www.forceindia.

net
THE COMPLETE NEWSMAGAZINE ON NAIIONAL SECURITY

VOLUME6 NO9 MAY2OO9

MUTil ROLE G||MBAT AINGNffT

RAGE BEGIN$

--Air
Chief Marshal F.H. Major
inspecting Air Force Day Parade

RI CHARD RUSSIAN
H(lLBR()(lKE'S AMBASSAD(lR (lN
INDIA VISIT IN D IA.RUSSIA TIES
p 26 p34
 -:

\.
tl:
\,=-:

-_lj

#?

F-16tru SUprm VIpFH

THE t",!I-TIM,&TT 4''-I GgTTNATNNru FIGHTTR

L0cl,.heed M*rlin's F-lSll\ $L:per Vipel rs f; urque ls$J frghler sharing a h€rita!s t'rili the r,'roi.:cr's ol.iiy
; ':': gu:tr;:;ri,:t;' l!'Ji'lirs. Tiris ,rlillr:aie tlr,'ilt cerre.ii;i:r:: {i:ji'ler i:as l;:u,l :,,:l:,r:t {'xc LS \./c \, :,i 'de-
cr'exce ec ail lf iriilia's MeCiun l,rllitl f,nll Curiibat Alr;raft ift'lMFlCA; :.;{j::::-'i:'r\-.s. Tle F-l6i\ -s:lc
:'g:r1 c:rc':J 11 :,'e i,,li!1,: A': F;,lrJ.tAi .'a':r: ,s ''lrt;y irr: iitt+q'ai;:l: .""' .tl::t's '-- is:,.: -: 3-il
ci-reralicits low. [,;ciir lialarylerhi-rcia.l ie i; ltake1Ie f-1011'] lrc n{isi, aiiv:iliri'i.l,..ir l1 e''e 'a: c r ''c:r:e i
i"'; t;',,,.,,-, )ri :o.rt,trt y.
| :E ?VUi tt :ti.ri

i ll:e kheedn:artin.e *nrlf 'l 6 -t;.:.:;;-;F

Volume 6 No 9 May 2009

F(ilHTE
Editor PRAVIN SAWHNEY
Dear Readers
It seems to be getting hotter and hotter. As the mercury continues its jour-
Executive Editor GHAZALA WAHAB ney north, excitement over the Multi Role Combat Aircraft also seems to be
Sr. Consulting Editor ADM ARUN PRAMSH (Retd): boiling over. The IAF has indicated that chances of doum selection (inviting
AIR MARSHAL G.S. CHAUDHRY (Retd) only a select number for flight evaluation which will start by the end of May)
Consulting Editor BRIG. ARUN SAHGAL (Retd)
are very bright, throwing the contenders in a lizzy.Tlire guessing game has
Associate Editor SANJARI CHAITERJTE
begun with periodic leaks in the media. We bring you all the hard details on
Special Correspondent ADIII BHAN
the mother of all deals. This will indeed be a keenly watched and comment-
Correspondent VIDHI UPADHYAY
ed upon competition. Our special report on the MRCA lists the capabilities
Srinagar Correspondent FAYM WANI
Bangalore Conespondent ANIL KUI/IAR
of the competitors, as well carries an in-depth story on AESA radar. We will
Photographers AlVllN WAR, HEI/IANT RAWAT continue to revisit this subject with more details as the trials begin.
Design Consultant DHARANA The other story we are looking at in this issue is the recent visit of the US
Manager Marketing JAMES RAIAN special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan (AfPak), Richard Holbrooke and
Asst Marketing SWEETY SINGH the US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Admiral Mike
Puhlisher and Printer PRAVIN SAWHNEY Mullen to New Delhi. This is another story that we will keep tracking regu-
larly as Pakistan has made it clear that India will be an important player if US
Force is available at:
Abdullah News Agency,
AfPak policy is to be successfully implemented. However, in this story we
Lal Chowk, Srinagar, 190 00i
look at how the US plans to make Pakistan's nukes secure; unfortunately, at
Phone, 0194-2472621 Mobile, 9419074859 the same time making them dangerous for India. It is indeed ironic that we
Contact, Amin War; M0bile: 9419000630 believe what the US thinks, that the Taliban will soon overwhelm Pakistan
and India would be next on their agenda. We need to step back and wonder
Modern Book Depot why this scenario is not troubling the Pakistan Army, which through its
SadarBazar, Agra Cantt., Uttar Pradesh proxy civilian government, continues to extract more than has already been
Telephone, 0562-?225695 given by the US.
Nataraj Publishers
The special report is an encouraging one, on the growing relations
I7. Rajpur Road, Dehradun 248001 between India and Russia. This bilateral relationship, we believe, comes
Telephone: 0135-2653382 7.654584 closest to a strategic partnership that India has ever had with any country'
We have our differences, all of which are such that can be overcome. We have
Capital Book Depot
handled this story by deliberately concentrating more on the Russian per-
SC0-3, Sector 17E, Chandigarh 160017
spective of the relationship. There is a comprehensive interview with the
Telephone, 017 2-7 02260
Russian ambassador in India, who has the distinction of having spent near-
Book Palace ly five years in India. We also bring you Russian viewpoint on the bilateral
The Mall (Near Railway Station), Bhatinda, Punlab defence cooperation, the cornerstone of the relationship. Yet another piece
Telephone: 2237609 is on the restructured Russian military forces. This should provide a few
Editorial 0lfice good ideas to our armed forces.
B-28, Sector 6 Noida 201301, In addition, we bring you plenty of news on the defence industry. Despite
Uttar Pradesh the global economic meltdown, this, we believe, is one Indian industry sec-
Telephone: 91-120-4278691-93 tor, that will continue to flourish. The reasons for this are rather simple:
Fax 9I-120-4278692 India has the means and the need to restructure its armed forces, the Indian
tmail: writeback@forceindia.net industry needs a makeover, and global defence players are vying for part-
Printed at Tara Ad Printers Pvt. Ltd., B-4,
nership with India. We only hope that the India defence media responds
Hans Bhawan, 8Z Marg, New Delhi - 110 002 equally responsibly to this growing challenge. So, keep the excitement going!

O 2OO9 FORCE Editor

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part
,',,ihout permission is prohibited

Rl{l No. DELENG/2nffi112712

ISSN 0972-9453 Force
l'ri:u.f o rc eind ia. net

l\4ay 2009 F0RCE 1

SPECIAL REPORT
Ties that Stick
lndia-Russian relations

Partners Now
Challenges and opportunities for Russian-lndian millech Cooperation

Smash Hit 44
Army and the navy to induct BrahlVlos Block 2 cruise missile

INIERVIEW
'Russia and lndia Share a Partnership of a Genuinely Strategic 36
Natu re'
Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav l. Trubnikov

I
%
C()VER ST()RY

I t r The Race Begins

Field trials for MRCA to start in a few weeks

0ptimistic About lndia 13

/1
Boeing gears up for the MRCA competition

1) '\
Challenging Radars l4

fel
AESA increases pilot's opiions

FRt]M J&K
\ A Hero's Adieu
Mass outpouring at Kashmir: s s: : :' :

GUESI COLUMN
?rc Welcome Change
Sajad Lone s entry

FEATURVREPORT
Pushed to the Edge
in:: a- ''2, -.'..
76

26

Eye on the Future US mulling ici-*a --: :.' ,,::- -- :

Nivedita Das Kundu
Playing Catch-up 2S
T:a :-: n
A New Dawn
_ . ...- rr-:
Ruslan Pukhov

2 F0RCE lVay 2009

 ffi&reKru ffiffi #ffi ffiffi#sffiffi
{
d
T
{

a.: :='=:a :#:i.:1+ i-: i,

Re*dy t* rcr*et isndia's neqr*irem*r:ts. b'fr"t **+h&*

:rfciiihiali Typi:*rl: a llrr;.: io ne lec{i:llr:'.i l'i!ii. Siratr:gil !tliin{.ii, dc:i*r'J',:r,
::iiri:loi:. tht rilil'nals;lir-ic:ir'::rd air-ll'groijrj rJ*jenr:s pialilt'r:. Agiie
:rd aiiapl;:l-:i+ wiiir i: i.,i'*ver s*1ng-roli; crllbilily io !',-lftl. aly flsi-ch;r:glrg
cr,.r:l-i:i:*ri:i tnvir.*nlnert. irglrlli- wiih ll* le assl:rencl ci il':e silleci be lte f 11:
,:r oxnri::hil, *cilrliv lrd th:.oui;l-liic slppr-.tl lil:i .cilre i:'*r belrg c::* ci
- c r.;o r'ri'r il lgett st; :; i cii:l ce itrilAi;j *lit!: $. !-;r:l tZ|if*r' *t,:t"::::,: r r:?,.iy
: ;r':11; c 1V
,1'Eurofiohter
'c: :ryiiiir!i. re;iiy ict irdia. ( n TYPhioon
www.eurof ighter.com nothing comes close
I
0ver the Horizon 52
Two-pronged plan for procuring new-generation UAVs

Neighbourly Visit 55
BDR grateful for BSF's 'wisdom and prudence'

Private Cover 56
lndia lnc. makes bee line for CISF cover

Hero's Tale 75
The authorised biography of Marshal ofthe Air released by ACM EH. Major
.: :::::: "

Mulling over Media 71 The Saga Continues 68

Media is a necessity not a force multiplier The government issues RFI for Advanced Jet Trainer

INTERVIEW Farther And Beyond 6S

'With Existing Deficiency ol 0ver 27 Per Cent, Providing 0fficers 32 IAF's A330-200 MRTTs will each be fitted with advanced mission systems
for Augmentation of NSG is Difficult'
Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Noble Thamburaj, PVSM,AVSM VS[/] News 70

INI] USTRY CO LUMNS

Guest Column 59 Vigil at Sea 17
By Maj. Gen. Mrinal Suman (retd.) Adm. Arun Prakash (retd)

Future Communication 62 The Morning After 22

Cll organises seminar to focus on communication to support BMS Gen. Shankar Roychowdhury (retd)

Secure Seas 65 First Person 82

Lockheed Maftin hard-sells its Aegis BMD System to lndia Ghazala Wahab

PIRAIE Leads 66 Bottomline 83

IAF seeking passive target recognition system Pravin Sawhney

letters
Kashmir Resolution
Dear Sir, Apropos your cover story ofAprii 2009, I notice that you
are anguished that even after 60 years, we have not been able to
find a solution to the vexed I&K problem. So far so good. But it
seems you have also joined the ranks of a large number of arm-
chair strategists and others who periodically sigh about lack of a
solution but have never cared to spell out what this solution
could be which would be acceptable to India, Pakistan and the
Kashmiri people.
May I suggest to you that it is entirely due to India's lveak-kneed
policies and lack of an aggressive approach that we seem to have
lost our case in the eyes of the world. Not many people know that
the UN Resolutions, while recommending plebiscite in J&K have
in an earlier clause stipulated that before that can happen,
Pakistan needs to stop aggression and remove all its regular and
irregular forces from l&K. We never concentrated on this part and
instead started trashing the UN Resolutions. In the meantime,
Pakistan, very cleverly, never mentions the force vacation part but
concentrates only on the self-determination part. The result is
that most of the people, including some of our countrymen
believe that we are in illegal occupation of J&K and in all fairness
should vacate it. Moreover, saying that the UN Resolutions have
become irrelevant merelv because rve signed the Shimla
Agreement with Pakistan is not correct. UN Resolutions stay there
till such time the Security Council feels that these need not be
pursued. So either $ray we have shot ourselves in the foot.
The only solution to J&K problem is to tell Pakistan to vacate
Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and Northern Areas in accordance
lvith the UN Resoiutions. This would put the ball back in
Pakistan's court. To show our reasonable face, we should say that
we are ready to hold a plebiscite provided Pakistan first vacates
POK and the NorthernAreas. Since that is not going to happen, we
remain rvhere we are but would have regained the moral high
ground; send a correct signal to the world community, Separatists
and the people ofJ&K.
I knorv that Indian leadership, advised by the cautious man-
darins of the foreign office will not make a drastic shift in our pol-
icy if at all we have one. So the chances are that lve rvill continue
to drift and armchair strategists will continue to suggest imprac-
tical solutions like no borders, people to people to contact, com-
mon currency etc. Eventually, the Line of Control lvith minor
adjustment will become the international border, the only practi-
cal solution. Though what the Taliban, LeT, Hizbul Mujahideen
and company think of it, is another matter altogether.
Maj. Gen. Sheru Thapliyal (retd)
New Delhi

4 F0RCE l\4ay 2009

 YT*-*www
\ /7i ,*, *'i r*ury,*3 {-"y'*"t'e {'. {}1 {*X t{3y*3{3yy
I V II l);) it sa z \*# Xt"8\,*'{3r'*J L* ty } t }*I
g s-

ffi,

Mass outpouring at Kashmiri's soldier's death raises hopes
I Fayaz Wani
s hundreds of men, women and chil-
dren in Kashmir gathered to mourn the
death of a Kashmiri soldier, who was
killed while fighting Lashkar-e-Taiyyaba
militants in the Hafruda forests in border
district of Kupwara, the event signaled a
change in the mindset of the people, who
have been witness to death and destruc-
tion for the past 20 years in the Valley.
The phenomenon is unusual in theValley
because usually, such outpourings are
reserved only for slain militants. It is for the
first time that people in large number
attended the funeral of a Kashmiri soldier
(belonging to Shia community) killed in the
militant fire. Earlier, people used to shy
away from attending such functions for fear
of facing reprisals at the hands of militants.
Shabir Ahmad Malik, 22, a paratrooper,
was among eight soldiers killed in a fierce
seven-day-long gunfight with a group of
well-trained and battle-hardened Pakistani
militants of LeT. Seventeen militants were
also killed in the fierce gunfight. Kashmiri
youth in the army are not unusual. Horvever,
in Shabir's case, he wasn't a recycled militant
and neither a pro-government gunman
(commonly knornn as lkhwanis) but had
6 F0RCE lVay 2009
joined the Indian Army after passing his
l2th class examination. A resident of Dab in
Ganderbal, he had studied at the prestigious
Sainik School in the district.
Shabir's brother, Ghulam Mohammad, is
proud of his brother's sacrifice for the
country. "l wanted him to become a doctor
but he had a passion for joining the army.
He wanted to complete his graduation so
that he could become an army officer.
Since childhood, he was very patriotic and
wanted to do something for his country. He
has sacrificed his life for the country and
has made us all proud". Shabir's entire vil-
lage attended his funeral amidst pro-
lslamic and pro-Indian slogans like 'Long
Live Shabir' and 'Hindustan Zindabad'.
Women showered confetti and flower
petals on the coffin while it was being
taken for burial. Prior to his burial, Shabir's
body, wrapped in tricolour, was kept in the
Imambara (religious place of Shia
Muslims), where locals poured in to pay
their last homage to the brave soldier.
Mohammad Yasin, Shabir's friend
remembering the day he had accompanied
him to army recruitment rally reminisced
that only three boys including Shabir were
selected while he rvas left out because he
\'\ras over age. Expressing his regret for not
*rl,!'
being able to join the army, Yasin said,
"Even now I have a desire to do something
for the country like Shabir, who has
become our hero. He died an honourable
death. No doubt we are pained and
anguished at his separation but at the same
time I am happy for the sacrifice he has
made for the country". Another local, Aijaz
Ahmad, 28, said, "I have never in my life
seen such a funeral. Such death is pride-
worthy. Every family here is bereaved and
every family is mourning for Shabir."
The slain soldier's parents were incon-
solable at the funeral. "I was with him at
the passing out parade. He used to call me
thrice a day. Now that he is no more, who
rvill call me," Shabir's mother Raja Begum
said, lvith tears rolling down her cheeks.
"He was a brave soldier and was air-
dropped into the jungles to might the mili-
tants. He killed some of the militants before
his death," said SP Ganderbal, Mir Imtiyaz,
adding, "It is for the first time that hundreds
of people have participated in the funeral
procession of a soidier. This has made us
proud of our profession and job". The mass-
outpouring of emotion at Shabir's death has
given a hope for Kashmiri youth, who in
future might be more willing to opt for a
career in the army. o
 --=::i=::':=
i:j:=:-::::= i :::
1. ::
,-,..:.::aa..:::::';
.-.:::.:::::a:--
-,{.::a--:=-.:.'J
/;:::=::=-::.:a:.=::l i ::
:.:-....:.' ..."?
e.a€=-:l:=:j==:,aj 1'
': .=::.:...',4j.?a::::a-:-.::::.-a7 f:
.!=,-€:=:":":/::.:=t-:a/ e

, '' ...,.-r, *;t&*

RUSSIAN AIRCFAFT CORPOFATICIN MiG"

Tel. +7 499 7g5 *0 1*
Fax +7 495 653 14 47
wwlv.migavia.ru
THE RAO NS
Field trials for
MRCA to start ,#
in a few weeks

r Prasun K. Sengupta
he Indian Air Force's on-going and
fiercely competitive evaluations of six
different types of fourth-generation
multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) rvill
enter a decisive phase by the month's end
when, following the completion of exhaus-
tive evaluations of the technical offers, the
flight-test regimes will kick off. At stake is
the procurement of about 250 MRCAs
(betrveen 2012 and2022) that will not only
replace the MiG-2Is, MiG-23MFs, MiG-
23BNs and MiG-27Ms, but rvill also be
used to fill the void made by the delayed
induction of the indigenous fourth-gener-
ation 'Tejas' light combat aircraft (LCA),
about 28 of rvhich are expected to enter
service starting 2011. The fourth-genera-
tion MRCAs presently on offer comprise
the Anglo-S',vedish Gripen International's
Gripen NG, Boeing Integlated Defence
System's F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet,
Lockheed Martin's F-16IN Super Viper,
Eurofighter GmbH's Tranche 3-standard
EF-2000 Typhoon, United Aircraft Corp
(UAC) of Russia's MiG-35, and Dassault
Aviation of France's Rafale F-3.
To get a rough idea of horv exactly the IAF
urill conduct flight and ground evaluations
betr"".een June and September this year of
the six contenders, it rvill be n orth taking a
look at horv the Sntiss Air Force evaluated
tl.re three principal contenders for replacing
its existing fleet of 54 Northrop Grumman
F-5E Tiger 2 combat aircraft. Follor,ving the
issue of RFPs in Janualy 2008, each of the
contenders rvas subjected to a four-r'r,eek
period of test-flights betneen last July and
December', with a total of 100 sorties being
logged in. The Glipen D tandem-seat MRCA

8 F0RCt lVlay 2009


Clockwise: Eurofighter, Gripen, F-l 6lN,
Rafale, Super Hornet, MiG-35
was the first to be evaluated between July
28 and August 28 last year, follolved by the
DassaultAviation's Rafale between October
13 and November 7, and the Eurofighter
F.F-2000 between November 10 and
December 5. All three candidates, togeth-
er with their air and ground crews, were

-gtrk= ffi based at the Emmen air base, and all test-
flights undertaken during the test and
evaluation phase were flown according to
a plan specified by the Swiss Procurement
Agency, with specific tasks for every flight,
in oldel to give the Swiss evaluation
team all the necessary information about
the multi-role capabilities of aircraft,
including air defence, air policing and
reconnaissance.
In parallel r'vith the flight evaluations,
there rvere also very intense ground evalu-
ation activities undertaken. \A,4rile one of
the aircraft was in the air, the second air-
craft rvas used for evaluating the handling
ofthe aircraft on the ground, including pre-
flight preparations, re-armament, mainte-
nance and logistics routines. The Swiss Air
Force supported the evaluation with about
50 F-sE/F and F/A-1BC/D missions each
for target simulation and formation flying.
Night and supersonic flights were also car-
ried out. The Gripen D rvas subjected to 30
flights (lasting a total of 35 hours), while
the Rafaie was subjected to 39 flights last-
ing about 60 hours (including an extended
phase to test rhe Thales-built RBE-2 AESA
radal). The EF-2000 provided by EADS flew
3l sorties lasting 45 flight hours. Earlier, on
April B last year, Boeing decided not to
enter the competitive bidding process, say-
ing that 'after a thorough review of
Switzerland's requirements for partial
replacement of its Tiger fighter aircraft,
Boeing has decided not to enter the com-
petition due to the disparity between the
requirements for an F-5 replacement air-
craft and the next-generation capabilities
of the F/A-IBE/F Block 2 Super Hornet'.
c After completion of the flight and ground
tests the collected data will be evaluated
and the three manufacturers will be invited
to submit a second offer. After submission
of the second offer and the subsequent
evaluation report this May, the selection of
type is planned for this Iuly.

Competing Bids
Gripen International had on April 28 last
year handed-over its compiiant response
to the RFP that was issued by India's min-
istry of defence last year for an initial 126
MRCAs. The company has offered the IAF

May 2009 F()RCE I

the next-generation Gripen IN, which
inciudes increased combat range and
endurance, a more powerful General
Electric F414-GE-400 turbofan (rated at
97kN thrust with afterburning), additional
weapons carriage capability, and increased
payload. The offer is supported by a long-
term programme of industrial co-opera-
tion and offsets, and oftechnology transfer.
Saab's International industrial network will
provide substantial and long-term joint
venture growth for the Indian aerospace
and defence sector. The Gripen IN is based
on the newly-launched Gripen NG, an
enhanced version of the well-proven
Network-Centric Warfare Gripen. The
Gripen IN variant has been optimised to
provide full operational sovereignty to the
IAF in terms of weapons and sensors, and a
sustained sortie generation rate through
high operational availability. The complete
Gripen IN solution includes an AESA air-
borne radar (the SelexVixen 5000e) and a
nose-mounted IRST sensor, as well as a
wide range of precision-guided munitions.
The Gripen IN's air-to-ground configura-
tion equips it with two RAFAEL-built
Python V within-visual-range air combat
missiles on Station l, eight GBU-12 laser-
guided bombs on twin-store carriers fitted
to Stations 2 and 5, plus two 300 US gallon
fuel drop tanks on Station 3, Station 4 fitted
with the Litening-3 laser designator pod,
with Station 5C remaining empty. In the air
dominance configuration, the Gripen IN
comes armed with two Python Vs on
Station 1, six RAFAEL-built Derby beyond-
visual-range air combat missiles on twin-
launchers on Stations 2 and a single
launcher on Station 5, plus twin 300 US gal-
lon fuel drop tanks on Station 3, with
Stations 4 and 5C remaining empty. In the
multi-role configuration the Gripen IN
would be armed with two Python Vs on
Station 1, four Derby missiles in Station 2
on twin launchers, four GBU-I2s on twin-
store carriers fitted to Station 5, plus two
300 US gallon fuel drop tanks on Station 3,
Station 4 fitted with the Litening-3, with
Station 5 staying empty. The Gripen is
presently in service with the Swedish,
Hungarian and Czech Republic Air Forces,
and has also been ordered by the South
African Air Force and Thailand. The UK-
based Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS) too
is operating Gripen as its advanced fast jet
platform for test pilots worldwide.
The F/A-IBE/F Super Hornet Block 2,
which was approved for export to India by
the US State Department on 25 March
10 F0RCE May2009
2005, is currently being produced by con-
sortium of US companies Boeing
Integrated Defence Systems, General
Electric, Raytheon and Northrop
Grumman. It is not only an all-weather
MRCA that performs fighter escort, fleet
air defence, force projection, interdiction,
and close air support; it has also been opti-
mised for operating within the 21st centu-
ry network-centric warfare battlespace,
and is the only operational MRCA that can
neutralise the beyond-visual-range air
warfare threats posed by MRCAs like the
Chinese Su-30MKKs and Su-30MK2s. Its
battlespace interdiction radius is 1,300km,
and it has 11 weapon stations to carry a full
range of guided and unguided armaments
weighing a total of 18,9001b (8,573kg). The
aircraft's powerplant comprises trvin F4l4-
GE-400 turbofans, each providing 22,0001b
thrust with afterburning. The Block 2 the Tranche 3 EF-2000.
Super Hornet also comes equipped rvith
Boeing's Ioint Helmet-Mounted Cueing
System, and Raytheon's AN/ASQ-228
ATFLIR precision targeting pod and
SHARP multi-function reconnaissance
pod. For air dominance operations, the
F/A-1BE/F's Raytheon-built APG-79 active
electronically scanned array fire-controi
radar uses a 'search-while-track' method-
ology that significantly improves the track
quality of multiple airborne targets, and
offers very high-resolution ground-map-
ping. If the Super Hornet is selected, the
US Nar,ry as lead contractor under the
Foreign Military Sales programme lvill
then reconfigure an entire existing IAF
Base Repair Depot (BRD) to undertake the
intermediate-level maintenance of the
Super Hornet fleet, similar to what the
IAF's Nasik-based 11 BRD does for the MiG
and Sukhoi family of combat aircraft.
The twin-engined EF-2000 Tranche 3
Typhoon being offered by the European
Aeronautics & Defence Systems (EADS)
group will have the option to be equipped
with 3-D thrust vectoring nozzles.
Incidentaily, EADS was last February
selected as the winner of a USD20 million
contract (over Saab of Sweden, Dassault
Aviation of France, Boeing IDS and
Lockheed Martin of the US and UAC for
assisting the DRDO's Bangalore-based
Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA)
in expediting the airworthiness certifica-
tion process ofthe 'Tejas' LCA and ensuring
the successful attainment of initial opera-
tional clearance (IOC) and final opera-
tional clearance (FOC) over a 25-month
period. EADS' scope of consultancy work
includes flight envelope expansion, valida-
tion of high angle-of-attack flight profiles,
aero database validation, external stores
carriage with emphasis on weapons quali-
fication and stores separation, wake mod-
elling and penetration flight tests, and
refinements to existing flight/mission sim-
ulation models. EADS is now negotiating a
separate follow-on contract (to run for 48
months) with ADA under which the former
will assist ADA in areas like brake manage-
ment, and redesign of the naval variant of
the'Tejas' LCAs reduced weight nosewheel
and main undercarriage. EADS has also
offered to help ADA redesign the 'Tejas'
into a Mk2 variant that will feature bigger
rvings and conformal fuel tanks, and be
porvered by a single Eurojet EJ-200 turbo-
fan equipped with 3-D thrust vectoring
nozzles, all of which rvill also be on board
Of all the contenders r,ying for the con-
tact to supply lourth-generation medium
multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA) for the
IAB there's only one - Lockheed Martin -
that has to date established five highly suc-
cessful international F-16 licensed-manu-
facturing lines (in Belgium, The
Netherlands, Turkey, South Korea and in
the US), that has implemented
indirect/direct industrial offsets pro-
grammes worth more than USD37 billion
in 40 countries, and has successfully part-
nered with its counterparts in South Korea
and Japan to co-develop high-tech aero-
space solutions - these being the T-50
supersonic lead-in fighter trainer and the
F-2 MRCA. And believe it or not, the most
advanced variant of the F-16 produced to
date by Lockheed Martin is not owned by
the US armed forces, but by the United
Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF). Two such
tandem-seat Block 60 F- 16F 'Desert
Falcons' were 'borrowed' by Lockheed
Martin from the UAEAF and were used last
February during the Aero India 2009 expo
in Bangalore for familiarising the IAF with
the various cutting-edge technologies that
Lockheed Martin is offering as part of its
bid for the MRCA contract. The UAEAF
acquired 55 single-seal and 25 tandem-
seat Desert Falcons between 2004 and
2007. The UAE invested almost USD three
billion of its own money into research and
development for the'Desert Falcon'. The F-
16IN SuperViper being offered to the IAF is
a derivative of the 'Desert Falcon'.
It is this kind of a CV that makes
Lockheed Martin the most towering and
formidable party in the MRCA competition

:-:re. Earlier, on March 29 last year,
- --i]reed Martin was awarded a USD596
--..--ion Foreign Military Sales contract by
:--. US defence department for supplying
. ,. C- 130J-30 stretched Super Hercules mil-
:::r'
iransport aircraft for the IAE this
:..:.iq India's first major military purchase
' :: the US for more than 40 years. For the
'.1::\, competition, Lockheed Martin has
: =::d the single-engined F-16IN Super
:=r in both single-seat and tandem-seat
:r-rrr.riS. Lockheed Martin claims that the
:--::\ has been packaged and tailored
. -^,:sivelv to meet or exceed all qualitative
:j---,i:fements of the IAF. Additionally,
* :.-leed ivlartin has prepared a technolo-
: : ,admap for a robust upgrade capacity
: : iire continuous insertion of technolo-
.. :. the)'mature and become available,
:.::ring that the F-I6IN can be readily
- ---rped rvith emerging capabilities
': --sl.rout its life-cycle. The SuperViper is
- :-.: proposed with the Northrop
-::rman-builtAPG-80 radar (which is the
:,'. iDerational AESA system to be export-
: : - iiate, this being to the United Arab
.-.-:aies), rvhich in future could be
. : ,ced n'ith the scalable agile beam radar
- -:l . an AESA system that can also be
: l on board other aircraft platforms. As
: -,'.. no other MRCA contender can even
, ::: :irat its combat aircraft platform has
''*rerational AESA-based fire-control
::' on board. The APG-80 provides
- ::=cedented situational awareness and
: :,-lion: ultra-high-resolution synthetic
- :- -',rr€ radar mapping, fully interleaved
re
modes of operations u'ith automatic ter-
rain following; and air-to-air tracking of
multiple targets. The fusion of net-centric
operations and on-board data provides a
total battlespace picture (ivith help from
AEW&C platforms) and optimises mission
accomplishment. The F-16 n'as the first
MRCA to incorporate a data link capability,
and the F-16IN builds upon this capabiliry
by enabling the IAF's o\\'n operational data
Iink (ODL) to be integrated, thereby ensur-
ing interoperability lvith other IAF combat
aircraft and AEW&C platforms. Data inte-
grates through all phases of the mission -
from mission planning, navigation, com-
munications and target prosecution to
return to base - transforming the F-16IN
pilot from an aircraft systems manager to a
tactician. Pilots r,vould receive easy-to-
interpret information via the all-digital
cockpit and a helmet-mounted cueing sys-
tem. The large AMLCDs rvill be capable of
fusing data from on-board and off-board
sensors, thereby reducing the lvorkload
and enabling the pilot to focus on the mis-
sion. The F-16IN's Falcon Edge defensive
aids suite will include Raytheon's ALQ-
184(V)9 jamming pod (lvhich can also con-
tain the ALE-50 towed decoy). Powerplant
for the F-I6IN will comprise a General
Electric FI I0- 132A turbofan rated at 32,000
pounds of afterburning thrust and having
full authority digital engine controls for
maximum fuel efficiency and perform-
ance. For all-weather precision strike, the
F-I6IN rvill be equipped rvith Lockheed
Martin's Sniper ATP pod, capable of long-
range, positive identification of targets and
possessing a video dorvn link (VDL)
equipped with the 'Rover' ground receiver
to relay high-resolution streaming video to
forrvard-deployed forces for NT-ISR and
rapid target coordination. The Sniper AIP
also provides essential non-traditional
inteiligence, surveillance and reconnais-
sance using high-resolution, mid-wave
FLIR and TV sensors, lvhich operate in con-
junction rvith a dual-mode laser, permit-
ting eye-safe operation and precise geo-
location in urban environments. For target
coordination, the Sniper pod possesses a
laser spot tracker to acquire other laser
spots from air and ground assets, an infra-
red marker visible to night vision goggles
and a video down-link to ground forces.
The Sniper ATP is also the only targeting
pod fielded that incorporates meta-data in
every frame of video. The date/time stamp
and coordinate information further
ensures accuracy throughout intelligence
and command-and-control functions. The
F-16IN's weapons package includes
Raytheon-built AIM-I20C AMRAAM and
AIM-9X Sidewinder air combat missiles
(the latter being used with Boeing's joint
helmet-mounted cueing system, or
IHMCS, for high off-boresight targetting),
Boeing's AGM-B4K SLAM-ER network-
enabled standoff precision-guided air-to-
surface missile with a l50nm range, BLU-
I00/110 bombs equipped rvith Boeing-
built joint direct attack munition (IDAM)
GPS guidance kits, Boeing's Small
Diameter Bomb, and Raytheon-built AGM-
BB high-speed anti-radiation missile, and
AGM-154 joint standoff weapon (ISOW)
that enables precision air strike launches
from ',vell-beyond most hostile air
defences, at kinematic standoff ranges of
up to 70nm (130km). If desired, the F-l6IN
can also be equipped with Northrop
Grumman's pylon-mounted AAQ-32
Internal FLIR targeting system (IFTS),
which includes a navigation FLIR sensor
and a targeting FLIR both mounted within
a single pod. It allows the aircraft to detect
and identify both ground and airborne tar-
gets, even at night or in adverse weather.
Once series-produced, the Super Viper
will become the seventh major 'block
change' of the F-I6 since its inception in
the late 1970s, and incorporating four-and-
a-half generations of core avionics, five tur-
bofan versions divided between two parent
models (Pratt & Whitney's F100 and
General Electric Aero Engines' F110), six
radar versions. five electronic r,varfare
l\4ay 2009 F0RCE II

\---:
suites, and two generations of other sub-
systems. The Super Viper's core avionics
suite has more than 2,000 times the memo-
ry and more 260 times the throughput of
the original production Block 15 F-16 sup-
plied to Pakistan in the early 1980s. T'he
Super Viper's trvin conformal fuel tanks
mounted above the wing root rvill allo',v for
a mission radius of 1,025 miles rvith no in-
flight refuelling. On the issue of releasing
the'source codes' for the'SuperViper's dig-
ital data bus, mission computer, integratecl
electronic rvarfare suite, and SABR, it is
cleal that the US Defence Department u'ill
never autl'rorise anyone, including
Lockheed Martin and Nolthrop Grumman,
to release them to anyone - no exceptions,
period! Horvever, there is a r,vay out of this
logjam and it involves the OEMs releasing
customlsed 'object codes' that r,r,rill allorv
the Super Viper's operator to add data to
the aircraft's electronic threat library on its
own. Along rvith the 'Super Viper',
Lockheed Maltin is also ploposing an array
of advanced training tools for the air rvar-
rior. This includes the creation of a 'mission
training centre' housing a full-flight simu-
latol and its blief/debrief station, cockpit
procedures trainer, part-task trainers relat-
ed to PGM weapons targetting and deliv-
ery, and maintenance procedures trainers.
In addition, Lockl'reed Martin is also pro-
posing to reconfigure an existing IAF Base
Repair Depot to undertake both intermedi-
ate-level and depot-lcvel through-1ife
l-realy maintenance of the airframe,
engine, avionics, instrumentation and
accessories, all of r'r,hich u,i11 be undertaken
by dedicated rvorkshops and labs.
In terms of reliability and combat ef'fbc-
l2 F0RCE lVay 2009
:i3
.=:-l.-
tiveness, the single-seat, trvin-engined
MiG-35 and its tandem-seat operational
conversion trainer from Russia's UAC u'ill
be more advanced derivatives of the 12
MiG-29Ks and four MiG-29KUBs (both
der.eloped undel Projects 9-41 and 9-47)
that rvili be delivered to the Indian Narr.
latel this 1'ear. The MiG-35 rvill have a four-
channel digital fly-by-r'vire flight control
system, N,IIL-STD-15538 digitai databus,
open-architecture mission computer
developed by the Bangalore-based Defence
Aviorrics Research Establishment (DARE),
ergonomic hands-on-throttle-and-stick
(HOTAS) configulation, and advanced nav-
igation-attack avionics for conducting all-
weather precision strikes agalnst mobile
and static ground-based targets. Both the
MiG-35 'wiil have up to l1 \veapon stations
(10 underrving and one centreline, ventral)
rvl'rich, togethel, rvill be able to carry rnore
than five tonnes of air combat missiles and
precision- guided air-to- ground munitions.
The principal mission avionics suite on
board the aircraft lr,ill be Phazotron ISC's
Zhuk-AE active pl.rased-array, multi-mode
radar, rvhose air--to-ground modes of oper-
ation rvill include leal-time ground map-
ping (1ike an airborne synthetic aperture
radal or SAR) for detecting and tracking
static/mobile ground-based targets from
standoff distances. Also to be offered on
board the MiG-35 rvill be secure on-board
tactical data links for receiving targeting
data frorn AEW&C syster-ns as r'veil as
unmanned aerial vel.ricles employed for
real-time battlespace surveillancc using
optronic and SAR sensors. For decisive air
combat operations both ivithin and
be1'ond visual rat'rge, a tterv-generation
at**o*o
UONIZ-built l3SM infra-red search-and-
track sensor combined r,vith a laser target-
ing s1'51sm t-111 be installed. For making the
\IiG-35 super-manoeuvrable, the Klimov
Engine Design Bureau has already devel-
oped the RD-133 turbofan incorporating a
thrust-vector-control (TVC) nozzle. The
RD-133, delivering Bl.4kN of thrust with
afterburning, rveighs 1,145kg, and its 3-D
nozzle can be deflected by up to 15 degree
in any direction. Thrust vecloring is
achieved by controliing a short inner seg-
ment of the nozzle, and consequently the
RD-133's nozzle is a sirnpler and more
compact design than that on the NPO
Saturn-built AL-31FP engine used on the
Su-30MKI. Other advanced features of the
RD-133 rvill include single-crystal turbine
blades, and a full-authority digital elec-
tlonic contlol (FADEC) system for regulat-
lng and optimising the turbofan's fuel-florv.
Among the advanced technologies
plar.rned for incorporation on the MiG-35
rvill be on-condition and predictive main-
tenance sensors and health-and-risage
monitoring avionics similar to those on
board the Su-30MKI, as well as all-compos-
ite airframe structures.
The dark horse in the MRCA competition
is Dassault Aviations Rafale F-3 'ornni role'
combat aircraft, lr,hich has to date lost out
in competitive evaluations conducted
since the late 1990s in South Korea,
Singapore and Morocco. The latest F3 vari-
ant, available since July last year, can carry
precision-guided payloads of more than
nine tonnes on 14 hardpoints. The Rafale is
porvered by t',vin MBB-2 turbofans built by
SNECMA Moteurs, rvith each engine pro-
viding an afterburning thrust of 75kN.o

