India and China hold Third Annual Defence Dialogue

The Third India-China Annual Defence Dialogue took place in Beijing on 14th January. Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma led the Indian side and the Chinese Deputy Chief of General Staff General Qi Jianguo led the Chinese side. The discussion took place in a friendly and cooperative atmosphere and in a forward looking manner. The two sides discussed bilateral, regional and international issues of common interests including the situation in the Asia-Pacific region and in the India-China border areas. 

Both sides agreed to expand and enhance bilateral exchanges covering the Army, Navy and Air Force of both countries. 

The two sides agreed to advance mutual strategic trust and also enhance mutually beneficial practical cooperation. 

The two sides reviewed the ongoing measures to maintain peace and tranquility on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The two sides agreed upon a plan of bilateral military exchanges for 2013 which includes conduct of the next joint military exercise. 

India Successfully test-fired manoeuvrable version of BrahMos Supersonic Missile

India on 9 January 2013 successfully test-fired a highly manoeuvrable version of the 290-km range supersonic cruise missile BrahMos from a naval warship off the coast of Vishakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal.

The missile blasted off in a pre-designated war scenario taking a ‘double— manoeuvre in S-form’ hitting the designated target ship just one meter above water line. The sheer velocity and power of hit made the missile rip through the ship’s hull.
The present test firing is considered to be the 34th launch of BrahMos after the successful October 2012 launch from INS Teg in the Arabian Sea.

Cochin Shipyard launched Aadesh, the First Fast Patrol Vessel for Coast Guard

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) on 8 January 2013 launched the first fast patrol vessel (FPV), built for the Indian Coast Guard.

The vessel which is named Aadesh was launched by Jayasree Muralidharan, in the presence of M.P. Muralidharan, Director General of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and K. Subramaniam, Chairman and Managing Director of the Coast Guard.

The vessel is the first in a series of 20 numbers fast patrol vessel (FPVs) contracted by CSL for the Indian Coast Guard. The contract was signed in year 2010 with of which the delivery the last vessel scheduled for 2017.

The ship was designed by the Kochi-based SEDS and this is the first association between CSL and a local design house. The yard also launched two other platform supply vessels for PSV Holdings Inc, Cyprus.

Specification of Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV)

• It has a designed speed of 33 knots with propelled water jets to attain the speed.
• Its primary role includes fisheries protection and monitoring, patrol within exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and coastal patrol, anti smuggling, search and rescue operations and for anti piracy operations.
• The secondary role of vessel is to provide communication link and escort convoys during hostilities and war time.
• Although it is small in size and complex but is technologically very challenging.

Cochin Shipyard currently has 27 ships on order consisting of 20 FPVs, five offshore support ships for Indian and foreign owners, one buoy tender vessel for the Department of Lighthouses and Lightships and the Prestigious Aircraft Carrier for the Indian Navy.

About Cochin Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV)

Cochin Fast Patrol Vessels (FPV) are  basically chain of 20 patrol boats being built by Cochin shipyard Limited for the Indian Coast Guard at its shipyard located at Cochin in state of  Kerala.

• The Vessels have length of 50 m and can attain speed of 35 Knots.

• Each vessel is powered by three Tognum supplied 16V 4000 M90 engines with an output of 2,720 kW (3,648 bhp) each in combination with three Rolls-Royce Kamewa 71S3np water jets to enable them to operate in shallow waters and offer higher speeds and better maneuverability than conventional propellers.

• The vessels roles include coastal patrolling, anti-smuggling missions, fisheries protection, as well as search and rescue duties.

N.A.K. Browne inaugurated a Medium Lift Helicopter Complex at Phalodi

The Chief of the Air Staff, N.A.K. Browne inaugurated the Medium Lift Helicopter Complex on 7 January 2013 at Phalodi, near Jodhpur. The complex has been developed with the purpose of raising the new Mi-17 V5 helicopter Unit. 
The Hanger Complex inaugurated by the Chief is one of the biggest pre-engineered hangers of its type and in the Indian Air Force. This unit would add up to the operational capabilities of the new Air Base. The new air base would be utilized by the Air Force in the forthcoming exercises namely Iron Fist scheduled for 22 February 2013 and Live Wire in March 2013.

