DSI Feb 15

DEFENCE and SECURITYof INDIA

FEBRUARY 2015

DSIwww.defencesecurityindia.com VOLUME 7 ISSUE 1 ` 250

INDIAN AEROSPACE:

MOVING TOWARDSINDIGENISATION

INDIAN AEROSPACE:

MOVING TOWARDSINDIGENISATION

IF INDIA HAS TO REALISE ITS POTENTIAL THEN IT NEEDS TO GRASP THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ITS DEFENCE INDUSTRY THAT ARE

CONSTITUENTS OF ITS NATIONAL POWER I M MATHESWARAN

FIRE POWER

ARMY MODERNISATIONRequire higher budgetary support, upgradation ofrecruitment standards & personnel skills I GURMEET KANWAL

COMMUNICATION

ADVANCED NETWORK CENTRICUrgent need for a comprehensive vision for capacity buildingin a digitised battlefield I DAVINDER KUMAR

IF INDIA HAS TO REALISE ITS POTENTIAL THEN IT NEEDS TO GRASP THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ITS DEFENCE INDUSTRY THAT ARE

CONSTITUENTS OF ITS NATIONAL POWER I M MATHESWARAN

DSI COVER Feb 15:cover-feb3.qxd 10/02/15 11:09 AM Page 1

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AERO INDIA 2015SEE US AT

Israel PavilionHall A, Booth A1.1

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

3

LETTER FROM THE editor

The show isexpected to excel,with the whirly-birds– the helicopters –being theshowstoppers.Indian armed forcesare expected toprocure over thenext couple of yearsa thousand-oddchoppers of allvarieties.

he tenth edition of the sub-continent’s premier air show Aero India ’15 isupon us already. Two years ago, when the last edition of the Aero Indiashow was held, there was a sense of a lack of direction.

India had already down-selected Rafale to be its chosen medium,multirole combat aircraft (MMRCA). And the wooing of India by theglobal aerospace majors was over.

So, even if F/A 18 Super Hornets flew over-head with a lot of sound and fury it still did notcreate too much of awe: from the viewpoint of the large posse of media-people to the aamaadmi, it was all been there, done that. The panache with which the top aerospace executivesmoved around; the way their foot soldiers rallied visitors to their chalets, were all a bit off-key.

But this year again, the show is expected to excel, with the whirly-birds – the helicopters – beingthe showstoppers. Indian armed forces are expected to procure over the next couple of years athousand-odd choppers of all varieties. Be they light utility helicopters, multirole helicopters orattack and heavy lift helicopters, billions of dollars are supposed to change hands.

From the viewpoint of the domestic private sector, seeking a foothold in the globalaerospace sector, there is a lot to chew on. The first is the collaboration between theinternational manufacturing majors with Indian majors like the Tatas, L&T and Reliance thatis on anvil for manufacturing domestically aerospace elements, on conditions of ‘Make inIndia’ mantra that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given to the country.

Will there be shopping for partners by the aerospace majors at Aero India, I see thathappening at the micro, small and medium enterprises sector. They will be the sector waitingto be discovered in this Aero India ’15. They will create the eco-system for the country to takewings in this crucial segment of industry.

There was a time when automobile manufacture was the top slot in technological growth. Nowis the time for the aerospace, so say the experts, some of whom have written in this issue of DSI.

So read on!

T

Pinaki Bhattacharya

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CO

NTE

NTS

4

MAKE IN INDIA 24

INDIAN AEROSPACE:MOVING TOWARDSINDIGENISATIONIf India has to realise its potential then it will need to grasp the nuances of the role of technology and its defence industry that are constituents of its national power

AEROSPACE 54

REQUIREMENTS ANDSTRATEGY FORGROWTHLinked to India’s growth as regional poweris the development of aeronautical sector.A significant number of SMEs and MSMEsthat constitute the domestic aeronauticalsector can be loci for the growth.

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

HELICOPTER 08

EXPANDING CAPABILITIESAND EMERGING MISSIONSHelicopters today are integral part of land, sea and air operations of modernarmies and are being increasingly employed in sub-conventional operations(counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations) across the world.

COMMUNICATION 48

ADVANCED NETWORKCENTRIC SOLUTIONSFOR INDIAN ARMEDFORCESThere is an urgent need for acomprehensive vision for capacity buildingin a digitised battlefield, formulatedtogether by all the stake holders

FIRE POWER 40

ARMYMODERNISATIONGAINING MOMENTUMThe army’s modernisation plans requiresubstantially higher budgetary support,simultaneous upgradation ofrecruitment standards and,consequently skills to absorb high-techweapon systems

INDIA-ISRAEL 16

NEW VISTAS IN DEFENCE TIESThe defence relationship between India and Israel has grown concurrentlywith the growth in the bilateral trade.There has been robust institutionalinteraction between each other’s armedforces and national security apparatuses

NAVAL WARFARE 32

RESURGENCE OF THE NAVAL GUNThe key to blue water navy is its ability to destroy targets before they are able to pose a threat. Indian Navy is modernising the main and auxiliary gun with greater chance of survivability

5

Contents 2nd time:contents-feb-R.qxd 10/02/15 11:05 AM Page 2

CO

NTE

NTS

4

MAKE IN INDIA 24

INDIAN AEROSPACE:MOVING TOWARDSINDIGENISATIONIf India has to realise its potential then it will need to grasp the nuances of the role of technology and its defence industry that are constituents of its national power

AEROSPACE 54

REQUIREMENTS ANDSTRATEGY FORGROWTHLinked to India’s growth as regional poweris the development of aeronautical sector.A significant number of SMEs and MSMEsthat constitute the domestic aeronauticalsector can be loci for the growth.

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

HELICOPTER 08

EXPANDING CAPABILITIESAND EMERGING MISSIONSHelicopters today are integral part of land, sea and air operations of modernarmies and are being increasingly employed in sub-conventional operations(counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations) across the world.

COMMUNICATION 48

ADVANCED NETWORKCENTRIC SOLUTIONSFOR INDIAN ARMEDFORCESThere is an urgent need for acomprehensive vision for capacity buildingin a digitised battlefield, formulatedtogether by all the stake holders

FIRE POWER 40

ARMYMODERNISATIONGAINING MOMENTUMThe army’s modernisation plans requiresubstantially higher budgetary support,simultaneous upgradation ofrecruitment standards and,consequently skills to absorb high-techweapon systems

INDIA-ISRAEL 16

NEW VISTAS IN DEFENCE TIESThe defence relationship between India and Israel has grown concurrentlywith the growth in the bilateral trade.There has been robust institutionalinteraction between each other’s armedforces and national security apparatuses

NAVAL WARFARE 32

RESURGENCE OF THE NAVAL GUNThe key to blue water navy is its ability to destroy targets before they are able to pose a threat. Indian Navy is modernising the main and auxiliary gun with greater chance of survivability

5

Contents 2nd time:contents-feb-R.qxd 10/02/15 11:05 AM Page 2


FEBRUARY 2015 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1

EDITORPinaki BhattacharyaJR. FEATURES WRITERJaya SinghASST. ART DIRECTORAjay KumarSENIOR MANAGER INTERNATIONAL MARKETINGVishal Mehta (E-Mail: [email protected])MANAGER MARKETINGJakhongir Djalmetov (E-Mail: [email protected])AD SALESPrateek Singh (E-Mail: [email protected])SALES & MARKETING COORDINATORAtul Bali (E-Mail: [email protected])PRODUCTION & PRE-PRESSSunil Dubey, Ritesh Roy, Jeetendra Madaan MTC PUBLISHING LIMITED323, Udyog Vihar, Ph-IV, Gurgaon 122016Ph: +91 0124-4759500 Fax: +91 0124-4759550

CHAIRMANJ. S. UberoiPRESIDENTXavier Collaco FINANCIAL CONTROLLERPuneet Nanda

GLOBAL SALES REPRESENTATIVESBeneluxCornelius W. BontjeTel: (41) 79 635 2621Email: [email protected]/SpainStephane de Remusat, REM InternationalTel: (33) 5 3427 0130Email: [email protected]/Austria/Switzerland/Italy/UKSam Baird, Whitehill MediaTel: (44-1883) 715 697 Mobile: (44-7770) 237 646E-Mail: [email protected] Butova, NOVO-Media Latd,Tel/Fax : (7 3832) 180 885 Mobile : (7 960) 783 6653Email :[email protected]/South AfricaEmanuela Castagnetti-GillbergTel: +46 31 799 9028E-Mail:[email protected] KoreaYoung Seoh Chinn, Jes Media Inc.Tel: (82-2) 481 3411E-Mail: [email protected] Europe/Greece/TurkeyZena CoupéTel: (44) 1923 852537Email: [email protected] (East/South East)/CanadaMargie Brown, BLESSALL Media LLC.Tel : (+1 540) 341 7581Email :[email protected] (West/South West)/BrazilDiane Obright, Blackrock Media Inc.Tel: +1 (858) 759 3557Email: [email protected]

Defence and Security of India is published and printed byXavier Collaco on behalf of MTC Publishing Limited. Published at 323, Udyog Vihar, Ph- IV, Gurgaon 122016 andprinted at Nutech Photolithographers B-240, Okhla IndustrialArea, Phase-I,New Delhi-110020, India. Entire contentsCopyright © 2008. All rights reserved. Reproduction andtranslation in any language in whole or in part withoutpermission is prohibited. Requests for permission should be directed to MTCPublishing Limited. Opinions carried in the magazine arethose of the writers’ and do not necessarily reflect those of theeditors or publishers. While the editors do their utmost toverify information published they do not accept responsibilityfor its absolute accuracy.The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return ofunsolicited material or for material lost or damaged in transit.All correspondence should be addressed to MTC Publishing Limited.

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATIONDefence and Security of India is obtained by subscription. For subscription enquiries, please contact:[email protected]

www.mediatransasia.in/defence.htmlhttp://www.defencesecurityindia.com

CONTRIBUTORS FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

Air Marshal M Matheswaranwas the Deputy Chief of

Integrated Defence Staff atHead Quarters IDS until his

retirement 0n 31 Mar 2014. Hewas responsible for Policy,Plans and Force Structuredevelopment of the Three

Services, including budgetanalysis, Acquisition,

procurement and technologymanagement. He was

responsible for formulatingthe long-term and short-termintegrated defence plans. AirMarshal M Matheswaran was

commissioned in 1975. He isan alumni of National

Defence Academy. Hisacademic achievements

include Master’s, M Phil, Ph.Din “Defence and Strategic

Studies” (University ofMadras) and a Post Graduate

Diploma in FinancialManagement.

AIR MARSHAL(RETD) M MATHESWARAN

RAdm. S. Kulshreshtha,Indian Navy in the year 1975

and served as DirectorGeneral of Naval ArmamentMinistry of Defence (Navy)

where he was directlyresponsible for availability

of reliable and safe navalarmament. He has superan-nuated from Indian Navy in2011 and is currently unaf-filiated. He has been writ-ing in defence journals onissues related to matters

Navy, Armament technolo-gy and indigenisation.

DR S KULSHRESTHA

Rajiv is an Associate Fellow,Institute for Defence Studies

and Analyses (IDSA), NewDelhi. His research interestsinclude India-Israel relations,

Iran nuclear issue, amongothers. His publications

include ‘The DelicateBalance: Israel and India’s

Foreign Policy Practice’,Strategic Analysis, January

2012, ‘In Pursuit of a Chimera:Nuclear Imbroglio between

Sanctions and Engagement’,Strategic Analysis,

November 2012, amongothers. He has also published

in The Jerusalem Post,Business Standard, ISN,

ETH, Zurich and Asiatimes.

S. SAMUEL C. RAJIV

LT GENERAL (RETD)DAVINDER KUMAR

Davinder Kumarsuperannuated in

September 2011 as the CEO& Managing Director of TataAdvanced Systems Ltd. He

has been on the Board ofDirectors of a number of

Private and Public sectorcompanies. Earlier, he was

the Signal Officer-in-Chief ofthe Indian Army responsiblefor conception, planning andexecution of communication

networks, electronicwarfare and information

security projects.

LT GEN (RETD)BS PAWAR

An alumni of RashtriyaIndian Military College and

National Defence Academy,Lt Gen BS Pawar was

commissioned into Artilleryin June 1968. He was Maj

Gen Artillery, WesternCommand during OperationParakram and was awardedthe AtiVashist Seva Medal.

He also headed the ArmyAviation Corps and was

instrumental in theoperationalisation of the

Advanced Light Helicopterduring his tenure. A defence

analyst, he writes for anumber of defence journals/

publications and is also onthe Editorial Board of

some of them.

Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy is a former

Chief of the Air Staff andheaded the Air Force during

2002-2004. He has held manysenior appointments in theIAF – that includes Deputy

Chief, Vice Chief andCommander-in-Chief of threeoperational Air Commands of

the Air Force. He initiatedand headed major inductionsand programs for the IAF. He

is recipient of manydecorations and awards,

among them the ‘AgniAward’ for outstanding

contribution to aeronautics.

S. KRISHNASWAMY

Gurmeet Kanwal is formerdirector, Centre for Land

Warfare Studies, New Delhi.He commanded an infantry

brigade during OperationParakram on the Line of

Control in 2001-03. A soldier-scholar, he has authoredseveral books including

Indian Army:Vision 2020 andNuclear Defence: Shaping

the Arsenal. He is a well-known columnist and TV

analyst on national security issues.

GURMEETKANWAL

Contributors.qxd:contributors-aug.qxd 09/02/15 4:03 PM Page 1


FEBRUARY 2015 VOLUME 7, ISSUE 1

EDITORPinaki BhattacharyaJR. FEATURES WRITERJaya SinghASST. ART DIRECTORAjay KumarSENIOR MANAGER INTERNATIONAL MARKETINGVishal Mehta (E-Mail: [email protected])MANAGER MARKETINGJakhongir Djalmetov (E-Mail: [email protected])AD SALESPrateek Singh (E-Mail: [email protected])SALES & MARKETING COORDINATORAtul Bali (E-Mail: [email protected])PRODUCTION & PRE-PRESSSunil Dubey, Ritesh Roy, Jeetendra Madaan MTC PUBLISHING LIMITED323, Udyog Vihar, Ph-IV, Gurgaon 122016Ph: +91 0124-4759500 Fax: +91 0124-4759550

CHAIRMANJ. S. UberoiPRESIDENTXavier Collaco FINANCIAL CONTROLLERPuneet Nanda

GLOBAL SALES REPRESENTATIVESBeneluxCornelius W. BontjeTel: (41) 79 635 2621Email: [email protected]/SpainStephane de Remusat, REM InternationalTel: (33) 5 3427 0130Email: [email protected]/Austria/Switzerland/Italy/UKSam Baird, Whitehill MediaTel: (44-1883) 715 697 Mobile: (44-7770) 237 646E-Mail: [email protected] Butova, NOVO-Media Latd,Tel/Fax : (7 3832) 180 885 Mobile : (7 960) 783 6653Email :[email protected]/South AfricaEmanuela Castagnetti-GillbergTel: +46 31 799 9028E-Mail:[email protected] KoreaYoung Seoh Chinn, Jes Media Inc.Tel: (82-2) 481 3411E-Mail: [email protected] Europe/Greece/TurkeyZena CoupéTel: (44) 1923 852537Email: [email protected] (East/South East)/CanadaMargie Brown, BLESSALL Media LLC.Tel : (+1 540) 341 7581Email :[email protected] (West/South West)/BrazilDiane Obright, Blackrock Media Inc.Tel: +1 (858) 759 3557Email: [email protected]

Defence and Security of India is published and printed byXavier Collaco on behalf of MTC Publishing Limited. Published at 323, Udyog Vihar, Ph- IV, Gurgaon 122016 andprinted at Nutech Photolithographers B-240, Okhla IndustrialArea, Phase-I,New Delhi-110020, India. Entire contentsCopyright © 2008. All rights reserved. Reproduction andtranslation in any language in whole or in part withoutpermission is prohibited. Requests for permission should be directed to MTCPublishing Limited. Opinions carried in the magazine arethose of the writers’ and do not necessarily reflect those of theeditors or publishers. While the editors do their utmost toverify information published they do not accept responsibilityfor its absolute accuracy.The publisher assumes no responsibility for the return ofunsolicited material or for material lost or damaged in transit.All correspondence should be addressed to MTC Publishing Limited.

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATIONDefence and Security of India is obtained by subscription. For subscription enquiries, please contact:[email protected]

www.mediatransasia.in/defence.htmlhttp://www.defencesecurityindia.com

CONTRIBUTORS FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

Air Marshal M Matheswaranwas the Deputy Chief of

Integrated Defence Staff atHead Quarters IDS until his

retirement 0n 31 Mar 2014. Hewas responsible for Policy,Plans and Force Structuredevelopment of the Three

Services, including budgetanalysis, Acquisition,

procurement and technologymanagement. He was

responsible for formulatingthe long-term and short-termintegrated defence plans. AirMarshal M Matheswaran was

commissioned in 1975. He isan alumni of National

Defence Academy. Hisacademic achievements

include Master’s, M Phil, Ph.Din “Defence and Strategic

Studies” (University ofMadras) and a Post Graduate

Diploma in FinancialManagement.

AIR MARSHAL(RETD) M MATHESWARAN

RAdm. S. Kulshreshtha,Indian Navy in the year 1975

and served as DirectorGeneral of Naval ArmamentMinistry of Defence (Navy)

where he was directlyresponsible for availability

of reliable and safe navalarmament. He has superan-nuated from Indian Navy in2011 and is currently unaf-filiated. He has been writ-ing in defence journals onissues related to matters

Navy, Armament technolo-gy and indigenisation.

DR S KULSHRESTHA

Rajiv is an Associate Fellow,Institute for Defence Studies

and Analyses (IDSA), NewDelhi. His research interestsinclude India-Israel relations,

Iran nuclear issue, amongothers. His publications

include ‘The DelicateBalance: Israel and India’s

Foreign Policy Practice’,Strategic Analysis, January

2012, ‘In Pursuit of a Chimera:Nuclear Imbroglio between

Sanctions and Engagement’,Strategic Analysis,

November 2012, amongothers. He has also published

in The Jerusalem Post,Business Standard, ISN,

ETH, Zurich and Asiatimes.

S. SAMUEL C. RAJIV

LT GENERAL (RETD)DAVINDER KUMAR

Davinder Kumarsuperannuated in

September 2011 as the CEO& Managing Director of TataAdvanced Systems Ltd. He

has been on the Board ofDirectors of a number of

Private and Public sectorcompanies. Earlier, he was

the Signal Officer-in-Chief ofthe Indian Army responsiblefor conception, planning andexecution of communication

networks, electronicwarfare and information

security projects.

LT GEN (RETD)BS PAWAR

An alumni of RashtriyaIndian Military College and

National Defence Academy,Lt Gen BS Pawar was

commissioned into Artilleryin June 1968. He was Maj

Gen Artillery, WesternCommand during OperationParakram and was awardedthe AtiVashist Seva Medal.

He also headed the ArmyAviation Corps and was

instrumental in theoperationalisation of the

Advanced Light Helicopterduring his tenure. A defence

analyst, he writes for anumber of defence journals/

publications and is also onthe Editorial Board of

some of them.

Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy is a former

Chief of the Air Staff andheaded the Air Force during

2002-2004. He has held manysenior appointments in theIAF – that includes Deputy

Chief, Vice Chief andCommander-in-Chief of threeoperational Air Commands of

the Air Force. He initiatedand headed major inductionsand programs for the IAF. He

is recipient of manydecorations and awards,

among them the ‘AgniAward’ for outstanding

contribution to aeronautics.

S. KRISHNASWAMY

Gurmeet Kanwal is formerdirector, Centre for Land

Warfare Studies, New Delhi.He commanded an infantry

brigade during OperationParakram on the Line of

Control in 2001-03. A soldier-scholar, he has authoredseveral books including

Indian Army:Vision 2020 andNuclear Defence: Shaping

the Arsenal. He is a well-known columnist and TV

analyst on national security issues.

GURMEETKANWAL

Contributors.qxd:contributors-aug.qxd 09/02/15 4:03 PM Page 1

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

98

HELICOPTER

KEY POINTSl The new generation helicopterplatforms are expected to feature thelatest advances in aeronautics.l Helicopters are employed for variousmissions including attack, air assault etc.l There is an urgent need to develop apublic and privates sectors c0llaborationtowards developing helicoptermanufacturing base in the country.

The Vietnam war, also referred to asthe helicopters’ war formed the testbed for validating the concepts of air

mobility and assault and the advent of themilitary helicopter in the true sense. Thehelicopter was universally employed forvarious missions including attack, airassault, aerial resupply, aerialreconnaissance and command and control.Actual integration of assault and armedhelicopters evolved during the Vietnamwar, leading to the need for armedhelicopters/ gunships with the final adventof dedicated attack helicopters (AH).Helicopters today are integral part of land,sea and air operations of modern armiesand are being increasingly employed insub-conventional operations (counter-insurgency and counter-terroristoperations) across the world. This trend islikely to continue in the future, withhelicopters acquiring special features as inthe case of Black Hawks used in ‘OperationNeptune Spear,’ the US operation toeliminate Osama Bin Laden.

Military Aviation today is looking at thenext generation of military helicopters andthe strategy to modernise vertical liftcapability long term, with improvedavionics, electronics, range, speed,propulsion, survivability and high altitudeperformance. The philosophy is to improveon the present limitations by examiningemerging technologies within the realm ofthe possible, with speeds in excess of 170knots, combat range of 800 km, hover withfull combat-load under high/hotconditions and with a degree ofautonomous flight capability. There is aneed to harness technological innovationby looking beyond current force technologyand identifying possible next generationsolutions in areas such as propulsion,airframe materials, rotor systems, enginetechnology, survivability equipment andmission systems among others.

Helicopters today are integral part of land, sea andair operations of modern armies and are beingincreasingly employed in sub-conventionaloperations (counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations) across the world.

HELICOPTERS:EXPANDINGCAPABILITIES ANDEMERGING MISSIONS

B S PAWAR

MV-22B helicopter receives its finalchecks prior to take-off © US Navy

Helicopter-Balli Pawar.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 09/02/15 12:56 PM Page 1

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

98

HELICOPTER

KEY POINTSl The new generation helicopterplatforms are expected to feature thelatest advances in aeronautics.l Helicopters are employed for variousmissions including attack, air assault etc.l There is an urgent need to develop apublic and privates sectors c0llaborationtowards developing helicoptermanufacturing base in the country.

The Vietnam war, also referred to asthe helicopters’ war formed the testbed for validating the concepts of air

mobility and assault and the advent of themilitary helicopter in the true sense. Thehelicopter was universally employed forvarious missions including attack, airassault, aerial resupply, aerialreconnaissance and command and control.Actual integration of assault and armedhelicopters evolved during the Vietnamwar, leading to the need for armedhelicopters/ gunships with the final adventof dedicated attack helicopters (AH).Helicopters today are integral part of land,sea and air operations of modern armiesand are being increasingly employed insub-conventional operations (counter-insurgency and counter-terroristoperations) across the world. This trend islikely to continue in the future, withhelicopters acquiring special features as inthe case of Black Hawks used in ‘OperationNeptune Spear,’ the US operation toeliminate Osama Bin Laden.

Military Aviation today is looking at thenext generation of military helicopters andthe strategy to modernise vertical liftcapability long term, with improvedavionics, electronics, range, speed,propulsion, survivability and high altitudeperformance. The philosophy is to improveon the present limitations by examiningemerging technologies within the realm ofthe possible, with speeds in excess of 170knots, combat range of 800 km, hover withfull combat-load under high/hotconditions and with a degree ofautonomous flight capability. There is aneed to harness technological innovationby looking beyond current force technologyand identifying possible next generationsolutions in areas such as propulsion,airframe materials, rotor systems, enginetechnology, survivability equipment andmission systems among others.

Helicopters today are integral part of land, sea andair operations of modern armies and are beingincreasingly employed in sub-conventionaloperations (counter-insurgency and counter-terrorist operations) across the world.

HELICOPTERS:EXPANDINGCAPABILITIES ANDEMERGING MISSIONS

B S PAWAR

MV-22B helicopter receives its finalchecks prior to take-off © US Navy


Future Developments and Expanding Capabilities:The advances in helicopter designs have notbeen as impressive as for fighter aircraft.While jet fighters are in their fifthgeneration, the helicopters are still struttingaround with the same old designs andairframes, with mostly upgrades to its credit– It has been without a new helicopterdesign since the induction in the 1980s ofthe Apache attack helicopter built byBoeing. The Apache AH-64E( Block-III),the latest version also called ‘The Guardian’is a vivid example, where even though 26new technologies have been incorporated,relating mainly to more powerful engines,composite rotor blades, upgradedtransmission system and capability tocontrol UAVs, the main design andconfiguration remains the same.

However, today the global helicopterindustry is undergoing a significanttransformation as are customer demandsand the capabilities offered by cutting edgetechnologies. Significant advances intechnology such as computation structural

dynamics modelling, expanded use ofadditive manufacturing, fly-by-wirecontrols, advanced condition basedmaintenance (CBM) and health and usagemonitoring (HUMS) systems and advancedturbine engine programmes, promise a bigleap in rotorcraft capabilities. Governmentsworldwide are initiating new defenceprocurements, while simultaneouslydeveloping and expanding indigenousproduction and development capabilities forboth military and civil applications – Indiahas also taken the lead in this area by itsrecent exposition of its ‘Make in India Policy’in the defence sector and inviting the privatesector to be part and parcel of the growingdefence aerospace industry.

The US remains the world’s largestpurchaser and developer of militaryhelicopters, with major aviation giants likeSikorsky, Boeing and Bell taking thelead in the design, development andmanufacture of state-of-art military andcivil helicopters. The US military hasembarked on the most transformativescience and technology initiative in

decades – the Joint Multi-Role (JMR)technology demonstration effort, where theindustry plans to prove the revolutionarycapabilities of high speed approaches for afamily of future military products.

In Russia the Moscow-based RussianHelicopters has been a leading player inthe Global Helicopter Industry, with itsmajor thrust being towards design anddevelopment of military helicopters. Europehas in the last two decades also emerged as amajor contender in the helicopter market,both in the civil and military domain.Airbus Helicopter formerly ‘Eurocopter’and Anglo-Italian Agusta Westland arethe two major companies whose productshave flooded the civil as well as militarymarket around the globe.

The new generation helicopter platformsare expected to feature the latest advancesin aeronautics giving military helicoptersimproved flight performance especially inrelation to speed. This offers the newgeneration machines unprecedentedcapabilities - increased autonomy, reducedacoustic signatures (enhanced stealth),

HELICOPTER FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

more accurate navigation systems,enhanced data acquisition and protectionsystems, more effective weapons andmunitions and improved reliability andmaintainability at lower operating costs.Helicopters will have to become trulymodular, making it possible to change part ofthe system without affecting overallintegrity. The concept of modularity is likelyto increase, especially with the emergenceof the concept of multirole machines.

World over today the armed forces areseriously looking at the multirole concept,due to the changing nature of conflicts andfinancial constraints. This concept basicallyrevolves around the use of utilityhelicopters both in the lift/logistics andarmed role. The size of such helicopterswould be between cargo and lightobservation and their armament wouldgenerally be restricted to guns and rockets.Some of these may also have the capability tobe fitted with air to air and air to groundmissiles. The ALH is a classic example of amultirole helicopter with its utility andarmed version (Rudra) available to theIndian Military. The US military is alreadymoving in this direction and their JMR fleetvision envisages narrowing down the morethan 20 helicopter types spread across theservices to only three basic models, plus anew ‘ultra’ category extending vertical take-off and landing aircraft into the domain ofmedium sized fixed wing transports. Thevision lays down that no helicopter in allthree basic categories - light, medium andheavy will be slower than today’s fastestconventional helicopter and should bepowerful enough to carry their predecessorsas external payload.

With regards to data acquisition,day/night observation and detectioncapabilities will increase and become morediversified specially in respect to informationsharing and cooperation with other aircraftand UAVs. This aspect has already beenincorporated in the Block III Apache model.Target engagement capabilities with regard toweapon range and precision is likely toremain the focus of future development.With sub conventional operations gainingascendency around the world, helicoptersurvivability will assume greatersignificance. Advances in stealth, such asreductions in radar and acoustic signaturesoffer major results in this area, as does thedevelopment of early detection/jammingcountermeasure capabilities.

Some of the above technologies arealready being incorporated in thedevelopment of Eurocopters X2 and X3, andSikorsky’s X2 co-axial compound helicopteras technology demonstrators. The mainemphasis is on speed, stealth, reliability andsurvivability. Many of these designs go wellbeyond the tried and tested rotor andpropeller system that has definedgenerations of helicopter technology sincetheir introduction into the military use inthe forties. The co-axial rotor design bycutting out the requirement of a tailrotor,provides a whole heap of benefits toinclude more power (enhancing the payload

capability), greater speeds, stability andnoise reduction. Infact in its demonstrativeflight, Sikorsky’s X2 achieved a speed of 287mph a major leap from the current standardhelicopter speeds – the X2 has a rear tail finrotor which provides the speed boost ratherthan anti torque thrust. Its military versionthe Sikorsky ‘S-97 Raider’ is stated to be thefuture light tactical scout helicopter of theUS Military. Eurocopters X3 technologydemonstrator is another oddball chopperthat can’t seem to figure out whether itwants to be a helicopter or a plane. But thisaircraft is already turning heads by havingachieved speeds that are fifty percent fasterthan the conventional helicopters and lowervibration levels. The X3 has two propellers onthe side of the craft there by removing theneed for a tail rotor and is being projectedby Airbus Helicopters for the military’s use insearch and rescue, special forces operationsand troop transport.

Finally, the development of innovativeconcepts, along the lines of V-22 Osprey (tiltrotor technology), could generate freshmomentum in the utility/logistics domain.The V-22 has operated extensively inAfghanistan and was instrumental in therescue of a downed US pilot in Libya in 2013.Agusta Westland has also come up with asimilar rotorcraft, the AW-609 - asignificant player in the emerging tilt rotormarket. Agusta Westland sees the craft as atroop transporter similar to the Bell -Boeing V22 Osprey. Such an aircraft would

11

The new generationhelicopter platforms areexpected to feature the

latest advances inaeronautics giving

military helicoptersimproved flight

performance especially in relation to speed

”10

Ka-226T camouflage-designedhelicopter with Indian soldiers

Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk is strong contender for Indian Navy multi-role helicopters contract


Future Developments and Expanding Capabilities:The advances in helicopter designs have notbeen as impressive as for fighter aircraft.While jet fighters are in their fifthgeneration, the helicopters are still struttingaround with the same old designs andairframes, with mostly upgrades to its credit– It has been without a new helicopterdesign since the induction in the 1980s ofthe Apache attack helicopter built byBoeing. The Apache AH-64E( Block-III),the latest version also called ‘The Guardian’is a vivid example, where even though 26new technologies have been incorporated,relating mainly to more powerful engines,composite rotor blades, upgradedtransmission system and capability tocontrol UAVs, the main design andconfiguration remains the same.

However, today the global helicopterindustry is undergoing a significanttransformation as are customer demandsand the capabilities offered by cutting edgetechnologies. Significant advances intechnology such as computation structural

dynamics modelling, expanded use ofadditive manufacturing, fly-by-wirecontrols, advanced condition basedmaintenance (CBM) and health and usagemonitoring (HUMS) systems and advancedturbine engine programmes, promise a bigleap in rotorcraft capabilities. Governmentsworldwide are initiating new defenceprocurements, while simultaneouslydeveloping and expanding indigenousproduction and development capabilities forboth military and civil applications – Indiahas also taken the lead in this area by itsrecent exposition of its ‘Make in India Policy’in the defence sector and inviting the privatesector to be part and parcel of the growingdefence aerospace industry.

The US remains the world’s largestpurchaser and developer of militaryhelicopters, with major aviation giants likeSikorsky, Boeing and Bell taking thelead in the design, development andmanufacture of state-of-art military andcivil helicopters. The US military hasembarked on the most transformativescience and technology initiative in

decades – the Joint Multi-Role (JMR)technology demonstration effort, where theindustry plans to prove the revolutionarycapabilities of high speed approaches for afamily of future military products.

In Russia the Moscow-based RussianHelicopters has been a leading player inthe Global Helicopter Industry, with itsmajor thrust being towards design anddevelopment of military helicopters. Europehas in the last two decades also emerged as amajor contender in the helicopter market,both in the civil and military domain.Airbus Helicopter formerly ‘Eurocopter’and Anglo-Italian Agusta Westland arethe two major companies whose productshave flooded the civil as well as militarymarket around the globe.

The new generation helicopter platformsare expected to feature the latest advancesin aeronautics giving military helicoptersimproved flight performance especially inrelation to speed. This offers the newgeneration machines unprecedentedcapabilities - increased autonomy, reducedacoustic signatures (enhanced stealth),


more accurate navigation systems,enhanced data acquisition and protectionsystems, more effective weapons andmunitions and improved reliability andmaintainability at lower operating costs.Helicopters will have to become trulymodular, making it possible to change part ofthe system without affecting overallintegrity. The concept of modularity is likelyto increase, especially with the emergenceof the concept of multirole machines.

World over today the armed forces areseriously looking at the multirole concept,due to the changing nature of conflicts andfinancial constraints. This concept basicallyrevolves around the use of utilityhelicopters both in the lift/logistics andarmed role. The size of such helicopterswould be between cargo and lightobservation and their armament wouldgenerally be restricted to guns and rockets.Some of these may also have the capability tobe fitted with air to air and air to groundmissiles. The ALH is a classic example of amultirole helicopter with its utility andarmed version (Rudra) available to theIndian Military. The US military is alreadymoving in this direction and their JMR fleetvision envisages narrowing down the morethan 20 helicopter types spread across theservices to only three basic models, plus anew ‘ultra’ category extending vertical take-off and landing aircraft into the domain ofmedium sized fixed wing transports. Thevision lays down that no helicopter in allthree basic categories - light, medium andheavy will be slower than today’s fastestconventional helicopter and should bepowerful enough to carry their predecessorsas external payload.

With regards to data acquisition,day/night observation and detectioncapabilities will increase and become morediversified specially in respect to informationsharing and cooperation with other aircraftand UAVs. This aspect has already beenincorporated in the Block III Apache model.Target engagement capabilities with regard toweapon range and precision is likely toremain the focus of future development.With sub conventional operations gainingascendency around the world, helicoptersurvivability will assume greatersignificance. Advances in stealth, such asreductions in radar and acoustic signaturesoffer major results in this area, as does thedevelopment of early detection/jammingcountermeasure capabilities.

Some of the above technologies arealready being incorporated in thedevelopment of Eurocopters X2 and X3, andSikorsky’s X2 co-axial compound helicopteras technology demonstrators. The mainemphasis is on speed, stealth, reliability andsurvivability. Many of these designs go wellbeyond the tried and tested rotor andpropeller system that has definedgenerations of helicopter technology sincetheir introduction into the military use inthe forties. The co-axial rotor design bycutting out the requirement of a tailrotor,provides a whole heap of benefits toinclude more power (enhancing the payload

capability), greater speeds, stability andnoise reduction. Infact in its demonstrativeflight, Sikorsky’s X2 achieved a speed of 287mph a major leap from the current standardhelicopter speeds – the X2 has a rear tail finrotor which provides the speed boost ratherthan anti torque thrust. Its military versionthe Sikorsky ‘S-97 Raider’ is stated to be thefuture light tactical scout helicopter of theUS Military. Eurocopters X3 technologydemonstrator is another oddball chopperthat can’t seem to figure out whether itwants to be a helicopter or a plane. But thisaircraft is already turning heads by havingachieved speeds that are fifty percent fasterthan the conventional helicopters and lowervibration levels. The X3 has two propellers onthe side of the craft there by removing theneed for a tail rotor and is being projectedby Airbus Helicopters for the military’s use insearch and rescue, special forces operationsand troop transport.

