pinaka’s ‘bro-
chure’ reload time is between four and 15
minutes, but in reality it could take lon-
ger depending on battlefield conditions
and how far the replenishment trucks are
from the battery.
However, enemy forces may well have
been obliterated after a coordinated salvo
by an MRLS battery and may not be able
to fire back. This is the beauty of an MRLS
system.
Endgame
Since the Indian Army does not have the
luxury of an unlimited budget, it has to
take a call on how to get the right mix of
howitzers and MRLS (plus mortars and
tactical ballistic missiles). The bottom
line is that in the rush to import or licence
build howitzers, the army must not over-
look or underutilise a potential war win-
ner, the technology for which is readily
available at home.
The author is a New Zealand based
journalist who covers defence and
military history. He is on the advisory
board of Modern Diplomacy, a Europe
based foreign affairs portal
 FUTURE FIREPOWER
The Indian Army is looking for a next generation main battle tank, writes MIKE RAJKUMAR
T
he Indian Army has one of the
largest Main Battle Tank (MBT)
fleets amongst militaries glob-
ally and its recent decision to
procure a new generation, Me-
dium Weight Class Tank, kicks off the ef-
fort to find a replacement for its Russian
T-72 MBTs. A Request for Proposal (RFP)
for the acquisition of approximately 1770
armoured fighting vehicles (in various kit
combinations) is expected to be issued
by mid-2018. This vehicle, which will be
called the Future Ready Combat Vehicle
(FRCV), will form the base platform for
the Main Battle Tank. Three new genera-
tion MBTs are required to be provided for
user trials and series production rate of
not less than 150 tanks per year is envis-
aged. It is also planned to subsequently
develop other need-based Family of Vari-
ants on this platform such as; Light Tank
– that can operate in obstacle ridden ter-
rain, Bridge Layer Tank, Trawl Tank and
Full Width Engineer Mine Ploughs, Ar-
moured Recovery Vehicle, Self-Propelled
Base Platform for other Arms/Combat
Support Arms.
While the specifications for the next-
generation combat vehicle platform
are suitably futuristic, the Army has
repeatedly failed to successfully complete
the procurement process for vitally
needed equipments such as assault rifles,
carbines, sniper rifles, artillery pieces and
SAM systems to name a few. Cost is likely
to prove a major barrier for the FRCV
procurement as the cost of a new T-90
MBT alone is in the region of `30 crore. The
RFI asks for a platform that provides real
time awareness, has all terrain agility and
high mobility, precision lethal firepower,
multi-layered protection and the
latest technology. “Increased all-round
survivability and ability to avoid, and
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
The 72 MBT continues to remain a vital
component of the Army's armoured
regiments. It is pictured here at one of its
Republic Day appearances
MOD
thereafter, respond to attacks by all kinds
of anti-tank threats would be essential,”
says the RFI. The Army has asked that
the tracked FRCV be in the Medium
Weight Class (All up combat weight not
to exceed 50 Tonnes ± 15 per cent) and
should present a small target signature.
With proposed requirements such as
Multi-Sensor-Aided Target Acquisition
and Fire Control System, Integrated Day-
Night Vision Devices for complete crew,
incorporating Fusion Technology and
360° Panoramic View for Commander,
Data Link, Self-Protection Suite, Software
Defined Radio, Identification Friend
or Foe responder etc; the FRCV will be
a quantum leap on the T-90 and this is
likely to reflect in the cost as well. A crew
configuration of four or three has been
stated. Firepower is critical for an MBT
and for its new medium MBT, the Army
has asked for a smooth bore 120mm/125
33
 LAND POWER
Tank T-90 (Bhishma)
passes through Rajpath
during the full dress
rehearsal for the
Republic day Parade
mm main gun with secondary armament
comprising of a 7.62mm coaxial machine
gun and 12.7mm anti-aircraft machine
gun. The tank should be capable of a
rate of fire of 6-8 rounds per minute with
an ammunition stowage capacity of at
least 40 rounds per tank. The new MBT
must also feature an Active Protection
Suite to contribute to the 360° all-round
protection (including against top-attack).
It should have both soft and hard kill
capability, to destroy multiple CE and
KE threats. A power to weight ratio of not
less than 25:1 HP/Ton, with Full Combat
Weight and cross-country max speed of
45kmph is required.
The mainstay of the Indian Army’s
armoured core presently is the T-90,
which is receiving a number of upgrade
to improve its combat potential. The
T-90s are also to receive a more modern
gun launched anti-tank guided missile
to replace its existing INVAR missile.
Presently 18 regiments of the T-90 are
operational with approximately 850
tanks. An additional 464 T-90s are to
be procured for ten more regiments.
The older T-72s while still capable have
now been in service for more than 30
years and approximately 2000 have
been acquired. Uralvagonzavod has
offered two T-72 upgrade proposals; the
first upgrades the T-72s protection for
urban warfare, to cater against anti-tank
guided missiles and improvised explosive
devices (IEDs), while the second upgrade
option offers the fitment of the Arena-E
34
active protection system. The Army is also
looking to upgrade its T-72 fleet MBT with
uprated engines and more sophisticated
sights. The greater use of simulation for
tank training has resulted in the Ministry
of Defence (MOD) signing a contract
with Hyderabad based Zen Technologies
for 104 Driver Simulators for T-72 and
T-90 MBTs at a cost of `223.7 crore. The
contract was signed in October 2017.
Russia’s New Armata MBT
The new Russian Armata (T-14) MBT
when first unveiled in 2015 represented
a substantial advance from the current
state-of-the-art in MBT technology. It
will enter service around 2020. Featuring
numerous advancements in terms of
weight, speed and stealth, the Armata
is unique in having the tank crew at the
front of the tank, with fully automated
unmanned turret that makes uses of
the latest advances in technology and
sensors. The new generation MBT has
been designed as a universal platform
that can be made available in different
configurations. Crew protection has been
afforded high priority and they remain
safe inside an armoured box which is
isolated from the fuel and ammunition.
According to Russian media, the
Armata MBT is fitted with a 125-mm
smoothbore tank cannon, a 7.62mm
remote-control PKTM machine gun and
a 12.7mm machine gun. An unmanned
robotic version of the tank is also under
development. Much of the Armata MBT
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
still remains classified, though Russian
media reports say that it has been offered
to India.
End of the Road for Arjun?
The RFI for the Future Ready Combat
Vehicle sounds like a death knell for the
indigenous Arjun MBT programme. After
decades of development the Army placed
orders for only 124 Arjun Mk1 tanks and
for some time over the last few years it
appeared that orders were likely for the
Arjun Mk2. The Arjun Mk2 is essentially
an Arjun Mk1 with 89 improvements,
which also saw an increase in the weight
of the tank by five tonne. The cost of the
Arjun Mk2 if it had been ordered would
have been around `37 crore and would
have been fitted with a state-of-the-art
commander’s panoramic sight with night
vision, an 8Kw Auxiliary Power Unit (APU),
remote controlled weapon station, anti-
tank guided missile firing ability from
the 120mm main gun. In January 2016,
the Defence Research and Development
Organisation (DRDO) announced that
it had successfully conducted test firing
of new tank ammunition Penetration-
Cum-Blast (PCB) and Thermobaric (TB)
Ammunition, specially designed for
Arjun Tank which give a quantum jump
in the fire-power of Arjun tanks. As of
April 2015, only 122 Arjun Mk-I tanks
have been produced and inducted into
Army, with two Armoured Regiments (43
and 75 Armoured Regiments) raised and
operationalised.
 CHALLENGES TO FIGHT
FUTURE WARS

MOD

Wars in the future will be unlike those in the past where attrition and manoeuvre were used
to defeat the army that chose to fight from a static position. Future battles will be fought on a
number of domains. With China ramping up its capabilities to fight future wars in multi-domain
battlefield scenarios, BRIG NARENDRA KUMAR (RETD) points out that the Indian Army needs to
introspect on how the country prepares and structures itself to fight such multi-domain battles

T
he profession of arms is dy-
namic in nature: whatever has
succeeded in the past may not
succeed in the future. Hannibal
lost to Scipio in the battle of
Zama because the young Roman General
changed his strategy and Hannibal con-
tinued with his time-tested strategy that
failed him in a crucial battle. Thus the
Carthage Army lost a decisive battle and
Rome laid the foundation of a Mediterra-
nean empire. The Indian Army has served
the nation in an exemplary manner dur-
ing peace and war while dealing with
traditional and non-traditional threats.
Future wars will be open warfare. This
open warfare will be different from the
one that was fought during the first World
War, where attrition and manoeuvre were
used to defeat the army that chose to fight
from a static position (Trench Warfare).
Open wars of the future will be fought in
multi-domains that include space, cyber,
information, air, land and sea. Limited,
incremental adjustments in capabilities,
structures and doctrinal changes will not
suffice; India will be required to carry out
in-depth analysis to build an army for
the future. What must be kept in mind is
that the Army should evolve with modern
technology and doctrine but retain the
moral values and warrior ethos laid down
by the old generation.
Change with the changing character of warfare
Gen. David Perkins of US Training
Command writes that “when the nation
calls upon the Army to fight and win its
wars, the operational environment will
be unlike the circumstances of our recent
past experiences. It will be defined by
an enemy who will challenge our ability
to maintain freedom of manoeuvre and
superiority across multi-domain”. China is
building capabilities to fight future wars in

www.geopolitics.in January 2018

35
 LAND POWER
multi-domain battlefield scenarios, so the
Indian Army needs to introspect on how
India prepares and structures itself to fight
multi-domain battles. The forecasting of
warfare over the horizon is vital because
the doctrinal changes must happen
while preparing for war and not after the
war. It will be a monumental mistake
to wait for the war to happen to change
the doctrines and concept of operations.
One must remember that multi-domain
battles are nonlinear in nature and
follow the principle of simultaneity.
It will be a miscalculation to assume
that avoidance of war is war preventive
strategy. War preventive strategy is based
on capabilities and ability of the political
leadership to leverage it in a manner that
dissuades and deters adversaries to take
the risk of going to war.
The Indian Army has always risen
to the occasion during conventional
and sub-conventional conflicts, but to
prepare to fight future wars based on
past strategy and tactics will be a mistake
that can be avoided by thinking beyond
the immediate future. A force should be
so structured that it takes into account
threats in the immediate future and
capability-building for the long term.
Future wars will not remain restricted to implications and thus the guard cannot
one domain; simultaneous engagement of
a single or multiple domains by air, space,
cyber, land and maritime resources may
take place. Cyber, space and information
technology has made it possible to fight a
multi-domain war with greater lethality
and impact. The name may appear new
but multi-domain arena of warfighting
is as old as the history of warfare. It can
simply be divided into the physical and
cognitive domain. The physical domain
consists of land, sea, air and space,
whereas the cognitive domain is cyber
information and perception. Cyber per
se may not have existed but information
war finds its roots back to Sun Tzu’s ‘Art
of War’ and ‘Kautilya Arthshashtra’. The
nature of warfare has remained constant
but the character has changed. Thus the
whole effort should be to change and
evolve with the change in the character of
warfare.
Challenges to fight future wars
Comprehensive response to multi-
domain threats: Future wars are unlikely fire support (operational and tactical),
to be wars of a single domain. Future air defence, ballistic missile defence,
wars will be integrated and would require
new structures, technologies, command
centres and military commanders who
understand the application of military
power in an evolved theatre or a battle.
It would require combatants and non-
36
combatants to operate seamlessly to
enable own forces and disrupt enemy
concentration and actions. The Indian
Army will have to start looking at
formalising and setting up structures
to achieve cross-domain operational
expertise. It would require identification
of technologies, development of
leadership, joint and integrated training
to understand operational nuances in a
net-centric environment. It is not a simple
exercise to suddenly move from single
service warfighting method to integrated
multi-domain warfighting. It would
also require an objective assessment to
evaluate if the Indian Army is suitably
equipped and adequately trained to fight
in an informationalised environment.
These issues to a large extent can be
addressed with the theatrisation of the
armed forces because it would also allow
multi-domain (integrated) command and
control centres to get operationalised.
Rooted in ground reality: While
preparing for future wars, the Indian
Army should keep the current ground
reality in focus. Terrorism in Kashmir
and potential of standoffs along the LAC
with China require a resilient response. Representative image: The future war
Both have different dimensions and scenario will not only change the dynamics
of wars but would require new structures,
be lowered in either case. While dealing technologies, command centres and
with terrorism, the army requires precise military commanders with understanding of
skills to prevent collateral damage while the application of military power
eliminating terrorists along the LOC and
in the hinterland while dealing with the
aggressive posturing by China along the India needs technologically-enabled
LAC the army would require threshold army: The instability around India is
capabilities and readiness profile to increasing. Boots on the ground have
counter the rolling strategy of the PLA. The become even more important today than
threat from China is a reality and Doklam before due to the hybrid nature of the
has proved that the Indian Army should threat. What is needed at this stage is the
be ready to fight local wars today and ability of the army to operate during day
theatre and full spectrum war in the next and night to deny and control space. The
five to 10 years. With an eye to the Chinese effectiveness of the army to fight future
PLA restructuring and modernisation, the wars can be enhanced by autonomous
only way to prevent war is to prepare for weapons, all-weather surveillance
war. There is no scope to defer and delay capabilities, precision engagement, secure
capability-building. The capabilities that communication and air defence to give
require urgent focus are: freedom of manoeuvre to the formations
• Operational infrastructure to in a given area of operation. Cyber and
support mobilisation and speedy information warfare has the potential to
concentration at a point of decision in disrupt and degrade the communication.
an organic manner. An effective cyber shield is must to allow
• Filling of hollowness in surveillance the uninterrupted conduct of the war.
capabilities (tactical and strategic), Technology adaptation is a continuous
process and it should be based on the
Indian Army’s war-fighting assessment.
robust communication, cyber This assessment would lay down the
(offensive and defensive capabilities) roadmap for the technological trends
and last but not the least infantry and capability imperative to keep in sync
modernisation. It may be a tall order with the capabilities of the adversaries. It
but there is no other option left for should look at 10 to 15 years in the future
India under the given circumstances. before incorporating a critical technology.
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in

Professional integrity: Field Marshal
Sam Manekshaw during one of his
interviews said that India lost the 1962
war for two reasons. The first was that the
political leadership did not understand
the military culture and divided the
Indian Army into two groups of political
generals and professional generals.
Political generals were incompetent
and misguided the government on the
application of military power without
having the knowledge how wars are
planned and fought. And, second, was that
a large number of military commanders
were “Nalayak” (incompetent) and did
not have the moral courage to tell the
government that wars are not fought on
whims and fancies. They need a strategy,
preparations and political objectives.
Patrick J. Garrity writes in A Note on
Strategy: War and the Preparations for War
that serious political and military leaders
must examine and keep in mind the
ultimate questions — “What if there is a
war today, or tomorrow? Who would win”?
Military leaders are responsible to apprise
the political leadership of the nation the
answers to the above questions. If they fail
YOUTUBE
to do so they will fail the nation. Military
leadership has greater responsibilities
because they are the one leading their
men into war. They are the ones who will
deliver defeat or victory in a war. Thus,
military leaders should put it on the table
what will happen if war takes place today?
The standoff with China can spiral out of
control and can lead to a local war. It is
the responsibility of the military leaders
to carry out an assessment and suggest
that with the current state of hollowness
it is possible or not possible to maintain
status quo or deliver victory in a war.
Being frank and blunt in peacetime will
save embarrassment to the nation during
wartime. In the backdrop of the above,
the Indian Army should lay emphasis
on the development of professional
integrity among military leaders. The
military leadership should put across
the assessment of its capabilities vis-a-
vis adversaries. A capability audit is a
must or else the political leadership may
take politico-military decisions without
knowing the end. Professional integrity
allows military leaders to do plainspeak
and apprise the political leadership what
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
is possible and what is not possible.
Building the leadership for the future:
General H. Norman Schwarzkopf has
highlighted the significance of military
leadership. He said, “Leadership is a
potent combination of strategy and
character. If you must be without one,
be without the strategy.” Military leaders
are a repository of stratagem and vision
to foresee future contours of conflict. For
an evolving army, it is imperative to create
a leadership that is visionary and has the
grasp of national interests and objectives
that need to be secured. Once this
understanding exists among the military
leadership, it is easy to align military
capabilities to secure a nation against
impending threats and challenges. The
doctrinal course setting should be based
on securing vital national interests rather
than building capabilities to deal with
threats. India has built threat-based
capabilities that at best can deal with
threats that are visible and not over the
horizon. It is one of the most important
functions of the military leadership to
identify and assess the challenges that
may unfold and threaten the vital national
interests in the long-term. What does
the strategically-aware leadership do?
It helps an army to make the transition
from the rigid and highly-structured
organisation to an adaptive and evolving
organisation that is prepared to demolish
the regimented ideas on warfighting
and capability-building. The single most
important factor that will prove to be a
cornerstone of developing the Indian
Army for the future is the development of
military leadership.
Vision and intellectual authority is
the cornerstone to develop an army into a
force that is futuristic in nature. Proverbs
29:18 in the Bible said, “Where there is
no vision, the people perish.” Similarly
where there is no collective vision in an
organisation it will either perish or will
stop evolving. Intellectual authority will
be the key to lay down the foundation
stone for the capability-based army to
prepare and fight to win future wars.
Vision will provide perspective direction
for the evolution of the next-generation
army and collective intellectual wisdom
will give doctrinal directions to the army.
Organisational intellect is a deterrence
and will always keep adversaries guessing
what next. The Indian Army should invest
and develop collective and individual
wisdom and intellectual authority to give
direction to prepare for future wars.
The writer is Distinguished Fellow,
USI, New Delhi
37
 LAND POWER
PREPARED RESPONSE
CBRN response teams require modern equipment and training, reports MIKE RAJKUMAR
Kemper Baker of the US Army in a Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology stands while being
ARMY.MIL
scanned with a chemical agent monitor at Aibano Training Area, Japan, in September 2016
F
irst responders and security
professionals have the unen-
viable job of often being the
first trained specialists to reach
the scene of a terrorist attack
or suspected Chemical, Biological, Ra-
38
diological and Nuclear (CBRN) attacks
or HAZMAT accidents. In crowded ur-
ban areas with large populations, such
an incident has the potential to spiral
out of control if a quick and correct as-
sessment of the situation and the type
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
of attack/incident that has occurred is
not made. Keeping these requirements
in mind and the threats posed to Indian
cities and critical infrastructure there is
now growing awareness on the need to
invest in the procurement of state-of-
the-art detection and protection gear for
such events. Enhanced training for first
responders, security professionals and
medical personnel is another area where
increasing efforts are being made to in-
crease the pool of trained manpower.
The major players in the CBRN de-
fence market are FLIR Systems, Inc. (US),
Chemring Group PLC (UK), Bruker Cor-
poration (US), Smiths Group plc. (UK),
and Argon Electronics (UK), Avon Protec-
tion Systems (US), Thales Group (France)
and this market is projected to grow from
$14.68 billion in 2016 to $19.15 billion by
2022, at a CAGR of 4.65 per cent from
2017 to 2022. India will remain a growing
and important market as it faces threats
from terrorist groups, and hostile neigh-
bouring countries. According to a 2017
report by Research and Markets on the
CBRN defence market, “The chemical
segment is estimated to account for the
largest share in the CBRN defence mar-
ket in 2017 and is projected to grow at
the highest CAGR during the forecast pe-
riod. The main users of chemical defence
equipment include first responders in
the police, fire safety department, and
Hazmat safety officers in the commercial
and civil sectors. Military users include
CBRN response teams in armed forces.’’
According to the report, the protec-
tive wearables segment is estimated to
account for the largest share in the CBRN
defence market in 2017. Protective wear-
ables equipment designed for use by first
responders such as firefighters and coun-
ter terrorism teams for protection from
CBRN material exposure. The equipment
includes protective clothing, protective
gloves, protective footwear, and protec-
tive masks and hoods. It is a mandatory
requirement of protective wearables for
field CBRN officers and Hazmat profes-
sionals across the world. The equipment
must also be provided to first responders
in the police, fire safety department, and
Hazmat safety officers.
In May 2017, the US State Depart-
ment announced that it would proceed
with the sale of CBRN support equip-
ment worth $75 million to India under
the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) route.
Items to be delivered following comple-
tion of a contract are 38,034 M50 gen-
eral purpose masks; 38,034 Joint Service
Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology
(JSLIST) which comprise of: suits, pairs
of trousers, pairs of gloves, pairs of boots
and NBC bags; 854 aprons; 854 alterna-
tive aprons; 9,509 Quick Doff Hoods; and
114,102 M61 filters. The order will be ful-
filled by Avon Protection Systems. Look-
ing at the costs of acquiring such equip-
ment, it is not surprising that the Indian
Air Force (IAF) has set up a new facility
at 9 Base Repair Depot (BRD) for repair,
calibration and life extension of its ex-
pensive CBRN equipment. Many more
such facilities will be required to set-up
across the country if costly and sensitive
CBRN equipment are to function prop-
erly when called upon.
A leading provider of CBRN equip-
ment is FLIR Systems and recently it
announced the launch of its new FLIR
identiFINDER R440 handheld radio-
isotope detector and identifier. The
identiFINDER R440 delivers quick situ-
ational assessment during radiological
emergencies for homeland security per-
sonnel with critical infrastructure pro-
tection and military and first responder
special teams. It is the industry’s small-
est and lightest radioisotope identifi-
cation device (RIID) with a 2-inch by
2-inch sodium iodide (NaI) detector and
weighs less than 1.5 kilograms. The iden-
tiFINDER R440 provides 3.5 times more
sensitivity than similarly-sized RIIDs, al-
lowing responders the ability to detect
radiation from greater distances and
behind heavier shielding. It also delivers
10 percent better resolution than other
products in the category, while providing
greater accuracy with fewer false alarms.
Because of its extended energy range,
identiFINDER R440 detects gamma ra-
diation and can indicate the presence
of neutrons found in particular nuclear
materials. The incorporation of a new,
360-degree EasyFinder mode that pin-
points the exact location of a radiation
source and instructs the operator as to
where it is located. Wireless communica-
tion is built in and identiFINDER R440
meets the American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) N42.34 standard. This
means that it has been drop-tested up
to one meter and is the industry’s only
IP67-rated RIID, which means it can
withstand rain, splashing and accidental
submersion.
FLIR identiFINDER R440
FLIR Systems also supplies Chemi-
cal, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear
Dismounted Reconnaissance Sets, Kits,
and Outfits (CBRN DR-SKO) systems for
the US Army and received a 50 unit ear-
lier in the year, valued at $54.2 million,
with deliveries extending through the
second quarter of 2018. “We are hon-
oured to continue providing our turn-
key DR-SKO solution that addresses the
current and emerging threats by equip-
ping US soldiers with the best-in-class
technology for their mission,” said Andy
Teich, President and CEO of FLIR. “This
delivery solidifies our continued support
to provide innovative, mission-critical
solutions to keep our country safe and
maintain our stance as a leader in the
CBRN market.
The CBRN DR-SKO system is a set
of mission specific kits that character-
ize and provide full spectrum CBRN dis-
mounted reconnaissance capability. It is
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
employed by the US Military Joint Servic-
es, including units within the Army, Navy,
Air Force, Marines, and National Guard
Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil Sup-
port Teams. The programme has been in
development since 2008 with FLIR Sys-
tems as the prime contractor and since
the award of the first CBRN DR-SKO IDIQ
contract in December 2014, over 100 sys-
tems have been delivered to the U.S. De-
partment of Defence. Perimeter security
is of also vital importance and here the
FLIR PT-Series HD dual-sensor camera
system provides superior, long-range
perimeter intrusion detection regard-
less of lighting and environmental con-
ditions. The high-speed, pan-tilt camera
provides quick and accurate threat veri-
fication. The FLIR PT-Series HD system
is ideal for perimeter security, and ex-
pands FLIR’s broad security product of-
ferings. The camera system is available
with either a cooled or uncooled 640x480
resolution thermal camera with a 1080p
HD visible camera. Multiple high-per-
formance thermal lenses are available,
including optical zoom lenses up to 14X.
The HD visible camera also features a
30X optical zoom lens with autofocus
and low light capabilities. FLIR also of-
fers a comprehensive, enterprise-level
video management solution called Unit-
ed VMS 8.0 for managing video security
operations. FLIR United VMS 8.0 manag-
es large and multi-location video opera-
tions, and delivers a more secure system
through stronger online security creden-
tial requirements. The United VMS 8.0's
open platform design allows for integra-
tion with third party technologies and is
customisable and scalable for any size
deployment, from small retailers to large
enterprises to critical infrastructure.
39
 LAND POWER