India Successfully Test Fired Air to Air Interceptor Astra Missile

India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur. The sophisticated missile was test-fired from a launcher in launch pad-2 of the ITR. The single stage, solid fuelled 'Astra' missile is more advanced in its category than the contemporary BVR missiles and is capable of engaging and destroying highly manoeuvrable supersonic aerial targets.
The 3.8 metre long missile, having a diameter of 178 mm with an overall launch weight of 160 kg, can carry a warhead containing conventional explosives weighing 15 kg. It can be fitted to any fighter aircraft.

Missile Specification:

• Astra has the capability to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft at a supersonic speed and can be fitted into any fighter aircraft.

• 3.8 metre long, it is considered as one of the best of its kind in the world as it weighs about 160 kg and can carry explosive loaded conventional warheads up to 15 kg.

• It is designed to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft at supersonic speeds (1.2 to 1.4 Mach) in head-on and tail-chase modes.

• The missile uses solid propellant and can carry a conventional warhead weighing 15 kg.

• It can be launched from different altitudes and cover 110 km when fired from an altitude of 15 km, reach 44 km when launched from an altitude of eight km, and 21 km when launched from the sea-level.

Navy gets first of 8 P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft from Boeing

The Navy  received the first of the eight P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft it is to get from Boeing. India had signed a deal worth over $2.1 billion with the American firm in January 2009 for procuring the long-range surveillance aircraft, which are equipped with anti-submarine weaponry.

The first plane was handed over to Indian personnel by the company in Seattle. It will be used for training the crew there, Navy officials said here. This aircraft, along with two more will arrive in India in May 2013.

P-8I is a derivative of Boeing 737-800 long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft and anti-submarine warfare aircraft. It is expected to replace the Navy’s Russian Tupolev Tu-142M maritime surveillance turboprop. The plane is an Indian variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing is developing for the U.S. Navy. India requires aircraft able to patrol the vast stretches of the Indian Ocean. The Navy’s contract with Boeing included an option for four additional aircraft along with warfare, intelligence and surveillance systems, as well as training and maintenance support.

About P-8I maritime surveillance aircraft:
The P-8I is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. The P-8I is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing is developing for the U.S. Navy.

This military derivative of the Next-Generation 737-800 combines superior performance and reliability with an advanced mission system that ensures maximum interoperability in the future battle space.

Boeing was awarded a $3.89 billion contract for the system development and demonstration (SDD) phase of the P-8A Poseidon for the U.S. Navy on June 14, 2004. SDD activities include developing and integrating all the necessary software and onboard mission systems and developing training systems.The P-8I is the first international model of the P-8A. 

Nuclear capable Prithvi-II test-fired successfully

India on December 20 successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile with a strike range of 350 km from a test range at Chandipur.

The surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex-3 of Integrated Test Range.

The launch of the sophisticated missile, conducted as part of operational exercise by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the defence services, was successful.

“The missile was randomly chosen from the production stock and the total launch activities were carried out by the specially formed SFC and monitored by the scientists of Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of practice drill,” sources said.

The Prithvi-II missile, developed by the DRDO, is already inducted into the Indian Armed forces.

Prithvi, the first missile developed under India’s prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), is capable of carrying 500 kg to 1000 kg of warheads and thrusted by liquid propulsion twine engines, uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvring trajectory.

The last trial of Prithvi-II was successfully carried out from the same base on October 4, 2012.

Agni-1 successfully test-fired

India on December 12 successfully test-fired nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface Agni-1 ballistic missile for its full range of 700 km from the Wheeler Island, off Odisha.

