Various Achievements of Ministry of Defence – Year End Review – 2015
Ensuring the highest standard of operational preparedness to meet
present and emerging challenges through modernization of Armed Forces
and making up critical deficiency of weapons and equipment by developing
requisite capacities and infrastructure through the Make-in-India
initiative were the buzz words in the Defence Ministry for the year
2015.
The year also saw progress in Ex-Servicemen Welfare and rapid
digitization in the defence sector to fulfil the Prime Minister’s call
of Digital India. During the year as part of Defence diplomacy, India
engaged with its neighbours and far eastern countries through bilateral
talks, ship visits and bilateral as well as trilateral war exercises.
However, the Make-in-India concept clearly dominated acquisition plans
so as to make its defence infrastructure strong and robust. To expedite
capacity building as well as offensive capabilities of the Armed Forces,
the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) the apex body of the Ministry of
Defence in matters of acquisitions cleared different critical and high
end defence procurement proposals to the tune of more than Rs. 2 lakh
crore in the year 2015.
ENHANCEMENT OF FDI LIMIT
- For speedy indigenisation the Government has increased the foreign
Direct Investment (FDI) limit from 26% to 49% through approval route in
August 2014. Above 49%, the proposal may be considered on case to case
basis.
- Defence products list for the purpose of industrial licensing has been substantively shortened and notified.
- Government has notified a Defence Exports Strategy for faster clearance for export of defence items.
- Interactions with industry intensified through DRDO and Department of Defence Production.
INDIAN ARMY
Modernisation & Equipment
- The Army continues to transform and modernize in order to upgrade
into a lethal agile, versatile and networked force capable of operating
across the spectrum of conflict. The aim is to make the ‘Force’ capable
and prepared to meet the complex and uncertain challenges of the 21st
century war fighting. While modernizing the force, the guiding factor
remains the Indian Army Vision – “Ensure capability enhancement and
operational effectiveness of the Army to meet all contemporary and
emerging challenges.”
- In the quest for Capability Development, the Army remains cognizant
of the fact that no country can realise its aspirations of becoming a
significant power, unless it is able to harness and source its military
capability needs indigenously. Accordingly, in line with the vision of
‘Make in India’ due endeavor is being made to ensure that the bulk of
the capital procurement is realized through indigenous sources.
- As part of its Artillery modernization programme, the Defence
Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Army’s proposal to buy 145 BAE’s
M777 Ultra-Light howitzers at a cost of Rs 2,900 crore. This deal would
be through Foreign Military sales but the spares, maintenance and
ammunition will be procured through Indian Systems.
- Akash Weapon System was inducted into the Indian Army on May 05,
2015. It is an indigenously developed supersonic short range
surface-to-air missile system with the capability to engage a wide
variety of aerial threats like aircraft, helicopters and UAVs upto a
maximum range of 25 kms and upto an altitude of 20 kms. The system is
capable of simultaneously engaging multiple targets and is capable of
providing comprehensive short range missile cover to vulnerable assets
in the field force of the Army. With 96 per cent indigenous content, the
state-of-the-art weapon system is a glowing manifestation of the Prime
Minister’s ‘Make-in-India’ initiative.
- As part of the Indian Army’s indigenization effort, the Army has
issued an EoI for the Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) project
to 10 public and private Indian companies under the ‘Make in India’
initiative of the Prime Minister.
- An important ‘Make’ projects Tactical Communication System (TCS)
which aims at providing communication to forces deployed on the
battlefield in a network centric environment and the Battlefield
Management System (BMS) which will provide commanders at the tactical
level with updated situational awareness, geo spatial data and
intercommunication at the fighting formation level.
- The ongoing ‘Buy Indian’ procurement proposals include Advanced
Light Helicopter, Medium Range Surface to Air missile system, BrahMos
missile system, Pinaka multiple barrel rocket system, Infantry Combat
vehicle BMP 2/2K, MBT Arjun, Modular Bridge System, Ballistic Helmets
and Bullet Proof Jackets.
- The ongoing ‘Buy & Make Indian’ procurement proposal include the
Mounted Gun System (MGS) for the Artillery, Air Defence Guns as
successor to the existing L/70 and Zu-23 guns for the Army Air Defence,
Light Armoured Vehicle Multipurpose Vehicle (LAM-V) for the mechanised
forces and mine ploughs for the T-90 tanks.
- The Government took the decision of building a National War Memorial
to honour Defence Forces’ personnel who were martyred in wars after
Independence in 1947. Rs 500 crore has been allocated for the memorial
which will be located near India Gate. A war museum will also be
constructed. The entire project would be completed in five years.
- The construction of Indian National Defence University (INDU) at
Binola near Gurgaon is progressing very fast. It is expected to be
functional in 2018.
ARMY’S DIGITISATION INITIATIVES
- As part of the PM’s ‘Digital India’ initiative digitization of the
recruitment process of Army personnel and Communication Networks have
been undertaken in full earnest. A special software system Army; Record
Officers Process Automation (ARPAN) 2.0, was launched recently. This has
enabled more than 12 lakh junior commissioned officer and jawans to
access their service records and employment details online.