ARMY SHARPENS ITS

ATTACK WITH APACHES
Is it desirable for both the
Army and the Air Force to
be equipped with attack
helicopters?
BRIG GURMEET KANWAL
(RETD) analyses the role
played by air power –
comprising fighter-ground
attack (FGA) aircraft, attack
helicopters and combat
drones or UCAVs – during
ground operations on
the modern battlefield
and observes that attack
helicopters need to become a
well-knit and finely integrated
part of the ground battle
environment

I
n September 2015, the Cabinet
Committee on Security (CCS) ap-
proved the acquisition of 22 AH-
64 Apache attack helicopters and
15 CH-47 Chinook heavy lift he-
licopters from the United States for ap-
proximately $2.5 billion. The contract
signed at that time gave India an option
to buy 11 Apaches and, in addition, four
Chinooks. It was reported in end-August
2017 that India had exercised the option
and decided to acquire six additional
Apaches.
While the first lot of 22 Apaches will
go to the Indian Air Force (IAF) to replace
its ageing Mi-35 attack helicopter fleet,
the six additional Apaches will go to the
Army Aviation Corps. This move is in

40 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in


The Army has not fully grasped
the value and appropriate
employment of air power
primarily because the Air Force
itself has been ambivalent in its
doctrines.
JASWANT SINGH
former Defence, External Affairs
and Finance Minister
consonance with the previous UPA gov-
ernment’s decision to accept the army’s
long-standing demand that attack heli-
copters should be integral to the army. A
K Antony, then Defence Minister, had di-
rected that the next set of Apaches should
be given to the army. The army is report-
ed to have projected a total requirement
of 39 attack helicopters to support offen-
sive and defensive operations, particular-
ly the operations of its three Strike Corps
and Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) dur-
ing Cold Start operations.
Are these acquisitions in order? Is it
desirable for both the army and the air
force to be equipped with attack heli-
copters? In order to answer these ques-
tions, it is necessary to first analyse the
role played by air power – comprising
fighter-ground attack (FGA) aircraft, at-
tack helicopters and combat drones or
UCAVs – during ground operations on
the modern battlefield.
Employed in a synergistic manner in
conjunction with the ground forces, air
power can be a substantive force multi-
plier that can pave the way for victory.
Interdiction of targets in depth and the
provision of sustained close air support
(CAS, also referred to as battlefield air
strikes or BAS) to the ground forces are
now part and parcel of the tactics, tech-
niques and procedures (TTPs) of con-
ventional combat on land.
The capacity to execute joint Air
Land operations is considerably en-
hanced by the ability of the air force to
mass firepower quickly and deliver a
wide range of weapons at the point of
decision. In Gulf War II, the US armed
forces had raised CAS/BAS to the level
of a fine art. Air-to-ground strikes were
whistled in more frequently than in any
other war and were delivered with alac-
rity in an unbelievable response time of
15 to 20 minutes.
Hence, the importance of battlefield
air strikes in modern wars must not
be underrated. A few missions of FGA
aircraft and attack helicopters can de-
liver more ordnance by way of 1,000 lb.
bombs – some of them equipped with
precision guidance for terminal homing
– in a few minutes on an objective select-
ed for capture than the 18 guns of a 155
mm Bofors medium artillery regiment
can deliver in 20 to 30 minutes.
During adverse operational situa-
tions, particularly in fast-flowing mech-
anised operations in the plains, accurate
air force and attack helicopter strikes
can save the day. The battle of Longe-
wala during the 1971 war with Pakistan,
where a Pakistani armour thrust was
brought to a grinding halt by IAF fighter
aircraft guided by Army Aviation pilots,
is a good example. Also, it is a truism that
in-your-face air force and attack helicop-
ter strikes against the enemy in contact
with own troops – strikes that can be
seen by the troops – provide a major psy-
chological boost to their morale.
The smooth conduct of electronic
warfare and “information operations”
also benefits from air force and attack
helicopter strikes. Alan D Campen in
his The First Information War, pointed
out: “The targets of the opening shots in
Desert Storm were two Iraqi radars lo-
cated just inside Iraq’s border with Saudi
Arabia. Hit from army helicopters firing
Hellfire missiles, these stations went
silent. Moments later, a stealthy F-117
launched a 2,000 pound laser guided
bomb on an interceptor control station.
Those two attacks opened a door in an
electronic wall through which 668 air-
craft were to streak into Iraq.”
Air Cmde Jasjit Singh commented in
Army 2020: Synchronising Military Power
with National Aspirations: “If there is a
single lesson of warfare for the past hun-
dred years it is that land forces cannot
achieve their strategic, operational and
tactical tasks effectively without deep
synchronisation, bordering on synergy,
between land and air operations. In ef-
fect, air power is the crucial lynchpin
without which no military objective can
be achieved; and, hence, the key to joint
operations.”
Another battle-winning factor is the
possession in abundance of precision-
guided munitions (PGMs). Superior pre-
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
Airpower dominates the
battlefield and must be
employed concentrated to
achieve maximum synergy…
In the inter-Services context,
this eminently profound article
of faith has been allowed to
acquire an extended meaning of
single-service ownership of all
air assets.
GENERAL SHANKAR
ROYCHOWDHURY
former COAS
cision firepower, delivered from ground-
based and aerial platforms, can give
ground forces a decisive edge in limited
wars. Long-range lethal munitions and
precision targeting promise to provide
an immense edge to well-equipped
ground forces. According to Robert H.
Scales Jr. in The Army’s Operational Con-
cept, “The lesson from the Gulf War is
clear: in a high intensity war, firepower
must break the enemy’s will to resist
before close combat begins. Firepower
must so weaken the enemy that close-in
killing by infantry and armoured forces
becomes a coup de grace rather than a
bloody battle of attrition.”
The Indian Army’s experience dur-
ing the Kargil conflict had also brought
out a similar lesson. Maximum Indian
casualties occurred during initial as-
saults on the icy mountaintops occu-
pied by regular Pakistani soldiers before
the artillery had built up to the level of
being able to concentrate 100 guns on
each target in turn. Sustained, accurate
and high volume concentrated artillery
firepower eventually won the battle for
India by completely decimating enemy
sangars and enabling the infantry to as-
sault virtually unopposed. Tiger Hill and
many other objectives were finally re-
captured with minimum casualties. Air-
to-ground strikes by the IAF were also
instrumental in weakening the enemy’s
resolve. The battle winning capability
41
 LAND POWER
This image demonstrates the unmatched mobility
of the M777 as two CH-47 Chinook helicopters
fly into a drop zone carrying the howitzers
of ground-based and aerially-delivered
firepower in limited wars was estab-
lished beyond doubt.
Forming joint air attack teams
Fighter ground attack (FGA) aircraft
have several limitations. FGA aircraft are
finding it increasingly difficult to pene-
trate the dense air defence (AD) umbrel-
las of manoeuvre forces to launch effec-
tive air strikes. Second, the electronic
warfare (EW) measures adopted by the
enemy successfully degrade the capa-
bility of FGA missions to deliver their le-
thal payload within acceptable limits of
accuracy. Ideally, FGA missions should
be integrated with army aviation assets
and the indirect firepower of the artil-
lery. Such a concerted employment of
air support resources would be a potent
combat force multiplier and would re-
sult in the optimum utilisation of valu-
able and scarce assets.
One method of achieving the levels
of integration and close cooperation
that are necessary to optimise capa-
bilities is to form joint air attack teams
(JAAT) – an idea whose time has come.
The JAAT provides the ground formation
commander with a highly mobile, lethal
force capable of engaging enemy forces
beyond the range of ground-based di-
rect firing weapons, well before the en-
emy forces establish contact with own
troops or mechanised forces. The JAAT
can delay, disrupt or destroy enemy ma-
noeuvre elements in any tactical situa-
tion, help contain enemy penetrations
42
USAF
and provide commanders with useful
information about enemy dispositions,
locations and activities. The flexibility
of JAAT can be employed to maintain
continuous pressure on mobile enemy
forces beyond the range of ground-
based weapons, particularly in situa-
tions of dire emergency such as when a
heliborne force is counter-attacked by
enemy armour before link-up can take
place.
A JAAT is a composite team of army
aviation’s reconnaissance (light) heli-
copters, attack helicopters and air force
FGA aircraft. The team will usually op-
erate as the aerial punch of the com-
bined arms team. The aviation assets
forming a JAAT may be brought together
for a pre-planned CAS strike or for im-
mediate CAS requests or during battle-
field opportunities. The ground forces
commander, normally the brigade com-
mander or the GOC of a division, would
normally have overall responsibility for
the planning, coordination and employ-
ment of a JAAT. However, battalion or
combat group commanders may request
JAAT strikes at their discretion.
During meeting engagements and
tank versus tank battles, spontaneous
requests for immediate JAAT strikes
would be commonplace. A JAAT can
also act as an “anvil of fire” in the clas-
sic “hammer and anvil” tactics of de-
stroying enemy forces. During defensive
operations, enemy actions designed to
disrupt the defender’s time frame or to
pose unmanageable threats would be
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
justified grounds for whistling in JAAT
strikes. In situations where attack he-
licopters are “on call” to brigades, for
example to a leading combat command,
immediate JAAT strikes would be easier
to plan and execute. Skilful execution is
necessary to implement the JAAT con-
cept successfully.
Indian attack helicopters must be ca-
pable of night attack and all-weather fly-
ing. These must be able to lay-off in and
operate off small helipads in forward
hides where the pilots can be briefed
in real-time and can return for ammu-
nition replenishment, re-fuelling and
maintenance checks for short durations.
In other words, attack helicopters need
to become a well-knit and finely inte-
grated part of the ground battle environ-
ment with the only difference being that
they launch their lethal payload while
they are airborne.
Attack helicopter pilots must eat, live
and train together with their counter-
parts in the manoeuvre arms. In some
Western armies attack helicopters are
known as the “fourth squadron” of a
combat group. That is the level of inte-
gration that Indian attack helicopter
units should aspire to achieve.
Finally, while a beginning has been
made, six attack helicopters will be
grossly inadequate to support ground
operations across the full spectrum of
the threats and challenges with which
the army will need to cope over the next
few decades. The remaining 33 attack
helicopters that the army requires must
be acquired expeditiously so that the
Army Aviation Corps becomes a potent
force and an effective force multiplier
during the next conventional conflict
that the army is required to fight. Ideal-
ly, the 22 Apaches being procured for the
IAF should be transferred to the army so
that a single force holds all of them.
There would be operational synergy
in doing so as the army is the primary
user of the potent firepower punch that
the Apaches pack and their employment
during war has to be planned in intimate
coordination with the ground forces.
Such a move would also facilitate train-
ing and logistics. It was a mistake to have
initially decided that the IAF should hold
and man the attack helicopter fleet. In
other modern armies attack helicopters
are an integral part of army aviation. The
consequences of historical mistakes do
not have to be endured in perpetuity.
The writer is Distinguished Fellow,
Institute for Defence Studies and
Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi

MYTH, REALITY OR AN
AVOIDABLE CONUNDRUM?
ust days after Prime Minister Modi
met President Xi Jinping on the
sides of the BRICS Summit in Chi-
na following the Doklam standoff,
the Chinese President pointed
out that the two countries “are each
other's development opportunities, not
threats”. Yet, just a couple of days later,
Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat,
while speaking at a Think Tank in Delhi
stated: “As far as the northern adver-
sary (China) is concerned, the flexing of
muscle has started. The salami slicing,
taking over territory in a very gradual
manner, testing our limits of the thresh-
old is something we have to be wary
about and remain prepared for situa-
TWO FRONT WAR
PIB
tions which could gradually emerge into
conflict." He further categorically went
on to suggest that given the extremely
friendly ties between Pakistan and Chi-
na and their shared interests we should
be prepared to fight a two front war.
While the Chinese establishment
took umbrage to his statement, the
Doklam confrontation, though resolved
through deft diplomacy, brought us
face to face with the stark reality of the
threats that we face in our neighbour-
hood. Most analysts seem to believe
that attempts such as Doklam cannot be
ruled out in the future. This is borne out
by reports that suggest that the Chinese
PLA has now strengthened the Doklam
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
FOCUS
Given our relationship
with China and Pakistan,
there could be a time
when we will have to
confront the two in
battle. BRIG DEEPAK
SINHA (RETD) points
out that our defence
forces and the political
establishments must be
so prepared that such an
exigency does not arise
The Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat
interacting with the media, talked about how
the increasing intrusion from China could
hamper the country's boundaries
sector and established a permanent
camp close to the area of confronta-
tion. While we are still not fully clear
about Chinese intentions in forcing the
confrontation, there is no running away
from the fact that China sees in India the
sole opposition to its hegemonic designs
in Asia. This is especially so given our
relative size, economic potential and
burgeoning growth. It worries too about
our increasingly close relationship with
the United States, Japan and Australia,
suspecting that we will increasingly act
in tandem with them to further Ameri-
can interests. So, it has embarked on a
systematic effort to neutralise Indian
influence in the region and restrict it to
43
 FOCUS

its South Asian neighbourhood. Its con-

certed exertions to woo our immediate
neighbours with whom we share land
and sea borders, Bangladesh, Myanmar,
Nepal and Sri Lanka by providing them
financial incentives is too well known
to bear repetition. As is its’ “String of
Pearls” policy to restrict our freedom of
unfettered navigation by establishing a
string of bases in the Indian Ocean lit-
toral States.
In one sense its efforts to strengthen
its capabilities to effectively operate in
the Indian Ocean is perfectly under-
standable, given the fact that its energy
lifeline traverses through this ocean.
However, its efforts to curtail our influ-
ence within our neighbourhood, as well
as its unrestrained support to Pakistan,
especially in their attempts to bleed In-
dia through Low-Intensity Conflicts cast
doubts about its real intentions towards
us. The manner in which it has gone
about developing the China-Pakistan
Economic Corridor with utter disregard
for our sensibilities and concerns about
infrastructure development undertak-
en through areas of Pakistan Occupied
Kashmir that we claim and its unwill-
ingness to settle the border question
equitably only exacerbate the problem.
To all of this we must also add the co-
vert support it provides to rebel groups
in our North East and the Maoist fac-
tions that operate in Middle India. De- PIB
PM Narendra Modi with President of the People's Republic of China, Xi Jinping at the Summit in China on
spite the fact that while mutual trade is September 5, 2017
burgeoning and it is our largest trading
partner, we still need to be wary of its
intentions and keep our powder dry and chistan is of its own making. While the camps. Simultaneously, the Indian Gov-
deal with it from a position of strength, issue of Jammu and Kashmir may be ernment also clearly indicated that it
despite our vastly unequal economic seen as the unfinished agenda of parti- was willing to go further along the esca-
and military capabilities. tion by them, it appears to be extremely latory ladder and initiate its “cold start”
On the other hand, there is abso- unlikely that either party has the capa- doctrine, by evacuating border villages
lutely no ambiguity where our relation- bility to change the status quo through in Punjab and J&K, in the event of a
ship stands with regard to Pakistan. the use of force, despite rhetoric to the Pakistani response to the cross-border
After four wars, an ongoing Low Inten- contrary. The Kargil conflict proved this strike. Clearly, this Indian Government
sity Conflict and numerous terrorist at- quite forcefully for Pakistan. is less susceptible to nuclear blackmail,
tacks, by Pakistan-sponsored terrorist Yet, Pakistan has continued to use though it must know that such punitive
groups, our relationship has reached its terror as a means to achieve its designs actions are of limited value as this in-
nadir. The only way it can go any lower in Jammu and Kashmir whilst simulta- surgency is primarily fuelled from with-
is if we were to be involved in another neously keeping the Line of Control ac- in and can only be resolved through
full-fledged war due to Pakistani prov- tive through intermittent shelling. It is a substantive political solutions accept-
ocation, such as another terror attack strategy that ensures that the Pakistan able to the local population.
on the scale of the Mumbai attacks of Army remains uncommitted and un- In such circumstances, given our
26/11, for example. While the Pakistan touched, while the Indian Army contin- adversarial relations with both China
Army, for its own reasons, has success- ues to bleed. It worked on the promise and Pakistan and given their close
fully pushed the narrative of an evil In- that India would not respond militarily friendship with each other, our defence
dia bent on Pakistan’s dismemberment to avoid escalation, especially given the chiefs have little choice but to be pre-
and destruction, this is a far cry from nuclear dimension and Pakistan’s con- pared to tackle the worst case scenario,
the truth. It was not Indian perfidy but stant threats in this regard. However, that of Pakistan and China confronting
its own internal contradictions that led Pakistan has now learnt, to its cost, that us jointly, however unlikely such a de-
to the formation of Bangladesh, an issue there is a limit to such a strategy as the velopment may actually be. The govern-
that continues to rankle the Pakistani Indians responded to the Uri outrage ment too, has little choice but to provide
polity. Similarly, the situation in Balu- with a cross-border strike on terror the necessary resources that would be