0ptimistic About lndia
Boetng gears up for the MRCA competition
Llditi Bhan
:e 126 Multi Role Combat Aircraft
]lRC"{) competition worth USD 10 bil-
-:on, is termed as the 'mother of all
:*=nce deals' in India. And with each pass-
:-€ da1', the competition is just hotting up.
Iie ield trials are expected to begin in three
--::ihs' time and already one player,
:::::ch fighter Rafale has been knocked out
-i race. The reason is reported to be that
=e
:ea.ie did not clear all the requirements
:',:--rg the technical evaluation of the bids
:-:::rined by the six contenders. Little won-
:e: :hen that the activities within other
: :::lerirors, namely, Boeing (F/A-IB Super
:r:,=et), Lockheed Martin (F-16 Falcon),
'--=:ed
-\ircraft Corporation (MiG-35), Saab
.:::en) and EADS (Eurofighter Tlphoon)
-;',: siarted gathering momentum.
3:eing's Chris Chadwick, president,
:,:e:ng \Iilitary Aircraft was in India
::::::l| and talked about the company's
r,L::-":iies in India. "We expect the field tri-
ili :r start sometime in May in northern
:,,:,:es in India where one can touch the
::i=:ent angle of requirement - cold, hot,
--= and lorv," said Chadwick. The comple-
- -:- :i \I-MRCA deal is expected to take at
i:_i: n{o more years.
Asked how the company will discharge
its offset obligations if it wins the bid,
Chadwick said, "We are in negotiations
with a number of companies - we are trying
to look at it with a more holistic view.
Offsets allow us to provide product servic-
es, and expertise in a number of areas." He
added, "My focus at this point is two-fold:
One, for each programme, we need to exe-
cute on-cost, on schedule so that existing
and future customers know that we can
deliver on our promises. And the other is
focus on productivity."
Meanwhile, having alreadywon the USD
2.1 billion order for eight P-BI long-range
maritime reconnaissance and anti-sub-
marine warfare aircraft from Indian Navy
early this year; Boeing now wants to target
the helicopter market in India. "There is a
huge demand for helicopters in the coun-
try," said Chadwick. To begin with, the
company is serious about bidding for
attack helicopters this time. Boeing is
offering its AH-64D Apache Longbow
attack helicopter to India.
A tender for the purchase of 22 attack
helicopters issued in May 2008 was can-
celled last month by the government as
some companies did not meet the require-
ments and others did not respond. The
defence ministry had issued request for
proposal (RFP) to AgustaWestland, Boeing,
Eurocopter, Russian Kamov and Bell
Helicopter but only three responded -
Boeing and Bell had pulled out of the race.
Boeing cited less response time for not bid-
ding for the attack helicopters then. This
time, however, the company is not willing
to repeat the past.
"We look forward to an opportunity to
review any new request for proposals and
follow up based on that," said DrVivek Lall,
vice president and country head, India,
Boeing IDS. "I think the RFPs this time will
be different as India will want more com-
panies to participate. We do plan to bid for
the attack helicopters," said Chadwick.
Fresh tenders for the attack helicopters are
expected soon. The contract is estimated to
be about USD I billion.
Apart from attack helicopters, Boeing
plans to bid for heavy-lift helicopters. It is
offering its CH-47 Chinook in this catego-
ry. The Chinook is a twin-engine, tandem
rotor heaqr-lift helicopter whose primary
role includes troop movement, battlefield
re-supply and artillery emplacement.
India, at present, plans to buy l2 heavy-lift
helicopters.
Boeing is also very optimistic about its
military-transport aircraft C-17 Globe-mas-
ter IIL "We believe the C-17 is very unique in
terms of its access to runaways, ability to
survive in a combat environment and also
provide. humanitarian relief work," said
Chadwick. This four-engine, T-tailed aircraft
is capable ofcarrying 102 passengers at one
time. The company had also bought C- 17 to
India in the recently held Aero-India 2009.
"It is a capability that you don't know how
many ways you can use it until you have it,"
added Chadwick.
Meanwhile, with President Barrack
Obama replacing George Bush in the US
and the US economy in shambles, appre-
hensions about the new President's policy
towards India are still very much there. "It is
still too early to tell," said Chadwick.
Moreover, with India also going to polls this
season and a new government, may be a dif-
ferent one, expected by the end of May, does
Boeing fear about the future of Indo-US
relationship? "Civil nuclear deal really
cemented the relationship between the tlvo
countries. I think India has time and again
shovrn that it has a stable democratic gov-
ernment, and it is a stable country," clarified
Chadwick. He also added, "One of the rea-
sons to participate now in India is that it is
worth the expanse." o
lVlay 2009 F0RCE I3
Challengi ng Radars
AESA increases pilot's options
I Prasun K. Sengupta
fierce competition is now underrvay for
supplying up to 450 active phased-
array radars (AESA) for the lndian Air
Force's (IAF) future combat aircraft acquisi-
tions, with the principal contenders hailing
from the US (Northrop Grumman and
Raytheon), Europe (EADS Defence
Electronics, THALES and SEI.EX Galileo),
Scandinavia (Ericsson Microu'ave), Israel
(Israel Aerospace Industries), and Russia
(Phazotron JSC and Tikhomirov lillP). The
enabling technology for AESA is Gallium
Arsenide (GaAs) monolithic microrvave
integrated cilcuit (MMIC),lvhich uses lith-
ographic-type processes to produce
microrvave circuits on chips at vely high
levels of integration. A modern X-band
transmit/receive (T/R) module, in addition
to radiating element, contains up to eight
a 168/F Desert Faclons, and APG-81 AESA
chips (MMICs) produced in a foundry and
later integrated into a substrate ::
rvith a few discrete components
and cooling provisions, all filling
a space on the order of 1/4 cubic
a conventional
inches. Unlike
mechanically steered-array
(MSA) radar, the antenna array of
T/R modules is fixed, rvith no
moving parts. The radar can steer
its agile beams electronicaliy - at
nearly the speed of light - and
redirect them instantaneously
from one target to another. In
MSA radars, a circular or elliptlcal
antenna plate in the nose of the
aircralt is moved rapidly using a
gimbal system u'ith three or four
drive motors to scan an area of
airspace or on the ground, a sin-
gle flashlight-like beam at a time.
AESA radars on the other hand
can track significantly more tar-
gets and can operate in multiple
modes simultaneousll,, such as
air-to-air search (in lor'r,-, medi-
um-, and high-PRFs) and digital
glound mapping. The AESA also
automatically establishes track-
ing files for each detected target
(more than 24), thereby reducing
pilot rvorkload. with interleaved
14 F0RCE May 2009
air-to-air and air-to-surface cockpit dis-
plays, the aircrerv rvill thus be able to main-
tain situational arvareness while executing
air-to-surface missions. AESA radars also
offer better air-to-ground resolution (three
times higher) than MSA radars, particular-
ly using their synthetlc aperture radar
(SAR) mode.
The current market leaders in terms of
confirmed orders for AESA radars for com-
bat aircraft are Northrop Grumman and
Rat.theon. The former has unr-eiled a nen'
AESA radar it is developing rvith companv
funds to equip the Lockheed \lartin F-16
and other aircraft. The Scalable Agile Beam
Radar (SABR) is currentlv undergoing
flight-tests and rvill be available b1' 20I1.
Northrop Glumman presentll' supplies tlie
APG-77 AESA for the Lockheed Martin Fi A-
22 Raptor, APG-80 for the UAE Air Force's F-
for the Lockheed Nlartin F-35 JSE, tvhile
APG.T9;
(below) Eaesar
II
{ tion simpler. The Caesar is being
1
Raytheon supplies the APG-79 for the
Boeing-built F/A-lBE/F Super Hornet
Block 2, and the APG-63(V)3 for the
Boeing-built F-lSSGs of the Republic of
Singapore Ail Force. Raytheon has also
repackaged itsAPG-79 AESA as the RANGR,
a next-generation radar sized to fit the F-
16, Saab's JAS-39 Gripen and Korea
Aerospace Industries' A/T-50. Competing
against the US aerospace giants is France's
THALES Group, rvhich is proposing its
RBE-2 AESA, rt4rich has been under devel-
opment since 2003, and will be available
iiom next vear. The RBE-2 along with the
OSF infra-red sealch-and-track system is
being proposed for installation on board 90
of the IAF's 230 Su-3OMKIs on order'. Also
being proposed are SELEX Galileo's Vixen
5000e AESA, Israel Aerospace Industries'
ELIN|-2052, and the Caesar from EADS.
The X-band EL/M-2052's array comprises
'bricks' of 24TlR modules, making it easy
to assemble the AESA in different
configurations to match the size
and shape of an existing fighter
nose,up to I,290 modules.
Smaller, lower-module-count
versions can be air-cooled, reduc-
ing rveight and making integra-
proposed for both retrofit as rvell
as on board the Eurofighter EF-
2000 Typhoon Tranche 3. The
Euroradar consortium-built
Captor Active ElectronicallY
Scanned Array Radar (Caesar),
which has been co-developed
since 2003 by the UK's SELEX
Sensors & Airborne Systems,
Galileo Avionica of Italy, EADS
Defence Electronics of Germany
and INDRA of Spain, is a modular
AESA comprising six line-
leplaceable units (LRU) and
r,veighting around l70kg. The six
LRUs include twin transmitter
and receivel units, the radar com-
puter and the antenna block. The
radar computer comPrises 17
individual processors and is able
to perform up to three billion
florv-point operations Per sec-
ond. As the radar computer's sig-
 -
.]ata processor ls program-
.:' .'.it is easy to upgrade the
:, bl sirnply uploading new
. ..:re. Tlle Caesar's soltware is
i:'n ro MIL-STD-2167A. stan-
-: .rnd comprises 1.2 million
.- ricode. The antenna can be
.--:: around by at least +/-70'in
, :zimuth and elevation. The
: 1- e
mploys trvo data process-
-:-,annels for target detection
- :ackir.rg, and uses a third one
:entilication and suppres-
i irostile electronic counter-
:::-.r€S (ECM). The combina-
,i high scanning and pro-
-- :-q speeds with a dedicated
-. :r:ocessing channel provides
iaesar rvith exceptional
capabilities. For beyond
1.1
--.. :ange (B\/R) aerial engage-
-.:: :ire Caesar provides three
-. ::rodes. The range-while-
- ::cde (RWS) is used to scan
. :: ield-of-view for detecting
- - aircraft at the longest pos-
: :-stance. The track-while-
'': ,de rl'\VS) is uscd ro give
:.- 'i a better picture of the
, .--: ahead thereby increas-
--. situational awareness
- also select any target he wants as
'.:rile the velocity search
'. , S is used to determine
:tile contacts' closure
.-- :rlr target priorisation. In
' .-: io other radars oflering
,: rnodes, the Caesar
- :: :rte pilot to define a sec-
.::e the radar should look
' ,rr:,i: and also determine if a
: - :r cont&ct should be auto-
-..--. tracked or not.
- - .'. . ihe Caesar rvill work in
- adaptive scanning (DAS) and
r :::ie to detect aircraft as
' .,. possible. The antenna
'': :riionlatically steered to
,,.' cletined sector and the
,' ,li automatically choose
. - :iired PRF depending on
{-on direction and the targets'
- , .::qies to optimise performance. If a
-: :s detected the pilot rvill
- ^
r 3nd the contact rvill be shorvn on
. :
-. .-.i: 2-D horizontal display format
- - -:r io its position in azimuth and
-. ,:-iiomatic target tracking is select-
. -.:.ar n'ill then track the contact by
-... ;ailv srvitching to TWS mode. To
- .'-., radar \vill generate a track file
r: .i !li\'€s the position of the contact.
EVN|-2052
With every electronic sweep the Caesalwill
check and update the targets position
be again and again. Ttacked contacts are
sho,"vn rvith their flight direction and iden-
tification. The Caesar is at least able to
track up to 40 targets at once, rvhile search-
ing for additional targets, even under look-
up/look-dolvn conditions.
For target identification the Caesar fea-
tures an integrated IFF system rvhich rvill
automatically try to identi$, every tracked
contact by sending out a crypted
signal torvards the contact and
ar'vaiting a correct response.
Targets will be shown as different
symbols in different colours
according to their identitication
status, which could be friendly,
hostile or unknown. TheVS mode
rvill be normally interleaved rvith
the TWS mode to determine the
contacts' closure speeds. In TWS
mode every tracked target will be
automatically priorised taking
into account a target's distance,
flight direction, closure speed,
altitude and identification. Every
talget will be marked with a letter
depending on its priorisation.
Despite the fact that the VS mode
will be normally interleaved with
the TWS or even RWS mode there
is also a separateVS display mode
showing contacts in relation to
their closure speed rather than
range. The Caesar is able to track
at least up to l2 high-prioriry tar-
gets. Normally, the contacts pos-
ing the highest threat r'vill be
assigned by the system as high-
priority targets, but the pilot can
a high-prioriry target using the
radar cursor. If the priorities
change,the pilot will be automat-
ically informed. He can easily
slvitch to the nerv priority target
via a voice recognition system.
High-priority targets rvill also be
tracked outside of the scanning
sector as long as they stay rvithin
the scanning angles ofthe anten-
na. This technique is called data
improves the tracking perfolm-
ance at longer distances. Thanks
to its high scanning speed the
Caesar is able to track u,hile scan
rvithin the full azimuth coverage
if required, in comparision to
other systems which are rnostly limited in
that direction. For all high-prioriry targets
the fire-control system will automatically
calculate firing solutions, enablir.rg the
Typhoon to pelform multiple target
engagements.
The Caesar also features an aircraft-to-
missile data link that lvill provide mid-
course guidance updates for active radar-
guided B\RAAMs launched towards high-
priority airborne threats. In addition to the
May2009 F0RCE l5
three main modes, the Caesar
features a single-target track
(STT) sub-mode that enables it to
concentrate on a single target by
increasing target data update
rates and countermeasures
resistance. The Caesar also fea-
tures a non-cooperative target
recognition (NCTR) capability
that allows it to identit'a tracked
contact as a specific aircraft type
by comparing the characteristic
radar returns to examples stored
in a programmable data library
Another feature is the raid assess-
ment mode that enables the radar
to identif, and tlack single targets
within a verv close formation thanks to its
high-resolution. The trace fitnction allon's
the pilot to identif-v enemv alrcraft
manoeuvres and tactics. Another unique
feature of the Caesar is its ability to gener-
ate a 3-D picture of the airspace, thus mak-
ing threat analysis and target acquisition
much easier and enhancing the pilot's SA.
Next to the 2-D horizontal display mode
there is also a 2-D elevation mode shoi'ving
contacts in relation to their position in
range and altitude. As both display modes
can be simultaneouslv shou,n on tivo indi-
vidual multifunction head-down displays,
the pilot gets a complete 3-D picture of the
airspace ahead.'I'he Caesar's tracking range
is rvell beyond 200km against combat air-
craft-sized targets, r,vith a range of more
than 300km against large targets like trans-
ports or aerial refueling tankers. The
Caesars antenna, using a liquid cooling
system, comprises 1,500 Gallium-Arsenlde
T/R modules. Each of these active, finger-
sized and I5-gram light modules provides a
power output of i0 Watts and is able to
generate, s\\reep, send out and receive
radar signals. To optimise performance,
single modules can be formed into groups.
Thanks to electronic scanning the Caesar
can instantaneousiy scan the entire field-
of-vierv u,ithin some milliseconds, vastly
increasing reliability, countermeasures
resistance and target data update rates. It is
even possible to form a number of primary
beams of different shapes and srveeping
them in diffelent directions for undertak-
ing various tasks simultaneously'. The rapid
scanning in combination rvith the use of
frequency hopping technologies and healy
sidelobe suppression dramatically leduces
the radar's detectable emissions, rvhile
increasing the countermeasures resistance.
Even lunctions like threat rvarning, iam-
16 F0RCE May 2009
ming and data transmission are perfornred
simultaneously.
Russia's Phazotron JSC is offering its
Zhuk-AE AESA, nhose full-scale rnock-up
rvas first displayed during the MAKS aero-
space exhibition at Zhukovskl in August
2005. At that time, the radar featured a
700mm-diameter antenna compri.ing
f,0BB T/R modules (272 packs, each cot.t-
taining four modules); the antenna mirror
was set at a 20" look-up angle. Tl.ris design,
horvever, turned out to be too hear'1' (450k9).
In the next version the lveight of indir.idual
components rvas reduced, cutouts \vere
made in the radar body and a lighter rnag-
nesium alloy was introduced. Finallrr the
antenna diameter rvas reduced to 575mm
and the number of T/R modules trimmed to
680 (170 packs of four modules each); the
antenna itself rvas set in a vertical positior-r.
The overall radar r,veight rvas reduced to
220kg.The definitive design of the Zhuk-AE
rvill eventually have a 700mm-diameter
antenna rvith 1,100 T/R modules. Last 1'931
an initial batch of 12 Zhuk-AEs radars rvere
built. The so-called 'filst stage' Zhuk-AE
(also designated FGA-29 rvith 1,064 T/R
modules) that was shown in Bengaluru in
February 2007 was a modernised version of
the mechanically-scanned Zhuk-ME radar
fitted with an AISA antenna. It retained the
existing computing system rvith data
processor, s'ignal processor and softnare, as
rvell as the clock generator. The Zhuk-
AE/FGA-29 radar can be series-produced by
retrofitting the present Zhuk-ME radar.
Phazotron rvill probably offer such an
option for Zhuk-ME users such as Yemen
and Eritrea. The Zhuk-AE/FGA-29 is a mul-
tifunction X-band radar (3cm rvavelength),
rvhich can track and engage air, ground and
naval targets. The radar in its present form
has a search range of l30km against combat
aircraft. According to Phazotron,
by selecting the proper range
bet'rveen radiating elements, the
antenna beam can be deflected by
+/-60 deglees without palasitic
sidelobes. The radar can track up
to 30 airborne targets and engage
sk of them simultaneously. The
'second stage' radar designated
Zhuk-AE/FGA-35 will be fitted to
the production MiG-35 M-MRCA.
.1
It will leceive a new computing
system and nerv multifunction
r,videband generator. The FGA-35
rvill feature a 700mm-diameter
zhuk.s
;[",:llf'.l.'i]'","]lil:,lJ[:
best method of heat dissipation- a critical
issue for the success of future develop-
ments. The range of the Zhuk-AE/FGA-35
rvill be 200km, it rvill be capable of tracking
up to 60 airborne targets and engaging
eight of them. Phazotron JSC has designed
and manufactured all radar components
in-house, except for the T/R module. In
2002, the Almaz-Phazotron subsidiary in
Saratov tried unsuccessfully to produce its
onrn T/R module. Phazotron JSC subse-
quently engaged two companies from
Tomsk: Mikran and NIIPP (Nauchno-
Issledovatelskiy Institut Poluprovodni-
korrykh Priborov, Scientific Research
Institute of Semicon-ductor Instruments)
to produce the T/R modules. Mikran
designs Russian monolithic microlvave
integrated circuits (MMIC) and TR mod-
ules, n4.rile NIIPP undertakes production
on an industrial scale.
fikhomirov NIIB on the other hand, is
busy developing its X-band AESA radar for
fitment on to both the Su-3SBM and the
Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft that will
be co-developed by Russia's United
Aircraft Corp and India's state-owned
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). Thus
far, three prototype AESAs have been built
and are now undergoing laboratory tests,
rvith the first functional unit due to enter
the flight-test phase in 2010, and the
series-produced radars entering service
by 2015. The AESAs front-end antenna
array will also be offered for integration
rvith the existing NO-1lM 'Bars' PESA
radars by 2014. Yet another AESA variant
being designed by Tikhomirov NIIP is
called the 'smart skin' in rvhich the T/R
modules can be located anyrvhere on
board the aircraft to generate the relevant
radiation fields required for almost 360-
degree airspace surveillance coverage. o

Vigi I at Sea
Seueral false starts and a beginning
n the summer of 1588, sharp eyed look-outs on
the cliffs of Cornwall detected the distant
approach of the Spanish Armada, and lit a
chain of beacons which rapidly conveyed the
news to London. According to legend, this early
warning gave English Admiral Francis Drake
enough time to finish his game of bowls before
sailing out with his fleet to score an historic victo-
ry over the Spaniards.
Three and a half centuries later, the Americans
were not so lucky. Admiral Kimmel of the Pacific
Command received no warning at all, as Vice
I Adm. Arun Prakash Admiral Nagumo's huge task force of six aircraft
carriers steamed through Pacific waters on a
(retd)
southerly course, on 7 December 194I. The sur-
prise attack by over 400 aircraft of the Imperial
Japanese Navy on Pearl Harbour inflicted heavy
damage on the US Pacific Fleet, and catapulted
USA into'rMW II.
'surprise'was first enunciated by the 19th centu-
ry Geiman strategist Carl von Clausewitz as a
Principle ofWar. From the Trojan horse episode to
the Pearl Harbour attack, historyhas demonstrated
0ne positive outcome that it is a key factor in the success of any well-
planned and professionally executed operation'
of P-3 fiasco was that Experience has also demonstrated that the obvious
antidote for surprise is sound and timely intelli-
the lN request for an
gence supplemented by effecti"'e reconnaissance,
entry into the Boeing at all levels ofwarfare; from tactical to strategic.
P-8 MR-ASW pro- Do We Learn From HistorY?
In this context, reflection should remind us that,
gramme received suP-
from the stealthy Chinese PIA infiltration of Aksai
port from Pentagon, Chin between 1959 and 1962, to the surreptitious
penetration of Kargil heights by the Pakistani
keen to make amends. Northern Light Infantry in 1999, with numerous
other instances during the intervening four
The airborne MR-ASW decades; it has been ineffective intelligence and
tardy reconnaissance that has repeatedly jeopar-
field represented a
dised India's national securitY.
golden opportunity for The 26111 terrorist strikes in Mumbai were sim-
ply more of the same. They demonstrated that peo-
HAL to enter the ple like us who'...fail to learn from history'will' as
predicted bywinston Churchill,'be condemned to
lighVmedium trans- re-live it': over and over again' Even the 'blame-
port aircraft business, game' which followed, was depressingly familiar to
the thinking Indian. In this instance, since the sui-
and for DRD0 to cidal marauders had obviously landed on our
seashote, it became a slanging match betlveen the
embark upon develoP- intelligence agencies and the seagoing Services
(the Indian Nar,Y and Coast Guard).
ment of airborne sen-
The intelligence agencies made it known to the
sor and weapon suites media that that they had provided timely warning
I
of the terrorists, based on a satellite-phone inter-
cept. The naq/ countered that the location report
received by them in mid-November 2008 had put
the boat's position just a few miles south of
Karachi, well inside Pak territorial waters'
Moreover, this single report had not been amplified
and hence the intelligence was'un-actionable"
Navies deal with such situations on a daily basis
and their responses cannot be impromptu' Every
location report regarding enemy or hostile forces is
evaluated to check for three essential components:
\A/hat (description), Where (position) and \A{hen
(date and time of detection) . In the case of a mobile
target like a ship or boat, it also needs a fourth
ingredient: \,Vhither (course and speed). If one or
more of these components is missing, the user
would be justified in classifiring such intelligence
as 'un-actionable' because pursuing it would only
result in a waste of tesources in a futile pursuit'
Moreover, if an intercept is considered significant,
it must be followed up by the originating agency'
Monitoring the 0ceans
Considering the fact that the atms and explosive
for the 1993 Mumbai blasts, too, had been landed
by sea on the Ratnagiri coast, it becomes obvious
that the sea routes have now become a conven-
ient highway for terroiist traffic; especially since
ourWestern land borders have been sealed' \A/hile
the Indian Naqr (IN) and the Coast Guard (CG)
each have their or,rryr operational rationale for
exercising wide-ranging reconnaissance at sea,
the events of 26111 have now added a crucial
homeland-defence dimension and brought the
issue into sharPer focus'
In today's technology-enabled environment,
comprehensive national security demands that
we have a clear understanding of all activities tak-
ing place within a relevant domain; on land, at
sea, in the air and in space as well as in cyber-
space. Such domain awareness enables early
identification of potential threats and aids deci-
sion making as well as resource allocation' In the
naval context, such a capability' termed maritime
domain awareness or MDA, implies knowledge of
the constantly evolving multi-dimensional (i'e'
surface, underwater, airspace, electronic and
cyber) picture in the maritime area of interest'
While satetlites, unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAVs) and a range of electronic sensors carried
by ships and submarines contribute to building
a MDA picture, the use of fixed-wing patrol air-
craft for maritime teconnaissance (MR) still
May2009 F0RCE l7

remains a salient instrumentality for
information gathering over extended
ocean areas. Since MR aircraft are large
multi-engine airframes capable of carry-
ing a considerable payload, they are fre-
quentiy equipped, in addition, with the
sensors and rt'eapons necessary for anti-
submarine warfare (ASW), and thus desig-
nated N{R-ASW aircraft.
A single MR-ASW aircraft, using all its
sensors; i.e. radar, electlonic-warfare suite,
sonobuoys, infra-red and electro-optical
devices as well as magnetic anomaly detec-
tors, could search thousands of square
miles in a typical B-I2 hour patrol. But
given the vast oceanic spaces to be cov-
ered, and the intensity of maritime traffic
prevalent, the levels of ambiguity remain
very high at sea. Duling hostilities, the
additional challenge of distinguishing war-
ship from merchantman and fishing boat
from submarine periscope adds to the 'fog
of war' which must be penetlated before
the MR-ASW aircraft launches an attack
with weapons ranging from anti-ship mis-
siles to torpedoes and depth charges. It is
also customary for our MR-ASW squadrons
to be tasked with the international Search
and Rescue (SAR) commitments in the
Indian Ocean Region.
A briel survey ol the maritime scene
18 F0RCE May 2009
:.
''ff.f,
*!
ffix
brings home not just the extent of India's
stake in the seas around the peninsuia, and
diverse nature of maritime challenges that
face us, but also the enormiry of the task
involved in keeping vigil over the vast
reaches of the Indian Ocean.
lndian 0cean Security lmperatives
Among many factors that compel the IN
to deploy MR assets in an endeavour to
maintain a holistic maritime picture of the
surrounding seas, a few are worthy of men-
tion here.
o A long peninsular coastline studded rvith
deep-water ports, a well-endowed EEZ, a
rich hinterland and island territories on
both seaboards are all valuable assets, and
as demonstrated by the events of 26lIl
they also represent i,ulnerabilities. India's
dependence on the sea for food, energy
and minerals will grow in the coming years,
not just because of necessity, but also
because evolving technology will bring its
exploitation rvithin realms of possibility.
o With a large merchant fleet, rvhich has
just crossed nine million GRT; India ranks
l5th amongst seafaring nations. This fleet,
operating out of 12 major and lB4 minor
Indian ports carlies about 20 per cent of
our seaborne trade, and as the recent spurt
in piratical activity off the Somalian coast
tL-38S0
,w
and the Horn of Africa shows, it will need
monitoring and protection, as much in
peace as in r,var.
o India's central location in the Indian
Ocean, about half way between the Persian
Gulf in the west and the Malacca Strait in
the east, places her in a dominant position
astride vital international sea lanes of com-
munication (SLOC). Annually, over 100,000
merchantmen transit these waters, carry-
ing cargo worth about a trillion dollars, and
any disruption in the supply of commodi-
ties - especially energy resources - would
destabilise economies worldwide. This
casts a heavy mantle of responsibility on
India's shoulders; to maintain vigilance
and ensure stability in the Indian Ocean as
an international obligation.
. Low intensity maritime conflict waged
by non-state entities continues to be a grim
reality in our region. Such conflicts cut
across state boundaries and require multi-
national response. In the coming decacies,
the chailenge of threats such as terrorism,
piracy, gun-running and drug smuggling
r,vill only grow requiring the cooperative
use of maritime forces to counter them. A
good example is the role played by MR
(backed by sound intelligence) in bringing
the LITE to its knees by interdicting its
maritime activity in international lvaters.
r ::nally; the past few years have seen
.-ehbouring China launch a significant
--.:itime build-up which includes a large
-.el submarine force, amphibious ship-
--:q. surface escorts and naval aviation.
: .erious concern to India is the growing
:.-rese force of ballistic missile-armed as
attack nuclear submarines. There is
=-- as
firm evidence that China has also
.-.','
::arked on a construction programme
:- :uild five-six aircraft carriers. A-ll this
:.::ages the entry of the Pl,A. Naly into
':-= Indian Ocean, and a possible bid at
:--rC domination.
-- rhe face of these challenges, the
:=:e$'ithal for mounting and sustaining
:L--{S\\r in areas of vital concern for
- -::s security interests have remained out
, : :=ach of the IN so far.
lr; 1n ;n6't
, .-: genesis of MR aviation in India can be
:.:ed back to the formation of No.6
: ::adron IAF in I950, equipped with B-24
- : =:aror bombers, subsequently
. sensors and converted to the electronic/
:::-aced b1.the L-f049 Super Constella-
- ,::. er-Air India. A quarter of a century
-:=: in 1975, the MR role was transferred,
. ::-e rvith the aircraft, from the IAF to the
l' :iis1 a long and acrimonious battle
- :.'.i 3e fl ihe t\vo Services.
The Super Constellations, although retro-
fitted with belly-mounted radar of \\rW II
vintage, were ill-equipped for maritime
operations and were, in1977, supplemented
by a squadron of five Illyushin-38 MR-ASW
aircraft that the IN had already contracted
from the USSR. The graceful'Connies'rvere
phased out by 1984, and this squadron re-
equipped, four years later, by eight Tupolev-
142 (M) versions of the Soviet long range
bomber, the largest combat aircraft in the
world, modified for the MR-ASW role.
In 1976, the IN had acquired 13 BN-2
Britten Norman Islander twin-engine
patrol aircraft from the UK. Equipped with
a weather-radar, these simple machines
were deployed for navigation training, fleet
tasks and coastal MR. By the early 1990s
the license-built twin turbo-prop Dornier-
228 light transport aircraft began to be
inducted for medium-range MR duties.
\A{rile the MR version Dorniers were
equipped with modern surface-search
radar, others were fitted out with multi-role
information warfare (EW/IW) role.
By the turn of the century both the long-
range MR-ASW squadrons were facing seri-
ous problems, arising from attrition, obso-
lescence and serious deficiencies in Russian
product support. -W4rile it was decided to
progressively phase out the Tu-142s and
seek a replacement, the Il-3Bs were ear-
marked for a refurbishment and mid-life
update programme in Russia. As it tran-
spired, this programme ran into innumer-
able delays and problems, and the new Sea
Dragon ASW/EW mission system equipping
flve Il-3Bs does not seem to have come up to
IN expectations so far. Some incremental
upgrades were also incorporated into the
Tu-142s with assistance from FIAL.
The Hunt for a Replacement
The degradation in MR-ASW capability led
the IN to urgently explore alternatives
which would essentially release them from
Russian clutches; the most obvious ones
being to seek second hand P-3 Orions from
the US or Breguet Atlantiques from France.
Also available were some less capable
Dutch, Canadian and French options. For
one reason or another, none seemed to be
working out.
The navy's preferred solutionwould have
been an indigenous one, and for this they
approached FIAL. This PSU had, for many
years, been exploring the possibility of
undertaking the design or license manu-
facture of a medium-range passenger air-
craft (whose capacity kept varying between
50 and 100 seats) and was keen to involve
May2009 F0RCE 1S
the armed forces in the project. Since most
MR-ASW aircraft are military versions of
airliners, such an option was exactly what
the IN was looking for, and NHQ outlined
its broad requirements to HAL, for an order
ofup to 50 aircraft over 10-15 years.
The conversion of an airliner into a com-
bat aircraft essentially entails three major
design modifications. One is to accommo-
date the sensors and antennae either inter'-
nally or externally in blisters, pods or
domes. The second is to wire the wings and
equip them with hard-points to carry ord-
nance. The last and perhaps most complex
change required, is, to create a hydraulical-
ly operated rveapons-bay in the belly.
To the nar'y's sincere regret, llAL could
typically muster neither the interest and
enthusiasm, nor perhaps design skills to
take up this challenging project of vital
interest to national security. The IN had no
choice but to resume exploration of the
lbreign market.
The P-3 0rion Fiasco
The rvarmth in Indo-US relations that had
proglessively been building up in the post-
*";€ > .':;r'1
Pokhran II phase, appeared to have
reached a high plateau around 2004-05,
and out of the blue NHQ received an
unprecedented offer for sale of surplus
Lockheed P-3 Orion MR-ASW aircraft. The
offer appeared to be too good to be tlue;
and as we found later - it was!
At this point in time thele lvas a feeling
in the Pentagon as well as South Block
(both in MEA and MoD) that something
tangible needed be done in the defence
arena to make a much needed symbolic
'breakthrough'. Of the three armed forces,
the IN-USN relations being the ciosest,
the focus naturally turned on NHQ; which
suited the IN fine.
Consequently, the IN mooted a proposal
with the US Navy and the Pentagon that in
order to hasten matters they should look at
a three year dry-lease (rather than sale) of
some Orions to tide over our current
predicament. The proposal r'vas received
enthusiastically since it rvould have not
only boosted defence ties, but also placed
the US in an advantageous position when
the IN rvent to the market for acquiring
such ailcraft. Tfto months later', NHQ rvere
disappointed (but not surprised) to be
informed that the US Nar,y could not spare
any aircraft.
A little later, it was learnt that some old
models of the P-3 had been located, and
the offer was being renewed. However, a
closer look at the proposal revealed that
the lease terms excluded weapons and sen-
sors, and NHQ had no choice but to reject
it. Some furious lobbying by the US Nar1,
leadership managed to revive the case one
last time, towards end-2005. This time,
NHQ found that the cost of a three-year
lease, calculated by department of defence
accountants, exceeded the price of a brand
nerv aircraft! The matter rvas therefore
given a quiet burial.
The Future
India's extensive maritime interests and
international responsibilities, and the
emerging hazards of diverse nature in the
\rast Indian Ocean demand that a vigil be
maintained on activilies in its \vaters.
Countries like Japan and Australia have
declared a maritime 'cordon sanitaire'
around themselves, and enforce it by
 the threats at sea require the splitting up of
P3 l)rion
effort into coastal, medium-range and
long-range patrols; implying capabilities
embodied by UAVs, twin-engine and multi-
g engine aircraft respectively, with the num-
bers in each category running into high

=E--
double-figures.
One positive outcome of P-3 fiasco was
that the IN request for an entry into the
Boeing P-B MR-ASW programme received
support from Pentagon, keen to make
amends. The airborne MR-ASW field repre-
sented a golden opportunity for HAL to
enter the light/medium transport aircraft
business, and for DRDO to embark upon
development of airborne sensor and
weapon suites. Both missed the bus due to
their self-centred approach, and disinter-
est in immediate operational needs of the
armed forces. One can only hope that these
organisations will shed complacency and
use the work-share opportunity presented
':=:ns of intensive maritime reconnais- to follow suit, but the Indian Nar,y's plans by the P-BI Poseidon project to make up
-.',-e: Japan deploys about 100 P-3 Orions to establish a network-centric operations some lost ground. o
:--e -{ustralia has out-sourced MR to a model will inherently contain a compre- (Tlrc ruriter is a member of the National
- :.'.3ie company. hensive MDA capability with embedded Seatrity Aduisory Board cmd a former chieJ
' of rnual staff)
', e ma1, 161 lave the means or resources MR-ASW forces. The nature of traffic and

\ I "F'
€ % 1*
EADS
j:,5 A330 400M MET'OR
EUROCOPTER €C'] 35 n EUROFICHTER
"^,r:
I
The Morning After
Lessons to be learnt and put into practice, especially after Mumbai 26/11
he media impact of 26lII Mumbai attacks
may well have been unprecedented, but in
terms of actual casualties (I73 killed, 308
injured), it was of lesser dimensions than its now,
forgotten predecessors - Mumbai 1993 (1213), the
original serial bomb blasts which left 257 killed
and 7i3 injured; and Mumbai 2006 (11/7), the
suburban train bombings that left 181 killed and
890 injured. By some counts, 26111 was the 33rd
major terrorist attack in the country since 1993,
and the 12th incident of this tlpe specifically tar-
geting Mumbai alone. As the old saying goes,
I Gen. Shankar "Once is an accident, rwice is a coincidence, but
Roychowdhury (retd) the third time it's enemy action." The natural
question that arises from these attacks is: is India
facing a war and who is the enemy?
\rVhatever the answer to that question, 26llI
attack has certainly exposed chinks in the coun-
try's security systems. However, it is also impor-
tant that the shock of Mumbai must not divert
attention from the fact that terrorism is only one
It is important that facet - albeit major - of an overall threat whose full
dimensions are more extensive. An obsessive
the shock of Mumbai focus on this single incident may dilute or divert
must not divert atten- attention from other equally dangerous and
urgent threats confronting the country. There is a
tion from the fact need to move beyond Mumbai, and address the
broader perspective in a more holistic manner.
that terrorism is only To begin rvith, traditional perceptions and
mindsets regarding threat perceptions and con-
one facet, albeit flicts perhaps require a rethink. Consider the issue
major, of an overall of nuclear weapons, which are now generally con-
sidered solely as instruments of deterrence rather
threat whose full than war-fighting, with possibilities of nuclear
conflict more or less dismissed out of hand as
dimensions are more unfounded panic-mongering, bordering on the
absurd. Nuclear weapons come packaged for
extensive. An obses-
blackmail and coercion, as well as nuclear terror-
sive focus on this sin- ism and black marketing of nuclear materials and
technologies, which can all escalate tension.
gle incident may However, the rise of radical quasi-state entities
like the Taliban, Iihadi multinationals like al
dilute or divert atten- Qaeda, and the spread of fundamentalist religious
tion from other equal- ideologies in Pakistan have introduced new reali-
ties in South Asia where the possibility of rogue
ly dangerous and nuclear establishments ideologically linked to
Jihadi elements in the armed forces responsible
urgent threats con- for safeguarding Pakistan's nuclear arsenal can no
Ionger be discounted as total fantasy. Hence, the
fronting the country. traditional soothing nostrums may require revi-
There is a need to sion in the context of emerging realities. It is also
well to remember that like the forbidden
move beyond Mumbai Brahmastra of Hindu mytholog],, nuclear
22 F0RCE l\4ay 2009
weapons too are ultimately weapons, and hence
al\vays potentially usable.
Also, a new feature has entered into the old-
style conventional wars generally between state
parties, rvhich are usually played dovm and dis-
counted. 'Non-state actors' of yore, Iihadis and
insurgents, have graduated to the status of quasi-
state entities, organised and powerful enough to
confront established governments; bring them
dou'n or force them back. In this context, perhaps
the tin"re has also come to acknowledge that the
tidal n'ar,e of crime rvithin the country - organised
as rvell as unorganised - can now be taken on-
board as a groning component of the national
threat perspective. Terror is a noxious effluent
common to both terrorism and organised crime,
n'hich is graduall-v overrvhelming the forces of law
and order in large parts ofthe country, holding the
life, safeh-, property and honour of communities
literalll'to ransom. To the common citizen, the
need to control crime can at times acquire more
urgencY than to fight terror; until, as it sometimes
does become a moot point to determine which
one constitutes the more immediate threat. There
have aln'a)'s been strong linkages between politics
and crime, rvith political-criminal-terrorism rein-
forcing each other to achieve common objectives;
and hence a determined effort to combat crime as
part of civil governance will undoubtedly have its
corresponding effect on fighting terrorism as well.
The Kargil Review Committee was the first for-
mal and comprehensive post-Independence
revie\r' of India's national security systems. The
Committee's report, submitted in 2000, urged a
thorough reappraisal and overhaul of the securi-
tv systems, based on which the government of
India established a Group of Ministers (GoM) in
April 2000, who in turn set up four mission-ori-
ented Task Forces headed by eminent specialists
to revielv specific aspects of national security in
the areas of intelligence apparatus, internal
security, border management, and defence. The
Task Forces made many recommendations,
some of fundamental significance, others rela-
tively mundane and routine. However, many of
these fundamental changes could not be imple-
mented due to the failures of political and
administrative systems; resistance to change
within the bureaucratic ruling classes, involun-
tarily reinforced by 'terrain friction' within the
defence services themselves.
Prominent amongst these aborted launches
were the recommendations for a Chief of Defence
 Staff, and functional merger of service and
defence ministry headquarters. The Task
Forces also drew specific attention to the
Indian nuclear weapons programme and
its decision-making process, remarking
that successive prime ministels had kept
this as a private dialogue outside the r,vhole
formaiised process of government, lvhich
only a small group of confidantes were
pri\y to, and liom rvhich the defence forces
in particular had been kept rigidly and
noticeably excluded. The Task Force rec-
ommended the publication of a White
Paper on the subject, rvhich has also not
seen the light of day.
India's national security apparatus is
generally patterned on that of the United
States, rvith necessary variations for the
Cabinet system of decision-making. Like
all structures, physical or organisational, it
does require peliodic refurbishment and
upgradation, rvhich has to extend to attitu-
dinal overhauls as rve1l. In organisational
metaphor, the current state of the seculity
mechanism in India resembles a pent-
house apar-tment supported on precarious
jerry-rigged bamboo scaffblding. Thus, at
tl.re penthouse level of the Central govern-
ment, the requisite instrumentalities of
geo-political and strategic decision-mak-
ing have been put in place since l99B after
the nuclear tests at Pokhran, including a
Cabinet Committee on Security headed by
the Prime Minister, suppolted by a

F*,q#
,*z fiatr
ru National Seculity Advisory Boald headed
by a National SecurityAdvisor, and an over-
ffi
'
lapping Nuclear Command Authority for
** handling nuclear policy. It is procedurally
€u
jst q#ffi' ffi
-. +.9- l
satisfactorl', but its inner rvorkings on for-
mulation of national security doctrines
have to be calibrated and optimised.
F*8.''j ffi
.: Needless to say that the recommendations
j:
of the Kalgit Committee Task Forces should
'-

be implemented as early as possible,

notabiy in respect of a genuine integration
I
of Service Headquarters and the ministry
of defence, rather than the shoddy bureau-
t'l cratic subterfuge adopted at present.'fhe
imbroglio over the Chief of Defence Staff
') also needs to be satisfactolily resolved, but
the biggel fear is that even if these issues
" ,** ## are somehow addressed and even resolved,
the outcome will be so trvisted and mis-
retI es: shapen by internal pulls and pressures
from a variety of sources within the estab-
lishment that the spirit and objective of the
oliginal proposals may become rvarped. It
"'tk 3l |ll
:li.llP * has to realised, that in the intensely politi-
*.'
ti ier il ll1* I
cised environment prevailing in the coun-
try, the ultimate factor in all decisions

May 2009 F()RCE 23

affecting national security has to be its
domestic acceptability. Even otherwise,
Iogical and straightforward issues with
regard to national security, obviously in the
national interest, may still end up as unac-
cepted because of vocal opposition from
sectarian or ideological lobbies.
But the real black hole in national securi-
ty lies at the level of the states, the bamboo
scaffolding supporting the penthouse
complex. Security architectures at state
level are utterly rickety and indeed barely
functional, creating structural contradic-
tions at the very primary levels. The organ-
isational building blocks for holistic
national systems are all available, but
untidily strewn like children's toys, of
which some pieces may even have been
misplaced. Deficiencies in security organi-
sations at state level rvere on public dispiay
in the confusion and incoherence of
responses in the single state affected by
Mumbai 26111, rvhich can safely be taken
asrepresentative of affairs in other states as
well. Under the Seventh Schedule of Article
246 of the Constitution of India, the states
of the Union hold the constitutional
responsibility for preservation of 'public
order' rvhich is the corner stone of internal
securiry. States are the base-plates of the
federal system of national governance, and
require to be seamlessly incorporated into
an overall securiry edifice designed and
constructed from the foundations
upwards, a basic principle which has never
been consciously adhered to since inde-
pendence. State governments require to be
closely connected with the Centrai
Government and resources and capabili-
ties at both levels integrated into a vertical-
ly patterned overall system combining
both bird's and worm's eye views. \.A,Ihat is
really necessary is a basic change at state
level to a generally laid-back mofussil work
culture. It is undoubtedly a steeply uphill
task, but one iong overdue, without which
no amount of reorganisation, refurbish-
ment or modernisation will be effective. No
improvement will be possible without an
energetic, enlightened, and indeed pro-
active political leadership at state level
which has traditionally been really
involved or even concerned about issues of
overall national security. As things stand,
the weakest girder of the system is the
inability or reluctance of state govern-
ments till date to undertake their constitu-
tional responsibilities as an integral com-
ponent of the national security system,
ascending from the basic grassroots.
24 F0RCE May 2009
The main resources with state govern-
ments are their state police and intelli-
gence bureaux, along with the civil defence
forces comprising home guards, fire
brigades, medical infrastructure and other
specialised components. Of necessity, it is
the state police which has to be the lead
agency as immediate responders to inter-
nal crises or emergency, but it must always
be kept in mind that rvith a police-to-pop-
ulation ratio of 0.956207 police per 1000
persons, India takes the runners up place
amongst the least policed countries in the
lvorld (the world title for this dubious hon-
our going to Costa Rica!). It is also no news
that state police forces and intelligence
agencies in h.rdia have been systematically
misused ever since Independence, to ser\re
the agendas of the political parties in
porver, leading to a general degradation of
professional, ethical and moral standards.
Another glaring shortcoming in this
respect in ail states across the board is the
standards of personal leadership and moti-
vation. The degeneration in police stan-
dards brought about by politicians seems
irreversible, and should be a matter of huge
concern, because without a credible police
force, security issues will never be full-v
under control.
The humble thana or local police station
is the basic and critical institution in the
internal security system, but the very large
majority across the country are grossly
understaffed, and manned by police n'ho
are under-equipped, ill-trained and demo-
tivated. This is the weakest link in the
upwards chain, and puts the entire nation-
al security effort on the wrong foot at the
very outset. This is unfortunate, because
given the necessary inputs and impetus,
there is no reason why selected units of
police forces cannot perform as rapid reac-
tion special forces just like designated
Special Task Forces, Special Operational
Groups, Greyhounds, commandos, SWAT
(Special Weapons and Tactics, American
police) or any other. Police Special Forces
in the initial stages at Mumbai, might rvell
have succeeded in containing or eliminat-
ing some or all the terrorists, before the sit-
uation escalated with the passage of time.
By all accounts, there has been no dearth of
resource allotments to states for refulbish-
ment of police forces but the majority have
not utilised them for the intended purpose.
There is no police force with national juris-
diction on the lines of the American
Federal Bureau of Investigation. The so
called Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
is really a paramilitary constabulary, with-
out investigative capabilities or prosecut-
ing authority, which in any case functions
under directions of the state governments
wherever deployed, and subject to many of
the same handicaps as the local police
forces. There is also the Central Bureau of
Investigation (CBI), originally designed for
white collar crimes, not operationally ori-
ented or culturally attuned for hard edged
criminal/terrorist investigations, and also
requires permission from State
Governments before being deployed with-
in their domain. Its functioning is restrict-
ed by the many procedural and iegal
restrictions. The recently instituted
National Investigative Agency Act 2008
hurriedly prepared after the 26111 attacks
and rushed through as part of the 'new
look' policy of the nerv Home Minister,
cannot Vet be visualised as'India's FBI'.
Effective crisis management is an
intensely netrvork-centric activity based on
a national net\\'ork of command, control
and coordination centers interlinked and
integrated from district headquarters to
the nationai capital, where the Ministry of
Home Affairs could possibly be designated
as the apex nodal agency at national level.
Corresponding security structures at state
government level in parallel with those at
the central government have to be devel-
oped as part of integrated national securi-
ry such as State Committee for Securiry
State Securitv Advisory Board as well as a
State Security Advisor. But the ultimate
solution lies in changes to the Seventh
Schedule ofArticle 246 ofthe Constitution
of India, either transferring Public Order to
the Concurrent List, or, creating a new sub-
ject of Internal Security on the Central List
of the same schedule. Its scars are still rela-
tively fresh but fading, but action to estab-
lish such an infrastructure along with its
human resources needs to be taken while
vestiges of the impetus still remain.
Intelligence is another national security
shortcoming repeatedly highlighted after
each major strike, whether terrorist or mil-
itary, as was very evident in the failure to
prevent the 26111 attacks or Kargil i999,
besides other terrorist incidents. This was
one of the issues specially examined by a
special Kargil Committee Task Force. Their
recommendations do not appear to have
taken seriously, given the series of success-
ful jehadi attacks since 1993. Many of the
recommendations pertain to basic short-
comings that have been around for a long
time and are well known. \A,hile intelli-