Finally, the development of innovativeconcepts, along the lines of V-22 Osprey (tiltrotor technology), could generate freshmomentum in the utility/logistics domain.The V-22 has operated extensively inAfghanistan and was instrumental in therescue of a downed US pilot in Libya in 2013.Agusta Westland has also come up with asimilar rotorcraft, the AW-609 - asignificant player in the emerging tilt rotormarket. Agusta Westland sees the craft as atroop transporter similar to the Bell -Boeing V22 Osprey. Such an aircraft would

11

The new generationhelicopter platforms areexpected to feature the

latest advances inaeronautics giving

military helicoptersimproved flight

performance especially in relation to speed

”10

Ka-226T camouflage-designedhelicopter with Indian soldiers

Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk is strong contender for Indian Navy multi-role helicopters contract


be ideal for deployment in our NorthEastern region where the infrastructure iswoefully inadequate. The latest in the tiltrotor field is ‘Bell’s V-280 Valor’ thirdgeneration tilt rotor demonstrator. Bell’sValor programme is a quantum technologyjump on its earlier V-22 Osprey aircraft andattacks affordability with technology – theValor is expected to fly in 2017.

Another area of future development ishelicopter UAVs. Two avenues are alreadybeing explored and implemented in differentcountries- UAV-helicopter cooperation anddevelopment of rotary wing UAVs. LockheedMartin’s K-MAX helicopter UAV wasdeployed in Afghanistan for logistic resupplyand has proved to be quite a hit. It has beenable to fly in adverse weather conditions when

manned helicopters could not fly. NorthropGrumman’s ‘Fire Scout’, is anotherhelicopter UAV which is already in servicewith the US Navy,capable of operating fromship decks. The latest in the unmanned fieldis the unmanned version of Sikorsky’s UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter modified forboth manned and unmanned flights. TheIndian Military is also seriously examiningthese unmanned options.

The Indian ScenarioThe operational diversities of the Indianarmed forces coupled with extremity andvariety of terrain (from sea level to highaltitude) underline the need for state of art,modern technology helicopters capable ofoperating both by day and night in acomplex battlefield environment of future. Asper reports the armed forces are looking toinduct as many as 1000 plus helicopters inthe coming decade ranging from attack andhigh altitude reconnaissance to medium andheavy lift variants. Presently the Indianmilitary holds in its kitty approximately 600helicopters of all types and class includingspecialised ones, but majority of these havefar exceeded their life span and are eitherobsolete or nearing obsolescence. TheChetak/ Cheetah held with the Army, Navyand Air force are vintage and awaitingreplacement. The latest attempt to replacethese ageing and obsolescent helicopters hasmet a similar fate to that of the earlierprocurement project of 2004, cancelled in2008.The trials for the current project werecompleted in 2013 - in fray were the AirbusAS 550 C3 Fennec and the Russian KamovKa 226T (both state-of-art helicopters withlatest avionics and glass cockpit). Thedecision to cancel this critical project wastaken by the MoD in August last year afterallegations of corruption and technicaldeviations in the selection process. With the‘Make in India’ policy in place, a fresh RFIhas been issued in October last year with theaim of identifying probable Indian vendorsincluding Indian companies forming jointventures (JVs) with foreign companies.Indian majors like Tata’s, Reliance,Mahindra, etc are likely to enter the fraylooking at JV’s with foreign majors likeAmerican - Bell and Sikorsky, Russian -Kamovand European - Airbus Helicopters.Navy is also looking to replace its currentfleet of Chetak/ modified Chetak-MATCH(mid air torpedo carrying helicopter) with atwin engine, 4.5 ton helicopter capable of


12

operating from warship decks, as well asbeing armed with rockets/guns and lightweight torpedoes.

In the light utility category, the ALH hasalready entered service with all threeservices and Coast Guard. The ALH has alsobeen test evaluated for high altitudeoperations with the fitment of a morepowerful engine ‘Shakti’ being producedjointly by HAL and French firmTurbomeca. This is a major achievementand will give a boost to helicopter operationsin high altitude areas especially Siachen. Theinduction of the armed version of the ALH(Rudra) has already commenced with a unitcurrently under raising for the army –however a major drawback in the Rudrapresently is the lack of a suitable anti tankguided missile in its weapon arsenal.

In the medium lift category the air forceholds the MI-8 and the MI-17 Russianhelicopters. While the MI-8 fleet is in theprocess of being replaced by MI-17’s, themajority of the existing MI-17 fleet has beenupgraded/ refurbished in respect of avionics

and night capability. Currently 80 MI-17 V5helicopters are being acquired from Russia -these helicopters are upgraded versions,with glass cockpit, night capability andarmament package and will boost the armedforces lift capability.

In the heavy lift category there is nothingworthwhile held with the Indian military,barring a few Russian MI 26 helicopterswhose high altitude capability is poor. Basedon the army’s requirement of a suitablehelicopter capable of lifting under slung theUltra Light Howitzer being acquired fromthe United States for deployment inmountains, the process for acquisition wasset into motion. Trials for the same havebeen completed with the American ChinookCH 47 scoring over the Russian MI-26.Fifteen numbers are planned for induction.

The weakest Link is in the Indian Militaryinventory is the holding of specializedhelicopters like the attack and anti-submarine warfare. (ASW). The MI 25/MI35 attack helicopters held are vintage andrequire replacement on priority. Even the

Sea King ASW helicopters held with thenavy need upgrade/ replacement with astate-of-art modern ASW helicopter. In therecent trials conducted for acquisition ofattack helicopters the American ApacheLongbow has been selected over the RussianMI-28 (Havoc). The induction of 22Apaches Block III (Latest UpgradedVersion) is likely to commence this year. Thearmy has also put in its requirement for 39Apaches Block III for its three Strike Corps –in principle approval for the same hasalready been given by the MoD. The Navyhad also conducted extensive trials forreplacement of its multirole Sea King fleetwith the European NH-90 and AmericanSikorsky 70B in fray-in the recent DefenceAcquisition Council meeting the selection ofSikorsky 70B has been approved.

Indigenous DevelopmentIn India the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) a Public Sector Undertakingcontinues to dominate the military aircraftindustry. However, with the opening up of

13

Indian Air Force Mi-17V5 helicopter

Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk dips thesonar into the Pacific Ocean

HELICOPTER ARMY AIR FORCE NAVY REMARKS

H I H I H I

Cheetah/Chetak 230 Replacement 75 Replacement 50-60 Replacement RFI ISSUED

ALH 60 120 (70 Rudra) 40 16 (Rudra) 10 10-20-? Doubtful

Attack Helicopter - 39 Apaches 30 22 Apaches - - MI25/35

LCH - 114 - 60 - - Not approved yet

MI-26/CHINOOK - - 4 15 * - - * Chinooks

MI-8/17/17IV/17V-5 - - 200 80 * - - * MI-17V-5 to replace MI8/MI17

Sea King - - - - 17 16 + 44* *(S-70B to replaceSea King)

Ka-28 10 Need upgrade

H-Held, I-Induction

Indian Helicopters potential requirements


be ideal for deployment in our NorthEastern region where the infrastructure iswoefully inadequate. The latest in the tiltrotor field is ‘Bell’s V-280 Valor’ thirdgeneration tilt rotor demonstrator. Bell’sValor programme is a quantum technologyjump on its earlier V-22 Osprey aircraft andattacks affordability with technology – theValor is expected to fly in 2017.

Another area of future development ishelicopter UAVs. Two avenues are alreadybeing explored and implemented in differentcountries- UAV-helicopter cooperation anddevelopment of rotary wing UAVs. LockheedMartin’s K-MAX helicopter UAV wasdeployed in Afghanistan for logistic resupplyand has proved to be quite a hit. It has beenable to fly in adverse weather conditions when

manned helicopters could not fly. NorthropGrumman’s ‘Fire Scout’, is anotherhelicopter UAV which is already in servicewith the US Navy,capable of operating fromship decks. The latest in the unmanned fieldis the unmanned version of Sikorsky’s UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter modified forboth manned and unmanned flights. TheIndian Military is also seriously examiningthese unmanned options.

The Indian ScenarioThe operational diversities of the Indianarmed forces coupled with extremity andvariety of terrain (from sea level to highaltitude) underline the need for state of art,modern technology helicopters capable ofoperating both by day and night in acomplex battlefield environment of future. Asper reports the armed forces are looking toinduct as many as 1000 plus helicopters inthe coming decade ranging from attack andhigh altitude reconnaissance to medium andheavy lift variants. Presently the Indianmilitary holds in its kitty approximately 600helicopters of all types and class includingspecialised ones, but majority of these havefar exceeded their life span and are eitherobsolete or nearing obsolescence. TheChetak/ Cheetah held with the Army, Navyand Air force are vintage and awaitingreplacement. The latest attempt to replacethese ageing and obsolescent helicopters hasmet a similar fate to that of the earlierprocurement project of 2004, cancelled in2008.The trials for the current project werecompleted in 2013 - in fray were the AirbusAS 550 C3 Fennec and the Russian KamovKa 226T (both state-of-art helicopters withlatest avionics and glass cockpit). Thedecision to cancel this critical project wastaken by the MoD in August last year afterallegations of corruption and technicaldeviations in the selection process. With the‘Make in India’ policy in place, a fresh RFIhas been issued in October last year with theaim of identifying probable Indian vendorsincluding Indian companies forming jointventures (JVs) with foreign companies.Indian majors like Tata’s, Reliance,Mahindra, etc are likely to enter the fraylooking at JV’s with foreign majors likeAmerican - Bell and Sikorsky, Russian -Kamovand European - Airbus Helicopters.Navy is also looking to replace its currentfleet of Chetak/ modified Chetak-MATCH(mid air torpedo carrying helicopter) with atwin engine, 4.5 ton helicopter capable of


12

operating from warship decks, as well asbeing armed with rockets/guns and lightweight torpedoes.

In the light utility category, the ALH hasalready entered service with all threeservices and Coast Guard. The ALH has alsobeen test evaluated for high altitudeoperations with the fitment of a morepowerful engine ‘Shakti’ being producedjointly by HAL and French firmTurbomeca. This is a major achievementand will give a boost to helicopter operationsin high altitude areas especially Siachen. Theinduction of the armed version of the ALH(Rudra) has already commenced with a unitcurrently under raising for the army –however a major drawback in the Rudrapresently is the lack of a suitable anti tankguided missile in its weapon arsenal.

In the medium lift category the air forceholds the MI-8 and the MI-17 Russianhelicopters. While the MI-8 fleet is in theprocess of being replaced by MI-17’s, themajority of the existing MI-17 fleet has beenupgraded/ refurbished in respect of avionics

and night capability. Currently 80 MI-17 V5helicopters are being acquired from Russia -these helicopters are upgraded versions,with glass cockpit, night capability andarmament package and will boost the armedforces lift capability.

In the heavy lift category there is nothingworthwhile held with the Indian military,barring a few Russian MI 26 helicopterswhose high altitude capability is poor. Basedon the army’s requirement of a suitablehelicopter capable of lifting under slung theUltra Light Howitzer being acquired fromthe United States for deployment inmountains, the process for acquisition wasset into motion. Trials for the same havebeen completed with the American ChinookCH 47 scoring over the Russian MI-26.Fifteen numbers are planned for induction.

The weakest Link is in the Indian Militaryinventory is the holding of specializedhelicopters like the attack and anti-submarine warfare. (ASW). The MI 25/MI35 attack helicopters held are vintage andrequire replacement on priority. Even the

Sea King ASW helicopters held with thenavy need upgrade/ replacement with astate-of-art modern ASW helicopter. In therecent trials conducted for acquisition ofattack helicopters the American ApacheLongbow has been selected over the RussianMI-28 (Havoc). The induction of 22Apaches Block III (Latest UpgradedVersion) is likely to commence this year. Thearmy has also put in its requirement for 39Apaches Block III for its three Strike Corps –in principle approval for the same hasalready been given by the MoD. The Navyhad also conducted extensive trials forreplacement of its multirole Sea King fleetwith the European NH-90 and AmericanSikorsky 70B in fray-in the recent DefenceAcquisition Council meeting the selection ofSikorsky 70B has been approved.

Indigenous DevelopmentIn India the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) a Public Sector Undertakingcontinues to dominate the military aircraftindustry. However, with the opening up of

13

Indian Air Force Mi-17V5 helicopter

Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk dips thesonar into the Pacific Ocean

HELICOPTER ARMY AIR FORCE NAVY REMARKS

H I H I H I

Cheetah/Chetak 230 Replacement 75 Replacement 50-60 Replacement RFI ISSUED

ALH 60 120 (70 Rudra) 40 16 (Rudra) 10 10-20-? Doubtful

Attack Helicopter - 39 Apaches 30 22 Apaches - - MI25/35

LCH - 114 - 60 - - Not approved yet

MI-26/CHINOOK - - 4 15 * - - * Chinooks

MI-8/17/17IV/17V-5 - - 200 80 * - - * MI-17V-5 to replace MI8/MI17

Sea King - - - - 17 16 + 44* *(S-70B to replaceSea King)

Ka-28 10 Need upgrade

H-Held, I-Induction

Indian Helicopters potential requirements


the defence manufacturing sector to theprivate industry and thrust on indigenousproduction capability with a‘Make in India’policy in place, this equation is likely tochange. Presently the most significantdevelopment in the HAL helicopterdevelopment venture is the Light CombatHelicopter (LCH), stated to be a state of artattack helicopter with capability to operatein the mountains. The LCH uses thetechnology of the existing ALH and itsconfigurations, except that the fuselage issuitably modified and streamlined for

tandem seating required for a modern dayattack helicopter. An indigenous attackhelicopter is a step in the right direction asit can be tailored to suit the terrain andclimatic conditions of our area ofoperations – its ability to operate in themountains is a major achievement. Anumber of development flights have takenplace since its maiden flight on 29 Mar2010 and it is expected to be ready for trialevaluation this year. Both air force andarmy are the potential customers forinduction of the same.

The HAL is also looking at thedevelopment and manufacture of a threetonne class Light Utility Helicopter (LUH),which presently has reached the designfreeze stage – this development is to cater tothe Light Observation and Reconnaissanceclass of helicopters for the military. However,with the cancellation of the project for thepurchase of 197 LUH (replacementhelicopters for Cheetah/Chetak), the field isnow wide open for the Indian industry bothprivate and public.

The current involvement of the privateindustry is limited to the two JV’s by TataAdvanced Systems Limited, one withSikorsky for making S-92 helicopter cabinsand the other with Agusta Westland for themanufacture of the AW-119 Ke lighthelicopter (civil version). Separate facilitieshave been established in Hyderabad andproduction commenced in both cases. Theinvolvement of private industry in helicopterdevelopment needs to be encouraged by theGovernment in order to stop the monopoly ofHAL and ensure greater competition in themarket. The HAL also needs to keep in mindthe developing future helicopter technologyand incorporate the same in its futureprojects, even if it involves going in for JVs.There is an urgent need to develop acollaborative approach towards developinghelicopter manufacturing base in thecountry for using the strengths of both thepublic and private sector towards fulfillingnational aspirations.

HELICOPTER

14

Airbus Helicopter EC725 is contender for the Indian CoastGuard’s and Naval Multi-Role Helicopter requirement

Apache helicopter is likely tobe inducted this year

There is an urgent need to develop a

collaborative approachtowards developing

helicopter manufacturingbase in the country

for using the strengths ofboth the public and

private sector towardsfulfilling national

aspirations

”

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI


NEW TOOLS FOR NEW RULES

N E X T I S N O W ®

HPS - The Helmet Mounted Display System (HMDS) SolutionHPS (Helmet Pointing System) gives helicopter pilots invaluable advantages. It enables each pilot to monitor and follow the other pilot’s Line of Sight (LOS) and slave helicopter systems, such as EOP (Electro-Optical Payload) and weapon systems, thus reducing pilot intercommunication and workload.The HPS takes crew communication, coordination, situational awarenessand flight safety to new levels.

Operating worldwide on more than 7,500 helicopters of 25 different types.

AERO INDIA 2015Israel PavilionHall A, Booth A2.5

Visit us at

1716

Cooperation in the defence sector hasbeen an essential component ofIndia-Israel bilateral ties. This has

included the buying of niche Israeli defenceequipment like unmanned aerial vehicles(UAV’s), Airborne Warning and ControlSystems (AWACS) and surveillance radarsfor the Air Force, joint development ofmissile systems for the Air Force and theNavy, buying of sophisticated weaponrylike sniper rifles for Special Forces, anti-missile defence systems (AMD) for Indian

Navy warships, underwater harbourdefence surveillance systems for the IndianNavy, maritime patrol radars made by Eltafor Dornier aircraft of the Coast Guard,among other equipment. The defencerelationship has grown concurrently withthe growth in the bilateral trade, from $200 million in 1992 to more than $ 6billion during 2013-14. There has also beenrobust institutional interaction betweeneach other’s armed forces and nationalsecurity apparatuses, and brainstorming

on internal security as well as non-proliferation issues, among others.

The total financial volume of this defencecooperation has been open to speculation.Among the few occasions when thegovernment informed Parliament as to thefinancial volume of India-Israel defencetrade was when former Defence Minister AKAntony informed Rajya Sabha in May 2007that ‘defence purchases’ from Israel duringthe period 2002-2007 were worth $ 5billion. In August 2013, Antony, in a written

reply in the Lok Sabha indicated that 29 percent of the Indian Army’s capitalprocurement during 2010-13 was fromIsrael. These details are pertinent given thefact that stress on non-disclosure have beenthe guiding principle as regards India-Israeldefence trade across different governmentsin New Delhi.

The Political ContextWhile the Congress-led government of PVNarasimha Rao established full diplomatic

relations with Israel in 1992, therelationship matured under the BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP)-led governments from1998-2004. The BJP was open to engagingwith Israel at the highest political levelsduring its tenure in power. Ariel Sharonbecame the first Israeli prime minister tovisit India in September 2003, at theinvitation of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This was incontrast with the low-level politicalengagement followed by the subsequentCongress-led United Progressive Alliance(UPA) from 2004-2014. It is pertinent tonote that despite the high levels of defencecooperation between the two countries, noIndian defence minister has ever visitedIsrael. The last visit by an Indian NationalSecurity Advisor was way back in September1999 by Brajesh Misra.

The low levels of ‘high-level’ politicalcontacts during the decade of UPA rule,however, did not impinge negatively on thegrowth trajectory of India-Israel defencecooperation. It should be noted though thatthe Israeli leadership was in favour of a moreactive and overt political engagement withIndia. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman,while welcoming then External AffairsMinister SM Krishna to Israel in January2012 on the occasion of the 20th anniversaryof establishment of diplomatic relations,pointedly hoped that such visits wouldbecome ‘more frequent’.

The BJP has always been a votary ofstronger ties between India and Israel andits leaders have time and again (especiallywhile in the opposition) expressedappreciation of the Israeli government’smuscular anti-terrorism and nationalsecurity policies, notwithstanding the factthat some of these policies may or may not besuccessful in the complex Indian context.The Modi government came to officeprofessing to follow a stronger stance onnational security issues. It is pertinent tonote that among the first acts Modi did afterbeing sworn in as the prime minister wasembarking on the INS Vikramaditya onJune 13, 2014 and dedicating the aircraftcarrier to the nation.

The government has further affirmed thatthe procurement process would be expeditedto cater to the pressing modernization andupgrade requirements of the Indian armedforces. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) in itsyear-end review in December 2014 pointedout that the Defence Acquisition Council(DAC), the apex decision-making body of the

NEW VISTAS IN INDIA-ISRAEL DEFENCE TIES

KEY POINTSl The lack of indigenous efforts in nichetechnological areas has been the primarydrivers of India-Israel defence trade.l The LR-SAM programme illustrates thatIsrael and India are jointly developingcapabilities to benefit both armed forces.l India has affirmed that the procurementprocess would be expedited to cater tothe pressing modernization requirements.

Hermes 900 is MediumAltitude Long Endurance

(MALE) UAS withmulti-mission performance

capabilities © Elbit Systems

INDIA-ISRAEL TIES

S. SAMUEL C. RAJIV

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

The defence relationship between India and Israel has grown concurrently withthe growth in the bilateral trade. There has been robust institutional interactionbetween each other’s armed forces and national security apparatuses

India-Israel-S Samuel.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 10/02/15 11:51 AM Page 1

1716

Cooperation in the defence sector hasbeen an essential component ofIndia-Israel bilateral ties. This has

included the buying of niche Israeli defenceequipment like unmanned aerial vehicles(UAV’s), Airborne Warning and ControlSystems (AWACS) and surveillance radarsfor the Air Force, joint development ofmissile systems for the Air Force and theNavy, buying of sophisticated weaponrylike sniper rifles for Special Forces, anti-missile defence systems (AMD) for Indian

Navy warships, underwater harbourdefence surveillance systems for the IndianNavy, maritime patrol radars made by Eltafor Dornier aircraft of the Coast Guard,among other equipment. The defencerelationship has grown concurrently withthe growth in the bilateral trade, from $200 million in 1992 to more than $ 6billion during 2013-14. There has also beenrobust institutional interaction betweeneach other’s armed forces and nationalsecurity apparatuses, and brainstorming

on internal security as well as non-proliferation issues, among others.

The total financial volume of this defencecooperation has been open to speculation.Among the few occasions when thegovernment informed Parliament as to thefinancial volume of India-Israel defencetrade was when former Defence Minister AKAntony informed Rajya Sabha in May 2007that ‘defence purchases’ from Israel duringthe period 2002-2007 were worth $ 5billion. In August 2013, Antony, in a written

reply in the Lok Sabha indicated that 29 percent of the Indian Army’s capitalprocurement during 2010-13 was fromIsrael. These details are pertinent given thefact that stress on non-disclosure have beenthe guiding principle as regards India-Israeldefence trade across different governmentsin New Delhi.

The Political ContextWhile the Congress-led government of PVNarasimha Rao established full diplomatic

relations with Israel in 1992, therelationship matured under the BharatiyaJanata Party (BJP)-led governments from1998-2004. The BJP was open to engagingwith Israel at the highest political levelsduring its tenure in power. Ariel Sharonbecame the first Israeli prime minister tovisit India in September 2003, at theinvitation of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This was incontrast with the low-level politicalengagement followed by the subsequentCongress-led United Progressive Alliance(UPA) from 2004-2014. It is pertinent tonote that despite the high levels of defencecooperation between the two countries, noIndian defence minister has ever visitedIsrael. The last visit by an Indian NationalSecurity Advisor was way back in September1999 by Brajesh Misra.

The low levels of ‘high-level’ politicalcontacts during the decade of UPA rule,however, did not impinge negatively on thegrowth trajectory of India-Israel defencecooperation. It should be noted though thatthe Israeli leadership was in favour of a moreactive and overt political engagement withIndia. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman,while welcoming then External AffairsMinister SM Krishna to Israel in January2012 on the occasion of the 20th anniversaryof establishment of diplomatic relations,pointedly hoped that such visits wouldbecome ‘more frequent’.

The BJP has always been a votary ofstronger ties between India and Israel andits leaders have time and again (especiallywhile in the opposition) expressedappreciation of the Israeli government’smuscular anti-terrorism and nationalsecurity policies, notwithstanding the factthat some of these policies may or may not besuccessful in the complex Indian context.The Modi government came to officeprofessing to follow a stronger stance onnational security issues. It is pertinent tonote that among the first acts Modi did afterbeing sworn in as the prime minister wasembarking on the INS Vikramaditya onJune 13, 2014 and dedicating the aircraftcarrier to the nation.

The government has further affirmed thatthe procurement process would be expeditedto cater to the pressing modernization andupgrade requirements of the Indian armedforces. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) in itsyear-end review in December 2014 pointedout that the Defence Acquisition Council(DAC), the apex decision-making body of the

NEW VISTAS IN INDIA-ISRAEL DEFENCE TIES

KEY POINTSl The lack of indigenous efforts in nichetechnological areas has been the primarydrivers of India-Israel defence trade.l The LR-SAM programme illustrates thatIsrael and India are jointly developingcapabilities to benefit both armed forces.l India has affirmed that the procurementprocess would be expedited to cater tothe pressing modernization requirements.

Hermes 900 is MediumAltitude Long Endurance

(MALE) UAS withmulti-mission performance

capabilities © Elbit Systems

INDIA-ISRAEL TIES

S. SAMUEL C. RAJIV

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

The defence relationship between India and Israel has grown concurrently withthe growth in the bilateral trade. There has been robust institutional interactionbetween each other’s armed forces and national security apparatuses

India-Israel-S Samuel.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 10/02/15 11:51 AM Page 1

Ministry, set a ‘scorching pace’ by clearingproposals worth nearly INR 150,000crores (about $24 billion as per currentaverage exchange rate).

These dynamics would thereforetranslate into greater political and defenceengagement with a country like Israel whichis identified by the MOD as one of India’s‘main defence partners’, along with the US,Russia, France and the United Kingdom. Ina sign of such interactions, Prime MinisterModi met with his Israeli counterpartBenjamin Netanyahu at the side lines of theUnited Nations General Assembly inSeptember 2014, for the first such meeting inover a decade. Both the leaders committed totake the defence relationship further, alongwith expanding cooperation in other fieldslike cyber security, water management,agriculture and solid waste management.

This brief interaction was close on theheels of the Israeli military action ‘OperationProtective Edge’ during July-August 2014that led to the death of over 2,000Palestinians. When the Modi governmentwas opposed to a debate on this Israelimilitary action in the Indian Parliament inJuly 2014, it was accused of being soft onIsrael and of abandoning the cause of thePalestinians. The government howeverclarified that it had ‘procedural’ objectionsto a discussion and that it was not deviatingfrom India’s long-standing support to thePalestinians, including in such fora like theUnited Nations.

Dynamics of India-Israel Defence Trade:The Spike SagaThe procurement saga associated with theIsraeli-made Spike anti-tank guided missile(ATGM) in many ways captures the dynamicsenveloping India-Israel defence trade. Theseinclude lack of effective progress involvingindigenous options, cost effectiveness of theIsraeli systems, and Israeli willingness toshare critical technology with India asagainst peer competitors. The decision infavour of the Spike ATGM was among the

first policy decisions taken by the newgovernment pertaining to the India-Israeldefence relationship.

The DAC headed by then DefenceMinister Arun Jaitley on October 25, 2014approved the purchase of over 8000 SpikeATGMs and 300 launchers worth INR 3,200crores ($ 525 million) according to reports,each missile thus costing about $ 65,000.Reports noted that the American FGM-148Javelin missile (while costs vary withdifferent versions, the 2014 cost of each unit

INDIA-ISRAEL TIES

18

Spike is multi-purpose, multi-platform electro-optic missilesystem in use by infantry units as well as mounted on combat

vehicles, attack helicopters and naval vessels © Rafael

Spice2000 is air-to-ground weapon systems capable of hitting and destroying targets with astand-off range of 60 km with pinpoint accuracy and at high attack volumes © Rafael

India-Israel-S Samuel.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 09/02/15 1:02 PM Page 3

• Effective interception and handling of salvo threats• Selective interception of threats endangering the protected area • Destruction of threats before reaching the protected area• Robust interceptor with pinpoint accuracy and lethality• Operational day and night in all weather conditions

IRON DOME. Safeguard your cities, strategic locations and deployed forces with the world’s1st effective integrated air and missile defense against asymmetric threats.

NOW, WE’VE GOT YOU PROTECTED

www.rafael.co.il

Aero India 2015See us at

Israel PavilionHall A, Booth A2.2

the huge variety it can offer as part of theSpike systems. These include ExtendedRange (ER) and Non Line of Sight (NLOS)versions having ranges from 8 kms to 25kms. India meanwhile carried out thesuccessful trials of the indigenouslydeveloped third-generation fire-and-forgetATGM HeliNa (a version of the Nagmissile) after integration with the DhruvAdvanced Light Helicopter (ALH) in June2014. Such ATGM’s are conceptuallysimilar to the Spike NLOS versions (whichare also fired from helicopters) and hencecould potentially be an option open to theIndian armed forces.

It remains to be seen however if India cansuccessfully mass produce such missiles,thus offsetting the requirement of procuringsuch systems from overseas vendors. TheNag missile has seen an unevendevelopmental trajectory. It was part of thecore missile systems that was intended to bedeveloped under the Integrated GuidedMissile Development Programme(IGMDP), launched way back in 1983 andwas first tested in 1990. The missile facedproblems in its infra-red seeker guidancesystem in subsequent user trials specificallyin hot desert conditions. The system wasfine-tuned and the Army also placed ordersfor over 400 such missiles in 2010. It is notclear however as to when these missileswould be inducted.

The lack of effective progress ofindigenous efforts in niche technologicalareas has been one of the primary drivers ofIndia-Israel defence trade. The PhalconAWACS for instance procured from Israelwas mounted on Russian aircraft due to thesetback encountered by the indigenousprogramme in 1999 (when an Avro aircraftin testing crashed). Other systems like the

Russian A-50 AWACS were tested but didnot meet the ‘requirements’ of the IAF (asinformed by then Defence Minister GeorgeFernandes in the Rajya Sabha in August2000). Israeli willingness to supply suchcritical technology is another crucialdeterminant. The 1998 contract to supplyPhalcon AWACS technology to China forinstance was annulled in July 2000 onaccount of US pressure.

Going ForwardMaturing Indian CapabilitiesAs and when Indian capabilities in suchniche technological areas like AdvancedEarly Warning and Control Aircraft(AEW&C) and UAVs mature, it can beexpected that reliance on foreign supplierswould reduce. In this context, it ispertinent to note that the Rajya Sabha wasinformed in May 2010 that India wouldbuy 3 more AEW&C aircraft during the12th (2012-2017), 13th and 14th Plans. Itis not clear however if these will beprocured from Israel, as indigenoussystems, mounted on Embraer aircraft, arecurrently in an advanced stage ofdevelopment. The first such aircraft wasreceived in Bengaluru in August 2012. TheMoD’s year-end review statement for 2014states that two such aircraft, fitted withindigenous radars, data links, missionsystem controller ‘have been flying’.

INDIA-ISRAEL TIES FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

20 21

Among India-Israel jointdevelopment programmes

that would mature over the coming months

include the long rangesurface-to-air missile

(LR-SAM) for the IndianNavy (IN) as well as the

Israeli Navy and themedium-range SAM

(MR-SAM) for the IAF

”

India has recently acquired Il-76 basedAEW&C platforms that are equipped with

the Israeli Phalcon mission suite

of the FGM-148F version was reportedlyabout $ 245,000) was a contender for thecontract. While Spike is produced by RafaelAdvanced Defence Systems, Javelin isproduced by Lockheed Martin andRaytheon Corporation.

The decision was taken in thebackground of renewed tensions with Chinaand Pakistan on the border in the aftermathof the Modi government assuming office.The October 2014 DAC meeting clearedproposals worth over INR 80,000 crores ($13 billion) for equipment as varied assubmarines to be built in India and Dorniermaritime surveillance aircraft, along withthe Spike ATGM.

It is pertinent to note that the Request forProposal (RFP) for such advanced ‘fire-and-forget’ anti-tank missiles effective over arange of more than 2 kms was initially floatedin June 2010. Rafael was the only companythat responded to the request. Reports inMarch 2011 noted that other companiesincluding General Dynamics (whichmakes the Stryker ATGM), Raytheon,MBDA(the pan-European group made up ofmissile manufacturers from Britain, Italyand France and which makes the MMPATGM) and Russia’s Rosoboronexport(which markets the third-generationShturm-SM ATGM made by KBM), did notrespond, possibly due to apprehensions overtransferring the technology to India.

Given that India’s Defence ProcurementProcedure (DPP) prohibited single-vendorpurchases, a decision in favour of Spike waseventually not taken in April 2013. Suchprohibitions were put in place due toapprehensions over corruption involvingsuch single-vendor purchases as well as toencourage competition and favourableoffers from vendors. The Indian Armymeanwhile was facing a critical equipmentshortage, including for anti-tankammunition. Reports noted that the thenArmy Chief Gen. V.K. Singh had informedthe government about the imperative need totake steps to address such shortages in aletter dated March 12, 2012 to former PrimeMinister, Manmohan Singh. Gen Singhspecifically pointed to the lack of ‘criticalammunition to defeat enemy tanks’. Inorder to tide over the shortage, the DACheaded by Antony in July 2013 cleared theproposal to buy additional 4,500 French-made Milan 2T ATGM’s.

While the October 2014 DAC decisioninvolves about 8,000 ATGMs and 300launchers, reports noted that therequirement for such third-generationATGMs was huge. India, for instance, hadover 350 infantry battalions and wouldrequire over 2000 launchers and 24,000missiles to replace the second-generationATGMs in its inventory like the ‘wire-guided’ Russian-made Konkurs-M and the

French Milan systems, as against the‘wireless’ systems like the Spike and theJavelin. While the Konkurs-M has been inservice since 2003, different versions of theMilan have been in service with the IndianArmy since the 1970s. An October 2012report in the Defence News noted that aMilan ATGM costs about $30,000.

Given such huge requirements for moremodern ATGMs, it could be possible that theJavelin could also make up some numbersif a favourable decision is taken in its favoursubsequently. Reports in the Defence Newsnoted that the then US Deputy DefenceSecretary (and incoming Defence Secretary)Ashton Carter in September 2013 during avisit to New Delhi had proposed the ‘jointdevelopment’ of the Javelin. If true, such anoffer would take care of the reportedapprehensions regarding technologytransfer that apparently hindered theparticipation of US companies in the ATGMtendering process. It could also bring downthe costs of the system as against buyingthem off the shelf. It is pertinent to note thatthe Javelin missile was fired by Indiansoldiers in a demonstration as part of theIndo-US joint exercise Yudh Abhyas as farback as in October 2009.

Rafael however would be in the driver’sseat to cater to the Indian requirementshaving bagged the initial contract and onaccount of its cost effectiveness, as well as

Elbit Systems helmet display and tracking system provides enhanced day/nightsituational awareness and increased survivability © Elbit Systems


the huge variety it can offer as part of theSpike systems. These include ExtendedRange (ER) and Non Line of Sight (NLOS)versions having ranges from 8 kms to 25kms. India meanwhile carried out thesuccessful trials of the indigenouslydeveloped third-generation fire-and-forgetATGM HeliNa (a version of the Nagmissile) after integration with the DhruvAdvanced Light Helicopter (ALH) in June2014. Such ATGM’s are conceptuallysimilar to the Spike NLOS versions (whichare also fired from helicopters) and hencecould potentially be an option open to theIndian armed forces.