44 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in


required for our forces to be able to deal
with such a threat effectively. It goes
without saying that preparing for a two-
front war would be an expensive propo-
sition as it would impinge on our efforts
to focus on economic development and
enhance living standards, undoubtedly
a more important priority for any gov-
ernment.
Add to this the fact that we have
very limited options available to cut
down manpower within our army by
providing them high technology weap-
on systems or equipment. This is be-
cause a substantial part of our borders
are along mountainous high altitude
terrain where technology has serious
operational limitations and cannot
be relied upon. Thus, a large standing
Army is unavoidable, which in turn will
adversely impact the revenue to capi-
tal expenditure ratio and our ability to
keep it equipped with state-of-the-art
weapons systems and equipment with-
out seriously impinging on our national
budget. One also needs to factor in the
incontrovertible truth that our defence
budget is only one fifth of that of China
and we will continue to be at a military
disadvantage well into the foreseeable
future. Thus one would not be wrong
in concluding that our leaders are faced
with a Hobson’s choice of primarily fo-
cusing either on our security needs or
on economic development, because we
just do not have the funds to cater for
both requirements.
It goes without saying that choos-
ing either of the above options or doing
nothing, which has historically been
our default mode, plays into the hands
of those who wish us ill. We, therefore,
find ourselves in a dilemma with little
choice but to look for unconventional
solutions that are inherently risky but
can pay tremendous dividends if suc-
cessful. This will require clear articula-
tion of vision, hard-headed and realistic
understanding of the capabilities and
limitations of our potential enemies,
and most importantly, a determined
focus to speedily push through the nec-
essary corrective measures required to
ensure that our enemies advantages are
neutralised, however, unpalatable some
of the required measures may well be.
A start can only be made once our
entire political class is willing and able
to change perceptions, mindsets and
attitudes that it displays towards secu-
rity matters. This is one aspect of gover-
nance where there are neither shortcuts
nor brownie points to be made and po-
litical gamesmanship must be avoided.
Not only should we be blessed with an
apolitical military, but more impor-
tantly we need the politicians to keep
politics out of military matters as well.
For example, the decision of this gov-
ernment to only implement the most
innocuous of recommendations made
by the Lt Gen Shekatkar Committee and
claim that it will transform our military
is nothing more than just another facile
attempt to hoodwink the Nation and
has little credibility or meaning. Some-
thing not just this government, but even
the earlier ones, has been routinely
complicit of.
It is in this very context that the po-
litical directive that is the very lynchpin
of our national strategy and military
doctrine needs to be reconsidered and
revised. Since Independence and, even
more so, post the 1962 Sino-Indian con-
flict, there is an unequivocal, but in all
ns
ial relatio n
a dver sa r
ta
Given our China and Pakis dship
with bo th e frie n
their clos
e
and given other, our defenct to be
with ea c h hoic e bu
ve little c t case
chiefs ha to tackle the wors
prepared
scenario
likelihood an unwritten political direc-
tive in place that requires our Army to
defend every inch of our territory abi-
nitio. Sound strategic and tactical de-
fensive deployment based on terrain
considerations and a willingness and
capacity to undertake the offensive in
the event of a hostile act, such as any in-
gress into our territory, have been given
the go-by. Our forces are strung out all
along our borders, especially along the
LOC/LAC, with numerous defensive
positions established in tactically un-
tenable areas that are dominated by
our adversaries. Such a “Maginot Line”
mindset involving a linear deployment
not only requires the utilization of larg-
er number of troops, but also increases
our vulnerability if sufficient uncom-
mitted reserves are not available. All in
all, while it clearly meets our political
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
FOCUS
needs, it is militarily unsound, gives us
no flexibility and is not a credible deter-
rent.
The often talked about issues such
as integration of domain experts from
within the Services into the Ministry,
radical pruning of civilian establish-
ments that are a part of the Ministry, the
appointment of a Chief of Defence Staff
as a single point advisor to the Defence
Minister and the raising of Joint Theatre
Commands are inescapable and can no
longer be postponed. Importantly, our
border management process, especially
in the mountains, needs to be complete-
ly revamped. The emphasis on enhanc-
ing border infrastructure must be main-
tained as must the need for the ‘Make in
India’ initiative.
Given the fact that only limited wars
can be undertaken under the shadow
of the existing nuclear capabilities on
all sides,our politico-military lead-
ership needs to carry out a realistic
threat assessment and arrive at what
offensive force capabilities need to be
maintained to provide deterrence. In
this context the Army needs to rethink
its deep strike options in our Western
Theatre and reconsider the necessity to
maintain three strike corps. If moun-
tains are going to be the decisive battle-
grounds of the future surely some of the
redundant formations earmarked for
the plains can be reorganised for em-
ployment in mountains. The raising of a
second Mountain Strike Corps (MSC) is
certainly an operational necessity given
our frontages. However, the existing
MSC, as well as any other raised, must
be tailored for air mobile operations as
in its existing manpower heavy configu-
ration it is not in a position to carry out
its allotted task due to infrastructural
constraints.
Our MSC(s), along with reconfig-
ured Special Operations Forces, must
pose a potent threat to the Tibetan Au-
tonomous Region, if they are to act as
credible countervailing forces. Finally,
given its extensive experience and do-
main knowledge in extreme high alti-
tude operations the Army must shed
its conservative hidebound operational
philosophy and layers of command, re-
duce its dependence on numbers and
wholeheartedly adopt new technologies
and tactics that will allow it to conduct
operations in greater depth, with speed
and flexibility.
The writer is a military veteran and
consultant with the Observer Research
Foundation
45
 FAREWELL
FITTING
FINALE
The IAF’s Mi-8 ‘Pratap’
helicopters and MiG-27 ML
‘Bahadur’ ground attack
aircraft have been phased
out of service, reports
MIKE RAJKUMAR
T
he Indian Air Force (IAF)
has formally retired the
last of its Russian built Mil
Mi-8 ‘Pratap’ medium lift
helicopters. Less than a
handful of Mi-8s were operational at
the time of their retirement from IAF
service. The Air Force also phased out
its non-upgraded MiG-27 ML ‘Bahadur’
ground-attack aircraft from service in
December 2016. The last Mi-8 of the IAF
received a special send off with Air Chief
Marshal (Retd) F H Major at the controls
of the helicopter on its final flight. This
is apparently the only instance of an
IAF aircraft retiring from service with
a former service chief at the controls,
who was also type-rated on the aircraft.
ACM Major was the first helicopter pilot
to rise to the rank of Chief of the Air
Staff in the IAF and on the day of the
final flight had accumulated over 4900
flying hours on the Mi-8. Air Marshal
Jasjit Singh Kler, VM, Commandant
NDA, the seniormost MI-8 helicopter
pilot serving in the IAF was also
present at the ceremony, which had Air
Marshal SRK Nair PVSM, AVSM, VSM,
AOC-in-C, Training Command, as the
Chief Guest. The Mi-8 fleet was phased
out at Air Force Station, Yelahanka in
Bengaluru, where the last few aircraft
were operated by 112HU for training
of trainee pilots who would graduate
to operate medium lift helicopters in
the IAF. 112HU is the alma mater of
46
helicopter pilots within the IAF, and the
unit has passed out a record 119 pilot
courses, 89 Flight Engineer courses and
57 Flight Gunner courses. Over the last
few years, the IAF had begun to transfer
all of its remaining Mi-8s to Yelahanka.
The Mi-8 helicopters, when first
delivered from Russia, was one of
the most modern ’copters of its time
and was a quantum leap ahead of the
piston-powered Mi-4 helicopters then
operational with the IAF. The first Mi-
8s arrived at the docks in Mumbai in
1971 and the helicopter was inducted
into service in 1972, going on to serve maintenance, casualty evacuation, aid
in ten operational helicopter units. to civil power and special heliborne
Mi-8 helicopters were also extensively operations. The basic Mi-8/17 model is
used for VVIP transport. Between the cargo version, which can transport
1971 and 1990, 107 Mi-8 helicopters up to 4,000 kg of various kinds of cargo
were inducted into the IAF; 83 Mi-8 either inside the cabin or on an external
helicopters between 1971 and 1980 and sling.
a second batch of 17 Mi-8 helicopters The Mi-8 was the most capable
were added between 1981 and 1990. helicopter operational with the IAF
Then Wing Commander, FH Major had until induction of the much-improved
commanded the first Mi-17 squadron Mi-17 helicopters started in 1984. An
of the IAF. The Mi-8 along with the Mi- estimated 100 Mi-17 helicopters were
17 fleet undertook transportation of procured between 1984 and 1989. Over
troops and supplies, communication the last four decades the helicopters
support, logistic support including air from the famous Mil design bureau
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in

The Indian Air Force has been forced to retain the
venerable MiG-21 years past its retirement date.
Pictured is Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa PVSM
AVSM YSM VM ADC in a MiG-21 Type 96 trainer
made up more than 60 per cent of the
IAF rotorcraft inventory; distributed
across seven different types which are
used for medium (Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-17 1V,
Mi-17 V5,) and heavy (Mi-26) airlift and
attack (Mi-24 and Mi-35) operations.
The Mi-8 was used in all major IAF
operations over the last 40 years and
took part in Operation Meghdoot (1984)
in the Siachen Glacier and Operation
Pawan (1987) in Sri Lanka. It was also
operated extensively in humanitarian
and disaster relief operations across
the length and breadth of the country
and its last operation before retirement
was participating in relief operations
during the 2015 Chennai floods.
The Mi-8/17 series is one the most
successful helicopters in history, with
more than 12,000 Mi-8/17 helicopters
have been produced. This is the highest
number of any twin-engine helicopter
type to be manufactured anywhere in
the world. These helicopters have been
sold to over 100 countries worldwide
and the total flying time on these
helicopters has crossed 100 million
hours. Updated Mi-8/17 helicopters are
still being built at Ulan-Ude Aviation
Plant and the Kazan Helicopters
factory in Russia with the following
modelspresently being produced: Mi-
8AMT, Mi-8MTV-1, Mi-171, Mi-171A1
and Mi-172.
Bahadur fades away
The IAF phased out its MiG-27 ML
IAF PRO
With the retirement of the older non-upgraded
swing-wing MiG-27ML fleet from IAF service, only
two upgraded MiG-27 UPGs remain operational
MOD
‘Bahadur’ swing-wing ground attack
aircraft from service in December 2017.
The service had its MiG-27 ML fleet
split into upgraded (MiG-27 UPG) and
non-upgraded (MiG-27 ML) versions,
that were based on the Western
(Jodhpur) and Eastern (Hashimara)
borders respectively. The last of two
non-upgraded MiG-27 ML squadrons
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
FAREWELL
based at Hashimara Air Force Base
in West Bengal have been retired. No.
22 Squadron ‘Swifts' was the last IAF
squadron flying non-upgraded MiG-27
MLs, following the retirement of No.
18 Squadron ‘Flying Bullets’, in April
2016. The Swifts transitioned to the
swing-wing ground attack aircraft in
1990 and the final flight of the type was
led by the Commanding Officer Group
Captain S L Mahajan. At its peak, the
MiG-27 equipped seven squadrons of
the IAF and the last of the MiG-27 UPGs
are likely to soldier on till 2020. The IAF
also number plated another MiG-21
Type 96 fighter squadron in December
2017, when 108 Squadron, ‘Hawkeyes’
retired its aircraft from service. Air
Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa PVSM AVSM
YSM VM ADC, Chief of the Air Staff,
flew the last sortie of the squadron. The
squadron was based at the frontline
Nal air force base. The IAF is to retire
10 Squadrons of MiG-21s and MiG-27s
by 2024 on completion of their Total
Technical Life (TTL).
The last swing-wing fighters now
operational with the air force comprise
of two MiG-27 UPG squadrons with
40 aircraft. The MiG-27 upgrade
was undertaken by the Defence
Research Development Organisation
(DRDO) and HAL and was focussed
on an avionics, cockpit and weapons
upgrade. The MiG-27 ML was inducted
into the IAF in 1984 and replaced the
Sukhoi Su-7 and HAL Ajeet. A total of
165 aircraft were manufactured under
license at HAL’s Nasik facility. The last
MiG-27 was delivered by HAL in 1997.
Established in the year 1964 for licence
manufacture of the MiG-21 family,
HAL’s Aircraft Division Nasik has gone
on to manufacture other MiG variants;
MiG-21M, MiG-21 BIS, MiG-27 M and
is now producing the Su-30 MKI. HAL
produced an estimated 657 MiG-21
fighter jets. In addition to their tactical
strike and ground-attack role, the MiG-
27 ML was equipped with recce pods
for the photo-reconnaissance role. The
MiG-27 ML could attain maximum
speed of Mach 1.6 and carried one
integral 23 mm six-barrel rotary
cannon in addition to up to 4000 kg
of external armament such as guided
and unguided munitions, bombs and
rockets. The swing-fighter aircraft have
proven troublesome in service with a
higher than average accident rate and
premature airframe and Tumansky
R-29 engine failures. The R-29 had a
Time Before Overhaul (TBO) of 550
hours and a TTL of 1500 hours.
47
 SPECIAL REPORT
STALL WARNING
The Rafale deal has hit turbulence as the IAF battles to restore the strength of its combat fleet,
finds out MIKE RAJKUMAR
T
he Dassault Rafale ‘Omni-
Role’ fighter aircraft deal
saw a substantial amount of
turbulence in the later half of
2017 and much of the political
muckraking surrounding this important
fighter acquisition is likely to continue
as the country heads to general elections
in 2019. Questions have been raised on
the cost of the programme, the number
of fighter aircraft being procured and
Dassault Aviation’s choice of Reliance
Defence as its key partner for the Rafale
India programme.
Meeting an urgent need
Citing urgent Indian Air Force (IAF)
operational requirements, Dassault
Aviation was awarded a 36-aircraft Rafale
contract in September 2016. After the
end of its nine-year search for a new
combat aircraft, the IAF will now receive
sufficient Rafales to equip two squadrons,
a far cry from the 126 MMRCA, originally
projected by the service. As per the Inter-
Governmental Agreement (IGA) signed in
48
September 2016 between the Government
of India and French Republic, the
contract involved cutting edge air-to-air
and air-to-ground weapons, long-term
maintenance support, simulators along
with 10 years of annual maintenance and
associated equipment. In its justification
for the procurement, the Ministry of
Defence in a recent reply to Parliament
stated, “The Medium Multi Role Combat
Aircraft (MMRCA) proposal was for
procurement of 126 aircraft in which
18 aircraft were direct fly-away aircraft
and 108 aircraft were to be License
Manufactured in India. In the present
procurement, 36 Rafale aircraft are being
procured in direct fly-away condition
under Inter-Governmental Agreement
between the Government of India and
French Republic. In the IGA, better terms
have been achieved in terms of better
pricing, better maintenance terms and
better delivery schedule.” The IAF will
now receive its first Rafale in September
2019 and deliveries of all 36 aircraft are
to be completed by April 2022. Final
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
Operational Clearance (FOC) will be
obtained for the 1st Rafale squadron
in 2021-22. According to the MOD, the
new Rafale deal negotiated resulted in a
substantial 350 million price reduction
for 36 aircraft in flyaway condition and
better terms. The IAF Rafale’s will be in
the latest F3-R standard, whose deliveries
to the French Air Force start this year
and has two major equipment upgrades:
the MBDA METEOR missile and TALIOS
designation pod. There is no substitute
for state-of-the-art military platforms,
keeping India’s security environment
in mind. “You do need top of the line
equipment to win the deep battle, in an
air combat the asymmetry between high
and low technology is quite stark. You can
afford for things to come in later, so if they
are no wars, we can wait for indigenous
solutions to come in time,” said Air Chief
Marshal B S Dhanoa in a 2016 lecture in
Bengaluru.
Procurement conundrum
The IAF and MoD, are now looking for