-r :- gathering using technical systems
--:-:llNT) is beyond the capabilities of
-: :irte apparatus and must rest with the
, ::al authorities, Human Intelligence
:,'l.ll\T) should have become the basic
. -::--qih of state level police and intelli-
-, --: establishments, but surprisingly this
- :: irot generally appear to be the case.
:::' again the thana or police station
:-.-: back into the picture as the primary
.:iion center for HUMINT at locai
: .:ds to district and beyond for collec-
- :,rllation and analysis, which is again a
: lacuna in the system.
-: 11 also demonstrated that while
-:::ral security of the country's territorial
- - r.iaritime frontiers might be the pri-
- :. iesponsibility of the Central govern-
- r.:. the governments and the civil
--:-,ristrations of coastal and border
- :i Also have a special responsibility in
. :.gard. Border and coastline districts
- - ---;e special attention from their states
:.':ms of additional policing, surveil-
--,: orrd intelligence coverage to create a
,-1. :iop security zone in the proximate
.=:land of the international border or
-r.r,rre coastal waters being manned by
: ::-r Security Force (BSF) or the Coast
.:i. -\t present, illegal migrants or infil-
-, :s have to merely negotiate a thinly
::-',',.atched line of border outposts on
.. : or coast guard patrols at sea, before
--:ssfully reaching a network of safe
-.es and sanctuary amongst elements of
'. -rdian population in close depth ofthe
::ir. as is fiequently experienced on the
Indo-Bangladesh border. Ifstate policing is
properly implemented in the border dis-
tricts, an additional border security zone is
created in depth, which can break the
activities of foreign agents, guides, srnug-
glers and other criminal elements tvho
facilitate illegal immigration, infiltration
and criminal activities in these areas. This
problem is particularly acute along the
extended stretches of the Indo-Bangladesh
border, where border fencing has not -vet
been carried out.
Naxalite militancy has taken root over
large stretches of the Indian heartland
spread over several states, (165 districts in 14
states by some counts) which has tlrro\\in up
issues of multi-state jurisdiction of state
police forces, an issue not encountered
before. Jammu and Kashmir is a single-state
insurgency, rvhile in the North East, rvhere
local insurgencies also extend across multi-
ple states, jurisdiction is not a problem for
the Indian Army lvhich is the lead agency
there. However, in the case of Naxalite
extremism, the Ministry of Home Affairs
(MFIA) is experimenting with a new and
indeed somewhat perplexing concept,
under which Naxalite violence is to be dealt
with by state police forces as a larv and order
issue in each of the affected states, with
inter-state cooldination through mutual
consultations. State police forces are handi-
capped by their inability to foilow up
extremist groups who often move into
neighbouring states to escape police pres-
sure. Hence, if state police forces are to func-
tion as lead agencies in anti-militant opera-
tions, operational logic indicates the
requirement for multi-state'special security
zones' to allow them the required opera-
tional freedom. The alternate could be a
Central force with multi-state jurisdiction
like the CRPF to function as the lead agency
on the pattern of theArmyin the North East.
In times of crises, our politicians gener-
ally revert to reflexive knee jerk statements
such as Aar Paar ki Ladai' or All Options
Are Open', verbal flatulence which betrays
their essential ignorance of strategic reali-
ties. India is definitely capable of offensive
action and'surgical strikes' onto any target
in the Pakistani heartland, but the political
leadership must also understand and
accept the possibility of escalation into a
general Indo-Pak war with the potential of
crossing an indeterminate'nuclear thresh-
old'. This is a risk factor inherent in
responses to terrorism which have to be
calibrated accordingly. But this also serves
as a convenient fig leaf for the political
leadership to rationalise and take recourse
to the traditional Indian inclination for
compromise and dialogue even under the
most severe provocations, in the tradition
of 1962 during the time of Panchsheel and
the Se la, 1999 and the Kandahar hijacking
of IndianAirlines IC 184,2001 orthe attack
on the Indian Parliament, and now
Mumbai 26l11. Capability for appropriate
retaliation is an essential part of national
security strategy and it is surely insuffer-
able to al1ow India, with its ambitions for a
permanent seat on the Security Council of
the United Nations, to be taunted and
humiliated with impunity without fear of
retribution. If circumstances preclude
immediate conventional counter-action,
then those at the helm of affairs in India
rvill definitely have to seriously consider
other alternatives, amongst which could
be the 'Long War' - a defensive shield of
intensive homeland defence employing all
possible resources, state as well as central,
with a covert plausibly deniable sword (or
possibly dagger) offensive of'death by a
thousand cuts' targeting the military-ISl-
jehadi establishment in Pakistan. Lessons
from Mumbai26lll should be clear, espe-
cially to our politicians - until the country
develops the capability and the will to
respond in kind against terror attacks, a
philosophy of 'turn the other cheek' will
remain a compulsion for India under all
circumstances.
Meanwhile, whatever happens, India
should prepare for a long, hot summer
ahead. I
(The writer is a fonner Chief of Anny Staff)
May 2009 F0RCE 25
Pushed to the Edge
US mulling formal nuclear weapons status for Pakistan
r Pravin Sawhney
he Indian media and experts failed to
grasp an important purpose of the
recent visit (April B) of the US Special
Representative for Afghanistan and
Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, and the US
Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral
Mike Mullen to New Delhi after their'
stopovers in Kabul and Islamabad. The t$'o
met the National Security Advisor, NI.K.
Narayanan and the foreign secretary', Shiv
Shankar Menon amongst other officials
and debriefed them selectively about their
talks rvith the Afghani and Pakistani leader-
ship. Later at the media interaction, an
Indian reporter, based upon reports from
Asian Loop
US Special Enuoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan uisits India
US Envoy for AfPak Richard Holbrooke's
wrapped his three-nation, five-day tour of
Afghanistan, Pakistan and India earlier
this month. Even before the diplomat
arrived in New Delhi, the press was abuzz
with thaw setting in the Indo-US rela-
tions, of Pakistan's ISI chief snubbing
Holbrooke by refusing to meet him.
Holbrooke, who arrived late on April 6 in
New Delhi, met National Security Advisor
M. K. Narayanan and foreign secretary
Shivshankar Menon during his visit.
Addressing the press here in New Delhi,
he said, "Regional challenges require
regional solutions. Military power alone is
powerless. Civil-military integration is
very important for good governance and
good leadership is absolutely vital. We
cannot settle Afghanistan and many other
world problems without India's full
involvement." Holbrooke was accompa-
nied by US Chairman of Joint Chiefs of
Staff Admiral Mike Mullen. Recollecting
that the region has a great deal of com-
mon in terms of history, its past, between
Afghanlstan-Pakistan and Paksitan-India,
Holbrooke said that it is the first time
since the partition of the two countries
that they along with US face a common
26 F()RCE May 2009
the US and Pakistani media, ask the duo if
the US ."vas considering a nuclear deal for
Pakistan similar to the one rvith lndia. This
was an easy question, and Holbrooke's
response was an emphatic no. fhe right
question rvould have been rvhether the US
n'as norking to legitimising Pakistan's
nuclear \veapons status, for this is precise-
l], n'hat is being done, rvith far-reaching
operational implications for India.
The US' biggest \\'orrlr is Pakistan's
nuclear \\,eapons lalling in the u'rong
hands. This fear is accentuated bv US
experts rvho rvorry that Pakistan is headed
torvards becoming a failed state and, if not
helped, may disintegrate in six-months to a
year's time. After the exit of President
threat. "For the first time since partition
India, Pakistan and the United States are
facing a common threat and a common
challenge...but now that we face a com-
mon threat, we must work together and in
the centre of that area is Pakistan."
Reacting to the media reports in India
that ISI's chief had refused to meet
Holbrooke, the envoy said it was not true.
"We met the ISI chief in Pakistan and had
elaborate discussions with him." He also
went to great lengths to stress that his visit
to India was to inform the officials in New
Delhi and not anything else.
"Let me just be clear on my one rvord
answer. We did not come here to ask the
Indians to do anlthing. We came here to
inform about our trips (to Afghanistan and
Pakistan) as we always do and to get their
views. We did not come here with anY
requests," said Holbrooke.
Referring to his meeting with Indian
Ambassador to Afghanistan Iayant Prasad
in Kabul, Holbrooke said, "Issues in
Afghanistan and other issues can't be set-
tled without India's full involvement and
their own expressions of views, when
Mullen and I met Ambassador Prasad in
Kabul, he outlined India's assistance plan
Pervez Musharraf, it is evident that the
National Command Authodty, having civil-
ian leadership as members, has been
rvrapped up. The command and control of
Pakistan nuclear weapons is with the army
chief, General Ashfaq Kayani and is exer-
cised through the Strategic Plans Division
headed by Lt Gen. Khalid Kidwai. This
arrangement is not institutionalised and is
dependent on Kayani's men. Considering
that the Pakistan Army has become a rogue
arm)r \vith a proven capability to fight a
conventional and irregular (terrorism) war
at the same time, it is perfectly possible for
the Taliban, u'ho have deep-rooted links
n'itl.r the ISI, to get hold of nuclear
\feapons. Once done, all that remains is for
for Afghanistan. And the plan is impres-
sive." The envoy said that India's efforts to
bring economic stabiliry match with simi-
lar US plans.
Holbrooke, a former President of the
Asia Society for seven years, said he was
not in the region to negotiate India-
Pakistan relationship, which "we woke up
to see the TV that is what we are supposed
to be doing." Asked if US was considering a
nuclear deal with Pakistan on similar lines
as US, Holbrooke said the issue did not
come up for talks. "We continue to seek a
stable regime in Pakistan and my discus-
sions throughout have focussed on that,"
he said.
Explaining the US' AfPak policy, the
diplomat said that, in the new administra-
tion under Obama spent first seven weeks
on developing a strategy and is in the
beginning of the implementation stage.
Both Holbrooke and Mullen stressed that
their India visit was regarding this very
implementation process and they were
encouraged by the fact that India and US
shared some plans for Afghanistan, and
the visit would promote coordination in
those plans. o
Vidhi Upadhyay

.r' terrorists to activate the timer of the
--lclear \'\reapon and walk alvay The situa-
is grave for the US as the Pakistan
'n
':nv has refused Washington's help in
-:'.-rlring its nukes for fear that they may
:-iall some hidden technology to control
.-ease of their ultimate arsenal' This is not
- . -{ccording to US reports quoting senior
::lcials, Pakistanis have hidden their
-.clear arsenal in scattered undelground
'.^nkets
to avoid Washington's scrutiny'
'.1
,reover, Pakistan, rvith Plutonium pro-
,-.ction, is making a new generation of
:npact nukes which are sn-raller rvith bet-
.: r'ields than the earlier ones based on
-:.rnium fissile material. The Bush admin-
- :ation since the end of 2006, r'r'hen it
:horised limited US air strikes inside
,r ,.i:tan's tribal areas by CIA operatives,
-,. grappling'"vith the problerr of how to
-.:itutionalise Pakistan nukes' seculity'
' -ili the Obama administration, having
---;ided to disregard the Durand Line for'
: itan'operations and conduct air strikes
parts of NWFP and Baluchistan, the
:iitmarish scenario of Pakistani nukes
-,ching the terrorists has acquired alalm-
{
i,':='
==-Er.*
ing proportions.
The ideal answer fbr the US is to provide
Pakistan rvith Permissive Action Links or
PALs technology, rvhich rvill ensure that
only a small authorised group rvhich knon's
the secret cocles can detonate a nuclear
weapon. Anyone lvho does not know the
codes and does guessrvork lvill after a ferv
false attempts, disable the nuclear lveapon
permanently. As the Pakistanis do not $'ant
the US scientists to fix PALs on their nukes,
the Pakistani scientists rvould have to be
trained in the US on hor'v to fix PALs them-
selves on the nukes. There are, ho'"vever,
trvo problems rvith this approach. The first
and the more important legal one from the
US perspective is that giving PALs to
Pakistan is against US domestic larv:
Pakistan's nuclear weapons status is not
legitimised. The reason rvhy Pakistan can-
not be considerecl for a similar nuclear deal
that the US did rvith India is because it does
not serve US' non-proliferation objectives'
lndia's nuclear \veapons progt'atnme is an
off-shoot of its civilian nuclear pro-
gramme, and hence by seeking a separa-
tion of its civilian and military nuclear
I
reactors under the supervision of the IAEA'
the US is in a good position to monitor and
thereby control India's nuclear weapons'
activities. This cannot be done i'r'tith
Pakistan as its nuclear programme is solely
for rveapon purposes.
Even as the US is considering on how to
legitimise Pakistan's nuclear u/eapons sta-
tus by other methods, the travelling of
Pakistani scientists to US laboratories to
understand functioning of PALs and their
eventual handover to the Pakistan Army
rvould not remain hidden from India' If
India is not put into this picture well in
time, this rvould have implications for
grorving Indo-US relations' Thus, a key
purpose of the two senior Obama officials
in meeting the NSA in New Delhi rvas to
apprise him about what options
Washington has been mulling over to
official
secure Pakistan's nukes. New Delhi's
response rvill only be available after a nert'
government is sr'vorn in by end-May'
Hor'vever, should this happen, it would
disadvantage the Indian armecl forces tur'-
ther in a conventional wat rvith Pakistan'
India has a nuclear no-first-use policy and
May 2009 F0RCE 27

r'"'_4- 3*--
':r?trt*!&l.'v
\,)=tr
" .,-n"----&r*.
.igqii':1'. ',.
consequently has ruled out acquisition of
Tactical Nuciear Weapons (TNWs).
Pakistan, on the other hand, has a nuclear
first-use policy and is known to possess
TNWs (technology acquired from China).
As TNW have sub-kiloton nuclear yields
which rvould result in limited area devas-
tation, they are certainly useable in battle-
field conditions rvhere, let's say, in a given
theatre, Indian armed forces manage to,
wittingly or unrvittingly, cross Pakistans
nuclear threshold. Moreover, as both
countries do not have a formalised nuclear
control and verification centre, the temp-
tation for Pakistan to stop an Indian thrust
rvith TNW would be great. Hor,vever, fbr
this to happen, Pakistani operational
forces in the field must have TNW rvith
them well in advance once the war is
joirred betr'r,een India and Pakistan. This
l'ras been the rub for General Headquartels
in Ran alpindi: rvhat if someone in
Pakistani field forces rvith Taliban iinkages,
as the latter rvould also fight against India
shoulder-to-shoulder rvith regular forces,
hands ovel TNIV to unauthorised persons?
The ansrver to this dilemma would be
found in PALs, as orrly the authorised per-
sons rvould be able to activate the nukes.
Thus, the Pakistan Army r'r'ould be more
confident of using its TNWs secured rvitlr
Pakistani-PALs. Converselv, the h.rdian
28 F0RCE lVlay 2009
_&;*
''1:.
.t::-- "* * -'1
--" *:;a--'+-
5'-.f*?a,*:c :;,
."- "q* .-1* t "
t.. - "-€! _$.-*.. :,::
\\ ---r:----
S:: .; .'j5
Army rvill be severely disadvantaged.
The lndian Stopover
In Nerv Delhi, Holbrooke said that
Obama administration rvanted Indo-US
relations to include 'regional and global
strategic issues' to go beyond the bilateral
relationship. As Holbrooke's brief is lirnited
to Afghanistan and Pakistan (AfPak), get-
ting India onboard should be difficult as
Washingtons AfPak policy is premised on
rveakness and not strength. Horv else can it
be explained that Pakistan as a'disinteglat-
ing' nation is actuall-v placing conditions
on the US for its help in eliminating terror'-
ist and extremists from its soil? Probabll,,
the most audacious one is the recerrt call
made by Pakistan's ambassador in the US
Hussain Haqqani, that military and non-
militaly aid to Pakistan should be
enhanced to US30 billion dollars from the
offered USt0 billion dollars. Earlier, the
Pakistan Army l.rad put two conditions for
its role in AfPak; that US should tell India to
reduce its troops on the Line of Control
(and the US should mediate on the
Kashmir resolution), and India should cur-
tail its role in Afghanistan. Speaking for his
army, President Asif Ali Zardari has said
that the US should provide the Pakistan
Armyrvith armed drones and night fighting
capabilities, and ir.rtelligence to fight ter-
:',:.,$oldier$:,sJ Afghan.
' flational lrmy
rorists and extremists within its sovereign
tellitolies. It is evident that the Pakistan
Army does not agree with the US' estimate
the that its nation is coming apart.
Why is it so? Three reasons: One, an army
trained to use its ISI-aided terrorists
(lihadis) as its first line of offence in a con-
ventional war with India cannot undertake
counter-terrorism operations against its
orvn elements. Hence, the ruse of asking
US' assistance to resolve the Kashmir issue.
(Resolving the Kashmir issue should be
Indla's prioriry but it should not be done
under any outside pressure). TWo, the ISI
has links with the Afghani Taliban and by
extension with al Qaeda as it hopes to have
a role in a future Taliban government in
Afghanistan. And three, while the Pakistani
Taliban headed by Baitullah Mehsud are
creating mayhem in Pakistan's Punjab
province, their ultimate demand, if agreed,
rvould help the Pakistan Army as well.
Mehsud is asking for stoppage of US air
stlikes on Pakistani territories, and seeking
peace deals in FATA like the one in the Swat
region of N\.&TB which is inimical to the
US. Thus, Washington may do well to
revierv its AfPak policy, which at present,
appears to be rewarding Pakistan for all its
misdeeds. If this continues, the US AfPak
policy will do little good to bilateral rela-
tions betrveen India and the US. o
Playing Catch-Up
Pakistan Army to induct 36 launchers of the L}-barrel, 300mm A- l00E MBRL
t Prasun K. Sengupta
etermined to maintain its
already
cornmanding lead in the arena of long-
range field artillery over its Indian
.rnterpart, the Pakistan Army is gearing
-: ro ir-rduct into service tr,vo Regiments (or
.. iaunchers) of the lO-barrel, 300mm A-
rE rnulti-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL)
-:'i its related ground-based fire-control
- .:enls from China's China Precision
l.,lirinery Import-Export Corp (CPMIEC)
.r CETC. Also being acquired are approxi-
'.-...ielr' 90 SH- I l55mm/52-calibre
- iorised horvitzers from NORINCO of
: .:a, plus three Regiments of the
, l.llEc-built HQ-9 long-range suface-to-
:rissile (LR-SAM) system (these being
- -:uired by the Pakistan Air Force, or PAF),
: .e f}om Ukraine the Pakistan Army will
r lcquiring about 400 T-84U rnain battle
. .is (NIBT) off-the-shelf.
-: rtas during the visit last October to
..:ra of Pakistan's Chief of Arm-y Staff,
.-:reral Ashfaq Parvez Kayani that
- ,:ritbad and Beijing inked the contracts
: :ire lnitial 36 A-100Es and trvo CETC-
.r SI.C-2 passive phased-array weapons
riing radars (WLR), plus the SH-ls. This
:',.;;:.t1.
,:
:;!i:;! t ':
q'.fl
lollorved the round of competitive evalua-
tions conducted by the Pakistan Army of
the A-100E and the competing NORINCO-
built AR-z, another 300mm MBRL also of
Chinese origin. The A-100E comprises a
Iaunch vehicle, and reloading vehicle and
command-and-control vehicles, all of
rvhich are mounted on the WS-2400 BxB
wheeled chassis (the same truck also torvs
the launcher for the Babur multi-role
cruise missiie). A11 l0 r'ockets, each
equipped r'vith a 200kg rvarhead, can be
fired rvithin 60 seconds out to a range of
100km, and it can be reloaded in 20 min-
utes. The NORINCO-built AR-Z NIBRL, on
the other hand, has 12 launch tubcs from
r'vhich rockets armed rvith a rvide variety of
warheads are fired. The rvarhead options
for the A-100E include fragmentation sub-
munitions lvarhead, anti-tank nine scat-
tering rvarhead, shaped-charge fragrnen-
tation submunitiot-ts r'r,arhead, separable
HE-fragmentation r'varhead, tuel-air
explosive rvarhead, and HE-fragmentation
r'varhead. The target acquisition ar-rd fire-
control system elements include tl-re
CETC-built 702D meteorological r-aclar sta-
tion and SLC-2 \&T-R.
The NORINCO-built SH-1 motorised
155mm/52-calibre horvitzer underrvent
extensive mobility and fireporver trials in
December 2007 in Pakistan's Northern
Areas, and undern'ent similar lield trials
last June in the Thar Desert. The SH-l can
fire rocket-assistedV-LAP projectiles out to
53km, as r,vell as laser-guided projectiles
like NORINCO's 'Red Mud' and KBP
Instrument Design Bureau's Krasnopol-
M2. The SH-I can also fire base-bleed
155mm rounds out to 42.skm, and its truck
chassis houses a fibre-optic gyro-based
north positioning-cum-navigation system,
battiespace management system,
autonolT10us orientation-cum-muzzle
velocity radar, gun loader's display-cum-
ramming control box, ammunition box
housing 25 rounds (of seven different
rypes) and their modular chalges, and a
netr,vork-centric artillery file direction sys-
tem. A complete SH-l Regiment comprises
24 SH-1s, four Battery Command Post
vehicles, one Battalion Command Post
vehicle, one road-mobile CETC-built lY-30
C-band meteorological radar, four 6xG
rvheeled reconnaissance vehicles, and an
S-band CEI'C-built Type 904-1 artillery
locating-cum-fire correction radar. Earlier,
on September 9, 2007 the Pakistan Army
-..!
May 2009 F0RCE 29
accepted at its Nowshera-based School of
Artillery the first of twelve l8-tonne T-155
Panter I55mm/S2-calibre torved howitzers
from Turkey's state-owned Machines and
Chemical Industry Board (MKEK). The
Panter was co-developed in the late
Nineties by MKEK and Singapore
Technologies Kinetics. For producing the
155mm family of munitions, Wah
Cantonment-based Pakistan Ordnance
Factories (POF) has teamed up witl.r South
Korea's Poongsan and on April 12 last year,
General Kayani symbolically received the
first lot of licence-assembled K-307 BB-HE
and K-310 155mm BB dual purpose impro-
vised conventional munitions (DPICM)
Ammunition from POF Chairman Pakistan
Lt Cen Syed Sabahat Hussain.
l'he three HQ-9 LR-SAM Regirnents are
being procured for the alr defence of static
strategic targets that may be targetted bV
India's BrahMos supersonic muiti-role
cruise missiles. The HQ-9 rvas jointly devel-
oped by CPMIEC, the China (l(lE MBRL
Aerospace Science & Industry
A1
Corp (CASIC), and the Shaanxi
l'lanhe Industry Group. Series-
ploduction of the l0Okm-range
LR-SAM rounds ls being under-
takenat the Gui Yang-based
Guizhou Aerospace Industry
Company Ltd, rvhile the TWS-312
engagement control centre (ECC)
and its SJ-231 missile guidance
system and the TWS-312 Air
Defence Command System's
Battery Control Centre (that
includes the C-band HT-233 pas-
sive phased-arlay tracking-cum-
engagement radar from which
the SLC-2 \,VLR is derived) are
series-produced by the Xi'an-
based Shaanxi Tianhe Industry
Group. All elements of the HQ-9
re-mounted on TAS-5380 BxB
heavy-cluty cross-countly vehi-
cles. The HT-233 radar carries out
airspace search, target detection,
target track. identification. mis-
sile tracking, missile guidance
and electronic counter-counter-
measures (ECCM) functions. The
HT-233 radar is automatically
controlled by a digital \veapons
control computer housed rvithin
the ECC, and cable link is used to
connect the Sl-231 to the T'WS-
312, rvhich is the only manned
station in a I{Q-9 Battery and it
provides the human interface for
30 F0RCE lVlay 2009
control of all automated functions. The
ECC communicates with all HQ-9 Fire
Units as well as rvith highel-echelon com-
mand headquarters, and has on board an
Air Situation Display console and Tracking
Display console that adopts customised
BITE technologies, and has embedded
simulated trainlng softrvare for engaging
more than 100 airborne targets in various
flight profiles, all of which can be used for
opcrational training in peacetime. The HT-
233, operating in the 300MHz bandrvidth,
has a detection range of l50km and track-
ing range of 100km. The radar antenna has
4,000 active ferrite phase shifters. It can
detect targets in azimuth (360') and eleva-
tion (0' to 65"). It can simultaneously
engage more than 50 targets when used in
conjunction with a Brigade-level ECC
(lvhich can handle automatic command-
and-control of three subordinate HQ-9
Regiments). In some cases a HQ-9 Fire Unit
receives early warning of hostile
ballistic/cruise missile launchs (launches),
along with direction and time-of-arrival
data. Target engagement can be carried out
by the HI-233 in manual, semi-automatic
or automatic mode. When the decision has
been made to engage the target, the ECC
selects the Launch Battery or Batteries to
be used and pre-launch data is transmitted
to the selected missile via microwave line-
of-sight data links. The target position data
is dorvnloaded to the missile to aid the mis-
sile's target acquisition. After launch, the
missile is acquired by the HT-233 radar.
The missile's track command up-link and
dorvn-link between the missile and the HT-
233 allows the missile's flight to be moni-
toled and provides missile guidance com-
mands from the ECC's weapons control
computer. As the missile approaches the
target, the active radar-based terminal
guidance svstem on the missile is activated
and the missile is steered torvard the target.
.\s the missile's closest approach to the
missile is reached (50 metres), a
RF proximity fuze detonates the
directional high-explosive blast
fragmentation rvarhead. The mis-
sile's engagement zone is
betlveen 300 metres and 50km in
terms of altitude, ,"vhile it has a
slant range of between 7km and
100km, and a maximum speed of
1,600 metres/second.
The HQ-9 Fire Unit can deploy
in three ways: the vehicle mode,
the trailer mode, and the stand-
alone mode. It carries four ready-
to-fire missiles, and is capable of
remote operations. The two-stage
LR-SAM is'cold-launched' verti-
cally from a tubular launcher. The
missile s first stage has a diameter
of 700mm while the second stage
has a diameter of 560mm. The
total launch mass is two tonnes,
whiie the missile's length is nine
metres. It is armed with a t8Okg
HE fragmentation warhead and
has a maximum speed of Mach
4.2.The missile's guidance mech-
anism comprises initial inertial
navigation, radio command mid-
coulse correctiOn, and active ter-
minal guidance. Wihen in range
for an effective lock-on rvith the
on-board X-band monopulse
radar, the terminal guidance
phase, lasting 20km, gets under-
way. For iong-range target acqui-
sition and tracking, the Jiangsu

Panter
I:rvince-based Nanjing Research
r.iitute of Electronic Technology (NRIET,
: --: also more commonly known as the
-:h Institute) has co-developed with
-:TC the road-mobileYLC-2V S-band 3-D
:-:>Dace surveillance radar (six of which
.:= being acquired by the PAF), which has
- :rarimum range of 450km, a maximum
:..rlution of 0.5 metres, and can scan a 0-
-,-degree arc in azimuth and 0-90
-:itces in elevation.
-r all its deployment patterns, the HQ-9
:.-S,\NI offers a multi-target and multi-
: ::ciional area air defence capabiliry. A1l
:- qround-based and airborne compo-
.::iS dr€ integrated in a plug-and-flight
.::irirecture under which the software-
:::d integration of all hardware-based
:: :::rents permits the autonomous man-
-.:rent of various functions such as pro-
-:.nmable surveillance, target detection,
.::er acquisition, target identification and
:. -'si n g, threat evaluation, threat prioriti-
-,- .ra, interception assignment and target
. :3gement. Depending on the opera-
::al scenario - whether to defend a lul-
- -::ble area or r,ulnerable point - up to
-- HQ-9 Batteries (with 96 ready-to-fire
'-,.siles and four SJ-231 stations) can func-
.: together seamlessly even when
: ::.oved over a wide area and are linked to
- I =:iment-ievel ECC by CETC-built secure
microwave line-of-sight data links as n'ell
as TS-504 mobile troposcatter communi-
cations terminals. When an entire
Regiment of HQ-9 is deployed, use is made
of aYLC-2V radar to provide a single inte-
grated airspace picture to the Regimental
ECC. TheYLC-2V and up to four SJ-231 sta-
tions can be networked with a Sector
Operations Centre (SOC) via a CETC-built
DA-6 tactical internet controller using
either underground fibre-optic links or
land-mobile broadband, multi-channel,
beyond tine-of-sight, TS-504 terminals.
This same type of systems architecture
using the above-mentioned tools can be
employed to develop an integrated, hierar-
chical air defence network that seamlessly
integrates the LR-SAM, E-SHORADS and
VSHORADS into one monolithic guided-
missile-based air defence system. To make
the HT-233 radar virtually inlrrlnerable to
hostile electronic jamming, a number of
ECCM features have been incorporated,
including narrow transmit and receive
beams, very low sidelobe antenna, auto-
matic frequency selection mode, interfer-
ence analysis and mapping, and random-
ness in frequency, space and time.
The T-B4U MBTs and related Atlet
armoured repair-and-recovery vehicles
being acquired from Ukraine have been
developed by the state-owned Kharkov
I
Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau
(KMDB). Series-production of these vehi-
cles n'ill begin later this year at the
Malyshev Plant in Kharkov. Each T-B4U
MBT will have on-board a commander's
panoramic sight incorporating a laser
rangefinder, daylight and thermal imagers
(this being the high-resolution MAIIS-STD
from France's Sagem D6fense S6curit6,
which is also on board the Arjun Mkl
MBT), a smoothbore 5I-calibre l25mm
KBA-3 gun (containing amlzzle reference
system) housed within a welded turret that
will also house a laser warning system, a
bustle-mounted autoloader, separate crew
and blow-out ammunition compartments,
new-generation non-explosive reactive
armour plates based on a new principle of
defeating kinetic and chemical energy
attacks (with special focus on increasing
the hull's sides and turret's protection lev-
els to enhance the MBT's survivabiliry),
Kontakt-s explosive reactive armour plates
on the frontal hull, environment-friendly
1,200hp 6TD-2E two-stroke, multi-fuel, liq-
uid-cooled 6-cylinder diesel engine, a new
steering wheel and an upgraded digital
panel equipped with GPS-based land navi-
gation system and a digital battlespace
management console for the driver and
commander', new radio equipment, and a
IOkW auxiliary power unit. o
May 2009 FORCE 3l
'With Existing Deficiency of Over 27 Per Cent, Providing
Officers for Augmentation of NSG is Difficult'
Vice Chief of Army Staff, Lr
Post 2611 1 attacks, it was reported that the armed
forces had asked for certain acquisitions on the
fast-track basis. What items has the army asked for
on this basis?
Post 26ll1, an in-housc audit rvas carried
out to enhance the equipnent state and
cornbat potential. Certain items u,ere iden-
tified for procurement on fast track basis.
There are a large numbel of indigcnous as
n ell as tbreign vendors i,vho have come for-
nard. The items are in various stages of
evaluation and procurement.
What surveillance means have been acquired and
what more is needed by the army by end ol 11
defence plan (2007-201 2)?
Airborne sun'eillance capabilities by
means ol Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
(UAVs) liave already been acqr-rired. Certain
voids arc being addressed rvith additional
procurement of tlAVs. In thc curlent p1an,
DRDO is in the process of developing UAV
system capable of operating in hlgh alti-
tude area. This is likely to fi-uctify in the
32 FORCE May 2009
Gnw. Nonrn Tuaununtt, PVSM, AVSM,VSM
l2th Army plan. Ground basecl surveillance
sensors have bcen procured for sun,eil-
lance units. In addition, night binocLrlars
u,itir range finders, passive night sigl.rts for
AK rifles are also in the pipeline as part of
our endeavour to modernise and enhance
the infantrl, combat capabilities.
Artillery firepower appears to be an area with glar-
ing deficiencies. What is being done to plug this
operational gap?
Modernisation is an ongoing process and
the field artillery moclelnisation plan is on
coulse. In older- to contintre maintairring
an edge over the adversary and to keep up
r'r'ith the various technological advance-
ment in the field of military hardrvare, r'ar-
ious rnodernisation programmes have
been undert:rken tbr the Indian Artillery
Divelse procruement actions have already
been ir-ritiated for induction of a r'r,ide vari-
et1, of artillerl' ecluiprncnt to inciude mod-
ern I 55mm guns/horvitzers, self-propelled
gur-rs, precision ammunitions, extended
range rockets and missiles.
A programme has also been undertaken
to upgrade the in-service 155mm guns,
rr4'rich is the main stay of Indian artillery.
Surveillance and battle field transparency
has also been considelably upgraded by
induction of long range state of the art air-
borne sensors like UAVs, radars on elevated
rnasts and electro optical dcviccs. Artillery
is n'ell-poised to takc on an adversarv rvith
the existing equipment in its present state
of ongoing modernisatior-r.
It seems that project Future lnlantry Soldier is mov-
ing slower than planned? What all is envisaged to be
accomplished on this in the 1 lth defence plan?
Ploposal fbr FINSAS has been approved by
the Cl'rief of Arrny Staff. In the l lth Plan, the
induction of the rveapon sub-system (r'\rhich
includes the CQB carbine and assauit rifle),
the body armour clothing and individual
equipment sub-system (including modular
load carrying equipment, hydration pack,
ballistic heln'ret, body armour, boot anti
mine and superior quality clothing) as
Pl.rase I
of the Project is envisaged. Further,
researcl-t rvolk and analysis of programmes
of other countries is simultaneously being
undertaken to finalise GSQRs for the other
sub-systems rvhich nould be inducted in a
later timeframe.
How do you see network-centric operations in the
service by end 11 th delence plan?
Netrvork-centric rvarfare translates lnfor-
mation sriperiority to enhance combat
potential by effectively netu,orking sen-
sors, decision-makers and shooters.
Effective netnrorking requires the estab-
lishment of the robust, high performance
'lnformation Infrastructure' in order to
provide all the elements of a rvar-fighting
enterprise lvith access to high quality
irrformation scrvices.'l hc army is cateling
for sucl-r a robust, secure and reliable com-
munication system and rretrvork rvith
appropriate redundancies.
The objective is to make the Indian Almy
'netn,ork-cnabled' at the earliest and 'net-
rvork-centric' by end of 11th Defence Plan.
We are going about it in a systematic man-
..er in broadly two phases. In the first
:iase, we have begun concurrent develop-
rent of the sensor grid, establishment of
:looter grid and fielding of the command
.rd control grid. Establishment of these
- rmponents will extend the net-centric
-:pabilities from the operational to the
:=ctical levels. Phase 2 will involve the vali-
::rion of joint operational concepts and
arfare doctrines; and training offorces in
:-,nducting operations in network centric
=:,'ironment. We are concurrently consoli-
:.:ing and integrating these network and
: , :i€lrs to make the 'Network of Networks'
:ich lvill act as a catalyst to achieve the
-Jian army's vision.
-!,,i important is Aerospace Command for the
:my. and what operational benefits will accrue by
creation?
= equipment and weaPon systems Pro-
--. iuture operations are likely to be prose-
, ..:ed in a single battle space, the organisa-
r 1. as and when it comes up, should be a
-:--service Space Command'. Space is
:::rerging as a vital dimension of warfare
.-i its utilisation will become crucial for
----irary operations. Some operational
::'.antages that will accrue from space-
::'ed applications are; imagery, naviga-
- , r. signal intelligence, telecommunica-
- ,:s, early warning and meteorology. The
.::r-e rvill provide real time situational
: ,:reness throughout the area of opera-
:-,r. Incidentally, the army happens to be
' : largest user ofsuch space applications.
ilr-',ai are the army's views 0n having a Chief ol
Ir'ence Staff?
: appointment of a CDS to provide 'sin-
-: :loint' advice to the government is long
=:due. Though a number of measures
- :.:iding the enunciation of a Joint
:::ational Doctrine, setting uP of HQ
:.'srated Defence Staff, establishment of
- lefence Intelligence Agency, Andaman
=
- : \icobar Command and the Strategic
: ::es Command have been undertaken to
' ,'.'e a joint war fighting mechanism,
-- ---h still remains to be done, especially
-. appointment of the CDS. There is no
:. :,.aving that 'jointness and interoper-
-: -.n'' u'ili be the key to success in any
-
- .
-:e \rar. The appointment of a CDS will
- - the operational imperative to syner-
'::e
- -- and optimise the capabilities of the
.-:::' Ser\/ices in various operational con-
- ::rcies, across the spectrum of conflict.
'---
:ppointment will become even more
- =-.ssarv in the near future especially
. indigenous private industry is still in the
--i ,,\'e dn'ell on the need to create Joint
Specified Functional Commands and Joint
Theatre Commands in the long term.
What level 0l exercises is planned lor this year with
friendly armies? How does exercising with the PLA
help the army?
Today, we operate in a globalised environ-
ment, where training to combat common
threats, mutual learning from each other's
armed forces and showcasing one's poten-
tial and professionalism are essential
parts of progression of an army. To this
end, over the last few years, there has been
a graduated increase in the joint exercises
with foreign armies. This has not only
given our military diplomacy a giobal
reach but has also enabled constructive
engagement and furthering of our strate-
gic interests besides earning tremendous
goodwill for our armed forces and our
nation. In 2009-10, we have quite a few
joint exercises planned with foreign
armies. Out of these, three joint exercises
are planned with United States and one
with Russia at Company level. The bal-
ance exercises are essentially proposals
for Platoon level joint training/exercises
with various countries.
The recently concluded joint exercises
with China have given us a deeper insight
into the organisation, tactics and function-
ing of the PLA.. It has also been a major con-
fidence building measure that has helped
in promoting positive military relation
besides helping develop a deeper under-
standing for tackling the common threat of
terrorism that is faced, globallY.
How do you envisage giving the additional troops
that have been asked for by the NSG? What was the
army's case for having its own three-star general
accepted by the defence ministrY?
The need for expansion of NSG is well
understood. The requirement of officers for
NSG augmentation are in select ranks (Cols
and above) and non-select ranks (Lt Cols
and below). officers in select ranks
"&hile
can be provided, but with existing deficien-
cy of over 27 per cent in the non-select
ranks, large manpower requirements for
llth Plan and the manning levels in units
which are at below our hard scales, provid-
ing officers in non-select ranks for aug-
mentation of NSG is difficult.
How do you see the partnership between the army
and the indigenous private industry? What factors
are inhibiting its full exploitation?
The partnership between the army and the
nascent stage. The defence sector is reliant
mainly on ordnance factories and defence
PSUs. However, a number of initiatives
have been taken by the army to tap the
potential of the vibrant private sector.
These include:
(a) Increased interaction with indigenous
private industries in the form of defence
expos.
(b)Change over to commercial off-the-
shelf (COTS) items with emphasis on
indigenous private industries of nation-
al repute.
(c Joint Ventures with OFB/DPSUs/RURs
for indigenous development of weapon
systems for the armY.
(d)Upgradation cum over-hauling of exist-
ing weapon systems with state of the art
technology.
(e) Indigenisation of spares for war like
cured through import.
(f)Outsourcing certain maintenance/
repair tasks to capable firms.
What role do you see for the army in combating
Naxals in the near term?
The role of the army is to offer advice, assis-
tance in training and capacity building.
Within this ambit, numerous steps have
been taken, such as:
(a) Periodic reviews are being conducted
and relevant inputs are being provided
to MoD/ MFIA. RecentlY, comPrehen-
sive recommendations with regard to
streamlining of operations, perform-
ance audit and fast tracking of critical
infrastructure have been formulated
and forwarded.
(b)Indian Army teams were deputed for on
the spot assessments of the situation in
the Naxal-affected states of
Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand in
2008. The visits were well-received by
MHA and generated a number of Posi-
tive spin-offs/follow uP action.
(c) I90 companies of police forces have
been trained by Indian Army in diverse
aspects like counter Naxal operations,
training of trainers, IED neutralisation,
training of armourers and Battle Field
Nursing Assistants (BFNAS).
How will the Ml directorate be affected by the cre-
ation of the new NIA?
Military intelligence deals with counter
intelligence aspects and acquisition of
military information only. MI Directorate's
role does not overlap or clash with that of
the NIA. o
May 2009 FORCE 33

. '.=.,1*
_-
!+
TIES THAT STIOK
India-R
r Pravin Sawhney and Ghazala Wahab
bsence of hype sometimes can be a
good thing. It ensures that work con-
tinues belorv the radar screen, the
expectations remain realistic and since
public opinion does not come into play,
hard decisions and hard bargaining
become possible. It is with these advan-
tages that India has been forging its rela-
tionship with Russia, which today can be
called truly strategic even by conservative
estimates: it incorporates the entire gamut
of political, economic, defence and strate-
34 FORCE l\4ay 2009
!::i.!ili" I
::*i r:.
's€€
€+*=#
zss ian relations
gic linkages.
Despite the temporary setback, follow-
ing the restructuring that took place after
the collapse of the Soviet Union, the two
countries discovered areas ofmutual bene-
fit and since then have only strengthened
them. Such has been the steadfastness of
the relationship that India can call Russia
an all weather friend, whose political sup-
port has never been found wanting.
Unfortunately, the only bilateral issue that
makes news in India pertains to defence
equipment, with the controversy about the
constantly rising price of aircraft carrier
Admiral Gorshkov hogging maximum
headlines, followed in quick succession by
the poor product support that the Indian
armed forces get from the Russian original
equipment manufacturers (OEM).
As a result, other issues, which probably
have greater long term value, from the
Indian perspective are pushed in the shad-
ows. Perhaps, just as well. For instance, the
fact that the biggest beneficiary of Indo-
US nuclear deal so far has been the Indian-
Russian civil nuclear cooperation has not
managed to draw much attention, which
may not be such a bad thing. On his maid-
:n visit to India in December 2008,
f ussian President Dmitry Medvedev
.igned a number of agreements with India,
.rgnificantly in the area of atomic cooper-
.tion. In addition to the two nuclear porver
rlant units that are being built rvith
lussian assistance in Kudamkulam, Tamil
\adu, Russia agreed to build four more
:3actors, in addition to helping India con-
iiruct a fresh plant at a new site, probably
n the eastern coast. The nerv facility,
'.,henever, it comes up will be backed by
guarantees through its lifetime. Not
-\LA
-nlv this, another MoU envisaged supply
-i nuclear fuel rvorth USD 700 million to
-rdia by the Russian comPanY TVEL.
The other area of cooperation with long
:-rm positive implications for India has
:ren energy securiry as it has the potential
: helping India diversily its source of oil
.rd gas. Indian Oil and Natural Gas
-cmmission Videsh Ltd (OVL) got the offi-
,.al nod from the former PresidentMadimir
.::tin to bid for stakes in Sakhalin III oilfields
-i:rirrg his official visit to Nerv Delhi in
-.:ruary
2007. He was here as the chief guest
: -: the Republic Day.\A{Lrile India had sought
=l per cent shares (which will be offloaded
:'. ihe Russian company Rosneft from its
.::are of 70 per cent, with 30 per cent being
...-1d by China National Petroleum
it got the commitment for
-.rrporation),
:h' 23 per cent. Despite this, India will have
t Y+. rf €arja:+ a;;:
I : r::rr' Fr.;{*k*
RUSSKAVA
!, r, :' l*r ii:i ll*tui: Lir*r
s.J
to make a huge investment in the project as
drilling in the icy fields of Siberia is 20 times
more expensive than in the Persian Gulf.
Production from Sakhalin I, where India
own 20 per cent stake has already begun.
Then there are numerous indigenous
defence projects all over the country, where
Russian scientists and engineers have been
helping Indian PSUs. Visit any indigenous
faciliry rvhether aerospace or ship-building'
and Russians are there. The days ofbuying
and selling are clearly over.
Without the usual hoopla that follorvs
the visits of the Western leaders,
Medvedev's two-day India trip remained
low in terms of visibiliry but high on sub-
stance. There were no high profile televi-
sion interviews, no shopping sprees by the
wife to Santushthi or moonlight touristy
activity in Delhi. This is the biggest irony of
the relationship that despite the enormous
mutual benefits that it accrues for both the
countries, it does not have a softer, human
face. It is driven solely by the political, and
to some extent, the business classes, u'ith
the masses remaining completely indiffer-
ent. This is unlike India's relationship rvith
any other country in the r,vorld, including
Pakistan and China that get the extra push
by the people to people contacts. Language
is not the only barrier.
Says one Russian journaiist, only half in
jest, "The lack of interest about each other
is not exclusive to Indians alone. The
Russian people suffer from the same prob-
lem. They come to India only if they must.
Otherwise they are happier going to
Europe or the US."
Maria B. Pavlova, deputy director of the
Russian Centre of Science and Culture
(whose officiai terminology, which Pavlova
insists on using is Federal Agency for
Commonwealth of Independent State'
Compatriots living Abroad and
International Humanitarian Coopera-
tion), tries to explain this lack of interest in
things Russia in India. She says, "In the
days of the Soviet Union, our biggest sup-
port in India was among the Communist
people here. Till about two decades back,
there lvas substantial number socialist-
minded people even if theY weren't
Communists among Indians and also in
the art community. Hence, Russian art, cul-
ture and even circus were very popular in
India. Norv rvith Russia, that support group
is no longer there. We are now trying to re-
establish cultural relations."
Hourever, even in the high noon of Indo-
Soviet ties, the peopie to people relations
rvere primarily orchestrated by the gov-
ernments of the two countries and not so
much by the initiative of the people.
\\4rich is why, unlike theWest, where India
has a substantial Diaspora, there is none
in Russia. Neither is there Russian popula-
tion in India. Hence, 'Year of Russia' in
India passed by without creating much
ripples in 2008 and the 'Year of India' has
commenced in Russia, without anybody
even noticing. The biggest cultural
ambassadors of India, the film stars, who
have started drawing bona fide crowds in
the Western countries, have not even
been roped in. Clearly, it will remain a
government initiative featuring govern-
ment artists.
India-Russia relations have been
immune to party Politics in India.
Irrespective of the governments in New
Delhi and contentious issues (Indian com-
plaints apart, Russians rue that Indian
armed forces do not give it adequate time
to respond to the requests for spares and
buy junk from former Soviet states) they
have grown quietly. Perhaps, it rvould not
be a bad thing if this strategic relationship
is embraced by the people as well. Indians
are intrepid travellers. If Russia realises
their force and liberalise its Visa regime,
these returning tourists from Russia can
become its biggest socio-culturai ambassa-
dors. And then, we can be real friends'o
I\4ay 2009 F0RCE 35
I
'Russia and lndia Share a Partnership of a
Genuinely Strategic Nature'
Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Vuacaasrav I. TnunNrcov
Having completed nearly five years as the
Russian ambassador in lndia, what, in
your assessment, have been the high
points and accomplishments in bilateral
,E
* relations during your tenure?
I am happy to note that during my
':*.
=, tenure as ambassador, the
Russian-lndian strategic partner-
ship l.ras developed in a stable and
sustainable rva),. We succeeded ir-r
maintaining intense political con-
tacts. Annual summits \{ere aug-
mented b]' active fi'uitful dialogue
@= betn'een various governmental
structllres, including regular con-
sultations at tl.re foreign ministry
level, interaction betr,r,,een the
security councils, palliaments,
. election commissions, accounts
and audit chambers as rvell as judi-
ciaries of the tn,o countries.
The year 2007 marked the 60th
anniversary of establishing
Russian-Indian diplomatic rela-
tions giving us an excellent oppor-
tunity to recall thc glolious pages in
the history of bilateral engagement
as rvell as luurrch nen' pioneeling
initiatives meant to consolidate it.
President Vladimir Putln bccame
the first Russian head of state to
partic\;ate as the chief guest in the
Republic Day celebrations during
his official visit to India irr JanuarS'
that ycar.
President Dmitry Medvcdev's
first visit to India in December 2008
reaffilmed the stlategic value of our
rnultifaceted relations. On behalf ol'
all Russians, he expresscd solidaritl,
urith the fi'lendly people of India in
the rvake of terrorist attacks in
Mumbai and unrvavering resolve of
N'loscorv to further join efforts with
Nerv Delhi in the fight against inter-
national terrorism.
During the past five years a rvide
range of il-nportant agreelrents
in tlie key spheres of
n'ere signed
collaboration namely tlade,
nuclear energlr, outer space explo-