It remains to be seen however if India cansuccessfully mass produce such missiles,thus offsetting the requirement of procuringsuch systems from overseas vendors. TheNag missile has seen an unevendevelopmental trajectory. It was part of thecore missile systems that was intended to bedeveloped under the Integrated GuidedMissile Development Programme(IGMDP), launched way back in 1983 andwas first tested in 1990. The missile facedproblems in its infra-red seeker guidancesystem in subsequent user trials specificallyin hot desert conditions. The system wasfine-tuned and the Army also placed ordersfor over 400 such missiles in 2010. It is notclear however as to when these missileswould be inducted.

The lack of effective progress ofindigenous efforts in niche technologicalareas has been one of the primary drivers ofIndia-Israel defence trade. The PhalconAWACS for instance procured from Israelwas mounted on Russian aircraft due to thesetback encountered by the indigenousprogramme in 1999 (when an Avro aircraftin testing crashed). Other systems like the

Russian A-50 AWACS were tested but didnot meet the ‘requirements’ of the IAF (asinformed by then Defence Minister GeorgeFernandes in the Rajya Sabha in August2000). Israeli willingness to supply suchcritical technology is another crucialdeterminant. The 1998 contract to supplyPhalcon AWACS technology to China forinstance was annulled in July 2000 onaccount of US pressure.

Going ForwardMaturing Indian CapabilitiesAs and when Indian capabilities in suchniche technological areas like AdvancedEarly Warning and Control Aircraft(AEW&C) and UAVs mature, it can beexpected that reliance on foreign supplierswould reduce. In this context, it ispertinent to note that the Rajya Sabha wasinformed in May 2010 that India wouldbuy 3 more AEW&C aircraft during the12th (2012-2017), 13th and 14th Plans. Itis not clear however if these will beprocured from Israel, as indigenoussystems, mounted on Embraer aircraft, arecurrently in an advanced stage ofdevelopment. The first such aircraft wasreceived in Bengaluru in August 2012. TheMoD’s year-end review statement for 2014states that two such aircraft, fitted withindigenous radars, data links, missionsystem controller ‘have been flying’.

INDIA-ISRAEL TIES FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

20 21

Among India-Israel jointdevelopment programmes

that would mature over the coming months

include the long rangesurface-to-air missile

(LR-SAM) for the IndianNavy (IN) as well as the

Israeli Navy and themedium-range SAM

(MR-SAM) for the IAF

”

India has recently acquired Il-76 basedAEW&C platforms that are equipped with

the Israeli Phalcon mission suite

of the FGM-148F version was reportedlyabout $ 245,000) was a contender for thecontract. While Spike is produced by RafaelAdvanced Defence Systems, Javelin isproduced by Lockheed Martin andRaytheon Corporation.

The decision was taken in thebackground of renewed tensions with Chinaand Pakistan on the border in the aftermathof the Modi government assuming office.The October 2014 DAC meeting clearedproposals worth over INR 80,000 crores ($13 billion) for equipment as varied assubmarines to be built in India and Dorniermaritime surveillance aircraft, along withthe Spike ATGM.

It is pertinent to note that the Request forProposal (RFP) for such advanced ‘fire-and-forget’ anti-tank missiles effective over arange of more than 2 kms was initially floatedin June 2010. Rafael was the only companythat responded to the request. Reports inMarch 2011 noted that other companiesincluding General Dynamics (whichmakes the Stryker ATGM), Raytheon,MBDA(the pan-European group made up ofmissile manufacturers from Britain, Italyand France and which makes the MMPATGM) and Russia’s Rosoboronexport(which markets the third-generationShturm-SM ATGM made by KBM), did notrespond, possibly due to apprehensions overtransferring the technology to India.

Given that India’s Defence ProcurementProcedure (DPP) prohibited single-vendorpurchases, a decision in favour of Spike waseventually not taken in April 2013. Suchprohibitions were put in place due toapprehensions over corruption involvingsuch single-vendor purchases as well as toencourage competition and favourableoffers from vendors. The Indian Armymeanwhile was facing a critical equipmentshortage, including for anti-tankammunition. Reports noted that the thenArmy Chief Gen. V.K. Singh had informedthe government about the imperative need totake steps to address such shortages in aletter dated March 12, 2012 to former PrimeMinister, Manmohan Singh. Gen Singhspecifically pointed to the lack of ‘criticalammunition to defeat enemy tanks’. Inorder to tide over the shortage, the DACheaded by Antony in July 2013 cleared theproposal to buy additional 4,500 French-made Milan 2T ATGM’s.

While the October 2014 DAC decisioninvolves about 8,000 ATGMs and 300launchers, reports noted that therequirement for such third-generationATGMs was huge. India, for instance, hadover 350 infantry battalions and wouldrequire over 2000 launchers and 24,000missiles to replace the second-generationATGMs in its inventory like the ‘wire-guided’ Russian-made Konkurs-M and the

French Milan systems, as against the‘wireless’ systems like the Spike and theJavelin. While the Konkurs-M has been inservice since 2003, different versions of theMilan have been in service with the IndianArmy since the 1970s. An October 2012report in the Defence News noted that aMilan ATGM costs about $30,000.

Given such huge requirements for moremodern ATGMs, it could be possible that theJavelin could also make up some numbersif a favourable decision is taken in its favoursubsequently. Reports in the Defence Newsnoted that the then US Deputy DefenceSecretary (and incoming Defence Secretary)Ashton Carter in September 2013 during avisit to New Delhi had proposed the ‘jointdevelopment’ of the Javelin. If true, such anoffer would take care of the reportedapprehensions regarding technologytransfer that apparently hindered theparticipation of US companies in the ATGMtendering process. It could also bring downthe costs of the system as against buyingthem off the shelf. It is pertinent to note thatthe Javelin missile was fired by Indiansoldiers in a demonstration as part of theIndo-US joint exercise Yudh Abhyas as farback as in October 2009.

Rafael however would be in the driver’sseat to cater to the Indian requirementshaving bagged the initial contract and onaccount of its cost effectiveness, as well as

Elbit Systems helmet display and tracking system provides enhanced day/nightsituational awareness and increased survivability © Elbit Systems


INDIA-ISRAEL TIES

22

Promise of Joint DevelopmentProgrammesAmong India-Israel joint developmentprogrammes that would mature over thecoming months include the long rangesurface-to-air missile (LR-SAM) for theIndian Navy (IN) as well as the Israeli Navyand the medium-range SAM (MR-SAM)for the IAF. The LR-SAM system has beenmaking steady progress with two controland navigation flight tests being conductedin Israel in July 2012. ‘Home-on-target’flights tests were conducted in August 2013after its integration onto a warship. Themissile was successfully tested against aflying target in Israel in November 2014 bythe Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI),DRDO’s partner in developing the missile.The former DRDO Chief Avinash Chanderwho witnessed the event termed it a‘milestone in cooperation between the twocountries in developing advanced weaponssystems’. The MR-SAM land-based air-defence system development is slated to becompleted by 2016.

Positive developmentPertaining to India-Israel defence tradelifting of ban on the Israeli MilitaryIndustries (IMI) was revoked inSeptember 2014. This followed the closureof the corruption case against IMI by theCentral Bureau of Investigation (CBI) onaccount of ‘paucity of information’. Thefirm was blacklisted in March 2012 for aperiod of 10 years following investigationby the CBI which began in May 2009regarding irregularities in the $350million deal to supply and manufacture bi-modular charge system (BMCS) for the155mm howitzers at the OrdinanceFactory Board (OFB), Nalanda.Following the ban on the IMI, reportsnoted that the Indian Army was faced withshortages in ammunition for its 155mmBofors howitzers. The IMI was alsoinvolved in critical consultancy for theArjun Mk-2 main battle tank (MBT).Indigenous efforts to develop the BMCSmeanwhile seem to have made progresswith the MOD in December 2014 statingthat the ‘user and DGQA trials of BMCSusing both Soltam and Bofors guns werecompleted’. It is pertinent to note that theCBI had in September 2011 closed the caseagainst an Indian arms dealer for allegedlyreceiving kickbacks from the Israeli gunmanufacturer Soltam, for lack of evidence.

In ClosingIsrael and India are jointly developingcapabilities to benefit each other’s armedforces, as the LR-SAM programme illustrates.Both countries have undertaken jointmarketing of such systems like the DhruvALH, developed by India, which are currentlyin the service of six countries. There is a strongIsraeli presence in defence exhibitions likethe Aero India, which showcase the best ofthat country’s technology that couldpotentially dovetail into current and futureIndian requirements. At the Aero India2015, there will be 15 exhibitors displaying

technologies and equipment related tofields as varied as aerospace and precisionguided weapons. There continues to be aperfect fit between Israeli capabilities inniche technological areas, its willingness toshare such technology with India, Israeliexport imperatives and its defenceindustry’s strong emphasis on R&D,coupled with Indian requirements formodernisation and upgrade. The pragmaticreasons which underpin the defencerelationship would continue to be operativefor each other’s mutual benefit into theforeseeable future.

Iron Dome is effective for quick detection,discrimination and interception of rockets & mortarthreats with ranges of up to 70 km and also againstaircraft, helicopters, UAVs and PGMs © Rafael

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI


FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

25

Prime minister Narendra Modi and hisgovernment have generated hugeexpectations of a major

transformation in the area of defenceindustries. The “Make in India” slogan of thenew government has announced a nationalprogramme, designed to facilitateinvestment, foster innovation, enhance skilldevelopment and aims to build best-in-classmanufacturing infrastructure. The first fewsteps - hike in FDI to 49% in defence sector;urgency that is displayed in institutionalisingthe defence acquisition mechanisms andfocus on Buy and Make categorisation oflarge purchases; pressure on DRDO todismantle its bureaucratic structures, bring inaccountability and focus on young scientists;support to private sector in defence; andbringing in scrutiny and accountability inDefence Public Sector Units (DPSUs) - havegiven the impression and hope that thegovernment may display the necessaryresolve to bring in radical reforms. Theseexpectations revolve around much neededreforms to energise defence manufacturing,defence R & D, and defence exports. Thebarometre for measuring a major power’sstrength is demonstrated by its technologicalcapability in the aerospace domain.

Technology, National Security andInternational OrderThe importance of technology in the nation’ssecurity and economy calculus can only beappreciated if the changed nuances of India’srole and stature in the global system arerecognised. India, in the 21st century, hasclearly moved upwards into the ranks ofmajor powers in the hierarchy of nations onthe strength of the size of its economy, itspotential, population, and its naturalresources. If its potential has to be realisedthen India will need to grasp the nuances ofthe role of technology and its defenceindustry in its national power. India has anunenviable task of overcoming its lag in itsdefence industrial capability whilesimultaneously achieve the task ofleapfrogging into the knowledge sector.These are enormous challenges particularly inan environment of intensely competitivepolitics amongst nations. Politics amongstgreat powers is very dynamic. Advances inscience and technology have long influencedthe course of international politics.Technology, in fact, is one of the keydeterminants in shaping relations amongnations, alongside wars and economic shifts.In the 21st century, aerospace technologiesare the currency of power for major nations.

If India has to play an effective role in theinternational system, it needs to strategiseits industrial policies after scrutinising itstechnological capabilities at three levels. Thefirst level is an estimate of the country’scapacity to produce the most importantcritical technologies today. It is now wellestablished that the most importanttechnology today appears to be aerospace,information and communicationtechnologies in all its manifestations. The

second level is the country’s capacity toproduce the most important criticaltechnologies of tomorrow. These lie in theareas of materials, manufacturing,biotechnology, aeronautics and surfacetransportation, and energy andenvironment. The third level is the country’scapacity to produce the most importantmilitarily critical technologies of today andwhich would continue to be critical into thenear future. National Security strategy willhave to factor the nuances of these threelevels in order to develop a successful defenceindustrial eco-system.

Technology (here it is the dominanttechnology of the times) and industry arerequired to be coupled in a positive growthmodel in order to ensure growth of thenational economy. An analysis of 60-yearKondratieff cycles over the past 250 yearsestablishes the fact that world economicgrowth is linked to the emergence of“dominant technologies” in each cycle. Thecurrent cycle is driven by aerospace andinformation technologies, which indicatesthe critical areas that the nation must focuson, for its investment in the defenceindustry. It is also indicative of theopportunities and challenges that exist forthe industry and entrepreneurs hoping toenter the defence industry segment.

India’s Aerospace SectorThree important developments in thesecond half of the 20th century characterisethe current transformations taking place inthe defence-industrial base from of the post-Second World War era. These are: inter-dependency in the core sectors of aviation,space, computers, and communications ledto an exponential growth and fusion into

INDIAN AEROSPACE SECTOR:MOVING TOWARDSINDIGENISATIONIf India has to realise its potential then it will need to graspthe nuances of the role of technology and its defenceindustry that are constituents of its national power

M MATHESWARAN

KEY POINTSl DPSUs need to be restructured tobecome more competitive,efficient andaccelerate indigenisation.l ‘Make in India’ slogan can become areality with adoption of DARPA model.l India needs to aggregate its ownexpertise in IT and a few other sectorswith the external resources to create itsown aerospace sector.

MAKE IN INDIA

IAF Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer

LCA Tejas has recently achieved technologicalbreakthrough with indigenously developed enginestarter in extreme cold conditions in Ladakh

24

Indian Aerospace-Matheswaran.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 09/02/15 4:15 PM Page 1

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

25

Prime minister Narendra Modi and hisgovernment have generated hugeexpectations of a major

transformation in the area of defenceindustries. The “Make in India” slogan of thenew government has announced a nationalprogramme, designed to facilitateinvestment, foster innovation, enhance skilldevelopment and aims to build best-in-classmanufacturing infrastructure. The first fewsteps - hike in FDI to 49% in defence sector;urgency that is displayed in institutionalisingthe defence acquisition mechanisms andfocus on Buy and Make categorisation oflarge purchases; pressure on DRDO todismantle its bureaucratic structures, bring inaccountability and focus on young scientists;support to private sector in defence; andbringing in scrutiny and accountability inDefence Public Sector Units (DPSUs) - havegiven the impression and hope that thegovernment may display the necessaryresolve to bring in radical reforms. Theseexpectations revolve around much neededreforms to energise defence manufacturing,defence R & D, and defence exports. Thebarometre for measuring a major power’sstrength is demonstrated by its technologicalcapability in the aerospace domain.

Technology, National Security andInternational OrderThe importance of technology in the nation’ssecurity and economy calculus can only beappreciated if the changed nuances of India’srole and stature in the global system arerecognised. India, in the 21st century, hasclearly moved upwards into the ranks ofmajor powers in the hierarchy of nations onthe strength of the size of its economy, itspotential, population, and its naturalresources. If its potential has to be realisedthen India will need to grasp the nuances ofthe role of technology and its defenceindustry in its national power. India has anunenviable task of overcoming its lag in itsdefence industrial capability whilesimultaneously achieve the task ofleapfrogging into the knowledge sector.These are enormous challenges particularly inan environment of intensely competitivepolitics amongst nations. Politics amongstgreat powers is very dynamic. Advances inscience and technology have long influencedthe course of international politics.Technology, in fact, is one of the keydeterminants in shaping relations amongnations, alongside wars and economic shifts.In the 21st century, aerospace technologiesare the currency of power for major nations.

If India has to play an effective role in theinternational system, it needs to strategiseits industrial policies after scrutinising itstechnological capabilities at three levels. Thefirst level is an estimate of the country’scapacity to produce the most importantcritical technologies today. It is now wellestablished that the most importanttechnology today appears to be aerospace,information and communicationtechnologies in all its manifestations. The

second level is the country’s capacity toproduce the most important criticaltechnologies of tomorrow. These lie in theareas of materials, manufacturing,biotechnology, aeronautics and surfacetransportation, and energy andenvironment. The third level is the country’scapacity to produce the most importantmilitarily critical technologies of today andwhich would continue to be critical into thenear future. National Security strategy willhave to factor the nuances of these threelevels in order to develop a successful defenceindustrial eco-system.

Technology (here it is the dominanttechnology of the times) and industry arerequired to be coupled in a positive growthmodel in order to ensure growth of thenational economy. An analysis of 60-yearKondratieff cycles over the past 250 yearsestablishes the fact that world economicgrowth is linked to the emergence of“dominant technologies” in each cycle. Thecurrent cycle is driven by aerospace andinformation technologies, which indicatesthe critical areas that the nation must focuson, for its investment in the defenceindustry. It is also indicative of theopportunities and challenges that exist forthe industry and entrepreneurs hoping toenter the defence industry segment.

India’s Aerospace SectorThree important developments in thesecond half of the 20th century characterisethe current transformations taking place inthe defence-industrial base from of the post-Second World War era. These are: inter-dependency in the core sectors of aviation,space, computers, and communications ledto an exponential growth and fusion into

INDIAN AEROSPACE SECTOR:MOVING TOWARDSINDIGENISATIONIf India has to realise its potential then it will need to graspthe nuances of the role of technology and its defenceindustry that are constituents of its national power

M MATHESWARAN

KEY POINTSl DPSUs need to be restructured tobecome more competitive,efficient andaccelerate indigenisation.l ‘Make in India’ slogan can become areality with adoption of DARPA model.l India needs to aggregate its ownexpertise in IT and a few other sectorswith the external resources to create itsown aerospace sector.

MAKE IN INDIA

IAF Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer

LCA Tejas has recently achieved technologicalbreakthrough with indigenously developed enginestarter in extreme cold conditions in Ladakh

24


aerospace sector; resultant growth ofinformation technologies leading to theoverarching role of IT in all segments oftechnology; and, the rising fusion of defenceand civilian sectors. These developments arenow beginning to impact on India’saerospace sector.

India’s aerospace industry has remainedconstrained for more than half a century bythe government’s skewed policies. Allaerospace industrial activities wererestricted to the defence segment. Until theend of 20th century, Indian governmentfollowed a policy of limiting defenceproduction to the public sector, followed alicence system and banned exports. As aresult, private industry lacked avenues andopportunities for aerospace development.The public sector, dominated by the DPSUs– HAL, BEL, and BDL has becomeprimarily manufacturers of products underlicence. They lack innovation, suffer frominefficiencies and poor quality control. Theexisting policies give them no motivation for

export orientation. But this has begun tochange in recent times.

Indian aerospace sector is almostentirely in the domain of defence publicsector units (DPSUs). Aircraft manufacturehas been entirely dominated by HindustanAeronautics limited (HAL). Its variousdivisions, located at Bangalore, Hyderabad,Lucknow, Korwa, Kanpur, Nasik, andKoraput, have accounted for all the work.The net result is that instead ofconcentrating on the responsibilities ofdesign, lead integration, and final assembly,HAL has sought to do all activities withinits various divisions. As a result, its trackrecord on development of its own designs,quality control, timely delivery etc hassuffered enormously.

More importantly, it has failed tomanage its supply chain and thus theecosystem of clustered development hasfailed to materialise. This has hurt thenation enormously. At the heart of thismalaise lies the insecurity of the DPSUs as

MAKE IN INDIA FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

they view the entry of private sector as athreat to their existence. The story is similarwith respect to other DPSUs such as BEL,BDL etc. In short, the DPSUs, driven byflawed policies of the government, havenow become barriers to overall aerospacedevelopment in the country.

Changes leading to Emerging Trends inAerospace SectorIndia’s indigenisation efforts in the aerospacesector will need to focus on combining itsareas of strength (IT, automobiles, systemsintegration) intelligently, and addressing itsareas of weaknesses (materials, advancedmanufacturing, tooling, machines, designand development) effectively through joint ventures.

Indian private sector has matured toglobal standards in information technologyand the automobile sector. Havingemerged successfully as part of the globalsupply chain, they now have imbibedglobal standards of quality, efficiency, and

innovation, and export orientation. The ITsector has matured significantly whereinthey are now in global league with respect todesign, analyses, and advanced algorithmdevelopment capabilities. Companies likeTCS, Satyam (Tech Mahindra now),Infosys, Wipro, Infotech arecontributors for advanced work packagesfor major aerospace companies likeBoeing, Airbus, Bombardier etc. Onthe mechanical infrastructure side,companies like Tatas, Mahindras, L &T, Reliance, and Bharat Forge areshowing the resolve to move into theaerospace sector with their owninvestment and a global outlook to slotthemselves into the global supply chain.

It is also interesting to note that majorresearch centres have been established byworld’s leading aerospace majors tocapitalise India’s human resource pool.General Electrics Jack Welch researchcentre employs nearly 3000 Indianengineers to aid their research work in

aeronautics and polymers. Honeywell,Boeing, Lockheed Martin, etc haveestablished similar centres. Airbus and RollsRoyce have their own sourcing mechanisms.

Policy changes that are underway arehelping the emerging trends. Theacquisition policy and offset managementare showing significantly positive trends.The practice of forced nomination ofacquisition orders to DPSUs has been doneaway with almost entirely. The DPSUs arenow being forced to compete with privateindustry. Competition is something theyare ill-equipped to handle, and therefore,they continue to create barriers using allmechanisms at their disposal.

The DPSUs will need to be restructuredto become more competitive, developexport orientation, and become moreefficient and accelerate indigenisation.They have enormous assets and resources,which can be used very effectively inpartnership with private industry todevelop and market various products.

27

Two Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 fighters take off during “Garuda”Indo-France joint air force excercise in Gwalior

The public sector,dominated by the DPSUs –

HAL, BEL, and BDL havebecome primarily

manufacturers of productsunder licence. They lackinnovation, suffer from

inefficiency and poorquality control.

The existing policies gavethem no motivation

for export orientation

”

The IAF plans to operate a fleet of 272 Sukhoi Su-30MKI MRCAs. These will berequired for the IAF by 2020. Most of the aircraft will be assembled by HAL

26


aerospace sector; resultant growth ofinformation technologies leading to theoverarching role of IT in all segments oftechnology; and, the rising fusion of defenceand civilian sectors. These developments arenow beginning to impact on India’saerospace sector.

India’s aerospace industry has remainedconstrained for more than half a century bythe government’s skewed policies. Allaerospace industrial activities wererestricted to the defence segment. Until theend of 20th century, Indian governmentfollowed a policy of limiting defenceproduction to the public sector, followed alicence system and banned exports. As aresult, private industry lacked avenues andopportunities for aerospace development.The public sector, dominated by the DPSUs– HAL, BEL, and BDL has becomeprimarily manufacturers of products underlicence. They lack innovation, suffer frominefficiencies and poor quality control. Theexisting policies give them no motivation for

export orientation. But this has begun tochange in recent times.

Indian aerospace sector is almostentirely in the domain of defence publicsector units (DPSUs). Aircraft manufacturehas been entirely dominated by HindustanAeronautics limited (HAL). Its variousdivisions, located at Bangalore, Hyderabad,Lucknow, Korwa, Kanpur, Nasik, andKoraput, have accounted for all the work.The net result is that instead ofconcentrating on the responsibilities ofdesign, lead integration, and final assembly,HAL has sought to do all activities withinits various divisions. As a result, its trackrecord on development of its own designs,quality control, timely delivery etc hassuffered enormously.

More importantly, it has failed tomanage its supply chain and thus theecosystem of clustered development hasfailed to materialise. This has hurt thenation enormously. At the heart of thismalaise lies the insecurity of the DPSUs as


they view the entry of private sector as athreat to their existence. The story is similarwith respect to other DPSUs such as BEL,BDL etc. In short, the DPSUs, driven byflawed policies of the government, havenow become barriers to overall aerospacedevelopment in the country.

Changes leading to Emerging Trends inAerospace SectorIndia’s indigenisation efforts in the aerospacesector will need to focus on combining itsareas of strength (IT, automobiles, systemsintegration) intelligently, and addressing itsareas of weaknesses (materials, advancedmanufacturing, tooling, machines, designand development) effectively through joint ventures.

Indian private sector has matured toglobal standards in information technologyand the automobile sector. Havingemerged successfully as part of the globalsupply chain, they now have imbibedglobal standards of quality, efficiency, and

innovation, and export orientation. The ITsector has matured significantly whereinthey are now in global league with respect todesign, analyses, and advanced algorithmdevelopment capabilities. Companies likeTCS, Satyam (Tech Mahindra now),Infosys, Wipro, Infotech arecontributors for advanced work packagesfor major aerospace companies likeBoeing, Airbus, Bombardier etc. Onthe mechanical infrastructure side,companies like Tatas, Mahindras, L &T, Reliance, and Bharat Forge areshowing the resolve to move into theaerospace sector with their owninvestment and a global outlook to slotthemselves into the global supply chain.

It is also interesting to note that majorresearch centres have been established byworld’s leading aerospace majors tocapitalise India’s human resource pool.General Electrics Jack Welch researchcentre employs nearly 3000 Indianengineers to aid their research work in

aeronautics and polymers. Honeywell,Boeing, Lockheed Martin, etc haveestablished similar centres. Airbus and RollsRoyce have their own sourcing mechanisms.

Policy changes that are underway arehelping the emerging trends. Theacquisition policy and offset managementare showing significantly positive trends.The practice of forced nomination ofacquisition orders to DPSUs has been doneaway with almost entirely. The DPSUs arenow being forced to compete with privateindustry. Competition is something theyare ill-equipped to handle, and therefore,they continue to create barriers using allmechanisms at their disposal.

The DPSUs will need to be restructuredto become more competitive, developexport orientation, and become moreefficient and accelerate indigenisation.They have enormous assets and resources,which can be used very effectively inpartnership with private industry todevelop and market various products.

27

Two Indian Air Force Mirage 2000 fighters take off during “Garuda”Indo-France joint air force excercise in Gwalior

The public sector,dominated by the DPSUs –

HAL, BEL, and BDL havebecome primarily

manufacturers of productsunder licence. They lackinnovation, suffer from

inefficiency and poorquality control.

The existing policies gavethem no motivation

for export orientation

”

The IAF plans to operate a fleet of 272 Sukhoi Su-30MKI MRCAs. These will berequired for the IAF by 2020. Most of the aircraft will be assembled by HAL

26


The prioritisation of acquisition in favourof Buy Indian, and Buy and Make Indian hasgiven an enormous fillip to the indigenisationprocess. This has energised not only themajor companies like the Tatas, Mahindras,L & T etc, but has given a significant boost tothe MSMEs in the country.

Development of a huge MSMEecosystem is crucial for indigenisationefforts in the country. If the aerospaceecosystem were allowed to develop byencouraging joint ventures and higherlevels of FDI, it would automatically leadto greater levels of indigenisation. Ofcourse, this needs to be combined with amore transparent and realistic approach toimplement development programmes.‘Make in India’ slogan can become a realitywhen an active and competitivedevelopment model like the US agency,DARPA is adopted. This has been one ofthe core recommendations of the Kelkarcommittee. It needs to be revisited again.

Challenges and BarriersThe current environment has raisedenormous hopes and optimism. However,they can be translated into success only if werecognise the challenges and barriers inorder to address them effectively. Sinceaerospace industry deals with high ends oftechnology, the government needs toaddress three crucial areas of policy. Thefollowing three tenets must be recognised:lHuman capital is cruciallState must prevent ‘vestedinterests’ from blocking structuraleconomic changelStates that have managed toachieve the above have beencharacterised by politicalconsensus and social cohesion

Analysis of Indian policies with respect todefence industry clearly indicates the failureof Indian policy makers to address the threepropositions. Even advanced economies facefailures if they do not guard against theseobservations. The growth process getsstunted due to the following reasons:lSlow and steady build-up ofrigidities in the economylVested interests gaining politicalpowerlThe above two makes it harder forthe states to undergo necessarystructural and economic change

The above three challenges faced by acountry are well analysed by economists

such as Schumpeter and Olson. In recenttimes, sociologist Espen Moe reframes thethree main conditions for nations to rise toindustrial excellence and leadership. Fortechnological and industrial leadership acountry needs to fulfill two conditions.

In the final analysis, what makes a countryrise to technological and industrial excellenceis the combination of a high value on thehuman capital variable and a low value on thevested interests variable, but that this lowvalue is contingent on a high value on theconsensus and cohesion variable.

In 2001, the government constituted acommittee under the chairmanship of DrVijay Kelkar, to examine the process ofallowing accelerated participation of theprivate sector in the defence industry. Thiswriter attended virtually every meeting ofthe committee in 2004 and 2005. Even adecade after the report was submitted, thegovernment is far from implementing thecore recommendations. Hence, the currententhusiasm will mean little if the currentstatus of problems and challenges are notaddressed. These need to be examined in

the context of the three observations of“Human Capital, Vested Interests, andPolitical Consensus and Social Cohesion”as brought out earlier.Vested interests – External: India hasproduced thousands of aircraft andaerospace systems over the last fivedecades. But indigenisation has hardlybeen achieved. There were many reasonsfor this, the main being vested interests ofthe foreign OEMs and countries, whichensured that our contracts for licenceproduction, were limited for Indian armedforces only. Thus, Indian manufacturedcomponents and spares were never usedfor the global market of the same productnor did India get the benefit of being apartner sharing the MRO business of theworld market. This limitation had veryadverse impact on the technologyabsorption capability of the Indian DPSUs,and this was exactly what the OEM hadaimed to achieve and continue to do so. Vested Interests – Political: Politicalinterests have created vested interests oftheir own that have gone on to play a


28

disruptive influence on the defence industry.Public sector units (PSUs) provided majoravenues through which the governmentcould address various social objectives ofemployment, affirmative action, and ruraldevelopment. That these objectives weremet is unquestionable. Political partiescompeted with each other to be seen asespousing these social objectives. Itprovided a huge electoral guarantee to theparty in power. These social objectives wereachieved at a huge long-term cost asaerospace industries were located at areaswhere they failed to energise thedevelopment of ancillary industries.

It is an open secret that many hi-techweapons acquisitions have been influencedby political patronage. A combination ofCold War compulsions and its relatedstrategic compulsions, and the vast varietyof technicalities in the defence sector(unlike Space and Atomic Energy), have allcontributed for the field to be exploited forpolitical machinations. This has been andcontinues to be one of the critical factorscontributing to the failure of the

indigenisation process over the last fivedecades. This can only be resolved inbringing the defence industrial strategy tobe executed and monitored by an apexbody at the national level, directlyaccountable to the PM.Vested Interests – Structural andBureaucratic: The third important‘vested interest’ comes from the structuraland bureaucratic systems of the defenceindustry. The bureaucracy (administrativeand finance) in Department of DefenceProduction (DDP) has always viewed theDPSUs and Ordnance Factories as theirown rather than take a nationalistic viewof the defence industry (both Public andPrivate) as such. Thus DPSUs and OFshave used their influence on DDP to benominated for all projects, in spite of theircapacity constraints, at the cost of privatesector development. Human Capital: Aerospace industry’sneed for “human capital” with high level ofeducation and skills is well established. Theneed for high quality “human capital” in thecoming years will be hard to meet. The issue

gets worse due to archaic policies that havebeen followed so far with respect to technicalmanpower. India churns out lakhs ofengineers every year but industry inputsindicate that over 80% of them are of lowquality unfit for high-end technologicalindustries. If the country has to make asuccess of the “Make in India” objective,these serious drawbacks in the “humancapital” domain will need to be addressed.Political Consensus and SocialCohesion: India is a huge and vibrantdemocracy, and a country of large politicaldiversity. While the former is a significantstrength, the latter functions as a huge‘vested interest’ group that focuses only onself-serving gains and short-term politicalsurvival. As a result, the country rarelyexhibits unity of purpose, when takingdecisions with respect to defence industryand defence economics. Depending on thepolitical party in power, decisions taken areinvariably at different ends of the spectrumor deeply polarised. More importantly, itshould be highlighted that narrow politicalself-interests have led to decisions that

29

AFP

An IAF 14th Sqn (SEPECAT) Jaguar GR-I participate inExercise Cooperative Cope Thunder with the USAF

Indigenisation has hardly been achieved.

There were many reasons for this, the

main being vestedinterests of the foreign

OEMs and countries,which ensured that our

contracts for licenceproduction, were limitedfor Indian armed forces

only. Thus, Indianmanufactured components

and spares were never used for the

global market

”


The prioritisation of acquisition in favourof Buy Indian, and Buy and Make Indian hasgiven an enormous fillip to the indigenisationprocess. This has energised not only themajor companies like the Tatas, Mahindras,L & T etc, but has given a significant boost tothe MSMEs in the country.

Development of a huge MSMEecosystem is crucial for indigenisationefforts in the country. If the aerospaceecosystem were allowed to develop byencouraging joint ventures and higherlevels of FDI, it would automatically leadto greater levels of indigenisation. Ofcourse, this needs to be combined with amore transparent and realistic approach toimplement development programmes.‘Make in India’ slogan can become a realitywhen an active and competitivedevelopment model like the US agency,DARPA is adopted. This has been one ofthe core recommendations of the Kelkarcommittee. It needs to be revisited again.

Challenges and BarriersThe current environment has raisedenormous hopes and optimism. However,they can be translated into success only if werecognise the challenges and barriers inorder to address them effectively. Sinceaerospace industry deals with high ends oftechnology, the government needs toaddress three crucial areas of policy. Thefollowing three tenets must be recognised:lHuman capital is cruciallState must prevent ‘vestedinterests’ from blocking structuraleconomic changelStates that have managed toachieve the above have beencharacterised by politicalconsensus and social cohesion

Analysis of Indian policies with respect todefence industry clearly indicates the failureof Indian policy makers to address the threepropositions. Even advanced economies facefailures if they do not guard against theseobservations. The growth process getsstunted due to the following reasons:lSlow and steady build-up ofrigidities in the economylVested interests gaining politicalpowerlThe above two makes it harder forthe states to undergo necessarystructural and economic change

The above three challenges faced by acountry are well analysed by economists

such as Schumpeter and Olson. In recenttimes, sociologist Espen Moe reframes thethree main conditions for nations to rise toindustrial excellence and leadership. Fortechnological and industrial leadership acountry needs to fulfill two conditions.

In the final analysis, what makes a countryrise to technological and industrial excellenceis the combination of a high value on thehuman capital variable and a low value on thevested interests variable, but that this lowvalue is contingent on a high value on theconsensus and cohesion variable.

In 2001, the government constituted acommittee under the chairmanship of DrVijay Kelkar, to examine the process ofallowing accelerated participation of theprivate sector in the defence industry. Thiswriter attended virtually every meeting ofthe committee in 2004 and 2005. Even adecade after the report was submitted, thegovernment is far from implementing thecore recommendations. Hence, the currententhusiasm will mean little if the currentstatus of problems and challenges are notaddressed. These need to be examined in

the context of the three observations of“Human Capital, Vested Interests, andPolitical Consensus and Social Cohesion”as brought out earlier.Vested interests – External: India hasproduced thousands of aircraft andaerospace systems over the last fivedecades. But indigenisation has hardlybeen achieved. There were many reasonsfor this, the main being vested interests ofthe foreign OEMs and countries, whichensured that our contracts for licenceproduction, were limited for Indian armedforces only. Thus, Indian manufacturedcomponents and spares were never usedfor the global market of the same productnor did India get the benefit of being apartner sharing the MRO business of theworld market. This limitation had veryadverse impact on the technologyabsorption capability of the Indian DPSUs,and this was exactly what the OEM hadaimed to achieve and continue to do so. Vested Interests – Political: Politicalinterests have created vested interests oftheir own that have gone on to play a


28

disruptive influence on the defence industry.Public sector units (PSUs) provided majoravenues through which the governmentcould address various social objectives ofemployment, affirmative action, and ruraldevelopment. That these objectives weremet is unquestionable. Political partiescompeted with each other to be seen asespousing these social objectives. Itprovided a huge electoral guarantee to theparty in power. These social objectives wereachieved at a huge long-term cost asaerospace industries were located at areaswhere they failed to energise thedevelopment of ancillary industries.