a new imported single-engine fighter,
at what will be an enormous cost to the
Indian tax payer. Could the original
MMRCA contract have been split into
two separate fighter competitions as has
eventually taken place? Surely, a highly
professional and combat hardened air
arm like the IAF would have known
the actual timelines for the Tejas as
compared to the optimistic projections
bandied about by Defence Research
& Development Organisation (DRDO)
officials. In fact, many senior IAF officers
we have interacted with over the years,
have been dismissive of the Tejas and the
aircraft was never seriously considered
as a major part of the IAF’s combat fleet.
It is not hard to fathom the IAF’s disdain
for the Tejas; of the 20 Tejas Mk-1 IOC
standard aircraft ordered in 2006, only
five aircraft had been delivered as of
December 2016.
The MMRCA saga actually started in
the year 2000, when the IAF initiated a
case for procurement of 126 Mirage 2000
fighter aircraft as replacement for the MiG-
21 fleet. At that time, the IAF was largely a
tactical air force. The first sign of the IAF
shift to a strategic air arm with longer
reach, was evidenced with the November
1996 orders for eight Su-30K and 32
upgraded Su-30 MK multi-role fighters,
followed by the first su-30 MKI order
in December 1998. Following a seven-
year delay, the Mirage 2000 requirement
morphed into a Request for Proposal
al
e n t IAF operation tion
g ia
Citing ur ents, Dassault Av tract
requiremrded a Rafale con e end
was awa ber 2016. After tha 126
in Septeme-year search for receive
of its nin , the IAF will now
MMRCA s
36 Rafale
(RFP) for procurement of 126 MMRCA,
issued by the Ministry of Defence (MoD)
in August 207. The RFP set off a frenzy
amongst combat aircraft manufacturers
in the USA, Europe and Russia. Each
of the manufacturers, felt they were in
with a strong chance with solid backing
from their respective nations (or partner
nations in the case of Eurofighter). After
the Rafale and Eurofighter were found to
be technically compliant in mid-2012,
following an extensive in-country flight
evaluation programme, the proposal of
Dassault Aviation for 126 Rafales was
opened as the L1 vendor and negotiations
started in November 2011. According
to the MoD, “The Contract negotiations
had reached an impasse and the RFP was
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
SPECIAL REPORT
The Egyptian Air Force was the
first export customer for Rafale
with orders for 24 airplanes.
Deliveries are underway
DASSAULT AVIATION
formally withdrawn on 24th June 2015.”
Since the first IAF indication that it
needed to replace its MiG-21 fleet in the
year 2000, its fighter squadron strength
has gone into free fall mode. As per MOD
information given to parliament, the IAF
will have 32 Fighter Squadrons and 39
Helicopter Units by 2020. However, are
things as dire as they are made out to
be? Three squadrons of MiG-21s are to
be phased out by 2020 itself and will be
replaced by two Rafale squadrons and
at least one Tejas Mk-1 squadron. The
IAF will have 13 Su-30 MKI squadrons
by 2020 and an additional buy to keep
the line open is very likely. Of course, in
terms of pure capability, performance,
weapons load, survivability and flight
line availability, one Rafale squadron can
likely be considered the equivalent of at
least 2.5 MiG-21 Bis squadrons. By 2024,
a total of 10 IAF Squadrons flying MiG-21s
and MiG-27s are reserved to retire by 2024
on completion of their Total Technical
Life (TTL). The MiG-27 retirements will
be more than adequately compensated
by upgraded Jaguars, new Su-30 MKIs and
also the AH-64E Apache attack helicopters,
which carry a formidable weapons load
(to be inducted in 2019). Considering the
‘Swing Role’ nature of the Rafale, deeming
it as a 1:1 replacement for MiG-21s
and MiG-27s, is not only simplistic but
inaccurate. While the Mirage 2000 was
considered as a ‘Multi-Role’ fighter unlike
the MiG-29 which was an interceptor
49
 SPECIAL REPORT
and the
MiG-27/
Jaguar ground attack
aircraft; Rafale is a ‘Swing Role’
combat aircraft that can undertake a
number of roles proficiently. Unlike in the
French Air Force, where Rafale replaced
several older types of aircraft, the IAF is to
operate the Rafale alongside aircraft such
as the Su-30 MKI, Mirage 2000, MiG-29,
Jaguar, Tejas Mk-1, MiG-27 (until 2024)
and MiG-21 (until 2024).
There is also the matter of the fifth
generation Sukhoi T-50 fighter aircraft
being developed by Russia and one that
has already been offered to India for joint
development and production.
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
(HAL) already has enormous built-
up infrastructure at the Nashik Su-30
MKI manufacturing line and the fifth
generation Sukhoi T-50 is the logical
choice for manufacture here (as was the
original plan to manufacture Rafale at
HAL’s Bengaluru complex). For those who
forget, the IAF’s Russian origin aircraft
(MiG-21, MiG-27, Su-30 MKI) are license
produced and overhauled at HAL Nashik
while Western origin aircraft (Jaguar,
Hawk, Mirage 2000) are license produced
and overhauled at HAL’s Bengaluru
facility. The penchant for Transfer of
Technology (ToT) is also another matter
to be explored. “TOT is a no-brainer in
my opinion, as no original manufacturer
will ever part with his niche and critical
technologies – without which there can
never be a ToT in the true sense,” says
a senior industry observer. Thankfully
there is no Transfer of Technology (ToT)
50
Dassault Rafale F3-R in
air defence configuration
agreement in
the procurement
of the 36 Rafales, though the provision
of 50 per cent offsets has been retained.
Towards that end, it is indeed surprising
that there has been no government
study mandated to study the efficacy
of ToT, related to other aircraft license
production programmes such as the Su-
30 MKI, Hawk Mk-132 or even the older
Jaguar strike fighters by HAL. Such a study
would have provided decision makers in
the corridors of power with information
as to the benefits of ToT and whether
those funds would be better allocated to
fund indigenous research developments
or indeed blue-sky research. In any case,
the ToT requirements needed can be met
by the Sukhoi T-50 programme.
Dassault’s India connection
Dassault Aviation’s India connection goes
back 65 years and Independent India was
Dassault Aviation’s first export customer,
when it ordered 71 Ouragans for the IAF in
June 1953. Deliveries were completed in
March 1954 and India went on to order 33
second-hand Ouragans for a total of 104
Pictured is Air Chief Marshal
B S Dhanoa PVSM AVSM
YSM VM ADC after a Rafale
sortie at a French Air Base
IAF PRO
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
DASSAULT AVIATION
aircraft. Named ‘Toofani’ in IAF
service, the Ouragans were phased
out in 1967. The IAF then acquired
104 MYSTERE IV A aircraft, starting
from 1957 and these aircraft remained
operational till 1973. Dassault Aviation
was also involved in the development of
the Sepecat Jaguar which was ordered by
the IAF in 1978 and is still in service and
now being upgraded. The IAF is the last
Jaguar operator globally. In fact, the IAF
is acquiring mothballed French Air Force
Jaguars as a source of spares for its ageing
in-service fleet. Dassault Aviation scored
a major success in 1982, when the IAF
chose the Mirage 2000, which was one of
the most expensive fighters in the world
at the time. Between 1982 and 1986, the
IAF placed orders for 42 single seat Mirage
2000 H (Hindustan) and seven Mirage
2000 TH (Trainer Hindustan) twin-seat
trainers. An additional 10 aircraft were
ordered in 2000 (4 H and 6 TH). All three
IAF Mirage 2000 Squadrons: Tigers, Battle
Axes and Wolfpack, were based at Gwalior.
The IAF then went in for an expensive $2.4
billion upgrade for its Mirage 2000 fleet,
which was contracted in July 2011. The 49
remaining Mirage 2000 aircraft are being
upgraded to Mirage 2000 I/TI (India/
Trainer India) standard and will have a
Thales RDY fire-control radar, upgraded
cockpit and avionics and MBDA MICA
air-to-air missiles. Including the Rafale
order, Dassault Aviation has sold almost
300 fighter aircraft to the IAF over the last
65 years. Rafale is slated to be the French
Armed Forces prime combat aircraft until
2040 at least. It entered French Air Force
service in 2006 and made its first combat
deployment in March 2007. Four batches
of 13, 48, 59 and 60 aircraft have been
ordered by the French MoD, totalling
132 aircraft for the French Air Force (63
Rafale B two-seaters and 69 Rafale C
single-seaters) and 48 Rafale M naval
single-seaters for the French Navy. Egypt,
Qatar and India have signed contracts for
respectively 24, 36 (24+12) and 36 Rafales,
bringing firm orders to 276 aircraft. It
is also working on a future Rafale F4
standard which was announced by the
French government in March 2017 and is
expected to be ready by 2023.

OFF THE
MARK
HAL moves forward on
the LCA Mk-1A production
following the IAF’s Request
for Proposal for 83 fighters,
reports MIKE RAJKUMAR
T
he Indian Air Force (IAF)
has started the process for
additional acquisition of
Hindustan Aeronautics Lim-
ited (HAL)-built Tejas Mk-1A
fighter aircraft with the issuance of a
formal Request for Proposal (RFP) to
the state-owned airframer in Decem-
ber 2017. HAL already has production
orders in hand for 40 Tejas Mk-1 fighter
aircraft and till date five series produc-
tion aircraft have been delivered by
HAL to the IAF. Tejas SP-7 completed
its maiden flight in December and will
be the sixth aircraft to be delivered to
No. 45 Squadron 'Flying Daggers'. The
production of the remaining 15 aircraft
(11 fighters and 4 trainers) will be com-
pleted by 2019.
The IAF decision to issue an RFP for
procurement of 83 Tejas Mk-1A fighters,
is a significant shot in the arm for the
indigenous fighter programme that has
been beset with time overruns. The
lack of timely and sizeable orders has
often impacted indigenous projects
and it is indeed a healthy sign to see
that important home-grown defence
products are receiving sizeable orders
as evidenced from orders placed by the
armed forces for the BrahMos supersonic
cruise missile and Akash surface-to-air
missile (SAM) system and many other
products. As of December 28, 2017, the
Tejas development effort had completed
3714 flights. Worryingly, the Navy NP1
and NP2 prototype aircraft have not
flown since end of May 2017.
Conscious about the fact that the
IAF is unhappy with the Tejas Mk-1 in
Initial Operational Clearance (IOC)
and Final Operational Clearance
(FOC) configurations, HAL and the
Aeronautical Development Agency
(ADA) are working to ensure that
development of the Tejas Mk-1A is
completed in time so that production
can commence on completion of
series production of the first batch of
20 IOC standard Tejas Mk-1s. Initial
Operational Clearance-1 (IOC-I) for
Tejas Mk-1 was obtained in January
2011 and seven years later, FOC has yet
to be obtained.
The IAF has asked that the Tejas Mk-
1A be flown this year and if the HAL/
ADA combine manage to achieve this,
then a 103-aircraft production run,
will realistically allow HAL to ramp-up
production to the 16 aircraft per year
mark by 2020-21. As compared to the
Tejas Mk-1, the Mk-1A will have 40-odd
modifications, in addition to an Israeli
Elta AESA radar, self-protection jammer
pod, newer weapons and improved
maintainability. Tejas Mk-1 aircraft have
a ferry range of 1700 km and Radius of
Action of upto 500 km depending upon
the nature and duration of actual combat.
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
SPECIAL REPORT
When the IAF finally places firm orders for 83 Tejas
Mk-1A fighters, it will mark the end of a long bale to
get the service to commit to the light fighter
It is unlikely that these figures will be
improved upon by the Tejas Mk-1A.
The Tejas Mk-1A will be more
expensive, but much of the purchase
cost will be utilised in developing a
home-grown aerospace capability,
employing Indian citizens as compared
to an imported aircraft. The Tejas Mk-
1A is estimated to cost `270 crore ($41.5
million) per fighter as compared to the
approximately `190 crore ($30 million)
per aircraft for each Tejas Mk1 built as
per IOC standard. The government has
already accorded budgetary approval
for the `50,000 crore ($7.7 billion) it will
cost to build 83 Tejas Mk-1A aircraft
that will also include the establishment
of the complete ecosystem for the six
squadron build-up, infrastructure for
first and second line servicing and
establishing facilities for fourth line
servicing, ground support and engine
infrastructure for support at bases. The
Tejas Mk-2 was to have been production-
ready by 2026 with a higher thrust
GE414 engine or a redeveloped Kaveri
engine along with an internal EW suite,
On-Board Oxygen Generating System
(OBOGS), updated avionics and Flight
Control System (FCS). The path forward
for Tejas Mk-2 remains to be finalised.
51
 HISTORY

SEARCH AND DESTROY

Anti-Submarine Warfare helicopters have come a long way since WWII when they performed
numerous tasks: hunting submarines and rescuing personnel from torpedoed ships. While such
choppers were an indispensable part of navies in the western world, the Indian Fleet got its first he-
licopter 14 long years after Independence, writes CMDE LALIT KAPUR (RETD) in this short history

W
hen thinking of helicop- Seaking taking off of
ters, people visualise a INS Viraat
sleek, powerful machine
capable of racing through
the air and doing diverse
jobs, including rescue, transfer, search,
electronic warfare, anti-ship strike and
much more. The Anti-Submarine War-
fare (ASW) helicopter of today is, along
with fixed wing maritime patrol aircraft,
amongst the most effective tools available
to the fleet commander at sea to counter
the submarine threat. As it operates in the
air while the submarine is in the water, it
cannot be detected by the submarine un-
less the helicopter gives its own position
away by active sonar transmission. This
also means it cannot be targeted by the
submarine’s weapons and can operate
almost with impunity (although systems
under development such as the Interac-
tive Defence and Attack System for Sub-
marines, IDAS, may redress the current
balance which is totally one sided in fa-
vour of the helicopter).
Operating in teams of two or more,
helicopters can search large areas quick-
ly, using tactics to spook any submarine
that might be in the area. It’s dipping so-
nar overcomes the disadvantages of hull
INDIAN NAVY

mounted sonars on surface ships, as the

transducer can be lowered to the desired
depth, eliminating the submarine’s ability
to hide ‘below the layer’. When a subma-
rine’s presence is suspected, judicious use
of active and passive modes of the sonar
by a team of helicopters can be used to
drive it in a desired direction. Finally, its
on-board weapons, including active hom-
ing torpedoes, can be delivered with con-
siderable accuracy, enabling a higher kill
rate. Small wonder that ASW helicopters
have proliferated in all navies aspiring to
counter submarines. The fact that heli-
copters were developed for ASW, however,
is a tribute to the vision of a few men from
the United States Coast Guard (USCG),
which shared the burden of escorting
convoys with the USN and Royal Navy
(RN) during the Battle of the Atlantic.
Aircraft had taken on a role in the
battle fairly early. They patrolled areas
close to the coast in an attempt to locate
German submarines, whose threat rap-
idly assumed colossal proportions. Their
limited range coupled with the huge
trans-Atlantic gap stretching over 5000
km meant there were large areas of the
ocean that remained out of reach of air-
borne surveillance. One person who saw
their potential was Lt Cdr Frank Erickson,
USN, who opined that any vessel that
could mount a 30 square foot platform
could be used as a potential carrier for
helicopters, which would enable surveil-
lance of the area ahead. It could thus do
the job of USN and USCG convoy escorts.
He also visualised that the helicopter’s
ability to hover would enable it to bomb
enemy submarines with greater accuracy.
Further, helicopters could also be used to
rescue personnel on torpedoed ships by
lowering a dinghy to them, or by hoisting
them up from the water. He was able to
bring these thoughts to the USCG.
Helicopters were then being devel-
oped for the US Army. The Commander
of the US Coast Guard, V Adm Russel
Waeche sought to borrow two helicopters
from the Army for a demonstration. He
was so impressed by their performance
that he spoke to Admiral Ernest King,
the Chief of Naval Operations and Com-
mander-in-Chief of the US Fleet, who set
up a programme to test, evaluate and de-
velop the helicopter for ASW, using three
helicopters provided by the US Army. The

52 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in


vision was that the helicopter would carry
a depth charge, search ahead of the con-
voy and on sighting the submarine or on
its detection by sonar carried by destroy-
ers, it would drop the depth charge on the
submarine and kill it.
The first test of the helicopter’s ability
to land on the deck of a ship took place
on May 7, 1943, aboard a tanker named
Bunker Hill. Col Frank Gregory of the
US Army (flying what was, after all, a US
Army helicopter), did several takeoffs and
landings from a 78-foot long strip of deck
on Bunker Hill. Shortly after these tests,
Erickson pointed out that the helicopter
could fly in weather that would ground
fixed wing aircraft and could thus fly on
overcast days with low cloud ceilings. He
also pointed out that the utility of the heli-
copter lay in being the eyes and ears of the
convoy escort: the Navy’s biggest problem
was finding the submarine, not killing it
and in any case less than half per cent of
all depth charges dropped had the requi-
site destructive effect. He thus thought
that the helicopter should carry radar,
and perhaps sonar equipment, instead of
the depth charge.
For the next part of the trials, mer-
chantmen SS Daghestan and Governor
Cobb were converted to carry one heli-
copter. A three phase trial was decided
upon. The first phase would comprise
calm water operations, to familiarise pi-
lots with shipboard takeoff and recovery.
The second phase was to be in the open
sea, to determine how ship motion im-
pacted on helicopter operations. The
final phase would be an actual convoy
operation to Europe and back. A dipping
sonar was added to the helicopter in April
1944. The war ended before development
could be completed. The ground had,
however, been laid for the emergence of
the helicopter’s ASW role.
By the 1960s, helicopters had become
an integral and indispensable part of
blue water navies, carrying out a variety
of tasks such as Vertical Replenishment,
transfer of personnel and mail between
ships at sea, search and rescue, anti-sub-
marine, reconnaissance etc. The Indian
Navy, however, had none. Indian naval
officers could not have been oblivious of
the vital role that helicopters were playing
in naval operations even at the time India
gained independence in 1947. More so,
as India’s first helicopter pilot was an In-
dian Naval officer: Lt Cdr YN Singh went
through a helicopter conversion course at
Gosport, UK, in 1951 and became a quali-
fied helicopter pilot at least two years
before the Indian Air Force selected its
first batch of pilots (comprising Flt Lt SK
Majumdar and Flt Lt Neil Todd) for heli-
copter training. Ships in the IN, however,
were not suited for helicopter operations.
The largest were frigates Tir and Khukri,
followed by sloops Sutlej, Jumna, Kistna
and Cauvery and they had no space for a
helo deck. All other ships were of corvette
size or smaller. The Hunt class destroy-
ers Godavari, Ganga and Gomati were
acquired from the RN in the early 1950s.
The new construction Leopard class frig-
ates Brahmaputra, Beas and Betwa were
to join the IN from 1958 to 1960, as were
the Type 12 Whitby class ships Trishul
and Talwar. Again, none of these were
equipped for helicopter operations. Thus,
while helicopters were becoming an in-
dispensable part of navies in the western
world, the Indian Fleet would wait for
nearly 14 years after independence to get
its first helicopter.
Lt Cdr Frank Erickson
Given that acquisition of platforms
was then entirely from UK, it was perhaps
natural that the first helicopter type to be
considered for induction was the light
utility helicopter from a Western source.
SUD Aviation had already made a name
for itself by producing the World’s first
turbine powered helicopter, the Alou-
ette II. With the commissioning of INS
Vikrant in 1961, the need for helicopters
could no longer be ignored. Aircraft car-
rier operations necessitated the presence
of a Search and Rescue (SAR) flight to res-
cue pilots of aircraft that ditched in the
water. Two French Alouette helicopters
were thus taken on loan from France for
the ship’s workup off Malta. The pilots
received their initial training with the In-
dian Air Force, and later in France. The
helicopters were returned to France on
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
HISTORY
completion of the workup.
Three Alouettes had been ordered
from France for Vikrant’s SAR flight, but
their delivery was expected only in 1964.
To cover the period 1961-1964, two Amer-
ican Sikorsky S-55 helicopters were taken
on loan from the Indian Air Force (these
were part of the five helicopters the IAF
procured from Sikorsky in 1954, India’s
first helicopters). The first two Alouettes
arrived in Bombay from France in crates
in early 1964 and were assembled as IN
131 and IN 132 (they were later re-num-
bered IN 401 and IN 402 in 1967). The
Air Force needed them urgently for high
altitude operations. The Navy’s Alouettes
were, therefore, diverted to the Air Force
and the Sikorskys continued to fly with Vi-
krant till mid-1964, when additional Alou-
ettes were received.
The first three helicopters were im-
ported from France. The government had
decided on a common light helicopter for
the Indian Navy and Air Force. In June
1962, India signed a licence agreement
with M/s Sud Aviation (this company was
merged with Eurocopter in 1992 and re-
named Airbus Helicopters in 2014) for
manufacture of the Alouette III. The In-
dian version was called the Chetak, and
the first Chetak manufactured from in-
digenous raw materials was delivered in
1969. The Alouette/Chetak was, therefore,
the first helicopter to be flown by the In-
dian Navy.
After Vikrant, the next ship to embark
helicopters was the survey ship Darshak,
the first indigenously built ship of the
Indian Navy. Darshak entered service in
1964. A small helicopter maintenance
unit was set up at INS Kunjali in Mumbai
to cater for Vikrant and Darshak. How-
ever, Darshak first embarked a helicopter
only in 1970 to help during a survey of the
Gulf of Kutch.
The Fleet Tanker, Deepak, commis-
sioned in 1967, was the next IN ship de-
signed to embark an Aloutte. Deepak’s
flight was to provide the Navy with vital
learning at a heavy cost, when the ship
sailed out from Bombay to R/V INS Uday-
giri, returning after attending the Queen’s
Silver Jubilee Review of the Fleet at Spit-
head on June 28, 1977. After establish-
ing VHF contact with Udaygiri, Deepak
launched her helicopter to locate the
ship. The fact that they were in VHF con-
tact gave the flight commander, Lt Sudhir
Bali, the confidence to disregard his pre-
flight briefing and open out beyond visual
range from Deepak. He was never able to
find either ship, remaining in VHF con-
tact till he ran out of fuel about two hours
later and was forced to ditch in the water.
53
 HISTORY
A Soviet Ka-25
anti-submarine helicopter
The helicopter with four naval officers
on board was never found. The incident
highlighted the risks of flying at sea to all
naval officers.
By March 1969, Logistic Support had
been added to the Alouette’s SAR role.
The helicopter was used in SAR flights of
Vikrant, Deepak, Hansa and Garuda. On
March 15, 1969, the SAR flights of these
four units were combined to form the
first Indian Naval Helicopter Squadron,
INAS 321, commissioned at INS Hansa, in
Goa. Lt Cdr V Ravindranath was the first
Squadron Commander.
The requirements of helicopters on
board ships continued to grow. In Octo-
ber 1966, the keel of the first major war-
ship to be built in India from the keel up
was laid at Mazagon Docks Limited. The
ship, INS Nilgiri, was commissioned on
June 3, 1972, and designed to carry a HAL-
built Chetak helicopter.
The advent of Nilgiri brought about a
quantum change in the anti-submarine
capability of the IN. Till then, submarine
detection capability was limited to short
range sonars such as the Type 174 and
Type 170, fitted on the Blackwood class
frigates Khukri, Kirpan and Kuthar, as
well as the Whitby class frigates, Trishul
and Talwar. The primary anti-submarine
weapon carried by them was the Limbo,
or Mortar Mk X, which had an effective
range of 400 to 1000 yards. Nilgiri was
the first Indian warship to be fitted with
medium-range variable depth sonar, the
Westinghouse 505/Graseby 750, which
could detect a submarine at around 6000
yards. There was evident need of a weap-
54
on delivery platform that could exploit
the enhanced detection capability. The
Chetak helicopter in the Multi-role Anti
Submarine Torpedo Carrying Helicopter
(MATCH) configuration provided such a
platform. A fledgling anti-submarine role
was thus added to the earlier SAR and lo-
gistic support roles of the Chetak. Essen-
tially, the MATCH carried out a vectored
attack (VECTAC), guided by a trained he-
licopter controller in the ship’s operations
room, to drop a Mk 44 homing torpedo or
depth charges in the vicinity of a contact
detected by ship borne sonar.
The transfer of USS Diablo to Pakistan
and her commissioning as PNS Ghazi on
June 1, 1964, coupled with the impending
acquisition of Daphne Class submarines
by Pakistan, made the Indian Navy in-
creasingly conscious of its shortcomings
in anti-submarine capability, particularly
of the airborne variety. In the 1960s, air-
borne anti-submarine capability with
India comprised the Alize turboprop
carrier-borne aircraft. In the absence of
the carrier, the fleet lacked effective ca-
pability against submarines. The familiar
source for such capability was UK.
In December 1946, America’s Sikor-
sky licensed UK’s Westland Aircraft to
produce Sikorsky’s S-51 helicopter as the
Dragonfly. In 1950, Westland purchased
rights to manufacture and sell Sikorsky’s
S-55 as the Whirlwind. The license agree-
ment was extended to cover the Sikorsky
S-61 Seaking soon after its first flight in
1959. In June 1966, the Royal Navy se-
lected the Seaking to meet a requirement
for an ASW helicopter and ordered 60
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
aircraft. It is noteworthy that apart from
UK, the Sikorsky S-61 Seaking was licence
produced by Canada (United Aircraft of
Canada), Italy (Agusta) and Japan (Mit-
subishi). It is one of the official helicop-
ters of the President of the United States
and is operated by the USMC in that role.
The acquisition of 12 Seakings was
proposed by the Indian Navy in 1968 and
sanction for six was accorded in 1969.
An order for the first six Seaking Mk 42
was placed in 1970, for delivery in 1971.
Concurrently, an order was also placed
for Mk 44 Anti-submarine torpedoes. On
April 17, 1971, with arrival of the first two
Seakings, the Seaking Squadron was com-
missioned as INAS 330 (Harpoons). Com-
mander MP (Minnie) Wadhawan was the
commissioning Squadron Commander.
12 Seaking Mk 42 were eventually ac-
quired, numbered IN 501- IN 512.
The training of the first batch of pi-
lots in UK commencing on September
27, 1970 was limited to conversion and
familiarisation. They were given no tac-
tical flying experience. A second batch
of pilots was urgently deployed to rectify
this limitation. More, the performance of
the 195 dunking sonar did not come up to
expectations in the initial stages. Conse-
quently utilisation of 330 Sqn during the
1971 Indo-Pak war was largely ineffective
and defensive. It was only after the loss
of Khukri that they were deployed to an
abandoned airfield at Diu and staged a
few ASW searches.
Two of the first six Seakings were based
at INS Garuda (Cochin) and the remain-
ing four at INS Kunjali (Mumbai). Service-
ability and utilisation of the helicopters
remained low and inefficient due to lack
of spares or workshop facilities and limit-
ed maintenance. Serviceability gradually
improved between November 1972 and
July 1973. A team of British experts was
called in to rectify the poor sonar perfor-
mance and took nearly an year to do so.
A second batch of six Seaking Mk 42 was
ordered and deliveries began in August
1973, with the last helicopter arriving in
July 1974. The second Seaking Squadron,
INAS 336, was commissioned on Decem-
ber 20,1974, Cdr DK (Chiefy) Yadav was
the first Squadron Commander.
By this time, serviceability of the he-
licopters had improved considerably. Co-
ordinated ASW training between helicop-
ters, surface vessels and fixed wing aircraft
became frequent and tactics improved ac-
cordingly. The Seaking Mk 42 embarked
Vikrant from May 1975 onwards. On July
19, 1979, the Seaking Flight and Tactical
Simulator (FATS) was commissioned at
INS Garuda in Cochin. INAS 336 became