36 F0RCi l\4ay 2009

ration, military-technical cooperation,
ioint aircraft manufacture, metals,
machine-building, pharmaceuticals,
biotechnology, information technology,
tourism, including the recent agreement
on cooperation in the construction of addi-
tional nuclear power plant units at
Kudankulam as well as nuclear power
plants at new sites in India.
One of my top priorities as the ambassa-
dor of the Russian Federation to India was
to do everything possible for providing an
'informational breakthrough' so that the
nvo nations could be aware of where in
2Ist century our interests coincide. There
\vas common understanding that our per-
ception of each other was based to a large
extent on past experience. In this regard it
became a matter of a great importance to
give the peoples of Russia and India, our
voung generation a chance to get acquaint-
ed with each others present-day life and
rvith the achievements of the two countries
in recent years. We spared no effort to make
headway in this sphere. Thus, for example,
a wide range of events were held in the
framework of the 'Year of Russia' in India in
2008 to cover the fields such as politics,
economy, science, culture, education and
tourism. The programme during the year
included various exhibitions, conferences,
tours of the Russian artists of different gen-
res etc. The above activities were not con-
fined to New Delhi alone but took place all
over the country.
One of the goals of the 'Year' was to pro-
mote economic ties and direct business-
to-business contacts. The Russian-Indian
Trade Forum, the largest and most repre-
sentative bilateral business-meeting
bet"r,een the two countries undoubtedly
gave a new powerful impetus to strengthen
our cooperation in this field. Another
important milestone in the area of 'busi-
ness-to-business' relationship between our
countries was the creation and inaugura-
tion of the 'India-Russia Chamber of
Commerce' in February 2008 by the first
deputy chairman of the Russian govern-
ment, Alexander D. Zhukov.
The activities of the 'Year' also have con-
tributed to enhancing direct cooperation
betr,veen the regions of the two countries.
The main message of the 'Year' was that
Russia has a strong will to further strength-
en strategic partnership between our coun-
tries with the highest level of understanding,
confidence and trust in each other.
I am sure that the'Year of Russia'in India
has significantly contributed to enhancing
people-to-people contacts, creating broad
new opportunities for cooperation
between our businesses, scientific and cul-
tural communities and will be remem-
bered with warm feelings. I know that a lot
of young Indians took part in different
activities of the 'Year'. Such experience
enriched them with new knowledge and
deeper understanding of Russia. It is very
important for further developing of rela-
tions between our countries for the
decades ahead. The 'Year of India' being
held in Russia this year will no doubt fur-
ther enhance our strategic partnership and
open new vistas for mutually beneficial
cooperation.
When it is said that lndia and Russia have a'strate-
gic relationship', what exactly does this mean?
Many countries declare establishing strate-
gic partnerships aimed at underlining an
increased level ofbilateral cooperation and
grolving interest towards each other. This is
a prevaient tendency and obviously such
partnerships in many cases are announced
despite the fact that states could still have
deep rifts on various principled issues.
\&ihen referring to the relations between
Russia and India, you should see the core,
that this is a partnership of a genuinely
strategic nature. This is not merely a sound
bite given by high officials of the two coun-
tries, but a reality based on many years of
evolution of fruitful, tested by time and
dramatic events of historic dimensions,
multifaceted relationship that has created
a special atmosphere of trust and mutual
understanding between our peoples. In a
way, this partnership is a reflection of
geopolitics and the current shifts in the
international relations. This is something
based on the consensus concerning ever-
lasting mutual understanding that'a friend
in need is a friend indeed'.
India leels that more can be done bilaterally in the
oil and gas sector. What is the update on the lndian
petroleum and natural gas minister Murli Deora's
M0sc0w visit in November 2008 where he sought a
joint venture between 0NGC Videsh Limited and
Rosneft for expl0ration in east Siberia, and also
the need for LNG purchase?
Rephrasing the famous statement, 'it is a
truth universally acknowledged' that every
fast growing emerging market economy
sooner or later is sure to increase its energy
sector demands. Back in 2007 , Rosneft and
ONGC signed the memorandum of mutual
understanding that particularly provided
the possibility of ONGCVidesh Ltds partic-
ipation in exploration and development of
the oil and gas fields in Eastern Siberia. The
plans, however, are not yet fully-developed,
and both parties are still negotiating the
probable future partnership in this area,
but the potential for this partnership
stands strong.
Regarding liquefied natural gas purchas-
es, as you are probably well-informed,
ONGC is a 20 per cent shareholdel of
Sakhalin-1. But India does not get its share
of Russian gas solely from those fields. For
example, India has recently received the
first consignment of LNG from a Sakhalin-
2 field. The delivery was made in the end of
March 2009. Presently, ONGC Videsh Ltd,
GAIL and Rosneft are in the process ofdis-
cussing the construction of a gas liquefac-
tion plant. These proposals are not yet fully
flnalised, but there are three possible areas
for such joint activity: Siberia, Russian Far
Eastern region and a site in Kazakhstan.
Apart from the public sector initiatives,
which also include the acquisition of
Imperial Energy assets in Russia by ONGC
Videsh Ltd, a number of private companies
in both countries demonstrate their inter-
est in joint exploration and production as
well as downstream projects in India,
Russia and third countries. A vivid example
of such successful cooperation is the joint
venture of the Sun Group and the Russian
company ITERA, called SUNTERA, which
is developing two gas fields in Novy
Urengoi, a gas project in Nigeria and oil
and gas project in Canada.
Considering that trade seems t0 be a weakness in
bilateral relations, what steps so far have been
taken by the lndo-Russian lnter-Governmental
Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific,
Technological and Cultural Cooperation?
The 14th session of the Commission was
held on 3 December 2008 in New Delhi'
The Russian and Indian sides expressed
their commitment to implement the deci-
sions taken during the bilateral summits.
In spite of the unfolding worid financial
and economic crisis, our trade turnover
saw a 30 per cent increase in 2008, it
reached almost USD seven billion, which
makes the goal of achieving USD 10 billion
by 2010 even more achievable notrvith-
standing the global meltdown.
Furthermore, the year 2008 saw some other
significant developments which are due to
bring the economic relations up to the level
of our mature strategic partnership.
The 2nd meeting of Russia-India Forum
on Trade and Investments took place in
lVlay 2009 F0RCE 37
New Delhi in February 2008, and generated
great interest in the business community.
The 3rd meeting of the Forum is to be held
in September 2009 in Russia.
New Delhi was the venue of the first meet-
ing of the Joint Task Force in November
2008, whose objective is to monitor imple-
mentation of the Joint Study Group recom-
mendations aimed at promoting bilateral
trade, investment and economic coopera-
tion betr,veen Russia and India.
December 2008 witnessed the first-ever
session of the Russia-India CEO Council led
by two reputed industrialists, Vladimir
Ye!.tushenkov of 'Sistema' Corporation and
Mukesh Ambani of Reliance Industries Ltd.
This forum is expected to become an effec-
tive instrument of cooperation between
business communities of both countries
and to contribute to further growth of eco-
nomic ties. Meanlvhile,'Sistema' is success-
fully implementing its project of launching
a pan-India mobile serviqes network under
the MTS brand with an accumulated invest-
menl of over USD 5.5 billion.
Both sides encourage relevant organisa-
tions and companies to participate in proj-
ects and tenders, to facilitate exchange of
in[ormation, 1o broaden cooperation in
various spheres of mutual interest.
Undoubtedly, by joint efforts we will be
able to make economic cooperation the
pillar and the driving force of our strategic
partnership.
How can bilateral defence cooperation be
improved?
Russian-Indian defence cooperation has a
long history and has stood the test of time.
At present, there are several prospective
projects on our agenda that may signifi-
cantly reshape our defence ties. Most
importantiy, Russia is one of the bidders in
the tender to supply the Indian Air Force
rvith 126 combat aircraft. Our MiG-35 is by
ail means one of the strongest contenders.
Slorvly, but steadily we are moving for-
lvard in ironing out the difficulties and are
determined to further strengthen our time-
tested defence cooperation. The most
important feature of our present-day inter-
action is the gradual shift from purely
export-import relations to joint design,
Iicensing, manufacturing and marketing of
defence equipment using state-of-the-art
technologies available in both countries.
The best example of such collaboration is
the BrahMos joint venture that produces
supersonic missiles and the production in
India of such a unique and modern aircraft
38 F0RCE lVlay 2009
as Su-30MKI and so on.
It is also essential for the Russian side to
ensure comprehensive product support of
the machinery and equipment supplied to
India. The recently incorporated joint ven-
ture for repairs and maintenance of
Russian-origin helicopters with the partici-
pation of the Russian Helicopters
Corporation is an obvious indication of the
fact that serious efforts are being made in
this area. In other words, both sides realise
the importance of thorough day-to-day
work aimed at ensuring best performance
and ideal combat capabilities of the
Russian equipment used by the Indian
armed forces.
What is the update on the construction of four
additional nuclear power plants in l{udankulam,
and especially on the possibility of new Russian-
designed nuclear plants for lndia?
The Russian-Indian summit in December
2008 in New Delhi saw the signing of the
agreement on cooperation in the construc-
tion of additional nuclear power units at
Kudankulam site as well as in the construc-
tion of Russian designed nuclear por,r'er
plants at new sites in India. At the moment,
technical and commercial negotiations on
new.units of Kudankulam are undenvay
and as soon as everl'thing is agreed, both
sides will be ready to sign the correspon-
ding contract.
As far as new sites are concerned, we are
ready to consider any suggestions from the
Indian side. In our opinion, Russian-Indian
nuclear cooperation has a huge potential
and we are eager to expand it in all possible
ways. The recently signed MoU by Indian
Larsen & Toubro and Russian Atomstro-
yexport for cooperation between the two
companies for Russian design reactors
WER-1000 has been a sure sign of uninter-
rupted progress in this dilection.
What have been the recent achievements and what
is the future roadmap for bilateral cooperation in
human space flight programme?
Indo-Russian cooperation in the field of
space has a long history. The importance of
mutual efforts in this area was clearly
underlined by Indian and Russian leaders
at the meeting last December during the
visit of the Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev to India. An MoU was also
signed between the Federal Space Agency
of the Russian Federation and the Indian
Space Research Organisation on joint
activities in the field of Human Spaceflight
Programme.
In the framework of this MoU, joint
activities are to be held in such areas as
elaboration of the autonomous space mis-
sion of Indian astronauts, Russian experts'
assistance in construction of the Indian
OrbitalVehicle and in establishment of the
Astronaut Training Centre in India, use of
Indian avionics by Russian spacecrafts and
other areas. It will obviously give a strong
impetus to fruitful bilateral interaction in
this significant field.
ln a glohalised and transient world, how independ-
ent are lndo-Russian relations to ties between New
Delhi and Washingon?
We presume that every vector of coopera-
tion in this triangle - Russia-India, India-
US and Russia-US - has its orr,n impor-
tance. Holvever, in the contemporary glob-
alised and interdependent world, bilateral
relations betlveen all countries and in par-
ticular such centres of global and regional
influence as Russia, India and the US can-
not develop without due consideration of
positions and interests of each player.
Mutual consideration is a precondition for
the success of our efforts to address the
acute problems facing the international
community. We are convinced that
Russian-Indian relations, as an important
factor of global and regional politics, have
great potential that should be utilised in
the interest of our two countries and for the
purpose of international peace, stability
and prosperity.
What role, according to y0u, can lndia's
increased involvement have in the SC(), and what
does this mean for the trilateral lndia, China and
Russia relationship?
Russia attaches great significance to the
development of the RIC format. The troika
- Russia, India and China - has been
formed naturally. Russia, India and China
occupy one region, and participate in the
work of a rvhole array of internationai
organisations which exist in the Asia-
Pacific region. We are also partners in the
SCO framework. It is natural that this for-
mat of the three malor powers of the region
has been established as a dialogue mecha-
nism which is rapidly evolving. Now rve are
in the process of institutionalisation of our
cooperation. It is proceeding gradually and
in a positive way. A mechanism of foreign
policy consultations at the level of depart-
ment heads of the foreign ministries of the
three countries has been set up and is
operating. The sectoral dialogues are work-
ing on the follo',ving areas: agriculture,

vr
I '{t
,. '-- -: '+o*- -
",r.#-
. r+=;.€
[ *
7'/ \\'
::rerg€nc! prevention and response and
, :blic health (the second round of
-::rective meetings will be held in Russia,
jia, and China this year). There is also
-..iness forum and a forum of the cham-
::S of commerce of Russia, India and
--,-na that we are trying to activate. Our
.-.demic circles are collaborating very
:-::i'el1'. A seminar on modern geostrate-
: : irends took place in India in March last
::i ?Ild we expect such meetings will be
-.-d on a regular basis. We are also
-'.rssing on the security of the region
- -j. undoubtedly, the influence of our
- .^ntries on the developments in
-=-qhbourhood.
h'at possibilities exist in bilateral c00perati0n
::nbating international terrorism especially after
i-;sia's helplul position after 26/1 I Mumbai
:::cks where it said that the perpetrators 0l the
: - ne should be tried in lndia?
:: see New Delhi as our natural ally and
:. :lartner in fighting international terror-
-: - illicit drug trafficking and trans-
ftr
r w-
I
\ In the recent years, Russia and India inten-
i -,
I ,1
:'
.\
national crime. The main mechanism of
bilateral interaction in this area is the
Russian-Indian Working Group on coutt-
a tering internat ional terrorism.
The Russian side strongly condemned
the terrorist attacks in Mumbai and reiter-
ated its solidarity and support to the gov-
ernment and the people of India. This
tragedy calls for reactivation of coopera-
tion to counter terrorism internationally
and bilaterally. This was the essence of the
discussion at the fifth session of the
Russian-Indian Joint Working Group on
combating international terrorism held in
our New Delhi on 17 December 2008 at which
it was decided to take certain practical
steps, especially in the UN, in the sphere of
in law enforcement, legislative, financial and
other measures taken against terrorists and
their networks. We agreed to strengthen
bilateral mechanisms of exchanging intbr-
mation and sharing experience in the fight
against international terrorism, curbing
trafficking in narcotics and terrorist financ-
ing as a key component of the counter-ter-
rorism strategy.
What role do you visualise tor lndia in Alghanistan?
What bilateral cooperation exists between lndia
and Russia on Afghanistan?
sified their interaction on many interna-
tional and regional issues. We continue to
facilitate the ongoing political processes
and economic reconstruction of
Afghanistan. Our countries work on paral-
lel courses, enhancing assistance ef'forts in
rebuilding the Afghan economy and infra-
structure. We are considering possibilities
to contribute to the creation of the army
and police of Afghanistan.
Moscow and Nelv Delhi are also partners
in enelgising regional efforts to stabilise
that countr).. The special conference on
Afghanistan held in Russia in March this
year under the aegis of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation has constituted
an important step in rethinking the strate-
S' of the international community that
should apply a comprehensive approach
combining the use of force to suppress ter-
rorism and illicit drugs trade with assis-
tance to the economic and social recon-
struction of Afghanistan.
Our countries share the view that the UN
Security Council's sanctions regime should
continue to serve as a reliable shield
against extremists' penetration into the
government structures of Afghanistan.
Attempts to strike a deal with terrorist lead-
ers should not be a substitute for efforts
aimed at national reconciliation.
The US has already hinted that it would talk to
lndia about signing the CTBT, lissile material cut-
off ahead of the global treaty, and greater US
involvement for India-Pakistan talks on Kashmir
resolution. What position is Moscow likely to take
on these issues?
As we understand, the nerv US administra-
tion is conducting a review of the country's
foreign policy and it is too early to comment
on its approaches towards the CTBI FMCT
and other issues. Regarding, Indo-Pakistan
dialogue on Kashmir, it seems that during
recent contacts between India and the US,
specifically the discussions that our Indian
partners had with R. Holbrooke in New
Delhi, there was no discussion on any US
involvement in the resolution of this issue.
At the same time, the US lvith its global
reach and specially Russia, China and other
countries in the neighbourhood have their
own concerns and profound interest in
avoiding a dangerous scenario in the region.
lVlay 2009 F0RCE 3S
Partners Now
Challenges and opp ortunitie
m Constantin Makienko
ussian-lndian militar1, ancl ecotrotnic
ties occupv a spccial place in thc
entire spectrum of militarr.technical
coopelation ol the llussian Fecleratiou
n,ith 1'oreign states. 'Ihe political, rnilitary
and techno-inclusttial iurportatrce of thc
Indian rnarkct lirr llussia is greiiter thatt
tlre value of ant. othet' tnarket, including
the Chinese one.
ile;:r:ai Pt:lil,l;a, a;ii ilisicri: 0crierl
filst olall, it is nccessarv
to notc thc ercep-
tionallv harrnonioLts nature of thc IlLtssian-
Irrtliirn rrrilitirlr atttl et ottotttit ties.
Commercial ir-rtclcsts ol arnts c\llorters are
not irt oclcls n'ith their national rtrilitarl'
sccLrlitl, interests. ,\ classical eranrplc in
tl-ris sense is the Russiitn-Chinese rniiitar'1'-
trchnical coclpclation n'itli its inlet'tral
anragonism: thc Russian militart' eslalt-
lishrnent has ncvcL likecl it rvl-rct't thircl- ancl
40 :i.;-iil r liaV 2009
s for Rus sian- Indian mil- tech Co op eration
fourth-generation n'eapons tvele supltlied
cn masse 1cl that cor.lntr\/ ancl ltas ahra\.s
striven to make surc that the n'eapons
hancled over to the PIIC aLe ol sotncu'hat
inf'elior technological Ievel. hr tl-rc casc of
Inclia, b-v contrast, n,c see tliat politico-niil-
itarl' ancl comrncrcial intercsts comple-
rrent cach otlicr lernarkabh'. P"tltotr., ttn
other counll'1' pclceives Inclia's ntilitart'
gron'th arid technokrgical plogress rvith
sr.rch benevolence as llussia does. Ilttssia is
kecnh, interested in tl-re cnrergeltce of ttctv
poles of militart' ancl economic pon'er of
global importancc tllat u'oulcl preserve
thcir cultulal lclentitl' ancl political person-
alitr' instcacl of bcing satellites of a single
superpo\\,cr. India's self:positiortirtg in thc
u'orld tirllv treets tltis visiott ol I'loscon'.
Iloth Russia and hrclia lace tl-rc ncccl to
mir-rd the lisks posecl bv crtretnist Islatttic
groLlps, u'hose activitt'is coorclinatccl at the
intelnational lcvcl. iLncl that makes the tn'o
countries oirjcctilc allies in tl-re global figlrt
Sukhoi-30MKl
against international terrorism. Finalll',
bclth India ancl Russia cannot ttr|n a blincl
eve to the impetuous rnilitarl' grotvth irt
China, a country rvith nhich both cortn-
tlies have verl' extensivc coltlltlolt borrlers.
At the same timc, it shoulcl be notecl that
rvhatcvcr tl-rc pi-ogress that Inclia makes iu
thc dcvelopment ol its armecl lbrces ancl
the clefence inclustr\', thc grou'th n'ill itt t'to
n'aY atfbct Russia's sccur itY interests.
Thus, thc basic implication of thc
Russian-lnclian rnilitarr.technical coclper-
ation is that politico-mllitar'f intercsts of'
the tn'o countries completnent eetch other,
ancl tliat cletennines theit' nutual interest
in the der,elopment of those ties. ln aclcli-
tion, Russian-lnclian ties arc based ttn a
so1icl liistolic groundnork, as contacts
betn'ccrr thc t\vo countries began back irr
thc 1960s. It $'as Soviet supplics that
cnsuled the clevelopncnt ol thc Indian
an-ned forces, anrl it rvas Soviet wealpons
and hardn'are that L-rdia used in its cotr-

ricts ivith Pakistan, the victorious 1971
.'. ar included.
' 1 iiitary-Technical Cooperation
:irst of all, let us note the quantitative
rportance of the Indian market for Russia'
was steadily hold-
luring lgg2-2007,India
:g second place in the volumes of purchas-
:i. surpassed onlyby China' In our estimate,
::dia's average annual share in the overall
.rhrme of Russias exports rvas behveen 25
:-lr cent and 30 per cent, and in some Vears,
.ie 2003, India led with 42 per cent against
-einas 38 per cent. Later, Chinese purchas-
:: reduced, which became noticeable after
- r05, and beginning t}om 2007 India
.-.carrre the largest buyer and r-ecipient of
in 2007 India's
l.rssian weapons. Thus,
-:rare included 45 per cent of nelvly con-
-.irled contracts and about 30 per cent ofall
In 2008, Nerv Delhi
..-issian deliveries.
:iained its leading position rvhen it
:ceived a quarter of Russia's weapon
:..Dorts. Since half of Russia's contractual
:ligations correspond to India (approxi-
,--ately USDl6 billion of the USD32 billion)'
: is safe to forecast that in the foreseeable
..ilrre that country rvill retain first place
::toug importers of Russian \veapon\.
i:r'en more important, horvever, is the
-'.:alitative nature of Indian impolts' Due
a number of peculiarities of Indian pur-
r'-ases, military-technical cooperation
-th that country has exercised a deeply
r)itive influence on the structure of the
:.issian defence-industrial complex.
-:rose peculiarities include' first of all,
..,iremely high technological require-
:'-.nts of the Indian militarl', rvhich at
- :nes
demand the maximum of r'vhat the
. -:-ssian defence industry is capable of
::oducing. In addition, Indian contracts
- rhe I990s more often than not used to
. ior rveapon systems created in accor-
-:nce rvith exclusive requirements of the
--.iian military, not for series systems,
-,.ually purchased by countries like China'
-.. a result, Indian contracts stimulated
.-:ensive and large-scale research and
-:'i.elopment in Russian companies,
:rich in the end, led to the creation of
,:h-tech, competitive weapon systems'
:--es that would later become best-sellers
-:rong Russian offers on the weapons
.-.rrket. The best example of that is the
--.rhoi-3OMKI fighter plane, rvhich has
:en developed under the specification
: .. er.r by the Indian Air Force, and these
-- ecifications were at the highest level in
.e mid- 1990s. Indian contracts also
played a decisive role in the development
of such weapon systems as Talrvar-class
tiigates, the Uran-E anti-ship missile sys-
tem, the Club missile system and others'
Another peculiarity of the Indian pro-
grammes is their long-term nature, rvhich
positively distinguishes them from Chinese
contracts. The very same Sukhoi-3OMKI
programme formaily began rvith the signing
of the first contract in i996 (in reality, it
started much earlier, if rve take into account
pre-contract joint rvork of the Indian Air
Force and the Sukhoi Development Bureau)
and will end no earlier than in 2014. Such
lasting contracts enable Russian companies
to develop long-telm strategies oftheir eco-
nomic, financial and innovative develop-
ment. It is no mere chance that it $'as the
Sukhoi-3OMKI project that gave rise to such
a filst-class aircraft-building compan\r as
Irkut, rt'hich has since become the core ele-
ment in the Russian United Aircraft-build-
ing Corporation.
A third important peculiarity of Indian
contracts is that they are concluded to pur-
chase rveapons on a series scale. In that
respect, the Indian armed forces prettv
much substitute the domestic buyer lbr the
Russian defence-industry (the Russian mi1-
itary does not purchase modern \\'eapons
on a selies scale). Thus' the Indian Air
Force has ordered a total of 230 Sukhoi-
3OMKI fighters, rvhich is comparable to the
order- of the French Air Force for Rafale
fighters. The Russian Air Force rvould need
approximately the same number - 250-300
airclaft - if it were to address the task of a
radical modernisation.
Finally, Indian contracts are charac-
terised by their propensity for purchasing
hybrid, internationalised rveapon sys-
tems, where third-country sub-systems
are integrated with basic air or naval sys-
tems at the request of the Indian military'
Thus, Sukhoi-30MKI onboard equipment
includes elements made in India, France
and Israel. French equipment is also pres-
ent in the MiG-29K ship-borne fighter,
currently being developed fol the Indian
Navy. The need to internationalise
weapons supplied to India stimulated the
Russian industry to look for international
partners, primarily in France and Israel'
The experience of international coopera-
tion, gained by the Russians when meet-
ing Indian orders rvill be invaluable in the
future, rvhen defence ploduction rvill
become pledominantly international
ancl autarchic defence-industries lvill
to exist.
cease
New Challenges
TWo principal challenges may affect the
prospects of Russian-Indian military-tech-
nical cooperation. Firstly, competition on
the Indian market is becoming increasing-
ly stiff. The Indian market has ahvays been
open and competitive; however, in the
1960s and 1970s Soviet prevalence in the
supply of weapons to the Indian armed
forces was indisputable. The situation
began to change in the l9B0s, when France
sold to India a significant number of air-
craft and Germany sold it a batch of sub-
marines. In the 1990s, Israel entered the
Indian market and has by no'r,v become the
second largest exporter of r,veapons and
defence technologies to India, ready to
crond out Russia as the leader. Yet, Israel's
second place is only in terms of volume
and not importance. Moreover, India is
expected to increase its military purchases
fron-r the United States. In fact, first major
contracts for tl-re purchase of C-130J troop
carriers and P-BI Poseidon anti-submarine
planes have already been concluded.
Thus, all major international arms
exporters, except China, are now present
in the Indian market.
The second challenge that Russia faces
on the Indian market is that the Indian mil-
itary is making increasingly high demands
on the technoiogical level of the l'r'eapons
that they buy. Until recently, Russian offels
looked ideal for the Indian market because
of their cost-efficiency and until the begin-
ning of the current decade, that factor had
great importance given India's limited
financiai potential. However, after almost
l0 years of very fast economic growth, Nelv
Delhi's potential of buying more expensive
and at the same time more high-tech
weapons have grown significantly. The
purchase of such super-expensive systems
as Poseidon is a case in point' In the near-
est future, Indian demand may be expected
to shift, at least partially, to the highest
price segment, rvhere the most high-tech
products are offered' Meanrvhile, Russia
has the most competitive offers in the
medium-price and medium-technologi-
cal-level bracket.
Nonetheless, we must note that, in spite
of the mentioned risks, Russia, apparently,
has reserved to itself solid positions in a
number of market segments where it may
hardly face a threat. First of all, we are talk-
ing about the segment of hear'ry fighters of
the 4+ and 5th generations. As of today, it is
absolutely clear that Sukhoi-3OMKI is
going to fbrm the basis of India's fighter
IVIay 2009 F0RCE 41
I
Tunguska Ml
pool for at least another 40 years. And
since, beginning from approximately 2020,
series production of the fifth-generation
Russian-Indian fighter will begin, it is safe
to say that for the entire foreseeable future
the healy fighter pool of the Indian Air
Force will consist of Russian and Russian-
Indian hardrvare.
Another sector where weapons of Russian
origin will dominate is that of main battle
tanks. Like with the fighters, India, having
launched a malor programme of direct pur-
chasing and license production ofT-90S, is
now showing an interest in joining the
Russian programme of the T-95 new-gener-
ation main battle tank. AIso, for a long time
to come, Russia r'vill retain a considerable
presence or even domination in such sec-
tors of the market as surface vessels of the
destroyer and frigate t1pe, anti-ship mis-
siles, air refuellers and troop carrying heli-
copters and rvill also enter the segment of
aircraft calriers and form the market of
multi-purpose nuclear submarines.
New 0pportunities
Russia's response to the ner,v challenges
that emerge on the Indian market is a shift
from simple trade relations between the
seller and the buyer to implementation of
joint defence-industrial projects r,vhere
risk-sharing partnerships emerge. The cre-
ation of the PI-10 anti-ship missile under
42 F0RCE May 2009
.#+-.,
-==
: ';
...
.=n
-i:1
:.
the BraMos programme became a pilot
project ofthat kind. In addition, under the
MTA Project, the two countries plan to
develop and produce in series for their air
forces a medium-sized transport aircraft
with carrying capacity of 1B metric tons.
india's joining the Russian programme of
creating the PAK FA fifth-generation fighter
has enormous political, commercial and
industrial importance. The fifth- generation
fighter is such a large-scale programme
that its implementation through jolnt
efforts of Russia and India rvill in fact mean
the formation of a single military and eco-
nomic space of the trvo countries, because
joint work wlll involve the creation not only
of an airframe but also of a ladar with an
active phase-locked array, an engine and
possibly new-generation missile weapons.
In general, Russia and India are ideal
partners for the implementation of joint
military-industrial projects. Firstly, we have
already noted the harmony of politico-mil-
itary interests of Russia and India.
Secondly, they complement each other ln
science and technology. Thus, Russia still
leads scientifically in a whole number of
military technologies, especially in the area
of alrcraft, missile and shipbuilding,
rvhereas India doubtlessly leads in software
and in some cases possesses more modern
and efficient manufacturing facilities.
Russia and India are also optimal partners
due to their comparable financial and eco-
nomic potentials, rvhich rules out imbal-
anced relations and unequal partnership.
Russia's being highly cooperative in
handing over technologies to the Indian
side is still an important tool of retaining its
position in the Indian market. That prac-
tice became widely spread in those times
lvhen numerous license agreements stipu-
lated production of Soviet and Russian air-
craft and armoured hardware in India.
Today, however, Russia is prepared to hand
over to India technologies that are consid-
ered worldwide to be the most valuable
and sensitive. We are talking, for example,
about the latest air engines or active-array
radars. Thus, India is organising produc-
tior.r of RD-33 engines for MiG-29 fighters,
and the Russian company Fazotron-NIIR is
prepared to organise in Indiajoint produc-
tion of the latest radar Zhuk-MAE.
Apparently, no other international manu-
facturer is prepared at present to hand over
to India such advanced technologies.
Russia also remains for India an alterna-
tive-free source of sub-strategic weapons,
for example, nuclear-powered submarines
or long-range bombers.
Finally, additional opportunities open in
connection with the integration of the
defence-industry, which is taking place in
Russia, and first of all, of the aviation
industry. Thus, the merger of the Sukhoi
and the RAC MiG companies, which began
after the appointment of Mikhail
Pogosyan, head ofSukhoi, general director
of MiG, opens the opportunity of promot-
ing package deals to the Indian market. For
example, when developing the Russian
MiG-35 fighter, offered to the Indian Air
Force in response to the tender for the pur-
chase of 126 multi-purpose fighters, tech-
nical solutions rvorked out at Sukhoi when
creating a fifth-generation fighter will be
used. On the other hand, MiG-35 is made
largely uniform with MiG-29K planes,
being supplied to the narry, which will
make it possible to significantly reduce
expenses on logistical support.
Thereby, along with the new challenges
that Russia faces in the Indian market, new
opportunities also open up before Moscow.
Those opportunities relate to changes in
the structure of the Russian defence indus-
try and the formation of the first elements
of a singie Russian-Indian military and
economic space. a
(The writer work witlt the Centre for
Analysis of Strategies and Tecltnologies
tCASTl, Rtrssia)
'# ':ffir
&

'?
2lllltirl\'"1;,..
Smash Hit
Army and the nauy to induct BrahMos Block 2 cruise missile
I Prasun K. Sengupta
t is all systemsgo for Block 2 of the
BrahMos supersonic land-attack cruise
missile (MRCM), rvhich rvas previously
only available for anti-ship strike.
Follorving trvo successful test-firings con-
ducted on March 4 and March 29, the pre-
cision-guided land-attack variant is no,,v
entering series-production lor both the
Indian Army and the Nar,y, '"vith service
induction planned for 2011. The Indian Air
Force is expected to begin inducting the
BrahMos' maritime strike and land-attack
versions by 2012 follorving its flight qualifi-
cation on board the Su-3OMKI.
The Arm1,, r'vhich in 2006 had raised its
first regiment - the 86lst - rvith the
BrahMos'Block I variant, will in future raise
trvo additional regiments - the B62nd and
B63rd - and equip them with an initial 260
44 F0RCE lVlay 2009
, . 1f
'I ,
rrfirnqt
:ni15le*
land-attack rnissiles (to be mounted on72
rvheeled mobile autonomous launchers, or
MAL, each carrying three cannistered, ver-
tically launched missiles). All three
BrahMos regiments rvill form part of the
Army's existing 40th and 41st Artillery
Divisions. Work on developing the BrahMos
Block 2 had begun two years ago, with the
focus being on deriving a nerv algorithm for
the Granit ISC-supplied X-band SGH active
radar's applications softr'vare. The algo-
rithm - called SCAN (for Scene Correlation
and Navigation) - enables the SGH radar to
make use of pre-uploaded imagery of
ground-based reference structures (man-
made or natural) obtained earlier by syn-
thetic aperture radars (SAR) like the pod-
mounted ELIA Systems-supplied EL/M-
2060P SAR (acquired in mid-2008) carried
by the Su-3OMKI, to acquire the target
even against dense ground clutter condi-
j
"ffir
*
$
*.-
1
:t 'r3/{2e09.*
r t0'!rAtrgLe5
tionsb1, day or night, Consequently, the
BrahMos' land-attack variant has a circu-
lar error probability of no more than a
metre. For ensuring accurate navigation
during the missile's cruise phase and for
activating the SGH radar during the termi-
nal phase, use is made of an on-board ring
laser gyro-based inertial navigation sys-
tem (RLG-lNS) that rvas developed earlier
by the Def'ence Research & Development
Organisation (DRDO).
The first test-firing of the BrahMos Block
2 on January 20 this year had to be aborted
in the missile's terminal flight phase after
the missile rvent off-target mid-course
despite a successful Iaunch The missile
travelled a distance of 53km for 112 sec-
onds instead of the slated 84 seconds and
fell seven km ar'vay from the target (which
rvas a simulated chemical munitions man-
ufacturing facility equipped rvith radar
reflectors using Luneberg lenses) at SGH radar another airborne Platform either
the firing range in Pokhran, through the EL/M-2060P or from
Rajasthan. While the Prescribed the RISAT-2 SAR-equiPPed over-
flight-test environment was head recce satellite) from airborne
extremely demanding (the firing ol space-based platforms. The tar-
range has a dePth of onlY 48km,
get's leceived SAR imagerY will
precluding the BrahMos to be test- then be uploaded into the Pro-
grammable signals processor of the
ed out to its maximum range of
BrahMos Block 2's SGH radar, fol-
290km), post-flight analysis carried
out by BrahMos AerosPace revealed
lowing which the MALs on-board
rhe existence of a glitch in terms of
route navigation system (that uses
'navigational synchronicity' a RLG-INS) will be Programmed bY

between the RLG-INS of the MALs obtaining a GPS fix (through

Glonass) of the MALs location via-
route navigation system on one
hand, and the missile's on-board a-vis the target. Concurrently, the
RLG-INS, which is responsible for very same results of the GPS fix will
activating the SGH radar's target be uploaded on to the BrahMos
acquisition phase. Block 2's on-board RLG-INS. For
To fully understand how crucial pinpoint strikes the BrahMos Block
2 and its MAL will both have access
this 'synchronicity' is for ensuring
I00 per cent mission success, it is to Glonass-generated PY-code GPS
necessary to briefly exPlain hor,v upda(es every 2 seconds.
eractly the BrahMos Block 2's target After it had zeroed-in on the'nav-
acquisition/engagement Phases igational sYnchronicitY' glitch,
n'ork. During a typical mission, BrahMos AerosPace quicklY worked
iasting no more than 15 minutes, out a more robust firing solution,
the MAL and the accomPanYing which was Put to test on March 4,
Battery Command Vehicle, after with this test-firing being witnessed
ceing deployed to the staging area by the deputy chief of the almy staff
in a ready-to-fire mode, will make Lt Gen. M.S. Dadwal. To ensure sus-
use of their on-board VSAT termi- tainable reliabiliry a third test-firing
nals to receive the target's digitised rvas carried out at 11.15 am on
S-{R imagery (obtained earlier bY
March 29, which saw the missile
covering a distance of 90km (by flying a
BrahMos Block 2 test-liring crooked flight-path), with the entire target
on March 29 acquisition-cum- en gagement phase lasting
no more than 150 seconds. This climactic
test-firing rvas witnessed by the army's
director general of military operations Lt
Gen. A.S. Sekhon, Deolali-based School of
Artillery's Commandant Lt Gen' Rao, addi-
tional director generai (Artillery) Maj. Gen.
VK. Tiwari, BrahMos Aerospace's Chairman
Dr A Sivathanu Pillai and DRDL Director P
Venugopalan. The final icing on the cake
came the very next day -March 30 - from the
vice chief of the army staff, Lt Gen. Noble
Thamburaj, when he explained why the
army had enhanced its aspirations and
wanted the BrahMos Block 2 to achieve
high standards of accuracy. 'Accuracy was
the mantra. We had wanted a special sensor
to be integrated in the missile so that it can
hit the desired target accurately from
among similar kinds of targets in an urban
environment. On behalf of the army, I
would like to congratulate the scientists of
the DRDO and BrahMos Aerospace for con-
ducting an extremely successful third test of
BrahMos Block 2". o