It is an open secret that many hi-techweapons acquisitions have been influencedby political patronage. A combination ofCold War compulsions and its relatedstrategic compulsions, and the vast varietyof technicalities in the defence sector(unlike Space and Atomic Energy), have allcontributed for the field to be exploited forpolitical machinations. This has been andcontinues to be one of the critical factorscontributing to the failure of the

indigenisation process over the last fivedecades. This can only be resolved inbringing the defence industrial strategy tobe executed and monitored by an apexbody at the national level, directlyaccountable to the PM.Vested Interests – Structural andBureaucratic: The third important‘vested interest’ comes from the structuraland bureaucratic systems of the defenceindustry. The bureaucracy (administrativeand finance) in Department of DefenceProduction (DDP) has always viewed theDPSUs and Ordnance Factories as theirown rather than take a nationalistic viewof the defence industry (both Public andPrivate) as such. Thus DPSUs and OFshave used their influence on DDP to benominated for all projects, in spite of theircapacity constraints, at the cost of privatesector development. Human Capital: Aerospace industry’sneed for “human capital” with high level ofeducation and skills is well established. Theneed for high quality “human capital” in thecoming years will be hard to meet. The issue

gets worse due to archaic policies that havebeen followed so far with respect to technicalmanpower. India churns out lakhs ofengineers every year but industry inputsindicate that over 80% of them are of lowquality unfit for high-end technologicalindustries. If the country has to make asuccess of the “Make in India” objective,these serious drawbacks in the “humancapital” domain will need to be addressed.Political Consensus and SocialCohesion: India is a huge and vibrantdemocracy, and a country of large politicaldiversity. While the former is a significantstrength, the latter functions as a huge‘vested interest’ group that focuses only onself-serving gains and short-term politicalsurvival. As a result, the country rarelyexhibits unity of purpose, when takingdecisions with respect to defence industryand defence economics. Depending on thepolitical party in power, decisions taken areinvariably at different ends of the spectrumor deeply polarised. More importantly, itshould be highlighted that narrow politicalself-interests have led to decisions that

29

AFP

An IAF 14th Sqn (SEPECAT) Jaguar GR-I participate inExercise Cooperative Cope Thunder with the USAF

Indigenisation has hardly been achieved.

There were many reasons for this, the

main being vestedinterests of the foreign

OEMs and countries,which ensured that our

contracts for licenceproduction, were limitedfor Indian armed forces

only. Thus, Indianmanufactured components

and spares were never used for the

global market

”


have created a separation of the civilindustry from the defence industry. Themost striking example is in the separation ofcivil aviation from military aviation,wherein the two departments have workedat conflicting purposes to create ‘vestedinterests’ rather than create a synergy for the nation in research and industrialactivity. Only states characterised by strong political consensus and/or social cohesion have the strength andrelative autonomy to resist the power ofvested interests.

ConclusionA country’s technological capability can bemeasured by its strength and control overcritical technologies in the aerospace sector.India’s aerospace sector now has thepotential and opportunities to leapfrog intoadvanced capabilities. But this can only beachieved through deliberate strategy ofovercoming its challenges and barriers.

An important theory in thedevelopment of defence industry fordeveloping countries and emerging powersis the concept of the “ladder of production”.Deeper analysis shows that India hasconsistently violated this theoreticalladder, skipping or ignoring steps inpursuit of symbolic goals. It has regularlyrejected the option of using local R & D tomake incremental improvements toexisting arms but instead, preferred topurchase or develop fully new systems. Theseparation of the Indian defence sectorfrom the private industry has isolated itand prevented an effective contribution tothe national economy.

Another major weakness in the Indianaerospace industry is the virtual absenceof a significant refit and modernisationcapability. If the “ladder of production”concept had been followed, particularlythrough the involvement of the privatesector, it would have built strength through

MAKE IN INDIA

A MiG-29K aircraft of theIndian Navy in flight

A country’s technologicalcapability can be

measured by its strengthand control over critical

technologies in theaerospace sector. India’s

aerospace sector now has the potential and

opportunities to leapfrog into advanced

capabilities

”

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

31

Interview of Steven Gillard, VicePresident, Customer Business –

Defence, Rolls-Royce with Defenceand Security of India magazine.

Q. Please briefly narrate Rolls-Royce’s 80 year old journey in IndiaA. Rolls-Royce began its journey inIndia eight decades ago with thepowering of the first Tata Aviationaircraft with Gypsy engines. In 1933IAF took to the skies powered by BristolJupiter engines. In 2013, InternationalAerospace Manufacturing PrivateLimited (IAMPL), a 50:50 JV with HAL,became operational in Bengaluru. IAMPLmanufactures engine parts (compressorshrouds and cones) for Rolls-Royce gasturbines both for new production and theaftermarket. The IAMPL facility is now atfull production employing over 140people and will produce 25,000aerospace parts for Rolls-Royce in 2015across a wide range of engine programsincluding for the Trent XWB.

In addition, around 1000 engineers,through our partnership with QuEST &TCS, work at Roll-Royce managedengineering centres in Bengaluru. This isthe one of the largest population of Rolls-Royce engineers outside the UK andthey provide high quality engineeringsolutions and services across the entireproduct development life-cycle across allour sectors including civil aerospace.

Q. What are your views on the ‘Make inIndia’ initiative? What is the update onthe IAMPL facility in Bangalore?A. Rolls-Royce supports the ‘Make inIndia’ initiative as it will not only helpIndian industries become globally

competitive but will alsoallow companies like usto further support thecountry’s modernisationneeds. We arecommitted tosupporting thegovernment’s vision ofpositioning India as aglobal manufacturinghub. Our IAMPL facility

– a 50:50 JV with HAL, in Bangalorewasn’t required by an offset commitmentbut was the result of recognition of thevalue for both parties. It becameoperational in 2013 and has nowsuccessfully started production andreached full capacity in 2014.

Built with an investment of US$25million, this facility manufacturescompressor shrouds and cones for Rolls-Royce gas turbines both for newproduction and the aftermarket. CurrentlyIAMPL ships more than 130 differentengine compressor parts to Rolls-Royceaero engines facilities.

Q. Please update us on the nextgeneration of Turbofans by Rolls-Royce? A. Rolls-Royce unveiled its new designsfor the next generation of turbofans. Thenew designs feature the technologyinnovation designed to transformperformance. A range of new technologieshave been combined in order to meet ourcustomer needs like: better fuel efficiency,reliability and environmental performance.

Rolls-Royce is looking to build on thesuccess of the Trent family of engineswith two new generation engine designs.The first design, Advance, will offer at

least 20% better fuel burn and CO2emissions than the first generation ofTrent engine and could be ready from theend of this decade. The second design,UltraFan™, a geared design with avariable pitch fan system, is based ontechnology that could be ready forservice from 2025 and will offer 25%improvement in fuel burn and emissionsagainst the same baseline.

Q. How does Rolls-Royce view theincrease in FDI in the defence sector? A. Defence technology comes with hugeinvestments in research and development(R&D). With increased FDI limit India cannow focus on increasing its share ofdefence budget to R&D which is only 6%compared to 15% in France and 12% inthe US. At Rolls-Royce, we believe that itwill help catalyse rapid indigenisation andsubstantially increase the attractivenessof the sector as a place to transfertechnology and set-up a manufacturinghub. We are already working with manypartners in India which we are very proudof – TCS/ Quest, HAL, etc. With a higherFDI, there will be opportunities to furthercontribute in the development andupgrading of India’s defence sector.

Q. Mention about your participation atAero India 2015A. This year at Aero India 2015, we willhighlight our ‘Partnership with India –Past, Present and Future’ by showcasingour technologically advanced andinnovative products. We will feature ourthree innovative engines – the Adour,which powers the Hawk trainer, the Trent700 from the Airbus A330 tanker aircraftand the C-130J’s AE2100 engine.

incremental approach by graduallyincreasing ability to modify existingequipment for the local combatenvironment or to extend service life. Byfocusing almost exclusively on theproduction of major weapon systems andplatforms, India missed the opportunity toenergise innovation that would haveaddressed component replacement andadaptation of own technology solutions toimprove or replace spares andmaintenance equipment. This can now beaddressed by bringing in its very capable

private sector into this domain.Skilful use of existing industrial

infrastructure and more sophisticatedforeign partners creates genuineopportunity for India’s military industry tomake significant strides in the near future.The private sector has built significantstrengths in IT (Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL etc are good examples),Telecommunications, Space technology,nuclear applications, heavy industry,materials, automobiles, consumerelectronics etc. Advances in ITES has

enabled cross application and merger ofcivil and military sectors in many areas. Ifthe defence sector were opened for flow oftechnology and expertise from civil sector,it would energise the defence industrythrough healthy competition. Skilful use offoreign expertise through intelligent FDIpolicies would contribute immensely to jobcreation in hi-tech sector and skilldevelopment. The government, whilepushing for “Make in India” policy, shouldbe careful not to create a barrier for high-end technologies from abroad.

30


have created a separation of the civilindustry from the defence industry. Themost striking example is in the separation ofcivil aviation from military aviation,wherein the two departments have workedat conflicting purposes to create ‘vestedinterests’ rather than create a synergy for the nation in research and industrialactivity. Only states characterised by strong political consensus and/or social cohesion have the strength andrelative autonomy to resist the power ofvested interests.

ConclusionA country’s technological capability can bemeasured by its strength and control overcritical technologies in the aerospace sector.India’s aerospace sector now has thepotential and opportunities to leapfrog intoadvanced capabilities. But this can only beachieved through deliberate strategy ofovercoming its challenges and barriers.

An important theory in thedevelopment of defence industry fordeveloping countries and emerging powersis the concept of the “ladder of production”.Deeper analysis shows that India hasconsistently violated this theoreticalladder, skipping or ignoring steps inpursuit of symbolic goals. It has regularlyrejected the option of using local R & D tomake incremental improvements toexisting arms but instead, preferred topurchase or develop fully new systems. Theseparation of the Indian defence sectorfrom the private industry has isolated itand prevented an effective contribution tothe national economy.

Another major weakness in the Indianaerospace industry is the virtual absenceof a significant refit and modernisationcapability. If the “ladder of production”concept had been followed, particularlythrough the involvement of the privatesector, it would have built strength through

MAKE IN INDIA

A MiG-29K aircraft of theIndian Navy in flight

A country’s technologicalcapability can be

measured by its strengthand control over critical

technologies in theaerospace sector. India’s

aerospace sector now has the potential and

opportunities to leapfrog into advanced

capabilities

”

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

31

Interview of Steven Gillard, VicePresident, Customer Business –

Defence, Rolls-Royce with Defenceand Security of India magazine.

Q. Please briefly narrate Rolls-Royce’s 80 year old journey in IndiaA. Rolls-Royce began its journey inIndia eight decades ago with thepowering of the first Tata Aviationaircraft with Gypsy engines. In 1933IAF took to the skies powered by BristolJupiter engines. In 2013, InternationalAerospace Manufacturing PrivateLimited (IAMPL), a 50:50 JV with HAL,became operational in Bengaluru. IAMPLmanufactures engine parts (compressorshrouds and cones) for Rolls-Royce gasturbines both for new production and theaftermarket. The IAMPL facility is now atfull production employing over 140people and will produce 25,000aerospace parts for Rolls-Royce in 2015across a wide range of engine programsincluding for the Trent XWB.

In addition, around 1000 engineers,through our partnership with QuEST &TCS, work at Roll-Royce managedengineering centres in Bengaluru. This isthe one of the largest population of Rolls-Royce engineers outside the UK andthey provide high quality engineeringsolutions and services across the entireproduct development life-cycle across allour sectors including civil aerospace.

Q. What are your views on the ‘Make inIndia’ initiative? What is the update onthe IAMPL facility in Bangalore?A. Rolls-Royce supports the ‘Make inIndia’ initiative as it will not only helpIndian industries become globally

competitive but will alsoallow companies like usto further support thecountry’s modernisationneeds. We arecommitted tosupporting thegovernment’s vision ofpositioning India as aglobal manufacturinghub. Our IAMPL facility

– a 50:50 JV with HAL, in Bangalorewasn’t required by an offset commitmentbut was the result of recognition of thevalue for both parties. It becameoperational in 2013 and has nowsuccessfully started production andreached full capacity in 2014.

Built with an investment of US$25million, this facility manufacturescompressor shrouds and cones for Rolls-Royce gas turbines both for newproduction and the aftermarket. CurrentlyIAMPL ships more than 130 differentengine compressor parts to Rolls-Royceaero engines facilities.

Q. Please update us on the nextgeneration of Turbofans by Rolls-Royce? A. Rolls-Royce unveiled its new designsfor the next generation of turbofans. Thenew designs feature the technologyinnovation designed to transformperformance. A range of new technologieshave been combined in order to meet ourcustomer needs like: better fuel efficiency,reliability and environmental performance.

Rolls-Royce is looking to build on thesuccess of the Trent family of engineswith two new generation engine designs.The first design, Advance, will offer at

least 20% better fuel burn and CO2emissions than the first generation ofTrent engine and could be ready from theend of this decade. The second design,UltraFan™, a geared design with avariable pitch fan system, is based ontechnology that could be ready forservice from 2025 and will offer 25%improvement in fuel burn and emissionsagainst the same baseline.

Q. How does Rolls-Royce view theincrease in FDI in the defence sector? A. Defence technology comes with hugeinvestments in research and development(R&D). With increased FDI limit India cannow focus on increasing its share ofdefence budget to R&D which is only 6%compared to 15% in France and 12% inthe US. At Rolls-Royce, we believe that itwill help catalyse rapid indigenisation andsubstantially increase the attractivenessof the sector as a place to transfertechnology and set-up a manufacturinghub. We are already working with manypartners in India which we are very proudof – TCS/ Quest, HAL, etc. With a higherFDI, there will be opportunities to furthercontribute in the development andupgrading of India’s defence sector.

Q. Mention about your participation atAero India 2015A. This year at Aero India 2015, we willhighlight our ‘Partnership with India –Past, Present and Future’ by showcasingour technologically advanced andinnovative products. We will feature ourthree innovative engines – the Adour,which powers the Hawk trainer, the Trent700 from the Airbus A330 tanker aircraftand the C-130J’s AE2100 engine.

incremental approach by graduallyincreasing ability to modify existingequipment for the local combatenvironment or to extend service life. Byfocusing almost exclusively on theproduction of major weapon systems andplatforms, India missed the opportunity toenergise innovation that would haveaddressed component replacement andadaptation of own technology solutions toimprove or replace spares andmaintenance equipment. This can now beaddressed by bringing in its very capable

private sector into this domain.Skilful use of existing industrial

infrastructure and more sophisticatedforeign partners creates genuineopportunity for India’s military industry tomake significant strides in the near future.The private sector has built significantstrengths in IT (Infosys, TCS, Wipro, HCL etc are good examples),Telecommunications, Space technology,nuclear applications, heavy industry,materials, automobiles, consumerelectronics etc. Advances in ITES has

enabled cross application and merger ofcivil and military sectors in many areas. Ifthe defence sector were opened for flow oftechnology and expertise from civil sector,it would energise the defence industrythrough healthy competition. Skilful use offoreign expertise through intelligent FDIpolicies would contribute immensely to jobcreation in hi-tech sector and skilldevelopment. The government, whilepushing for “Make in India” policy, shouldbe careful not to create a barrier for high-end technologies from abroad.

30


FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

3332

“Without a decisive naval force we cando nothing definitive, and with it,everything honorable and glorious.”

—President George Washington

Blue water navies across the world arereassessing their capabilities to meetthe demands of littoral warfare. The

shallow waters harbor threats like smallsubmarines, mines, hostile boat swarms,shore based aircrafts/UAVs, gun batteriesand missiles. The Navies have to focus ontackling challenges emanating from shoresbefore getting unfettered access to coastalareas of interest. Neutralizing swarms ofsmall hostile craft in littorals due to theirintermingling with local fishing craft inrestricted maneuverability and shortreaction times pose a formidable problemto Navies designed for standoff operations.Scenario and simulation studies haveestablished that most of the NATO frigatesare vulnerable to an attacking swarm of fourto eight such small hostile craft. The smallhostile craft’s weapons of choice includehand held weapons (the PK / RPK 7.62 mm,

DR. SKULSHRESTHA

Oto Melara’s long range gun systems127mm (5 inch) mounting. Oto Melara

is developing a range of extended range ammunition, Vulcano, for this

mounting © Oto Melara

NAVAL WARFARE

RESURGENCE OF THE NAVAL GUNKEY POINTSl India has to focus on the ways oftackling challenges emanating fromshores and water harbor threats.l IN is opting for new gun systems withthe feasibility of retro fitment on existingand under construction warships.l The missiles, despite their fallingprices cannot match the cost benefitsaccrued by the traditional naval gun.

The key to blue water navy is its ability to destroy targets before they are able to pose a threat. Indian Navy is modernising the main and auxiliary gun with greater chance of survivability

Naval Gun-S Kulshrestha.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 10/02/15 11:12 AM Page 1

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

3332

“Without a decisive naval force we cando nothing definitive, and with it,everything honorable and glorious.”

—President George Washington

Blue water navies across the world arereassessing their capabilities to meetthe demands of littoral warfare. The

shallow waters harbor threats like smallsubmarines, mines, hostile boat swarms,shore based aircrafts/UAVs, gun batteriesand missiles. The Navies have to focus ontackling challenges emanating from shoresbefore getting unfettered access to coastalareas of interest. Neutralizing swarms ofsmall hostile craft in littorals due to theirintermingling with local fishing craft inrestricted maneuverability and shortreaction times pose a formidable problemto Navies designed for standoff operations.Scenario and simulation studies haveestablished that most of the NATO frigatesare vulnerable to an attacking swarm of fourto eight such small hostile craft. The smallhostile craft’s weapons of choice includehand held weapons (the PK / RPK 7.62 mm,

DR. SKULSHRESTHA

Oto Melara’s long range gun systems127mm (5 inch) mounting. Oto Melara

is developing a range of extended range ammunition, Vulcano, for this

mounting © Oto Melara

NAVAL WARFARE

RESURGENCE OF THE NAVAL GUNKEY POINTSl India has to focus on the ways oftackling challenges emanating fromshores and water harbor threats.l IN is opting for new gun systems withthe feasibility of retro fitment on existingand under construction warships.l The missiles, despite their fallingprices cannot match the cost benefitsaccrued by the traditional naval gun.

The key to blue water navy is its ability to destroy targets before they are able to pose a threat. Indian Navy is modernising the main and auxiliary gun with greater chance of survivability


the NSV 12.7 mm, the Rheinmetall MG 3,the AK 47, AK 74, the FN FAL, the H&K G3etc), and rockets launchers like the RPG-7.

Navies are modernizing the main andauxiliary gun and Close in weapon systemCIWS out fits because various studies havebrought out that ships using a mix ofsophisticated high and low calibre weaponswith high probability of hits, have muchgreater chance of survivability then thosewith semiautomatic systems. Navies areupgrading both the ordnance and thesoftware. The goal is to achieve very high hitprobabilities with high firing rates.

Further, Studies carried out in the US tomeet the requirements of the US marines,have concluded that; naval surface firesupport NSFS had been crucial during thepast operations. Larger calibre gunsprovide support at much longer ranges andare essential for destroying fortifiedpositions. With the advent of PrecisionGuidance in larger calibre rounds, collateraldamage has been considerably reduced.Their penetration ability in case of hardtargets is practically as good as ordnancedelivered by air. In order to achieve similareffects in suppressing the enemy, usingsmaller calibre guns like the MK 45 (5 inch),much greater number of rounds would haveto be fired. During protracted war, the largecalibre gun outshines the missiles because ofhigh replacement costs of the missiles. Ithas a definite edge over the smaller calibreguns as the smaller calibre rounds havemuch lesser lethality. Both missiles andsmaller calibre gun ammunition alsorequire a large quantity to be stored on-board. The Air support operations in highthreat environments are hindered byavailability, mission priorities, weather, aswell as prohibitive costs. All these make thelarge calibre gun a very cost beneficialsolution in Naval Surface Fire Support(NSFS) missions.

Thus, it can be seen that the Naval Gun islikely to continue for a much longer periodthan previously anticipated. Conventionallythe gun outfits of naval ships have included aheavy gun (57 mm calibre up wards), anauxiliary gun of up to 35 mm calibre, and asmall calibre gun for close air/ missiledefense. The number of turrets hasdepended upon the size and the role of theship. Some of the heavy naval guns are, AGS155, OTO Breda 127/54, OTO Melara127/64, OTO Melara 76 mm gun (traditional/compatto/rapid), Bofors 57/70 mm MKII

/ MKIII, CADAM Turret / Loire 100mm /MK55 Mod 68, and Giat CADAM Turret.Examples of auxiliary guns are, RheinmetallGDM-08 with MSP 500, Rheinmetall RH202, OTO Breda 40/L70 twin, MauserEADS MLG 30/27 mm, Allied TelesynDS 30M Automated Small Calibre GunSystem and Oerlikon Gam/BO1. Some ofthe CIWS are, Raytheon / Diehl RIM 116Block 1 HAS, Signaal GAU-8/A, GE / GDCMK 15 Mod 2, and Mauser Oerlikon

MeRoKa. However, the inability of theseguns to rapidly train, elevate, or depress toprosecute swarming targets from differentdirections at close quarters has resulted intheir poor effectiveness in littoral warfare.Navies are therefore opting for modernizedor new gun systems having the feasibility ofretro fitment on existing and underconstruction warships. An apt example isthe selection of the MK 46 GWS for USNavy’s LCS and LPD 17 programs. The MK46 GWS is capable of defeating small, fast,highly maneuverable surface craft.

Indian Naval ships have the followingmain guns; A-190(E) 100mm, AK-100100mm naval gun,AK-176-M 76mmgun,AK-76/62 76mm gun, Twin mount gun(76mm), OTO Melara SRGM 76 mm gun.The CIWS guns include; AK-630 six-barreled 30 mm Gatling gun, and the AK-230 twin 30 mm gun. Indian Navy hadplaced an RFP for 127 mm guns in Nov 2013,reports in the media indicate that OtoMelara has been shortlisted by the Ministryof Defense to supply thirteen 127mm gunsto the Indian Navy. Two of the guns would besupplied directly and 11 would be licenseproduced by BHEL Haridwar. Oto Melaraemerged as a single bidder since BAESystems UK had failed to respond. As far assmaller calibre guns are concerned, a RFIfor 30 in number 40mm guns with EOFShas been issued in 2011 and the DAC has inaddition cleared a proposal for 116 in

NAVAL WARFARE FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

number 30 mm guns for the warships.Indian Navy has also raised an RFI for 12.7mm heavy machine guns for ships and rigidinflatable boats (RHIB).

Some of the popular and interesting gunsand gun systems are briefly described in thesucceeding paragraphs.

Heavy GunsThe Oto Melara 127/64 LW - VULCANOSystem consists of four key sub-systems,namely, the medium calibre 127/64 LWGun assembly, the AutomatedAmmunition Handling System, the NavalFire Control Support and the VULCANOfamily of ammunition. It is intendedfor surface fire and naval gunfiresupport as main role and anti-aircraft fire assecondary role. The compactness of thegun feeding system makes possible theinstallation on even narrow section ships. Itis designed with a modular feedingmagazine, having four drums with 14 readyto fire rounds each. The drums can bereloaded during firing and there is flexibilityin selection of type of ammunition. Theammunition flow is reversible as rounds canbe downloaded automatically. The gun canfire standard 127mm / 5 inchesammunition as well as the newVULCANO family of ammunition. TheVULCANO allows a smooth integration withany Combat Management System since ithas digital / analogical interface and ballisticcalculation capabilities.

The Automatic Ammunition HandlingSystem is a modular solution, which can beadapted to any ship‘s ammunition magazinelayout; the loading of the feeding magazine ofthe gun does not require gunners duringoperation and thus permits sustained firingof the gun. The Naval Fire Control Support isa mission planning system that can alsosupport the Combat Management Systemfor definition of possible firing solutions,ammunition selection, trajectory definition,and best ship course identification.VULCANO ammunition family, comprisesof Ballistic Extended Range (BER)and Guided Long Range (GLR) ammunitionwith different multifunctional fuses, sensorand final guidance. This provides extendedthe ranges of the gun up to 100km. It is alsonoteworthy that the 127/64 LW VULCANOSystem is free of the International Traffic inArms Regulations (ITAR).

The OTO MELARA 76/62 SR, in servicewith 58 Navies worldwide as also with

Indian Navy, is a multirole medium calibrenaval gun mount, designed for anti-missileand anti-aircraft roles. The 76/62 gun canfire at the rate of 120 rds/min, therebydelivering a large amount of ammunitionpayload on the target.

The advancements in ammunition forthis gun would be of significant interest tothe Indian Navy as the 3AP fuse increasesthe lethality of this gun significantly inasymmetric and air threats. It is effective inmeeting requirements of both, high speedmaneuvering missiles and the new NSFSand ASuW, emerging from Littoral warfare.

The 3AP fuse can fit the 76/62 pre-fragmented ammunition, ensuring reliableperformances in critical engagementconditions, such as those involving seaskimming missiles and fast maneuveringboats. The 3AP fuse is programmable inthree modes; Impact (Fast and DelayedAction); Time (Volume Saturation and AirBurst); and the Proximity (Standard, Gated,Anti-Missile, Conventional Air Defense, AirDefense, Anti Surface). The 3AP fuse has amicrowave RF sensor, which behaves like aseeker detecting the target at long range.The relative velocity and position are

The ‘Zumwalt’ class destroyers of the US Navy areequipped with BAE Systems’ 155mm Advanced GunSystem (AGS) © (BAE Systems)

35

Naval Gun is likely tocontinue for a much longer

period than previouslyanticipated. Conventionally

the gun outfits of navalships have included a heavy

gun (57 mm caliber upwards), an auxiliary gun ofup to 35 mm caliber, and a

small caliber gun for closeair/ missile defence

”34

INS Mumbai is the third ofthe Indian Navy’s Delhi classguided missile destroyersbuilt by Mazagon Docks


the NSV 12.7 mm, the Rheinmetall MG 3,the AK 47, AK 74, the FN FAL, the H&K G3etc), and rockets launchers like the RPG-7.

Navies are modernizing the main andauxiliary gun and Close in weapon systemCIWS out fits because various studies havebrought out that ships using a mix ofsophisticated high and low calibre weaponswith high probability of hits, have muchgreater chance of survivability then thosewith semiautomatic systems. Navies areupgrading both the ordnance and thesoftware. The goal is to achieve very high hitprobabilities with high firing rates.

Further, Studies carried out in the US tomeet the requirements of the US marines,have concluded that; naval surface firesupport NSFS had been crucial during thepast operations. Larger calibre gunsprovide support at much longer ranges andare essential for destroying fortifiedpositions. With the advent of PrecisionGuidance in larger calibre rounds, collateraldamage has been considerably reduced.Their penetration ability in case of hardtargets is practically as good as ordnancedelivered by air. In order to achieve similareffects in suppressing the enemy, usingsmaller calibre guns like the MK 45 (5 inch),much greater number of rounds would haveto be fired. During protracted war, the largecalibre gun outshines the missiles because ofhigh replacement costs of the missiles. Ithas a definite edge over the smaller calibreguns as the smaller calibre rounds havemuch lesser lethality. Both missiles andsmaller calibre gun ammunition alsorequire a large quantity to be stored on-board. The Air support operations in highthreat environments are hindered byavailability, mission priorities, weather, aswell as prohibitive costs. All these make thelarge calibre gun a very cost beneficialsolution in Naval Surface Fire Support(NSFS) missions.

Thus, it can be seen that the Naval Gun islikely to continue for a much longer periodthan previously anticipated. Conventionallythe gun outfits of naval ships have included aheavy gun (57 mm calibre up wards), anauxiliary gun of up to 35 mm calibre, and asmall calibre gun for close air/ missiledefense. The number of turrets hasdepended upon the size and the role of theship. Some of the heavy naval guns are, AGS155, OTO Breda 127/54, OTO Melara127/64, OTO Melara 76 mm gun (traditional/compatto/rapid), Bofors 57/70 mm MKII

/ MKIII, CADAM Turret / Loire 100mm /MK55 Mod 68, and Giat CADAM Turret.Examples of auxiliary guns are, RheinmetallGDM-08 with MSP 500, Rheinmetall RH202, OTO Breda 40/L70 twin, MauserEADS MLG 30/27 mm, Allied TelesynDS 30M Automated Small Calibre GunSystem and Oerlikon Gam/BO1. Some ofthe CIWS are, Raytheon / Diehl RIM 116Block 1 HAS, Signaal GAU-8/A, GE / GDCMK 15 Mod 2, and Mauser Oerlikon

MeRoKa. However, the inability of theseguns to rapidly train, elevate, or depress toprosecute swarming targets from differentdirections at close quarters has resulted intheir poor effectiveness in littoral warfare.Navies are therefore opting for modernizedor new gun systems having the feasibility ofretro fitment on existing and underconstruction warships. An apt example isthe selection of the MK 46 GWS for USNavy’s LCS and LPD 17 programs. The MK46 GWS is capable of defeating small, fast,highly maneuverable surface craft.

Indian Naval ships have the followingmain guns; A-190(E) 100mm, AK-100100mm naval gun,AK-176-M 76mmgun,AK-76/62 76mm gun, Twin mount gun(76mm), OTO Melara SRGM 76 mm gun.The CIWS guns include; AK-630 six-barreled 30 mm Gatling gun, and the AK-230 twin 30 mm gun. Indian Navy hadplaced an RFP for 127 mm guns in Nov 2013,reports in the media indicate that OtoMelara has been shortlisted by the Ministryof Defense to supply thirteen 127mm gunsto the Indian Navy. Two of the guns would besupplied directly and 11 would be licenseproduced by BHEL Haridwar. Oto Melaraemerged as a single bidder since BAESystems UK had failed to respond. As far assmaller calibre guns are concerned, a RFIfor 30 in number 40mm guns with EOFShas been issued in 2011 and the DAC has inaddition cleared a proposal for 116 in


number 30 mm guns for the warships.Indian Navy has also raised an RFI for 12.7mm heavy machine guns for ships and rigidinflatable boats (RHIB).

Some of the popular and interesting gunsand gun systems are briefly described in thesucceeding paragraphs.

Heavy GunsThe Oto Melara 127/64 LW - VULCANOSystem consists of four key sub-systems,namely, the medium calibre 127/64 LWGun assembly, the AutomatedAmmunition Handling System, the NavalFire Control Support and the VULCANOfamily of ammunition. It is intendedfor surface fire and naval gunfiresupport as main role and anti-aircraft fire assecondary role. The compactness of thegun feeding system makes possible theinstallation on even narrow section ships. Itis designed with a modular feedingmagazine, having four drums with 14 readyto fire rounds each. The drums can bereloaded during firing and there is flexibilityin selection of type of ammunition. Theammunition flow is reversible as rounds canbe downloaded automatically. The gun canfire standard 127mm / 5 inchesammunition as well as the newVULCANO family of ammunition. TheVULCANO allows a smooth integration withany Combat Management System since ithas digital / analogical interface and ballisticcalculation capabilities.

The Automatic Ammunition HandlingSystem is a modular solution, which can beadapted to any ship‘s ammunition magazinelayout; the loading of the feeding magazine ofthe gun does not require gunners duringoperation and thus permits sustained firingof the gun. The Naval Fire Control Support isa mission planning system that can alsosupport the Combat Management Systemfor definition of possible firing solutions,ammunition selection, trajectory definition,and best ship course identification.VULCANO ammunition family, comprisesof Ballistic Extended Range (BER)and Guided Long Range (GLR) ammunitionwith different multifunctional fuses, sensorand final guidance. This provides extendedthe ranges of the gun up to 100km. It is alsonoteworthy that the 127/64 LW VULCANOSystem is free of the International Traffic inArms Regulations (ITAR).

The OTO MELARA 76/62 SR, in servicewith 58 Navies worldwide as also with

Indian Navy, is a multirole medium calibrenaval gun mount, designed for anti-missileand anti-aircraft roles. The 76/62 gun canfire at the rate of 120 rds/min, therebydelivering a large amount of ammunitionpayload on the target.

The advancements in ammunition forthis gun would be of significant interest tothe Indian Navy as the 3AP fuse increasesthe lethality of this gun significantly inasymmetric and air threats. It is effective inmeeting requirements of both, high speedmaneuvering missiles and the new NSFSand ASuW, emerging from Littoral warfare.

The 3AP fuse can fit the 76/62 pre-fragmented ammunition, ensuring reliableperformances in critical engagementconditions, such as those involving seaskimming missiles and fast maneuveringboats. The 3AP fuse is programmable inthree modes; Impact (Fast and DelayedAction); Time (Volume Saturation and AirBurst); and the Proximity (Standard, Gated,Anti-Missile, Conventional Air Defense, AirDefense, Anti Surface). The 3AP fuse has amicrowave RF sensor, which behaves like aseeker detecting the target at long range.The relative velocity and position are

The ‘Zumwalt’ class destroyers of the US Navy areequipped with BAE Systems’ 155mm Advanced GunSystem (AGS) © (BAE Systems)

35

Naval Gun is likely tocontinue for a much longer

period than previouslyanticipated. Conventionally

the gun outfits of navalships have included a heavy

gun (57 mm caliber upwards), an auxiliary gun ofup to 35 mm caliber, and a

small caliber gun for closeair/ missile defence

”34

INS Mumbai is the third ofthe Indian Navy’s Delhi classguided missile destroyersbuilt by Mazagon Docks


measured and a built-in CPU sets up thetrigger point of maximum lethality. Inaddition, a Digital Signal Processorprovides full rejection of sea clutter atminimal distance from sea surface. What isof importance is the fact that the 76/62 gunmount including the ones already in servicecan be upgraded by the introduction of aFuse Programmer Device.

DART (Driven Ammunition withReduced Time of flight) guided projectile,has also been developed by Oto Melara, itcan be re-vectored towards the target duringits flight. It can be fired by 76mm Stralessystem. The STRALES is highly effectiveagainst anti-ship missiles. DART is a sub-calibre projectile with canard which isdirected to the target by the guidance beamgenerated by an antenna placed on the gunmount. Its effectiveness is further increasedby 3AP microwave programmable fuse andpre-fragmented warhead.

As far as coastal gun batteries areconcerned the Indian Navy can look atheavier gun systems like the 155mm (6-inch) Advanced Gun System Light,manufactured by BAE Systems(Minneapolis) , which provides a heavyvolume, precise and sustained gun firesupport. The Long Range Land AttackProjectile, LRLAP ammunition is beingdeveloped by BAE Louisville, Kentucky and

Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control,Orlando, Florida. The LRLAP for AGS-L iscapable of hitting targets at a range of 74 nmat the rate of six rounds per minute with therocket booster assisted launch. It is multipiece ammunition and the shell is loadedwith modular launch charges and rocket

booster. AGS-L can also fire a high capacityballistic 155 mm ASuW projectile (ASuWP).The AGS-L can store up to 240 LRLAP and48 ASuWP.