the Navy’s Seaking Training Squadron.
On May 16, 1980, the Indian Navy
commissioned INS Taragiri, a stretched
version of the Nilgiri class. The second
ship of this class, INS Vindhyagiri, was
commissioned on July 8, 1981. These
ships were designed with hangar and
flight deck facilities for a Seaking heli-
copter. Orders for three new Seakings
equipped with Recovery Assist Secure
and Traverse (RAST) to enable operation
from their relatively small helicopter deck
had been placed in 1977. The version was
called Seaking Mk 42A, delivered in No-
vember 1979 and numbered IN 551-553.
In the early 1980s the Indian Navy
heralded the arrival of the new ‘Godavari’
class of ships. Three ships were eventually
built, Godavari (commissioned December
10, 1983), Ganga (commissioned Decem-
ber 30, 1985) and Gomati (commissioned
June 16, 1988). These ships were designed
to operate two Seaking equivalent heli-
copters. Keeping in mind their needs as
well as the requirement to supplement/
replace older Seaking aircraft, a global
tender for 20 new ASW/ASV helicopters
was floated in 1982. Shortlisted candi-
dates were the French Super Puma and
the upgraded British Seaking. The ASV re-
quirement called for an anti-ship missile
to be integrated with the helicopter. The
French were unwilling to supply the AM-
39 Exocet due to a commitment made to
Pakistan at the time they had supplied the
missile for Pakistani Seakings. The Brit-
ish were unwilling to integrate their Sea
Eagle missile with the Super Puma. Due
to this, as also existing operational experi-
ence, training and infrastructure, the In-
dian Navy opted to go in for the upgraded
Seaking, which became known as Seaking
Mk 42B. A total of 21 aircraft were built
for India (one crashed before delivery),
with a customised avionics and arma-
ment fit that included Marconi Hermes
ESM, Thomson CSF HS 12 dunking sonar,
Whitehead A 244S torpedoes and BAe Sea
Eagle anti-ship missiles. Software inte-
gration was entirely developed by an In-
dian team which was positioned in UK for
inspection and modification.
A commando variant Seaking Mk 42C
was ordered at the same time. The first
order in July 1983 was for 12 Seaking Mk
42B and six Mk 42C (numbered IN 555 to
560). Eight more Mk 42B were ordered
later. The Mk.42A and Mk.42B variants
continue to be operated by INAS 330 at
Mumbai and INAS 336 at Cochin and as
an integral air element aboard the carrier
INS Viraat, for ASW, ASV, training, SAR,
communication, utility and other miscel-
laneous roles. The Mk.42C was inducted
INS Shivalik
into a separate helicopter flight, initially
known as the Indian Marine Security
Force (IMSF) Flight, commissioned in
January 1989, exclusively for use in Ma-
rine Commando operations and training.
The flight, now renamed as “The Zap-
pers”, also caters to day/night SAR and
general logistics.
Following the 1962 Sino-Indian con-
flict, India felt the need to rapidly expand
and modernise its Armed Forces. The
first attempt was to continue and expand
upon the historical supply line from the
West, particularly UK. When India failed
to secure arms transfer agreements with
the West, it turned to the USSR. Conse-
quently, the Indian Navy received Foxtrot
Class submarines, Petya class ships, the
submarine tender INS Amba and Osa
class missile boats, equipped with the
P-15 anti-ship Styx missiles. The Osa class
boats were employed in the immensely
successful attack on Karachi during the
December 1971 Indo-Pak conflict.
None of these could embark helicop-
ters, which had to wait till the next batch
of ships arrived. This included the Kashin
class destroyers, Rajput, Ranjit and Rana.
The ships were modified with the fitment
of a helicopter deck for the Ka-25 (NATO
Hormone) helicopter to strengthen their
ASW capabilities. The helo deck replaced
the 76mm/60 AK 762 gun mounting in the
‘Y’ position.
The KA-25 came equipped with
search radar, dunking sonar, magnetic
anomaly detector, sonobuoys, torpedoes
and depth charges. For training, a few na-
val aviators were sent to Kacha, in Georgia
(erstwhile USSR). The first helicopter en-
tered IN service with the commissioning
of INS Rajput in March 1980. Seven Ka-
25’s were eventually acquired and num-
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
HISTORY
bered IN 571 – 577. The Ka-25 Squadron
commissioned as INAS 333 at INS Hansa
on 11 December 1980, with Cdr Piyush
Jha as the first Squadron Commander.
All of these have now been retired, due to
age. The initial deal was followed up by a
separate order for 13 helicopters, includ-
ing three trainer variants, of the improved
Ka-28. This was the export version of the
Ka-27ASW and rescue helicopter of the
Russian Navy sold to China, Cuba, India,
Vietnam, Syria and Yugoslavia. The Ka-28
was a quantum leap over its predeces-
sor KA-25 in terms of ASW capability and
versatility, given the 20 year technology
gap between the two. They were induct-
ed into 333 Squadron in 1984. A second
squadron, INAS 339, which initially op-
erated Seakings, was converted to Ka-28
helicopters in March 1993. These heli-
copters are currently being upgraded in a
two step process, where first the aircraft’s
life and performance will be enhanced in
Russia, and subsequently new sensors are
to be added.
The status of helicopter procurement
in the IN is too well known to bear repeti-
tion. The number of ships requiring he-
licopters to carry out their mission has
increased manifold. Today, the aircraft
carrier Vikramaditya, destroyers of the
Rajput, Delhi and Kolkatta Class (as also
the Visakhapatnam class in the pipeline);
frigates of the Shivalik, Talwar and Brah-
maputra classes, and corvettes of the Ka-
morta class, all require ASW helicopters.
The hope is that these will arrive before
the life of the ships expires!
The writer is a veteran with nearly 40
years service in the Indian Navy. He writes
extensively on international maritime
issues and military history
55
 INTERVIEW

“WE OFFER A HOST OF

STRATEGIC BENEFITS FOR INDIA”
DR. GURNAD SODHI, Managing Director, thyssenkrupp Marine Systems India points out that
his company has full support for ‘Make and Made in India’ policy that would entail a ‘no-hold
barred’ transfer of technology
Please share with our readers, thyssen-
krupp's best offer to India for its Project
75(I) and what would be its USP to bag
this contract?
thyssenkrupp Marine Systems has re-
sponded to the RFI for Project 75(I)
within the given timeframe, and is
keen to continue its participation in
India’s submarine programme. We are
fully confident that we will be able to
fulfill all requirements of the Indian
Navy under P-75(I) programme. thys-
senkrupp Marine Systems is the world
leader in non-nuclear submarine de-
sign and manufacturing, with a strong
and proven track record of building
abroad and providing seamless Trans-
fer of Technology (ToT). One of the most
crucial requirements of the P-75(I) sub-
marines is the AIP system. We are the
only manufacturer with an operation-
ally-proven Fuel Cell AIP technology
in the world at present; several navies
are currently operating our submarines
with this technology while additional
submarines have been contracted. This
technology, used in submarines de-
signed and produced by thyssenkrupp
Marines Systems, is seen as leading be-
cause it enables our submarines to stay
submerged and operate undetected for fully support India’s ‘Make and Made realisation of local construction with
longer periods. thyssenkrupp Marine in India’ policy, which would encom- an indigenous prime contractor.
Systems is also ready to integrate any pass inter-alia ToT, training and meet-
type of weapon system, including Indi- ing applicable Indigenisation Content India has the experience of indigenously
an indigenous systems, onto the latest (IC) obligations. We would rather de- building two Shishumar class submarines
HDW Class 214 submarines customised fine this as a ‘no-hold barred’ transfer in an Indian shipyard. Most of the experi-
for the P-75(I) project requirements. of technology in line with PM Naren- ence there has now been lost. What does
dra Modi government's 'Make in India' thyssenkrupp Marine Systems feel would
How prepared is thyssenkrupp Marine push. Overall in addition to offering the be the commonality in the platform India
Systems to do Project 75(I) under a Stra- most capable platform, we offer a host has operated and what would be on offer?
tegic Partnership programme and what of strategic benefits for India, which The Indian Navy has been our customer
does that preparation entail? encompasses value for money and a ro- for over 30 years, and our ongoing co-
For meeting the requirements under P- bust industrial partnership. As one of operation dates back through those
75(I), we look forward to partner with the leading European system providers three decades. Over this period, we
any Strategic Partner (SP) that the In- for non-nuclear submarines and high- have demonstrated our commitment to
dian Defence Ministry selects to bring end naval vessels, thyssenkrupp Ma- the Indian Navy as it has been operat-
the most advanced technologies that rine Systems possesses outstanding ex- ing the four HDW Class 209/1500 Shi-
are currently available in the world. We pertise in system integration and in the shumar class submarines. These sub-

56 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in


Shishumar class submarine
marines continue to perform well, and
the Indian Navy has been satisfied with
their performance, despite their vin-
tage. They remain regarded as the ‘first
of their class’. The very fact that INS
Shalki and Shankul were made in India
by a local shipyard under a technology
transfer agreement is proof that thys-
senkrupp’s heritage and experience
has been supporting India’s indigenous
defence industry for over a quarter of a
century.
We have also been providing full,
uninterrupted logistics support to the
Indian Navy for the same, in terms of
spares and components for these boats.
Since the submarines have been
successfully operated for almost 30
years, we are presently exploring op-
portunities to upgrade the Shishumar
class Type 209/1500 submarines with a
special refit. thyssenkrupp Marine Sys-
tems is also in discussion with the In-
dian Navy about integration of weapon
systems - we have the capacity to inte-
grate most weapon systems that are se-
lected by the Indian Navy into the exist-
ing Shishumar class submarines.
thyssenkrup Marine Systems companies
have the capability for building the whole
Float, Move, Fight Systems for a subma-
rine. Would the group consider doing the
whole system of systems under project
75(I)?
Transfer of Technology (ToT) would
certainly be an integral part of our of-
fer for the P-75(I) programme. thys-
senkrupp Marine Systems stands for
n our
ian N avy has beers,
The Ind for over 30 yea on
customer ngoing cooperati ree
and our o k through those th
dates bac
decades
more than 175 years of accumulated
cutting-edge technology and art of en-
gineering ‘Made in Germany’, and is
well-equipped to build the whole sys-
tem under P-75(I). However, we are
also confident to integrate indigenous
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
INTERVIEW
systems built in India, into the P-75(I)
programme, thereby supporting India’s
ambition of a self-reliant and sustain-
able defence programme. Our ability
to build highly capable submarines in
both our home shipyard and in our cus-
tomers’ local yards – when required,
has contributed significantly to the
continued success of our high-end
products.
What is the progress made on the up-
grade of the Shishumar class submarines
in the Indian Navy fleet for which thyssen-
krupp Marine Systems was awarded the
contract. Please provide an overview of
the upgrade programme and the contract
details and how it is being implemented?
In June last year, we signed a key con-
tract for the upgrade of the Indian Na-
vy’s Shishumar Class submarines to fire
the Advanced Harpoon Weapon Control
System (AHWCS) anti-ship missiles.
The retrofit of the new weapon suite
will be carried out in two of the four SSK
submarines (INS Shankul and Shalki)
at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai and is
backed by a training package to support
and operate the system. In fact, such
customised integrations have been suc-
cessfully carried out by our company in
similar types of submarines for many
other Navies of the world.
57
 INTERNAL SECURITY

NORTH EAST MERITS

FOCUSED ATTENTION
The North East continues to Indian flag situated at one of
the North-Eastern state border
remain neglected. In the past, guarded by BSF

the neglect was largely due to

a nonchalant government and
bureaucracy in Delhi. Today,
however, the situation is quite
different. With the country’s
ambitious ‘Act East Policy’
in full sway, North-east India
has to be developed so that
the region prospers, writes
MAJ GEN MRINAL SUMAN
(RETD)

I
n a highly telling scene in the movie,
‘Chak de India’, the team manager
is shown reproving a probable from
the North East that only Indian girls
were eligible for selection. With ob-
vious hurt, she retorts that she too is an
Indian. Apparently, the manager had been
misled by her mongoloid features. A few
years back, a Naga girl studying in a Delhi
college went to the railway station to book
a seat on student concession. The book-
ing clerk curtly told her that only Indian
students were eligible for the said conces-
sion. She felt humiliated – to be treated as
an alien in one’s own country is the worst
affront. Sadly, it is a trauma that the citi-
zens from the North East often face.
Due to the remoteness of the North
East, there is considerable lack of appreci-
ation of India’s cultural and ethnic diver-
sity amongst most countrymen. Because
of their distinct features, North Eastern
Indians are often mistaken by many to be
foreigners from East Asian countries. It
will be incorrect to apportion the whole
blame to the team manager or the book-
ing clerk. The failure is of the nation as
a whole. Even after seven decades of In-
dependence, India has not been able to
integrate its frontier areas physically and
emotionally. The Indian leadership has let
the people of the North East down.
India is guilty of deliberate neglect of
the development of the North East under
misplaced security concerns. The back-
wardness of these areas has become more
pronounced in view of the enormous in-
frastructural development achieved on
the other side of the Indo-China border.
As a result, there is an acute sense of ne-
glect and alienation among the local pop-
ulation. During the Dalai Lama’s last visit
to Tawang, the weather was so bad that he
had to travel by road. Since the road was
in an appalling state, it took him hours
of bumpy travel to reach Tawang, there-
by exposing the pitiable state of surface
communications.
Although Arunachal Pradesh is In-
dia’s largest frontier state in the North
East sharing the international border with
Bhutan, China and Myanmar, the average
road density is a mere 25.74 km per every
100 square km of area against the na-
tional average of 142.68 km. This, despite
the fact that roads are the sole means of
communication in mountainous ter-
rains. There are four district headquar-
ters which do not have all-weather roads.
Worse, 34 administrative centres and 2453
villages are yet to be connected by road.
Railways have a token presence and the
state does not have an airport for its capi-
tal. It has one of the poorest health condi-
tions in the country, with life expectancy
of 54.05 years being the lowest among the
major states.