The single-stage, solid-propelled missile was launched by the personnel of the Strategic Forces Command at 8.15 a.m. from a road mobile launcher. The entire operation was supervised by Defence Research and Development Organisation's missile technologists, who described the mission as a success and said that all the objectives were met.

Soon after its launch, the home-grown missile splashed down near the pre-designated target area in the Bay of Bengal with a high degree of accuracy as the radars along the coast and naval ship located down range tracked its flight path and recorded the terminal event.

The 15-metre-tall missile was picked up from the production lot for conducting the test-firing as part of regular exercise for the SFC personnel. Agni-1 weighs 12 tonnes and is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead of one tonne. The missile was developed following the Kargil conflict after the defence services perceived the need for such a version and has already been inducted into the Army.

Top DRDO scientists and Army officials were present to witness the mission. The SFC personnel carried out a successful launch of the same missile in July this year.

Defiant North Korea launches long-range rocket

North Korea defied international warnings and fired a long-range rocket on December 12, the second launch under its new leader and a clear sign Pyongyang is pushing forward with its quest to develop the technology needed to deliver a nuclear warhead.

Pyongyang’s state media quickly claimed that the country had successfully put a peaceful satellite into orbit with its long-range Unha-3 rocket the North’s stated goal of the launch. But South Korea and Japan said they couldn’t immediately confirm that. The launch was something of a surprise, as North Korea had indicated technical problems with the rocket and recently extended its launch window to December 29.

A rocket expert said North Korea’s rocket appeared to have improved on an April launch, which broke apart shortly after liftoff, but that it might be a day before U.S. officials could determine whether a North Korean satellite was circling the Earth.

The United Nations, Washington, Seoul and others see the launch as a cover for a test of technology for missiles that could be used to strike the United States.

US Navy's X-47B: World's first unmanned robot aircraft piloted by artificial intelligence

The US Navy is testing a stealth drone set to be the world's first unmanned, robot aircraft piloted by artificial intelligence rather than a remote human operator. In case the futuristic killer drone completes all its sea trials then it will be first aircraft capable of autonomously landing onto an aircraft carrier.

US military's latest robot weapon: 
Regarded as the US military's latest robot weapon, the aircraft comes amid fears that the handing over of warfare to artificial intelligence could lead to disastrous unforeseen consequences. 

Controlled by a forearm-mounted box: 
 The difference between the X-47B and a manned drone is that it will not be driven movement by movement by a remote - like a remote control car. Instead, it will be controlled by a forearm-mounted box called the Control Display Unit which can independently think for itself, plotting course corrections and charting new directions.

Objective set by a human operator: 
 The unmanned drone will be set an objective by a human operator, for example a target to look at, and it will fly there using technology such as Global Positioning System (GPS), autopilot and collision avoidance sensors. 

US to launch a new secretive pilotless military space plane

The United States is planning a new launch of its tiny, pilotless military space plane on December 11 as part of a futuristic Air Force program that has fueled speculation over its mission.

The X-37B, which weighs five tonnes and is 29 feet (8.9 meters) long, can return material to Earth in the way of the retired shuttle Orbiter program but is designed to stay in orbit for much longer at 270 days.

The last X-37B returned in June after orbiting for 469 days in a test of endurance.

The United Launch Alliance, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, approved the X-37B at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

The company said in a statement that a Global Positioning System satellite was put into orbit as expected on October 4 but that a fuel leak took place inside the thrust chamber, triggering an investigation.

Authorities have said little more about the X-37B. An Air Force fact sheet described it as "experimental test program to demonstrate technologies for a reliable, reusable, unmanned space test platform for the US Air Force."

The secretive nature of the equipment on the X-37B has led to speculation in the media over its true nature, with some experts saying it could eventually be designed to tamper with satellites from rival nations.

China in 2007 became the first nation after the United States and the former Soviet Union to shoot down one of its own satellites, in a test seen in Washington as a sign of the rising power's ambitions in space.