Guns below 40 mm calibreBAE Systems is working on the Mk 38Mod 3, in partnership with Rafael, Israel.The Mod 3 uses a 30 mm ATK cannon with acoaxial .50-calibre M2 heavy machine gunin place of the 25mm M242 cannon that isfitted on the Mod 1 & 2 mounts. The 30mmcannon provide a 500-meter longer effectiverange over the M242 Bushmaster. TheMod 3 has a greater range of elevation: -20degrees to +75 degrees to engage air targetssuch as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)and helicopters. The Mod 3 mount carriesabout three times the ammunition load ofthe existing gun mounts.

The MK 46 GWS is a remotely operatednaval gun system that uses 30mm highvelocity cannon, a forward looking infraredsensor, a low light television camera, and alaser rangefinder for shipboard self defenseagainst small, high speed surface targets.The gun can be operated locally at the gunturret or remotely at the Remote OperatingConsole in the Combat Information Centre(LPD 17 class)/Mission Control Centre (LCSclass). It has a range of 2000 meters and arate of fire of 200 rpm. The system includesthe MK 44 Mod 2 30mm Bushmaster IIcannon, i.e. a single barrel, open bolt, dualfeed, electrically powered, chain drivenautomatic cannon.

Oto Melara claims that its twin Fast Forty40 mm gun, firing 900 rounds per minute,can kill an incoming supersonic missile atranges up to 3,280 yards (3,000 m). Themount automatically switches from thelighter HE round to the heavier APFSDSwhen the missile reaches a range of 1,100yards (1,000 m).

The Bofors 40 Mk4 naval gun system hasbeen designed to be an agile, flexible weaponsystem that enables a very quick response.Its long range and a high rate of fire arecomplemented by its low weight andcompact dimensions. It has the capability toswitch between optimized ammunitiontypes, including programmable 40mm 3Pall-target ammunition.

The Nexter Narwhal (Naval RemoteWeapon Highly Accurate Lightweight)naval remote weapon system is particularlydesigned for use in light ships with very highmaneuverability for monitoring and close-in


36

combat actions but may also be suitable forheavier tonnage ships. The fully stabilisedNARWHAL rapid-fire gun system comes intwo variants: NARWHAL 20A with a 20mmM621 cannon and NARWHAL 20B with a20mm M693 cannon. In its basicconfiguration, the NARWHAL consists of agyro stabilised mounting armed with a 20mm cannon, a day camera, and a fire-control system. It is remotely-controlledfrom a control panel enabling systemoperation, target acquisition and trackingand fire opening by the operator.

Fire Control SystemsBEL has developed ‘’Gun Fire ControlSystem’’ (GFCS) for the Indian Navy for theP-28 class of ships. The GFCS is a quickreaction, multi-sensor, and multi-weapon, short/medium/long range defensesystem against air, surface, or shore targetson board naval ships. The GFCS is designedto provide air or surface defense with 76mmand 30mm guns. It will track hostile targetsthrough radars or video tracking systems,based on data provided by early warningsearch radars. Data generated by sensors isprocessed and used to control the weaponsby directing them in the direction ofincoming missiles. It comprises fivefunctional sub-systems: tracker, weaponcontrol, sight control, combat management

system, and support systems, each of whichcan be used as an independent system.

Sagem is modernizing fire controlsystems for French Naval surveillancefrigates. It is using new-generation Electro-Optical Multifunction System (EOMS-NG) toprovide fire control for the ship’s 100mmgun as well as contribute to their tacticalsituation awareness and self-defense. Thesingle unit high-performance EOMS-NGoptronic system features day-night infraredsearch and track (IRST) type passivepanoramic observation, identification,tracking and fire control as well as very shortreaction time between detection andengagement. Ideal for fighting piracy andillicit traffic, the EOMS-NG will replace theexisting Najir optronic system. SAGEM’sVIGY MM is a high precision electro opticfire control system which can be Integrated ina Combat Management System or operatedin a stand-alone mode. VIGY MM allowsmanual or automatic sector surveillance,automatic target tracking, aid toidentification and transmission or receptionof 3D target designation information. VIGYMM is able to control several guns ofdifferent calibres simultaneously. It is easy tooperate and maintain. VIGY MM comprisesof, a high-performance gyro stabilizedplatform providing an accurate line of sight,a ballistic computer allowing high accuracy

gun firing, and a Man-Machine Interface(MMI). VIGY MM has high reliability,performance, and accuracy. Over 400systems in the VIGY MM range (formerlyPANDA, LYNX, NAJIR Mk1, Mk2, and2000, VIGY 20) are currently operated by30 navies worldwide.

ConclusionPromising development of the laser weaponsystem ‘LaWS’, whose prototype hasundergone successful trials on board USSPonce in the recent past may lead to a verycost effective solution against small boatsand UAVs, but it cannot replace the navalgun in all its roles. The electromagnetic railgun, has potential and can fire nonexplosives shells to large distances(>100Kms) with great accuracy at velocitiesup to 7.5 Mach, but it is still some time away.The missiles, despite their falling pricescannot match the cost benefits accrued bythe traditional naval gun. On the other hand,rapid technological improvements in gunshells and fuses have satisfactorilydemonstrated very high ranges (>100Kms)and accuracies. The naval gun thuscontinues to be entrenched in its position asthe main work horse armament on boardships of the major navies and is likely toremain the mainstay of warships at leastuntil 2025 if not up to 2040.

37

Oto Melara’s 127/64 LW gun can fire the VULCANO family of Ballistic ExtendedRange (BER) and Guided Long Range (GLR) rounds © Oto Melara

BEL has developed “Gun Fire Control System”

(GFCS) for the Indian Navy for the P-28 class of

ships. The GFCS is a quick reaction, multi-

sensor, and multi-weapon,short/medium/long

range defense systemagainst air, surface,

or shore targets on boardnaval ships

”

The Narwhal, which can be armed with two differenttypes of 20 mm cannon © Nexter


measured and a built-in CPU sets up thetrigger point of maximum lethality. Inaddition, a Digital Signal Processorprovides full rejection of sea clutter atminimal distance from sea surface. What isof importance is the fact that the 76/62 gunmount including the ones already in servicecan be upgraded by the introduction of aFuse Programmer Device.

DART (Driven Ammunition withReduced Time of flight) guided projectile,has also been developed by Oto Melara, itcan be re-vectored towards the target duringits flight. It can be fired by 76mm Stralessystem. The STRALES is highly effectiveagainst anti-ship missiles. DART is a sub-calibre projectile with canard which isdirected to the target by the guidance beamgenerated by an antenna placed on the gunmount. Its effectiveness is further increasedby 3AP microwave programmable fuse andpre-fragmented warhead.

As far as coastal gun batteries areconcerned the Indian Navy can look atheavier gun systems like the 155mm (6-inch) Advanced Gun System Light,manufactured by BAE Systems(Minneapolis) , which provides a heavyvolume, precise and sustained gun firesupport. The Long Range Land AttackProjectile, LRLAP ammunition is beingdeveloped by BAE Louisville, Kentucky and

Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control,Orlando, Florida. The LRLAP for AGS-L iscapable of hitting targets at a range of 74 nmat the rate of six rounds per minute with therocket booster assisted launch. It is multipiece ammunition and the shell is loadedwith modular launch charges and rocket

booster. AGS-L can also fire a high capacityballistic 155 mm ASuW projectile (ASuWP).The AGS-L can store up to 240 LRLAP and48 ASuWP.

Guns below 40 mm calibreBAE Systems is working on the Mk 38Mod 3, in partnership with Rafael, Israel.The Mod 3 uses a 30 mm ATK cannon with acoaxial .50-calibre M2 heavy machine gunin place of the 25mm M242 cannon that isfitted on the Mod 1 & 2 mounts. The 30mmcannon provide a 500-meter longer effectiverange over the M242 Bushmaster. TheMod 3 has a greater range of elevation: -20degrees to +75 degrees to engage air targetssuch as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV)and helicopters. The Mod 3 mount carriesabout three times the ammunition load ofthe existing gun mounts.

The MK 46 GWS is a remotely operatednaval gun system that uses 30mm highvelocity cannon, a forward looking infraredsensor, a low light television camera, and alaser rangefinder for shipboard self defenseagainst small, high speed surface targets.The gun can be operated locally at the gunturret or remotely at the Remote OperatingConsole in the Combat Information Centre(LPD 17 class)/Mission Control Centre (LCSclass). It has a range of 2000 meters and arate of fire of 200 rpm. The system includesthe MK 44 Mod 2 30mm Bushmaster IIcannon, i.e. a single barrel, open bolt, dualfeed, electrically powered, chain drivenautomatic cannon.

Oto Melara claims that its twin Fast Forty40 mm gun, firing 900 rounds per minute,can kill an incoming supersonic missile atranges up to 3,280 yards (3,000 m). Themount automatically switches from thelighter HE round to the heavier APFSDSwhen the missile reaches a range of 1,100yards (1,000 m).

The Bofors 40 Mk4 naval gun system hasbeen designed to be an agile, flexible weaponsystem that enables a very quick response.Its long range and a high rate of fire arecomplemented by its low weight andcompact dimensions. It has the capability toswitch between optimized ammunitiontypes, including programmable 40mm 3Pall-target ammunition.

The Nexter Narwhal (Naval RemoteWeapon Highly Accurate Lightweight)naval remote weapon system is particularlydesigned for use in light ships with very highmaneuverability for monitoring and close-in


36

combat actions but may also be suitable forheavier tonnage ships. The fully stabilisedNARWHAL rapid-fire gun system comes intwo variants: NARWHAL 20A with a 20mmM621 cannon and NARWHAL 20B with a20mm M693 cannon. In its basicconfiguration, the NARWHAL consists of agyro stabilised mounting armed with a 20mm cannon, a day camera, and a fire-control system. It is remotely-controlledfrom a control panel enabling systemoperation, target acquisition and trackingand fire opening by the operator.

Fire Control SystemsBEL has developed ‘’Gun Fire ControlSystem’’ (GFCS) for the Indian Navy for theP-28 class of ships. The GFCS is a quickreaction, multi-sensor, and multi-weapon, short/medium/long range defensesystem against air, surface, or shore targetson board naval ships. The GFCS is designedto provide air or surface defense with 76mmand 30mm guns. It will track hostile targetsthrough radars or video tracking systems,based on data provided by early warningsearch radars. Data generated by sensors isprocessed and used to control the weaponsby directing them in the direction ofincoming missiles. It comprises fivefunctional sub-systems: tracker, weaponcontrol, sight control, combat management

system, and support systems, each of whichcan be used as an independent system.

Sagem is modernizing fire controlsystems for French Naval surveillancefrigates. It is using new-generation Electro-Optical Multifunction System (EOMS-NG) toprovide fire control for the ship’s 100mmgun as well as contribute to their tacticalsituation awareness and self-defense. Thesingle unit high-performance EOMS-NGoptronic system features day-night infraredsearch and track (IRST) type passivepanoramic observation, identification,tracking and fire control as well as very shortreaction time between detection andengagement. Ideal for fighting piracy andillicit traffic, the EOMS-NG will replace theexisting Najir optronic system. SAGEM’sVIGY MM is a high precision electro opticfire control system which can be Integrated ina Combat Management System or operatedin a stand-alone mode. VIGY MM allowsmanual or automatic sector surveillance,automatic target tracking, aid toidentification and transmission or receptionof 3D target designation information. VIGYMM is able to control several guns ofdifferent calibres simultaneously. It is easy tooperate and maintain. VIGY MM comprisesof, a high-performance gyro stabilizedplatform providing an accurate line of sight,a ballistic computer allowing high accuracy

gun firing, and a Man-Machine Interface(MMI). VIGY MM has high reliability,performance, and accuracy. Over 400systems in the VIGY MM range (formerlyPANDA, LYNX, NAJIR Mk1, Mk2, and2000, VIGY 20) are currently operated by30 navies worldwide.

ConclusionPromising development of the laser weaponsystem ‘LaWS’, whose prototype hasundergone successful trials on board USSPonce in the recent past may lead to a verycost effective solution against small boatsand UAVs, but it cannot replace the navalgun in all its roles. The electromagnetic railgun, has potential and can fire nonexplosives shells to large distances(>100Kms) with great accuracy at velocitiesup to 7.5 Mach, but it is still some time away.The missiles, despite their falling pricescannot match the cost benefits accrued bythe traditional naval gun. On the other hand,rapid technological improvements in gunshells and fuses have satisfactorilydemonstrated very high ranges (>100Kms)and accuracies. The naval gun thuscontinues to be entrenched in its position asthe main work horse armament on boardships of the major navies and is likely toremain the mainstay of warships at leastuntil 2025 if not up to 2040.

37

Oto Melara’s 127/64 LW gun can fire the VULCANO family of Ballistic ExtendedRange (BER) and Guided Long Range (GLR) rounds © Oto Melara

BEL has developed “Gun Fire Control System”

(GFCS) for the Indian Navy for the P-28 class of

ships. The GFCS is a quick reaction, multi-

sensor, and multi-weapon,short/medium/long

range defense systemagainst air, surface,

or shore targets on boardnaval ships

”

The Narwhal, which can be armed with two differenttypes of 20 mm cannon © Nexter


India chose Dassault’s twin-engine, delta-wing Rafalethree years ago over F/A-18Super Hornet, F-16 FightingFalcon, MiG-35, Gripen and

the Eurofighter Typhoon. The FrenchRafale won the MMRC (mediummulti-role combat aircraft), the con-tract is nowhere in sight even afterthree years– forget the delivery date.

The French Rafale is a modern air-craft but the plane is a budgetbuster. The Indian Air Force’srequirement of 126 medium jet fight-ers will cost $20-30 billion upfrontand another $20 billion for supportsystems and training. According toexperts the deal will certainly divertfunds needed in ‘Make in Policy’. Inthis backdrop Defence Minister

Manohar Parikkar’s statement thatextra numbers of made in IndiaSukhois and locally developed Tejaslight combat fighters will do the jobis to be praised.

India wants Dassault to take fullresponsibility for the production ofthe jets at a state-run facility inBangalore under the 2012 bid offer,Indian Defence Ministry officials

said. Dassault has refused to guaran-tee the Rafales to be manufactured inIndia, which becomes the bone ofcontention between the two countriesleading to delay in the deal. To pro-cure Rafale, India will have to con-struct an entire new factory – that is,re-invent the wheel.

According to Defence MinistryIndia could consider buying more

Russian-made Sukhoi-30 planes ifthe proposed deal with France col-lapsed.The Sukhoi-30 MKI is a for-midable multi-role fighter aircraft. Inevery war game and mock combatexercise that it has come up againstwestern aircraft, the Flanker hasemerged victorious. The Rafale is anultra modern aircraft but it can’t out-run SU 30MKI. Rafale’s ballooningcost is a major problem. According to experts; two Su-30MKI will comeat a Rafale’s cost.

On the other hand, HindustanAeronautics Ltd has been producingSu-30 MKIs and can crank up pro-duction by merely adding an extraassembly line. If war breaks out,there’s nothing more reassuring thanto know that aircraft lost can bereplaced by home factories ratherthan imports.The Su-30s/MiG-29M2s are sustainable alternative asit would leave India with funds tospend on Tejas and the advancedmedium combat aircraft(AMCA) andhelp the Indian aviation industry try-ing to get back on its feet.

Defense Minister ManoharParrikar discussed the so-calledIndia-Russia fifth-generation fighterjet project with his Russian counter-

part Sergei Shoigu recently in NewDelhi. “There were some apprehen-sions expressed over the slow pace of work in some joint projects,”Parrikar said, adding they agreed tospeed them up.

The credibility of India (as an armsbuyer) is already pretty shaky and it’sgoing to get shakier (if they cancel theRafale deal),” said Rahul Bedi, adefence analyst at IHS Jane’s.Numbers of combat aircraft are drasti-cally dipping and scrapping the deal isnot an option now as this deal wouldbe complementary for both the parties.

The armed forces have been nego-tiating on the Rafale for a long time.There is no sign of plan B till date.France said last month that its bid tosupply the Rafale jets to India willrequire more negotiations betweenParis and New Delhi. A French dele-gation is to visit New Delhi thismonth to rescue Dassault Aviation’smulti-billion dollar bid to sell 126Rafale combat jets to the Indian AirForce, Reuters reported.

Recently, in a meeting betweenDefence Minister ManoharParrikar and his French counterpart ,sources said French “were told cate-gorically to stick to the RFP”.

Su-30: MORE ECONOMICAL AND SENSIBLE OPTION

MiG-29Su-30MKI

Rostec DSI Feb 15.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 09/02/15 4:01 PM Page 1

India chose Dassault’s twin-engine, delta-wing Rafalethree years ago over F/A-18Super Hornet, F-16 FightingFalcon, MiG-35, Gripen and

the Eurofighter Typhoon. The FrenchRafale won the MMRC (mediummulti-role combat aircraft), the con-tract is nowhere in sight even afterthree years– forget the delivery date.

The French Rafale is a modern air-craft but the plane is a budgetbuster. The Indian Air Force’srequirement of 126 medium jet fight-ers will cost $20-30 billion upfrontand another $20 billion for supportsystems and training. According toexperts the deal will certainly divertfunds needed in ‘Make in Policy’. Inthis backdrop Defence Minister

Manohar Parikkar’s statement thatextra numbers of made in IndiaSukhois and locally developed Tejaslight combat fighters will do the jobis to be praised.

India wants Dassault to take fullresponsibility for the production ofthe jets at a state-run facility inBangalore under the 2012 bid offer,Indian Defence Ministry officials

said. Dassault has refused to guaran-tee the Rafales to be manufactured inIndia, which becomes the bone ofcontention between the two countriesleading to delay in the deal. To pro-cure Rafale, India will have to con-struct an entire new factory – that is,re-invent the wheel.

According to Defence MinistryIndia could consider buying more

Russian-made Sukhoi-30 planes ifthe proposed deal with France col-lapsed.The Sukhoi-30 MKI is a for-midable multi-role fighter aircraft. Inevery war game and mock combatexercise that it has come up againstwestern aircraft, the Flanker hasemerged victorious. The Rafale is anultra modern aircraft but it can’t out-run SU 30MKI. Rafale’s ballooningcost is a major problem. According to experts; two Su-30MKI will comeat a Rafale’s cost.

On the other hand, HindustanAeronautics Ltd has been producingSu-30 MKIs and can crank up pro-duction by merely adding an extraassembly line. If war breaks out,there’s nothing more reassuring thanto know that aircraft lost can bereplaced by home factories ratherthan imports.The Su-30s/MiG-29M2s are sustainable alternative asit would leave India with funds tospend on Tejas and the advancedmedium combat aircraft(AMCA) andhelp the Indian aviation industry try-ing to get back on its feet.

Defense Minister ManoharParrikar discussed the so-calledIndia-Russia fifth-generation fighterjet project with his Russian counter-

part Sergei Shoigu recently in NewDelhi. “There were some apprehen-sions expressed over the slow pace of work in some joint projects,”Parrikar said, adding they agreed tospeed them up.

The credibility of India (as an armsbuyer) is already pretty shaky and it’sgoing to get shakier (if they cancel theRafale deal),” said Rahul Bedi, adefence analyst at IHS Jane’s.Numbers of combat aircraft are drasti-cally dipping and scrapping the deal isnot an option now as this deal wouldbe complementary for both the parties.

The armed forces have been nego-tiating on the Rafale for a long time.There is no sign of plan B till date.France said last month that its bid tosupply the Rafale jets to India willrequire more negotiations betweenParis and New Delhi. A French dele-gation is to visit New Delhi thismonth to rescue Dassault Aviation’smulti-billion dollar bid to sell 126Rafale combat jets to the Indian AirForce, Reuters reported.

Recently, in a meeting betweenDefence Minister ManoharParrikar and his French counterpart ,sources said French “were told cate-gorically to stick to the RFP”.

Su-30: MORE ECONOMICAL AND SENSIBLE OPTION

MiG-29Su-30MKI

Rostec DSI Feb 15.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 09/02/15 4:01 PM Page 1

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

41

Defence planning in India has beenmarked by knee jerk reactions toemerging situations and haphazard

single-Service growth. The absence of aclearly enunciated national securitystrategy, the failure to commit funds forweapons and equipment acquisition on along-term basis and delays in decisionmaking have together handicapped militarymodernisation. Also, there is a “criticalhollowness” in defence preparedness,including large-scale deficiencies inammunition and equipment, as revealed informer COAS Gen V K Singh’s letter to thePrime Minister in March 2012.

With projected expenditure of US$ 100billion on military modernisation over thenext 10 years, it is now being realised thatforce structures must be configured on atri-Service, long-term basis to meet futurethreats and challenges. In early-2012, the

15-year Long-Term Integrated PerspectivePlan (LTIPP) 2012-27 and the 12th five-year Defence Plan 2012-17 were accorded“in principle” approval by the DefenceAcquisition Council chaired by the DefenceMinister. However, guaranteed financialbacking for these plans has not beenprovided by the government so far.

The army’s modernisation drive, whichwas virtually at a standstill, till recently, hasnow begun to gather momentum. Duringa meeting of the Defence AcquisitionCouncil (DAC) in October 2014, theDefence Minister approved the purchaseof 8,356 Israeli Spike Anti-tank GuidedMissile (ATGMs) and 321 launchers for the

Army’s infantry battalions at a cost of Rs3,200 crore, rather than the AmericanJavelin missile. The DAC also cleared thepurchase of 1,761 radio relay containers at acost of Rs 662 crore, building of 363Armoured Personnel Carriers at Rs 1,800crore and buying of critical rolling stock atRs 740 crore.

According to Rajat Pandit, Defence Editorof the Times of India, the then COAS, “GenBikram Singh… identified 31 of the 680projects as ‘Priority-I’, which include(d)assault rifles, howitzers, bullet-proof jackets,tank/artillery ammunition and missiles. Thearound Rs 10,000 crore project for inductionof 1,78,000 new-generation assault rifles,

with interchangeable barrels for conventionalwarfare and counter-insurgency operations,for instance, is being finalised.”

Upgradation of Mechanised ForcesWhile Pakistan has acquired 320 T-80 UDtanks and is on course to add Al Khalidtanks that it has co-developed with China toits armour fleet, some vintage T-55 tankscontinue in the Indian army’s inventorydespite their obsolescence, in addition toT-72, T-72 M1 and T-90 main battle tanks(MBTs). Even though the indigenouslydeveloped Arjun MBT has not fully met thearmy’s expectations due to recurringtechnological problems and cost over-runs,the tank has entered serial production toequip two regiments. Consequently, 310 T-90S MBTs had to be imported from Russia.In December 2007, a contract was signedfor an additional 347 T-90 tanks to beassembled in India. Meanwhile, aprogramme has been launched tomodernise the T-72 M1 Ajeya MBTs thathave been the mainstay of the army’s StrikeCorps and their armoured divisions sincethe 1980s. The programme seeks toupgrade to the night fighting capabilitiesand fire control system of the tank, amongother modifications. These tanks will begiven either the TIFCS or TISAS firecontrol system with thermal imaging nightsights. Approximately 1,700 T-72 M1s havebeen manufactured under licence at theHeavy Vehicle Factory (HVF), Avadi. Tomake up ammunition deficiencies, 60,000Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot rounds (APFSDS) anti-tank roundsare being imported from Russia.

The BMP-1 and the BMP-2 infantrycombat vehicles (ICVs), which have beenthe mainstay of the mechanised infantrybattalions for long, are now ageing andreplacements need to be found soon. Aproject has been sanctioned to upgrade1,600 BMP-2s with 650 hp engines. Thereplacement ICVs must be capable of beingdeployed for internal security duties andcounter-insurgency operations in additionto their primary role in conventionalconflict. A project to build 2,600 FutureInfantry Combat Vehicles (FICV) costingapproximately Rs 60,000 crore has beenapproved by the government. The 22-24tonne FICV will be indigenously designedand manufactured and, among others,Larsen & Toubro, the Mahindras andthe Tatas have shown interest.

KEY POINTSl Firepower capabilities need to beenhanced by an order of highermagnitude, especially in terms of PGMs.l The army has initiated a project toequip all its infantry battalions with withnew assault weapons and carbines.l The army’s modernisation plans requiresubstantially higher budgetary support,speeding up of acquisition process.

ARMY MODERNISATIONGAINING MOMENTUM

T-90S Tank

The army’s modernisation plans require substantially higher budgetary support, simultaneous upgradation of recruitment standards and, consequentlyskills to absorb high-tech weapon systems

GURMEETKANWAL

FIRE POWER

40

Army Modernisation-Gurmeet Kanwal.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 09/02/15 12:30 PM Page 1

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

41

Defence planning in India has beenmarked by knee jerk reactions toemerging situations and haphazard

single-Service growth. The absence of aclearly enunciated national securitystrategy, the failure to commit funds forweapons and equipment acquisition on along-term basis and delays in decisionmaking have together handicapped militarymodernisation. Also, there is a “criticalhollowness” in defence preparedness,including large-scale deficiencies inammunition and equipment, as revealed informer COAS Gen V K Singh’s letter to thePrime Minister in March 2012.

With projected expenditure of US$ 100billion on military modernisation over thenext 10 years, it is now being realised thatforce structures must be configured on atri-Service, long-term basis to meet futurethreats and challenges. In early-2012, the

15-year Long-Term Integrated PerspectivePlan (LTIPP) 2012-27 and the 12th five-year Defence Plan 2012-17 were accorded“in principle” approval by the DefenceAcquisition Council chaired by the DefenceMinister. However, guaranteed financialbacking for these plans has not beenprovided by the government so far.

The army’s modernisation drive, whichwas virtually at a standstill, till recently, hasnow begun to gather momentum. Duringa meeting of the Defence AcquisitionCouncil (DAC) in October 2014, theDefence Minister approved the purchaseof 8,356 Israeli Spike Anti-tank GuidedMissile (ATGMs) and 321 launchers for the

Army’s infantry battalions at a cost of Rs3,200 crore, rather than the AmericanJavelin missile. The DAC also cleared thepurchase of 1,761 radio relay containers at acost of Rs 662 crore, building of 363Armoured Personnel Carriers at Rs 1,800crore and buying of critical rolling stock atRs 740 crore.

According to Rajat Pandit, Defence Editorof the Times of India, the then COAS, “GenBikram Singh… identified 31 of the 680projects as ‘Priority-I’, which include(d)assault rifles, howitzers, bullet-proof jackets,tank/artillery ammunition and missiles. Thearound Rs 10,000 crore project for inductionof 1,78,000 new-generation assault rifles,

with interchangeable barrels for conventionalwarfare and counter-insurgency operations,for instance, is being finalised.”

Upgradation of Mechanised ForcesWhile Pakistan has acquired 320 T-80 UDtanks and is on course to add Al Khalidtanks that it has co-developed with China toits armour fleet, some vintage T-55 tankscontinue in the Indian army’s inventorydespite their obsolescence, in addition toT-72, T-72 M1 and T-90 main battle tanks(MBTs). Even though the indigenouslydeveloped Arjun MBT has not fully met thearmy’s expectations due to recurringtechnological problems and cost over-runs,the tank has entered serial production toequip two regiments. Consequently, 310 T-90S MBTs had to be imported from Russia.In December 2007, a contract was signedfor an additional 347 T-90 tanks to beassembled in India. Meanwhile, aprogramme has been launched tomodernise the T-72 M1 Ajeya MBTs thathave been the mainstay of the army’s StrikeCorps and their armoured divisions sincethe 1980s. The programme seeks toupgrade to the night fighting capabilitiesand fire control system of the tank, amongother modifications. These tanks will begiven either the TIFCS or TISAS firecontrol system with thermal imaging nightsights. Approximately 1,700 T-72 M1s havebeen manufactured under licence at theHeavy Vehicle Factory (HVF), Avadi. Tomake up ammunition deficiencies, 60,000Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot rounds (APFSDS) anti-tank roundsare being imported from Russia.

The BMP-1 and the BMP-2 infantrycombat vehicles (ICVs), which have beenthe mainstay of the mechanised infantrybattalions for long, are now ageing andreplacements need to be found soon. Aproject has been sanctioned to upgrade1,600 BMP-2s with 650 hp engines. Thereplacement ICVs must be capable of beingdeployed for internal security duties andcounter-insurgency operations in additionto their primary role in conventionalconflict. A project to build 2,600 FutureInfantry Combat Vehicles (FICV) costingapproximately Rs 60,000 crore has beenapproved by the government. The 22-24tonne FICV will be indigenously designedand manufactured and, among others,Larsen & Toubro, the Mahindras andthe Tatas have shown interest.

KEY POINTSl Firepower capabilities need to beenhanced by an order of highermagnitude, especially in terms of PGMs.l The army has initiated a project toequip all its infantry battalions with withnew assault weapons and carbines.l The army’s modernisation plans requiresubstantially higher budgetary support,speeding up of acquisition process.

ARMY MODERNISATIONGAINING MOMENTUM

T-90S Tank

The army’s modernisation plans require substantially higher budgetary support, simultaneous upgradation of recruitment standards and, consequentlyskills to absorb high-tech weapon systems

GURMEETKANWAL

FIRE POWER

40


Artillery and Air Defence: Heading for ObsolescenceDuring future conventional conflict large-scale manoeuvre will not be possible in themountains due to the restrictions imposedby the difficult terrain and in the plainsagainst Pakistan due to the need to avoidescalation to nuclear levels. Hence,firepower capabilities need to be enhancedby an order of magnitude, especially interms of precision-guided munitions(PGMs). This will involve substantialupgradation of ground-based (artilleryguns, rockets and missiles) and aerially-delivered (fighter-bomber aircraft andattack helicopter) firepower. PGMs are alsorequired in much larger numbers than areheld at present and UCAVs need to beadded to the army’s arsenal. Only then willit be possible to achieve future militaryobjectives, including the destruction of theadversary’s war machine.

Despite the lessons learnt during theKargil conflict of 1999, where artilleryfirepower had undeniably paved the way forvictory, modernisation of the artillerycontinues to lag behind. The last majoracquisition of towed gun-howitzers was thatof about 400 pieces of 39-calibre 155 mmFH-77B howitzers from Bofors of Sweden inthe mid-1980s. New tenders have been

floated for 155mm/ 39-calibre light weighthowitzers for the mountains and155mm/52-calibre long-range howitzers forthe plains, as well as for self-propelled gunsfor the desert terrain. As re-trials have notyet commenced, it will take almost five yearsmore for the first of the new guns to enterservice. The MoD is in the process ofacquiring 145 155 mm/39-calibre M777howitzers for the mountains through theForeign Military Sales (FMS) route from theUS in a government-to-government deal,serviced by BAE Systems. However, thedeal is reportedly stuck for want ofagreement on the offsets obligations.

Indigenous efforts to manufacture155mm howitzers include that by theOrdnance Factories Board to produceDhanush, a 45-calibre 155mm howitzerbased on the designs for which Transfer ofTechnology (ToT) was obtained fromBofors in the 1980s, but not utilised. TheDefence Acquisition Council (DAC)approved a proposal from the OFB tomanufacture 144 howitzers of 45-calibrewith the option to acquire another 400provided the prototypes successfully meetthe army’s GSQR in user trials. Meanwhile,the DRDO has embarked on its ownventure to design and develop a 155mmhowitzer in partnership with a privatesector company.

In the first meeting of the DAC chaired byhim on November 22, 2014, defenceMinister Manohar Parrikar approved theacquisition of 814 truck-mounted 155mm/52-calibre guns under the ‘buy andmake in India’ category. While the first 100guns will be imported, the remaining will bemade in India. The total project cost isestimated to be Rs 15,750 crore. SeveralIndian companies are known to be interestedin the indigenous design and developmentof modern artillery systems in conjunctionwith overseas partners. Bharat Forge(partner Elbit of Israel), Tata Power SED(Denel, South Africa) and L&T (Nexter,France) are likely to bid for this contractwhen the RfP is issued by the MoD.

A contract for the acquisition of tworegiments of the 12-tube, 300 mm Smerchmulti-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL)system with 90 km range was signed withRussia’s Rosoboronexport in early-2006.The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile(Mach 2.8 to 3.0), with a precision strikecapability, very high kill energy andmaximum range of 290 km, was inductedinto the army in July 2007. These terrainhugging missiles are virtually immune tocounter measures due to their high speedand very low radar cross section. Theindigenously designed and manufacturedPinaka multi-barrel rocket system is likely

FIRE POWER

Armed version of HAL’s Dhruv, called Rudra (God of the Tempest). This model is armedwith two twelve-round 68 mm rocket pods and four MBDA air-to-air missiles © HAL

42

to enter service in the near future. Thesethree weapon systems together will providea major boost to the artillery’s ability todestroy key targets at long ranges. It is alsotime to now consider the induction ofunmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs)armed with air-to-surface missiles into theartillery for air-to-ground precision attacks.

General Deepak Kapoor, former COAS,has written, “More than 80 per cent of theequipment of the Corps of Army Air Defenceis obsolete.” The vintage L-70 40 mm ADgun system, the four-barrelled ZSU-23-4Schilka (SP) AD gun system, the SAM-6(Kvadrat) and the SAM-8 OSA-AK have allseen better days and need to be urgentlyreplaced by more responsive modern ADsystems that are capable of defeating currentand future threats. The L-70, ZU-23 andZSU-23-4 Schilka (SP) systems are beingupgraded. After prolonged trials, tworegiments of the Akash surface-to-airmissile (SAM) have been ordered by thearmy. The short-range surface-to-air missile(SR-SAM) and medium-range (MR-SAM)acquisition programmes are embroiled in

red tape. The first flight test of the long-range SAM (LR-SAM), being jointlydeveloped in collaboration with Israel, wasconducted in November 2014. Air defenceis one area where the army has laggedbehind seriously in its modernisationefforts. But the process has now begun andbetter late, than never.

Army Aviation: Clipped WingsThe modernisation plans of the ArmyAviation corps have also not made muchheadway. According to the StandingCommittee on Defence report tabled inParliament in April 2012, there is a hugeshortage of helicopters with the ArmyAviation corps. The army faces a shortage of18 Cheetah, 76 Advance Light Helicopters(Dhruv) and 60 armed Advance LightHelicopters (Rudra). The corps hasacquired a small number of Dhruv ALH butstill lacks medium lift helicopters that arecritical for the mountains. The totalrequirement of ALHs is about 150-160. Thenew NDA has approved a project forindigenous development under the ‘buy

Akash Surface to Air MissileSystem successfully flight testedat the Integrated Test Range

Firepower capabilitiesneed to be enhanced by an

order of magnitude,especially in terms of

precision-guidedmunitions (PGMs). This

will involve substantialupgradation of ground-

based (artillery guns,rockets and missiles) and

aerially-delivered (fighter-bomber aircraft and attack

helicopter) firepower

”

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

43


Artillery and Air Defence: Heading for ObsolescenceDuring future conventional conflict large-scale manoeuvre will not be possible in themountains due to the restrictions imposedby the difficult terrain and in the plainsagainst Pakistan due to the need to avoidescalation to nuclear levels. Hence,firepower capabilities need to be enhancedby an order of magnitude, especially interms of precision-guided munitions(PGMs). This will involve substantialupgradation of ground-based (artilleryguns, rockets and missiles) and aerially-delivered (fighter-bomber aircraft andattack helicopter) firepower. PGMs are alsorequired in much larger numbers than areheld at present and UCAVs need to beadded to the army’s arsenal. Only then willit be possible to achieve future militaryobjectives, including the destruction of theadversary’s war machine.