58 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in


BSF
Frontier Areas
It is not possible to define frontier areas
in absolute terms. However, during the
early period of settlements and colonisa-
tion, the term indicated a region at the
edge of a settled area. Over a period of
time, frontier areas have broadly come to
be accepted as borderland or areas close
to inter-country boundary. It is an expe-
dient way of differentiating between the
heartland-hinterland and the areas on the
fringe. Heartland refers to a region that is
the economic centre of a country while
hinterland is the region that provides the
resources for the heartland. Thus, a fron-
tier area is generally a region that is well
away from the heartland-hinterland of a
country and hence far removed from the
mainstream of a nation.
Frontier areas also suffer from com-
parative geographic isolation due to long
distances from the population centers.
Some areas may even remain cut-off for
prolonged periods due to seasonal rea-
sons. Due to the lack of adequate infra-
structure and industry, such areas are
generally identified with little develop-
ment and the economy is usually based
on a few specific resources or activities.
Further, they are normally inhabited by
tribal and ethnic minorities, resulting in a
cultural divide.
Neglect of outlying areas has been
a part of Indian psyche for ages. Rulers
cared little for the distant areas. They took
to battle only when the invaders reached
the doorsteps of their capitals. Every
battle of Panipat was fought when Delhi
was threatened. Otherwise, the rulers at
Delhi cared little for the outlying areas.
Non-use of air power (though India was
favourably placed) during the Indo-China
War of 1962 was due to a fear in the minds
of the rulers that the use of the air force
would bring the war closer to the heart-
land. According to their perception, it did
not make sense to risk the heartland for
the sake of remote and frontier areas.
Unfortunately, such an attitude per-
vades even today. Every issue closer to
Delhi gets immediate attention whereas
the problems of areas far removed from
the heartland continue to suffer neglect.
Being sparsely populated, frontier areas
send very few representatives to the par-
liament. As they count for little in deter-
mining majority, they carry little political
clout. No mainstream party considers it
worth the effort to traverse undeveloped
areas for the sake of a handful of parlia-
mentary seats. Regional parties with high-
ly localised agenda proliferate to occupy
the vacant political space and the central
leadership remains ignorant of the issues
faced by these people.
Worse, most of the bureaucrats who
rise to occupy top posts at the centre
are those who manage their careers well
by staying closer to Delhi. Without any
tenure in the remote areas, they lack
firsthand knowledge of the ground con-
ditions. As a result, their involvement re-
mains limited to the allotment of funds to
the state governments for development
projects. Thereafter, it is left to the state
governments to expend them without any
oversight. Local leaders exploit centre’s
abdication of responsibility and lackadai-
sical attitude to misappropriate funds. A
few families prosper and there is little vis-
ible improvement in infrastructure. The
common man feels disillusioned as his
life continues to be a struggle for survival
as usual.
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
INTERNAL SECURITY
gets
r to Delhi as the
u e close
Ever y isste attention where ved
immedia of areas far remo e to
problems heartland continu
from the glect
suffer ne
For socio-economic development of
an area, extensive surface communica-
tions is a prerequisite. Due to rugged,
inaccessible and inhospitable terrain,
extension of rail and road network poses
a huge challenge. To expedite road con-
struction in the remote areas, Border
Roads Organisation (BRO) was raised on
07 May 1960. It was assigned the chal-
lenging task of road construction in unex-
plored areas where no other agency dared
to venture. Through sheer dedication,
commitment and drive, BRO has amply
proved its mettle.
However, over a period of time, cer-
tain distortions in the role definition of
the BRO crept in. Instead of confining it-
self to its primary task of constructing and
maintaining surface communications in
frontier areas, it was asked to undertake
tasks in the hinterland as well. This ill-
advised role expansion made BRO lose its
focus. As a result, its work in the frontier
areas suffered. Numerous roads are lying
incomplete and a large number of critical
bridges have got mired in design infirmi-
ties. Bureaucratic impediments posed by
non-issuance of timely environmental
clearances and non-acquisition of land
by the civil authorities have added to the
woes of BRO.
Way Forward
China has been laying claims on large
tracts of Arunachal Pradesh. For decades,
the Indian leadership feared that road
connectivity up to the international bor-
der would help an aggressor to develop
a line of communication for its advance
into the plains of India. Therefore, a de-
liberate decision was taken to keep the
border areas devoid of road network.
However, the Indo-Chinese War of 1962
demolished the delusion of impregnabil-
ity of the Himalayas. Thus, India achieved
nothing except depriving the area of fruits
59
 INTERNAL SECURITY
of development.
Further, fearing ingress of elements
inimical to national interests, the gov-
ernment decided to keep the border ar-
eas out of bounds to visitors. ‘Inner Line
Permit’ scheme has effectively kept these
areas isolated. By closing border areas to
visitors, India not only deprived the area
of immense economic benefits but also
stalled social and emotional integration.
Worse, instead of showcasing the region
as an integral part of the country through
free movement of foreign visitors, India
harmed its own interests by imposing ban
on their entry. Therefore, as a first step,
‘Inner Line Permit’ system should be to-
tally abolished.
It is a well understood fact that hilly
areas do not lend themselves to rapid
infrastructural development, especially
with respect to the construction of air-
fields, railways and highways. However,
such areas possess immense potential in
many other aspects. It is for the govern-
ment to exploit them. Here are three sug-
gestions:
• One, tourism is considered to be from the hinterland will give a boost
one of the most potent catalysts for
economic development. Nature has
bestowed India’s frontier areas with
exceptional scenic beauty and varied
terrain. Adventure tourism can be de-
veloped with minimal investment and
considerable returns. Existence of one
of world's twelve hot spots (biosphere
reserves) can be used to promote bio-
tourism. In addition to immense eco-
60
nomic benefits, domestic tourism will
expedite social and emotional integra-
tion of the areas with the rest of the
country. However, while framing poli-
cies, due attention must be paid to the
preservation of ethnic, cultural and
physiographical heritage of the areas.
• Two, due to availability of ample land, velopment of surface communication
sparse population, congenial climate
and unique terrain, frontier areas are
ideally suited for academic activities.
Although Guwahati has an Indian
Institute of Technology and Shillong
has an Indian Institute of Manage-
ment, much more can be done. The
central government should formulate
a long-term plan to develop the sev-
en states of the East as the academic
hub of the country. A large number of
institutions of excellence should be
established in the state capitals. Pri-
vate educational trusts should also be
encouraged through land allotments
and subsidies in the initial stages.
Such an initiative will cost little but
offer huge returns. Arrival of students
to the local economy and promote
better understanding with the local
population.
• Three, it is generally estimated that curity interests would be best served by
the frontier areas possess close to
100,000 MW of hydropower potential.
When fully exploited, it can provide
effective stimulus for local industrial
activity. Considerable revenue can be
earned by supplying surplus power
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
A BSF Jawan on Duty
BSF
to the neighbouring states. Similarly,
the areas have huge confirmed min-
eral deposits of crude oil, natural
gas, coal, iron, limestone, dolomite,
graphite, granite and many precious
and semi-precious stones. However,
their exploitation depends on the de-
network.
For the success of India’s ambitious
‘Act East Policy’, North-east India has to be
developed. It is the gateway to the coun-
tries of South-east Asia through Myan-
mar. It also shares borders with China
and Bangladesh. As trade and economic
development are inter-dependent, cross-
border trade with neighboring countries
would help generate profitable activities,
especially as the area suffers disadvan-
tages of a long transport lead from the
heartland and consequent heavy trans-
port costs.
Finally, every country strives to assim-
ilate its frontier areas into the heartland
through expeditious economic progress
and deeper integration, thereby expand-
ing the hinterland to the borders. Isola-
tion and deprivation of vast frontier areas
do not augur well for national unity and
well-being. More importantly, India’s se-
assimilating the frontier areas into the
mainstream through extensive infrastruc-
tural development and emotional inte-
gration.
The author is a retired Major General

CAS addresses commanders of training 100th set of
command BrahMos airframe
A ir Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa,
Chief of the Air Staff (CAS),
addressed all commanders of
Training Establishments of Training
Command, during the Commanders’
Conference held at Headquarters
Training Command (HQ TC). The CAS
interacted with all air warriors and
civilian staff of HQTC. CAS inspected
an impressive Guard of Honour
presented by the Air Warriors of
HQTC.
The CAS accompanied by
Kamalpreet Dhanoa, President, Air
Force Wives Welfare Association
(AFWWA) arrived at HQTC and was
received by Air Marshal SRK Nair,
Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief,
Training Command and Geethanjali
Nair, President, Air Force Wives
Welfare Association (Regional).
During his address, the Chief
advised the commanders to retain
their sharp focus on trainees and
trainers and urged them to strive
Project Eagle takes flight
A irbus Helicopters
has gone a
step further in the
experimentation of
its Project Eagle, with
the in-flight validation
of the innovative
on-board image
processing system.
Performed on
an H225 flying test
bed, the trials have
demonstrated the
system’s ability to
select a small ground
“target” from ranges of up to 2 miles
and to automatically track it during the
approach performed by the pilot. The
flight tests have also validated Eagle’s
architecture and main components,
such as the gyrostabilised optronics
package and the processing unit. The
next steps of the testing campaign
will focus on coupling Eagle with the
automatic flight control system to fully
automatise the approach to a selected
landing area.
Codenamed Eagle (Eye for
for improving the quality of training
and maintenance. He emphasised
the need to improve the training
infrastructure, preservation of air
assets and team building. The CAS
endorsed the vision of training
command to train professional air
warriors and ingrain them with the
core values of the Indian Air Force,
‘Mission, Integrity and Excellence’ to
be the backbone of the fourth largest
air force in the world.
Autonomous Guidance and Landing
Extension), the research project aims to
federate the entire helicopter’s image
processing functions and feed them into
the avionics system, thus improving the
crew’s situation awareness and reducing
the pilot’s workload by automating
and securing approaches, take-off
and landing in the most demanding
environments. The system is designed
to be integrated on a variety of existing
and future Airbus vertical take-off and
landing (VTOL) vehicles.
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
DEFBIZ
delivered
G odrej Aerospace has handed
over the 100th set of airframe
assemblies to BrahMos Aerospace Pvt
Ltd (BAPL) for use in its missile systems,
continuing the company’s tradition of
contributing toward building India’s
defence capabilities. Sudhir Mishra,
CEO & MD, BrahMos Aerospace, visited
Godrej Aerospace to celebrate this
landmark achievement and was handed
the completion documents of the
100th BrahMos Airframe by Jamshyd
N Godrej, Chairman and Managing
Director, Godrej & Boyce.
Jamshyd N Godrej said, “Godrej
and BrahMos have been partners for
17 momentous years. Over that time,
we have taken great pride in doing
our bit for nation-building through
our contribution to bolstering India’s
defence capabilities. Therefore, it
gives me great pleasure to hand over
the completion document for the
100th set of airframe assemblies to
Mishra. This is a proud moment for
Godrej, BrahMos and India, and an
assertion of our commitment to serve
our country through technologically
driven solutions and indigenous
manufacturing.”
Sudhir Mishra said, “Godrej
over the years has made immense
contribution to BrahMos and Indian
defence sector. The delivery of the
100th set of combat worthy missile
airframes marks another milestone in
our long relationship. Going forward,
I am confident our partnership will
continue to set new benchmarks
and serve as inspirational role model
for indigenous development and
production of sophisticated weapon
systems.”
The BrahMos missile is a stealth
universal supersonic cruise missile
that can be launched from ships,
submarines, aircraft and land based
platforms. It can be used for precision
strike to destroy targets on land and
sea. Godrej Aerospace has been
associated with BrahMos programme
since its inception in 2001. Godrej is a
dominant contributor manufacturing
most of the metallic sub systems in the
BrahMos missile.
61
 DEFBIZ
“India is a prestigious market for the company”
MOHAN KAKDE, Director Projects, Rohde & Schwarz, emphasises that the company has
been constantly striving to be innovative. He talks about the new body scanner, its ease of use
and its technology in this conversation
How is R&S business globally? What are
the updates?
Across its business fields, R&S is doing
satisfactory progress. Especially for
Software Defined Radio, the company
has seen huge success with the German
Armed Force. The company has added
new business fields like Media solutions,
IP based Voice Communication System,
Cyber Security solutions, Counter UAV
System, Body scanner, etc. In addition,
the company is consistently striving to be
innovative on technology development,
share all the updates with their clientele,
media.
Please tell us what the current security
aspects are and why the need of the body
scanner?
The twenty-first century has witnessed
unprecedented transformation of
security dynamics in the world. Terrorism
and extremism have changed the threat
perception of states. The old security
paradigms are giving way to new ones
in which many governments now view
global security concerns at the domestic
level. Insecurity reflects a combination
of threats and vulnerabilities, implying
Equal opportunities for start-ups: Defence Minister
D efence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
told industry leaders that start-
ups will probably have an opportunity
to bid equally along with big players.
“Even though the defence sector is now
open, we are very clear that the benefits
have to reach the SMEs of India,” she
said addressing the 90th Annual General
Meeting of FICCI (Federation of Indian
Chambers of Commerce and Industry).
Sitharaman informed industry that
the government had made sure that every
private sector investment was on a data
pool and the government would benefit
from this exercise. The Defence Minister
called for more meaningful engagement
with FICCI on start-ups so that this sector
62
that states can reduce insecurity by either
reducing vulnerability or decreasing
threats. How the security measures are
planned and actually implemented
depends on the region, country and
the authorities. In this perpective, body
scanner is of key need, which helps
human efforts by automated, faster and
accurate analysis/results.
gets activated. Under the Technology
Acquisition and Development Fund
which has been created, eight projects
have almost fructified and were about
to be sanctioned while close to another
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
What is the technology used in R&S solu-
tion? How safe is it for the human body and
are there any apprehensions on its use?
Body scanners were developed in the
early 1990s, operating in the X-ray
range, later in microwave range and now
on millimeter wave. Previously, body
scanners were designed to generate
images but this led to emotionally charged
public debate that forced authorities
in the US and Europe to change their
acceptance regulations. It is now
forbidden to display photo-like images
at checkpoints. The challenge was to
develop a method of detecting suspicious
objects fully automatically; millimeter
wave technology is the solution, which
has rapid image processing system that
could reliably filter out anomalies from
the measured data for display on an Avita.
From your experience, what are expecta-
tions of passengers at the airport and how
can body scanners improve on that front?
The typical air traveler has conflicting
feelings about security. According to a
representative survey, most passengers
favour the extensive use of security
technology, including body scanners. At
24 projects were in the process of coming
through the Technology Acquisition and
Development Fund.
Speaking about other major
initiatives by the Government in Defence,
Sitharaman told industry that her Ministry
was also identifying organically grown
small scale industrial units producing
components for a wide range of Defence
needs, from heavy vehicles to aerospace,
to engage with them. The Defence
Minister said many of these units had
sprung up alongside industrial corridors
as in Hosur and Ennore and held great
potential to develop as critical parts of the
supply chain for the Defence sector – from
armoured vehicles to aircraft.

the same time, they are annoyed about a
variety of inconveniences, ranging from
the restrictions on carry-on luggage and
having to take off various items of clothing
at security checks, to the unnatural
posture required by conventional body
scanners and the pat-downs by security
officers, compounded by the long waits at
security checkpoints. Since it is unlikely
that security standards will be relaxed
any time, it is up to technology to find
answers to this dilemma. The goal is to
maintain the highest level of security
while preserving the greatest degree
of convenience to the people and R&S
solution meets all these aspects.
What about the shape and convenience at
the airports? Do body scanners consider
emergencies, evacuations, etc. What is the
overall convenience?
The tight spaces common with booth
solutions are outdated. R&S solution
has visually appealing, space-saving
flat panels that can be integrated
without barriers into the checkpoint
area. The open design gives security
personnel an unobstructed view of the
entire checkpoint. The scan procedure,
considered unpleasant with traditional
equipment, is because passengers are
required to hold their hands up in the
air as if being stopped by police is now
significantly more comfortable for
passengers. Arms are slightly spread
in a natural pose that is possible even
for physically impaired individuals and
is considered ethically correct across
cultures.
R&S solution has no moving parts
GE, Tata enters strategic partnership for LEAP
G E and Tata Group, India’s
leading global enterprise has
signed an agreement to manufacture
CFM International LEAP engine
components in India, for the global
supply chain. The two companies
also announced their intention to
jointly pursue military engine and
aircraft system opportunities for the
India market. The LEAP engine is
the world’s leading jet engine known
for its technological superiority,
efficient fuel consumption and
performance for powering single-
aisle commercial jets.
“Tata group is a leader in the
Indian defence and aerospace
hence no stoppage of operation for
calibration, it can work continuously
and it is noiseless. It uses modern
technology of multistatic principle
familiar from radar technology, where
the reflected transmit signal is applied
to a large number of receiver antennas
simultaneously; it should provide better
illumination of the scanned individual,
leading to an improved quality of
detection. R&S has used their core
strength of RF technology and German
engineering in their solution.
Will you please elaborate on the RF tech-
nology you have mentioned?
Traditional microwave scanners
illuminate objects at frequencies below
30 GHz. In contrast, R&S system achieves
higher spatial resolution as it operates
in the millimeter wave frequency band
between 70 GHz and 80 GHz, the band
also used by vehicle parking sensors. At
about 1 mW, the peak transmit power is
approximately three orders of magnitude
lower than that of cellphone emissions
and is almost undetectable in the spot
where the scanned person stands.
How has the technology been adopted glob-
ally? What is R&S success?
Any change takes some time, depending
on the area of implementation,
economics it will take short, moderate or
long time. Body scanners are fast adopted
in America, Europe and now picking
up in Asia. The benefits of R&S solution
are well understood and appreciated by
the end users and decision makers, the
success rate is picking up.
sector, and we look forward to working
together to meet the growing demand
for LEAP engines. Our collaboration in
building innovative technologies will
support the ‘Make in India’ vision of
the Indian government,” said John L
Flannery, Chairman and CEO, GE.
“We look forward to working
with GE to build more expertise
and strengthen India’s defence
manufacturing capabilities,” said
N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata
Sons. “Tata group’s partnership
with GE will help drive synergies in
defence manufacturing and focus
on innovation to support our armed
forces.”
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
DEFBIZ
Last but not the least, how will you sum-
marize R&S solution and what are the plans
for India?
Rohde & Schwarz opens a new chapter
for body scanners. Innovative hardware
and software solutions satisfy the
requirements of operators responsible for
airport security while meeting passenger
expectations to the greatest extent
possible. Operators can integrate the
space-saving devices into the checkpoint
area without barriers to ensure high
passenger throughput. Passengers
experience a comfortable and non-
discriminatory scan procedure. Body
scanners have immense applications and
need in other segments e.g. parliament,
state assemblies, defence and security
organisations, key establishments,
exhibitions and seminars, hospitality, etc.
Rohde & Schwarz already having
increasing appreciation and success for
their Quick Personnel Scanner (R&SQPS)
solution in the west and is prepared to
bring the benefits to the East. India is a key
and prestigious market for the company.
We will continue our partnership
approach with our customer rather than
aiming for short term, one time business.
Our main task is educate and give
correct advice to our customers with
practical test cases. We are explaining why
the requirements are to be evaluated with
life cycle cost: it not only ensures long-
term commitment from the companies,
also creates true comparison considering
capital and maintenance cost.
We are committed to India, our teams
are ready to conquer this yet exciting
segment of body scanner.
Under the strategic partnership,
GE Aviation and Tata Sons’
subsidiary, Tata Advanced Systems
Limited (TASL), will join forces
for manufacturing, assembling,
integration and testing of aircraft
components. A new Centre of
Excellence (COE) will be established
to help develop a robust ecosystem
for aircraft engine manufacturing in
India and build related capabilities.
GE military engines have a
strong history in India. GE currently
provides the jet engines and marine
gas turbines for many Indian
military applications.
63
 DEFBIZ

IAF fleet B oeing congratulated the Indian Air

Force and 81st ‘Skylords’ Squadron
for the C-17 Globemaster III fleet
and internationally.
The Indian Air Force operates 10
C-17 strategic airlifters, delivered

achieves
achieving 12,000 flight hours since by Boeing in 2014. Boeing had been
induction in 2014. The C-17 fleet has working with the Indian Air Force
been a vital part of the Indian Air to provide sustainment services

12,000 hours
Force strategic airlift capability, which and modernisation of its C-17s that
has successfully conducted relief and contribute to high mission capable
humanitarian missions domestically rates.

INS Kalvari gets a nod

I n the presence of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, along
with Defence Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman, Maharashtra Chief
Minister Devendra Fadnavis,
Chief of Naval Staff Admiral
Lanba, CMD MDL Commodore
Rakesh Anand (Retd.) and
several other dignitaries, the
Indian Navy commissioned INS
Kalvari, first of P75 SCORPENE-
class submarine totally built by
Indian shipyard Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Limited (MDL)
through technology transfer and
partnership with Naval Group on
December 14, 2017. INS Kalvari is
the first of six Indian submarines
under indigenous construction
in Mumbai through the P75
programme.
The Kalvari class submarine
is based on the Scorpene class
diesel-electric attack submarines
designed by Naval Group and built Group, has been produced in India “Naval Group is proud to have
by MDL. As a part of the ‘Make in in the frame of indigenisation. The contributed to the commissioning of
India’ initiative, the Group has commissioning of INS Kalvari also INS Kalvari, which achieves our vision
set up a sound defence industrial marked the celebration of 50 years to strengthen strategic partnership
ecosystem for the indigenous of Indian Navy’s Submarine Arm in in India. Naval Group has been
content of the P75 submarines. A 2017. operating in India for more than
significant part of the high-tech Hervé Guillou, Chairman of Naval decade and along with its partner
equipment supplied by Naval Group, shared the joy and expressed: MDL, is fully committed to the ‘Make