- From July 01, 2015, Army recruitment has also gone online. A new
website www.joinindianarmy.nic.in of the Directorate General of
Recruitment has been launched for selection of officers, JCOs and Other
Ranks. Candidates from all over India can now have access to information
about career options in the Army, make suitable choices and apply
online.
- The Indian Army’s private cloud was also inaugurated by the Defence
Minister on October 16, 2015. This marks the commencement of the data
centre infrastructure of the Army, which includes a central data centre
and a near line data centre in Delhi and a Disaster Recovery Site for
replication of its critical data. In addition, the Digi-Locker which
provides a secure and exclusive data storage space to all the units of
Army over its dedicated data network has also been launched with all the
advanced features like watermarking and digital signatures. This is a
giant leap towards implementation of Cyber Security as it precludes
carriage of soft copies of data on CDs/DVDs and removable media.
SITUATION ON BORDERS
By improving and beefing up the operational preparedness of the
Army, incidents of infiltration have seen a downward trend while the
number of infiltration on the Line of Control in 2012 was 264, in 2014
it decreased to 221 and this year, upto 30 September, 92 attempted
infiltrations took place and 37 terrorists were killed by the security
forces. Ceasefire violations along the International Border under
operational control of the Indian Army, has also seen a slightly
downward trend in comparison to the year 2014. Similarly, incidences of
intrusions on our northern border has also gone down because of holding
of regular border meetings between India and China.
JOINT EXERCISES
Operation ‘Hand-in-Hand’
· A battalion level Joint India-China Army Exercise called Operation
Hand-in-Hand on counter-terrorism and ‘Humanitarian Assistance and
Disaster Relief’ was held at Kunming, China from 12 to 22 October 2015.
Participating troops from both sides had trained together and learned
from each other in mixed groups on Basic Individual Skills (combat
boxing, basic mountaineering and shooting), Comprehensive Combat Skills
(obstacle crossing, combat shooting, demolition, high intensity physical
training) and unit/sub unit tactics, especially in a counter terrorism
scenario. A joint field exercise depicting counter-terrorist operations
on India- China border areas was held from 21 to 22 October to validate
the exercise objectives.
Exercise ‘INDRA – 2015’
The joint military exercise between India and Russia, INDRA-2015 was
held at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, which started from 08 to 18
November 2015. The final stage of the exercise saw consolidation of
group of forces of the two countries, acting under the auspices of the
United Nations, assisting the government of a third country in combating
armed terrorists in a semi-urban terrain.
Exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas – 2015’
- The India-US Combined Military Training Exercise YUDH ABHYAS 2015,
was held from 09 to 23 Sep 2015 at Joint Base Lewis McChord, USA. The
exercise brought together troops of an Infantry sub unit and a Formation
Headquarter of the Indian Army and similar participation from the US
Army for the joint training. The exercise provided an ideal platform for
the personnel of the two countries to share their experiences on
Military Operations in Urban Terrain, under the UN mandate.
Golden Jubilee Celebration of 1965 Indo Pak War
- The Army as part of Joint Service effort, organised a series of
events to mark the Golden Jubilee of the 1965 Indo – Pak War. It was
aimed to pay tribute to the collective resolve of the nation and the
valour and sacrifice of The Armed Forces. The commemorative events
commenced from 28 Aug 15. The major attraction of the celebrations was
the exhibition “Shauryanjali” in the India Gate lawns, initially planned
from 15 to 20 Sep and extended till 27 Sep due to overwhelming public
response. The exhibition recreated major battle scenes and showcased the
role of various arms and services during the War.
- On 20 Sep 2015, a Carnival to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of 1965
Indo-Pak War, ‘Indradhanush’ was organized at India Gate lawns. It
celebrated the triumph of India and shared the joy of the success with
one and all. The carnival showcased events like martial arts display by
regiments of the Army.
- The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi laid a wreath at Amar Jawan
Jyoti and interacted with war veterans on 22 Sep 2015. The President
also interacted with veterans over tea at Rashtrapati Bhawan on the same
day, marking the culmination of the 1965 Indo Pak celebrations. The
exhibition depicting the war continued till 27 Sep on popular demand.
Centenary Celebrations of 1st World War
· The Indian Army commemorated the centenary of the First World War
from 10 Mar to 14 Mar 2015 in New Delhi in memory of the 1.5 million
Indian Soldiers who fought in the war and over 74000 who made the
supreme sacrifice. 10th March 1915 coincides with the Battle of Neuve
Chapelle marking the British Offensive in Artois region of France in
which the Garhwal Brigade & Meerut Division of the Indian Corps
participated. The period 2014 to 2018 is being commemorated as the
Centenary of World War-I.
INDIAN NAVY
- To enhance its Blue Water capability, the Indian Navy opted to
strengthen its submarine arm for which Request for Proposal (RFP) to
acquire six more conventional submarines under Project 75(I) was cleared
by the DAC. The project will cost around Rs. 80,000 crore. Under this
programme six conventional submarines are planned to be built in India
with foreign collaboration.