Despite the lessons learnt during theKargil conflict of 1999, where artilleryfirepower had undeniably paved the way forvictory, modernisation of the artillerycontinues to lag behind. The last majoracquisition of towed gun-howitzers was thatof about 400 pieces of 39-calibre 155 mmFH-77B howitzers from Bofors of Sweden inthe mid-1980s. New tenders have been

floated for 155mm/ 39-calibre light weighthowitzers for the mountains and155mm/52-calibre long-range howitzers forthe plains, as well as for self-propelled gunsfor the desert terrain. As re-trials have notyet commenced, it will take almost five yearsmore for the first of the new guns to enterservice. The MoD is in the process ofacquiring 145 155 mm/39-calibre M777howitzers for the mountains through theForeign Military Sales (FMS) route from theUS in a government-to-government deal,serviced by BAE Systems. However, thedeal is reportedly stuck for want ofagreement on the offsets obligations.

Indigenous efforts to manufacture155mm howitzers include that by theOrdnance Factories Board to produceDhanush, a 45-calibre 155mm howitzerbased on the designs for which Transfer ofTechnology (ToT) was obtained fromBofors in the 1980s, but not utilised. TheDefence Acquisition Council (DAC)approved a proposal from the OFB tomanufacture 144 howitzers of 45-calibrewith the option to acquire another 400provided the prototypes successfully meetthe army’s GSQR in user trials. Meanwhile,the DRDO has embarked on its ownventure to design and develop a 155mmhowitzer in partnership with a privatesector company.

In the first meeting of the DAC chaired byhim on November 22, 2014, defenceMinister Manohar Parrikar approved theacquisition of 814 truck-mounted 155mm/52-calibre guns under the ‘buy andmake in India’ category. While the first 100guns will be imported, the remaining will bemade in India. The total project cost isestimated to be Rs 15,750 crore. SeveralIndian companies are known to be interestedin the indigenous design and developmentof modern artillery systems in conjunctionwith overseas partners. Bharat Forge(partner Elbit of Israel), Tata Power SED(Denel, South Africa) and L&T (Nexter,France) are likely to bid for this contractwhen the RfP is issued by the MoD.

A contract for the acquisition of tworegiments of the 12-tube, 300 mm Smerchmulti-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL)system with 90 km range was signed withRussia’s Rosoboronexport in early-2006.The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile(Mach 2.8 to 3.0), with a precision strikecapability, very high kill energy andmaximum range of 290 km, was inductedinto the army in July 2007. These terrainhugging missiles are virtually immune tocounter measures due to their high speedand very low radar cross section. Theindigenously designed and manufacturedPinaka multi-barrel rocket system is likely

FIRE POWER

Armed version of HAL’s Dhruv, called Rudra (God of the Tempest). This model is armedwith two twelve-round 68 mm rocket pods and four MBDA air-to-air missiles © HAL

42

to enter service in the near future. Thesethree weapon systems together will providea major boost to the artillery’s ability todestroy key targets at long ranges. It is alsotime to now consider the induction ofunmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs)armed with air-to-surface missiles into theartillery for air-to-ground precision attacks.

General Deepak Kapoor, former COAS,has written, “More than 80 per cent of theequipment of the Corps of Army Air Defenceis obsolete.” The vintage L-70 40 mm ADgun system, the four-barrelled ZSU-23-4Schilka (SP) AD gun system, the SAM-6(Kvadrat) and the SAM-8 OSA-AK have allseen better days and need to be urgentlyreplaced by more responsive modern ADsystems that are capable of defeating currentand future threats. The L-70, ZU-23 andZSU-23-4 Schilka (SP) systems are beingupgraded. After prolonged trials, tworegiments of the Akash surface-to-airmissile (SAM) have been ordered by thearmy. The short-range surface-to-air missile(SR-SAM) and medium-range (MR-SAM)acquisition programmes are embroiled in

red tape. The first flight test of the long-range SAM (LR-SAM), being jointlydeveloped in collaboration with Israel, wasconducted in November 2014. Air defenceis one area where the army has laggedbehind seriously in its modernisationefforts. But the process has now begun andbetter late, than never.

Army Aviation: Clipped WingsThe modernisation plans of the ArmyAviation corps have also not made muchheadway. According to the StandingCommittee on Defence report tabled inParliament in April 2012, there is a hugeshortage of helicopters with the ArmyAviation corps. The army faces a shortage of18 Cheetah, 76 Advance Light Helicopters(Dhruv) and 60 armed Advance LightHelicopters (Rudra). The corps hasacquired a small number of Dhruv ALH butstill lacks medium lift helicopters that arecritical for the mountains. The totalrequirement of ALHs is about 150-160. Thenew NDA has approved a project forindigenous development under the ‘buy

Akash Surface to Air MissileSystem successfully flight testedat the Integrated Test Range

Firepower capabilitiesneed to be enhanced by an

order of magnitude,especially in terms of

precision-guidedmunitions (PGMs). This

will involve substantialupgradation of ground-

based (artillery guns,rockets and missiles) and

aerially-delivered (fighter-bomber aircraft and attack

helicopter) firepower

”

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

43


and make (India)’ category of lightreconnaissance and observationhelicopters. While this decision will give aboost to Indian aviation industry, it isbound to delay the acquisition by at leastfive to seven years.

The positive development is that a fewarmy aviation brigade bases have beenestablished recently for better coordinationof aviation operations, particularly inoperational areas like Ladakh where thedaily demand is very high. The army’s plans

to acquire attack helicopters for close airsupport, particularly during mechanisedwarfare in the plains that have beenconsistently resisted by the IAF which holdsall the attack helicopters in the inventory atpresent. Under Gen Bikram Singh as theCOAS, the desire to have attack helicoptersflown by army pilots received a new impetusat a time when India is considering theacquisition of new helicopters. Severalmodern machines including the US Apacheare in the reckoning.

Force Multipliers for the InfantryThe modernisation plans of India’s cuttingedge infantry battalions, which are aimed atenhancing their capability for surveillanceand target acquisition at night and boostingtheir firepower for precise retaliation againstinfiltrating columns and terrorists holed up inbuilt-up areas, are moving forward but at asnail’s pace. The army has initiated a projectto equip all its infantry battalions with asystem that had for long been called theFuture Infantry Soldier as a System (F-INSAS). The new system will be a forcemultiplier and will include a modularweapon with a thermal imaging sight, UBGLand Laser range finder that will replace theINSAS rifle, a combat helmet equipped witha head-up display and communications headset, a smart vest with a body monitoringsystem, a back pack with integrated GPS andradio and protective footwear. The newcombat system is expected to be builtindigenously with COTS components beingimported. It resembles the US Army LandWarrior system and is expected to cost overRs 25,000 crore to equip 350 infantrybattalions. Plans also include the acquisitionof hand-held battlefield surveillance radars(BFSRs), and hand-held thermal imagingdevices (HHTIs) for observation at night.Stand-alone infra-red, seismic and acousticsensors need to be acquired in large numbersto enable infantrymen to dominate the Line ofControl (LoC) with Pakistan and detectinfiltration of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.

A global tender has also been issued for66,000 assault rifles of 5.56mm calibre forapproximately USD 700 million.According to Brig Arun Sahgal (Retd),“Other infantry shortages include; closequarter battle carbines, general purposemachine guns, light-weight anti-materielrifles, mine protected vehicles, snowscooters for use at heights above 21,000feet in Siachen, 390,000 ballistic helmets,over 30,000 third generation NVDs,180,000 lightweight bullet proof jacketstogether with other assorted ordnanceincluding new generation grenades.”

Modernisation of C4I2SR SystemsModern strategic and tactical-levelcommand and control systems need to beacquired on priority basis for better all-armssynergy during conventional and sub-conventional conflict. The umbrella systemwill be the Command Information DecisionSupport System (CIDSS). It will have several

FIRE POWER FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

44 45

component systems. The principal systemwill be the Tactical Command, Control,Communications and Information (TacC3I)system. It will provide connectivity fromCorps HQ level downwards and the ArmyStrategic Operational InformationDissemination System (ASTROIDS) willconnect Corps HQ with the Command HQand the Army HQ. While Phase 1 of theArtillery Combat Command and Controlsystem (ACCC&S) covering about 40 percent of artillery units has been completed,the other component systems of CIDSS likethe Battlefield Surveillance System (BSS),the Electronic Warfare System (EWS) andthe Air Defence Control and ReportingSystem (ADC&RS) are still in variousstages of development.

One digital communications system that isin place is Project AWAN (Army Wide AreaNetwork). The Tactical CommunicationSystem (TCS) is a system that is meant foroffensive operations – a mobile system thatcan ‘leapfrog’ forward as offensive operationsprogress into enemy territory. The offensiveoperations echelons of the ‘pivot’ or ‘holding’Corps deployed on the internationalboundary and the three Strike Corps will beequipped with TCS. TCS will replace theobsolescent Plan AREN system.

Requests for Information (RFI) werefloated for a Tactical Communication System(TCS) for offensive operations and aBattlefield Management System (BMS) forcommunication at the tactical level indefensive operations a few years ago, butsince then the acquisition process has

meandered continuously and this hasresulted in prolonged delays in introducingboth these systems into service. The newoptical fibre network being laid as analternative to the 3G spectrum surrenderedby the armed forces will go a long way inproviding modern land-line communicationsin peace stations and to limited extent up to thewar-time locations of higher formation HQ.However, future communication systems willneed to provide wide-band data capabilities tofacilitate the real time transmission of imagesand battlefield video while on the move all theway down to armoured and artilleryregiments and infantry battalions.

This task will be done by the BMS, whichwill be integrated with the Army StaticCommunications (ASCON) system. TheASCON is the backbone communicationnetwork of the army. ASCON provides voiceand data links between static headquartersand those in peace-time locations. It isexpected to be of modular design so that itcan be upgraded as better technologybecomes available. The BMS is meant forcommunications from the battalionheadquarters forward to the companies andplatoons. It will enable the CommandingOfficer to enhance his situational awarenessand command his battalion through asecure communications network with built-in redundancy.

It was reported on July 23, 2013, thatBMS has been categorised as a ‘make India’system by the Defence Acquisition Councilheaded by then Defence Minister, AKAntony. This implies that the system mustbe designed and developed in India bydomestic companies. The expressions ofinterest (EOIs) are likely to be sent toBharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Elec -tronics Corporation of India, Comput erMaintenance Corporation, ITI, domesticprivate-sector major Tata Power SED,Rolta India, Wipro, Larsen & Toubro, HCL,Punj Lloyd, Bharat Forge, TataConsultancy, Info Systems and TechMahindra. This will ensure that Indiancompanies invest in developing therequired communications technology andacquire the ability to design and implementrobust tactical communications systems.

The army’s plans to acquire attack helicopters

for close air support,particularly during

mechanised warfare in theplains that have been

consistently resisted bythe IAF which holds all the

attack helicopters in theinventory at present

”

Rafael’s Spike LR fire-and-forget anti-tank missile has recentlybeen approved for purchase by Defence Acquisition Council

M777 155mm Howitzer providing IndirectFire Support © Australian DOD

Army Modernisation-Gurmeet Kanwal.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 10/02/15 11:25 AM Page 5

and make (India)’ category of lightreconnaissance and observationhelicopters. While this decision will give aboost to Indian aviation industry, it isbound to delay the acquisition by at leastfive to seven years.

The positive development is that a fewarmy aviation brigade bases have beenestablished recently for better coordinationof aviation operations, particularly inoperational areas like Ladakh where thedaily demand is very high. The army’s plans

to acquire attack helicopters for close airsupport, particularly during mechanisedwarfare in the plains that have beenconsistently resisted by the IAF which holdsall the attack helicopters in the inventory atpresent. Under Gen Bikram Singh as theCOAS, the desire to have attack helicoptersflown by army pilots received a new impetusat a time when India is considering theacquisition of new helicopters. Severalmodern machines including the US Apacheare in the reckoning.

Force Multipliers for the InfantryThe modernisation plans of India’s cuttingedge infantry battalions, which are aimed atenhancing their capability for surveillanceand target acquisition at night and boostingtheir firepower for precise retaliation againstinfiltrating columns and terrorists holed up inbuilt-up areas, are moving forward but at asnail’s pace. The army has initiated a projectto equip all its infantry battalions with asystem that had for long been called theFuture Infantry Soldier as a System (F-INSAS). The new system will be a forcemultiplier and will include a modularweapon with a thermal imaging sight, UBGLand Laser range finder that will replace theINSAS rifle, a combat helmet equipped witha head-up display and communications headset, a smart vest with a body monitoringsystem, a back pack with integrated GPS andradio and protective footwear. The newcombat system is expected to be builtindigenously with COTS components beingimported. It resembles the US Army LandWarrior system and is expected to cost overRs 25,000 crore to equip 350 infantrybattalions. Plans also include the acquisitionof hand-held battlefield surveillance radars(BFSRs), and hand-held thermal imagingdevices (HHTIs) for observation at night.Stand-alone infra-red, seismic and acousticsensors need to be acquired in large numbersto enable infantrymen to dominate the Line ofControl (LoC) with Pakistan and detectinfiltration of Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.

A global tender has also been issued for66,000 assault rifles of 5.56mm calibre forapproximately USD 700 million.According to Brig Arun Sahgal (Retd),“Other infantry shortages include; closequarter battle carbines, general purposemachine guns, light-weight anti-materielrifles, mine protected vehicles, snowscooters for use at heights above 21,000feet in Siachen, 390,000 ballistic helmets,over 30,000 third generation NVDs,180,000 lightweight bullet proof jacketstogether with other assorted ordnanceincluding new generation grenades.”

Modernisation of C4I2SR SystemsModern strategic and tactical-levelcommand and control systems need to beacquired on priority basis for better all-armssynergy during conventional and sub-conventional conflict. The umbrella systemwill be the Command Information DecisionSupport System (CIDSS). It will have several

FIRE POWER FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

44 45

component systems. The principal systemwill be the Tactical Command, Control,Communications and Information (TacC3I)system. It will provide connectivity fromCorps HQ level downwards and the ArmyStrategic Operational InformationDissemination System (ASTROIDS) willconnect Corps HQ with the Command HQand the Army HQ. While Phase 1 of theArtillery Combat Command and Controlsystem (ACCC&S) covering about 40 percent of artillery units has been completed,the other component systems of CIDSS likethe Battlefield Surveillance System (BSS),the Electronic Warfare System (EWS) andthe Air Defence Control and ReportingSystem (ADC&RS) are still in variousstages of development.

One digital communications system that isin place is Project AWAN (Army Wide AreaNetwork). The Tactical CommunicationSystem (TCS) is a system that is meant foroffensive operations – a mobile system thatcan ‘leapfrog’ forward as offensive operationsprogress into enemy territory. The offensiveoperations echelons of the ‘pivot’ or ‘holding’Corps deployed on the internationalboundary and the three Strike Corps will beequipped with TCS. TCS will replace theobsolescent Plan AREN system.

Requests for Information (RFI) werefloated for a Tactical Communication System(TCS) for offensive operations and aBattlefield Management System (BMS) forcommunication at the tactical level indefensive operations a few years ago, butsince then the acquisition process has

meandered continuously and this hasresulted in prolonged delays in introducingboth these systems into service. The newoptical fibre network being laid as analternative to the 3G spectrum surrenderedby the armed forces will go a long way inproviding modern land-line communicationsin peace stations and to limited extent up to thewar-time locations of higher formation HQ.However, future communication systems willneed to provide wide-band data capabilities tofacilitate the real time transmission of imagesand battlefield video while on the move all theway down to armoured and artilleryregiments and infantry battalions.

This task will be done by the BMS, whichwill be integrated with the Army StaticCommunications (ASCON) system. TheASCON is the backbone communicationnetwork of the army. ASCON provides voiceand data links between static headquartersand those in peace-time locations. It isexpected to be of modular design so that itcan be upgraded as better technologybecomes available. The BMS is meant forcommunications from the battalionheadquarters forward to the companies andplatoons. It will enable the CommandingOfficer to enhance his situational awarenessand command his battalion through asecure communications network with built-in redundancy.

It was reported on July 23, 2013, thatBMS has been categorised as a ‘make India’system by the Defence Acquisition Councilheaded by then Defence Minister, AKAntony. This implies that the system mustbe designed and developed in India bydomestic companies. The expressions ofinterest (EOIs) are likely to be sent toBharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Elec -tronics Corporation of India, Comput erMaintenance Corporation, ITI, domesticprivate-sector major Tata Power SED,Rolta India, Wipro, Larsen & Toubro, HCL,Punj Lloyd, Bharat Forge, TataConsultancy, Info Systems and TechMahindra. This will ensure that Indiancompanies invest in developing therequired communications technology andacquire the ability to design and implementrobust tactical communications systems.

The army’s plans to acquire attack helicopters

for close air support,particularly during

mechanised warfare in theplains that have been

consistently resisted bythe IAF which holds all the

attack helicopters in theinventory at present

”

Rafael’s Spike LR fire-and-forget anti-tank missile has recentlybeen approved for purchase by Defence Acquisition Council

M777 155mm Howitzer providing IndirectFire Support © Australian DOD

Army Modernisation-Gurmeet Kanwal.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 10/02/15 11:25 AM Page 5

FIRE POWER

46

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

MNCs with suitable technologies and theright experience that are ex pected tocompete include Israel Aero spaceIndustries, Rafael and Elbit of Israel;Thales and Nexter of France; Rhode &Schwartz of Germany; BAE Systems ofthe UK; Lockheed Martin, Raytheonand General Dynamics of the US; and,Selex of Italy.

According to the Press InformationBureau, a secure network of Very SmallAperture Terminal (V-SAT) has beencommissioned for reliable and stablecommunication in the forward areas. Phase-III of the Army Static CommunicationNetwork (ASCON) has been initiated and is

planned to be eventually extended toKashmir Valley and the North-East. An RfPhas been issued for a Mobile CellularCommunications Sys (MCCS) for thenorthern and the eastern regions. Efforts arealso under way to replace existing telephonelines with Optical Fibre Cable (OFC).

The operational capabilities of armyengineers, signal communications,reconnaissance, surveillance and targetacquisition (RSTA) branches need to besubstantially enhanced so that the overallcombat potential of the army can beimproved by an order of magnitude.According to the Press Information Bureau,the production of assault bridges has been

indigenised with help from the DRDO. The‘Sarvatra’ bridge manufactured indigenouslyis qualitatively superior to its precursor, theimported AM-50 Bridge set. Also, to matchthe increasingly advanced types ofimprovised explosive devices (IED)employed by terrorists and anti-nationalelements, particularly in the insurgency-prone areas, a state-of-the-art counter-IEDequipment is being procured and issued tounits deployed in such areas.

Concluding ObservationsTo enable the army to fight and win thenation’s future wars in an era of strategicuncertainty, the government must give amajor boost to the army’s modernisationdrive. The army’s modernisation plansrequire substantially higher budgetarysupport than what has been forthcomingover the last decade, the speeding up of theweapons and equipment acquisition processand the simultaneous upgradation ofrecruitment standards and, consequently,personnel skills so as to be able to absorbhigh-tech weapon systems. Doctrine,organisation and training standards willneed to keep pace with technologicalmodernisation to make the Indian army a21st century force to be reckoned with.

According to thegovernment, a secure

network of Very SmallAperture Terminal (V-SAT)

has been commissionedfor reliable and stablecommunication in the

forward areas. Phase-III of the Army Static

Communication Networkhas been initiated and isplanned to be eventually

extended to Kashmir Valleyand the North-East

”

BRAHMOS cruise missilevertical launched from INS

Teg frigates Talwar-class(Project 1135.6)


Ad Check DSI:cover-feb3.qxd 2/5/15 4:26 PM Page 1

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

4948

Net centricity is all about“information” through all itsstages, namely collection, storage,

processing and dissemination to bringabout informed decision making, synergy,maximum effects, speed in execution whileensuring extensive battlefield transparency.It also encompasses Information denial,perception management throughexploitation of electronic and print mediaand social networking. It creates efficiency,economy of force and facilitates operationsacross the full spectrum of warfare; nuclearto asymmetric and strategic to tactical andinvolves all organs of the Government fromthe very beginning. It is technologyintensive with Information andCommunication Technology (ICT),communication networks and media as thenuclei. While the principals of war and theneed for net centricity have not changed,the parameters have changed drastically.The battlespace has enlargeddisproportionately making the physicalbordersirrelevant and changing theconcept of national sovereignty. Whencombined with the accuracy, range andlethality of present day weapons andmunitions, it has given rise to a newconcept of Effect Based Operations.Ubiquitous application of ICT has resultedin a Digital Battlefield with tremendousincrease in the speed of operations,diffusion of power, associatedvulnerabilities and Information Warfareemerging as a new dimension of warfare.Net Centric capability pre-supposes astrong political will and the availability of aDoctrine, Technology, Organizationtransformation synergy, skills and assuredbudgetary support.Typically, a DigitisedBattlefield will be shaped in accordancewith the National Doctrine and wouldremain a, “work in progress” due to therapid march of technology and consequentimpact on conduct of warfare.

India’s Security LandscapeIndia is today located in the world’s mostunstable regions due to the ongoing waragainst al Qaeda and the Taliban inAfghanistan and on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Unresolved territorial andboundary disputes with China and PakistanandChina’s unprecedented economic andmilitary growth, and a “string of pearls”strategy to surround India with naval bases inthe northern Indian Ocean region pose directsecurity threat to India. The prevailingstrategic environment has forced India’sarmed forces to prepare for the possibilityof a “two front” war, while the army and othersecurity forces are engaged in fighting anongoing “half front” internal security war1.

Central to this preparation would beournational security doctrine supported byenhancement of our Net Centricity throughadvanced technological, organizational,training and related capabilities in alldimensions of land, air, sea, space and cyberspace across full spectrum of warfare.

This is an inescapable requirement forbinding the nation’s comprehensivecombat power into a viable and coherentforce that would include the armed forces,defense and intelligence agencies and othergovernment and private organizations. Itwould be economical, enhance our kineticeffectiveness, command and control andand provide various options, throughsituational awareness, for both protectingour own assets and addressing theweaknesses of our adversaries in offensiveoperations.

The Indian ScenarioUnfortunately, our efforts towards netcentricity, particularly during the lastdecade or so, have been tardy at best.Consequently, while we have islands ofexcellence in each Service and in theGovernment, they lack effectiveness andsynergy. Our Commanders and policymakers largely continue to be technologyshy and prefer to operate in their comfortzone of industrial warfare era of tanks andguns. They still seem to be fighting the lastwar as is quite evident from the recent twoarticles on “Modernisation of DefenceForces” in a reputed defence magazine onthe eve of the Army Day.

What We Need to DoThe Government had ordered a number ofstudies by eminent people between 1999and 2013 with a view to have a cohesive andpractical civil-military framework at the coreof the Government; increase theeffectiveness of the Armed Forces, DRDOand establishment of a viable DefenceIndustrial Base; their recommendations,though many in common, have yet to beimplemented.These suitably updatedshould provide the basis of our working onthe Advanced Network Centric Solutionsfor our Armed Forces.

National Security DoctrineIt is ironical that despite the fact that Indiahas seen four wars with Pakistan and onewith China; five decades of insurgency inthe Northeast and the ongoing insurgency

ADVANCED NETWORKCENTRIC SOLUTIONS FORINDIAN ARMED FORCESThere is an urgent need for a comprehensive vision for capacity building ina digitised battlefield, formulated together by all the stake holders

DAVINDERKUMAR

KEY POINTSl NCW capability pre-supposesavailability of a Doctrine, Technology,Organization transformation synergy,skills and assured budgetary support.l The prevailing strategic environmenthas forced India’s armed forces to preparefor the possibility of a “two front” war.l India needs national security doctrinewithout any further delay

Air warriors at the Air Traffic Control (ATC) ofAir Force Station Srinagar controlling the heavymovement of aircraft and helicopters duringrescue operations in J&K © IAF

Troop Level Radar

COMMUNICATION

Advanced Network-Davinder Kumar.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 09/02/15 12:37 PM Page 1

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

4948

Net centricity is all about“information” through all itsstages, namely collection, storage,

processing and dissemination to bringabout informed decision making, synergy,maximum effects, speed in execution whileensuring extensive battlefield transparency.It also encompasses Information denial,perception management throughexploitation of electronic and print mediaand social networking. It creates efficiency,economy of force and facilitates operationsacross the full spectrum of warfare; nuclearto asymmetric and strategic to tactical andinvolves all organs of the Government fromthe very beginning. It is technologyintensive with Information andCommunication Technology (ICT),communication networks and media as thenuclei. While the principals of war and theneed for net centricity have not changed,the parameters have changed drastically.The battlespace has enlargeddisproportionately making the physicalbordersirrelevant and changing theconcept of national sovereignty. Whencombined with the accuracy, range andlethality of present day weapons andmunitions, it has given rise to a newconcept of Effect Based Operations.Ubiquitous application of ICT has resultedin a Digital Battlefield with tremendousincrease in the speed of operations,diffusion of power, associatedvulnerabilities and Information Warfareemerging as a new dimension of warfare.Net Centric capability pre-supposes astrong political will and the availability of aDoctrine, Technology, Organizationtransformation synergy, skills and assuredbudgetary support.Typically, a DigitisedBattlefield will be shaped in accordancewith the National Doctrine and wouldremain a, “work in progress” due to therapid march of technology and consequentimpact on conduct of warfare.

India’s Security LandscapeIndia is today located in the world’s mostunstable regions due to the ongoing waragainst al Qaeda and the Taliban inAfghanistan and on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Unresolved territorial andboundary disputes with China and PakistanandChina’s unprecedented economic andmilitary growth, and a “string of pearls”strategy to surround India with naval bases inthe northern Indian Ocean region pose directsecurity threat to India. The prevailingstrategic environment has forced India’sarmed forces to prepare for the possibilityof a “two front” war, while the army and othersecurity forces are engaged in fighting anongoing “half front” internal security war1.

Central to this preparation would beournational security doctrine supported byenhancement of our Net Centricity throughadvanced technological, organizational,training and related capabilities in alldimensions of land, air, sea, space and cyberspace across full spectrum of warfare.

This is an inescapable requirement forbinding the nation’s comprehensivecombat power into a viable and coherentforce that would include the armed forces,defense and intelligence agencies and othergovernment and private organizations. Itwould be economical, enhance our kineticeffectiveness, command and control andand provide various options, throughsituational awareness, for both protectingour own assets and addressing theweaknesses of our adversaries in offensiveoperations.

The Indian ScenarioUnfortunately, our efforts towards netcentricity, particularly during the lastdecade or so, have been tardy at best.Consequently, while we have islands ofexcellence in each Service and in theGovernment, they lack effectiveness andsynergy. Our Commanders and policymakers largely continue to be technologyshy and prefer to operate in their comfortzone of industrial warfare era of tanks andguns. They still seem to be fighting the lastwar as is quite evident from the recent twoarticles on “Modernisation of DefenceForces” in a reputed defence magazine onthe eve of the Army Day.

What We Need to DoThe Government had ordered a number ofstudies by eminent people between 1999and 2013 with a view to have a cohesive andpractical civil-military framework at the coreof the Government; increase theeffectiveness of the Armed Forces, DRDOand establishment of a viable DefenceIndustrial Base; their recommendations,though many in common, have yet to beimplemented.These suitably updatedshould provide the basis of our working onthe Advanced Network Centric Solutionsfor our Armed Forces.

National Security DoctrineIt is ironical that despite the fact that Indiahas seen four wars with Pakistan and onewith China; five decades of insurgency inthe Northeast and the ongoing insurgency

ADVANCED NETWORKCENTRIC SOLUTIONS FORINDIAN ARMED FORCESThere is an urgent need for a comprehensive vision for capacity building ina digitised battlefield, formulated together by all the stake holders

DAVINDERKUMAR

KEY POINTSl NCW capability pre-supposesavailability of a Doctrine, Technology,Organization transformation synergy,skills and assured budgetary support.l The prevailing strategic environmenthas forced India’s armed forces to preparefor the possibility of a “two front” war.l India needs national security doctrinewithout any further delay

Air warriors at the Air Traffic Control (ATC) ofAir Force Station Srinagar controlling the heavymovement of aircraft and helicopters duringrescue operations in J&K © IAF

Troop Level Radar

COMMUNICATION


in the Kashmir Valley which is over twodecades old; and successful termination ofinsurgency in Punjab; that we still have notbeen able to evolve a national securitydoctrine. While the Armed Forces haveissued their respective Service doctrines,and a Joint Warfare doctrine; these lackthe political backing, direction, macro levelpolicy framework and consequently themuch needed synergy. India has a well-articulated and declared nuclear doctrine.We need to pronounce the nationalsecurity doctrine without any furtherdelay,duly approved by the Parliament andreviewed every five years. Further, in view ofthe changing and evolving securityscenario, India needs to announce theCyber security, limited warfare andasymmetric warfare doctrines with thesame urgency.

Vision and PolicyThere is a crying need for a comprehensivevision document, policy and the road mapfor capacity building in a digitizedbattlefield, formulated together by all thestake holders, duly approved by theGovernment and backed by necessaryfinance and an empowered implementingorganization accountable to theGovernment. Based on this document, weshould work out the technologies,organization, training and human resourcerequirements. We should take the existingassets in account and integrate those withthe new system.

TechnologyAvailability of requisite technology by wayof hardware, software, semiconductor chipsfabrication, electronic manufacturingfacilities, R&D infrastructure, systemintegration capabilities, and an enablingpolicy frame work for involvement of theprivate sector and academia and skilledhuman resource are some of the challengesIndia faces to implement advanced netcentric solutions.We hope that these would receive due attention from thepresent Government. We need an urgentand innovative drive to build thesecapabilities and achieve “TechnologicalSovereignty” by 2020.

OrganisationWhen threatened, it is not only the ArmedForces which have to respond in a unifiedmanner but it is the entire nation, thegovernment and all its organs, the mediaand the people which have to respond in anintegrated fashion. Herein, therefore, liesthe absolute importance of organizationtransformation for net centricity.

The single point politico-military dialogue,which is required to establish a coherentnational strategy and quick decision making islacking in the present security setup.Institutionally, the next step is clearly thecreation of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Theinescapable doctrinal implication of this postis the integration of conventional andnuclear doctrines.This is also required tonegate the glaring anomaly in our security

decision making structure by way of theabsence of a military high command indecisions of war and peace. Present securityenvironment necessitatesJoint threatassessment, planning and execution withinthe Armed Forces and with the Ministries.There is an urgent and definite requirementofgreater integration of the three ServiceHeadquarters with the Ministry of Defence.Further, an institutionalized policy framework is required for service headquarters andIntegrated Defence Staff to interact with other Ministries and Governmentinstitutions.A cohesive, practical andresponsive civil-military framework isabsolutely essential for comprehensivecapacity building for 21st century warfare,economy of effort and as a foundation foradvanced net centricity in our nationalsecurity set up.

In the current security scenario, nuclear,space and cyber security capabilities are atthe heart of a nation’s comprehensive combatpower. India needs to raise Space and CyberCommands without any further delay. TheServices need to carry out very critical reviewof their respective organisations to generatenecessary resources for these Commands. Weneed highly synergized, mobile, lean andmean, joint organisations supported byefficient logistics and infrastructure.

Command, Control, Computers,Communications, Intelligence,Surveillance and Target Acquisition(C4ISTAR)C4ISTAR, in essence, is about co-evolution ofTechnology, Organization (i.e Architectureand Processes) and People and aboutcontrol and disruption of Informationand quick decision making.

Indian Armed Forces, individually, havedone well and have developed rudimentarycapabilities particularly at the operationaland tactical levels. We need Joint C4ISTARcapabilities duly supported by technology,highly skilled human resource, innovationand training. Joint C4ISTAR enablesability to mass effects without massingforces; protects against asymmetricthreats; and provides joint forceflexibility, analysis, interpretation, andefficiency. It calls for Inter-operability ofsystems and sub-systems, standards andprotocols for inter connection, integrationand information management; policies,procedures and formats for Informationassurance, data storage, information

COMMUNICATION FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

management and so on.In a digital battlefield, while C4ISTAR is a

necessary requirement, we must havesystems, drills and capabilities to interfereand negate the adversary’s C4ISTAR assetsthrough electronics, cyber and physicalmeans. Concurrently, we must protect ourassets and ensure that they operatesuccessfully in the hostile environment.

Electro-Magnetic Space ManagementThe Electro-Magnetic (EM) Space isextremely complex, crowded and needs to bemanaged and regulated dynamically in realtime. The situation is much more challengingin a digitized battle space environment wherepractically every system starting from a dieselgenerator to a missile system requiresspectrum to operate or else contributes,“Noise” which restricts the availability of theEM space. Add to this the high power ofvarious radars, communication systems andelectronic warfare systems and the fact thatthe same resource is being used by theadversary and the civilian networks. Theincreasing EM density of users and highpower in weapon radar systems andcommunications have impact on electroniccontrol and devices that may mal-function,cause de-sensitization and random undesiredeffects called the ElectromagneticEnvironment Effects or E3. The developmentof high energy beam weapons, LASERweapons and designators, UAVs and otheraviation resources, missiles and BallisticMissile Defence (BMD) systems; satelliteconstellations have further added to thechallenge of management and regulation ofEM space. We would need a system andorganization that would ensure theavailability of the navigation and positionlocating systems, bandwidth, communicationranges and connectivity in an intense andhostile EM space environment, includingElectro Magnetic Pulse (EMP), in real time.4

This would require modeling and simulationof the battlespace EM environment andhighly skilled man power drawn from thenation and abroad. It would be a nationaleffort with dedicated organization within theDefence and Security forces.

Communication NetworksCommunication Networks are at the heartof Net-centricity. There is an urgent need toupgrade and integrate existing networks ofthe three services with the nationalnetworks, and place them under a single

authority. Indian standards forcommunication and data networks must bepropagated without any further delay. TheNetworks for Spectrum of the services mustbe integrated with the National Broadbandand Intelligence Networks. We needelevated communication platforms likeUAVs, aerostats, aero planes and satellitesfor communications with full secrecy, highcapacity, resilience and redundancy.Tactical communications including for theforward edge and Special Forces and tosupport the Battle Field ManagementSystems are critical gaps requiringimmediate attention. Army and Air Forcesatellites must be made available andintegrated with the naval satellite at theearliest. Mobile satellite communicationsare another strategic deficiency.

India must attend to the strategicinadequacies of indigenous design andmanufacture of electronic products andsystems and set up semi-conductorfabrication facilities (FABs) immediately.For true and secure advanced net centricity,operationalization of National Policy on

Electronics, 2012 and establishment ofviable Defence Industrial Base are strategicimperatives and a pre-requisites.

Internet Protocol (IP) AddressesIn a digital battlefield, all resources at land,sea, air and space are integrated throughcomplex communication and data networks.These networks are likely to be working onIP. This would necessitate that every soldier,weapon and support system has an IPaddress. This is a huge challenge both fromthe allocation and communication securitypoints of view and a great vulnerability to bemanaged. We need to have a dedicatedorganization at the National level for this asalso to decide on the standards to beincorporated. Purely from security andsurvivability points of view, it may bedesirable to have an alternate to IP addressesor perhaps have a dedicated internet.