64 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in


Six start-ups shortlisted for Airbus BizLab
A irbus BizLab in Bengaluru has
launched the third season of its
acceleration programme. Of 140
applications from seven countries,
six shortlisted start-ups will form the
third group of the programme. The
programme has been designed not
only for aerospace start-ups but it
also encourages ones with innovative,
new-age solutions that can be
adapted for the aviation sector. This
includes Data Analytics, Artificial
Intelligence, Factories of the Future,
Smart Energy, Cybersecurity, Supply
Chain/Blockchain, Space Tech, Urban
Air Mobility, etc.
The applications were reviewed on
the basis of business concept, level of
innovation, scalability and potential
to solve real-life problems in aviation.
The six start-ups selected are: ZASTI,
Orxa Energies, Airpix Geoanalytics,
in India’ initiative paving way for
self-reliance of Indian Navy. We are
convinced that such partnerships
based on trust and quality is
the key to long term success for
Indian defence industry and its
sovereignty.”
The first of its class, INS Kalvari,
set afloat on October 27, 2015,
started its sea trial in 2016. She
successfully test fired an MBDA
SM39 anti-ship missile and torpedo
and thus is combat-ready.
Khanderi, the second of
Kalvari class submarines, was
launched in Mumbai on January
12, 2017 and has been undergoing
several phases of sea trials. All
the remaining submarines are in
different stages of construction and
will be delivered at a rate of at least
one every 12 months.
INS Kalvari is also the fifth
Scorpene-class submarine
commissioned around the world.
Naval Group has already delivered
two of such submarines to Chile
and Malaysia. INS Kalvari is
unique in its way being the first
of such complex submarine being
built at a customer country under
constructive and qualified transfer
of technology from Naval Group.
CATS Global, Block Armour,
Hindustan Magnesium.
“Apart from the acceleration
programmme for the selected
start-ups, the BizLab in India has
formed a community of over 2,300
start-ups from India, South-East
Asia and Israel. We would be actively
engaging with the community to
share challenges and identify more
innovative start-ups to work with.
We truly believe that the start-up
ecosystem in India is one of the most
promising around the world and
are excited by some of the on-going
projects at the BizLab in Bengaluru.”
said Bruno Gutierres, Global Head -
Airbus BizLab. “Our goal is to simply
foster innovation and create more
opportunities for start-ups to work
in the aerospace and defence sectors
and vice versa.”
Beside India, four such submarines
are under construction at Itaguai
in Brazil.
The Scorpene is a 2000
tons conventional-propulsion
submarine designed and developed
by Naval Group for all types
of missions, such as surface
vessel warfare, anti-submarine
warfare, long-range strikes,
special operations or intelligence
gathering. Extremely stealthy and
fast, it has a level of operating
automation that allows a limited
number of crew, which reduces
its operating costs significantly.
Its combat edge is highlighted
by the fact that it has six weapon
launching tubes and 18 weapons
(torpedoes, missiles, mines).
With 14 submarines sold
internationally by Naval Group, the
Scorpene is an essential reference
product in the area of conventional
attack submarines (SSK) for navies
across the globe. The product is
easily adapted for improvements
requested by any naval customers.
The progressive improvement
through dedicated and experienced
designers of Naval Group ensures
the seamless advances and modern
technology integrations.
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
DEFBIZ
Mritunjay Singh is CEO,
AXISCADES
P roduct Engineering Solutions
Company AXISCADES recently
announced the appointment of
Mritunjay Singh as the Chief Executive
Officer (CEO). Singh joined the board on
January 2, 2013 as an Executive Director,
subject to approvals.
Commenting on the appointment,
Sudhakar Gande, Vice Chairman,
AXISCADES said, “AXISCADES is
entering an exciting phase of growth
and has a tremendous opportunity in
creating synergies between Engineering,
Automation & IoT (Internet of Things).
The Board was unanimous in its choice
of Mritunjay with his background and
experience of managing large operations
and businesses at Infosys and leading
growth in his last position at Persistent
including new markets. Mritunjay
has the right credentials to steer the
company in this new phase.”
“I am very excited about joining
AXISCADES. At a time when Industry
4.0 is driving new age industrialisation,
coupled with IoT, it will usher in a new
era of connected products. Engineering
will change forever as everything will
be driven by software. India is poised
to become a powerful democracy and it
can happen only if we were to become
self-sufficient in aerospace and defence
technology. I am extremely excited
about our opportunities in Aerospace
& Defence sector. Looking forward to
build a new age engineering technology
powerhouse that we all can be proud of,”
said Mritunjay Singh.
Mritunjay Singh (Munjay) was
Executive Director and President of
Persistent Services Business and Head of
Financial Services Application Services
Delivery and Pune Development centre
of Infosys. He holds the degree of a
B.Tech (Electronics and Communication)
from IIT BHU in 1992.
65
 DEFBIZ
Russian Helicopters readies digital
production of choppers
T he Russian Helicopters Holding
Company has created the
technological production model of the
Ka-226T helicopters at the Ulan-Ude
Aviation Plant. The digital construction
documentation received from JSC
Kamov through the online channel
was used to create programmes for
the production equipment. Besides,
U-UAZ has completed the first stage
of production modernisation which
will allow launching the two parallel
production lines of the new Mi-171A2
and Ka-226T helicopters. The two
models are planned to be launched with
the help of digital production methods.
New technologies and equipment
will be used for the production of the
Ka-226T. The assembly equipment for
the helicopter will be manufactured
and installed with the help of laser
technology with a laser tracker.
Using modern machines with digital
programmes management will allow to
minimise the manual labour connected
HAL holds global vendors’ meet
O ver 80 business partners from
India and abroad participated at
HAL’s fifth Global Vendors’ Meet on
December 12, 2017. In his inaugural
address, T Suvarna Raju, CMD,
outlined HAL’s key achievements
and progress made on important
projects and impressed upon the
vendors to participate in various
projects for mutual benefit. “Given
our large number of platforms with
Indian Defence Forces, we remain
committed to increase the scope of
work to our vendors to ensure success
66
with the details adjustment.
The leading production preparation
divisions of JSC U-UAZ have already
analysed and elaborated the received
schematic electronic construction
documentation on three aggregates:
a half of the flight deck, the middle
part and the rear tail unit. Projects of
guidance technological materials were
prepared according to the elaborated
aggregates. Part of the construction
documentation for manufacturing the
equipment devices has been put into
production.
To locate the construction line
of the Ka-226T, construction work
was conducted on the territory of the
aggregate assembly facility and in
the final assembly shop, according to
the elaborated planning. The general
assessment of the volume of the
preparation of the Ka-226T production
has been conducted. Preliminary
distribution of work on cooperation
was conducted. There was also active
preparation of the production site for the
assembly of the Ka-226T fuselage.
“The main criterion for choosing
the U-UAZ site to create the duplicative
production of the Ka-226T was the
company’s experience in the production
of helicopters with the centerline
scheme of bearing screws - the Ka-
25. Moreover, with the Mi-171A2 as
an example, the facility has already
mastered the production of the new
generation technologies”, Andrey
Boguinsky, CEO of company holding
Russian Helicopters pointed out.
of our programmes. HAL is looking to
produce 100 basic trainer aircraft HTT-
40 soon once spin tests are completed
in the coming months. On rotary wing
segment, our efforts are on to achieve
basic certification of LUH by the
middle of 2018”, he added.
The vendors were updated on
HAL’s procurement procedures and
improvements made by HAL towards
ease of doing business. Presentations
were made on variety of subjects
such as e-procurement, supply-chain
management challenges etc. The
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
HAL receives RFP for
LCH
H AL has received a Request for
Proposal (RFP) for 15 Limited
Series Light Combat Helicopters (LCH)
from the IAF and the Indian Army.
This comes close on the heels of HAL
receiving RFP for supply of 83 LCAs
(Light Combat Aircraft).
LCH is a 5.5 tonnes class, combat
helicopter designed and developed
by HAL. It is powered by two Shakti
engines and inherits many technical
features of the Advanced Light
Helicopter. The features that are
unique to LCH are sleek and narrow
fuselage, tri-cycle crashworthy landing
gear, crashworthy and self-sealing
fuel tanks, armour protection and
low visibility features which makes
the LCH lethal, agile and survivable.
The helicopter would have day/night
targeting systems for the crew including
the Helmet pointed sight and Electro-
optical pod consisting of CCD camera/
FLIR/Laser Range Finder(LRF)/Laser
Designator(LD). The LCH is fitted
with Self Protection Suite consisting of
Radar/Laser Missile warning systems
and Countermeasures dispensing
system. Presently, four technology
demonstrators have been under flight
testing. LCH has the distinction of
being the first attack helicopter to
land in Forward Bases at Siachen,
5400 m above sea level. On August 26,
2017, the Defence Minister launched
the production of LCH at Bengaluru
and IOC documents of the basic
version were handed over to HAL by
Center for Military Airworthiness and
Certification (CEMILAC).
open forum held on the occasion gave
opportunities to vendors to put-forth
their issues and views.

HAL invites private entities for
manufacturing ALH Dhruv
S ubhash Bhamre, Minister of State
for Defence, assured HAL that the
workload for Nashik will continue to
flow even after Su-MKI manufacturing
and production activities conclude in
the next few years. “HAL has the world
class facilities and given the successful
integration of BraMos on Su-30 MKI,
40 more aircraft will undergo such
integration. Besides this, HAL can shift
part of its LCA manufacturing at Nashik
and there is possibility of FGFA work
happening at Nashik”, he said at Public
Private Partnership (PPP) Summit
under ‘Make in India’ held at HAL
Nashik on December 9, 2017.
T Suvarna Raju, CMD, HAL said
the company would continue to
encourage private partnership in all
its activities and as a major step, it
would like to offer the indigenous
helicopter ‘ALH Dhruv’ (civil version)
for manufacturing to select Indian
private companies through Transfer of
Technology. HAL will float RFI soon for
identifying the Indian private agency
that can produce Dhruv helicopters in
future. Considering the increasing need
of helicopters in civil operations of the
country, this will be a mega deal from
HAL which is the OEM and Licensor.
Udayanth Malhatra, CEO and MD
Bell completes 5,000th aircraft
B ell Helicopters, a Textron Inc.
company, has announced that the
company’s Canadian facility located
in Mirabel completed its 5,000th
aircraft. The aircraft, a Bell 407GXP,
will be owned by China’s Shaanxi
Helicopter Co. Ltd. (SHC), which had
signed a purchase agreement for 100
Bell 407GXPs earlier in 2017.
“This is an incredible milestone for
Bell Helicopter and a testament to the
talent and dedication of everyone here
at Mirabel and across the company,”
said Cynthia Garneau, President,
Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Ltd
(BHTCL). “We are confident this
new 407GXP will live up to the high
performance that SHC expects from
the aircraft and we look forward to
working with SHC to bring this aircraft
of Dynamatic Technologies Limited
(Bengaluru) symbolically handed over
100th ship set of Su-30 MKI assemblies.
Bhamre in his speech pointed
out that the delivery of the 100th
empennage assemblies also affirmed
the successful public-private
partnership in outsourcing of aircraft
assemblies, for the first time in the
country, which has become a role
model under the `Make in India’
programme. This should be future
model not only of HAL but other
companies too. The minister said that
there was a need for a larger ecosystem
of private enterprises to transform
themselves for greater participation
in the aerospace sector to support
the ‘Make in India’ initiative. HAL
had been instrumental in nurturing
a competitive aviation eco-system
in India by way of collaborating with
private industries as outsourced
into service in China and ensure the
smooth delivery of the rest of the 407s
on order.”
The Bell 407GXP, launched in 2015,
was an upgrade to the Bell 407 product
line that provides an additional 50
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
DEFBIZ
partners with more than 30 per cent
of HAL’s man-hours being outsourced
including several critical work
packages, he added.
Bhamre further said that it
was a welcome move that private
organisations including MSMEs
were being engaged in design and
developments of products and
technologies. “I request all the
stake holders of this aerospace and
defence manufacturing eco-system
to contribute,” he added. Expressing
concern over HAL’s order book beyond
2020-21, he said HAL’s facility was of
national importance and could not be
allowed to be idle. With the availability
of state-of-the art infrastructure
and expertise built over the years,
additional orders to HAL would help
IAF bridge the gap between the existing
and desired squadron strength in the
shortest possible time.
lbs. (22.5 kg) of payload capability,
coupled with a new M250 Rolls-Royce
engine that improves performance
and fuel efficiency delivering class-
leading hot and high performance.
The Bell 407GXP is also equipped with
new avionics features such as hover
performance calculator improvement,
as well as transmission TBO extension
of +500 hours that is designed to
lower maintenance costs. The Bell
407GXP integrates reliability, speed,
performance and maneuverability
with a cabin configurable for an array
of missions and payloads. There are
almost 1,400 Bell 407s in operation
around the world today performing a
myriad of missions in the corporate,
Helicopter Emergency Medical Service
(HEMS) and energy space.
67
 DEFBIZ
Artificial intelligence to help planners
understand conflict
R aytheon BBN Technologies has
planned to explore artificial
intelligence and machine learning
techniques to develop tools that may
enable military planners to understand
how cultural and other factors
combine to cause conflicts.
Raytheon BBN aims to use its
machine reading system – a computer
system that reads prose and converts
it to language understandable by
artificial intelligence – to analyse
the causal factors behind events and
the relationships between them.
These factors and relationships will
be represented in semantic graphs,
providing information in ways that
both people and computers can
understand. This, in conjunction with
PZL Warszawa-Okecie to modernise
Orlik TC-I
T he Polish Air Force’s fleet of
earlier generation PZL 130 Orlik
TC-I trainer aircraft will undergo a
radical modernisation that will bring
them up to the latest global aviation
standards and allow them to operate
for decades to come.
Under the terms of a contract
awarded by the Polish Defense
Ministry, PZL Warszawa-Okęcie will
perform extensive structural and
avionics upgrades on the 12 aircraft
before returning them for service as
effectively new machines.
Designated Orlik TC II Advanced,
the modernised aircraft will join 16
similar aircraft currently being up-
dated from the more recent Orlik TC
II standard in a uniform fleet.
Work has began and the aircrafts
will re-enter service at 42 Air Train-
ing Base, Radom between mid-2019
and October 2020 with lives of 12,000
flight hours ahead of them.
The two-part work package
includes first the provision of new
wings, tails, engines and propellers,
and then the complete replacement
of the cockpit instrumentation and
68
other modeling and visualisation
tools, may provide military planners
a clear view of the potential
repercussions of various courses of
action.
“Using artificial intelligence,
we can potentially understand
what causes conflict,” said David
Lintz, Vice President, Raytheon
BBN Technologies. “When military
planners understand the root
causes, they may be better able to
recommend the best course of action
for any given situation.”
The work is being done under an
award from the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency’s Causal
Exploration of Complex Operational
Environments programme.
avionics with modern systems.
The modernisation permits
the introduction of “on-condition”
instead of calendar-based mainte-
nance, and half as frequent checks,
resulting in major operating cost
savings.
Manuel Heredia, President and
CEO of PZL said: “This programme
will provide a cost-effective route
for Poland to train its future mili-
tary pilots in an advanced aircraft
that meets all equipment require-
ments to fly in today’s regulated and
controlled airspace while remaining
a fully aerobatic trainer permitting
the latest instructional techniques
“Furthermore, the aproduction capa-
bilities that we gain during this work
will lay the ground for the resump-
tion of series production of the Orlik
for export customers for which we
see excellent possibilities.”
Earlier this year an additional
contract was signed to develop for
the Polish Air Force an Orlik full
flight simulator which will complete
the suite of required instructional
aides.
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
Russian Helicopters
tests Mi-171E
R ussian Helicopters has started
flight tests of the Mi-171E
multipurpose helicopter with
upgraded power unit and rotor system
at Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (UUAP).
Due to innovations, the economic
efficiency of Mi-171E helicopter was
enhanced significantly.
Mi-171E helicopters are equipped
with a new rotor and X-shaped tail
rotor with blades made of polymer
composite materials, upgraded swash
plate, Russian-made VK-2500PS-03
engine with a FADEC-type digital
control system, and with modified
stabilizer and keel beam. “Equipment
of Mi-171E helicopter with a new
carrier system allowed to increase the
maximum speed, increase the flight
range and external sling payload, and
to make flights in the thin air of high
altitudes and in high temperatures
more reliable. Also, a new form of
blades of tail and main rotor makes
it possible to significantly reduce
the noise level. We hope that the
modernized helicopter will appeal
to both traditional buyers and
new clients,” said Leonid Belykh,
Managing Director of JSC UUA.
All components of the carrier
system are lighter, their resources
are increased and maintenance
complexity is decreased. Digital de-
icing system for composite blades
of main and tail rotor is also a new
feature.
Resources of the VK-2500PS-03
engines with emergency mode power
of 2700 HP are increased by 1.5 times.
FADEC-type digital engine control
system adapts controls to external
conditions, significantly reduces the
weight and volume of the electronic
units of the system and connecting
cables, ensures synchronisation of the
engine working mode by turbocharger
rotation frequency. It allows optimum
performance of engines with minimal
fuel consumption.
 DEFBIZ

Airbus, UK MoD tie-up for RAF Puma2

A irbus Helicopters and the UK
Ministry of Defence(MoD) have
signed a Follow-on Support Arrange-
ment contract to provide support
to the Royal Air Force(RAF) Puma
2 f leet over the planned service life
of the aircraft. The contract, worth
an initial £100 million, was the first
of two pricing periods which will
see Airbus Helicopters provide full
technical support and logistics until
March 2022. The contract has the
facility to be extended until the cur-
rently planned out of service date of
March 2025, subject to the agree-
ment of both parties.
As part of the company’s sup-
port offering, Airbus Helicopters will
provide repair and overhaul services
in addition to a parts-by-the-hour
programme, helping to ensure high
availability with stable, value for
money maintenance costs. The
contract also includes the provision The contract, awarded under very demanding conditions.”
of training to all Puma avionics and single-source regulations, follows From the outset, Puma 2 has
mechanical technicians as well as on from the previous very successful delivered the UK Armed Forces a sig-
engineering managers. Interim Support Arrangement, which nificant capability which has been
Harriett Baldwin, Defence Minis- has seen Airbus Helicopters support exploited during its very successful,
ter said, “This £100 million invest- the aircraft since the first upgraded and ongoing, deployment to Afghan-
ment will ensure our Puma helicop- Puma 2 entered service in 2012, re- istan under Operation TORAL. More
ters continue to transport British cently reaching 20,000 f light hours. recently, during the UK’s disaster
troops and kit to the front line – help- Ian Morris, Head of UK defence relief Operation RUMAN in the wake
ing us provide vital support quickly programmes at Airbus Helicopters, of Hurricane Irma, the Puma dem-
in rapidly evolving situations. The said, “This follow on contract re- onstrated another of its strengths as
deal – part of our £178 billion Equip- affirms the confidence that the MoD an ideal support helicopter capable
ment Plan – will not only give our has in the aircraft and in Airbus to of rapid deployment by C17, with
Armed Forces the kit they need to continue to provide a cost effective minimal build up required on arrival
deal with intensifying global threats, and highly capable solution that prior to starting operations making it
but will also sustain British jobs at will allow the Puma to continue to a clear choice for contingency opera-
Airbus Helicopters.” support our forces on operations, in tions world-wide.

A400M refuels F-18 fighters

A irbus A400M has successfully
refueled six Spanish Air Force
F-18 fighters in a single mission as
part of an air-to-air refueling (AAR)
human factors certification flight. The
mission featured a complex series
of AAR scenarios such as changes
of area, receivers with unknown
priorities, and unexpected increases
in numbers of receivers. Through
multiple contacts the six aircraft
simulated a fleet of eight. The F-18s
included the first Spanish operational
fighters to be refueled by the A400M
and belonged to the Spanish Air
Force Test Centre (CLAEX) and the
12th Operational Wing based at
Torrejón. A total of 11.4 tonnes of
fuel was dispensed using both the
under wing pods and the centre
hose refueling unit. Certification
authorities on board confirmed good
results and the flight validated the
A400M two-crew cockpit concept for
tanker missions.

www.geopolitics.in January 2018

69
 DEFBIZ
Airbus, Williams Advanced explore
technology collaboration
A irbus and Williams Advanced
Engineering, the innovative
engineering and technology
business of Williams Grand Prix
Engineering, has come together
to explore potential areas of
technological collaboration.
Under the terms of a newly
signed MoU, the two companies
will examine in particular
applications that may combine
Williams’ innovation culture,
lightweight composites and battery
expertise with Airbus‘ Zephyr High
Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS)
programme.
Zephyr is a record-breaking,
solar-powered, unmanned
aerial system (UAS), with unique
communications and surveillance
capabilities. It will fly at more than
65,000ft, above commercial air
traffic, for months at a time.
As sole battery supplier to the
FIA Formula E championship
since its inception, Williams
Advanced Engineering’s battery
technology has been tried and
tested, and its world-leading
expertise in electrification has
become core to the business. And
with four decades of experience
Elbit Systems’ USV meets
British and Israeli Navy
E lbit Systems Unmanned Surface
Vessel (USV), the Seagull
participated in a recent joint exercise
between the Israeli Navy and the British
Royal Navy (RN) in Haifa Bay. During
the exercise the USV performed a Mine
Counter Measure (MCM) mission,
scanning and charting a secure path for
HMS Ocean, the RN helicopter carrier.
Once encountering Mine-Like-Objects,
the Seagull alerted HMS Ocean to avoid
them, thus securing its safe route.
The Seagull performed the mission
while being remotely operated from
a Mission Control Station onshore.
Additionally, the Seagull took part in a
70
at the pinnacle of motor racing,
where lightweight materials and
structures are crucial, Williams is
now developing these technologies
and finding innovative solutions to
weight saving.
Jana Rosenmann, Airbus Head
of Unmanned Aerial Systems said:
“At Airbus we have enormous
respect for Williams Advanced
Engineering’s technical expertise
and achievements. Both Airbus
and Williams are always looking
to recruit talented engineers and
we hope that this joint activity
illustrates the terrific opportunities
we offer to work in the kind of
technologies that will be critical to
future transportation.”
Craig Wilson, Managing
Director of Williams Advanced
Engineering said: “Airbus is
a name synonymous with
innovation and technology in the
industry. As such, we are delighted
to be working with them on this
project, and hope to share some
of our expertise in electrification,
battery systems and advanced
lightweight materials, as well as
learn from their vast experience in
aerospace.”
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
CityAirbus marks next
milestone
T he CityAirbus programme has reached
another important milestone: the completion
and “power on” of the “iron bird” ground test
facility in Taufkirchen, Germany. This enables
the verification of the entire electric propulsion
system of CityAirbus, developed by Airbus’
E-Aircraft Systems unit.
The first full electric propulsion test bench has
the capability to operate the propulsion system
chain from flight controls to the dynamic loads of
the propellers. This allows the verification of the
electric, mechanical and thermal dynamics. After
being maturated and verified on the iron bird,
the propulsion system will be embedded on the
demonstrator by mid-2018.
The test bench configuration reflects the
CityAirbus architecture including motors, power
electronics and distribution boxes developed
and produced by Siemens in the frame of the
cooperation agreement between Airbus and
Siemens on electric propulsion.
Meanwhile the development of the CityAirbus
demonstrator itself is on-going. The first structural
parts have already been produced and are on
the way to being assembled. These important
development steps pave the way to the CityAirbus’
first flight before the end of 2018.
CityAirbus is a multi-passenger, self-piloted
battery-powered vertical take-off and landing
vehicle designed for urban air mobility. It is
designed to carry up to four passengers over
congested megacities in a fast, affordable and
environmentally friendly way.
tactical maneuvering exercise
and sailed information with the
Navy vessels and British RN’s
carrier.
In addition to MCM
capabilities, the Seagull features
switchable, modular mission
payload suites and can perform
Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
missions, Electronic Warfare
(EW), Maritime Security
(MS), Hydrography and other
missions using the same vessel,
mission control system and data
links. Seagull offers navies a
true force multiplier delivering
enhanced performance to naval
operations, reducing risk to
human life and dramatically
cutting procurement and
operating costs.