May 2009 F0RCE 45

Eye on the Future
India and Russia are set to take the ties to another leuel
r Nivedita Das Kundu trade. The Indo-Russian shipment route
iilso needs to be optimised. The present
ussia and India today alc different route, rvhich passes through the Suez Canal
countries than rvhat they rvere a and enters the Russian port of St.
decade ago. They are resurging; have Petersburg via Kotka (Finland) and
legained their confidence; and aspire to Rotterdam (Netherlands), is long and time
become global pou,ers. Both countries are consuming but the proposed short r-oute
gror,ving in te rms of the 1evel of production, (the North-Soutl.r Corridor, connccting
the gross national product, and othel key Nlumbai-Bandar Abbas-Astrakhan) has not
parameters of science and technologl'. been commissioned yet. There is also the
Importantll,, they r'velcome and acknotl,l- issue of utilising the remaining funcls
edge the achievements of one another and under the Rupee-Rouble debt agreement
understand the posslbility of lurther n'hich needs to be settled.
stlengthening the multi-faceted relation- 'Ihe big prospects could be seen in the
ship. They also appleciate each other's sphere of inter-regional cooperation and
incleased role and authority in interna- contacts betr,veen small and medittm busi-
tional affairs as they both aspire to con- ness. This is reflected in the relations
struct a multilateral \'vorld order. This is the betr,veen the legions in Russian Federation
reason they want to increase the effective- and valious states of India, particulalll.,
ness of multilateral mechanisms of cooper- Astrakhan and Gujarat, Samara and
ation rvith the central role of the United Karnataka, and Kazan and Hyderabad.
Nations. The India-Russia relation today is Establishment of Representative Office of
a major factor in the international affairs Confederation of Indian Industrv and the
and its potential is far from being exhaust- Russian-Indian business Council created
ed. Strategic partnership betrveen both the by Trade and Industrial Chamber of Russia
states will only strengthen universal peace, and Federation of the Indian Industry and
safety and prosperity. Chamber of Commelce is significar"rt.
Indo-Russian ties are old (they have Present economic engagements are most11'
now endured for ivell over 40 years) but in the public sectol and even here it is nar-
today there is a nerv vigour. Ihey are driv- rorvly focused on the defence sector. Of
en by important defence links and shared late, Russia l-ras shorvn particular lntelest in
hopes of creating a multi-polar rvorld. cooperating in sectors like telecommuni-
Russia's relations nrith India have been cations, shipbuilding and high tecl.rnologli
considered as time-tested and based on including outer space.
continuity, tnrst and mutual understand- 'Il-re trvo countries have agreed to jointly
ing. It is a cooperation based on a con- develop the Russian global navigation
structive approach, r,vhicl-r makes it possi- satellite system 'Glonass' to 'Glonass-M'
ble for the two countries to rvork success- and'Glonass-K'. Russia intends to increase
fully on complehcnsive expansion and (n ith the participation of India) the group-
strengthening of strategic partnersirip. ing ofGlonass system to 1B satellites and a
Inclo-Russian relation reflects the fact that full orbital group of24 satellites by the end
there are obvious long-term interests of2009. The trvo countries have also agreed
betn'een tlre trro countries. to jointly develop a 'Youth Satellite' for
The econonries of both countries are ediicational purposes. Russia has also
grorving annually at around eight to nine joined in India's 'Chandlayan II' Lunar
per cent. Flol.,'errer, in spite of accelerated project. India and Russia are exploring the
gro\'\rth and immense opportunities in each possibility of developing equipment for'
other's econom1,, Indo-Russian trade is still Earth probes. Joint research in the area of
very 1ou,. While cooperation between the electric engines fol spacecraft and joint
banking and financial institutions has projects for probing lunar surface and
picked up in the recent years, proactive building a space-based solar observatory
steps, like easing of visa regulations lbr to study X-rav radiation are also corning up
Indian businessmen, are lequired to boost betr,veen the tu'o countries.
46 F0RCE l\4ay 2009
Russia is expected to play a greater role
in global energy security and India's energy
requirements are increasing lapidly. By
2020, 45 per cent of the gror'vth in demand
for oil is anticipated fiom India. Hence,
there is need to improve pipeline connec-
tivity between Russia and India. Some pro-
posals are given by energy experts for pos-
sible pipeline connectivity betlveen the
t\\'o countries."vhich both the countries are
looking into, like the East Siberian Oil
Pipeline that rurr from the Sibelian city of
Angarsk to China's Daqing, which could
help India pick up Siberian oil from the
Pacific port of Nakhodka and would be a
significant step to\'vards creating a foun-
datior.r of Asian Oil Market. India's ONGC
Videsl.r Ltd (O\4.) has proposed an energy
highrvay to construct a Russia-China-
India (RCI) pipeline. The RCI is supposed
to stretch from Russia through
Turkrnenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, to
Kashgar in China's Xinjiang. It could enter
India via Ladakh or through Himachal
Pradesh, to supply gas to northern India.
In addition to this, Russia is interested in
joint construction of oil and natural gas
production and transportation facilities in
India and in the surrounding regions. O\{,
and Russia's Rosneft are jointly bidding for
Sakhalin III project.
Russia is India's most important partner
in defence cooperation. A major part of
India's defence inventory is still of Russian
origin and rvill continue to remain so even
in the near future. Russia is the only coun-
try with nhich India has a fbrmal mecha-
nism of an Inter-Governmental Commis-
sion for Military-Technical Cooperation
(IRIGC-MTC), rvhich meets annually under
the chailmanship of the tr,vo defence min-
isters. India and Russia have further
extended the tenure of the IRIGC-MTC by
another i0 years after its present term
expires in 2010.
Joint participation in long-term R&D
projects and joint production of sophisti-
cated military equipment is the highlight of
the current Indo-Russian military and
technical cooperation. Military ties
betrveen the two countries are developing
steadily and include joint R&D, prodttc-
tion, marketing, regular cooperation
 relationship. President Medvedev's first expanding activities at other sites were
benveen the different branches of armed
visit to India on 4-6 December 2008 provid- signed during his visit' Russia and India
forces, and joint training exercises. In
ed fresh impetus to the strategic partner- also signed an agreement to suPPlY
September 2005, the defence forces of the
ship between the trvo countries. According Russian nuclear fuel to Indian nuclear
nvo countries held their first-everjoint air-
to President Medvedev India and China polver plant as per an agreement signed in
borne military exercise at the Mahajan
are the key partners of Russia in the forma- February 2008.
Field Firing Range (MFFR) near Bikaner.
tion of a ne'"v world financial system and During his visit he emphasised that as
The exercise, co-ordinated by 140 military
security architecture. He has also appreci- military ties benveen India and Russia are
personnel from both countries, introduced
ated India's socio-economic achievements developing steadily Russia will remain as a
ihe concept of interoperability'in a count-
and balanced foreign PolicY. major defence partner of India in the com-
er-terrorism backdrop. One significant
The visit reinforced the interests of both ing years too, despite the differences that
erample of joint defence production is the
countries in maintaining close and friendly has come-up on certain issues related to
BrahMos cruise missile. Some 20 indian
ties and in strengthening a multi-polar sudden escalation of prices and regarding
and 10 Russian companies are involved in
world order. During his visit, Medvedev the delay in delivery of defence supply. On
its production. Now Russia and India are
had one-to-one talk with Prime Minister extremism and telrorism, he said that both
also planning to 1'ointly develop Brahmos
Manmohan Singh, followed by discussions countries have decided to address the
\lk II missile.
between the two sides on various sectors. threat bilaterally and globally' It is envis-
During Prime Minister Manmohan
The two countries signed several major aged that the India-Russia Joint Working
Singhs visit to Russia on l2 Novembet2007
agreements related to civil nuclear cooper- Group on Counter-Terrorism would be
the trvo countries signed an agreement for
joint development of multi-role transport ation, space, defence, trade and economy, strengthened and both countries would
terrorism and culture. Both the head of step-up 'operational contacts', to face this
aircraft to replace the ageing An-32 fleet of
common threat.
the Indian Air Force. Hindustan
Russia is lndia's most imPor- Among the top priorities on the Indo-
.\eronautics Limited and Rosoboronexport
Russian cooperation are also the tradition-
l'ill be the project partners. The invest-
ment of USD600 million will be shared tant partner in defence coop- ally warm and hearty people-to-people
contacts and cooperation in the field of
equally by the two countries; the Russian
eration. Moreover, Russia is culture. Academic, scientific, educational,
contribution will be paid out of the Rupee-
sports and other exchanges are being
Rouble debt India owes to Russia' The the only countrY with which actively promoted under various sections
envisaged requirement is of 100 aircraft for
lndia has a formal mechanism of the culture exchange programmes (CEP)
:he Russian Air Force, 45 for the IAE and
between the t\rvo countries. Of late, interest
sale of 60 aircraft to third countries. India
and Russia have also agreed to jointly of an lnter-Governmental for the Indian yoga is also gaining momen-
tum. India celebrated 'Year of Russia', in
develop a fifth-generation fighter aircraft. Commis-sion for MilitarY- India in 2008 and Russia celebrates'Year of
The agreement was signed on 19 October
India' in 2009. All these clearly show both
2007 during defence minister A.K. Antony's Technical Cooperation which
,,'isit to Russia. The fighter aircraft rvill have the countries growing interest in each oth-
meets annuall}t ers culture and PhilosoPhY.
>upersonic manoeuvrability and cruising
The Russian and Indian interests have
ability, long-range strike and high-
states stated that there is a convergence of generally tended to coincide whether it is
endurance air defence capabilities. The
ideas on various international issues. the question of terrorism, defence or of
Jevelopment and certification of this air-
\Mhile addressing concerns related to territorial integrity. There is certain empa-
iraft is expected to be completed in the
rext sixyears. Indo-Russian defence coop- trade and economic cooPeration, thy for each other as both India and
Medvedev articulated the point that both Russia share simiiar and very close geo-
:ration also includes refitting ofthe aircraft
India and Russia are fast grorving strategic interests, which provides the
--arrier Admiral Gorshkov, which will join
economies and therefore there is a need to basis for their cooperation' There is an
:he Indian Narl' as INSVikramadirya by the
make greater efforts to penetrate each inherent value in the lndo-Russian ties'
:nd of 2012. However, some Problems
other's markets and strengthen forums like Though this does not exclude differences
:ame up between the two countries when
SCO, RIC, and BRIC through which both of approach on certain specific issues, the
lussia demanded additional USD 3.5 bil-
the countries can further intensify the overall parallelism of interests has been
-ion from India for the aircraft carrier. This
trade and economic cooperation, as well as evident. It is in the interest of both Russia
.s the second time that Russia has sought a
cooperation in the sector like environment, and India to strengthen the bilateral coop-
:rice increase from the original contracted
inount of USDl.5 billion. disaster management, pharmaceuticals, eration to curb the unilateral tendencies
President Putin's era will indeed be noted metallurgy, bio-technology and tourism. in the present international politics. The
In the energy sector, the Russian presi- warmth relations between both the
in
.: a transformational period for Russia as
'.,.ell as for the Indo-Russian strategic part- dent mentioned that his country is ready to countries will depend on how they bal-
co-operate with India in the civilian ance themselves between their increasing
::ership, given that he was the major factor
nuclear domain. Agreement for the con- desire to diversify as well as maintain their
r re-vitalising the relationship after the
':eltsin years. Russia's new President struction of four additional nuclear reac- traditional relationshiP' o
tors at the Kudankulam nuclear power (The writer is a research felloru at the Indiatl
limitri Medvedev also showed his inclina-
:,on on further developing Indo-Russian plant in Tamil Nadu, as well as a pact for Cotmcil of World Affairs, New Dellti)

May 2009 F0RCE 47

A New Dawn
Serdyukou's Plan for Russian Military Reform
r Ruslan Pukhov

n I4 October 2008, following a meet-

ing of the Collegium of the Russian
Defence Ministry, minister Anatoly
Serdyukov announced the launch of a new
stage of military reform. If the defence
ministers reforms go through as planned,
it will mark the most radical transforma-
tion of the Russian military system since
1945, touching upon every aspect of the
armed forces, including service strength,
central command and control bodies,
tables oforganisation, and the officer train-
ing system. The reforms were clearly influ-
enced by lessons drawn from the August
military campaign against Georgia, even if
the strategy had been developed much ear-
lier. Indeed, the general thrust of reform
was expected from the moment Serdyukov
rvas installed at the Arbat. Nevertheless,
events in Georgia have enabled Serdyukov
to act decisively.
The main points of Serdyrkov s plan are
asfollows:
o Accelerate the downsizing of the armed the planned reduction of the service ies also face steep cuts. Serdyrkov counted
forces; strength of the armed forces from 1.f 3 mil- 10,523 people in the central apparatus of
o Reduce the number of officers and Iion to one million servicemen will be the ministry of del'ence and another 11,290
restructure the composition of the offi- advanced from 2016 Io 2012. The number rvorking for the military command bodies
cer corps; of officers will be reduced radically, from of the ministry; in all, almost 22,000. This
o Establish a non-commissioned officer 355,000 positions currently on the books to total is to be reduced to just 8,500, includ-
corps; just 150,000. That said, the actuai number ing 3,500 in the central apparatus of the
o Centralise the system of officer training; of officers to be discharged is less. Some MOD. In line with these changes, person-
o Reorganise and downsize central com- 40,000 positions are currently vacant, and nel at the General Staff will be reduced by
mand and control bodies, including the these will be eliminated by the end of the 50 per cent by I March 2009.
MOD and the general staff; year. Moreover, 26,700 officers are due to Serdyukov described the current person-
o Eliminate cadre formations and bring all retire, and another 9,100 would have nel profile of the army as "shaped like an
formations to permanent readiness sta- reached retirement age in 2009. In addi- egg, swollen in the middle. There are more
tus; tion, 7,500 serving officers rvere called up colonels and lieutenant colonels than jun-
r Reorganise the reserves and their train- for two years after graduation from civilian ior officers. By the end of three years we
ing system; institutes of higher learning. They will be will have built a pyramid, where ever5rthing
o Reduce the number of units, formations, discharged at the end of their term, and will be clearly structured and proved."
and bases; this category of specialists will no Ionger be Accordingly, the number of lieutenants and
o Reorganise the ground forces into a recruited. The remaining 117,500 officers senior lieutenants in the armed forces is to
brigade system, eliminating the regi- would be discharged over the course of increase from 50,000 to 60,000.
ment, division, corps, and army eche- three years. To a large extent, their release The creation of a non-commissioned
lons; and will be effected as a result of another officer (NCO) corps, formally lacking in the
o Reorganise the airborne troops, elimi- reform, announced by Serdyrrkov in early SovietArmy, is an important element of the
nating divisions. 2008, concerning the transfer of a number reforms. A strong corps of NCOs should
of positions, such as military medics and serve as the basis for soldier training and
Cuts to Personnel and the Number of Officers lawyers, to the civilian public service. military discipline. But the introduction of
According to Serdl'ukov's announcements, The central command and control bod- sergeants into the system will take not

48 F0RCE May 2009


three to four years as envisaged, but at least
10-15. This delay could undermine reform
by creating problems with management
and the manning of those combat arms
where a relatively high percentage of offi-
cers are involved in the direct operation of
military equipment, such as the submarine
fleet, air-defence forces, etc.
Reform ol Military Education
The centralisation and dornmsizing of the
military education system is closely related
to planned reductions to the officer corps.
Serdyukov announced that the 65 military
institutions of higher learning (15 acade-
mies, four universities, 46 colleges and
institutes) would be reduced by 2012 to just
ten 'systemic institutions': three research
and teaching centers, six academies and
one university. The new institutions will
not only serve to train officers, but also to
conduct research. They will be established
according to territory, not combat arm. For
now all existing facilities will become affil-
iates ofthese ten centers; decisions regard-
ing potential closures will be taken later.
Serdyukov affirmed that the entire facul-
ty of existing military institutes would be
preserved and absorbed into the new sys-
tem, and that only the managerial layer will
be reduced. He also said that many former-
ly military specialisations, such as lartryers,
rvill now be educated at civilian facilities.
Permanent Readiness Forces
The elimination of the division-regimental
structure ofthe Russian Ground Forces and
changing over to a brigade organisation is
one of the most interesting aspects of the
announced reforms. "Today, we have a
four-link command and control system:
military district, army, division, and regi-
ment. We are changing over to a three-link
system: military district, operational com-
mand, and brigade. That is, the division-
regimental link will disappear, and
brigades will appear in their place."
Serdyukov went on to say that the
changeover to the new structure will elimi-
nate excess layers of command and will
increase the effectiveness of troop com-
mand and control. He said the number of
military units and formations in the
Ground Forces would be reduced from
1,890 to I72 within three years. He repeat-
ed the announcement made earlier by
President Dmitry Medvedev that all non-
fully manned (cadre) units will be disband-
ed, bringing all army units to a permanent
state of combat readiness.
Two aspects should be singled out. First,
the conversion of all units and formations
of the Ground Forces to permanent-readi-
ness status marks a sharp increase to the
peacetime combat capability of the army
and a departure from the longstanding
structure of the Soviet Army, which was
based on formations subject to full deploy-
ment only upon general mobilisation. The
Russian Army will thus cease to be a
mobilisation army. The Soviet Army of the
Eighties had four categories of tank and
motorised-rifle divisions, depending on
the degree to which they were manned
I
with personnel in peacetime. Of approxi-
mately 200 divisions, onlY about 50
belonged to the so-called Category A, that
is, manned at 100 per cent and ready to go
quickly into battle. The remaining 150
divisions required partial or full manning
by mobilised reservists and took quite a
Iong time to deploy to wartime levels. This
combination of permanent readiness and
cadre units has been preserved up to the
present time.
According to the plan, all formations will
be fully mannedby2012 and maintained in
a state of permanent readiness. The transi-
tion to a contract system of manning sup-
ports this goal. Thus, the peacetime com-
bat capabilities and reaction speed of the
Russian Army will increase significantly,
enabling the rapid engagement of forces in
any tlpe of conflict, including those similar
to the recent one in Georgia. At the same
time, the increase in permanent-readiness
forces should compensate for the general
reduction in the size of the Ground Forces.
The disbanding of a number of cadre for-
mations manned with only officers in
peacetime and no privates enables reduc-
tions to the size of the officer corps, espe-
cially senior officers.
Of course, Russia's inherent need for a
large reserve, created by its enormous size
and long borders, remains unchanged.
But it is clear that there is no threat of an
unexpected, large-scale land invasion of
Russia's territory now or for the foresee-
able future. Any enemy, even if potentially
capable of carrying out such an invasion
(United States and NAIO, China) would
require a lengthy period for mobilisation,
deployment, and concentration of ground
forces on Russias borders. The long period
of time leading to a ground war allows
Russia significantly to reduce the
demands on its reserve component.
Russia will have significant time to
mobilise its forces, permitting the elimi-
nation of expensive maintenance of cadre
formations during peacetime.
Iudging from the overall sense of the
reform plan, it would seem that existing
arms and equipment depots, where divi-
sional and brigade equipment is stored,
will become the main reserve component
of the Ground Forces. Upon general mobil-
isation, further brigades and divisions
could be deployed from these depots. It is
noteworthy that Russia held an entire
series of exercises specifically on deploy-
ment from these depots. It would seem
that the new mobilisation concept
"\ias
May 2009 FI]RCE 49
I
worked out during these exercises.
From Regiments and [livisions to Brigades
The actual transformation of brigades is
the second essential step of the reform. To
date, Russia has kept the structure of the
Soviet Army. The current table of organi-
sation of the Ground Forces was estab-
lished during the post-war reorganisation
of 1945-1946, took its final form during
the Zhukov reforms of 1956-57, and has
essentially remained unchanged since
then. The basic formations of the Ground
Forces are four-regiment tank and
motorised-rifle divisions (usually three
tank and one motorised-rifle regiment in
a tank division and one tank and three
motorised-rifle regiments in a motorised-
rifle division). Three to four divisions, as a
rule, make up a combined services army
under the command of a military district;
that part of the army has now been low-
ered in status to an army corps. Separate
motorised-rifle brigades made their first
appearance in the Ground Forces during
the Nineties, as a result of reductions
made to divisions for economic reasons.
At the same time, the North Caucasus has
seen the emergence of several new-type
brigades (including the 33rd and 34th
Mountain Motorised-Rifle Brigades). It
seems that this latter experiment was seen
as relatively successful.
A brigade is considered to be an interme-
diate tactical formation between a division
and a regiment, though the existing
brigades in the Russian Army are closer in
strength to individual regiments. It seems
that the impending organisation of Russian
brigades will be based on a strengthening
of their combat support units, which are
now situated at the divisional level. Such
brigades should be more flexible, with
greater combat power, and capable of
independent action on the tactical level.
The new formations will be exclusively
motorised-rifl e brigades.
In place of the existing divisions and
combined-services armies (and army
corps), the new brigades shall form part of
operational commands. The composition
of these new formations (apparently at the
corps level) is not yet clear, but would logi-
cally include the combat and support units
of existing divisions and armies and, most
importantly, correspond to the currently
popular Western notion of 'joint' forces,
that is, uniting all services within a given
zone of responsibility under a single com-
mand, including aviation, air defence, mis-
50 F0RCE May 2009
sile units, etc.
Perhaps the most controversial part of
the reorganisation is the planned elimina-
tion of divisions. On the one hand, this
increases the independence of the
brigade, but on the other hand, it could
create difficulties for the concentration of
forces and equipment on the battlefield.
On the whole, the elimination of divisions
and the complete transition to a brigade
system orients the army primarily toward
combat in limited, local conflicts that do
not require large-scale conventional com-
bat against a strong enemy pursuing high-
ly consequential operational-strategic
goals. Apparently, the experience of the
recent war with Georgia had an influence
on the final approval of the given scheme
for reorganising the army. During combat
operations in South Ossetia, five regimen-
tal combat tactical groups (that is, rein-
forced motorised-rifle regiments) from
the I9th (North Ossetia) and 42nd
(Chechnya) Motorised-Rifle Divisions
were put into action by Russia. The com-
mand and control of this grouping was
not executed by the division staff or
even the staff of the SBth Army, but direct-
Iy by the staff of the North Caucasus
Military District through a specially creat-
ed group. The new three-link structure of
military district - operational command -
brigade seems like the formalisation of
this scheme.
The approximate composition of the
future Russian Army can be established
on the basis of the planned deliveries of
arms and military equipment as pub-
lished in the Nationai Armament Program
for 2007-2015. Accordingly, the Russian
Army should receive 22 battalions of new
tanks and 23 battalions of modernised
tanks, as well as new and modernised
equipment for more than 170 motorised-
rifle battalions. Considering the small
amount of new military equipment
received up to 2007, this suggests that
approximately 230-240 tank and
motorised-rifle battalions will be
equipped with new and modernised
equipment. With four battalions to a
brigade, this allows for the manning of
about 60 'healy' line brigades at perma-
nent readiness. Russia nowhas about ll0
tank and motorised-rifle regiments and
brigades. Thus, the inevitability of nomi-
nal reductions is clear, though far from all
regiments and brigades are maintained at
permanent readiness.
It was announced that every tank or
motorised-rifle division will be trans-
formed, as a rule, into two brigades. This
process began in October 2008 with the
transformation of the 2nd Taman Guard
Motorised-Rifle Division near Moscow.
Not Just the Ground Forces
Anatoly Serdyukov's reforms affect the
other services as well. The number of units
in the Air Force will be reduced from 340 to
lB0, and the Navy will be cut almost by
hall from 240 to 123 units. The Strategic
Missile Troops will retain just eight in place
of twelve missile divisions (although this
was already part of planned reductions to
the strategic nuclear forces) and the Space
Troops will be reduced from seven to six.
It was announced that the Air Force
plans to eliminate the reduced, two-
squadron aviation regiments (those with
24 combat aircraft per regiment). All avia-
tion regiments will be disbanded. The new
organisation of the Air Force establishes
the air base as the basic structural element,
with three or four combat aviation
squadrons dislocated to each (that is, the
equivalent of a Soviet-era aviation regi-
ment). This same Air Force structure exists
currently in Belarus.
At the same time, Serdyukov announced
that he does not see the need to create
independent rapid-reaction forces. "The
armed forces already have such units in the
Airborne Troops. They will be strength-
ened, and each military district will have
an Airborne brigade to carry out urgent
missions and operations under unpre-
dictable circumstances," he said.
The lour existing two-regiment air-
assault divisions will be transformed into
air-assault brigades, of which there will be
at least seven or eight. Thus, the composi-
tion of the Russian air-mobile forces will be
strengthened even more, underlying the
general direction of military reform toward
the creation of a professional army at per-
manent readiness.
No matter how contentious individual
of the announced reforms may
aspects
appear to observers, this is undeniably the
first time in post-Soviet Russia that a full
and comprehensive plan for the radical ref-
ormation of the Armed Forces is being
advanced, supported by clear political and
administrative will, and allocated sufficient
economic resources to bring it to life. o
(The writer is director of the Centre for
Analysis of Strategies and Technologies
tCASTl, Russia and the publisher of the
Moscow Defense Brief)
 by invitation

0omfort Zone
Russia is filting the Indian Helicopter market
he fleet of Indian helicopters isintegrat- holding company ISC 'Russian Helicopters' upgraded taking into account the require-
of theflyingpersonnel'The aircraft
ed mainly by the Mi-B and Mi-17 organised a presentarion of MRo facility ments
operat- equipped with a ramp and t"vo siiding
Russian-made helicopters - excellent for the Russian-made helicopters
facility doors allorvs 35 paratroopers more opera-
rotorcraft in real operations for rvhich they ing in the Indian territor} The MRo
is together nith the tionally. Upgrading the helicopter cockpit
\vere once developed. Today, taking into being developed
The Joint- rvas adapted for the pilots' applying NVG'
account the specific features of operation Indian company'vectra Group'.
in the Indian arena, the helicopters have venture Co*pury (lvc) 'Integrated rheaircraftrvasfittedadditionally"viththe
beenessentiallyupgraded. Helicopter services Private Ltd' rvill be hoist-type cargo handling system, making
The Mi-B/17 helicopters non,adays are .r.,guged in the after-sales maintenance
of it possible to hoist-out trvo people at the
altitude of 60m on board the aircraft' the
rvidely operated in almost g0 countrie, .r"ir fquipment to be delivered and equip-
to a cockpit armor protection and the most
rvorld over, and in extraordinaly ciimatic ment in opelation. This rvill contribute
zones. In 40 countries, the above aircraft p.rr.rur-ra.rt presence of the Russian heli- importantassemblyunitsandcomponents
have been adopted by both Air Force and copter industry blanch in the Indian rvere reinforced'
Army Aviation. India is no exception, national market'
almost 200 helicopters of the kind are in The share of 'Russian Helicopre's' in New helicopters will be delivered soon
operation. Horvever, mostof themhave got Russian and Indian JVC amount
to 51 per The first lot of B0 Mi-17-v5 helicopters to
obsolete image requiring upgrading, repair cent rvhile 49 per cent belong to the Vectra be purchased by India rvill be delivered by
and life extension todal'. Based ';- :::::::: F =r
r 20I0. As the comPetition in the
on experienc", .r'" .'pg*au- g
tions of these machines n,ould : J.A .*SrS q
,lil:1il1XHl:T$::ljlJ::;
beanimpossibletask.'i;;;5JET"j:@ee€ryT:]:9*ll""':l..^:.::'^::'}':
be an impossible task rvirhout ---i€ . .e-'SigJ

'"..i',i#' "i"ri."'"ti""i..
j :c
It is a dedicated -A*S.ij
Helicopters'.
,- \?*-+:*F::*,. ,. i-lllll-llliT:'^
steadily improving n:::::l
their Prod-
uct quality.
nanasement'"'o"nu""'::
new industrial helicoPte
"J"';"* -**'lr.m,:,:*"ff
:;'",1"J i:i::"r','"f;:ilil ---*- : "- *-o '' ' '! isters of defense of the European
enterprises of the Rusllan rure5'rrit{C\l;="=: .: union countries intended to

:-* *,*.;#
:*:l::ril***::*Jp::
providing after-
enterprises
sales supporr. Today, rhe re-created
ru
:::::* :cilF' :*ffiffi
heli-
E€:' -
Group. "The IVC staff is already function-
[#itiil:-:ri#.Ttp
"t"t "t:.t:]11t-lljYTlf:-t:lin conditionslliflll.
copter industry of rhe Russian aircraft ing," informed Eugeny Kisel, chairman of ing their long term operation
the flight'
industry is already capable of realising full Board of Directors of Integrated Helicopter like high dust level, icing during
life cycle of all type and class helicopters ser.vices, JVC. According to Kisel it rvill be differential temperature and pressure' The
five NATO Coalition Forces command in
from the beginning of development to possible to render services for three to
lvhere
retirement and snapping helicopters at a time. The capacity of the Afghanistan faced trying conditions

The Indian Air Force does not need addi- enter;ise rvould depend on the complexi- their helicopters were capable of handling
tional exposure to the Russian-made heli- ty of the rvorks. "During the year \\re are only the standard conditions'
copters through the Mi-B/17 helicopter planning to render services to dozens of At the International Air Shows world
rvarehouse over, all the leading helicopter manufac-
family. India has already signed a contract Russian-made helicopters. The
turingplantsof theusandwestEuropean
rvith the Federal state Uniary Enterprise for the helicopter spares and components
,Rosoboronexport, on the delivery of B0 will be located in the MRo house." countries have been aggressively displal'-
\,Ii-r7-vs helicopters tbr the I'dian Air ng their assault helicopters r'vith their
plants
saving' ecologically pure power and
Force last year. So, ,fr" Ml-elit h"fi*p,", Mi-17-V5 helicopters
requires Theupgradingof theMi-Bhelicoptertothe glamoroustrappings'Againstsuchaback-
fleet in India is increasing, rvhich
timely and qualitative maintenance and ieu"t oil,li-tz-Vs image became the next drop the Russian Mi-B/17 helicopters
repair thereof. step in the development of Mi-B helicopter don't look enticing enough, ]'et they
This year at Aero India in Bengaluru, the family products' A nerv aircraft was are thriving'l

May 2009 F()RCE 51

 0ver the Ho rizon
Two-pronged plan for procuring new-generation UAVs
I Prasun K. Sengupta
Nishant; (below) Rustom:
(opposite page) Wheeled Nishant
o meet the ever-increasing demand for
actionable intelligence, surveillance,
targetting and reconnaissance (ISTAR)
inputs for all three armed services, India
has embarked upon a tlvo-pronged plan tr
for procuring new-generation unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAV) from both abroad and
through homegrown R&D effort.
Consequently, over the next five yeals all
three armed services will be equipped rvith
hundreds of such UAVs, rvhich rvill be
capable of both long-duration ovcr-the-
horizon reconnaissance and targetting, as
well as infantry soldier-deployed mini-
UAVs, each of which rveighs 4.5kg, and is
designed for day and night so-called
'beyond the hill' observation and for tar-
getting missions at ranges up to tOkm.
Such mini-UAVs will also be used by the
army's Armoured Corps for 'over-the-hill'
acquisition of hostile armoured forces and
their engagement by indirect fire support
weapons like the NAMICA (equipped with
4km-range Nag anti-armour guided-mis-
siles) or tank cannon-launched laser-guid-
ed projectiles like the l20mm IAFIAT now
being licence-built by the Hyderabad-
based Bharat Dynamics Ltd.
To ensure the speedy induction of such a.

UAVs, the ministry of defence's (MoD)

Defence Research & Development
Organisation (DRDO) has adopted the h
consortium approach under wl.rich both
the public-sector and private-sector indus-
trial entities will play the prominent role
when it comes to detailed systems design,
prototype development and engineering,
and series-production. Consequent to the
adoption of this approach, the DRDO's
Bangalore-based Aeronautical b**-'>j i
Development Establishment (ADE) and
Defence Avionics Research Establishment
(DARE), along rvith the National Aerospace Fancraft technology. FL{L, on the other DRDO include:
Laboratories (NAL) and Hindustan hand, has teamed up with Israel Aerospace o Pawan low altitude long endurance
Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) have joined forces Industries (IAI) to co-develop the ship- (LALE) UAV that will be catapult-launched
to co-develop the three types of UAVs, borne naval rotary-winged unmanned aer- from a wheeled vehicle. A sum of USD 33.2
while TA'IA Advanced Systems has joined ial vehicle (NRUAV), and rvith Elbit million will be spent on the joint R&D
forces with Israel-based Urban Aeronautics Systems oflsrael to co-develop the Skylark- effort that'"vill last 24 months and involve
from for the marketing and manufacturing 1E manportable mini-UAV lhe three con- the development of four prototype vehi-
of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) ventional takeoff and landing UAVs being cles. Each such UAV to be used by the
UAVs based on UrbanAero's patented concurrently being developed by tire Indian Army, rvill rveigh l20kg, have an

52 F0RCE May 2009


endurance of 24 hours, be equipped with
pod-mounted optronic sensors, and its
radius of operations will be 150km.
r Gagan medium altitude long endurance
(MAIE) UAV for the army and Indian Air
Force (IAF), which will be co-developed at
a cost of USD 55.5 million and whose belly-
mounted payload will include pod-mount-
ed optronic sensors (daylight TV camera
and thermal imager), or a laser target des-
ignator, or a synthetic aperture radar. A
total of four prototype vehicles are to be
developed over a 42-month period. The
Gagan wilt have service ceiling of lB'500
feet, radius ofoperations of300km and an
endurance of 24 hours.
. Rustom medium-altitude long
endurance (HALE) UAV for the IAF and
Indian Navy'. R&D effort for this UAV over a
lB-month period will cost USD 100 million
and involve the design and fabrication of
four protot'?e vehicles each of which will
rveigh 1.1 tonnes, have an endurance of24
hours, service ceiling of 30,000 feet and its
radius of operations will be 300km. The
payload will comprise a mix of optronic
iensors, ELINT sensors, a communications
relay suite, and an inverse synthetic aper-
rure radar capable of both ground and
maritime surveillance.
All three UAVs will be series-produced by
a production agency-cum-development
partner (PADP) from India's private sector,
irith final selection of the PADP taking
place before this June. The Pawan's air-
irame will be derived from the NAl-built
light canard research aircraft (LCM),
whose design (the Rutan Long-EZ) was
bought outright bY NAL in the earlY
Nineties from the US-based Rutan Aircraft
Factory. The LCRA was the first made-in-
India aircraft made fully of rigid-foam
fibre-reinforced plastic composite materi-
als and was also the first to feature twin
canards and wingtip fins and twin rudders.
The LCRAs Pawan MALE-UAV variant will
be powered bY a single 1l6hP Piston
engine developed by the DRDO's Vehicles
Research & Development Establishment
and driving a pusher-prop, will have a tri-
cycle landing gear configuration with the
nose gear being retractable, have a
wingspan of 7.90 metres, length of 5.12
metres, canard span of 3.60 metres, and a
wing area of 7.62 square metrers. The vehi-
cle will be able to withstand high cross-
winds during both takeoffand landing' The
Pawan's maximum takeoff weight will be
600kg, of which the payload component
will account for 350kg' The service ceiling
will be 35,000 feet, flight endurance will be
24 hours, while the maximum cruise speed
will be 350kph. Range at maximum speed
will be 1,840km, with the rate of climb
being 6.35 metres per second. The MALE-
UAVwill require a takeoffroll of 290 metres,
and a landing roll of 210 metres. Service
ceiling will be 6,700 metres. The Pawans
payload suite (for the army and Indian Air
Force) will include a SATCOM-based tr'vo-
way secure data link, a chin-mounted sta-
bilised optronic sensor housed within a housing a lowJightJevel TV camera as well
swiveling turret, and a belly-mounted syn-
thetic aperture radar (most probably
derived from the ELTA-built EL/M-2060P
system that is flight-qualified now for the
Su-30MKI) housed within a radome. The
shore-based naval variant of the MALE-
UAV will also have on board ELINT and
COMINT sensor suites. For enhancing
flight safety and survivability when cruis-
ing at high altitudes, the Pawan will be
equipped with wing de-icing systems. For
operational deployment, a typical Pawan
MALE-UAV system will comprise of six air
vehicles, and a mission control unit (which
will have a large amount of commonality
with the ground control station that was
developed by the DRDO for the indige-
nously developed Nishant tactical UAV).
The path-breaking NRUAV for the Indian
Navy is being developed to deliver tailor-
made solutions for multi-spectrum and
wide-area maritime surveillance. Adopting
a hands-on approach, Navy HQ, along with
HAL and the MAI"\T DMsion of IAI has
already begun co-developing this vertical
takeoff and landing system' The fuselage of
the NRUAV will be the same as that of a
FIAL-built SA.3t68 Alouette III/Chetak hel-
icopter, while its upgraded powerplant will
be the FlAl/Turbomeca Ardiden lH/Shakti
engine mated to a HAl-designed gearbox.
Its principal on-board sensors will include a
belly-mounted IAI-supplied EL/M-
2O22H(V)3 multi-mode radar, a nose-
mounted stabilised MOSP optronic turret
as a thermal imager, a four-element radar
warning receiver developed by DARE, two-
way secure data links built by TADIMN
Spectralink, and a rear-mounted Harpoon
deck-arresting gear. Also being co-devel-
oped are the shipborneVSAI terminals and
ground control stations, with the latter
being a derivative of that for the IAl-built
Heron 2 MALE-UAV The NRUAV's concep-
tual design was first disPlaYed bY
IAI/MAI-AI in Bangalore during the Aero
India 2007 exhibition. The principal role of
the NRUAV lvill include beyond-the-hori-
zon surveillance, over-the-horizon target-
ting, ELINT, COMINT, ground mapping and
Iocation of moving ground-based targets,
and airborne early warning. The NRUAV
will not carry any on-board weapons for the
moment, but could in future be armed with
a single heavy,aleight torpedo or two light-
weight torpedoes. Development of such a
UAV can rightly be described as 'path-
breaking', and the Chetak's airframe was a
logical choice as it was not only available in
May 2009 F0RCE 53
plenty within India, but it also has a tricycle
undercarriage (as opposed to fixed landing
skis) that facilitates the UAV's landing even
in choppy waters in the high seas, thereby
ensuring safe recovery on board the mother
vessel. The project was conceived in 2005
and is the brainchild of none other than the
current Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral
Sureesh Mehta, who initiated this project
while he was FOC-in-C Eastern Naval
Command and concurrently also one of the
government-appointed Directors of FIAL.
Another unique UAV solution now being
developed in-country will revolutionise
both the aerial transportation ofbattlefield
casualties, as well as frontline aerial logis-
tics. During the DEFEXPO 2008 exhibition
in Delhi last February, TATA Advanced
Systems formally revealed its decision to
invest in Urban Aeronautics of Israel's R&D
effort to develop the MULE, a single tur-
bine-powered UAV for military re-supply
and medical evacuation operations with a
payload capacity of 250kg. Such a WOL-
UAV utilises a unique rotorless design that
eliminates the serious safery hazards asso-
ciated with helicopter rotors and permits
secure access to any location. In addition,
the vehicle's arrival time is guaranteed and
predictably speedy with effectively zero
rulnerability to contingencies such as traf-
fic or other access obstacles. The capability
to sustain a safe, stable hover adjacent to a
window wall or slope or to land safely in a
congested space allows access and evacua-
tion from virtually any location without the
use of ladders or hoists. The Mule WOL-
UAV is also significantly quieter than any
helicopter and offers unrestricted mobility
and accessibility. Lastly, in an air ambu-
lance configuration, this WOL-UAV offers
a revolutionary capacity for emergency res-
cue teams to reach their destlnation quick-
ly, despite practical obstacles or complex
landscapes.
For real-time Battalion-level all-weather
and real-time'over-the-hill' reconnais-
sance, the Indian Army will, from later this
year, begin the large-scale induction a sol-
dier-deployed system, which weighs 4.5kg,
is designed for observation and for target-
ting missions at ranges up to 15km, has low
acoustic and visual signatures, has a flight
endurance ofthree hours, operational ceil-
ing of 15,000 feet, and a maximum gross
takeoff weight of 6.3kg. The Skylark-IE is
1,400mm long, with a wingspan of
2,080mm and pod length of 720mm. It has
a flight speed of up to 60 Knots. It can be
quickly assembled before the mission and
54 F()RCE May 2009
is launched by hand. Recovery is per-
formed by a deep stall manoeuvre, which
lands the mini-UAV safely on a small inflat-
able cushion, at a pre-designated point.
The entire mission is flown autonomously,
feeding real-time continuous video and
telemetry data to a laptop-based ground
station. Its wings and tail surfaces are con-
structed of lightweight composites, and the
fuselage's tubular boom is also made of
composites. The avionics and sensor pay-
loads are contained in a pod carried belorv
the boom. The gimballed payload, weigh-
ing only 1kg, comprises a daylight CCD or
an optional FLIR for night operation,
which can be rotated by four gimbals.
Skylark-lE operators with no experience
can become fully certified after less than a
week of classroom training and another
rveek of actual flying, safety and mainte-
nance instruction. The Skylark- 1 is
presently operational lvith l5 armed forces
worldwide and is currently deployed in
Afghanistan as well. It was on September
22 last year that the first FlAl-assembled
Skylark-18 took to the skies in Bangalore.
HALs Bangalore-based Composite
Manufacturing Division is now gearing up
to series-produce this mini-UAV The FIAL-
Elbit Systems team leading the Skylark-IE's
licenced-production effort inIndia
includes Daniel Ma'ayan (Director, Elbit
UAV Systems), Shemual Zilbar (Programme
Manager), Uriyah (Chief Instructor), Galle
(Instructor), Andrew S (Mission Debrief),
Sireesh (Ground Control Station) and
Prashant (Launch & Recovery).
The Rustom MALE-UAV too will be pro-
cured in large numbers (more than 100).
Each such UAV wili be powered by twin
Rotax 914 4-cylinder four-stroke piston
engines sourced from the UK. Thus so far, a
1:2 scale-model of the Rustom has com-
pleted control surface tests and low-speed
taxi trials. This vehicle is called the
Rustom-l (the production variant will be
called Rustom-H). Each engine will devel-
op 120hp, and offer a range of l28mm
while working at 5800rpm. Service ceiling
will be 35,000 feet, while endurance will be
24 hours. The on-board data link with six-
axis tracking capability will have a 250km
line-of-sight range and 350km with relay.
The 350kg payload will include belly-
mounted search radar or ISAR radar, or
COMINT/ELINT receivers and a chin-
mounted FLIR turret. There is also provi-
sion for tr,vo hardpoints under each wing.
Maximum takeoff rveight of the Rustom
will be 1.8 tonnes, inclusive of the 350kg
payload and l00kg of fuel. Wingspan will
be 20 metres, the fuselage will be 14 metres
long and fuel consumption will be
40kg/hour, which will work out to some 25
hours of endurance. The T-tail will house
the COMINT/ELINT antenna arrays (three
vertical pieces on each tip). The Rustom's
tail portion will not have any fuel tanks to
avoid any CG shift. Instead, the fuel tanks
will be located in the wings and fuselage
only. The entire tail section will be fabricat-
ed with glass-fibre reinforced plastic for
reduced radar cross-section. The produc-
tion-version Rustom's first flight rvill be
undertaken by 201 1.
The DRDO has already developed to date
the Nishant tactical UAV for the army, with
its mission payloads and avionics suite
being developed by the Dehradun-based
Defence Electronics Applications
Laboratories (DEAL) and the launch con-
trol system coming from the Pune-based
R&D Establishment Engineers. Nishant has
a multi-mission day-night capability with
advanced belly-mounted optronic pay-
loads (housed within a two-axis gimbaled
pod), autonomous flight capabiliry has a
jam-resistant command link and digital
down-link, and uses a mobile hydraulic
pneumatic launcher hosted on a 6x6 truck.
It is used for dayime and nighttime battle-
field reconnaissance, surveillance, target
tracking, and localisation, plus correction
of field artillery fire. The UAV has a length
of 4.63 metres, cruise speed of 150kph,
maximum speed of l8skph, minimum
speed of llOkph, endurance of four and
half hours, and an altitude ceiling of 3,600
metres. It also has an on-board recovery
parachute and landing bags. The payload
link's line-of-sight range is 160km. The
Nishant's sub-51'slsrns were developed by
the DRDO's Agra-based Aerial Deliver-v
Research & Development Establishment
(ADRDE) and are being produced by
Bangalore-based HALBIT Avionics, in
which FIAL holds 50 per cent of the shares,
Elbit Systems of Israel holds 26 per cent
and Bangalore-based MerlinHawk holding
the remaining 24 per cent. On November
15, 2004 the MoD ordered the first 12
Nishants in a limited-series production
batch from HAL. Each Nishant system
costs USD 3.5 million and comprises four
Nishants and a ground control station,
antenna tracking system, and the launcher
and mission support vehicles. A wheeled
version of the Nishant has now begun ta-xi
trials and will incorporate a rear-mounted
arrestor hook for arrested recovery. a
 I

Neighbourly Visit
BDR gratefut for BSF's 'wisdom and prudence'
rVidhi UpadhyaY
order SecuritY Force and
Bangladesh Rifles met for
the first time in New Delhi
last month since the barbarous
mutiny struck India's neighbour.
The first biannual talks of 2009
between BSF and BDR were held
from 31 March-1 APril 2009. Six-
member BDR delegation, led bY
the newly appointed DG,
Brigadier General Mainul Islam
met his Indian counterpart DG
BSE M.L. Kumawat at the BSF
headquarters.
The two sides discussed a newly-elected government of
range of issues related to border manage-
ment and agreed to strengthen joint efforts
to prevent trans-border crimes including
illegal movements across the border' traf-
occurred in the world. ...We thought it
rvould be good to make the visit here even
r,vith reduced representation. We came
here to thank the Indian government and
the border, not letting anY fleeing
BDR men to cross over to India,
that is what rve are thankful for."
Questioned about the dePor-
tation of ULFA leaders Arabinda
Rajkhowa, Paresh Barua, AnuP
Chetia and Ranjan DaimarY of
NDFB, Islam remained non-
committal saying that he has just
returned from fire of hell. "Our
Prime Minister has stated that
we will not harbour anyone
from India or any other country,"
he said adding, "These issues
are there, and they will be
solved. Just give some time to the
Bangladesh."
On the probe into the carnage, which
claimed the life of 58 army officers includ-
ing that of the paramilitary force's DG

ficking of women and children, smuggling
of drugs, arms and ammunition, etc. Last
year, during the 9th home secretary level
talks between India and Bangladesh held
in Dhaka, a decision had been taken
regarding joint visits by both sides to visit
to a few lrrlnerable stretches rvhere fencing
is not feasible, including the riveline areas
ofthe border. Both sides had agreed to for-
mulate a joint border management plan
rvhich would help in effectively reducing
trans-border crime and strengthening bor-
der management. BSF and BDR recalled
that committees from India and
Bangladesh have already been constituted
and expressed the hope that visits would
take place soon.
Addressing a joint press conference
along with the BDR chief, Kumawat
expressed his condolences over the tragedy
that struck BDR and reiterated India's con-
tinuing support during this period and
commitment as a friendly neighbour to
strengthen the friendship. "We extend our
full support to the Bangladesh government
in resurrecting BDR. We shall not let any
BDR recalcitrant elements enter into India,
this had been our policy during the crisis
and this shall be our policy in future as
rr.ell", Kumawat said.
BDR chief Brig. Gen. Islam termed the
mutiny as the: "saddest episode to have
the BSF for their wisdom and prudence Major General Shakeel Ahmed, Islam said
shown during the mutinY", he said that it was two early to say anything in that
expressing his gratitude. regald as three separate enquiries are
\.Mhen asked about the specific gesture of going on into it including a judicial and an
the BSF for which BDR felt grateful, Islam administrative one. Asked about Pakistan's
said, "On February 25-26, while we vrere intelligence agency ISI's involvement in the
focussed on Pilibhit (where the BDR is mutiny, Islam said only the investigations
headquartered), BSF dealt rvith wisdom on will reveal who s and why's of the revolt. o
Border Line
Home minister uisits Indo-Pak border in Punjab
Union home minister P Chidambaram visited the BSF border outposts located in
Punjab and Rajasthan on March 26 to get a first hand experience of the conditions pre-
vailing on thetorder and also take stock of the security situation along the Indo-Pak
bordei. Accompanied by DG BSB M.L. Kumawat, senior officers from the MHA and the
BSE the home minister visited K.K. Barrier post in Firozpur sector which is peculiar in
deployment due to divergent terrain condition. He moved along the border track to
the efficacy of the fencing and observed that the fencing in Punjab needed
""u.rri.r"
replacement as it had outlived its utility. After seeing the International Boundary align-
ment, gate management and cultivation of land neal the fencing area, he interacted
with the local farmers as well. Subsequently, he visited the Maltl'r's Memorial at
Hussainwala and paid homage there.
Later Chidambaram also visited BOP Satpal in Bikaner, located in remote area of the
desert. He also addressed the BSF jawans during Sainik Sammelan' In his address, he
said that while the BSF men are facing a particulal tlpe of problem in Punjab' the situ-
ation in Rajasthan is still worse due to remoteness, high temperature, lack of habitation'
lack of scope for socialisation and also lack of connectivity. He said that with the
increasing BSF units by 29 battalions and three sectors, he hoped that the existing gaps
can be narrowed down. I
l\4ay 2009 F0RCE 55
I
Private Cover
India Inc. makes bee line for CISF couer
r Subhashis Mittra

t is time for India Inc to make a bee line

to the North Block to seek Central
Industrial Security Force (CISF) protec-
tion from the Union home ministry to
keep terrorists at bay. Over 50 private sec-
tor organisations have already put in their
request for CISF cover. The firms include
Reliance famnagar Oil Refinery, Oberoi
Hotels, Taj Hotel Delhi, Infosys, Wipro,
Electronic City, an IT Park in Bangalore,
DLf; Ambuja Cement and Iindal Steel.
The Reliance Refinery Infosys andWipro -
which come under the high risk category -
will be among the first to get CISF cover with
the Union home ministry giving its nod to
these establishments after processing the
applications. The CISF and other security
and intelligence agencies carried out securi-
ty audit of the threat perception as per
which the Electronic Ciry the Bangalore
software complex, too will get the Para-mil-
itary cover. Other companies are expected
to get CISF cover in due course.
Private organisations in Delhi that have
requested for CISF security include Delhi security audit of those firms, the ministry of Mumbai terror strikes which targeted the
Public School branches in East of Kailash, has forwarded these requests to the CISF for Taj and Oberoi hotels. Since the Bill was
Vasant Kunj and R. K. Puram, Radisson carrying out further study of these private referred to the Parliamentary Standing
Hotel and Sir Gangaram Hospital. Besides, organisations. After completing the security Committee, an ordinance was promulgated
the Trident Hotels have sought CISF cover at audit, the CISF will station Quick Reaction during the inter-session period.
eight locations and the Oberoi Hotels at five Teams (QRT) and commando units at the Observing that there would be a natural
locations. \.A/hile both these hotels bore the required installations. inclination amongst the CISF personnel to
brunt of the 26lII Mumbai attack, the "The decision on providing security to seek lucrative postings in the private sector,
Marriott chain of hotels too have sought any unit will be taken after considering the the panel said "there is need for putting in
similar protection in the wake of the terror economic and other vital parameters," a place a suitable personnel policy in the CISF
attack on its hotel in Pakistan recently. senior home ministry official said. to impart the required re-orientation to its
The CISF also provides security and fire- \A/hile suggesting that CISF cover should personnel in the wake of the new areas of
related consultancy services to IIT be provided to the cooperative sector as deployment." It also said the government
(Kharagpur), the National Institute of well, the parliamentary panel in its latest should formulate a comprehensive billing
Criminology and Forensic Sciences and report tabled in both Lok Sabha and Rajya system for charging the costs from the pri-
some major temples, including the Sabha said the government should have vate and joint sector. "The government
Akshardham temple in Delhi. In all, CISF undertaken security audit of the installa- should ensure that it does not incur any
provides consultancies to 63 public and tions and industries in the private sector expenditure, direct or indirect, for security
private sector units at present - security prior to the introduction of the Bill. Such an coverage provided in any private installa-
consultancy to 24 units, fire consultancy to audit would have given the right assessment tion," it said.
nine units and combined security and fire of the quantum of deplol'rnent of CISF for The panel also said that private industrial
consultancy to 30 units. providing security coverage in private and houses should not be allowed to seek CISF
In line with the suggestion of the joint sectors. protection to save on benefits like Pf; gratu-
Parliament's Standing Committee on home The Central Industrial Security Force iry redrement benefits and ESI by suspend-
affairs that deplolirnent of CISF security (Amendment) Bill, 2008 was introduced in ing or terminating services of personnel
cover to the private sector companies the Rajya Sabha in December last year to already employed by them. The Committee
should be done only after a comprehensive amend the original Act of 1968 in the wake felt that it would be appropriate if such facil-