Battle Field TransparencyWith the battlefield transparency as high as90 per cent, we need to conduct the warfarein an entirely different manner. While

An IAF Air Warrior on the lookout,providing valuable inputs to the

pilots and ensuring safe flyingenvironment at Air Force Station

Srinagar © IAF

5150

Indian army soldiers use a fieldradio in Sonamarg, Kashmir


in the Kashmir Valley which is over twodecades old; and successful termination ofinsurgency in Punjab; that we still have notbeen able to evolve a national securitydoctrine. While the Armed Forces haveissued their respective Service doctrines,and a Joint Warfare doctrine; these lackthe political backing, direction, macro levelpolicy framework and consequently themuch needed synergy. India has a well-articulated and declared nuclear doctrine.We need to pronounce the nationalsecurity doctrine without any furtherdelay,duly approved by the Parliament andreviewed every five years. Further, in view ofthe changing and evolving securityscenario, India needs to announce theCyber security, limited warfare andasymmetric warfare doctrines with thesame urgency.

Vision and PolicyThere is a crying need for a comprehensivevision document, policy and the road mapfor capacity building in a digitizedbattlefield, formulated together by all thestake holders, duly approved by theGovernment and backed by necessaryfinance and an empowered implementingorganization accountable to theGovernment. Based on this document, weshould work out the technologies,organization, training and human resourcerequirements. We should take the existingassets in account and integrate those withthe new system.

TechnologyAvailability of requisite technology by wayof hardware, software, semiconductor chipsfabrication, electronic manufacturingfacilities, R&D infrastructure, systemintegration capabilities, and an enablingpolicy frame work for involvement of theprivate sector and academia and skilledhuman resource are some of the challengesIndia faces to implement advanced netcentric solutions.We hope that these would receive due attention from thepresent Government. We need an urgentand innovative drive to build thesecapabilities and achieve “TechnologicalSovereignty” by 2020.

OrganisationWhen threatened, it is not only the ArmedForces which have to respond in a unifiedmanner but it is the entire nation, thegovernment and all its organs, the mediaand the people which have to respond in anintegrated fashion. Herein, therefore, liesthe absolute importance of organizationtransformation for net centricity.

The single point politico-military dialogue,which is required to establish a coherentnational strategy and quick decision making islacking in the present security setup.Institutionally, the next step is clearly thecreation of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). Theinescapable doctrinal implication of this postis the integration of conventional andnuclear doctrines.This is also required tonegate the glaring anomaly in our security

decision making structure by way of theabsence of a military high command indecisions of war and peace. Present securityenvironment necessitatesJoint threatassessment, planning and execution withinthe Armed Forces and with the Ministries.There is an urgent and definite requirementofgreater integration of the three ServiceHeadquarters with the Ministry of Defence.Further, an institutionalized policy framework is required for service headquarters andIntegrated Defence Staff to interact with other Ministries and Governmentinstitutions.A cohesive, practical andresponsive civil-military framework isabsolutely essential for comprehensivecapacity building for 21st century warfare,economy of effort and as a foundation foradvanced net centricity in our nationalsecurity set up.

In the current security scenario, nuclear,space and cyber security capabilities are atthe heart of a nation’s comprehensive combatpower. India needs to raise Space and CyberCommands without any further delay. TheServices need to carry out very critical reviewof their respective organisations to generatenecessary resources for these Commands. Weneed highly synergized, mobile, lean andmean, joint organisations supported byefficient logistics and infrastructure.

Command, Control, Computers,Communications, Intelligence,Surveillance and Target Acquisition(C4ISTAR)C4ISTAR, in essence, is about co-evolution ofTechnology, Organization (i.e Architectureand Processes) and People and aboutcontrol and disruption of Informationand quick decision making.

Indian Armed Forces, individually, havedone well and have developed rudimentarycapabilities particularly at the operationaland tactical levels. We need Joint C4ISTARcapabilities duly supported by technology,highly skilled human resource, innovationand training. Joint C4ISTAR enablesability to mass effects without massingforces; protects against asymmetricthreats; and provides joint forceflexibility, analysis, interpretation, andefficiency. It calls for Inter-operability ofsystems and sub-systems, standards andprotocols for inter connection, integrationand information management; policies,procedures and formats for Informationassurance, data storage, information

COMMUNICATION FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

management and so on.In a digital battlefield, while C4ISTAR is a

necessary requirement, we must havesystems, drills and capabilities to interfereand negate the adversary’s C4ISTAR assetsthrough electronics, cyber and physicalmeans. Concurrently, we must protect ourassets and ensure that they operatesuccessfully in the hostile environment.

Electro-Magnetic Space ManagementThe Electro-Magnetic (EM) Space isextremely complex, crowded and needs to bemanaged and regulated dynamically in realtime. The situation is much more challengingin a digitized battle space environment wherepractically every system starting from a dieselgenerator to a missile system requiresspectrum to operate or else contributes,“Noise” which restricts the availability of theEM space. Add to this the high power ofvarious radars, communication systems andelectronic warfare systems and the fact thatthe same resource is being used by theadversary and the civilian networks. Theincreasing EM density of users and highpower in weapon radar systems andcommunications have impact on electroniccontrol and devices that may mal-function,cause de-sensitization and random undesiredeffects called the ElectromagneticEnvironment Effects or E3. The developmentof high energy beam weapons, LASERweapons and designators, UAVs and otheraviation resources, missiles and BallisticMissile Defence (BMD) systems; satelliteconstellations have further added to thechallenge of management and regulation ofEM space. We would need a system andorganization that would ensure theavailability of the navigation and positionlocating systems, bandwidth, communicationranges and connectivity in an intense andhostile EM space environment, includingElectro Magnetic Pulse (EMP), in real time.4

This would require modeling and simulationof the battlespace EM environment andhighly skilled man power drawn from thenation and abroad. It would be a nationaleffort with dedicated organization within theDefence and Security forces.

Communication NetworksCommunication Networks are at the heartof Net-centricity. There is an urgent need toupgrade and integrate existing networks ofthe three services with the nationalnetworks, and place them under a single

authority. Indian standards forcommunication and data networks must bepropagated without any further delay. TheNetworks for Spectrum of the services mustbe integrated with the National Broadbandand Intelligence Networks. We needelevated communication platforms likeUAVs, aerostats, aero planes and satellitesfor communications with full secrecy, highcapacity, resilience and redundancy.Tactical communications including for theforward edge and Special Forces and tosupport the Battle Field ManagementSystems are critical gaps requiringimmediate attention. Army and Air Forcesatellites must be made available andintegrated with the naval satellite at theearliest. Mobile satellite communicationsare another strategic deficiency.

India must attend to the strategicinadequacies of indigenous design andmanufacture of electronic products andsystems and set up semi-conductorfabrication facilities (FABs) immediately.For true and secure advanced net centricity,operationalization of National Policy on

Electronics, 2012 and establishment ofviable Defence Industrial Base are strategicimperatives and a pre-requisites.

Internet Protocol (IP) AddressesIn a digital battlefield, all resources at land,sea, air and space are integrated throughcomplex communication and data networks.These networks are likely to be working onIP. This would necessitate that every soldier,weapon and support system has an IPaddress. This is a huge challenge both fromthe allocation and communication securitypoints of view and a great vulnerability to bemanaged. We need to have a dedicatedorganization at the National level for this asalso to decide on the standards to beincorporated. Purely from security andsurvivability points of view, it may bedesirable to have an alternate to IP addressesor perhaps have a dedicated internet.

Battle Field TransparencyWith the battlefield transparency as high as90 per cent, we need to conduct the warfarein an entirely different manner. While

An IAF Air Warrior on the lookout,providing valuable inputs to the

pilots and ensuring safe flyingenvironment at Air Force Station

Srinagar © IAF

5150

Indian army soldiers use a fieldradio in Sonamarg, Kashmir


camouflage and concealment will always beimportant; greater emphasis will be onDeception, Dispersal, Mobility andOrganization Transformation. Decisionmaking will have to be very quick in anenvironment of greater ambiguity,uncertainty and information overload.

Indigenous Position Locating SystemIndian Regional Navigation System (IRNS)is likely to be available by early 2016. Thiswould meet the strategic requirements ofthe pointing, navigation and targetdetection of indirect fire weapon systems,radars, intelligence systems,communications, combat aviation, specialoperations, maneuver, own and enemyforce tracking and forward observers. TheIRNS will have to be integrated with ourweapons and systems and be able tofunctionin an extremely hostile physicaland electronic environment.

Data ManagementThe sensors at the tactical, operational andstrategic levels as indeed other intelligencesources create a very large amount of datarunning into tens of terabytes. This data hasto be stored, processed, analyzed andtransmitted in a fully secure manner to allconcerned ensuring its integrity andtimeliness. The real challenge issynthesizing and analyzing the datacollected, convert the same to usableinformation; and to quickly disseminate theresults in the desired format to all those whoneed it in an extremely hostile electronic andphysical environment. It requires moderndata storage and retrieval systems, highlyqualified human resource and very robustand resilient data networks supportingbandwidth on demand. Related challengesare the standardization of formats amongstthe Services, digitization of the existinginformation and its integration andindigenous development/absorption oftechnologies like the Big Data and Analytics.

Digital ImageryInherent to a digital battlefield is an efficientGeographical Information System (GIS),high resolution digital imagery frommultiple sources and the ability tomanipulate, model and combine the images.This mandates the availability of digitalmaps, overlays, sophisticated hardware andsoftware and very well trained humanresource in the forms of image analysts and

interpreters. With rapid advancement in thesensor’s capabilities and the availability ofdifferent sensors, the capability of fusingimages from visible light to radar images toimages transmitted by multi-spectralsatellites is an operational imperative.Acquisition of this capability is a challenge asindeed is the development andmanufacturing of sensors indigenously.

Information Warfare (IW)IW is both an asset and a challenge to netcentricity as it deals with the protection,interference and destruction of the“information” and the “informationassets/systems” including the humanresource. Information Assurance concernsprotecting own information in all its stages ofcapture, storage, processing anddissemination. The challenge is the design,production and fielding of cryptographicsystems and their integration within theServices and other organs of decisionmaking in the country. The networks andother communication assets will have to besecured through different levels of secrecyand protected from cyber-attacks and cyberespionage. Concurrently, counterintelligence and crypto analysis capabilitieswill have to be enhanced substantially.

Information Dominance demandsavailability of potent Electronic andOptical Warfare and Intelligence Systems inall dimensions of a digital battlefield.Development of capabilities to launchcyber-attacks includinguse of cyberweapons for creating physical disruptionswill have to be a part of our nationalsecurity doctrine and the implementation ofadvanced net centricity.

Perception management will start wellbefore the commencement of the conflictand last much after its termination.Development of capability to launch “SocialEngineering” Attacks, Deception and Denialand Perception management through veryskilled use of media, intelligence andcommunication assets must be part of ourcapacity build up.

Electronic Warfare (EW)Electronic Warfare (EW) is an importantingredient of Information Warfare (IW).We need to achieve a synergetic integrationof EW capabilities between the threeServices. This requires a common EWpolicy, incorporation of a central agencypreferably under the cyber command, co-ordination of all procurements throughthis agency and provision of a common IFF(Identify Friend or Foe) in the Services toavoid fratricide.

COMMUNICATION

52

TrainingAdvance net centricity capability demandshighly qualified and skilled humanresource. Their induction, training,periodic up gradation and retention aremajor challenges. More important is the training and orientation of theCommanders and Leaders to absorb andexploit this capability.

India has lost more than a decade in theorientation and capacity building of itsArmed Forces for 21st century warfare.There is an immediate need to adopt a“Systems” approach and “leap frog” thecapability building through exploitation ofdual technologies, national informationinfrastructure and involvement of privatesector, Indian diaspora and Academia. This

requires organizational, cultural andattitudinal transformation to bring insynergy, mutual trust and transparency.While one can see a few green shoots in thepolicies and decisions of the presentGovernment, it will have to display greaterpolitical will and urgency in capacitybuilding through incorporation of advancednet centricity in our Armed Forces.

Interview of Bharat ElectronicsLimited (BEL), Chairman and

Managing Director, S K Sharma withDefence and Security of India magazine.

Q. What’s the cost of the upgradeproject of the Schilka air defencesystem, the first of which was handedover to the Indian Army in November2014? What’s the size and scope of thisupgrade program?A. BEL handed over the first UpgradedSchilka Weapon System to the IndianArmy in November 2014. Schilka Upgradeis an all-weather, self-propelled, tracked,low-level Air Defence Weapon System.This program involves upgradation fromanalog Radar system to state-of-the-artSearch-cum-Track Digital Radar withelectro optical fire control system. Also,Main Engine, Auxiliary Engine, IntegratedFire Detection and Suppression System,NBC (Nuclear, Biological & Chemical) filterand Communication system have beenupgraded. New air conditioner has beenprovided for the comfort of the crew.

The upgraded system provides drasticimprovements in operational performance,accuracies, power consumption and MeanTime Between Failures (MTBF). Theaddition of an electro-optical systemoperating in parallel with the radar enablesaccurate identification, acquisition andtracking of targets while operating in anECM environment. The system is capableof firing aerial targets while on the move.The system can accept cueing fromexternal Surveillance Radar. The systemcan engage enemy aircraft during day ornight and in all weather conditions.

Q. Could you share some details onyour agreement with Elbit SystemsElectro-optics-Elop Ltd, Israel, for thejoint production of Compact Multi-Purpose Advance Stabilisation

System (CoMPASS) for Navalhelicopter applications, and theprogress made so far?A. BEL entered into a TechnologyCollaboration Agreement (TCA) with ElbitSystems Electro-optics-Elop Ltd (ELOP)in 2010 for manufacture of CoMPASS forthe Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH)program. As per the TCA, BEL hasacquired the License, Know-How,Technical Information, Training, TechnicalAssistance to manufacture BEL’s workshare, perform final assembly / testing ofthe CoMPASS using ELOP’s work shareand to sell the CoMPASS to ELOP in caseof ALH program and to sell the CoMPASSto end user only for future programs,subject to Israeli Government approval.The technology transfer also enables BEL to provide D-levelmaintenance to customers.

Q. What’s BEL’s part in the India-IsraelBarak-8 project? How has it helped inindigenization of complicatedsystems?A. The Barak-8 project was taken up byDRDO and Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI)to jointly develop the shipborne AirDefense Missile System called LRSAM.

The adaptation of this program for the

Indian Air Force (IAF) is called MRSAM.The initial developmental order for thesupply of LRSAM program for 3 ships andMRSAM program has been placed on IAIby the Government of India. The LRSAMhas been installed in the first ship and trialsalso successfully completed. There is norole for BEL in the initial supply ofdevelopmental orders from the Navy andAir Force for the LRSAM and MRSAMprograms, respectively. However, in futuresupplies of LRSAM, BEL has beenidentified as Lead Integrator andproduction agency for Radars.

Q. Could you talk about BEL’s latestjoint venture with Thales?A. Subsequent to the approval from theForeign Investment Promotion Board(FIPB) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD),a Joint Venture Company (JVC) betweenBEL and Thales, France, was incorporatedin Bangalore on August 28, 2014, andnamed as ‘BEL-Thales Systems Limited’.

BEL and Thales have share ratio of74% and 26% respectively. The JVC hasobtained all statutory approvals andlicenses for commencement of business and is operational. Currently,the JVC is focusing on Air TrafficManagement Radars for both civilian anddefence markets.

Q. What’s your take on Aero India 2015,and what are the things that BEL isgoing to showcase here?A. BEL will showcase: Electronic Warfare& Avionics, Radars, Electro Optics, FireControl Systems, Shelters, Sonars, C4ISystems, Simulators, Communicationequipment like Software Defined Radios,HF Radios & Radio Relays, andEncryptors including Terminal EndSecrecy Device (TESD), IP Encryptorand Link Encryptor for VersatileEnvironment (LIVE).

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

53

We need elevatedcommunication platforms

like UAVs, aerostats, aeroplanes and satellitesfor communications with

full secrecy, high capacity,resilience and redundancy.

Tactical communicationsincluding for the forwardedge and Special Forcesand to support the Battle

Field Management System

”

Command and control and missionmanagement systems providing accuratetactical picture for enhanced situationalawareness and effective synchronisedoperation in the battlefield © Elbit Systems


camouflage and concealment will always beimportant; greater emphasis will be onDeception, Dispersal, Mobility andOrganization Transformation. Decisionmaking will have to be very quick in anenvironment of greater ambiguity,uncertainty and information overload.

Indigenous Position Locating SystemIndian Regional Navigation System (IRNS)is likely to be available by early 2016. Thiswould meet the strategic requirements ofthe pointing, navigation and targetdetection of indirect fire weapon systems,radars, intelligence systems,communications, combat aviation, specialoperations, maneuver, own and enemyforce tracking and forward observers. TheIRNS will have to be integrated with ourweapons and systems and be able tofunctionin an extremely hostile physicaland electronic environment.

Data ManagementThe sensors at the tactical, operational andstrategic levels as indeed other intelligencesources create a very large amount of datarunning into tens of terabytes. This data hasto be stored, processed, analyzed andtransmitted in a fully secure manner to allconcerned ensuring its integrity andtimeliness. The real challenge issynthesizing and analyzing the datacollected, convert the same to usableinformation; and to quickly disseminate theresults in the desired format to all those whoneed it in an extremely hostile electronic andphysical environment. It requires moderndata storage and retrieval systems, highlyqualified human resource and very robustand resilient data networks supportingbandwidth on demand. Related challengesare the standardization of formats amongstthe Services, digitization of the existinginformation and its integration andindigenous development/absorption oftechnologies like the Big Data and Analytics.

Digital ImageryInherent to a digital battlefield is an efficientGeographical Information System (GIS),high resolution digital imagery frommultiple sources and the ability tomanipulate, model and combine the images.This mandates the availability of digitalmaps, overlays, sophisticated hardware andsoftware and very well trained humanresource in the forms of image analysts and

interpreters. With rapid advancement in thesensor’s capabilities and the availability ofdifferent sensors, the capability of fusingimages from visible light to radar images toimages transmitted by multi-spectralsatellites is an operational imperative.Acquisition of this capability is a challenge asindeed is the development andmanufacturing of sensors indigenously.

Information Warfare (IW)IW is both an asset and a challenge to netcentricity as it deals with the protection,interference and destruction of the“information” and the “informationassets/systems” including the humanresource. Information Assurance concernsprotecting own information in all its stages ofcapture, storage, processing anddissemination. The challenge is the design,production and fielding of cryptographicsystems and their integration within theServices and other organs of decisionmaking in the country. The networks andother communication assets will have to besecured through different levels of secrecyand protected from cyber-attacks and cyberespionage. Concurrently, counterintelligence and crypto analysis capabilitieswill have to be enhanced substantially.

Information Dominance demandsavailability of potent Electronic andOptical Warfare and Intelligence Systems inall dimensions of a digital battlefield.Development of capabilities to launchcyber-attacks includinguse of cyberweapons for creating physical disruptionswill have to be a part of our nationalsecurity doctrine and the implementation ofadvanced net centricity.

Perception management will start wellbefore the commencement of the conflictand last much after its termination.Development of capability to launch “SocialEngineering” Attacks, Deception and Denialand Perception management through veryskilled use of media, intelligence andcommunication assets must be part of ourcapacity build up.

Electronic Warfare (EW)Electronic Warfare (EW) is an importantingredient of Information Warfare (IW).We need to achieve a synergetic integrationof EW capabilities between the threeServices. This requires a common EWpolicy, incorporation of a central agencypreferably under the cyber command, co-ordination of all procurements throughthis agency and provision of a common IFF(Identify Friend or Foe) in the Services toavoid fratricide.

COMMUNICATION

52

TrainingAdvance net centricity capability demandshighly qualified and skilled humanresource. Their induction, training,periodic up gradation and retention aremajor challenges. More important is the training and orientation of theCommanders and Leaders to absorb andexploit this capability.

India has lost more than a decade in theorientation and capacity building of itsArmed Forces for 21st century warfare.There is an immediate need to adopt a“Systems” approach and “leap frog” thecapability building through exploitation ofdual technologies, national informationinfrastructure and involvement of privatesector, Indian diaspora and Academia. This

requires organizational, cultural andattitudinal transformation to bring insynergy, mutual trust and transparency.While one can see a few green shoots in thepolicies and decisions of the presentGovernment, it will have to display greaterpolitical will and urgency in capacitybuilding through incorporation of advancednet centricity in our Armed Forces.

Interview of Bharat ElectronicsLimited (BEL), Chairman and

Managing Director, S K Sharma withDefence and Security of India magazine.

Q. What’s the cost of the upgradeproject of the Schilka air defencesystem, the first of which was handedover to the Indian Army in November2014? What’s the size and scope of thisupgrade program?A. BEL handed over the first UpgradedSchilka Weapon System to the IndianArmy in November 2014. Schilka Upgradeis an all-weather, self-propelled, tracked,low-level Air Defence Weapon System.This program involves upgradation fromanalog Radar system to state-of-the-artSearch-cum-Track Digital Radar withelectro optical fire control system. Also,Main Engine, Auxiliary Engine, IntegratedFire Detection and Suppression System,NBC (Nuclear, Biological & Chemical) filterand Communication system have beenupgraded. New air conditioner has beenprovided for the comfort of the crew.

The upgraded system provides drasticimprovements in operational performance,accuracies, power consumption and MeanTime Between Failures (MTBF). Theaddition of an electro-optical systemoperating in parallel with the radar enablesaccurate identification, acquisition andtracking of targets while operating in anECM environment. The system is capableof firing aerial targets while on the move.The system can accept cueing fromexternal Surveillance Radar. The systemcan engage enemy aircraft during day ornight and in all weather conditions.

Q. Could you share some details onyour agreement with Elbit SystemsElectro-optics-Elop Ltd, Israel, for thejoint production of Compact Multi-Purpose Advance Stabilisation

System (CoMPASS) for Navalhelicopter applications, and theprogress made so far?A. BEL entered into a TechnologyCollaboration Agreement (TCA) with ElbitSystems Electro-optics-Elop Ltd (ELOP)in 2010 for manufacture of CoMPASS forthe Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH)program. As per the TCA, BEL hasacquired the License, Know-How,Technical Information, Training, TechnicalAssistance to manufacture BEL’s workshare, perform final assembly / testing ofthe CoMPASS using ELOP’s work shareand to sell the CoMPASS to ELOP in caseof ALH program and to sell the CoMPASSto end user only for future programs,subject to Israeli Government approval.The technology transfer also enables BEL to provide D-levelmaintenance to customers.

Q. What’s BEL’s part in the India-IsraelBarak-8 project? How has it helped inindigenization of complicatedsystems?A. The Barak-8 project was taken up byDRDO and Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI)to jointly develop the shipborne AirDefense Missile System called LRSAM.

The adaptation of this program for the

Indian Air Force (IAF) is called MRSAM.The initial developmental order for thesupply of LRSAM program for 3 ships andMRSAM program has been placed on IAIby the Government of India. The LRSAMhas been installed in the first ship and trialsalso successfully completed. There is norole for BEL in the initial supply ofdevelopmental orders from the Navy andAir Force for the LRSAM and MRSAMprograms, respectively. However, in futuresupplies of LRSAM, BEL has beenidentified as Lead Integrator andproduction agency for Radars.

Q. Could you talk about BEL’s latestjoint venture with Thales?A. Subsequent to the approval from theForeign Investment Promotion Board(FIPB) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD),a Joint Venture Company (JVC) betweenBEL and Thales, France, was incorporatedin Bangalore on August 28, 2014, andnamed as ‘BEL-Thales Systems Limited’.

BEL and Thales have share ratio of74% and 26% respectively. The JVC hasobtained all statutory approvals andlicenses for commencement of business and is operational. Currently,the JVC is focusing on Air TrafficManagement Radars for both civilian anddefence markets.

Q. What’s your take on Aero India 2015,and what are the things that BEL isgoing to showcase here?A. BEL will showcase: Electronic Warfare& Avionics, Radars, Electro Optics, FireControl Systems, Shelters, Sonars, C4ISystems, Simulators, Communicationequipment like Software Defined Radios,HF Radios & Radio Relays, andEncryptors including Terminal EndSecrecy Device (TESD), IP Encryptorand Link Encryptor for VersatileEnvironment (LIVE).

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

53

We need elevatedcommunication platforms

like UAVs, aerostats, aeroplanes and satellitesfor communications with

full secrecy, high capacity,resilience and redundancy.

Tactical communicationsincluding for the forwardedge and Special Forcesand to support the Battle

Field Management System

”

Command and control and missionmanagement systems providing accuratetactical picture for enhanced situationalawareness and effective synchronisedoperation in the battlefield © Elbit Systems


FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

5554

AEROSPACE

India’s gradual ascendency as a‘Potential Power’ called for a strongmilitary to contribute to peace in the

region. Adversaries took initiatives andoften surprised Indian defences that Indiahad to deal with. On any future conflict, the

Indian military needs to achieve its objectivequickly before it is compelled to halt byglobal pressures and to prevent escalation.Therefore, the essence of futurewars/combat operations would be speedand mobility. Aerospace assets thusbecome essential elements for the successof any short sharp battles although boots-on-ground would be a necessity. Such astrategy calls for a very high quality anddepth of intelligence. Military movementand deployment are and would need to becontinually monitored from space and fromair besides other means on ground and atsea. To manage contingencies effectivelycalls for comprehensive ownership andcapability package – some held centrally butessential combat elements constitutingoperational, support and maintenance

systems are held with each Service. Indianeeds a ‘mean and light-footed’ elite militarythat can perform at lightning speed. Indianmilitary is directed as the nation’s ‘DefenceForces’ unlike ‘Expeditionary’ as being thecharacteristics of British or Americanmilitary. These ‘characteristics’ define thekind of inventory that the military needs, itsstructure and training. If not plannedcarefully, there is a risk of India running intoa wasteful expenditure blindly emulatingWestern military structures andsophistications. Let us not forget that theWest, with all its sophistication got beatenby turbaned horsemen with archaicweapons or by highly motivated rural militiathat had least sophisticated weapons.

No longer speed or manoeuvrabilitybeing key factors - the important criteria -

but the demand is for flexibility of role.Network centric operations based on real-time information calls for quick response ina complex environment.The top-endrequirementis for ‘Swing-Role’ fighters thathave on-board a variety of sensors andweapon systems and can engage variety oftargets on a single mission. These machinescarry comprehensive sensors and have all-weather capability. This is different fromMulti-Role aircraft which require to beconfigured on ground to carry specificweapons and stores to engage specifictargets.The nerve centre of network centriccapability is the ‘Data Link’. ‘Data Link’ hasbeen introduced in the Indian Air Force tobe able to network all its operationalelements and sensors. The data/voice linkpermits secure directions and videography of

information of situations in air and onground in real-time. The SU-30MKI has thepotential to evolve as a ‘Swing-Role’machine. It can carry formidable arsenaland range of sensors in a variety ofcombinations over great distances thatcould be extended by mid-air refuelling.

The Indian Air Force requires majorproportion of assets to be single-role fightersof the light-weight class like the LCA foroperational efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The LCA is very versatile(light weight multi-role) and is designedspecifically for India, to operate at highaltitudes and in mountains though it hastaken 25 years to develop it. Having rolledout successfully, we need to make the LCAin large numbers at a fast pace and stopimport of this class of combat machines.One good way could be to license-out/outsource production to private/jointventures in India in a similar manner thatIndia obtained license production ofmilitary machines from abroad. Thegovernment must encourage FDI in suchjoin ventures to produce aircraft andhelicopters that are designed in India.

Helicopter design and development inIndia is a success story. Started in early 80’sHAL engaged a German design group todevelop the Advanced Light Helicopter atHAL to meet the requirements of themilitary. HAL designers participated andlearned a great deal through this program.Learning from ALH project, they developedmany new variants, the latest being theattack variant - the LCH. These ventures

proved the advantage of having a fullyintegrated design, development andproduction capability under one roof. But,the recent confusion on development ofLight Utility Helicopter (LUH) projecthighlights our weakness - lack of co-ordination between the Services, MOD andHAL and the inability to take timelydecision. The idea to import light helicopterhaving reached full capability to design andproduce is a dent to our national interests.It is similar to the story of importing basictrainer for the Air Force. Having achievedself-sufficiency in design/development/production of trainer aircraft, thegovernment spent over Rs 3,000 Cr toimport turbo-prop trainers for the Air Force.Here again, a strategy to outsource/licenseout production of ALH, LCH and thefuturistic LUH to private sector could be agood strategy as suggested for producing theLCA. The helicopters, unlike combataircraft could have attractive civilian andforeign markets.

One reads extensively about what aircraftthe Air Force should procure or produce ordesign but very little is projected on missiondeliverables. Air weapons consist of widerange of missiles and munitions of extremesophistication – laser guided, TV guided,remotely guided, satellite guided and manymore. Weapons are now designed for pin-point accuracy and avoid collateral damage.What a 1000 kg TNT bomb achieves or couldachieve, modern technology makes itpossible to achieve equal damage with a100kg bomb delivered more accurately.

KEY POINTSl India needs a quick reaction,technologically enabled armed force to defend itself.l There is a need for a swing-role fighteraircraft in the IAF, which bill can now befilled by the Su-30 MKI.l The country’s private sector havetaken small steps to become a part ofthe global supply chain of theaeronautical sector.

Linked to India’s growth as a regional power isthe development of its aeronautical sector. A significant number of SMEs and MSMEs thatconstitute the domestic aeronautical sectorcan be the loci for the growth.

INDIAN AERONAUTICS:REQUIREMENTS AND STRATEGY FORGROWTH

S. KRISHNASWAMY

IAF Mi-17V-5

RafaleM aircraft on its way to a ground attack mission, armed with four

laser-guided weapons © Dassault

Aerospace-Krishnaswamy 2nd time.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 10/02/15 11:31 AM Page 1

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

5554

AEROSPACE

India’s gradual ascendency as a‘Potential Power’ called for a strongmilitary to contribute to peace in the

region. Adversaries took initiatives andoften surprised Indian defences that Indiahad to deal with. On any future conflict, the

Indian military needs to achieve its objectivequickly before it is compelled to halt byglobal pressures and to prevent escalation.Therefore, the essence of futurewars/combat operations would be speedand mobility. Aerospace assets thusbecome essential elements for the successof any short sharp battles although boots-on-ground would be a necessity. Such astrategy calls for a very high quality anddepth of intelligence. Military movementand deployment are and would need to becontinually monitored from space and fromair besides other means on ground and atsea. To manage contingencies effectivelycalls for comprehensive ownership andcapability package – some held centrally butessential combat elements constitutingoperational, support and maintenance

systems are held with each Service. Indianeeds a ‘mean and light-footed’ elite militarythat can perform at lightning speed. Indianmilitary is directed as the nation’s ‘DefenceForces’ unlike ‘Expeditionary’ as being thecharacteristics of British or Americanmilitary. These ‘characteristics’ define thekind of inventory that the military needs, itsstructure and training. If not plannedcarefully, there is a risk of India running intoa wasteful expenditure blindly emulatingWestern military structures andsophistications. Let us not forget that theWest, with all its sophistication got beatenby turbaned horsemen with archaicweapons or by highly motivated rural militiathat had least sophisticated weapons.

No longer speed or manoeuvrabilitybeing key factors - the important criteria -

but the demand is for flexibility of role.Network centric operations based on real-time information calls for quick response ina complex environment.The top-endrequirementis for ‘Swing-Role’ fighters thathave on-board a variety of sensors andweapon systems and can engage variety oftargets on a single mission. These machinescarry comprehensive sensors and have all-weather capability. This is different fromMulti-Role aircraft which require to beconfigured on ground to carry specificweapons and stores to engage specifictargets.The nerve centre of network centriccapability is the ‘Data Link’. ‘Data Link’ hasbeen introduced in the Indian Air Force tobe able to network all its operationalelements and sensors. The data/voice linkpermits secure directions and videography of

information of situations in air and onground in real-time. The SU-30MKI has thepotential to evolve as a ‘Swing-Role’machine. It can carry formidable arsenaland range of sensors in a variety ofcombinations over great distances thatcould be extended by mid-air refuelling.

The Indian Air Force requires majorproportion of assets to be single-role fightersof the light-weight class like the LCA foroperational efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The LCA is very versatile(light weight multi-role) and is designedspecifically for India, to operate at highaltitudes and in mountains though it hastaken 25 years to develop it. Having rolledout successfully, we need to make the LCAin large numbers at a fast pace and stopimport of this class of combat machines.One good way could be to license-out/outsource production to private/jointventures in India in a similar manner thatIndia obtained license production ofmilitary machines from abroad. Thegovernment must encourage FDI in suchjoin ventures to produce aircraft andhelicopters that are designed in India.

Helicopter design and development inIndia is a success story. Started in early 80’sHAL engaged a German design group todevelop the Advanced Light Helicopter atHAL to meet the requirements of themilitary. HAL designers participated andlearned a great deal through this program.Learning from ALH project, they developedmany new variants, the latest being theattack variant - the LCH. These ventures

proved the advantage of having a fullyintegrated design, development andproduction capability under one roof. But,the recent confusion on development ofLight Utility Helicopter (LUH) projecthighlights our weakness - lack of co-ordination between the Services, MOD andHAL and the inability to take timelydecision. The idea to import light helicopterhaving reached full capability to design andproduce is a dent to our national interests.It is similar to the story of importing basictrainer for the Air Force. Having achievedself-sufficiency in design/development/production of trainer aircraft, thegovernment spent over Rs 3,000 Cr toimport turbo-prop trainers for the Air Force.Here again, a strategy to outsource/licenseout production of ALH, LCH and thefuturistic LUH to private sector could be agood strategy as suggested for producing theLCA. The helicopters, unlike combataircraft could have attractive civilian andforeign markets.

One reads extensively about what aircraftthe Air Force should procure or produce ordesign but very little is projected on missiondeliverables. Air weapons consist of widerange of missiles and munitions of extremesophistication – laser guided, TV guided,remotely guided, satellite guided and manymore. Weapons are now designed for pin-point accuracy and avoid collateral damage.What a 1000 kg TNT bomb achieves or couldachieve, modern technology makes itpossible to achieve equal damage with a100kg bomb delivered more accurately.

KEY POINTSl India needs a quick reaction,technologically enabled armed force to defend itself.l There is a need for a swing-role fighteraircraft in the IAF, which bill can now befilled by the Su-30 MKI.l The country’s private sector havetaken small steps to become a part ofthe global supply chain of theaeronautical sector.

Linked to India’s growth as a regional power isthe development of its aeronautical sector. A significant number of SMEs and MSMEs thatconstitute the domestic aeronautical sectorcan be the loci for the growth.