The X-37B project was launched by the space agency NASA in 1999 before being adopted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, which designs new technologies for the US military.

India, Ukraine ink defence cooperation agreement

A broad defence cooperation agreement was among five pacts signed following delegation-level talks between the visiting Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovych, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on December 10.

With Ukraine having consolidated its military enterprises into bodies under governmental control, on the lines of what Russia did to its military-industrial complex a decade ago, New Delhi feels the path has been smoothened for a more intimate defence relationship.

Instead of dealing with a number of defence enterprises scattered over Ukraine, India will find it easier to conduct focussed negotiations, which could help it get a better deal.

During the Soviet times, Ukraine was home to 30 per cent of the country’s military industrial complex and it is now attempting to modernise its defence industry. In this scenario, India senses it will be able to duplicate its approach towards Russia of moving away from the buyer-seller relationship and going in for an R&D-joint production model such as the pacts with Moscow for Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft, Military Transport Aircraft and BrahMos.

Ukraine is already modernising India’s 100-plus fleet of military transport aircraft and has been active in providing engines for naval vessels and military spares.

DRDO developing missile launch site in Machilipatnam

The Defence Research and Development Organisation is setting up a new missile launch site in Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh at an estimated investment of Rs 1,000 crore.

The defence organisation currently has launch facilities at the Chandipur and Wheeler Island locations in Balasore in Odisha, from where the long-range Agni series of missiles as well as the Prithvi and other shorter range missiles are test-fired. 

Machilipatnam facility would complement the test range in Balasore. It would help in longer range missile launches as well as in carrying out tests for the Ballistic Missile Defence Shied wherein multiple missiles need to be launched for trials.

Interceptor missile scores a direct again

Signalling India’s readiness to deploy the home-grown Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system in the near future, an advanced interceptor missile destroyed an incoming target missile in a direct hit at an altitude of 15 km over the Bay of Bengal on November 23.

In this mission, missile technologists from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the first time tested the configuration for destroying an incoming actual missile and another electronically simulated missile.

According to top DRDO sources, the electronically simulated target which mimicked a missile coming from a distance of 1500 km, was electronically hit at an altitude of 120 km.

Within minutes of the launch of the real attacker missile, a modified surface-to-surface Prithvi from Chandipur, the actual interceptor , Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile took off from Wheeler Island and destroyed the ‘hostile’ missile at an altitude of 15 km in the endo-atmosphere at 12.52 p.m.

As soon as target missile was launched, the Long-Range Tracking Radars and the Multi-Functional Radars tracked it and passed on the data to the guidance computer to launch the AAD, which homed on to the target missile and pulverised it.

Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister V.K. Saraswat, Chief Controller, (Missiles and Strategic Systems), Avinash Chander, Associate Director, Research Centre Imarat, Sateesh Reddy and Programme Director, (AD Mission) Adalat Ali were present.

Celebrations broke out at Wheeler Island following the success of the mission, which was the eighth ballistic interceptor missile test. So far seven missions have been successful and one of them, the first one was conducted in exo-atmopshere at an altitude of 48 km in November 2006.

India, Maldives holding joint military training exercises

The fourth joint military training exercises between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) - EKUVERIN 2012 - is being held in Belgaum from November 12 to 25.

A total of 45 personnel from the MNDF are taking part in the exercises along with the personnel from the Indian Army. The bilateral annual exercises, which commenced in 2009 in Belgaum, are alternately held in India and Maldives. The aim of the exercises is to enhance the close military cooperation between the two countries. Brigadier General Ahmed Nilam, Commandant – Marine Corps, MNDF would be reaching Belgaum later to observe EKUVERIN 2012, along with senior officers from the Indian side.
Defence ties between India and Maldives have continued to expand and strengthen over the years. In April this year, both the countries, along with Sri Lanka, held joint Coast Guard/Naval exercises – DOSTI XI - off the coast of Male (Maldives) to strengthen the bonds of friendship and enhance mutual operational capability and cooperation in the region.