56 F0RCE l\ilay 2009

ity was extended to the cooperative sector,
as there were some big industries in that
sector which also contribute to the national
economic growth and development.
Provision of CISF cover to the cooperative
sector should not be a major issue as the
government is of the vielv that an)'thing
owned by a person other than the Centre or
State governments would be considered to
be in the private sector.
On the panel's recommendation that the
criteria for providing CISF protection
should be scientific, reasonable and trans-
parent, and based on ground realities like
threat perception, security and integrify of
the country, the home minister P protected.
Chidambalam said the service rvould be
available to the private sector after the gov-
ernment makes a risk analysis. "!Ve n ill do
risk analysis before providing the services,"
he said adding that preference rvould be
given to those areas l'ulnerable to threats
from Naxalites and terrorists. In this con-
text, he informed that steel and mines
n'ould be accorded priority r,vhile providing
CISF protection. Na-xalites have been tar-
geting private telecom installations and oil
refineries in some states.
He said that the government and the
public sector units would retain theil first
claim on the CISF cover even after its serv-
ices were extended to the private sector.
" Ihere will be no question of reducing the
CISF cover to public sector units. The first
claim lvill be from government and the
public sector units," he clarified.
Top priority will be accorded to estab-
lishments in petroleum, IT and po-'ver sec-
tors while extending CISF protection to
private and joint ventures, the home min-
ister said. "We have a number of requests.
Priority will be given to petroleum and
natural gas, II, communications, airports,
sea ports and porver sector as these sec-
tors are most vulnerable and critical to the
economy."
Chidambaram observed that the attacks
in Mumbai brought into focus the threat
to iconic institutions rvhich needed to be
The Committee felt that lvhile the CISF
would be entrusted rvith physical protection
and securiry cyber crimes should also be
addressed. "If necessary training may be
given to CISF personnel and setting up of a
separate IT unit may be considered," it said,
adding that the CISF personnel should be
provided rvith latest weaponry and technol-
ogy to enhance their preparedness. The
CISF should also be provided helicopters for
quick response to meet an1'emergent situa-
tion, the report said. Responding io the sug-
gestion, Chidambaram assured that the
CISF would be equippedwith latest gadgets.
The panel proposed that the CISF should
strictly be deployed to protect the installa-
tions, machineries and ploduction only
and not interfere in industrial or land dis-
putes. The home minister, however, allayed
apprehensions that the CISF rvould get
involved in land disputes, saying these
issues lvould lemain under the charge of
local authorities.
The statement of objects and reasons of
the Bill states that with the growing threat
of terrorist outfits, industries in the private
sector and joint ventures, which have con-
tributed to the growth of economy, also
require CISF cover. It sought to extend CISF
cover to Indian Missions or UN
Peacekeeping Missions abroad in the back-
drop of the attack on Indian Embassy in
Kabul last year. The CISF is deployed at the
UN Mission in Haiti.
Chidambaram made it clear that the
CISF securitl, cover rvould not be extended
to the private sector overnight as the force
has to be expanded. The strength of the
force would be expanded to I,45,000 offi-
cers and men from the present level of
1,12,534, to meet the growing demand.
Noting that there were no separate
rvomen's battalion in the CISE
Chidambaram informed that at present,
the force has 5,000 women personnel and
hoped that more would .ioin.
"We will induct 33,000 more personnel
rvithin the next two years," informed CISF
Director General N. R. Das.
Dismissing fears of 'misuse' of the force
by private enterprises, he said, "We have
good experience of dealing with the private

The 0rigin of CISF ic and technological growth of the country

The CISF was formed by an Act of
Parliament in 1968 to provide better pro-
tection and security to Public Sector
Undertakings after a devastating fire in
HEC, Ranchi in 1964 in which sabotage
r,\ias suspected.Under the Act, the force
provides security to Central Public Sector
Undertakings (PSUs) on full reimburse-
ment basis. The Act had been amended on
three occasions. By an amendment of the
Principal Act in 1983, the CISF was
declared as an Armed Force of the Union.
The amendment made in the Act in l9B9
made a provision for protection of the per-
sonnel of the PSUs as well. The further
amendment of the Act in 1999 enabled the
Central Government for deployment of
CISF in industrial organisations owned or
funded by the Central Government and to
entrust any other dufy to the force and also
made provision for consultancy to private
sector in security matters.
Besides PSUs, the CISF provides security
to most of the airports, critical and vital,
nuclear power and space installations,
major sea ports, thermal and hydel proj-
ects, petroleum and natural gas installa-
tions, industries including mines in Left
Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas,
WPs, Delhi Metro, important government
buildings and Samadhis. The force was
also deployed on internal securiry disaster
management and election related duties.
With the security scenario in the coun-
try undergoing a sea change during the
last few years and in view of the grolving
threats due to terrorism and extremism,
the private sector has been making
demands for security of their establish-
ments through CISF on cost reimburse-
ment basis. Many vital industries in the
Private Sector and Joint Ventures Sectors
are producing goods and rendering servic-
es, which have contributed to the scientif-
and have also been playing significant role
in developing machinery, equipment and
gadgetry of strategic importance.
Contribution by the private sector in
these fields has substantially contributed
in the economic growth and rising status
of India in the world in the recent years. At
the same time, country's economic growth
and all round development has created
vulnerabilities from fbrces and elements
inimical to the country, in terms of efforts
to destabilise our economy through sub-
versive and terrorist activities.
Many of the major cities, most recently
Mumbai, have suffered terrorist attacks,
bomb blasts etc, which aim at terrorising
the people at large and shake their confi-
dence in the political system. The loom-
ing threat of the terror also shakes the
confidence of the private sector and the
investor in the economy. The need to
amend the bill this time was felt in this
context. a

May 2009 F0RCE 57

sector since 2001, when Cochin Airport
rvas built lvith private-public partnership."
The CISF chief was of the view that the
expertise would prove handy in dealing
lvith new challenges.
Explaining the criteria for processing
requests from the private sector units, the
CISF DG said the first priority would be
industries as it is vital for the economy.
Militancy-hit areas surfaced next on the
list, while the third category would include
industries involving heary investments.
For now, the home ministrY has drawn
up a three-tier priority list that has crucial
sectors like power, atomic energy, space'
airports, science and technology at the top'
The second priority includes major units in
Naxalite or insurgency-affected areas.
Private sector units that do not fall in either
of the first two, but may face a significant
threat come last.
A security audit of the public and private
sector has been ordered to assess the secu-
rity requirements at the new locations and
optimise deployment at the 300-plus pub-
lic sector installations. In addition, the
security audit also covers big hotels in met-
ros iike Mumbai's Taj and beaches fre-
quented by foreign tourists. But since the
security cover is not going to be abie avail-
able to everyone for asking, the audit
"vill
determine the kind of security cover that
should be extended, if at all.
The Parliamentary panel, headed bY
Sushma Swaraj, observed that there was
'stagnation' in certain cadres and result-
ant resentment in the force and suggested
that efforts should be made to increase
promotional avenues in all the cadres of
CISF in general and in the affected cadres
in palticular.
A senior BJP leader S. S. Ahluwalia sug-
gested that instead of expanding the CISF
to provide security cover to private estab-
lishments, the services of ex-army men and
ex-policemen could be availed. He felt that
posting of CISF personnel to places like
Bangalore and Pune would cause heart-
burn among other personnel posted in
remote Na-xal-hit areas to guard private
sector units.
The home ministry has made it cleal that
the CISF personnel - at existing and nen'
locations -would get out of watch andward
functions. Instead, the CISF commandos
would be posted at crucial locations and
come into the picture in case of a need.
Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta
told the Parliamentary Committee that the
CISF deployment aimed at'protecting criti-
cal areas' relating to access control and sur-
veillance. "The other access control should
be in the hands of private security guards.
However, wireless communication system
would be maintained by the CISF, In case of
any problem, the Quick Reaction Team of
the CISF would immediately rush to the sit-
uation," he informed the panel.
In case of IT majors, the home ministrl'
favoured positioning CISF commandos at
Iocations from where they could extend
cover to multiple units at the same time.
The CISF at present provides protection
to lB9 Public sector undertakings, 49 gov-
ernment buildings and 57 airports. It also
protects 33 other installations like the
Delhi N1etro Rail and'samadhis' (memori-
als) like Raj Ghat. o

F0RCE for You

We are committed to bring the best and the most incisive
articles on national security to our readers.
We now offer the full set ofVolume l, II III, IV andV
of FORCE in an elegantly bound leather ensemble
to our valued readers. Each volume would be available for
Rs 900 only including courier charges.

Limited editions only, so rush your orders now!

Pay in advance with a cheque drawn in favour of
Arrowhead Media hrt Ltd

Please send your orders through snail or email to:

Arrowhead Media R/t Ltd, 110, Sector 37'
NOrDA20l30l (UP)
Tel:. O12O-2433267

Email: ghazala@forceindia.net

58 F0RCE May 2009

Stumbling Blocks
Technology transfer under'Buy and Make' is a misnomer
1l proposals for the procurement of new
equipment are debated in the Defence
Acquisition Council (DAC) and categorised as
'Buy', 'Buy and Make' and 'Make' cases. 'Buy'
implies outright purchase of the complete quanti-
ty required. In case the requirement is large, it is
considered prudent to adopt 'Buy and Make'
route. It entails initial purchase of limited quanti-
ty in fully built up form, follolved by licenced pro-
duction/indigenous production of the balance
requirement. Finalty, 'Make' cases refer to indige-
nous development of the equipment.
I Major General India has been exercising 'Buy' option in
respect to high-tech, high value and urgently
Mrinal Suman (retd)
required procurements. As in ali such cases the
quantity required is limited and it is not consid-
ered cost-effective to create infrastructure for
subsequent manufactute within the country
Some of the major 'Buy' cases finalised in the
recent past relate to Weapon Locating Radars, C-
As regards'Make'
1301-30 Super Hercules Transport aircratl, P-BI
cases, lndia has noth- Boeing Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance air-
craft and Smerch Multi-Barrel Rocket Launchers'
ing to show in the last Recently, the government has issued Request for
Proposal (RFP) for outright purchase of 140
five decades. 155mm/52 calibre Ultra-Light Hoivitzer guns'
As regards 'Make' cases, India has nothing to
Conversion of the
shorv for its efforts in the last five decades'
much hyped Trishul Conversion of the much hlped Trishul missile
defence system into a technology demonstration
missile defence sYs- programme once again proved the failure of
India's Defence Research and Development
tem into a technologY
Organisation (DRDO) to develop any high-tecli
demonstration Pro- equipment in the promised time-frame and con-
forming to the accepted parameters. It has been a
gramme once again chronicle of tall claims and abject failures'
Therefore, it was decided in 2006 to revise 'Make'
proved the failure ol category and limit the role of DRDO to the devel-
opment of projects requiring sophisticated tech-
lndia's to devel-
DRD()
nology of strategic, complex and security sensitive
op any hightech nature. Development of high-tech equipment has
been assigned to Integrated Project Management
equipment in the Teams under the Acquisition Wing of the Ministry
of Defence (MoD).
promised time-lrame
However, it is 'Buy and Make' category that is
considered the preferred route for most of the
and conlorming to the
large quantity high value contracts. Instead of
accepted parameters. procuring the complete quantity in fully built-up
condition, India buys some and manufactures
It has been a chroni- the balance under transf'er of technology (ToT).
Earlier when the erstwhile USSR rvas the sole
cle of tall claims and
supplier of defence equipment to India, acquisi-
tion of all major weapon platforms followed the
abject failures
same route.
The history of production of tanks in India is
indicative of India's continued dependence on
licenced production. Manufacture of T-55 tanks in
India began in early Seventies under a'Buy and
Make' arrangement. T-72 and T-90 have followed
the same route. Apparently, India has gained little
during the last four decades in terms of technolo-
gy to be self reliant. Similar course has been fol-
lorved in the case of fighter aircraft - from old
rvarhorse MiG 21 to current Sukhoi series.
laguar aircraft from the UK rvere also licence
manufactured in India. The trend continues with
renerved intensity. A contract for Hawk jet trainers
rvas signed rvith BAE in 2004 for 66 Hawk trainers
- 24 ro be supplied by BAE in flyalvay condition
n'hile the remaining 42 are being manufactured in
India under technology transfer licence' As per
reports appearing in the press, an additional
requirement of 57 aircraft is being projected now'
Request for proposals (RFP) issued for 126
Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA)
for a projected cost of over 10 billion dollars con-
tains the clause that the first lB aircraft rvill come
in a'fly arvay' condition, while the remaining 108
rvili be manufactured under fbT. It is reported
that the government wants to retain an option
1br an additional quantity of 64 aircraft on the
same terms, thereby bringing the total quantity
to 190 aircraft.
Indian RFP for 197 light helicopters (133 for the
Indian Army and 64 for the air force) to replace its
aging Chetak and Cheetah fleet worth close to 600
million dollars also contains the clause that 60
helicopters would be bought outright, with the
remaining 137 being built under license by
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Similarly,
as per the RFP issued for I55mm 52-calibre torved
guns, India wants to buy 400 guns off-the-shelf
and produce 1,100 guns in India under licence'
Stated Advantages of'Buy and Make'
Once a decision is taken to categorise a procure-
ment proposal as'Buy and Make', the Department
of Defence Production (DDP) is asked to nomi-
nate an agency to receive technology for indige-
nous production. The Production Agency (PA) so
nominated is thereafter co-opted in the prepara-
tion of RFP to oversee all aspects concerning ToT.
As all defence public sector units and the ord-
nance factories (collectively referred to as the
public sector hereto after) come under DDB it is
always one of them that gets nominated as PA'
May 2009 F0RCE 59
I
Private sector companies, even if more
suitable to receive and absorb technology,
are never considered for nomination as PA.
At times a public sector entity is nominated
as PA only because it does not have ade-
quate work load, its suitability being of lit-
tle consequence.
As seen above,'Buy and Make' continues
to be the preferred route. Four major rea-
sons advanced in its favour are as follows:-
Gains ftom Technology Import
Technology received under'Buy and Make'
helps raise threshold of indigenous knowl-
edge which acts as a take-off platform for
further progression. Instead of reinventing
the wheel, India takes a technology jump to
catch up with the latest advancements.
Imported technology provides an impetus
to indigenous research and development
in defence systems, thereby reducing
dependence on foreign suppliers for future
requirements and making India self reliant.
Saving ofResources
Indigenous manufacture is considerably
more cost-effective than procuring fully
manufactured equipment, even though all
major assemblies and critical components
are supplied by the foreign vendor.
Assured LifeTime Support to Equipment
By establishing production infrastructure
in India, life time technical and spare-parts
support is ensured for the equipment.
Thus, dependence on foreign suppliers
gets eliminated. Additionally, indigenisa-
tion of critical components goes a long way
to ensure serviceability of equipment.
Social and Economic Benefits
Inflow of assembly work creates consider-
able number of jobs in the country which
would be lost in case India procures com-
plete requirement in assembled condition.
Most of the defence public sector units
(DPSU) are thriving on assembly work as
very little indigenous developmental work
has resulted in production orders. In case
assembly orders dry up, DPSU would be
strapped for rvork.
Appraisal of'Buy and Make' Policy
India has been adopting 'Buy and Make'
route for decades now. Enough time has
passed and considerable experience has
been gained for an objective assessment of
various facets ofthe policy.
Technology transfer under 'Buy and
Make' is a misnomer. In fact, it is the
60 FORCE May 2009
biggest myth that is being perpetuated
rvith total disregard to ground realities. No
technology gets transferred to India at all.
\Vtrat the foreign vendors provide are rudi-
mentary drawings to assemble equipment.
Indigenous production is nothing except
assembling of sub-assemblies and compo-
nents to deliver fully built units to the serv-
ices. Therefore, India gains nothing as
regards technological know-how from such
an arrangement.
Take the case ofT-series tanks - India has
been producing them since early Seventies,
yet our competence to improve upon the
imported know-how is pathetic. India pro-
cured T-55 tanks along with technology for
indigenous manufacture. \.&rhen T-55
became obsolete and needed replacement,
India had to rush abroad for T-72 tanks
with ToT. Even after manufacturing hun-
dreds of these tanks, India could not mas-
ter the technology or improve upon it. It
was again Russia that provided T-90 tanks
to replace the ageing fleet. Once again
India has bought technology for licenced
production in India. If every time India has
to resort to import of newer versions, tech-
noiogy infusion means little.
Such an arrangement suits the foreign
vendors ideally. They do not part with their
closely guarded technology as that guaran-
tees them continued business by perpetu-
ating India's dependence on them. They
provide assembly drawings and nothing
else. India has to keep importing critical
sub-assemblies and components from
them, thereby assuring long-term busi-
ness to them. Citing inflation, they keep
raising prices as rvell. The net result is that
instead of importing fully built units, India
imports equipment in semi-knocked
down or fully knocked down condition for
indigenous assembly.
'Buy and Make' policy appears custom-
made for India's DPSU. Unlike the private
sector, they do not have to strive and com-
pete for business. Their struggle is limited
to intense lobbying in the corridors of DDP
for nomination as PA. A nomination means
assured business for years with no riders of
cost, quality and delivery schedule. No
mastery of advanced technical knowledge
is required to assemble equipment.
Therefore, ',vithout much sweat, DPSU
starts producing equipment.
Although the roie of nominated PA is
limited to putting together sub-assemblies
and pasting its own label on the assembled
product, it charges a huge profit for its
efforts. At times, the services are hard
pressed to accept prices quoted by them.
They border on exorbitance. There have
been times when it was felt that import of
fully built-up equipment would have been
a cheaper option. Many equate such PA
with middlemen and traders who charge
hefty commission (fancifully called value
addition) for facilitating imports.
India's defence research and develop-
ment ef'forts have also not benefited from
'Buy and Make' deals. Every time new
equipment is imported, DRDO strips it
open to learn through reverse engineering.
In the absence of detailed drawings,
DRDO's efforts remain confined to dupli-
cation rather than absorption of technolo-
gy. Not one case can be quoted where
DRDO has learnt from imported technolo-
gy to develop better products indigenously.
Even in the case of essential spares, India
has never achieved self-reliance. Every for-
eign vendor ensures that India remains
dependent on him for critical spares. He
thus retains effective leverage and exploits
it by hefty price increases. Even after'
decades of manufacturing T-series of tanks
and MiG aircraft, India looks up to Russia
to keep its fleet functional. It is a sad reflec-
tion of futility of current mode of ToT.
India has certainllr lsgn able to replicate
some imported components under its indi-
genisation programme, but this process is
limited to itens like rvashers, seals and
other commonplace components. As no
foreign vendor parts with metallurgical
knorv-hon', even critical nuts and bolts
cannot be manufactured locally and have
to be imported.
Absence of genuine transfer of technolo-
gy can also be gauged from the fact that
India cannot even upgrade the equipment
manufactured under ToT. In every case, the
foreign vendor has to be approached. He
develops the kit, upgrades some numbers
and thereafter, the balance quantity is
upgraded indigenously under the same
'Buy and Make' route. The foreign vendor
thus not only charges huge fees but also
ensures that his business thrives through
selling of upgrade kits to India.
Finally, most ToT agreements get
embroiled in controversy. It is alleged that
foreign vendors tend to renege from their
contractual obligations by resorting to
skewed and subjective interpretation of
various clauses. Recent reports of Russia's
intransigence and non-cooperative atti-
tude in respect of ToT for T-90 tanks amply
proves this point. With little leverage, India
is always on the receiving end with insin-

cere foreign vendors trying to e\ploit small
print in contracts.
The Way Forward
'Buy and Make' policy has the follorving
fallout:
o As the recipient of technologf is aln'ays a
public sector entity, entry of the private
sector in defence production gets effective-
Iy blocked. It is a neat stratagem to perpet-
uate the monopoly of the public sector. The
role of the private sector remains restricted
to supplying components and sub-assem-
blies to the public sector. That is one of the
reasons why the private sector continues to
be a fringe player.
. Due to the availability of assured busi-
ness opportunities through nomination as
PA, the public sector never feels the need to
update its technology or improve its skills.
It remains smug in the knowledge that it
has only to keep the decision makers of
DDP in good humour to get orders. In the
absence of any competition, the public
sector becomes complacent and fails to
modernise itself.
o Being part of MoD, every public sector
PA treats the services as captive customers.
The services have to suffer indifferent qual-
ity and delayed deliveries. As seen earlier,
the public sector assembles sub-assem-
blies and puts its own tag and charges hefq'
profit. Frequent and unwarranted price
increases make products unjustly expen-
sive. In other words, the defence budget is
made to bear the burden of ensuring sur-
vival ofthe public sector.
o Knorvledgeable vendors find 'Buy and
Make' route to be the most remunerative
mode of doing business with India. Their
make huge profits by piggyback riding on
the public sector. They have learnt that the
public sector continues to call shots in
India. They manage to court it by promis-
ing licenced production with ToT. Once a
contract is signed continuous flow of busi-
ness is ensured for decades - initially by
supplying fully built units and subsequent-
ly by providing sub-assemblies and critical
components.
o No real transfer of technology takes
place. No expert agency monitors ground
implementation. The complete responsi-
bility is assigned to PA. Unfortunately, nei-
ther PA nor the foreign vendor is keen to
carry it out sincerely. PA is happy as long as
it can keep assembling equipment to sell to
the services.
The net result is that the Indian defence
industry continues to suffer. As no genuine
transfer of technology takes place, India
remains a laggard. It will not be incorrect to
state that India's'Buy and Make'policy has
succeeded only in impeding development
of indigenous competence and perpetuat-
ing dependence on imports. Worse, this
policy effectively rules out any role for the
private sector, thereby denying the country
of its prowess.
According to Defence Procurement
Procedure - 2008, suitable PA could be
selected from any of the public/private sec-
tor firms including a joint venture company,
based on the inputs from DDP and, if
required, from DRDO. Unfortunately, the
above provision means little. Inputs and
recommendations of DDP are always in
favoul ofthe public sector. In a recent case,
DDP went to the extent of nominating a
public sector company peremptorily as the
sole development and production agency in
a'Make' case, flouting its ovrn written policy.
India must take three steps urgently to
set things right. First, DDP should be abol-
ished. It is an archaic department with
biased mindsets. DDP is known for its
impedimentary role in the modernisation
of the services. It contributes little and
delays all proposals till the public sector is
accepted as the sole supplier. A new
department called Department of Defence
Industry should be created to oversee
development of Indian defence industry
(both the public and the private sectors) in
an integlated and synchronised manner.
Secondly, time has come to involve the
private sector at the categorisation of pro-
posals stage itself, albeit within the con-
straints of secrecy requirements. As
monopoly breeds complacency, open
competition should be encouraged to force
the industry to upgrade its technology and
skills for survival. The most suitable entity
should be selected to receive technology.
The country can ill-afford to continue to
sustain inel-ficient public sector companies
through unwarranted patronage.
And finally, the complete gamut of tech-
nology and its transfer should be adminis-
tered by a duly constituted Defence
Technology Oversight Committee (DTOC).
DTOC should identify level and scope of
technology needed to be imported, identi-
fy suitable recipients and oversee smooth
transfer and absorption on ground. It must
be appreciated that purchase oftechnology
costs the country dear. Full advantage
must be taken of it for the advancement of
indigenous industry. It is too serious a mat-
ter to be left to the diligence and prudence
of nominated defence sector entities. o
l\4ay 2009 F0RCE 61
Future Communication
CII organises seminar to focus on communication to support BMS
lnternationa* #*ru=c*mr
radigm Shift in Cor*rnunication to Support
Battlefield Mar: eg*ment SYstem
r Aditi Bhan and Vidhi Upadhyay
magine this - a battlefield where there are
no soldiers to guard or fight the enemy
yet the latter can't enter the area lvithout
risking his life - for every movement of the
enemy is being watched and any intrusion
rvould prompt counter-action from the sol-
dier sitting far away from the scene of action
and regulating the events through remote-
controlled weapons. A bit vague or straight
out of some science fiction, isn't it?
'Il-ren imagine the other scenario - a sol-
dier standing at the check-post, checking
the vehicles entering a building. Suddenly,
there is a terrorist attack and he is killed.
Yet, before the terrolists can enter the
building and cause havoc, they are gunned
dorvn by the alert soldiers r,vho had been
monitoring the scene from inside the
premises. Sounds a bit realistic? Doesn't it?
But fbr these illusions to take folm there
is a need for effective surveillance and
sound communication system, that is, real-
62 F0RCE lVlay 2009
-.*
time situational awareness. So rvhen
General Deepak Kapoor, Chief of the Arml'
Staff, says that future rvars rvould be of
shorter duration rvhere technology rt'ould
play the most important role, he is talking
about a scenario rvhere information flotvs
smoothly from almy headquarters to bat-
talion headquarters, right up to the soldier
on ground. As General Kapoor puts it,
"Technology r,vould form the backbone of
all future rvars which rvould be of a shorter
duration but probably more lethal and
therefore it is important that we empower
the last man at the post."
It has been quite sometime norv since
lndian Army has been on a mission to
modernise itself to meet the future chal-
lenges of the battlefield. And to help it in its
task, Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII) recently organised a setninat on
'Paradigm Shift in Communication to
Support Battlefield Management System'.
a The seminar sar,v huge participation from
both industry and armed forces personnel.
l_
Confederatior
m
"f
S i;i:i':$ltt'
ilt
Speaking at the inauguration of the sem-
inar, General Kapoor said, "Ensuring suffi-
cient availability of radio frequencies or
spectrum for setting up an optimal battle-
field management system (BMS) is essen-
tial for the Indian security forces which are
today upgrading their legacy communica-
tion systems." He further said, "We have to
ensure suitable netrvorking betrveen the
communications systems of various secu-
rity agencies that will ensure availabiiity of
real-time data in real-time situations." He
also expressed the need to suitably priori-
tise spectrum availability with national
security needs.
Stressing upon the need for the Indian
Army to develop suitable linkages with the
private sector, given the dynamic changes
taking piace in communication technolo-
gies, Lt Gerr. P C. Katoch, Director General
Information Systems said, "The existing
legacy systems do not allor,v the soldier on
the ground to take advantage of informa-
tion services like video, graphics data and
'What we 0ffer is Transfer of Technology to the lndian lndustry'
Director, Thctical Internet Aduanced Projects, Defence Tactical Communications, Land and Joint
Systems, Thales, JneN - Louts Dnnnunnr
Tell us ahout your products and what are you
offering to lndian armed forces?
We are working on Joint Tactical Radio
System (ITRS) programme in the US.
Thales is one of the champiorls in JTRS
right now, particularly the enhanced JTRS.
Our US soldiers right nolv use JEM (ITRS
enhanced MBITR). We are also otfering the
FLEXNET. FLEXNET is a Sofnvare Defined
Radio (SDR), manufactured by both I'hales
and Rockwell Collins; and can be
described as a compact vehicular rvide
bandV/UHF SDR.
The purpose of our programmes is to
select the most appropriate rvat'eform that
matches with the current tactical situation
of the unit. Even if there is a need to have a
long-hold communication, sanre radio
should be used for it. For example, if there
is an ealthquake, then the best \\'ay to co1-
laborate with the securiry fbrces, police-
'We Can 0ffer Products to the lndian Defence Ministry Across the Board'
Vice President, Global Technology, Rockwell Collins, ReI Accenwer
Tell us something about the Rockwell Collins
Engineering Development Gentre in Hyderabad.
We started the Er.rgineering development
centre for aviottics and communication
in Hyderabad in October last year and it is
operational now. We call it the engineer-
ing development centre for the Rockrt'ell
Col1ins, and so it goes all the rva-v f}om
hardware to software systems. Right
now we are doing sottware applobation
for the displays and the flight manage-
ment systems.
ln which areas are you offering your products and
service here in lndia?
Rockwell Collins has products for military
as well commercial systems, rvhich
include navigation, communication, even
the flight controls, UAVs, displays and sur-
veillance products. We can ofTer products
to the Indian Defence Ministrv across
the board.
Which of your products are currently being used
here in lndia defence services?
men or firemen is through talk. With this
type of software-defined radio, we can
load into this radio, if it is necessary. This is
one of the proposals that we have.
\Vhat we offer is Transfer of Technology
(ToT) to the Indian industry. This is a busi-
ness. We can provide this technology tl.rat
1.A
Our radios have beet-r around for long
time, the legacy is from Collins Radio
Company. the radios from that compa-
So
ny have been used by customers around
the globe. There are a lot of platforms in
India as r've1l including the fbrces using
our radios.
What are you currently ollering to the lndian
we have in the US and the UK to local
champion of radio in India. So it is for the
benefit of Indian industry and on a way
back for us - it is a tremendous business
case because Indian army is so big, so huge
that even ToT is of interest to our company'
How is your product different from the ones being
oflered by other companies?
Thales probably is the only company in
the world to provide complete communi-
cation solution from the lowest in the
rank to the highest. Our company is tak-
ing care of radio for soldier and platoon;
and company is also providing same type
of radio for vehicles, combat vehicle
infantry etc. We also take care of commu-
nication solution for TCS programme for
lndia. We can also take care of deployable
lP area network (DIANE). This is the
model for TCS programme. o
Ministry of Defence?
We have recent broadband radios that
can support the voice data and the video
capabilities. We can also of'fer our
Dynamic Spectrum Access capability. We
should be able to provide them the entire
products across for the entire voice radio
communicatlons, the data link communi-
cations, and be able to network them, so
basically entire net\'vork management.
We just won a programme for net-cen-
tric operations for the naly which we are
doing jointly with ECIL. The army is obvi-
ously interested in the surveillance and sit-
uational awareness, for UAVs and other
systems, displairs fbr ground and air plat-
forms, and we supply those as well.
The IAF has legacy platforms from
Russia. Rockwell Collins is a major player
in providing the entire avionics upgrade
for them. We want to be able to bring our
solutions into the Russian platforms
including among other capabilities'
an improvement in the situational
awareness. .
May 2009 F0RCE 63
I
'With Netcentric Mission, We will be Equipped to Respond lmmediately'
Chief of the Land Armament Programme, Italian Army, CoL Envnvro Prcntucnuxr
Tell us something about your Future lnfantry
Soldier Programme? Will you be implementing the
programme this year itself?
Yes, we are going to send our first batch of
future infantry soldiers to Afghanistan this
year. At the moment we are doing some
more tests, the prototype is ready and has
done a good job. We are going for produc-
tion and I don't think there should be a Soldier will give you an edge in the lield?
problem there.
How is the concept of communication for Future
lnfantry Soldier dillerent from the existing ones?
Basically, the platoon commander is able
to talk with the vehicle, but as an edge I
will say, they can also communicate using
the satellite at the regiment level. They
have some other equipment such as the
Bluetooth system just for talking inside
the platoon.
Every single soldier is able to talk with
the platform vehicle, besides there are
some other extra radio communication
systems as well. Every single soldier is able
to reach the platform and through the
platform reach another level. However,
one notable facet is that only the com-
mander can talk with the regiment com-
mander; no one can cut into or cut this
communication.
How do you then ensure the security of such a net-
work?
Crypto Communication is one thing,
besides that our communication is
secured because of the codes inside and
imagery. For this, it is important
that the Indian security forces
take advantage of the strengths of
the domestic IT industry." He
added, "Technology can be the
force mtrltiplier that can give otrr
security forces the cutting edge."
1'he Lrvo-dal seminarwas joint-
ly organised by CII and the Indian
Army's Directorate General of
Information S)'stems (DGiS).
Besides senior army officials,
there were also speakers from
industry who talked at length
about their producrs. \\fhile Lars
Heinonen, senior systerns engi-
neer, Saab, talked about the prob-
lem of inadequate bandrvidth;
64 F0RCE lVlay 2009
be exchanged simultaneously with
we don't need to change every single
moment of frequency. The communica-
tion is also secure because we can use all
spectrums of frequencies.
How and when did the c0ncept of Future Infantry
Soldier begin?
The countries involved in this kind of pro-
gramme have been working since 2002-03.
It is normai for the kind of operations that
rve carriedin Iraq and Afghanistan that
countries involved like ltaly, Germanl',
USA, the NATO countries * exchange
information. The companies which started
working on the concept only moved u'ith-
in these NATO countries. We needed the
transmissions from our systems to be
completely integrated rvith the NATO sys-
tem, which implied that information could
a
German or a French colleague. Some of
our Finmeccanica companies exchange
information with other companies and
everybody is looking for the best solution.
Can you explain, by way ol example, how the
improved communication with a Future lnlantry
Afghanistan is on our prioriry list at the
moment. \Vhen we began this kind of proj-
ect, the chief of defence said that the main
idea n'as to change the equipment of the
soldier if possible, and that would have
taken 10 years. Or else, change net-centric
visiorr for the future. In Afghanistan, we
can use this sl.stem for firing, targetting,
precision, helping a soldier in trouble -
basicallv for protection purpose. With net-
centric mission, rve rvill be equipped to
respond imrnediately to any situation. It
also helps in sharing information with
other countries at work there. In earlier
times, the commander was unable to
receive all the information from the battle-
field. There rvas a hierarchy of people
beriveen the commander and the soldier
like the intelligence people, officers, com-
mand post, rvho all shared the information
ivhich finally filtered to the commander.
Today, thg chief of defence is able to reach
the field immediately and witness the sol-
dier's movement. It means a soldier is able
to send a picture or a video even at the
strategic level - one of the greatest
achievement of this system. o
Jean-Louis Debeuret of Thales
(see interview) spoke about how
his company supports communi-
cation from between all levels of
the army and between the three
defence services - army, nar,y and
air force. Then thele was also
presentation by Col Elminio
Pierangelini of Italian army (see
intervierv).
An exhibitlon r'vas also held
on the occasion rvherein big
global defence companies
like Raytheon, Thales and
Finmeccanica participated.
Among the many things that were
exhibited were mobile radios and
even antennas. o
Secure Seas
Lockheed Martin hard-sells its Aegis BMD System to India
hile the Indian Nav-v has been
speaking about a terrorist threat
from the sea for quite sometime,
nobody, including probabll' the narv
itself took this threat seriousll'unless
26l I I happened. Norv, more maritime
threats look real. For instance. in case
of a war with Pakistan, a likell' sce-
nario would be the use of ballistic mis-
siles and cruise missiles b1'lslamabad
on lndias sea lanes of colnmunica-
tions; to ensure that India's shipping is
immobilised for the rvar duration. To
counter this, what India needs is a sea-
based ballistic missile defence svslcm
(BMDS) that working bf itself, or in
concert with land-based B\1DS'
demolishes the incoming missile long
before it reaches the target. \\iithout i:i
saying all this, Richard G. Kirkland,
president, South Asia, Lockheed i
Martin GI, CorPorate Business
Development, met a select Sroup of
Indian journalists to talk about the
Aegis BMD; the ploven area-defence
capability at sea on board six coun-
tries navies'cruisers and destrovers.
senior -- -
He said that his team (his
naval advisor for Asia and Pacific Affairs,
I.
Daniel Howard was present to ansn'er tech-
nical questions on the Aegis B\{D) had
given presentations (called informational
briefings) to the Inciian Navl' and the
defence ministry on the system. He con-
firmed that sales, if they happen, rvould take
the Foreign Military Sales (FNIS) route
bet\,veen the t\,vo governments' The US gov-
ernment alone would decide rvhat tech-
nologies could be offered, saying in the
same breath that both the variants of the
radar onboard the Aegis, SPY lD and SPY
had been sold to friendly countries.
Emphasising on the radar, his colleague,
Howard, explained that the radar of the
Integrated Aegis Combat System, lvhich is
20 years old, is still the same Phased Array
horizontal scanning radar with minimal
changes. \A,{hat has changed drastically is its
processing system. The latter is state-of-the-
art with a capability to process signals thou-
sands of times faster. On this technology,
LM has spent nearly US10 billion dollars in
the last tr,vo decades. The Aegis Combat
Richatd G. Kirkland
*€
.:.
Management System (the command post,
the nerve centre that links the sensor to the
shooter) has two modes, manual and full
automatic, imp$ing that the CMS, to save
time, automatically transmits the sensor'
information to the shooter. The shooter, of
courser is the Raytheon's proven formidable
SM2 (standard Missile) and SM3 intercep-
tors. Thus, the Aegis system is about the
powerful radar onboard ship at sea with the
capability to track over 100 targets and
engage multiple targets including long
lE range cruise missile, anti-ship missiles and
tactical ballistic missiles. The target infor-
mation is relayed to the CMS, which in turn
acts to activate the interceptor to hit and
destroy the hostile missile in mid-course.
The ballistic missile thus is intercepted out-
side the atmosphere.
All this evinced a lot of interest amongst
the listening journalists and there was a vol-
ley of questions on technology, and how
much and in what fashion the Aegis capabil-
iry could be given to India. The queries on
Aegis technologies are: At what range can
the radar detect and identify hostile
Iong range cruise missiles? \Arhat
about the supersonic and hypersonic
cruise missile of the BrahMos class?
Ballistic missiles of what speed can be
successfully intercepted? \Mhat is the
proven area defence that a single Aegis
can provide? \\ihat is the capability of
the interceptor seeker? How does
Aegis network with land-based BMD'
let us say PAC-3 and so on? Howard
did some plain speaking and said that
much of this stuff was classified.
However, a lot of information could be
got from the internet.
This led to the next question: if
Aegis is given to India, what about the
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR).
Kirkland said that this issue will be
resoh,ed by the two governments.
Once the US government gave its nod,
LM will ensure that the sold capability
rvould remain relevant throughout the
life of a ship, which is 30 to 40 years' It
lvould be LM's resPonsibilitY to
upgrade, redesign and maintain the
Aegis system onboard the ship. This is
possible as the combat system has an
open architecture design, Should the user
want a new interceptor, or wish to replace a
sub-system, it would be LM's job to inte-
grate things. At this stage, a natural question
to ask the LM team was whether they have
seen the DRDO's budding BMD capabiliry
and was it possible to collaborate with
them? Kirkland confirmed that they were in
a dialogue with the DRDO. His clever reply
to the trick question on collaboration was:
'The two systems (LM and DRDO's effort)
have to be compatible for data exchange.'
That said it all. By DRDO's ovm admission,
its BMD capabilities are a technology
demonstrator, suggesting that just about a
beginning has been made. The DRDO
would need a lot of outside assistance to get
its project going. Meanwhile, Kirkland con-
firmed that they are also in touch with both
the Indian PSUs and private industry ship-
yards to understand how the Aegis combat
system can be co-opted on indigenous ships
under construction. Given that LNI is
aggressively pushing its Aegis combat man-
agement system, the story has just begun. o
May 2009 F0RCE 65
 PIRATE Leads
IAF seeking passiue target recognition system
r Prasun K. Sengupta
ust like the fierce competition
now underrvay for supplying
MRCAs lor the IndianAir Force
(IAF), a parallel competition is
proceeding ahead for supplying
nerv-generation passive infra-
red search-and-track (IRST) sys-
tems coupled with active elec-
tronically scanned array (AESA)
radars for both the yet-to-be-
selected MRCA, and for the'Iejas
light combat aircraft (LCA),
rvhich is non'being flight-tested.
All in all, more than 460 IRST svs-
tems are expected to be ordered.
Bidding to supply the IRSTs are
Burope's EuroFirst consortium
(offering the PIRATE), a consor-
tium of France's THALES and
Sagem D6fense Sdcurit6 offering
the Optronique Secteur Frontal
(OSF), Slveden's Saab offering
the IR-OTIS, and Russia's Urals
Optical & Mechanical Plant
(UOMZ) offering the l3SM1
sensor.
The PIRAIE, 'or passive infra-
red airborne tracking equipmentl
is a second-generation imaging
infra-red (IIR) system and has
been developed by the EuroFirst
consortium led by THALES
Optronics and Selex-Gaiileo.
PIRATE incorporates both a for-
rvard looking infra-red (FLIR) and
IRST capability. The system itself
utilises a highly sensitive IIR sen-
sor mounted to the port side of the
canopy. This sensor scans ac[oss
wavelengths from three micron to
ll miclon in tno bands. This
allorvs the detection of both the
hot exhaust plumes of turbofans
as rvell as sulface heating caused
by friction. By supercooling the
sensor even small variations in
temperatule can be detected at
long range. Although no definitive
ranges have been released an
upper limit of B0nm has been
hinted at, but a more tlpical figure
66 F0RCE lVlay 2009
rvould be 50nm. The use of pro-
cessing techniques further
enhances the output, giving a neal
high-resolution image of targets.
The actual output from the system
can be directed to any of the
multi-function head down
AX,ILCDs rr-rounted within a com-
bat airclaft's cockpit. Additionally,
the in.rage can be overlaid on both
the helmet-nrounted display sight
and heads-up display (HUD). The
IIR sensor is stabilised within its
mount so that it can maintain a
its field-of-view
target \vitllin
Pirate IRST; (FoV). Up to 200 targets can be
(below) ()SF IRSI;
(bottom)'l3SMl simultaneouslv tracked by the sys-
IRST
tem using one ol several different
modes: n-rultiple target track
(MTT), single target track (STT),
single target track identification
(STTI), sector acquisition and
slar,ed acquisition.
In NIll' mode the system lvill
scan a designated volume space
looking for potential targets. In
SfT rnode PIRATE rvill provide
high-precisior.r tracking of a sin-
gle designated target. An addition
to this rrode, STT Identification
allon's for r,isual identification of
the airborne target, the resolution
being superior to that provided
by the Caesal AESA. \ffhen in sec-
tor acquisition mode, the PIRATE
n'ill scan a volume of space undel
direction of another sensor such
as the Caesar. ln slave acquisition
the use ol ol'f-board sensors is
made, rvith the PIRATE being
commanded by data obtained
from an AEW & C platform, for
example. lVhen a target is found
in either of these modes PIRAIE
rvill automatically designate it
and srvitch to STT. Once a target
has been tracked and identified,
PIRATE can be used to cue a r,vith-
in-visual-range air-to-air missile,
i.e. a missile lvith a high off-bore-
sight tracking capability.
Additionally, the data can be used
to augment that of the Caesar or