INDIAN AERONAUTICS:REQUIREMENTS AND STRATEGY FORGROWTH

S. KRISHNASWAMY

IAF Mi-17V-5

RafaleM aircraft on its way to a ground attack mission, armed with four

laser-guided weapons © Dassault

Aerospace-Krishnaswamy 2nd time.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 10/02/15 11:31 AM Page 1

Missiles could have ranges of 3 kms to wellover 100 kms and are designed to engage atank or a ship or an area or an aircraft in thesky or a submarine under water. Weaponsand munitions have limited shelf-life. Weneed to develop and make these indigenouslyto remain cost-effective. Most of theseweapons and sensors are imported and someare even more complex to design andproduce than aircraft. India needs to exploreseriously the strategy to develop weaponsand munitions as importantly as developingaircraft. India could emulate the strategy ofIsrael in this regard. Israel did not developor produce combat aircraft/helicopters oraero-engines other than to develop a couple ofprototypes to prove concepts and ability.Instead, it focused on upgrading andenhancing the capability of its operationalaircraft and developed a wide range of airweapons, sensors and force-multipliers likeAWACS and UAVs. Many of these productsand technologies were subsequentlyacquired by US and Europe as well as India.Israel collaborated extensively with the USon a wide range of aerospace technology andintelligence. They are today recognized forworld-class expertise on electronic warfareand operational network, security andoverhaul/repair/upgrade of largecommercial aircraft for a variety of roles.

Government of India has gone through amajor re-vamp after the new governmenthas taken over. Clarion call is to ‘Make inIndia’. While this process would take time toestablish, depleting squadron strength of theAir Force needs to be checked. Hopefully, adecision would be taken soon on inductionof the MMRCA. In parallel, the SU-30MKIshould be modernised to make it swing-rolecapable with more powerful sensors. Majoreffort should be initiated to license produceand repair spare parts for the aircraft, engine

and sub-systems in the country improvingavailability. Private sector should beencouraged to set up LCA production.

HAL had built 3,700 aircraft and similarnumber of aero-engines under license. Also,MROs of HAL and Air Force combined haverepaired or overhauled some 10,000 aircraftand 50,000 engines! Only HAL has today theend-to-end capability in India to design,develop, integrate, produce, test, deliver andsupport a complete aircraft or helicopter.Private sector has entered aeronautics withhigh expectations, thanks to the offset policyinitiated by the government. But it does nothave the end-to-end capability to developaircraft or helicopters and the only routeavailable for them is through ‘licenseproduction,’ which also would need expertiseand funding – the route being JointVentures. What then could be the differencefrom a PSU? The PSU investors are public. Itwould be a golden day for India when PSUcould be run along the lines of private sectorwith tight control on manpower andexpenditure with assured delivery andprofitability. Today, PSU aerospace worker

is least productive as compared to any othersector in India. Considering the enormity ofscope and global demand, the country mustpush both sectors to take up world-classprograms taking advantage of capabilitiesand advantages of both sectors. Privatesector in a JV and supported by FDI should beencouraged to license produce aircraft andhelicopters developed in India and alsomarket. The government should extendfinancial support and other forms ofencouragement. HAL shouldundertakeintegration, testing and delivery functionsuntil the private sector is ready to undertakethese functions. The produce should beabsorbed by the MOD (Including foreignsales). As confidence is gained, private sectorcould develop designs within the country.

Over the last decade, there have beensignificant changes in global economicscenario where countries have becomeinter-dependent. Aerospace products fromthe West were sold to China includingtransfer of technology. It took a while forthis ethos to trickle in for India. Over thelast decade, many private sector companieshave entered aerospace segment. There areover 2,000 SMEs and 500 MSME inaerospace sector and they are growing.Indian aerospace industry is nowinternationally competitive. Quality ofproduct has been found to be excellent withhigh enthusiasm to learn. Organizations likeSIATI are giving excellent support to theseSME/MSMEs to work with OEMs. Thescenario has never been as positive before.Success of a couple of large companiesreflects this confidence.

Dynamatic Technologies, aBangalore based company with many yearsof experience in manufacturing in theautomobile sector has earned the title‘Infosys of Aerospace Manufacturing’.Since2014, its orders for aerospace structuralparts and sub-assemblies has tripled toabout Rs 6,000Cr of which Rs 1,800Cr fromEuropean Airbus towards 320/350production. It is the only Tier-I supplier as ondate from India on Aerospace products. Italso produces major sub-assemblies for theSukhoi-30MKI produced by HAL in Nasik.The company, in JV with AeroVironmentis likely to be selected for supply of UAV forthe Military. The Company has significantlyupgraded and expanded to meet thegrowing demand for its products andservices in Aerospace. It has commencedproduction of cabin for BELL-407 and

AEROSPACE FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

another important US customer is theBoeing. They are now making sub-assemblies for Chinook Helicopters. It is agrand success story of a private company inaerospace sector in India – the first one ofits kind! Dynamatic has deliveredthousands of components to Airbus over thelast five years or so with zero-defect andevery delivery on-time! Their immaculateperformance has been acknowledged as an‘outstanding Tier-1 supplier’.

Tata Technologies and TataAdvanced Systems (TAS) have madeentry into aerospace engineering andmanufacture taking advantage of the offsetpolicy of the government. Learning the artand skills of design and manufacturethrough its collaboration with multitude ofglobal companies, it has recently enteredpartnership with Lockheed-Martin(making major sub-assemblies for C-130Jand cabin of Sikorsky-S92 helicopter) andfurther expanded to a wide range ofapplications covering airframe, electro-optical systems, Surface to Air Missilesystems, ground systems, UAV, andcomposites. They also have joint venturewith HAL to manufacture compositestructures which is a strategic area.

Mahindra acquired Aerostaff andGipps Aero companies in Australia thatproduce light utility and agriculture aircraft.It has partnered with National AeronauticalLaboratory to develop and produce lightutility aircraft in India in three variants. Incollaboration with Aernnova of Spain, an Rs150 Cr engineering facility has been createdin Bangalore to produce advancedstructures for a variety of aircraft andapplications. Recent JV of Mahindra’s withTelephonics of US makes it possible todevelop and produce airborne radars for the

Indian military and also radar for civilapplications. When we started on LCA andalso wished to upgrade existing radars in thefleet, we did not have any other manufacturesupport other than HAL. Such JVs wouldhelp India develop advanced systems.

We could conclude that the country iswell poised for significant growth inAerospace design, development andmanufacture. However, for this vision tosucceed, the government needs to get pro-active and bring all players together. Beinghighly complex technical area, someessentials are missed and a clear path doesnot seem to emerge (Having to push-start).The following are some aspects to consider:l The government and potential operatorsmust acknowledge that the country hasreached self-sufficiency in certain areas ofdesign, development and production inaeronautics. We are capable of making allvarieties of trainers and light utility aircraft,combat aircraft of light/medium categoryand Light helicopters. None of these shouldbe imported. lManufacture/production of aero-structureand some of avionics and allied componentshave started in private sector (Tata,Mahindra). The government should surveythese for potential. Accordingly identifythese for license manufacture of Indiandesigned weapons and sensors with transferof technology from DRDO or elsewheresupported by the government. Thesecompanies should be incentivised throughappropriate measures.l PSUs should focus on design anddevelopment and production support.Other than prototype and initial batchproduction of limited numbers, the rest ofthe production run should be handed overto private sectors on license. Government

should work out modalities. Private sectorshould be free to export civil application andthe military variants on approval by thegovernment (as is done in the West).l DRDO and R&D of PSUs should co-ordinate. Their group role and objectivesshould be clearly defined by the government.Objective of DRDO and R&D is to ensureaccountability and timely delivery.l The government responsibilities statedabove are highly technical and require deepinvolvement. This calls for permanent bodyother than the bureaucracy of MOD/Civilaviation etc. An “Aeronautical Commission”should be created as a permanent body tooversee the entire activity of aerospaceprograms and industry. The head of theCommission should have the status of MOSand would report to the Defence Minister.(Details of proposed AeronauticalCommission would be beyond the scope ofthis article.) The Commission should createa Project Management Body to monitor allprojects in the country with fullyempowered teams (finance and functions)designated to run each of these.

It is no longer practical for a Minister orhis department such as MOD to run majorprograms as being currently followed.Countries that have major aeronauticalprojects have fully empoweredorganisations within the government. Allprojects in these countries are run by theUsers. Since we have now established goodrelationship with the US, we should seektheir support to establish structure andorganisation in this country. The US hasover 200 years’ experience on managingdefence industries and their methods arevery well documented. Instead of limitingourselves to buying their product, we couldlearn from their experience.

57

India needs to exploreseriously the strategy to

develop weapons andmunitions as importantly

as developing aircraft.India could emulate

the strategy of Israel inthis regard.

”56

IAF C-130J aircraft

Indian Navy P-8Imaritime patrol aircraft

Aerospace-Krishnaswamy.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 09/02/15 3:11 PM Page 3

Missiles could have ranges of 3 kms to wellover 100 kms and are designed to engage atank or a ship or an area or an aircraft in thesky or a submarine under water. Weaponsand munitions have limited shelf-life. Weneed to develop and make these indigenouslyto remain cost-effective. Most of theseweapons and sensors are imported and someare even more complex to design andproduce than aircraft. India needs to exploreseriously the strategy to develop weaponsand munitions as importantly as developingaircraft. India could emulate the strategy ofIsrael in this regard. Israel did not developor produce combat aircraft/helicopters oraero-engines other than to develop a couple ofprototypes to prove concepts and ability.Instead, it focused on upgrading andenhancing the capability of its operationalaircraft and developed a wide range of airweapons, sensors and force-multipliers likeAWACS and UAVs. Many of these productsand technologies were subsequentlyacquired by US and Europe as well as India.Israel collaborated extensively with the USon a wide range of aerospace technology andintelligence. They are today recognized forworld-class expertise on electronic warfareand operational network, security andoverhaul/repair/upgrade of largecommercial aircraft for a variety of roles.

Government of India has gone through amajor re-vamp after the new governmenthas taken over. Clarion call is to ‘Make inIndia’. While this process would take time toestablish, depleting squadron strength of theAir Force needs to be checked. Hopefully, adecision would be taken soon on inductionof the MMRCA. In parallel, the SU-30MKIshould be modernised to make it swing-rolecapable with more powerful sensors. Majoreffort should be initiated to license produceand repair spare parts for the aircraft, engine

and sub-systems in the country improvingavailability. Private sector should beencouraged to set up LCA production.

HAL had built 3,700 aircraft and similarnumber of aero-engines under license. Also,MROs of HAL and Air Force combined haverepaired or overhauled some 10,000 aircraftand 50,000 engines! Only HAL has today theend-to-end capability in India to design,develop, integrate, produce, test, deliver andsupport a complete aircraft or helicopter.Private sector has entered aeronautics withhigh expectations, thanks to the offset policyinitiated by the government. But it does nothave the end-to-end capability to developaircraft or helicopters and the only routeavailable for them is through ‘licenseproduction,’ which also would need expertiseand funding – the route being JointVentures. What then could be the differencefrom a PSU? The PSU investors are public. Itwould be a golden day for India when PSUcould be run along the lines of private sectorwith tight control on manpower andexpenditure with assured delivery andprofitability. Today, PSU aerospace worker

is least productive as compared to any othersector in India. Considering the enormity ofscope and global demand, the country mustpush both sectors to take up world-classprograms taking advantage of capabilitiesand advantages of both sectors. Privatesector in a JV and supported by FDI should beencouraged to license produce aircraft andhelicopters developed in India and alsomarket. The government should extendfinancial support and other forms ofencouragement. HAL shouldundertakeintegration, testing and delivery functionsuntil the private sector is ready to undertakethese functions. The produce should beabsorbed by the MOD (Including foreignsales). As confidence is gained, private sectorcould develop designs within the country.

Over the last decade, there have beensignificant changes in global economicscenario where countries have becomeinter-dependent. Aerospace products fromthe West were sold to China includingtransfer of technology. It took a while forthis ethos to trickle in for India. Over thelast decade, many private sector companieshave entered aerospace segment. There areover 2,000 SMEs and 500 MSME inaerospace sector and they are growing.Indian aerospace industry is nowinternationally competitive. Quality ofproduct has been found to be excellent withhigh enthusiasm to learn. Organizations likeSIATI are giving excellent support to theseSME/MSMEs to work with OEMs. Thescenario has never been as positive before.Success of a couple of large companiesreflects this confidence.

Dynamatic Technologies, aBangalore based company with many yearsof experience in manufacturing in theautomobile sector has earned the title‘Infosys of Aerospace Manufacturing’.Since2014, its orders for aerospace structuralparts and sub-assemblies has tripled toabout Rs 6,000Cr of which Rs 1,800Cr fromEuropean Airbus towards 320/350production. It is the only Tier-I supplier as ondate from India on Aerospace products. Italso produces major sub-assemblies for theSukhoi-30MKI produced by HAL in Nasik.The company, in JV with AeroVironmentis likely to be selected for supply of UAV forthe Military. The Company has significantlyupgraded and expanded to meet thegrowing demand for its products andservices in Aerospace. It has commencedproduction of cabin for BELL-407 and

AEROSPACE FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

another important US customer is theBoeing. They are now making sub-assemblies for Chinook Helicopters. It is agrand success story of a private company inaerospace sector in India – the first one ofits kind! Dynamatic has deliveredthousands of components to Airbus over thelast five years or so with zero-defect andevery delivery on-time! Their immaculateperformance has been acknowledged as an‘outstanding Tier-1 supplier’.

Tata Technologies and TataAdvanced Systems (TAS) have madeentry into aerospace engineering andmanufacture taking advantage of the offsetpolicy of the government. Learning the artand skills of design and manufacturethrough its collaboration with multitude ofglobal companies, it has recently enteredpartnership with Lockheed-Martin(making major sub-assemblies for C-130Jand cabin of Sikorsky-S92 helicopter) andfurther expanded to a wide range ofapplications covering airframe, electro-optical systems, Surface to Air Missilesystems, ground systems, UAV, andcomposites. They also have joint venturewith HAL to manufacture compositestructures which is a strategic area.

Mahindra acquired Aerostaff andGipps Aero companies in Australia thatproduce light utility and agriculture aircraft.It has partnered with National AeronauticalLaboratory to develop and produce lightutility aircraft in India in three variants. Incollaboration with Aernnova of Spain, an Rs150 Cr engineering facility has been createdin Bangalore to produce advancedstructures for a variety of aircraft andapplications. Recent JV of Mahindra’s withTelephonics of US makes it possible todevelop and produce airborne radars for the

Indian military and also radar for civilapplications. When we started on LCA andalso wished to upgrade existing radars in thefleet, we did not have any other manufacturesupport other than HAL. Such JVs wouldhelp India develop advanced systems.

We could conclude that the country iswell poised for significant growth inAerospace design, development andmanufacture. However, for this vision tosucceed, the government needs to get pro-active and bring all players together. Beinghighly complex technical area, someessentials are missed and a clear path doesnot seem to emerge (Having to push-start).The following are some aspects to consider:l The government and potential operatorsmust acknowledge that the country hasreached self-sufficiency in certain areas ofdesign, development and production inaeronautics. We are capable of making allvarieties of trainers and light utility aircraft,combat aircraft of light/medium categoryand Light helicopters. None of these shouldbe imported. lManufacture/production of aero-structureand some of avionics and allied componentshave started in private sector (Tata,Mahindra). The government should surveythese for potential. Accordingly identifythese for license manufacture of Indiandesigned weapons and sensors with transferof technology from DRDO or elsewheresupported by the government. Thesecompanies should be incentivised throughappropriate measures.l PSUs should focus on design anddevelopment and production support.Other than prototype and initial batchproduction of limited numbers, the rest ofthe production run should be handed overto private sectors on license. Government

should work out modalities. Private sectorshould be free to export civil application andthe military variants on approval by thegovernment (as is done in the West).l DRDO and R&D of PSUs should co-ordinate. Their group role and objectivesshould be clearly defined by the government.Objective of DRDO and R&D is to ensureaccountability and timely delivery.l The government responsibilities statedabove are highly technical and require deepinvolvement. This calls for permanent bodyother than the bureaucracy of MOD/Civilaviation etc. An “Aeronautical Commission”should be created as a permanent body tooversee the entire activity of aerospaceprograms and industry. The head of theCommission should have the status of MOSand would report to the Defence Minister.(Details of proposed AeronauticalCommission would be beyond the scope ofthis article.) The Commission should createa Project Management Body to monitor allprojects in the country with fullyempowered teams (finance and functions)designated to run each of these.

It is no longer practical for a Minister orhis department such as MOD to run majorprograms as being currently followed.Countries that have major aeronauticalprojects have fully empoweredorganisations within the government. Allprojects in these countries are run by theUsers. Since we have now established goodrelationship with the US, we should seektheir support to establish structure andorganisation in this country. The US hasover 200 years’ experience on managingdefence industries and their methods arevery well documented. Instead of limitingourselves to buying their product, we couldlearn from their experience.

57

India needs to exploreseriously the strategy to

develop weapons andmunitions as importantly

as developing aircraft.India could emulate

the strategy of Israel inthis regard.

”56

IAF C-130J aircraft

Indian Navy P-8Imaritime patrol aircraft

Aerospace-Krishnaswamy.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 09/02/15 3:11 PM Page 3

58

DEFENCE BUZZAn Update on Defence News

DEFENCE BUZZ FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

ILSS-OBOGS an indigenous‘on-board oxygen generatingsystem’ (OBOGS) based‘integrated life support system’(ILSS) designed and developedto provide enhancedphysiological protection toaircrew of high speed and highaltitude fighter aircraft-Tejaswith primary objective ofmeeting long endurance flightswas symbolically handed overby Dr.VC Padaki, Director,DEBEL (Defence Bio-medicaland Electro-medicalLaboratory) to Dr P SSubramaniam, DS, ProgramDirector – Combat Aircraftsand Director AeronauticalDevelopment Agency.

Designed to get integratedwithin the confined spaceavailable in the aircraft, theOBOGS replaces the LiquidOxygen based system (LOX) byutilizing bleed air from theaircraft engine by separatingoxygen from other componentsby a process based on PressureSwing Adsorption (PSA)technology. The use of OBOGStechnology offers advantage ofunlimited endurance in the sky(unlike LOX system wherein

endurance is limited by thestorage capacity). Also, itprovides improved safety,reduced logistics andsignificantly loweredoperational costs. Developedby DEBEL, a DRDO lab focused

on development of bio-medicaland electro-medical soldiersupport systems, the advancedILSS- OBOGS addresses theneed for preventing in-flightHypoxia (during high altitudeflying and emergency escape)

and ‘Gravity Induced Loss ofConsciousness’ (G-LOC) duringhigh G manoeuvres.

The technology consists ofOn-Board Oxygen GenerationSystem (OBOGS) that providesoxygen for breathing, abreathing regulator thatsupplies the breathing gas to

the aircrew at desired flow andpressure, an Anti-G-Valve(AGV) that inflates the anti-Gsuit to apply desired counterpressure and an ElectronicController Unit (ECU) tocoordinate various functions.

A dedicated solid state oxygensensor to sense oxygenconcentration in the breathing gas is an integralpart of the system.

India will join the elite club offive countries who haveestablished and mastered thetechnology in the field of ILSS

for military flying once the trialsare successfully completed.The ILSS-OBOGS has theversatility to be customized tothe needs of other Indian fighteraircrafts like MIG-29, Sukhoi-30Mk1 and Mirage-2000.

Integrated Life Support System

Panchi, the wheeled version ofUnmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV) Nishant capable oftaking-off and landing usingsmall airstrips had its maidenflight lasting about 20 minutes.The flight was preceded by aseries of high speed taxi trials.

The UAV Panchi has all thesurveillance capabilities ofUAV Nishant. However, it willhave longer endurance as it

does not have to carry the airbags and parachute system asin the case of UAV Nishant.

The conventional NishantUAV already inducted in Army

is a multi-mission UAV withday/night operationalcapability, launched from anall-terrain hydro-pneumaticlauncher and is recovered withthe help of on board parachutesystem and an underbelly

airbag. It is designed forbattlefield surveillanceand reconnaissance,target tracking &localization, and artilleryfire correction. Theelectro-optic payloads

are mounted on a stabilizedsteerable platform. A sophisticated imageprocessing system is used foranalyzing the imagestransmitted from the UAV. Theaircraft has a jam resistantcommand link and digitaldown link for transmission ofimagery. The air vehicle has autonomous flightcapabilities and is controlledfrom a user friendly GroundControl Station.

Panchi UAV: Maiden flight test

Defence Buzz Feb 15:DSI Defence Talk-May09.qxd 09/02/15 12:43 PM Page 2

60

DEFENCE BUZZ

The Chief of Air Staff, Air ChiefMarshal Arup Rahainaugurated thestate-of-the-art BRAHMOSTechnical Position .The BRAHMOS missilesystem was inducted into theIndian Navy in 2005 after aseries of successful testlaunches starting from 2001.The commencement ofdeliveries of the land-attack

BRAHMOS in Indian Armystarted from 2007. With theinduction of the land basedweapon complex for the IndianAir Force, BRAHMOS has nowbeen successfully inductedinto all the three wings of theArmed Forces.

The Su-30 MKI armed withBRAHMOS missile is acombination of lethal strikewith the ability of air fighting

within and beyond the visibilityrange. It will provide IAF withthe capability of attackingtargets protected by powerfulair defence assets, includingaircraft carriers.

Jointly developed by Indiaand Russia, BRAHMOS is aprecision strike weapon forArmy, Navy & Air Force. Thisuniversal missile can be fittedin ships, Mobile Launchers,Submarines and Aircraftagainst land and sea targets.

India’s ICBM Agni 5 was successfullytest fired from a canister . Agni 5 ICBMis about 17m long and weighing over 50ton majestically rose from the confinesof its canister. At the predeterminedmoment, having risen to about 20meters height, it’s first stage motorignited lifting Agni 5 into the sky.

The flight continued on itspredetermined path during which, thesecond all composite light weightmotor, followed by the third,innovatively designed conical allcomposite rocket motor propelled themissile into space taking it to a heightof more than 600 km. The missile, afterreaching peak of its trajectory turnedtowards earth to continue its journeytowards the intended target with aspeed now increasing due to theattraction of earth’s gravitational pulland its path precisely directed by theadvanced on-board computer andinertial navigation system. As themissile entered earth’s atmosphere,

the atmospheric air rubbing the skin of the missile during there-entry phase raised the temperatureto beyond 4000 degree Celsius.However, the indigenously designedand developed carbon-carboncomposite heat shield continued toburn sacrificially protecting in the process the payload, maintainingthe inside temperature below 50degree Celsius.

Finally, commanded by the on-board computer with a support ofhighly accurate ring laser gyro basedinertial navigation system, the mostmodern micro inertial navigationsystem (MINS), fully digital controlsystem and advanced compactavionics, the missile hit the designatedtarget point accurately, meeting allmission objectives.

All the radars and electro-opticalsystems along the path monitored allthe parameters of the Missile anddisplayed in real time.

Agni 5 ICBM successfully test-fired

A 1000 kg glide bomb designedand developed by DefenceResearch and DevelopmentOrganisation (DRDO) wassuccessfully tested, in Bay ofBengal of the coast of Odisha.The bomb was dropped by anIndian Air force aircraft. The bomb, guided by its ‘onboard navigation system’glided for nearly 100 kmbefore hitting the target withgreat precision.

The flight of the glide bombwas monitored by radars andelectro-optic systemsstationed at Integrated TestRange (ITR). Multiple DRDOlaboratories namely, DARE,Bangalore, ARDE, Pune andTBRL, Chandigarh, with RCI,Hyderabad as the nodallaboratory have contributedtowards development of the glide bomb. Thecomplete avionics packageand navigation system has been designed anddeveloped by RCI.

State-of-the-art BRAHMOS Technical PositionIndigenous guidedglide bomb

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI


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Indian Navy displayed theentire spectrum of Navaloperations at Kochi,SouthernNaval Command .The demonstrationcommenced with marinecommandos delivering theprogramme schedule to theGovernor. A flypast by 15helicopters and fixed wingaircraft of the Navy includingthe latest P8-I set the tempo forrest of the activities whichlasted for about two hours andincluded demonstration oflanding of a Sea king helicopteron a moving warship, firing ofweapons, special operations bythe marine commandos fromair and water, simulation ofVBSS (visit, board, search andseizure) operations etc.Helobatics by the AdvancedLight Helicopter (ALH) andwarship formation led by INSKolkata, the largestindigenously built warship ofIndian Navy, followed bywarships Tir, Sharda,Sarvekshak, Kuthar, Kabra,Kalpeni and sail training shipSudarshini provided thespectators with ample view of

the operational prowess of theIndian Navy.

The Coastal security andforce protection capabilitieswere demonstrated by a groupof six Fast Interceptor Crafts(FIC) carrying out variousmanoeuveres.

A continuity drill performedby two contingents from INSDronacharya stood out for its

stunning and precise disciplineand skills in weapon handling.

The demonstrationconcluded with the ceremonialsunset ceremony whichincluded “Beating Retreat”performed by the Naval Bandfollowed by the lowering of the National Flag and NavalEnsign after which all thewarships sailed past the gathering with theirsilhouette illuminated.

India and Russiare-affirmed their commitmentto the long standing friendshipand cooperation in the area ofDefence Cooperation. This wasreiterated during the meetingof the visiting Russian Ministerof Defence, Sergei Shoigu withDefence Minister of India,Manohar Parrikar.

The two Defence Ministersresolved to carry forward theunderstanding reached during the summit meeting inorder to further strengthen the special and privilegedstrategic partnership betweenthe two countries.

The two sides reviewed theentire gamut of defencecooperation. They expressedconfidence that the

cooperation would be takenforward and be furtherstrengthened.

Both sides reviewed theongoing area of defencecooperation and projects. Theydecided to hold interactions at

regular intervals to conform toproject deadlines.

The two Defence Ministersalso discussed possible future areas of cooperation inhigh technology defenceplatforms as well as armament

for the three Services.Besides signing the

agreed protocol, the twoleaders also witnessed thesigning of an agreement onexchange of Flight SafetyExchange Information.

The two Defence Ministersexpressed satisfaction over thesuccessful conduct of jointexercises conductedindividually between Army,Navy and Air Force of both sidesin 2014. They also noted thatboth sides are working togetherto progress cooperation in the field of training.

The two sides resolved tocontinue to meet at regular intervals to carryforward an already robustdefence cooperation.

Navy displays operational prowess

Russsia to cooperate in ‘Make in India’ policy

The Defence Minister,Manohar Parrikar handed overthe first overhauled Su-30 MKIto the Chief of Air Staff, AirChief Marshal Arup Raha atHindustan AeronauticsLimited (HAL), Nasik . Thehanding over of the world’sfirst overhauled SU-30 MKIcoincides with 50 years ofestablishment of NasikDivision of the HAL.

The world’s first overhauledSU-30 MKI took to the skies,thereby demonstrating thetechnical prowess of the HAL.

IAF receives firstoverhauled Su-30 MKI

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The Chief of Naval StaffAdmiral RK Dhowan visitedMauritius to furtherconsolidate the bridges offriendship as well as explorenew avenues of defencecooperation.The Chief of Naval Staff metvarious Government andDefence officials during hisstay at Mauritius. The Admiral jointly with his counterpart,Commissioner of Policeinaugurated the data flow ofthe Information Exchange on

white shipping (merchantmarine) for greater MaritimeDomain Awareness to themutual benefit of bothmaritime nations.

The country’s strategiclocation in the Indian Ocean,has resulted in a closerelationship between India and Mauritius.

The Indian Navy has beenactively supporting andcooperating with MauritiusMaritime agencies towardsmeeting their maritimesecurity needs in terms of

hydrography surveys,supplementing ExclusiveEconomic Zone surveillance efforts,provisioning of naval hardware such as shipsand aircraft as well ascooperation in training.

The Mauritius Coast GuardShip Barracuda has recently been built by GRSEKolkata while orders havebeen placed by MCGS on GSLfor construction of 2 FastAttack Craft and 10 FastInterceptor Craft.

Defence Minister ManoharParrikar handed over the firstseries production LightCombat Aircraft, Tejas madeby HAL to the Indian Air Forceat a ceremony at HALBangalore Complex .

Mr. Parrikar also viewedthe flying display of HAL’smain products: Tejas, Dhruv(Rudra), LCH and Hawk. He also visited design andflight hangars of AdvancedLight Helicopter (ALH), Dhruv and productionfacilities of LCA Tejas.

Tejas is a 4.5th GenerationAircraft. It is significant for itslighter weight and greateragility and manoeuvrability.The lighter weight is achievedby use of higher percentage ofCarbon Fibre Composites.Other significant features ofthis indigenous aircraft are theDigital Fly-By-Wire System,

Flight Control Systems, OpenArchitecture Computer etc.The Naval variant of LCA isalso under development andhad last month did its firstflight from the shore basedtest facility (STBF) at Goa.

In the design anddevelopment program, HALhas produced 15 aircraftincluding the 7 in LimitedSeries Production (LSP), 2Technology Demonstrators, 3Fighter Prototype, 2 TrainerPrototype and 1 NavalPrototype. These aircraft

have completed more than2800 flights.

HAL is the principalpartner for the development ofLCA along with theAeronautical DevelopmentAgency (ADA) which is thenodal design agency andresponsible for programmanagement of the project.

The 4th Director General LevelTalks between the BorderSecurity Force of India andGeneral Authority for BorderProtection of Mongolia washeld recently at New Delhi.

Both sides observed thatthey always shared strongHistorical, Cultural andSpritual ties. With the growthof global terrorism,transnational crimes like DrugTrafficking, Smuggling ofillegal Arms & Ammunition,there is need for increasedcooperation between the two countries for effective prevention anddetection of crimes.

Both BSF and GABPunderscored the need forcontinuous mutualcooperation between the twoforces. Brigadier General

Lhachinjav Sh (Head ofGeneral Authority for BorderProtection of Mongolia),expressed his greatsatisfaction towards progressof cooperation between thetwo forces. The co-operationbetween the two BorderGuarding Forces started in theyear 2008, since then, the stateof co-operation has been verypositive, as the highest levelmeetings between BorderGuarding Forces of the both the Countries are takingplace regularly.

They discussed on variousissues like Cooperation inCapacity Building , GABPMangolia requires assistancein capacity building in the areaof Special operations. BSF willtrain GABP Mangolia officersin Special Operations.

LCA, Tejas first series production

India and Mongolia strengthen ties

India-Mauritius greater maritime domain awarenessAir Marshal Anil Khosla tookover as Director General AirOperations at AirHeadquarters. An alumnus ofthe National DefenceAcademy, he wascommissioned in the fighterstream of the Indian Air Forcein December 1979. He has over4000 hours of flying experiencehaving flown the Jaguar andMiG 21. He is equallyexperienced on both Groundattack and Air Defence roleswith specialization onmaritime role.

New DG Air Operations


AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL AIRSHOWAND AEROSPACE & DEFENCE EXPOSITION

AVALON201524 FEBRUARY - 1 MARCH 2015

GEELONG, AUSTRALIA

AVALON 2015 is Australia’s premier aerospace and defence exposition and a leadingaerospace and defence forum for Australia, Asia and the Indo-Pacific region. AVALON 2015will be the perfect occasion for you to connect with the aerospace and defence community.

The industry-only Trade Sessions of the 2015 Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition areTuesday 24, Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 February and until 1400 on Friday 27 February. Only qualified trade visitors may

attend during these times. These industry-only Trade Sessions are reserved for those with a professional, business oroperational involvement in aviation, aerospace, defence or related government or industry sectors.

Registration as a trade visitor is required. Business card, company identification, applicable association membership card,CASA license or similar evidence of qualification may be required as a part of the registration process.

The cost of entry as a trade visitor to Avalon 2015 is AUD$60 per person per day. Defence personnel will be given free entry on Tuesday 24 to Thursday 26

February and until 2pm on Friday 27 February on presentation of theircurrent Defence identification.

No person under the age of 16 years will be admitted during theTrade Sessions.

www.airshow.com.au

Trade Visitor pre-registration is now open... ...Don’t miss out register now!

http://www.airshow.com.au/airshow2015/TRADE/trade-visitors/pre-registration.asp

AS2015 DSI._AS2015 DSI. 18/12/2014 3:46 pm Page 1

FEBRUARY 2015 DSI

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Q. To effectively counter the armedaggression by Pakistan, BSF wasoperationalised on 1st Dec’ 1965under the leadership of Rustamji.How do you see the evolution of the force since then and thesignificant role it has come to playin national security?A. The BSF was raised on 1st Dec’ 1965with 25 Battalions. BSF today is thelargest border guarding force in the worldwith 173 Battalions including fourspecialized Disaster ManagementBattalions, its own air and water Wings,Artillery Regiments and excellentTraining Institutions.

BSF has always played an importantrole in the nation’s security matrix. Thegallant role played by BSF during theIndo-Pak war of 1971, militancy inPunjab, J&K and North-East and recentlyin the areas affected by Left WingExtremism reflects not only its gloriouspast but also instil a great sense of prideamong all of us and encourages us toachieve more in the future.

Q. Over the years in addition to itsmandated function of securing thenational borders, preventinginfiltration and smuggling etc.BSF has also been called upon toassist in the counter-insurgencyand other homeland securityobjectives. Has this overstretchedthe sinews of the force and diluted its effectiveness?A. Whenever BSF receives a task, ourendeavour is to carry it out in a peoplefriendly way. Yes, most of the time, wehave to withdraw from our basic borderduties from International Boundary toperform the tasks related to InternalSecurity. However, diversified roles haveaugmented our professional competencyand have made the force more effective todeal security related issues. Our

achievements in bringing normalcy inPunjab, Jammu and Kashmir, NorthEastern states and recently in AntiNational duties speaks about the yeomencontribution made by this great force.

Special focus is given for continuousupdation and training and we also ensurethat Force always maintain itseffectiveness in every sphere of security.

Q. What is the scope of themodernisation programme of theBSF? How much of it has beenachieved till date?A. To meet the challenges of internal andexternal security, we have a veryambitious plan of modernisation andsteps in the right direction have alreadybeen initiated. The modernisation of theForce (BSF) is not something which canbe done once and for all, it is a continuousprocess. But every aspect is addressed in this process – whether it iscommunication, armament or clothing.

Q. Training is half the battle won.How do you propose to increasetraining standards?A. Regular training, exposure to bestpractices and introduction to modernmethods and technologies in everysphere of our assigned role remains anabiding commitment. It is for the samereason that the same finds a place in ourmotto “thou i;ZUr drZO;”. We constantlyseek to upgrade our skill sets and aregetting transformed into a world class agency by organizing regular basicand in-service training for our staff.Further, we also seek to utilize the finest training facilities across theworld. Finally, being a niche and cutting edge area of work, we believe that the best training isobtained through professionalexperience. Hence, emphasis is placed on ground operations.

Q. The home minister has recentlyenhanced the delegated financialpowers to all the director generalsof the CAPFs for procurements. For the BSF specifically, what is themost crucial among all theprocurement plans?A. With delegated power and increased financial power, our plan ofmodernisation would be implementedfaster due to reduced layers of decision-making and the procurementprocedures.

Q. What is your vision for BSF ?A. The BSF has always displayed higheststandards of professionalism, valour andloyalty to the Nation. I not only want this tradition to continue but would like to take it to a greater height. I want the force to be combat ready all the times so as to perform any assigned task with professionalism of the highest standard.

“MODERNISATION OF BSF IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS”

INTERVIEW

In this interview with DSI, the Director General of BSF, D K Pathak speaks about the role and modernisation of the force

Interview BSF.qxd:INDO-PAK.qxd 09/02/15 4:12 PM Page 1

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