Airbus delivers first Tiger HAD to French Army Aviation
A irbus Helicopters has delivered the
first Tiger retrofitted into the HAD
version to the French Army Aviation, after
having previously completed its formal
acceptance process with the French
Defence Procurement Agency (DGA).
This retrofit from the HAP to the HAD
version involves performing over 100
airframe modifications and installing over
1500 new parts and 250 electrical cables.
Compared with the previous HAP
version, HAD Tiger benefits from an
increased maximum take-off weight
(MTOW), and has been equipped with
two new enhanced MTR 390 E engines
and with a new STRIX roof mounted sight
system complete with a laser designator
that allows the Hellfire II air-to-ground
missile to be fired.
This retrofit was the first of 36 retrofits
from HAP to HAD ordered by the French
Ministry of Defence.
For this Tiger retrofit programme,
Airbus Helicopters has set up a new
industrial organisation, combining
Collins’ upgrade for Boeing 767 receives certified
R ockwell Collins has announced
that its large format flight display
upgrade for Boeing 767 aircraft has
received European Aviation Safety
Agency (EASA) type certification.
The upgrade and certification were
completed for Star Air through a
collaborative effort between Rockwell
Collins, Boeing, Atlantic Aviation Group
and L2 Aviation.
The new 767 and 757 flight display
system, also certified by the Federal
Aviation Administration, brings a
series of innovative technologies that
dramatically enhance situational
awareness, improve reliability five-
fold, decrease line maintenance
actions by 80 per cent, provide positive
return on investment and decrease
avionics weight. All this plus mitigating
Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) obsolescence
challenges positions the aircraft for
future airspace evolutions.
“This upgrade brings new life to
the flight deck and makes the aircraft
immediately ready for future airspace
operations,” said Steve Timm, Vice
President and General Manager, Air
Transport Systems for Rockwell Collins.
“Greater situational awareness for the
pilots is a key benefit of the upgrade
both teams from its Military Support
Center France and from its Tiger serial
production Final Assembly Line. “This
retrofit is considered a priority for
the French Army and will allow us to
have a perfected weapon system and a
homogenous fleet. The first HAD Tigers
have been combat-proven since 2014
and have shown their wide range of
capabilities daily in demanding theatres
of operation” said the French Army
Aviation Command.
since the large-format displays enable
flight information to be portrayed
according to personal preferences.”
“By collaborating with Rockwell
Collins to offer the Large Display
System (LDS), we’re able to assure
our 757 and 767 operators increased
operational cost efficiencies and
integrate new capabilities for future
airspace mandates and upgrades,” said
Robert Dankers, Director for Avionics
Modifications, Boeing Global Services.
“Providing a modern, integrated flight
deck solution with commonality to 737
MAX and 787 Dreamliner brings further
efficiencies in operations, training
and sparing costs for many of our
customers.”
The upgrade features three large-
format 15.1-inch LCD displays that
replace six CRT displays and numerous
analog instruments to provide
operators with a number of benefits,
including:
 Boeing collaboration and support
to ensure Boeing flight deck
philosophy is maintained.
 A platform to incorporate future
safety-enhancing technology such
as airport taxi maps, data link
weather, surface guidance, and
www.geopolitics.in January 2018
DEFBIZ
“We are pleased to have achieved
this first delivery in accordance with
the specifications of our customer” said
Alexandra Cros, head of governmental
affairs France at Airbus Helicopters. “This
Tiger retrofit program will give the French
Army Aviation the additional capabilities
they require in order to perform their
most demanding operational missions”,
she added.
The Tiger HAD has been Airbus
Helicopters’ multi-role attack helicopter.
It was designed to perform armed
reconnaissance, air or ground escort,
air-to-air combat, ground firing support,
destruction and anti-tank warfare, day or
night and in adverse conditions.
The Tiger attack helicopter has
proven its capabilities during operational
deployments in Afghanistan, the Central
African Republic, Libya and Mali. In
service with the armed forces of France,
Germany, Spain and Australia, the global
Tiger fleet has logged over 92,000 flight
hours to date.
synthetic and enhanced vision
systems.
 Complete replacement of all older
displays and majority of older line-
replaceable units (LRUs).
 Engine-indication and crew-
alerting system (EICAS) displays
replaced and integrated into the
LDS system.
 Reduced pilot training due to
alignment with Boeing flight deck
philosophy on its most modern
aircraft, including Boeing 787
Dreamliner and 737 MAX.
 The only certified system that is
fully integrated and eliminates all
the older EDUs from the cockpit.
71
 DEFBIZ
New modern aircraft components on show from Rostec
R ostec has unveiled a showroom
for aviation components made by
its subsidiary, the Technodinamika
Holding Company. The modern-
looking showroom is situated at
Technodinamika’s new Head Office in
Moscow covering an area of more than
1200 sqms.
The products on display include
at least 200 samples of aviation
equipment from 15 Rostec’s
enterprises, specialising in the
development and production of
various systems for helicopters,
military and civilian aircraft.
“The new exhibition will give
potential clients an opportunity to
learn about the full range of aviation
systems and components produced
by Technodinamika Holding”, said
Sergey Chemezov, CEO of Rostec State
Corporation. “Apart from off-the-shelf
items, we also showcase prospective
technologies, new concepts in the
aircraft industry and our truly unique
competence in both military and civil
segments.”
The centre has been fitted out
with the latest technical solutions:
interactive multi-touch catalogues,
AR-technologies, panoramic screens
and projections, interactive sensor
interfaces, multimedia kinetic
installations.
There are also 20 thematic areas,
divided according to the use of
KC-390 achieves IOC
T he new Embraer KC-390 military
transport and aerial refueling
has completed a relevant milestone,
with Embraer demonstrating to
the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) the
attainment of the Initial Operational
Capability (IOC).
The achievement of the IOC
ensures that the necessary conditions
have been met for the aircraft to start
operations, in accordance with the
scope agreed upon with the FAB. As
part of the IOC, Embraer obtained a
KC-390 Provisional Type Certificate
from the Brazilian National Civil
Aviation Agency (ANAC), a testament
to the adequacy of the design in
fulfilling the demanding certification
72
equipment and accessories - kinetic
airplane areas, areas of prospective
engines, auxiliary power units,
parachute production, power supply
systems, fuel metering equipment,
fuel pumps, flexible ducts, filters,
electro-mechanical drives, landing
gears, fire protection systems, oxygen
systems, kinetic helicopter, burning
systems as well as a separate area for
aircraft MC-21.
Technodinamika showcases its
serial products that were already being
manufactured for Russian aircrafts
Tu-204, Il-76 and Il-112B, helicopter
Ka-226, engines PD-14 and PD-35 as
well as advanced accessories for the
program of Su-57, a medium tactical
transport aircraft and a prospective
long-range aviation complex.
A separate section of the
demonstration room accommodates
military products made by NPP
Start. They include transport-loading
machines for air defence missile
systems, air missile starter units and
shipboard launchers.
“Our objective in creating this
centre was to promote products that
are currently in the highest demand
in the Russian and global markets.
And even before the construction was
completed, our partners expressed an
interest in visiting the showroom and
taking a look at our products”, said
Igor Nasenkov, CEO, Technodinamika.
requirements for transport aircraft.
“We are pleased to announce
the achievement of this important
milestone for the KC-390
Programme,” said Jackson Schneider,
President and CEO of Embraer
Defense & Security. “The certification
campaign has progressed as planned
and the tests performed have been
very successful, proving the maturity
of the aircraft and confirming the
performance and the anticipated
capacities.”
To date, the tests campaign
has accumulated more than 1,500
flight hours with 2 prototypes
and more than 40,000 hours of
laboratory testing of the aircraft’s
January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
Rockwell Collins, the Most
JUST Company in 2017
R ockwell Collins has been named
America’s Most JUST Company
in the Aerospace & Defence
industry, according to Forbes and
JUST Capital, a nonprofit that
ranks the largest publicly traded
corporations in the United States
on the issues Americans care about
most. The second annual JUST
100 ranking compares America’s
companies head-to-head, based
on the priorities of the American
people.
The rankings are based on
one of the most comprehensive
surveys ever conducted on public
attitudes toward corporate
behavior, involving 10,000 American
respondents in 2017 and more than
72,000 over the past three years.
Rockwell Collins wasrecognised
for outperforming its peers on
the criteria deemed to be most
important, including worker
pay and treatment, job creation,
healthy products and communities,
environmental impact, and more.
“At Rockwell Collins, we have
a culture that values relationships,
commitment, innovation and
integrity,” said Kelly Ortberg,
Chairman, President and CEO.
“We’re proud to be recognized
as one of America’s Most JUST
Companies as it demonstrates our
dedication to these values.”
various systems. The structural tests
campaign is nearing completion,
with only the full-scale fatigue test
remaining.
According to the schedule, in
2018, the final Type Certificate will
be issued by ANAC. Additionally,
in-flight tests of various military
functionalities will be completed,
including the remaining aerial
refueling and cargo dropping tests,
to fulfill the requirements to receive
the final military certification of the
aircraft with the achievement of the
Final Operational Capability (FOC).
The delivery of the first series
aircraft to the FAB was scheduled to
take place in 2018.
 BOOKS

HOW EFFECTIVE IS INDIA’S NUCLEAR POLICY?

In his latest book, ‘Sharpening the Arsenal: India’s Evolving Nuclear Deterrence Policy’,
BRIG GURMEET KANWAL (RETD) examines the efficacy of India’s declared nuclear doctrine
of credible minimum deterrence with a no first use posture and surveys the nuclear arsenals of
India, China and Pakistan. The book points out the futility of and the risks inherent in Pakistan’s
acquisition of tactical nuclear warheads (TNWs), analyses India’s Cold Start doctrine and takes
stock of the state of strategic stability in South Asia. Other issues covered in the book include
the threat of nuclear terrorism, BMD, nuclear CBMs and NRRMs, the implications of the Indo-
US nuclear deal for deterrence, non-proliferation challenges and nuclear disarmament. It ends
with a series of recommendations to sharpen the arsenal. An extract from the book:

Crucial role for nuclear deterrence
Though India is a reluctant nuclear pow-
er, nuclear deterrence will continue to
play a crucial role in India’s national se-
curity strategy over the next few decades.
The current international trend is to-
wards more modern, high quality nuclear
forces, even though the present efforts
of US and Russia to reduce the number
of warheads and missiles will continue.
Both China and Pakistan are engaged
in the upgradation of their nuclear war-
head and delivery systems capabilities.
With some nations and various terror-
ist groups expressing their nuclear am-
bitions openly and the possibility of a
political-military meltdown in Pakistan,
even though the probability is low, the
proliferation of nuclear weapons around
India remains a cause for concern. In line
with the emerging trends, India too, must
endeavour to modernise its nuclear war-
heads and delivery systems and keep its
option to test open – if it ever becomes
necessary in the future. In particular, In-
dia must close the missile technology gap
with both China and Pakistan as early as
possible, or else the credibility of India’s
nuclear deterrence will remain suspect.
The recommendations made and the
foreign policy imperatives mentioned be-
low merit the government’s attention.
Effectiveness of Delivery Systems
India must step up efforts to acquire
missiles with a range between 5,000
km and 10,000 km for better long-range
deterrence against China. The Agni-5/
Surya programme, which can benefit
from the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle
(PSLV) and the Geosynchronous Satel-
lite Launch Vehicle (GSLV), needs to be
Sharpening the
Arsenal: India’s
Evolving Nuclear
Deterrence Policy
Author: Brig
Gurmeet Kanwal
(Retd)
Publisher:
HarperCollinsIN
Pages: 272
Price: `599
given high R&D priority.
For a nation that has adopted a ‘no
first use’ nuclear posture and is willing
to absorb a nuclear strike that may cause
large-scale destruction and cripple part
of its nuclear forces, genuine deterrence
can be provided only by a robust, infal-
lible and potentially insuperable nuclear
deterrent capability including SSBNs
armed with nuclear-tipped SLBMs. It is
imperative for India to make all efforts to
acquire and operationalise its SSBNs as
early as possible. While INS Arihant was
reported to have been inducted in Octo-
ber 2016, INS Aridhaman is expected to
be launched in September 2017. Togeth-
er, these two SSBNs will substantively
enhance the quality of India’s deterrence.
Till such time as SSBNs enter service
with the Indian Navy, a small number of
surface combat ships in both the east-
ern and the western naval fleets must be
equipped with nuclear-tipped missiles to
add to the uncertainties of the direction of
launch that an adversary must consider.
Testing of Warheads and Missiles
As India has conducted only six nuclear
tests, the country’s nuclear warhead
designs are based on only a small da-
tabase. Hence, despite the availability
of sophisticated computer simulation
and modelling techniques for improved
warhead design, India must retain the
option to carry out further nuclear tests
as and when it is considered techni-
cally necessary by AEC scientists and is
politically feasible to do so. Therefore,
signing the CTBT is not a viable policy
option for India in the near future. How-
ever, as a responsible nuclear power,
India must continue to honour all the
provisions of the CTBT.
Similarly, India’s IRBMs have been
inducted into service after only a lim-
ited number of flight tests. Additional
tests of the Agni series of missiles should
continue – both to inspire confidence
among the users manning these mis-
siles as well as to enhance the credibili-
ty of India’s nuclear deterrence by show-
casing their technological maturity and
accuracy of delivery. Indian diplomacy
must endeavour to add value to credible
deterrence through appropriate inter-
ventions in international fora.
Technological Developments
The deployment of effective BMD sys-
tems to defend value targets and provide
point defence to important installations
will considerably enhance the quality
of India’s deterrence. Endeavours must
continue to acquire this capability ex-
import.
(Excerpts from the concluding
chapter of Gurmeet Kanwal’s book)

www.geopolitics.in January 2018

73
 OPTIQUE
A NEW YEAR, BUT OLD CHALLENGES
FOR THE INDIAN ARMY
I
t is no more business as usual for the Indian Army
along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan in Jammu
and Kashmir. The business has changed since the In-
dian Army openly and publicly announced that it has
carried out a cross-LoC strike on terror camps in Pakistan-
occupied Kashmir in September 2016, probably the only
time ever that the nation has acknowledged a covert opera-
tion of this magnitude.
The result of the September 2016 ‘surgical’ strike, as the
cross-LoC terror camps elimination was called, is an almost
four-fold increase in the number of ceasefire violations by
the Pakistan Army to hit at Indian Army camps and installa-
tions on the Indian side of the LoC, as well as the number of
soldiers India has lost in 2017.
A Government of India estimate, shared with Parlia-
ment in mid-December 2017 by junior home minister
Hansraj Ahir, put the number of ceasefire violations at 881
along the LoC and the International Border (IB) in Jammu
and Kashmir. These Pakistan Army violations of the No-
vember 2003 ceasefire agreement between India and Paki-
stan, has already killed 30 people, including soldiers, on this
side of the LoC.
In comparison, there were only 228 ceasefire violations
in 2016 and 152 in 2015. The Army has lost 14 soldiers in
ceasefire violations on the LoC this year, while 17 soldiers
have died to counter-infiltration bids from the Pakistani
side. A total of 59 militants have been killed while attempt-
ing infiltration into the Indian side of the LoC from Paki-
stan-occupied Kashmir this year, in comparison to 37 and
30 militants killed in 2016 and 2015 respectively.
As recently as December 23, 2017 India lost a Major
from the Indian Army and three other soldiers in what was
described by India as “an unprovoked” sniper firing on In-
dian posts along the LoC in Keri sector of Jammu and Kash-
mir’s Rajouri district by the Pakistan Army. It was described
as a ceasefire violation by the Indian Defence Ministry’s
public relations directorate representative at Indian Army’s
Northern Command headquarters at Udhampur. The In-
dian Army Major was identified as Moharkar Prafulla Am-
badas. The other soldiers killed were Lance Naiks Gurmail
Singh and Kuldeep Singh and Sepoy Pargat Singh.
The killing of the four Indian Army personnel triggered
what is now being described as a “tit-for-tat” operation
just two days later. In information coming from the Indian
Army headquarters, it is learned that five highly-trained
Indian Army commandos sneaked into the Pakistan-occu-
pied Kashmir for about 300 metres across the LoC to kill at
least three Pakistani soldiers on December 25 night.
Though officials, who did not want to be identified,
described the Indian Army strike as a “tactical retaliatory
strike” decided by a local Brigade commander, the action
reminded the nation of the September 2016 surgical strike.
Reportedly, the Indian Army first triggered a blast on the
74 January 2018 www.geopolitics.in
Pakistan Army’s patrol party from the 59 Baloch Regiment,
in which at least one of their soldiers was killed. Soon after,
to finish off the remaining survivors from the patrol party,
the five-member Indian Army ‘Ghatak’ team moved in
quickly to shoot down the rest.
It was a short-distance and short-duration operation
unlike the surgical strike last year. “Whatever Pakistan does
to us, we will do the same,” the official said, warning that
more such operations would be conducted if Pakistani forc-
es continue targeting Indian troops.
These developments do not augur well for the peace
and tranquility on the borders between India and Pakistan.
But India cannot stay a mute spectator to the killing of its
soldiers by the Pakistan Army. The violent actions from
both sides, come as it may in the winter months, seem to
indicate a much more violent 2018.
It is quite possible that the Kashmir hinterland too
could get hot with infiltration by terrorists, pushed into In-
dia by Pakistan, going up soon after the winter snow begins
to melt. The real worry for the Indian security forces would
be the summer months of 2018. The summer months usu-
ally witness a rise in the number of infiltration attempts and
terror strikes by the anti-India forces and elements, as has
been witnessed in 2017 too.
But the experience of 2016 and 2017 surprise attacks on
military bases, in a suicide mission, has made the Indian
security forces wiser. The government has put in a mecha-
nism to strengthen the perimeter security around military
bases that are vulnerable to terror strikes of the kind wit-
nessed in Pathankot and Nagrota in the last two years.
In July 2017, the Ministry of Defence delegated substan-
tial financial powers to the Armed Forces for undertaking
works for perimeter security of sensitive military installa-
tions. The Vice Chiefs of the three Services have been em-
powered to place orders, procure equipment and carry out
the works in this connection.
A detailed `1,000-crore plan has been devised by the
Ministry of Defence in November 2016 to put up the three-
layered perimeter security for Army garrisons and military
installations in the sensitive border states such as Jammu
and Kashmir. The procurement is to be stretched over a
three-year period.
With such plans in place, what is needed and is an im-
perative is quick decision-making and execution of secu-
rity plans to counter not only the ceasefire violations by
Pakistan military and infiltration bids of armed militants
but also to prevent loss of lives of Indian soldiers to enemy
attacks, be it on the LoC or during terror strike by the anti-
India forces.
geopolitics@newsline.in
RNI No. DELENG/2010/35319

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RNI No. DELENG/2010/35319

FLYING WITH INDIA’S FLYING COLORS.

WISHING INDIA A VERY HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY.

O V E R 60 YEARS. 6 A I R C R A F T T YP E S. 1 N AT I O N
w w w. r a f a le. co. i n
TO O FA N I MYSTERE IV ALIZE JAGUAR MIRAGE 2000 R A FA L E