off-board sensor informatioir obtainecl
from an integrated E\\- suite'. lltis tvill
aircrait to over-
er.rable the IRS'I'-equipped
come severe ECM enviror-rments ancl still
engage lts targets.
Nolthrop Grurnnau's .L\Q-:j2 Inrernal
FLIR targetting svstem (IF'IS), coupled nith
the APG-80 AESA, is currcntiv opcrational
on board the Lockhced \lartin-built lllock
60/62 F-t6E/F Dcsert Faclor.r \l-\lRCAs of
the United Arab Emirate s -\ir Force
(UAEAF). The IFTS incluclcs iL narigatior.t
FLIR sensor and a targeting Fl.lR both
mounted rvithin a single pocl. It allorrs the
aircraft to detect ar.rcl iclentifi' both ground
and airborne targets, even at r-right or in
adverse weather. The IFTS relie-s on the air'-
cralt fol its porver and cnlgenic cooling
requirements. \'\t-hile the targetting FLIR and
laser designator have been repackaged in a
pod, the u,ide-area nirvigation stabilised
FLIR sensor is housecl above the nosc. The
IFTS, hor,r,ever, ls r.rot beir.rg offered to h.rclia
for the F-l6IN M-MRCA. The OSE coupled
nith the TFIALES-developed RBE-2 AESA, is
mounted in front of the cockpit and consists
of tno optronic modules. The starboald
module has a long-u,ave (8-12 nricron) IIR
camera and is used for ailborne target
searcir and track. The range of the
IRSI
camera is believed to be up to
90km in ideal conditions. The
portside module carries a CCD TV
camela for dal,tirne target identiti-
cation. The system also includes a
laser rangefinder. The OSF suite
carries out search, target identifi-
cation, telemetry and automatic
target discrlmination and tlack-
ing. By cueing the OSF lvith the
tracks plovided by the RBE-2 or b-v
another aircraft via a secure oper-
ational data link, a pilot can easily
identify an agglessor lbrce :rt a gets or-lt to 40km. o
range of several tens of nautical miles. For
example, he can pick up three F/A-I8s
preparing to penetrate at 20,000 t'eet and
three additional F/A-1Bs protecting the fbr-
rner at 40,000 feet.
Saab D1'namlcs, on the other hand, is
offering the IR-OTIS in conibination rvith
both its Ericsson-built Nora .,\ESA and the
existing PS-o5/A mechanicallv scanneci air-
borne multi-mode radar'. 'I'he IR-OTIS has
been fligl.rt-tested since 2001, and is locateci
just in front of the aircraft canop\', slightlv
oflset to port and is about 20cm in dianreter.
The IR-OTIS'FOVnill be cued bv a hehret-
mounted display system (as rvill the radar).
It rvill also have an autonomous search pro-
gramne and tracking function. The infor-
mation will be storable for evaluatior-t ar-tcl
compalisor-r rvith radar inforrn:rtior-r in real-
time, and also as Video for later use.
Another novel IRSI'solution being pro-
posed comes from Lockheeci Nlartin, n'hich
has already been selected to supplv the IRST
sensor for the Boeir.rg F/A-IBE/F Block 2
Super Hornet. Ihe podded s_vstem n-ill pro-
vide passive detection and tracking of air--
borne targets at long-range. The long-rvave
IR sensol rvill be mounted in the nose of the
1,820 litre centreline fuel tank. Boeing and
lor Super Hornet
AAQ-32 lFtss
Lockheed Martin are co-developing a proof-
of-concept demonstrator. The IRSTs sub-
sYstems include a sensor head that houses a
three-a,xls inertially stabilised gimbal that
scans the optics aDd cletector assembly; a
COTS processor that hosts the algoritl.rms
and a l.righ-density digital recorder, and an
air-to-liquid heat exchanger (environrnental
control sub-system, or ECS). The US Navy
plans to buy 150 such lRSTs, rvith the system
scheduled to become opelational in 2072.
'Ihc IRS'I, n'hen coupled nith Raytheon's
APG-79 AESA, provides the F/A-1BE/F's
mission computer rvith track file data on all
targets rvhile simultaneously providing IIR
inragery to cockpit displa-vs. The IRST rvill
operate in either track-r,r,hile-scan or single
target track mode, r,vith cockpit selectable
hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) con-
tlolled scan volumes in azimuth and eleva-
tion. 'Ihe IRST ivill be mounted in the for-
n'ard section of the centreline fuel tank,
thereby ensuring that its FOV is ma.ximised.
UOMZ's 13SM1 (OLS-UEM) IRST, originally
developed for the MiG-35 and rvorking in
conjunction with the Phazotron lSC-built
Zhuk-AE AESA, has a l20-degree FOV in
azimuth, 55 degrees and - 15 degrees FOV in
elevation, has a detection range of28km in
the fbru'ard hemisphere and 70km
in the leal hemisphere, and has a
totai rveight of 60kg. UOMZ has
also developed the OLS-K pod-
mounted look-doll,n IRST that
combines a TV camera rvith an IIR
sensor and laser rangefindel/des-
ignator, all of ivhich are housed
r'-ithin a belly-mounted ll0kg-
pod. The OLS-K is thus a multi-
purpose IRST sensor that is used
for not onl_y ailborne target detec-
tion, but also lbr detection anci
engagement of ground-bascd tar-
May 2009 FORUE 67
The Sa ga Continues
The gouernment issues RFI for Aduanced Jet Trainer
r Aditi Bhan
it seemed the
arely five years ago,
requirement for advanced jet trainer
(AIT) by Indian Air Force (lAF) had
come to an end. The IAF settled for BAE
Systems' Hawk and the order comprised 66
AJTs along with an option for another 40.
But the induction phase wasn't as smooth
as expected. Problems regarding supply of
spares cropped up time and again. In fact,
the Air ChieftMSOfficell Marshal Fali
Homi Major, in an interviewwith FORCE in
October 2008, admitted the problems with
the Hawk programme but maintained that
they had been addressed. "There have
been a fer,v teething problems, in the
induction phase of the Hawk, but, I think,
that is to be expected. We have taken very
active steps in coordination with BAE sys-
tems and HAL, so as to overcome issues
affecting smooth operation. The supply of
spares and assistance of specialist teams
for rectification and maintenance has norv
been addressed." Things however, were not
as simple as that. For rvithin a ferv months,
the government issued fresh RFI for the
AJTs; with IAF reportedly deciding to do
arvay rvith the option of 40 add-ons.
The RFI, for the procurement of nearly
68 F0RCE May 2009
56 trainer jets, has been sent to five compa-
nies, namely, Korea's KAI (T-50s), the Czech
Republic's Aero Vodochody (1.-i59), Italy's
Alenia (M-346), Russia (YAK-130 variant of
the M346 joint project, or MiG AT) and sur-
prisingly, even to BAE for Harvk (but a more
advanced variant). The companies have
been asked to specily the characteristics of
the aircraft, delivery time and their budget.
Interestingly, some of these companies
lvere in the race last time (early this
decade) as rvell. In fact, Aero Vodochody is
believed to have caused a stir in the 2000s
with its entry. A neui entrant at that time, it
took everyone by surprise I'r,hen it rvas
reported as one of the serious contenders
in the AIT acquisition competition.
Meanrvhile, companies are gearing up
for the new competition. Korean Aerospace
Industries (KAI) which produces T-50, u'ill
submit its response through Lockheed
Maltin's Indian Business Development
office. According to Lockheed Martin, "The
T-50 Golden Eagle is the world's most
advanced jet trainer aircraft in service
today. It features a cockpit that is represen-
tative of the 4th Generation fighter aircraft
that its pilots are being trained to fly, as rvell
as flight performance l,vhich no other train-
er aircraft can match." The T-50 is market-
ed n orld-rvide by T-50 International (TFI),
the joint marketing team between
Lockheed lvlartin Corp. of the USA and KAI.
Alenia Aelmacchi, a Finmeccanica
Compar.rl', rvill be submitting its response
soon for its product M-346. According to
the companl', "I'he M-346 Master is the
oni1. nen' generation advanced/lead-in
fighter trainer currentll, available in
Europe. f'he aircraft is tailored to train
pilots to fl1' netv generation cornbat aircraft
and is nell suited for everv phase of
advanced and pre-operational training, to
reduce the flight ltours on the more expen-
sive aircraft. The aircraft embodies the lat-
est'design-to-cost' and'design-to-main-
tain' concepts, tvith avionics modelled
upon those of nen.generation military air-
craft such as Eurofighter, Gripen, Rafale, F-
16,F-22 and the future JSE"
Further, Alenia Aerntacchi has also signed
an agreement u.ith Bocing IDS as per rvhich
the trvo companies nill cooperate on mar-
keting, sales, training and product support
activlties in internaiional markets for the M-
346 next-generation adr.anced and lead-in
fighter trainer and the N1-31I basic-
advanced trainer, both designed and manu-
factured by r\lenia Aennaccl-ri.
Not to be left behind, BAE Systems has
also decidcd to take part in the competi-
tion. The conpan\,u.ill be responding to
the RFI but is unrvillingll, 16 disclose any-
thing further at present.
\Ieanrvhile, tire ntove is seen by many as
a positive step; given the lact that it lvill
not onlv provide IAF rvith trvo types of
trainers in its fleet but will also equip it
u'ith a more modern AI1, possibly the one
that matches rvell rvitl.r the fighters that
IAF hopes to buy in the near future. There
are honever, speculations that the acqui-
sition process for AIl's may get delayed
due to the ongoing medlum multi-role
combat aircraft (X,I-MRCA) competition as
IAF may rvisl.r to proceed lvith AITs only
after M-MRCA deal is done.
Earlier', the AJT competition took nearly
trvo decades before India finally zeroed-in
on BAE Systems' Hawk in 2004. It would be
interesting to see horv long it r,vill take this
time, belore Hawk gets its new companion
in lAF, o
Farther And Beyond
IAF'; ASS0-200 MRTTs will each be fitted with aduanced mission systems
he Indian Air Force (IAF) is n'ide1y
expected to become the fifth export
customer for the EADS/Airbus-bttilt
A330-200 multi-role tanker transport
(MRTT) aircraft when, later this vear, the
ministry of defence (MoD) is expected to
ink a contract with EADS for procuring an
initial six such aircraft (against a projected
requirement for 24 such plattbrn.rs).
Deliveries will begin in2012. The A330-200
MRTT has, since 2004, been ordered for the
air forces of Australia, Saudi Arabia, the UK
and the United Arab Emirates. The \loD
has issued a global request for proposals
(RFP) for the initial six aircratt in mid-2007
to which EADS/Airbus Nlilitarl' Aircraft,
Israel Aerospace Industries' Bedek Ariation
Division (offering the 8.767-200 BD\lRTT)'
FRL S00E Mark 328 reluelling P!
and Russia's Rosoboronexport State
Corp/United Aircraft Corp consortium
(offering the IL-7BMKI-90) responded.
Although the IAF's Agra-based NoTB
Squadron already operates six 78\1KI-90s
delivered earlier by Uzbekistan's fashkent
Aircraft Production Organisation (TAPO),
what tilted the balance decisivelv in lavour
of the 4330-200 MRTT tvas the on-going
and still unresolved spat betiveen TAPO
and the RosoboronexPort State
Corp/United Aircraft Corp consortium
regarding Russia's demand that final
assembly of the IL-78 take Place at
Voronezh instead of Tashkent. 43 tonnes of cargo. The cockpit's electronic The IAB in addition to the six existing
The IAF's 4330-200 MRITs n'ill each be flight information system will have six large IL-78-90 aerial refueling tankers, also has
fitted with advanced mission sYstems, interchangable AMLCDs rvith dupiicated procured six COBHAM Group-built Type
including real-time data-link, military primary flight and navigation displays and 754 buddy-buddy aerial refuelling pods
communications and navigation suites, electronic centralised aircraft monitors' for its Su-30MKIs. The pod has a fuel-flow
and an electronic warfare self-protection The pilot and co-pilot positions rvill have rate of 1,552 litres per minute and has a
system for protection against threats from sidestick controllers and rudder pedals' hose trail length of 75 feet. It is now being
surface-to-air missiles. The primary on- The aircraft will also be equipped with an proposed for the Indian Navy's soon-to-
board mission suite will comprise trvo Airbus future navigation system (FANS-A), arrive MiG-29K carrier-based medium
underwing-mounted and one fuselage- including a Honelnvell flight management multi-role combat aircraft. COBHAM has
mounted (centreline underbelly) COBHAM system and Smiths digital control and dis- also supplied its telescopic and actuated
Group-built FRL 900E Mk 328 aerial refu- play system. The fly-by-wire flight control probes for the IAF's upgraded Jaguar IMs
elling pods. The cockpit will have a refu- computer suite will include three flight and IS interdictor/strike aircraft, as well as
elling officer's station behind the pilot and control primary computers and two flight on the Nar,y's Sea upgraded Harrier FRS
co-pilot seats. The lower deck cargo com- control secondary computers, all operating Mksl V/STOL carrier-based light multi-
partment will be able to hold six 88-inch x continuously. It has yet to be decided role combat aircraft. COBHAM is also
108-inch NATO-standard pallets plus two which powerplant will be selected by the expected in future to supply telescopic
LD-3 cargo containers. The aircraft will IAF for the ,{330-200 MRTTs. On offer are and actuated probes for a fetv of the Harvk
have a maximum fuel capacity of 139,090 Rolls-Royce's Trent 7728 turbofan rated at Mkl32 lead-in fighter-trainers belonging
litres or 111 tonnes. Even with a full fuel 71,1001b thrust, and GE's CF6-B0El to the IAF. o
load, the aircraft has the capacity to carry engines, rated at 72,0001b thrust. Prasun K. Sengupta

May 2009 F0RCE 53


?ffi
Naveed Hussain, Dinesh Keskar, John Tracy and T. Ramasami
Boeing 0pens lndia Research & Technology Centre
Boeing opened its Boeing Research & Technology-India centre at
Bangalore recently. As per the company, the centre r'vill help it sus-
tain its competitive technological edge rvhile enhancing India's
aerospace capabilities.'Ihis centre lvill carry otlt collaboration rvith
Indian R&D organisations, including government agencies and
private sector R&D providers, universities, and other companies.
"Boeing is partnering with the best researchers around the world
to find the best technology solutions for our customers, and rve
look forrvard to working with our partners here in India on some
promising new technologies," said Jol.rn Tracy, Boeing chief tech-
nology officer and senior vice president, Engineering, Operations
and Technology. This is Boeing's third advanced research centre
outside the U.S., the others being in Europe and Australia. The cen-
tre will coordinate the work of more than 1,500 technologists,
including 100 advanced technology researchers, from across India.
"Boeing is defined by its technological edge," said Dinesh Keskar,
president, Boeing India. "Working r'vith India's technology leaders
helps Boeing assimilate nerv ideas and innovative plocesses into
our products and programmes. This also is good for India because
it helps grow the capabilities of the Indian R&D community to
meet the emerging needs in country."
HAL hands over first rear fuselage to lAl
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) handed over the first rear
fuselage for the Gulfstream (G-150) aircraft to Israel Aircraft
Industries (IAI). Gulfstream (G- 150) is a business executive aircraft
buitt in Islael and transported to the United States for further fur-
nishing. Ihe G-150 is marketed the rvorld over by the US-based
Gulfstream Corporation. "With the G-150 fuselage delivery, HAL
has norv entered a fairly advanced manufacturing level of building
major structural assemblies for global players in the civil sector.
The G-150 project augurs well not only for HAL, but also for the
national objective of producing a civil aircraft of international
standards," said Ashok Nayak, chairman, HAL.
"The G-150 programme has given us huge confidence in taking
up bigger challenges. We are norv looking forward to the G-250 pro-
gramme and we have made our strong presence felt in the bidding
process. HAL-IAI has a time-tested partnership and rve are here to
capitalise on the vast potential in the business jet market," said
Na-vak. "We have seen closely HALs capabilities in handling nerv
technologies and ner,v IT processes. For us the Gulfstream fuselage
is a perfect example of synergy and quality," said Shlomi Karako of
70 F0RCE l\4ay 2009
lAI. FIAL has a seven-year schedule to deliver 200 fuselage ship-
sets to Israel.
DGNS Expertise to Counter Piracy
DCNS preser.rted its key ploducts fol countering piracy and secur-
ing sea lanes at the Naval Security and Offshore Patrol Vessels
Middle East 2009 conference, held recently at Abu Dhabi, in the
United Arab Emirates. DCNS presented the Gowind(l) family of
OPVs and corvettes. The companl, claims that the Golvind(r) OPVs
and coruettes combine innovations to optimise ship-based naval,
commando and coast guard operations, including the covert
deployment of fast commando boats in less than five minutes,
optimisation of helicopter and lJ,W (unmanned aerial vehicle)
operations, dedicated mlssion planning area and inherent flexibil-
ity. The company claims tl.rat tl.re Gou'ir.rd(r) tamily has an advan-
tage of DCNS's IT ancl command information systems, including
the Matrics(r) Maritime Traffic Intelligence and Control of the Sea
system. Matrics(r) ladicallf improves maritime surveillance bt'
automatically detecting suspicious behaviour b), ships and craft
using netwolked vessels and shore-based control centres. The
company claims that Gowind (r) fan"rilr' of'ter nar.ies state - of-the- art
ffi=i$1===---
.:€:
-.
resources in meeting emerging mission requirements from count-
er-piracy to sea control and denial. It turther adds that these sur-
face combatants are ideal for counter-terrorism, drug interdiction
and anti-smuggling operatiorrs, protectior-r of oil and gas plat-
forms, sealch and rescue, fisl-reries and etrvironmental policing
and humanitarian support.
AWl39 Enters Service with Sky Shuttle Helicopters
AgustaWestland recentlv announced that the first tlvo AWl39 medi-
um trvin helicopters ouned br- Sh'Shuttle Helicopters Limited of
Hong Kong have entered operational service. The event marks the
start of the second stage of Skt' Shuttles expansion project which
includes the introdLrction of lour more A\V139 helicopters as well as
the building of a helipad. The i2 seat-configured AWl39 helicopters
rvill be used to provide helicopter shuttle fliglrts betrveen Hong
Kong, Macau and Sherrzhen. Statc-of-the-art technology, outstand-
ing performance, lou, operating costs and the only helicopter in its
class to meet the latest safety standards are some of the benefits of
AWl39 listed by the company Over 430 AWl39 helicopters have norv
been ordered by ovel 100 customers in more than 40 countries. The
helicopters are meant to perform tasks like MP/ corporate transport,
passenger shuttle services, offshore transport, EMS/SAR, lar'v
enforcement, fire fighting and troop transport with civil operators,
government agencies and military customers. Sky Shuttle
 I
Ashok Nayak is Now HA[s Chairman
Ashok Nayak is the new chairman of FIAL. He succeeds Ashok K'
Baweja, who retired on 31 March 2009. Prior to this, Nayak was
the managing director of FIALs Bangalore Division. After taking
charge, Nayak said, "With the offset opportuniry and massive
new programmes coming up, HAL must find ways and means to
capture all these opportunities for a safe and secure future. We
have made an impact in the international market and rn'ill now
have to focus on our exports further to stay ahead in the race'"
Nayak, a mechanical engineer, joined
HAL as a management trainee in 1973.
ln a professional career spanning over
three decades, he has held keY Posi-
tions in the fields of manufacturing,
Helicopters is one of the rvorld's leading helicopter operators and qualiry assurance, production, plan-
ciaims to be the sole commercial helicopter operator between Hong ning, customer services and export. At
Kong, Macau and Shenzhen. Todal', SIs'Shuttle Helicopters operates the engine division in Bangalore
more than 60 helicopter flights per dalt (1986-i998), he headed Production
engineering and led the assembling,
Eurofighter Delivered to ltalY overhaul and repair of engines like Artouste, Garrett, Dart,
Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, has delivered six Orpheus, Gnome, Adour and the Avon series. As the general
Eurofighter Tl,phoon Tranche 2 production aircraft to the Italian manager of Aerospace Division in2004, he gave a major thrust
Air Force. The first Italian l'2 aircraft i.r'as delivered in November to the manufacturing of GSLV Mk. III structural assemblies and
2008. According to the compan\', the Eurofighter \phoon r'vas tankages. In 2006, he took over as the general manager of
designed as the world's most advanced nerv-generation swing-role Aircraft Dir.ision at Bangalore Complex and gave a filiip to con-
current engineering and upgrade ofJaguar aircraft. During this
period, he also established a sound manufacturing base for the
production of the pilot-less target aircraft, apart from providing
impetus to the Haivk and IIT projects. He was elevated as the
managing director of the Bangalore division (that is, leading
seven divisions of the company) in Iuly 2007.o

Rheinmetall wins Bundeswehr Ammuniti0n 0rder

The German Bundesu'ehr has arvarded
Euros 63 million contract for artillery
ammunition to the Diisseldorf-based
Rheinmetall Group. The order to be
completed by 2014, encomPasses
30,000 rounds of high exPlosive
155n.rm ammunition, tYPe DM 121.
combat aircraft and is in operation in 10 air force bases across DNI 12I has a range of over 30km (with
Europe. With 620 aircraft ordered for the ibur nations plus 15 for maximum charge load) and possesses
Austria and 72 for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 707 aircraft are an ability to penetrate bunkers. The
presently undeI contracl. company is hopeful that the product
rvill be received well by a number of
New CE() of BAeHAL Software Ltd. nations, particularly those lvhose
Krishnan Tinnaneri is the new CEO of BAeHAL Software Ltd. He artillery forces use 155mm 39-152 cal'
took over from Dr C. Subramaniam who retired on 3I March 2009. artillery systems, and especially users
Prior to joining BAeFIAL Software Ltd., Tinnaneri was senior direc- of PzH 2000 and M109 self-propelled
tor in Siemens IT Solutions and Services Inc. US, and was respon- howitzers and Rheinmetall's RWG-52
sible for airport and aviation systems. Tinnaneri has also been the wheeled horvitzer.
programme director for the IT and communication systems proj-
ects for the Bangalore International Airport and Hyderabad Eurolighter Completes 10,000 Flight Hours
International Airport, executed by Siemens Information Systems The Italian Air Force's pilots have surpassed 10'000 flight hours on
Ltd in India. BAeHAL is a joint venture company between the Eurofighter Typhoon, the new-generation defence aircraft in
Hindustan Aelonautics Ltd., India and BAE Systems, UK. BAeFIAL service rvith tr'vo squadrons in Italy. The airclaft is used in missions
operates in the field of IT and IT enabled services in India and of air police and quick-reaction alert for the airspace control'
abroad since 1993. Besides ltaly, four other nations, namely, German\', United

May 2009 F0RCE 7l

Kingdom, Spain and Austria are flying Typhoon, thereby taking the
number of flying hours to 50,000. The company is hopeful of deliv-
ering the first Typhoon to the Saudi Arabian Air Force, Eurofighter's
first non-European customer, by the end of the year. Saudi Arabia
has ordered aboutT2 aircraft.
0rder Placed for lhird BPC by France
As part of the French government's recovery plan, STX France and
DCNS have been awarded the contract to build the French Nary's
third Projection and Command Vessel (BPC). lVork on the third
BPC has already begun. The first two BPCs, Mistral and Tonnere,
built by DCNS and Chantiers de I'Atlantique, were delivered in
2006 and 2007. STX France, the prime contractor for the project,
will build the platform and fit out the ship, rvhile DCNS, its co-con-
tractor, will produce its combat system. Due to the extremely tight
economic constraints that characterise this project, the ship will be
built solely on the Saint-Nazaire site. 199 nretres in length, with a
displacement of 21,000 tons and a speed of l9 knots, the BPCs are
distinguished by their large carrying capacity: 450 troops, 16
hear,y-lift helicopters, 2 hovercraft, 4 LCMs (landing craft) or a
third of a mechanised regiment (1,000 tons), r,vhich they are able to
deploy worldwide. They are equipped with electric pod propulsion
and their high level of automation enables the size of their crew to
be reduced to 160. They also boast an on-board hospital for large-
scale humanitarian missions. Their particularly advanced commu-
nications system, 3D surveillance radar and combat management
system (Senit 9) make them ideal platforms for commanding a
naval task force.
AMRAAM Fired lrom Eurofighter Typhoon
AMRAAM was recently successfully test-fired at Moron Air base in
Southern Spain. The trial was the result of close cooperation
between the Spanish and British Flight Test Centres of EADS CASA
and BAE Systems, under guidance of Eurofighter GmbH, using
Eurofighter \phoons IPA4 and IPA5 - Spanish and British aircraft
respectively. The objective of the testing was to fire the AMRAAM
missile from a Eurofighter \phoon rvhilst its radar was in passive
mode and thus invisible for Electronic Support Measures (ESM)
Systems. The necessary target data for the missile rvas acquired by
the radar of a second Eurofighter Typhoon and transmitted using
the Multi Functional Information Distribution System (MIDS).
This scenario is especially relevant for Eurofighter Typhoon's
BeyondVisual Range (B\rR) air combat capability against high level
threats, including Low Observable aircraft.
Spain's IPA4 led the trial as the'firer', while IPAS as the'co-oper-
ator' iliuminated the target with its radar active. Thls trial is the first
missile firing that Spain has participated in as part of the
Eurofighter Typhoon programme, building on their previous flight
test rvork lvhlch includes meteor environmental testing and air-to-
ground weapon trials. The complex test r,vas meticulously planned
over several months and involved a large team of experts from
across all partner nations as well as the US, r,vhich provided sup-
port fbr the exercise.
FB Heliservices Takes Delivery 0f AWl39 Helicopter
FB Heliservices recently took delivery of its first AWl39 medium
twin helicopter at AgustaWestland's Vergiate plant in Italy. This air-
craft will be used to provide search and rescue training for
AgustaWestland export customers and it r'vill be operated from RAF
Valley inWales where FB Heliservices already perform SAR training
72 F()RCE May 2009
for the UK military services. FB Hellservices signed a contract for
two AWl39 helicopters in 2008. The second aircraft is expected to
be delivered next month. The AWl39 is equipped for SAR opera-
tions over both land and \vater and lncludes a rescue hoist, search
radar, FLIR camera, cabin rnission console, emergency flotation
system, life-rafts, comprehensive communications system and a
NVG compatible cockpit.
AW139 SAR customers include the UK Maritime Coastguard
Agency, Spanish Marine Safeh'Agenct' (Sesamar), Japanese Coast
Guard, Australian Queensland Government, Italian company
Airgreen, Italian Civil Protection Agenc)/ and Coast Guard, Irish Air
Corps, Korean Coast Guard, trlalaysian Maritime Enforcement
Agency and government agencies in the UAE, Oman, Estonia and
Cyprus. Nearly 430 medium-t$.in helicopters have been ordered by
more than 100 commercial and government customers in over 40
countries. FB Heliserr.ices is a joint rrenture company between
Cobham Air Services and Briston'Helicopters Ltd that specialise in
helicoptels and associated services to military and government
markets. FB Heliservices operate over' 60 helicopters and have
operations in the UK, Belize, Brunei, Clprus and the Middle East.
DCNS to supply heat exchangers to China
DCNS has signed a contract rvith China Nuclear Power
Engineering Co. Ltd. (C\PEC) to supply l4 heat exchangers for two
latest-generation EPR-tvpe nuclear power-plants in China. The
heat exchangers u,ill be produced at DCNS's Nantes-Indret facility,
in collaboration rr.ith the Cherbourg shipyard. Deliveries lvilt begin
in 2010 and are scheduled for compietion by 20I l. This deal is the
latest in a series of contracts that DCNS has won in the civil nuclear
sector. Others ir-rclude production of reactor vessel internals and
two aillocks for the EPR (European Pressurised Reactor) power sta-
tion at Flamanville in France and a mock-up of the vacuum cham-
ber for the experimental ITER reactor under construction at
Cadarache, France. DCNS is also working with a number of com-
panies in this sector, such as, Alstom, Areva, EDE French atomic
energy commission CEA and now CNPEC, part of China
Guangdong Nuclear Power Group (CGNPC), which operates
numelous nuclear plants.
Million 0perational Hours for Litening Targeting System
Northrop Grumman Corporation's Litening precision targeting
and sensor systems, currently deployed with US and allied force,
have achieved over one million operational hours. "Litening has
pioneered such advanced targeting technologies as precisely
aligned and stable sensors, coordinated air-to-ground and air-to-

air capabilities through laser spot search and track and laser mark-
dutu links for coordinated air-ground attack and J-series
"rr,
weapons employment capabilities, and we continue to refine our
system today as proven by the cutting-edge Litening G4," said Mike
Lennon, vice president of Targeting and Surveillance Programmes
at Northrop Grumman's Defensive Systems Division' Since its
introduction in 1999, the Litening system has undergone four spi-
ral upgrades to ensure continued combat relevance in an ever-
changing battlespace. Litening G4 is the next step in the evolution
of the Litening family and applies the latest in sensor technology
for target detection, recognition and identification ranges' The
Litening G4 pod includes an adl'anced Ik forrvard-looking infrared
sensor, a I024x1024 pixel charge-coupled device (lk CCD), laser
target imaging, advanced high porver laser and advanced next-
generation data links. Deliveries of the Litening G4 system will
begin in mid-2009.
PSP Enters 0perational Service
EADS Defence & Securiq' (DS) and Thales have completed deploy-
ment operations leading to the ent{'into operational service of the
initial version of the Paris Strategl' Centre (PSP) Information and
Communication Svstem. The deplorrnent concerns the Armed
Forces Headquarters (E\lA) and the ivlilitary Intelligence
Directorate (DRM). This initial version n'as completed under a
New C-l30J Super Hercules Delivered to USAFE
The first of 14 nerv Lockheed Martin c-130I Super Hercules aircraft
that will be permanently based at Ramstein Air Base, were recently
delivered to the US Air Force' The new aircraft will support the
Ramstein-based 37th Airlift Squadron, B6th Airlift Wing that has
been flying C-130Es. These aircraft have the longer C-130I-30 con-
figurati,on, which is now the standard for recapitalising the US Air
FJrces in Europe (USAFE) and many other air forces around the
rvorld.TenC-I30JswillbedeliveredtoRamsteinthisyear,withfour
more scheduled for delivery in 2010. "The c- l30I is a proven aircraft
that can meet the airlift needs of many, many countries' The greater
range and cargo capacity of the C-130J provide a much-needed
.uputitity to USAFE," said Ross Rel'nolds, Lockheed Martins vice
president for C-130 programmes. C-1301s are engaged in high-
t.-po op.tutions in multiple combat theatres and are routinely
depioyed in support of both peacekeeping and humanitarian mis-
sions. The air-lifter has been selected by 10 nations, with 173 aircraft
delivered to date. The c-130J is a flexible, multi-mission aircraft and
has accumulated over 500,000 flight hours.
EADS DS to Modernise AC ldentification Systems
EADS DS has bagged a contract to modernise the identification
systems of the Bulgarian armed forces. The modernisation will
help in avoiding friendly fire and increase air traffic security'
Defence Electronics (DE), an integrated activity of DS, has been
awarded this contract, worth 14m euros, by the Bulgarian compa-
ny Promaxgg and includes the delivery of new technology identifi-
cation (Identification Friend or Foe or IFF) systems' The MSSR

contract, the Complete Restructuring of the information and

Communication Systems of the Paris Strategy Centre (OE SIC PSP),
worth about 70 million euros, and was awarded to EADS DS'
Thales and their partners, INEO and Cegelec in October 2006' It
covers a programme involving the complete re-modelling of the
information and communication systems of the French High
Command at the Paris Strategy Centre. The programme is to be
completed within six years with a possible extension of five years
for maintenance.
At present, the PSP system is deployed in its initial version at
the Ilot Saint-Germain (ISG) in Paris and at the DRM in Creil, and
is available for over 2,000 users. The new system offers a network
architecture that can be easily reconfigured and ensures that the
Paris Strategy Centre command centre has an initial capability
level designed for collaborative work with a modernised and
attractive information system working in synergy with the exist-
ing system. The second version of the new system rvill offer a uni-
fied, open EMA-DRM command centre capable of implementing
a potiiy designed to promote information flow and operational
effectiveness.
May 2009 FORCE 73
 (Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar) 2000 I systems can be
used for air traffic control and can be integrated in Ground and
Naval platforms. As per the company, identification systems
exchange data automatically such as origin, course, speed etc.,
thus enabling precise identification of the object. This data
exchange is based upon encrypted signals which, it says, can nei-
ther be analysed nor jammed by l.rostlle forces. This, together with
the information supplied by other sources, helps in rnonitoring the
crisis regions. This way, accidental attacks on one's own or allied
forces can be avoided, especially during multinational operations.
"Due to the increasing complexity of combat situations and sce-
narios, identification is today an existential matter during all mili-
tary operations," explained Bernd Wenzler, CEO, DE. 'And thanks
to these equipments, Bulgaria will be able to actively participate in
future NATO operations." DE has delivered many IFF systems to
several NATO nations for ground and naval applications. For
example, the MSSR 2000 I interrogator is deployed on German
naval vessels and by the naval forces of France, Norrvay and
Finland for the military friend-or-foe identification (IFF).
Furthermore, EADS Defence & Security is also active in the field of
civil air traffic control. DE's identification systems are used for air
traffic control in countries such as Portugal and the Philippines.
Rheinmetall equips Canadian frigates rllith MASS
Rheinmetall Defence has bagged a contract from public works and
government services, Canada to equip the Canadian Nai,y's
Halifax-class frigates with the MASS (Multi Ammunition Softkill
System) naval countermeasures system. As part of Project Shield
under Canada's FELEX frigate modernisation programme, a total
HffiHHffi,.. "
of l2 frigates will be equipped lvith MASS. Deliveries rvill take place
during the 2010-2014. Rheinmetall Defence's ship protection spe-
cialists based in Fronau, Germany is the prime contractor and'"vill
work rvith Rheinmetall Canada Inc. Since its market launch in
2002, MASS has received orders from nine nations for a total of 130
launchers for 15 different classes ofnaval vessels. The system pro-
tects patrol boats, mine hunters, corvettes, and frigates.
Sikorsky S-76C+ + Flies into lndia
SikorskyAircraft Corp. has delivered its first S-76C++(tm) helicop-
ter to an Indian corpolate house. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United
Technologies Corp. The helicopter has been delivered in a VMP
configuration. The company is scheduled to deliver two moreVMP
helicopters in India by the end ofApril 2009. The three deliveries
are meant for three separate customers. The S-76C++ helicopter
74 F0RCE May 2009
has gained a rvorldwide reputation for delivering fast, comfortable
and reliable executive transportation. AVM AJS Walia (retd), man-
aging directot', India and South Asia, Sikorsky Aircraft, said, "We are
glad to announce our re-entry into the Indian skies rvith the deliv-
ery of the first S-76C++ WIP helicopter. This delivery takes us to
the next stage of our engagement rvith the country and reinforces
our intentions to\vard India, rvhich holds very high significance in
our global expansion plans as an aerospace hub centre for the
entire South Asia market."
The S-76C++ helicopter is tire latest production model in the
company's highly successful S-76 helicopter line, which includes
more than 700 aircraft that have accumulated more than five mil-
lion fleet flight hours rvorldn.ide. l'he S-76C++ delivers a compre-
hensive package of improvernents, including more powerful
engines, important safett'features, a lnore comfor-table cabin envi-
ronment and a health and usage monitoring system that records
operational data for maintenance analr.sis. In addition to executive
transport, S-76C++ helicopters are instrumental ln supporting off-
shore oil projects in various terrains including the South China Sea
and Bohai Bay.
PW4000 AdvantageT0(tm) Takes Flight
Pratt & \Aihitney's PW4000 .\dvantage70 engine has successfully
completed its first flight aboard an Air Comet A330-200 in
Toulouse, France. The AdvantageT0 tlight marks the beginning of a
flight test programme. The first P\\-{000-100 engines with the
AdvantageT0 technology r.rpgrade, each of rvhlch delivers 70,000
pounds of thrust for the A330 aircraft fanill', are scheduled to enter
service in mid-2009. Pratt & \\hirnev is a United Technologies
Corp. company. "This is an erciiing progralnme milestone that
brings us one step closer to enrrv into service," said Andrew
Tanner, vice president, Product Line \lanagement. "Norv more
than ever, products like Adlar-rtage7O deliver value to our cus-
tomers by improving performance trltile lotvering operating costs."
AdvantageT0 techr.rologl. upgrades deliver enhanced engine per-
formance, including t\\.o per cent thrust increase, one per cent
reduction in fuel consumption, increased durabiliry and reduced
maintenance costs. The A330-200 and A330-300 passenger aircraft
lvill be the first to fl1'P\\i4000-100" engines rvith AdvantageT0 in
mid-2009 on Air Comet and Air Caraibes respectively.
Thales-BAE Partnership for Submarines
Thales UK's naval business has signed a submarine performance
Partnering Arrangenent (PPA) u'ith BAE Systems. As per the
arrangement, the trvo companies rvill cooperate on future subma-
rine programmes. Under the PPA, Thales n ill be the pleferred con-
tractol'for submaline sonar rvork and rvill provide sonar function-
al integration services to BAE S).stems. Thales rvill also continue to
be a key contributor to the combat s)/stem Design Evolution Team
managed by BAE Svstems on behalf of the UK ministry of defence.
Ed Loi've, managing dilector of Tl.rales UK's naval business, said,
"This agreement is a vely positive factor in the ongoing and close
rvorking rvith BAE Systems. It underpins the two companies' long-
term relationship and is significant for Thales's underwater sys-
tems business in the global maritime defence market." Ion Sayer,
director, Combat Systems and Support, BAE Systems, said, "The
performance of UK sonar technology, and of Sonar 2026 in partic-
ular, is rvorld-leading. BAE Systems are very pleased to enter into
this agreement to sustain the supply of this capabiliry into the sub-
marines rve design and build, today and in the future." o