DRDO ties up with York University, Canada

Defence Research and Development Organisation and York University, Canada, have signed a memorandum of understanding.

The agreement will facilitate the two partners to pursue collaborative defence research in the areas of advanced materials, nanotechnology, life sciences, bio-informatics, chemical and biological defence, sensors, and others. Both sides have planned a number of joint projects in the time to come.

The Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and Chief of the Defence Organisation, V.K. Saraswat, and Robert Hache’, Vice-President Research & Innovation, York University, signed the pact during the visit of the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in New Delhi.

In a press release the Defence organisation said York University is one of the research centres of Defence R&D Canada (DRDC) of the Canadian Department of National Defence. It specialises in developing technologies for chemical and biological defence, counter-terrorism, soldier as a system and likewise other defence applications.

DRDO to Conduct Eighth Ballistic Missile Interceptor Test

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) are going to conduct its eighth ballistic interceptor missile which can be fall any day between 19 November and 22 November 2012.

Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, K. Saraswat, had asserted that the attacker, a modified Prithvi missile, would take off from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur district of Odisha, mimicking an enemy missile while the interceptor would blast off from the Wheeler Island and pounce on the attacker in endo-atmosphere at an altitude of 15 km to 16 km.

The interceptor missile is called Advanced Air Defence (AAD) system and it race at a supersonic speed to intercept the attacker and destroy it.

Indian Navy commissions 'INS Tarkash'

Enhancing its firepower, the Indian Navy today commissioned 'INS Tarkash', the second of its three stealth frigates being built in Russia, at the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad.

The warship, which is expected to sail into Indian waters in December, was commissioned by Western Naval Commander Vice- Admiral Shekhar Sinha, the Navy said. The first warship of the series, INS Teg, had joined the naval fleet earlier this year.

Armed with the 290-km range supersonic BrahMos cruise missile, the warship is part of the follow-on Talwar class project.

It is also equipped with upgraded 100 mm medium range gun, optically controlled 30 mm close-in weapon system, torpedoes, rocket launchers and advanced electronic warfare suite.

"The induction of stealth frigate with an advanced combat suite and blend of Russian and Indian cutting edge technologies, will bolster our role as a key facilitator in promoting peace and stability in Indian Ocean region," the Navy said.

BrahMos supersonic cruise missile successfully test-fired

The Navy on October 7  successfully test-fired the 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, capable of carrying a conventional warhead of 300 kg, from a warship off the Goa coast.
    
"The cruise missile was test-fired from guided missile frigate INS Teg--the Indian Navy's latest induction from Russia off the coast of Goa early morning," sources told.
    
They said the missile performing high-level manoeuvres successfully hit the target ship which was still on fire.
    
The INS Teg, which has been built at the Yantar shipyard in Russia, had fired the missile successfully during pre-induction trials in Russia last year.
    
The two remaining warships of the project namely INS Tarkah and INS Trikand will also be armed with the lethal missile in vertical launch mode.
    
The two-stage missile, the first one being solid and the second one ramjet liquid propellant, has already been inducted into the Army and Navy, and the Air Force version is in final stage of trial, a defence official said.
    
While induction of the first version of Brahmos missile system in the Indian Navy commenced from 2005 with INS Rajput, it is now fully operational with two regiments of the Army.
    
The air launch version and the submarine launch version of the missile system are in progress, he said.
    
The Army has so far placed orders for the Brahmos missile to be deployed by three regiments of the Army and two of them have already been inducted operationally.
    
The Defence Ministry has also given a go-ahead to Army to induct a third regiment equipped with the missile system to be deployed in Arunachal Pradesh.
    
Brahmos Aerospace, an Indo-Russian joint venture company, is also working to develop the air as well as the submarine launch version of the missile system and work on the project is in progress.