Hero's Tale
The authorised biography
of Marshal of the Air
released by
ACM EH. Major
rVidhi Upadhyay
ecording and studf ing nritten histon'
has never been the strength of Indians.
Instead, people thrite on oral histon',
which travels from generation to genera-
tion. This, according Air Cmde Iasjit Singh,
is what compelled him urite 'The lcon', an
authorised biography of tl.re \larshal of the
Air Force Arjan Singh, DFC. The retired
Indian Air Force officer and the recipient of
the gallantry awardVrC, Jasjit Singh, \ranted
to write this book 25 t'ears ago, but the
Marshal of the Air refused. Perhaps, he felt
the time was not right. Just as rvell. The book
was finally released on April 15 br- Chiel of
Air Staff Air Marshal Fali Homi \lajor on
Arjan Singhs 91st birthdar: Fittingit-, among
the audience rvere the Chairman Chiefs of
Staff and the Chief of Naval staff, Admiral
Sureesh Mehta and Chief of Armv Stafi
General Deepak Kapoor ivith their n'ives.
Also present was NIrs Teji Arjan Singh, visi-
bly proud of the long distance she had trav-
elled with her husband Arjan Singh.
Addressing the gathering, Air Chief
Marshal Major recalled that horv4l years
ago, when Arjan Singh had pinned the
badge of the helicopter pilot on his chest, he
had no idea that one day he rvould be releas-
ing the biography of the same person. The
air chief said that there must be something
magical and mystical in the North West
Frontier Provinces of Pakistan and srvampy
Burmese border that they have given the IAF
its only Marshal of the Air and army, two
Field Marshals. In his praise for the book,
the ACM Major said that Icon telis a story
about a neglected period of country's histo-
ry and gives a fresh perspective into the
events, renewing the pride in IAF. He also
appreciated the literary and factual finesse
of the book saying that the book tells a story
that needs to be told and told well including
some hard-hitting cold truths that depict
the tension of the times objectively. Praising
the magnanimity of the man, ACM Major
usilsllrns I
mentioned the independent trust that
Marshal of the Air Arjan Singh had created
in 2004, from which he has spent Rs nvo
crore for the welfare of the needl' veterans
and their families.
The 342-page book, according to the
author, is not iust a personalised biogra-
phy, but the story of the IAF as u'ell, as it
captures the 30 years that Arjan Singh nas
in service. The book includes the crucial
period of the 1965 war, and seeks to lay to
rest a lot of false propaganda circulated by
Pakistan Air Force and negligence on our
part. It documents a few mistakes made by
individuals during the war. The book sheds
light on a few key aspects, one of which in
the words of the author is: 'Air support to
Iand forces has been the religion of the IAF
since World War I and that is where we dif-
fer from the rest of the world. However, the
world is learning in the last 20 years that air
dominance is critical for land forces."
Speaking on a lighter note on the joint-
ness of the three services, which has been
spoken of at length in the book, Singh said,
"Through the course, we have seen excel-
Ient jointness in the three services till we
came down to the budget." The most con-
tentious issue in the book is the 1965 war.
The book studies in minute details the cir-
cumstances preceding the war, under what
political strain was it fought, the decisions
that were taken, what was to be told and
what was to be held back.
Marshal of the Air, Arjan Singh, who
'U =.-l'-+w
\*",, €+*u
clearly looked humbled at the occasion,
recalled how Air Cmde jasjit Singh had
expressed his desire to write this biography
25 years ago and the Marshal had refused.
"...but after retirement we all tend to get a
little soft and weak kneed, so when he
asked me again, I submitted fairly neatly. I
u'ish he was more critical. It is a historical
book and I am glad you will be able to read
about the heroes of lAF", he added.
Through a long discourse of 15-20 min-
utes, the Marshai of the Air travelled
through time recalling his colleagues, the
heroes ofthe IAF and a few anecdotes keep-
ing the audience enthralled. Recounting the
glorious days when he commanded the No
I squadron of the IAI, he said that the
squadron was not just number 1 for name-
sake, but also in reality, as it always com-
pleted the operation assigned to it fighting
like wounded tigers. He also recalled how
his pilots countered the supersonics of the
Pakistan Air force in 1965 bravely, since IAF
didn't have such fighters at that time. He
subsequently advised the air force to get
good equipment for the force to keep their
morale up. o
Trrn lcox: Mlnstt,,rt. ot,AtR FoRce Ant,rs
Srxcrr, DFC
An Authorised Biography
Air Commodore Jasjit Singh AVSM, VrC,
VSM (retd)
Knowledge World Publishers Ltd,
pg 336, Rs BB0
May 2009 F()RCE 75
 Lone Ranger
Sajad Lone's entry into poII fray marks a new chapter for Kashmir
r Fayaz Wani
fter a brief success last year on account
of the Amarnath land row the
Separatists in Kashmir are in disarray
and seem to be loosing their ground this
year. \.4/hile Separatist leader and chairman
of People's Conference Sajad Lone has
decided to contest the parliamentary elec-
tions, the moderate faction of Hurriyat
Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq
will not campaign against the polls.
Springing a surprise on Aprii ll, Lone,
son of slain Hurriyat Conference leader
Abdul Gani Lone, announced his decision
to contest in the Lok Sabha elections from
the from Baramulla-Kupwara seat. His
entry into the arena will make the contest
triangular in the constituency, where
National Conference stalrvart Mohammad
Sharif Shariq and former minister and
Peoples Democratic Parfy's senior leader
Dilawar NIir are already in the fray.
Lone, whose brother Bilal Lone is a burning their effigies.
member of the moderate faction of
Hurriyat Conference said, "My decision to
contest the Parliamentary elections is nei-
ther a blow to Separatism nor a victory for
Indian democracy. I stand by every word,
comma and full stop I have said about the
resolution of Kashmir issue. I will prefer
death to representing India in Kashmir".
Justifiing his decision to join the election
fray, the leader said that after Kashmiris did
not heed his boycott call during Assembly
elections, he was seeking representative
character by getting elected to Parliament.
'After several months of introspection in
the aftermath of the Assembly elections, I
finally came to the conclusion of taking
part in the elections", he added.
Stating that he was not breaking any
taboo nor diiuting his adherence to
Kashmiri cause, Sajad said, "The precedent
of resistance voices using representative
mechanisms of the contested systems in
conflict zones is not anything new. This
method has been used in Northern lreland,
Kosovo, Palestine and dozen other major
conflict zones across the world."
He further said it was not right to depict
his move to contest polls as a blow to
Separatism or a victory for Indian democ-
76 F0RCE May 2009
racy as 'Separatism is far bigger... billion
times bigger than Sajad Lone. The senti-
ment of Separatism has been there since
1.947 and it is going to stay till Kashmir
issue is resolved as per the wishes and aspi-
ratlons of the people of Kashmir. It is also
not a victory for the Indian democracy as
only a resolution of Kashmir issue accord-
ing to the wishes and aspirations of people
will be such a victory."
Lone further said he was convinced of
being on the right path as it was the only
way to represent his people and take their
voice to the bigger platform of Parliament.
"Till now they (government of India) have
not been listening to us. NoW I want to go
there and tell them the ground realities and
impress upon them the need for resolution
of the Kashmir issue. I will be seeking votes
of the people so that there is a victim of
human rights violations in the Parliament
who can speak for them," he added.
In the past, Lone has been accused bv
Separatist leader, SyedAIi Shah Geelani of
fielding proxy candidates in 2002 and
2008 assembly elections. One of his so-
called proxy Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi, rvho
later became forest minister in the
Congress-PDP rule under Mufti
Mohammed Sayeed's regime was accom-
panied by Saiad Lone during a press con-
ference. His fielding proxy candidates had
led to divislon in the Hurriyat Conference
rvith Geelani parting ways and forming his
own Hurriyat Conference.
Noq adding twist to the story, the moder-
ate faction of Hurriyat Conference led by
Minvaiz Umar Farooq too is follorving the
'soft policy' torvards the elections. The con-
glomerate has decided not to campaign
against the polls. De-linking the elections
from the Kashmir issue, acting Hurriyat
chairman lvlaulana Abbas Ansari during the
meeting of executive and general council of
moderate conglomerate refrained from
launching anti-election campaign. Terming
elections as a non-issue, he said that he left
it to the people to decide rvhether to cast
votes or stay a\va\. from the process. Ansari,
a Shia leader, led the moderate faction of
Hurriyat Conference in absence of Mirwaiz
Umar Farooq, rvho u,as undergoing medical
treatment in Neiv Delhi.
The mainstream parties have welcomed
Lone's decision to jump into the election
fray and Hurrivat's decision not to cam-
paign against the elections. However, the
hardliners including Geelani have
expressed their anguish over the develop-
ments. There hat-e also been protests
against Sajad Lor-re and Abbas Ansari in
some pockets in dorvntor,vn with youth
Meanu'hile, political commentators see
Lone's joining poll fra.v as a rvin-win situa-
tion for Nen- Delhi. "They can now claim
that there is a change in mindset and
Separatists are joining the mainstream
camp," said a political commentator. The
coming of a Separatist leader in the poll
fral', according to them, will lend credibili-
ty to the elections and New Delhi can sell it
easilv to n orld communify.
Houer,er, there are voices being heard
suggesting that this decision to join the fray
is an indicator that Lone has got some con-
cessions from New Delhi. "He has taken
such a big decision and it must have been
taken after a lot of thought. May be, he has
been guaranteed a rvin by New Delhi," a
political science student of Kashmir
University said.
Meanwhile, after announcing his candi-
dature, Lone also said, "I will represent
Kashmir in India. I will be taking oath
under the Indian Constitution rvith a healy
heart as it is not easy to do what you do not
believe in." What remains to be seen here is
whether the Separatist leader can make it
to the corridors of Parliament House or
not. Will there be more surprises in the
coming days, only time will tell. .
Mulling over Media
Media is a necessity not a force multiplier
I Pravin Sawhney
edia as a force multiplier is an inter-
esting subject. hr the last decade,
there have beett tnant':etrtinars
within the armed forces on tl.ris subject, a
felv ofwhich I have attended. The debates
are always about horv to exploit or lnanage
the media as a force multiplier. Fen'have
questioned the basic premise rvhether
media indeed is a force multiplier for the
armed forces. I intend to start by question-
ing this basic premise.
I heard the phrase that'media is a force
multiplier for the army' for the first time
from the then army chief, General B.C.
Joshi in October 1993, when I rvas the
defence correspondent with the Indian
Express newspaper. A bit of a background
is needed to put this in context. Gen. Joshi
had in September 1993 ordered raisings of
nearly 45,000 RR troops for Jammu and
Kashmir in a record time of nine months
from lvithin army's own resources aftel the
Union home ministry refused to fund this
force meant for counter-insurgencY opera-
tions. In Februarl, 1994, Pakistan Prir.ne
Minister, Benazir Bhutto raised concerns
about Human Rights violations in J&K at
the United Nations Commission for
Human Rights in Geneva. Consequentll',
the Indian Army Headquarters in March
1994 established an Army Human Rights
cell. Gen. Joshi was toying r,vith the idea of
creating a Psy Ops division under the army
vice chief when he died in harness. Gen.
Joshi rvas the first service chief to grasp the
importance of Psy Ops and the utiliry of
media in combating CI ops. Since then, the
employment of the armed forces, defini-
tion of rvar and terms of combat engage-
ments have changed, and the media also
has acquired a drastic makeover. Holrrever,
to my mind, the armed forces continue to
believe that the media in 2008 is the same
as in 1994.
Tivo big changes have happened for the
armed forces in the last ferv years. First, the
Indian Nary and the Indian Air Force are
talking about strategic reach. This is so
especiaily after beginning 2005, rvhen the
united states said that it will help India
becorne a major power. Strategic reach
irnplies that the services' area of responsi-
bility and the area of interest have
increased manifold. This, of course, is a
nen'ballgame from the earlier times when
the air force spoke about itself as a tactical
air force, and the nar'1, kept its port calls at
Io"v visibility. Norv, strategic reach means
that the service should both acquire nerv
capabilities and they should be visible to
friends and foes as rvell. This is wi.rere the
media is required as the force multiplier.
To facilitate this transparency, the navy
and the air force headquarters have creat-
ed the posts of ACNS (FCI) andACS (Space
and Media) under trvo-star officers. In
addition to assisting their service public
relations officer rvho deals with the media
on a regular basis, these senior officers
interact r'vith the ministry of foreign affairs
to understand evolving relations n'ith
friendly countries. With such institution-
alised services' interaction, things shouid
have been smooth sailing. Unfortunateh',
they are not.
The reason is that the political leader-
May 2009 F0RCE 77
ship has shown little interest in under-
standing the role of military power and
military diplomacy in nation-building and
power projection. The armed forces are
outside the national security policy-mak-
ing loop, and despite integration rvith the
defence ministry, the service headquarters
are adjuncts of its core ministry. Thus, the
dilemma of the services is always how
much to share with the media, especially
the media which is always eager to com-
pare the Indian Naly and the Air Force with
those of major powers. This has led to
embarrassing instances where senior mili-
tary officers have spoken more than has
met the approval of bureaucrats in the
MoD and MEA. This, of course, is the small-
er problem.
The bigger problem is about the second
role of the armed forces when terrorism
has come to mainland India. With the
series of regular bomb blasts across the
country starting 2006 and especially after
26lll, the army and the na\y are very
much part of the security apparatus meant
to defeat this proliferating terrorism. The
naqr with the coast guard are responsible
for maritime security and the army as the
NSG component and as advisors to securi-
ty forces combating Naxalism are constant-
ly under medias radar screen. The air force
will also have a role in transportation of
security forces. Until no!\i, on mainland
India, the role of the three defence services
was limited to aid to civil power. Be it
floods, earthquake or any other natural
calamity, the defence services are always
required. Their role is uncontested and no
one in the government objects to their free-
wheeling interaction with the media.
However, things are not the same when it
comes to terrorism. Three ministries of
home, defence and external affairs as well
as the PMO get involved each time terror
strikes India's mainland. Considering that
New Delhi is still adjusting with this nerv
threat to national security, it will be long
before formalised structure and SOPs are
evolved to meet this new challenge. Thus,
this is the time for the three defence servic-
es headquarters to work in unison and seek
a say in combating terrorism in addition to
providing assets. \&/hat we witnessed dur-
ing 26lll attack when accusatory fingers
were pointed at the interaction of senior
naval officers with the media should not
happen. During such unfortunate tactical
level terrorist attacks that affect strategic
levels, the involved defence forces should
have formal clearance for directive style of
78 F0RCE May 2009
Even after 1 6 years of Gl ops,
the army lacks permission for
directive style of communica-
tion, and is apprehensive of
even sharing the good work
like 0p Sadbhavana that they
are doing in J&K
interaction with the media. 'vVhat this
means is that all officers present at the
spot, irrespective of their rank, should be
authorised to respond to media queries on
unfolding events. This is the lesson that
needs to be learnt from the I&K theatre
where the army has been combating CI ops
since 1993.
It is not my case to defend the army in
what they are doing in l&K. But, my case is
to say that they are doing an extremely dif-
ficult task with one hand tied behind their
backs. They worry about Human Rights
violations and the need for clearance from
the top for speaking with the media. The
terrorists have no such worries and hence
always score over the security forces in Psy
Ops, an essential element in combating CI
ops. Unfortunately, even after 16 years of
CI ops, the army involved in these opera-
tions lacks permission for directive style of
command, and is apprehensive of even
sharing the good work like Operation
Sadbhavana that they are doing in J&K
with the media for the fear of its being
labelled as propaganda.
Having spoken about the three defence
services'visible roles in national securiry
let us also look at the media in 2008. There
is the electronic media with little time for
details but with enormous instant reach.
This precipitates perception over reality.
This is not all. With so many mushrooming
news channels packed with youngsters, the
race amongst them is to break news even if
that means putting own security forces in
harm's way or at the cost of establishing
truth. We all sarv the 26l t 1 reporting r,vhere
most Indian channels were busy scoring
brol,rnie points showing which rvindorv
curtain on which floor of the Taj Mahal
hotel had caught fire. Seasoned interna-
tional channels like the BBC and CNN
devoted time to providing a larger picture
including government press releases say-
ing rvhat action r,vas being taken. Such
expansive reporting is helpful and reassur-
ing. \.Vhat most of our electronic channels
do is disturbing and harmful.
Now let's see the print media. Reporting
terlorists' attack is everyone's business and
thus many reporters who cover this know
little difference between various security
forces. Uppermost on most minds is how to
get their by-lined copy to the front page of
their nervspaper. The surest way to do this is
to report lvhat rvas rvrong rather than what
was right rvith the operations. \A/hat is a sin-
gle by-lined stor\,for a leporter puts enor-
mous pressure especially on the armed
forces which are ultra-sensitive to criticism.
Consequentll', on directions from the top,
the armed forces personnel clamp up com-
pletely. And this rvorks to their disadvan-
tage as reporters in any case have to pro-
duce another stor\- another day. The differ-
ence betr,veen print media reporting in J&K
and on terrorists attack on mainland India
is that the former is usually motivated, and
the latter ignorant and impulsive. Both do
not help the armed forces.
This brings me to r.nl, basic question
whether media is indeed a force multiplier.
This needs to be ansrvered against the
backdrop of the armed forces' traditional
roles, and the t\vo ne\\. ones that I have
spoken about, strategic reach and terror-
ism on mainland India. In the case of
strategic reach, until the armed forces
themselves knon', ideally in black and
white, what is expected of them, there will
always be dissonance betrveen what they
say and rvhat thev should say. The answer
thus lies ivith the political leadership,
which needs to give clear directives to the
defence serrices. \\Iithout going into the
debate on the need for a CDS, suffice is to
say that major re-structuring alone can
bring the armed forces rvhere they should
be in a nation n'hich aspires for strategic
boundaries bet'ond the geographical ones.
Regarding terrorist attacks on mainland
india, there is little doubt on three counts:
the attacks lvill increase rather than dimin-
ish, the armed forces will get sucked in
more rvith time, and the government will
be compelled to create formalised and
filnctionai structures to combat it purpose-
fully. Thus, here the armed forces should
start no\'v to find a good foothold to exploit
the media better. However, in both roles,
unless the desired things happen, the
armed forces will have to remain contend
with a balancing act with the media. In
short, the media is not a force multiplier
but a necessary element that needs to be
catered for from the planning stage itself.
SOPs have to be laid down on rvho, rvhen
and how much can be spoken rvith the
media. And importantly, senior officers of
the armed forces should rvorry less about
what media reports.
Here, I will digress a bit, to share rvhat I
perceive to be the unchanged mindset of
the senior defence services brass. As a
young army captain posted at sno\\'-
bound Se La pass in Arunachal Pradesh ir.r
I978,I remember getting instructions
from all seniors, brigade commander
downwards, not to speak at all u ith a visit-
ing team of journalists rvl.ro had clearance
from the army headquarters. Thev spend
about two hours n-ith me and had manv
innocuous questions on the fauna and
flora of the place. Having got ihe message
from the brigade comnander himself, I
stuck to my position of 'l don't knon'' until
it sounded foolish to me and I cl.ranged it
to 'I have instructions not to speak.' I do
not know what eventualh' those iournalists
reported, but I kept mulling over horv stu-
pid the army rvould hai'e looked n iih sen-
iors giving permission lor the visit and the
man on the ground refusing to ralk at all.
My inescapable conclusion uas that mt-
seniors did not trust me and iheir on-n
seniors as rvell.
I say rvith sadness that regarding ihe tra-
ditional roles of the arm\', and mavbe the
armed forces, the position remains the
same. The only difference is that nou-l am
on the other side of the fence. \'isit the Line
of Control or the Line of Actual Control,
officers and men even todar- have instruc-
tions to talk little ivith visiting journalists. It
is another matter that the\, usuallv pour
their heart out when they learn that I have
been one of them. And mind you, these vis-
iting journalists are not the greenhorns,
but designated defence correspondents of
mainline media.
The problems confronting the armed
forces and the media when reporting the
traditional roles are of a different variety.
For example, there are two problems with
the defence services. One, as trips to the
LAC and LC are sponsored ones, the army
or the air force does not like even the
mildest criticism in the reportage, even
when it helps them. The army does not
want to expose its living conditions defi-
ciencies, and instead takes pride in showing
innovation and improvisations done by
them. \A,/hile the living conditions of the
other tvvo services are much better, they too
have the same ethos of showcasing more
than should be feasible in a given situation.
Counting on the Media as a
force multiplier by the armed
forces is incorrect. A fine bal-
ancing act is required: for the
two new roles of fighting ter-
rorism on mainland lndia and
strategic reach
And nt'o, there is an instinctive urge to hide
things from the media. It can be argued that
this is partially correct. The more a country
like India rvith modest military means
hides, it translates into deterrence as the
adversary is kept guessing. On the other
hand, deterrence for powers like the US
implies the opposite; the more capabilities
they shor'v, the more their adversaries get
deterred. This thinking, hon'ever, should
not be followed blindly. Except for opera-
tional plans, there is very little that needs to
be hidden. There is simply no case to hide
equipment deficiencies especially rvhat
constitutes operational gaps. This does not
help the defence services that do so, and
also deprives the media of a story that
ought to be got from the horse's mouth.
The media that covers traditional roles of
the defence setvices also suffers from tr.vo
handicaps. One, the urge to break nervs
usually gets the better of senior defence
journalists as well. As I said earlier, such
nervs is invariably about what is wrong in
the organisation, the troops' low morale,
various scandals, and so on. And two,
unfortunately, the so-called seasoned
defence correspondents hardly care to
understand rvar-fighting and operational
aspects of the defence services. TWo exam-
ples rvill suffice here. The mainline print
media talks about the'Cold-Start' doctrine
of the army, and the air force having the
'Dissuasive Deterrence' strategy against
China. Both are rvrong, and are jarring to
discerning readers. The army has a pro-
active strategy against Pakistan, and the
IAF has graduated to an Active Deterrence'
strategy against China. There is a sea differ-
ence between the two positions. It
axiomatically follows that if one does not
understand the doctrinal difference, one
cannot comprehend the capabilities
required to adopt that posture successfully.
Thus, what is done by defence correspon-
dents and even senior defence writers is
bean-counting ofassets to conclude which
side is better placed to win the war. This is
both misleading and self-defeating.
Defence correspondents cannot be like
other beat correspondents who learn fast
and are shifted faster to another beat lest
they become liabilities. I dare say that the
problem lies at the top. Few editors under-
stand national security in all its hues, just
as a few politicians feel the need to know
this vital subject. For example, at a recent
CNN-IBN television debate on national
security between Arun Jaitely and Kapil
Sibal of the BJP and Congress party respec-
tively, I was amused to hear them talk only
about terrorism and how to combat it.
\A/hat is the way forward for the armed
forces' interaction 1,\iith dedicated media
correspondents reporting on their tradition-
al roles? Some say that we should switch
over to the US and western countries' con-
cept of embedded journalists. For h'vo rea-
sons, this is neither feasible nor desirable.
First, unlike the US and west, India is not
into out-of-area operations, and for defence
reportage within the country it is usually a
junket hosted by the services headquarters.
And secondly, because of different defi-
nitions of what constitutes deterrence (I
spoke about this earlier), here, defence cor-
respondents are kept at a safe distance.
This is unlike, say the US, where one is
pleasantly surprised to find most of the
first floor of the Pentagon occupied by
mainline media correspondents. For us,
under the prevalent circumstances, the
best that the defence services can do is to
educate select defence correspondents on
matters of defence. This is slow process,
but to my mind is the only way to get the
media to understand defence services'per-
spective on its traditional roles. Even as this
happens, the mindset of senior military
officers of being ultra-sensitive to defence
news should also change.
Thus, in conclusion, I would say that
counting on the Media as a force multiplier
by the armed forces is incorrect. A fine bal-
ancing act is required: for the t\,vo new roles
of fighting terrorism on mainland India
and strategic reach, which have strategic
level connotation, clear cut directives of
who and when can speak with the media
should be laid down. For the armed forces'
traditional roles, there is a need to educate
seiect defence correspondents on combat
perspective. The media is neither a friend
nor an enemy of the armed forces. It is a
necessity that cannot be rvished a\\'ay. o
(This talk was giuen at tlte Naual llhr
College, Mwnbai ort 17 A1:ril 2009)
May 2009 F0RCE 79
 ,_:,

FONCE rcRCE FOncE

F{ilddE
F(}RCE EDIT()RIAL CALENDAR 2OO9
,,J-tl,?i$ll,ll,$w,.

&ffi-
Fs\
F()RCE SPECIAL ISSUES 2t}{}9

MONTH OCCASION FEATURE LIST

lanuary lndian Army Day on .lanuary 15 0perational Doctrine
National Rifles (Rashtriya Rifles)
Modernisation, Acquisition, Upgradation Plans
Special Forces
Future lnfantry Soldier
Network Centricity
Cooperation with Friendly Armies

February Aero lndia 2009, February 11-15
3 Show Dailies on Feb 12, 13
and 14
lnterview, Chief of Air Staff
lnterview: All AOC-in-Cs
Cll Profile
DPP 2008 and Defence 0ffsets
Profile of Select Global Defence lndustry
Profile of Select lndian PSUs
Profile of Select lndian Private Defence lndustry

March Aero lndia Show Repod Comprehensive Review of Aero lndia 2009
Business done, in the pipeline and possibilities
Joint Ventures
Technologies Showcased

August F0RCE Anniversary Special Modernisation Review of lndian Army, Air Force,Navy,
Coast Guard and Para-military
Exclusive lnterviews with the Service Chiefs and Director
Generals of Para-military forces

0ctober lndian Air Force Day on October 8 0perational Aerospace Doctri ne

Modernisation, Acquisition, Upgradation Plans
Network Centricity
Passive Use of Space
Cooperation with Friendly Air Forces
Update on M-MRCA Flight Trials
Special Report DSE| 2009, London (8-11 September)

December lndian Navy Day on December 4 0perational Maritime Doctrine

Modernisation, Acquisition, Upgradation Plans
Network Centricity
Sh ip-bu ild ing
Cooperation with Friendly Navies
Reconnaissance and Fleet Air Defence
Special Report Dubai Air Show 2009 (15-19 November)
FORCE I}THER ISSUES 2OOg

MONTH 0ccAsr0N FEATURE LIST

April Special Report Defence Relations with the US

Land Cou nter-Terro ri sm Needs of Army/Pa ra- m i ita ry
I

Sea Fleet Review: lndian Coast Guard

Air Helicopters
lndustry/technoloSt Missile Defence

May Special Report Defence Relations with Russia

Land Surveillance Sensors for Contact and Deep Battles
Sea Reconnaissance At Sea
Air M-MRCA Update
lndusby/lechnolory UAVs

June Special Report Show Report on'IMDEX Singapore 2009

Land Border Management Equipment
Sea Submarine Warfare
Air Heavy and Tactical Air Lift
lndustry/lechnolory Cruise Missile

July Special Report Show Report on Paris Air Show 2009

Land Artillery Requirements Update
Sea Stealth in Warship-building
Air Ground-based Air Defence Systems
lndustry/lechnolory JVs and MoUs

September Special Report Show Report on MAKS 2009

Land Anti-armour Guided Missiles
Sea Amphibious and Carrier-Based 0perations
Air Operations in Mountains
lndustry/technology Future Tanks and lnfantry Vehicles

November Special Report Defence Relations with European Union

Land lnfantry Battalion Weapons & Equipment
Sea 0PVs
Air Flying Training Challenges
lndustry/lechnolory Defence Research and Development 0rganisation
Assuming Victimhood
Pakistan has built Thliban as a monster to highlight its helplessness
here seems to be greater concern about the
grorving power and audacity of Taliban in India
than in Pakistan. Fuelling our fears of the
Taliban are Pakistanis themselves, who instead of
quivering in their living rooms, are n arning India
instead. Even Ahmed Rashid, who is considered
the best authority on Taliban has said that India
should not wring its hands in glee as the Taliban
make progress inside Pakistan, because if they
succeeds, the next target would be India. For his
cledentials, Rashid is taken very seriously.
Horvever, in Pakistan, there is another entity that
I Ghazala Wahab needs to be taken seriously. Ihat is the army, lvhich
despite the opprobrium of having virtually ceded
ground to the Taliban in parts of the country, does
not appear to be much daunted by what seems to
be a mortal threat to the country. Even now,
according to the head of the US Central Command
that deals with Pakistan and Afghanistan, General
David Petraeus, Pakistan considers India to be a
greater threat than Taliban. Addressing the Senate
Armed Services Committee in April 2009 to under-
Iine President Obama's AfPak strategy, he said,
Taliban have heen "Many Pakistani leaders remain focussed on India
as Pakistan's principal threat, and some may even
consistent in their
continue to regard Islamist extremist groups as a
policies. They remain potential strategic asset against India." Read
Pakistan Army for leaders, because there is no big-
as loyal to Pakistan ger leader than that in Pakistan.
In the early days of Asif Ali Zardari's presidencl',
Army as they are to rvhen he exhibited some promise of change, in an
intervierv to Wall Street Journal in October 2008, he
lslam. Even the pat-
said that, "India has never been a threat to
tern of the attacks Pakistan." He obviously took his presidency very
seriously and didn't check with the 'real' leaders
shows how symhiotic before shooting his mouth. For the last 60 years, the
Paklstan Army has diligently built a constituency
the relationship with fol itself primarily on the back of the 'India threat';
the Taliban is. Apart against which only the army is the saviour. The
most recent example of this rvas seen after the
lrom the easy targets November 26 attacks in Mumbai. The immediate
reaction among the average Pakistani, which lvas
like the Shiites and reflected in most of the media there, was shock and
empathy. But once the Pakistan Army raised the
the loreigners, the spectre of an attack by India, the country rallied
Taliban have essen- behind the army, silencing Zardari and company.
And here unlvittingly, perhaps, Pakistan
tially attacked the exposed the reason '"vhy it does not fear the
Taliban. Neither the Afghani nor the Pakistani.
police and the Accused of assassinating former Pakistan Prime
Paramilitary and not Minister Benazir Bhutto, Baitullah Mehsud's
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), added to the jin-
the army itself goistic cacophony. His deputy N{aulvi Faqir
82 F0RCE lMay 2009
Mohammad issued a statement saying, 'If India
launches a \var on Pakistan, we will divide the
fight into hvo parts. The air defence will be the
responsibili6, ol the militar_r', and the Tehrik-e-
Taliban Pakistan rilll fight the rr.ar on ground.'
Despite the proverbial cat being out of the bag,
some people nere surprised b1. this and consid-
ered it a change of position of tl.re Taliban; a posi-
tion that the Taliban clianged again once the war
clouds receded and it u'ent back to fighting the
Pakistani state.
Actually, Taliban hale been consistent in their
policies. They renain as loval to Pakistan Army as
they are to Islam. Onh the armv has been mis-
leading (and prettv sr-rccessfulll') the rvorld on
rvhat Taliban actualh' are and u'hat they want.
Taliban are Pashtuns on either side of the Durand
Line. In Afghanistan thel rvant to throrv out the
outsiders and reinforce rheir control, rvhile in the
tribal areas of Pakistan rhev n'ant a degree of
autonomy, which thev ahvals enjol'ed. They want
the Americans out and the drone attacks to stop.
The spurt in Taliban attacks in Pakistan is a recent
phenomenon. In tl-re afore'mentioned October
2008 intervien', Zardari had also said that the US
rvas carrying out missile attacks in Pakistan with
his government's consenr. In his rvords, "We have
an understanding, ir-r the sense that rve're going
after an enemy together."
The enemy is retaliating non'. It has just been a
few months since that admission by Zardari, who
has since been relegated to the back room. Prime
Minister Geelani l.ras capitulated and the army is
running the shorv. Even the pattern ofthe attacks
shorvs horv s1'mbiotic rhe relationship with the
Taliban is. Apart from the eas)/ targets like the
Shiites and the foreigners, the Taliban have essen-
tially attacked the police and the Paramilitary and
not the armt'itself.
By raising the level of the tl.rreat posed by the
Taliban, Pakistan has ensured that the strings
that rvere to be attached to the US aid are not too
tight, Pakistan becomes increasingly indispensa-
ble to the US, some kind of accommodation with
pro-Pakistan Taliban rvorks out in Afghanistan
and international support to India against
Pakistan after 26/il attacks \\ranes. On his Delhi
stopover, US envov Richard Holbrooke, said that,
for the first time, US, India and Pakistan face the
same enemy So instead of India being the victim
of Pakistan-perpetrated terrorism, Pakistan is
also a victim norv. Funnily enough, we seem to
believe it too. o
Mai or Years
The air force chief leaues behind a rtclt legacy
recentlr' asked the air force chief, .\ir Cliief
Ilarshal F.H. \lajor. nho retires on \lar' 3I,
about his t\\'o-\'ear ienure beginning 1 April
2007. In his inimirable ,stlle. he quippe'd. "lt u'as a
n'onderlll. iensiorr tiee ienure." -\C\l \lajor has
been an amazinglv accessible sen'ice' cliief, and
has allol'ed rhe discerr.ring media (FORCE includ-
ed to r-isii air rbrce installatior-rs and decide things
ior iir.-nseir'es. This has helped me understand
L\F s gain: during liis tenllre; and thel are plenn'.
-lop
or-r mv list is the u'ork done on the China
:roni. -\iter decades of r-reglect, the three defence
I Pravin Sawhney :c:\ices. rrith gor.ernment support, are linallv
.eizeci about the threat from the East. Given the
l.05rrkm long disputed land bordel in inhospitable
:errain. the air force has taken a bold step: its rvar
docirine has changed from'dissuasit'e deterrcnce'
io acrive deterrence' against China. This means
iirar in.tead of adopting a strategic defensive pos-
rure. rvhicl.r rvill allorv the PtA to fight a border war
on h'rdia's soil, the switch-over is now to fight
insread on the enemy's territory. The new air force
docrrine replicates the PLA r'var doctrine, and will
cn:ure that our o\vn forces are not placed disad-
lantageousll'. 'lo implement the new war thinking,
rhe air force needs matching equipment and infra-
Work on the ALGs in srnlciure. And this has been a priority during ACM
\lajor's tenure. In May 2008, he told me: "We have
Arunachal Pradesh is norr decided to beef up our assets and more
irnportantll'the infrastructure in the Eastern sec-
moving very slowly. ior. \\'e intend modernising our airbases to make
Senior air force offi- them capable of undeltaking operations of all
tlpes of aircraft, both heavy transport and fighters,
cers say that this is ir.rcluding the Su-30MKL" The Su-30MKI are prac-
tising operational flying from the Leh air force
due to bureaucratic base, and rvithin two to three years, once the infra-
structure ibr their logistics and maintenance is
tardiness as various provided, the premier aircraft will be permanently
environmental clear- stationed there.
To overcome the formidable Khardung La
ances are not easy to (pass), the Leh and Thoise air force stations are
being upgraded to become independent nodal
come by. This may be stations. Probably the more important rvork is the
partially true. I sus- building of a network of Advance Landing
Grounds (ALGs) and helipads for air-logistics
pect that New Delhi is delivery to provide air-connectivity to the numer-
ous inaccessible areas. This will help both in war
worried about and peace, especially the latter as development
rvork on border roads along the Line of Actual
Beijing's reaction to Control virtually stopped after the l987
military activity in Sumdurong Chu crisis',vith China. Indian troops
take days on foot to reach numerous border posts,
Arunachal Pradesh ivhich remain cut-off for most part of the year
because of inclement weather. Once the ALGs are
available, both the AN-32 and the newly acquired
C-130J aircraft can land there to provide succour
to the troops. Key ALGs in the Western sector
(Ladakh) that have been activated are Daulat Beg
Oldie, Fukche, and Nyoma, south of Chushul at
13,400ft right under the PLA nose. I was present at
the Leh air force station two weeks before the AN-
32 aircraft was to land at Fukche ALG; the mood
rvas jubilant and it had to be seen to be believed.
For tl.re Eastern sector (Arunachal Pradesh), it
rvas envisaged that four ALGs at Tuting, Mechuka,
\iaja1'n3gu. and Pasighat would be upgraded and
a fen' neu' ones would be built. Unfortunately,
rvork on the ALGs in Arunachal Pradesh is moving
verl' slon'11'. Senior air force officers say that this is
due to bulearrcralic tardiness as various enviton-
mental clearances are not easy to come by. This
may be partially true. I suspect that Nen'Delhi is
worried about Beijing's reaction to military activi-
ty in Arunachal Pradesh. Chirra, after a1l, recently
objected to the visit of the Indian President and
Prime Minister to the state, and rvhat is unprece-
dented, they have blocked loan from the Asian
Development Bank for a project ir.r the border
state; an area of 90,000sqkm that China is claim-
ing as its territory. New Delhi should not succumb
to Beijing's pressure tactics as otheru'ise the1, rvill
continue to pless further.
Another area where ACNI NIajor deserves acco-
lades is the hard push he has given to the fitfully
moving Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project being
deveioped by the Aeronautical Development
Authority (ADA) of the DRDO. \\ritl.rin a month of
taking office, ACM Major had deputed a 12-mem-
ber air force team under AVNI C. Nanjappl'to get
embedded rvith the ADA as the 'project monitor-
ing team.' The deputr, air force chief since then
has been reviewing the Tejas (LCA) project each
month, and ACM Major himself gets an update
every quarter. The earlier team leader was
replaced by AVM Shankar Mani a month ago as
part of regular rotation. The Tejas project director,
Dr PS. Subrarnanyam told me on two occasions
(the second time a week ago) that the 'project
monitoring team' has improved the pace of the
programme substantially. \A/hen I asked him horv
this has been done, he replied that'we, scientists
are very conservative with our assessments,
whereas in actual flying such rigidity need not be
followed.'This has put the traditional wisdom on
its head fol the eventual advantage of the I'ejas
project. For example, Dr Subramanyarn does not
l\4ay 2009 F0RCE 83
worry about the flying hours done, but is
concentrating on the number of test-
points that require to be successfully eval-
uated. Test points refer to the aircraft char-
acteristics and manoeuvres like the alti-
tude and speed changes that the aircraft
can do in a given time. Dr Subramanyam is
confident of the Initial Operational
Clearance (IOC) by December 2010 and the
Final Operational Clearance (FOC) by 2012.
However, for the FOC, the IAF needs to
decide the BVR missiles that it wants to use
with Tejas. Regarding the Multi-Mode
Radar (MMR) validation, which is tradi-
tionally done after the IOC, Dr
Subramanyam told me that the ground
testing has already been done, and in the
next six r,veeks, the flight testing will be
done. He has an order for 40 Tejas from the
IAF which will be fitted rvith GE 404 IN20
and GE 404F213 engines.
This is not all. The RFP for the new
engine which will power the Tejas Mark II is
expected to be issued shortly for GE 414
and EI 200 engines. Dr Subramanyam sur-
prised me by saying that he will validate
Tejas Mark II in 14 to 18 months after the
nerv engine is procured. A new engine
would require re-designing of the rear fuse-
lage, and the cornels ofthe flight envelop-
ment would need to be explored fully.
According to him, he has set up two ADA
teams already, one each to n'ork on the
design changes with either engine. Once
the engine is decided, the other team,
which rvould have gathered expertise in
designing, would join the main team.
Certainly a sensible thing to have done; he
would have consulted his users on this. In
his enthusiasm, it slipped out of his mouth
that the IAF has already indicated an order
for five squadrons of Tejas Mark II. By
attaching the user team with the developer,
ACM Major has demonstrated his prefer-
ence fol indigenisation, and the need to
accomplish the project before it succumbs
to inertia once again. With my visit to ADA
six months ago and after the recent inter-
action i,vith the Tejas project director, I am
confident that the Tejas rvould join the IAF
inventory in good time, just when the
MRCA gets inducted into the service.
The MRCA technical evaluations are
over, and senior air force officers say that
the flight evaluations rvill commence in
end-May/early lune. A down-selection of
the competitors is on the cards; not all of
the six competitors who have bid for the
MRCA are in possession of capabilities
that they have projected on paper. Just as
84 FI)RCE May 2009
The good news is that the
military satellite, RISAT-I, with
sub-meter resolution has been
cleared by the cabinet com-
mittee on national security
and is expected to be
launched in the last quarter
of this year
the RFP for the MRCA that was sent out on
ACM Major's watch was a comprehensive
document, the flight trials would be a
novel experience for the IAF. There will be
flight triais in India and in the bidding
country. The IAF'would also be looking at
the facilities in the bidding countries to
understand aspects like product support,
technology transfer and so on. The sense I
have got is that the IAF has prepared itself
to undertake broad-based and speedy
flight evaluations.
Another highpoint of ACM Major's
tenure was the IAF's reaction to the 26lI1
tragedy. Within days of the terrorist attack,
when the political leadership r,vas vacillat-
ing about blaming Pakistan for the event,
the collective military leadership had
agreed that only the Pakistan Army could
have carried out the precision strike. The
IAF lvas in the forefront explaining to
India's top leadership that time had come
to use the air power; even if it meant an
escalation, the IAF could give a bloody
nose to the enemy in minimal time rvhile
keeping hostilities below the nuclear
threshold. Once the IAF's considered
advice rvas set aside, it was evident that
Nelr' Delhi had chosen defence over
offence. Defence of homeland became the
buzzlvord and the government encouraged
fast-track purchases of operationally criti-
cal equipment.
\{fhile not seeking any new purchases,
the IAF made the case to strengthen air
defence of the homeland, lvhich ultimately
is its sole responsibility. A breakthrough
follorved after years of indecisiveness.
Pulchases of various sensors and a large
variety of land-based radars were promptly
cleared by the defence ministry. Against a
requirement of 72 radars,22 numbers n'ere
agreed to be purchased rvithin a month.
\Vhile the medium range sulface to air mis-
sile (MR-SAM) project jointly undertaken
by the DRDO-Israeli IAI has run into rough
\veather, the IAF believes that it would not
be serious enough to sever the contract.
\'1eann'hile, the AWACS, which would revo-
lutionise IAF's air defence concepts, is
expected to be finally inducted in May. The
delav has been attributed to various tests
that still needed to be done; the air force
said tiiat elervthing should be finished
before the first A\\ACS arrives from Israel
to the Agra air force station. The recent
appointrnent ol -\ir \larshal D.C. Kumaria
to the nertlr creaied post ofdirector gener-
al operatiorrs is ro be seen in the context of
improved air detence. Senior iAF officers
opine thar il acquisitions continue
smoothh', in sir ro seven years, air defence
capabilities n ould reach tl.re desired goal.
The I.\F is conscious that the ultimate
surveillance oi ihe hon-reiand would be
through dedicaied militarv satellites. The
Radar Imaging Saielliie-2 (RISAI-2) r,vhich
n'as launched inro loiv earth orbit by the
PSLV on April 20 n as indeed a surveiilance
satellite rreanr ro keep a \\'atch on India's
borders. But conrnrrr' ro n'hat most media
reported, RIS.\l -l '.'. o'.rici be' used by civilian
intelligence age::cir-:. The good news is
that the miliian s:.ieiiire. RISAT-1, with
sub-meter reso|.riion iras been cleared by
the cabinet cor.r-l.i:iiie c on national security
and is erpected :o :rt iaunched in the last
quarter of this i.a:. lhe i.{E, under ACM
Major has prepai.c i:seli n ell to exploit its
capabilities tirl'r. l:.rg .lace cell in the Air
Headquarters ha. c-o.e coordination with
ISRO, and o\ er 1(.ri, :-l iorce personnel have
alreadl'been irair:ec bv ISRO in technical
aspects of daiil if .:nsier. handling of images
and interpreiario::.
Erren as I rriir. :bout I.\F's operations
and acquisitio:s :l:i r have got unflinching
support from iirsi: cl:iei. I need to mention
one morale boosi.::s ilitiaiive. There have
been cases nl:er ':e:.or-tr-rel belorv officer
rank took loans i:onr::re bar-rk and the indi-
vidual n-rei an -ir::i:-lrelv death. In what
could be a cioulrle .ri:qedr', the onus of
repa\-ment oi iire ,car-r used to fa11 on the
familr. Under -{C\i \lajcrr, the iAF has set
up a fund corplrs Lrv each indir,idual con-
tributing a pitir-rcr- ioii ilrds it to insure the
loans. 1r-r case oi a nced. ihe insurance,
instead of ihe rggriei ed family, rvould
repav the loan.
Air Chiel \lar.iral FH. \lajor started with
tl're adr-aniage oi lo\\ e\pectations.
Hon'ever. aiier 1is ion'-ker', non-controver-
sial. br.n higir on subsiirnce tenure, he has
ensured a -snrooiir .-<ail lbr ]ris successor. a
 '17,
'/t,
t**

/-:.
l.
ltr j
t t - -

' ' ' l1'

I

./
-----/-

il,$}lJJWE#gJ&JSJ-
YJSUAI;rANM&-
The technology of yesterday's dogfights will not win in the modern battlespace. The Super Hornet gives lndia
the advanced capabilities required to prevail for decades to come. lt's the only aircraft available today with
a proven, fully integrated suite of networked radar, sensors, avionics and weapons systems-enabling the
Super Hornet to engage potential threats beyond visual range like nothing else. To engage, fight and win.

f,afieon NOR TI{R OP GR L''I1II'AN B2TE IYE

 RNI REGN No. DELENG/2003/12712

journalism and has

f'lver a period provided
of time, FORCE magazine has emerged in the forefront of defence
Lf consistently quality, thought-provoking adicles on issues of national security which one can
ill-afford to ignore. The critical, in-depth and informative analyses on matters defence bear a stamp of
high professionalism and deep commitment. I commend the editorialteam fortheir sustained efforts and
wish them success in transforming into a 'Force to reckon with' in the days ahead. o
Admiral Sureesh Mehta PVSM, AVSM, ADC
Ghairman Chiefs of Stalf Committee and lndian Ghief ol Naval Staff

E 0RCE has decidedly established itself amongst the leading magazines on security issues in the
I country. lts approach is professional and its perspectives analytical, refreshing and balanced. lts
content enc0mpasses all aspects of national and international security and not merely limited to news
and description of inventories. I find it topical, insightful and useful. My compliments to the F0RCE team
on what they have achieved and wish them all success in future. r

Air Chief Marshal F.H. Major PVSM, AVSM, SC, VM, ADC
lndian Chief of Air Stalf

ORCE magazine has contributed significantly by enhancing awareness of services' related aspects
and critical analysis of national security issues. To military professionals in particular, F0RCE
magazine provides incisive and useful insights. I am sure that FORCE magazine will continue to strive
and achieve greater heights of success. o
General Deepak Kapoor PVSM, AVSM, SM, VSM, ADC
lndian Chief of Army Staff

FORCE magazine, has gradually emerged as a compendium of matters and developments concerningthe
national/international security issues. The articles are replete with emerging trends and perhaps today it
is one of the few magazines dedicated to security related feature writings. Another significant profile of
the magazine is the contribution of articles by wide range of security experts. I am sure that FORCE
magazine reaches greater heights and success in its endeavour.) o
M.L. Kumawat,
DG, Border Security Force

force represents a most exciting development in lndian defence journalism. By focussing equally on strategy, equipment,
I operations and doctrine, it provides readers with balanced coverage of the critical issues facing lndian defence policy.
Despite being in existence for only a few vears. F0RCE has already made a national contribution through the superb quality
of its analysis. o m MRPso/-
"niliinrfiiiifiifiiu Ashley J. Tellis, Senior Associate,
Garnegie Endowment for lnternational Peace, US
FORCE

/\ monthly glossy magazine on national securrty panerneo arter the internationally respected Jane Defence Weekly, F0RCE,
/.lcombines in depth reportingwith criticalanalyses, ararity in lndian defence reportage. FORCE is aimed, not justatthe soldier
or the scholar, but also the diplomat and the arms merchants. The articles are exhaustive, and some have archival value which
portends well for such a magazine. o
The Hindustan Times (lndia's leading English daily newspaper)

packaged as a full colour consumer magazine, the FORCE publication demonstrates how foreign policy and security concerns
I are becoming more mainstream topics of discussion. F0RCE's broad approach to security is an improvement on the alarmist
tone often struck in lndian newspapers and magazines. At more than a dollar per issue, FORCE costs roughly half of what Time
and Newsweek cost on lndian newsstands. o
Foreign Policy Journal, Washington DC

E ORCE covers a broad range of issues, from higher defence management to military news and features, p
I military aviation, naval affairs, border management, diplomacy, and Pakistani and lndian perspectives |iil.80.00 tltc 3202
to package news and views like the reputed British publication, Jane's Defence series. o iltililil1ililtilillilililililIilil
Deccan Herald (Newspaper)