- To augment the Navy’s offensive capabilities, government has decided
to procure twelve Mine Counter Measures Vessels (MCMVs) for which
Accord of Necessities (AoN) has been issued and has nominated Goa
Shipyard Limited to process the case with TOT from abroad.
- Government has taken decision to induct 16 Multi-Role Helicopters
(MRH) for the Navy, which will go a long way in mitigating gaps in Air
Anti-Submarine Warfare capability. Apart from this initiative, it has
also given a go ahead for the Major Refit/Mid Life Upgradation (MR/MLU)
of Kamov 28 helicopters.
- The first ship of Project-15B Guided Missile Destroyer, christened
INS Visakhapatnam was launched on April 20, 2015 at Mazagon Dock
Limited, Mumbai.
- Sardar Patel, the latest Naval establishment of Indian Navy in the
maritime state of Gujarat, was commissioned at Porbandar by the Chief
Minister of Gujarat on May 09, 2015.
- Under Project-28, INS Kavaratti, the fourth in the series of
Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette was launched at GRSE, Kolkata by the
Minister of State for Defence on 19 May 2015. These four ships of
Project 28 have been designed indigenously by the Directorate of Naval
design, New Delhi and bear testimony to the acclaimed legacy of naval
designers.
- To provide a boost to the coastal defence capability of the Navy
three follow-on Water Jet Fast Attack Craft namely INS Tarmugli, INS
Tilanchang and INS Tihayu were launched by the Vice Chief of Naval Staff
at a function at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd, Kolkata
on 30 June 2015.
- There was timely commencement and completion of Phase-I of Karwar
‘Project Sea Bird’ and THE Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala. Under this
programme the Defence Minister commissioned INS ‘Vajrakosh’ – the latest
establishment of the Indian Navy at Karwar, Karnataka on 09 September
2015.
- Three Intermediate Support Vessels (ISVs) were commissioned into the
Indian Navy as T-48, T-49 and T-50 on September 29, 2015 in consonance
with the ‘Make in India’ initiative. 14 of the ISVs were built
indigenously by M/s SHM Shipcare, Thane while four were built by M/s
ADSB and five by M/s Rodman Polyships.
- The indigenously designed and constructed Project 15A (Kolkata
Class) Stealth Guided Missile Destroyer INS Kochi was commissioned by
the Defence Minister on September 30, 2015 at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
The ship can be truly classified as a ‘Network of Networks’ as it is
equipped with sophisticated digital networks, such as Asynchronous
Transfer Mode based Integrated Ship Data Network (AISDN), Combat
Management System (CMS), Automatic Power Management System (APMS) and
Auxiliary Control System (ACS). The AISDN is the information highway on
which data from all the sensors and weapons ride. The CMS is used to
integrate information from other platforms using indigenous data-link
system, to provide Maritime Domain Awareness. The intricate power supply
management is done using APMS, and remote control and monitoring of the
machinery is achieved through the ACS.
- The Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) reached another milestone, as the
first ship of the Scorpene Class submarine, INS ‘Kalvari’ was separated
from the pontoon and set afloat at the Naval Dockyard Mumbai on October
28, 2015. Later INS ‘Kalvari’ was brought back to Mazagon Dock
Shipbuilders Ltd on October 29, 2015.
- The Indian Navy received a major fillip with the induction of eight
Boeing P-8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance and Anti-Submarine
Warfare aircraft at Naval Air Station Rajali, Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu (the
first aircraft arrived in May 2013 and last in mid-2015). The squadron
was formally dedicated to the nation by the Defence Minister on 13 Nov
15. The P-8I aircraft, based on the Boeing 737-800(NG) airframe, is the
Indian Naval variant of the P-8A Poseidon of the US Navy. The aircraft
is equipped with both foreign as well as indigenous sensors for Maritime
Reconnaissance, Anti-Submarine operations and for Electronic
Intelligence missions. The aircraft is fully integrated with state of
the art sensors and highly potent Anti-Surface and Anti-Submarine
weapons. The Indian Navy is also in the process of acquiring an
additional four P-8I aircraft. The induction of the P-8I aircraft into
the Indian Navy has greatly enhanced India’s maritime surveillance
capability in the Indian Ocean Region.
- The Combined Commanders’ Conference 2015 was held on-board INS
Vikramaditya off Kochi in an operational environment. This was done on
the directives of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The Conference
was followed by an Operational and Naval Air Power Demonstration,
wherein almost 30 ships, 05 submarines and 60 aircraft took part.
THE ROAD AHEAD
With the release on 20 July 2015, of the Indian Naval Indigenisation
Plan (INIP): 2015-2030, the Navy has given unmistakable notice of its
firm intent to establish itself as a true Builder’s Navy, with attendant
spinoffs enabling India to be a net provider of security in her
maritime neighbourhood, by building capacity and enhancing capability of
her regional friends and partners. Further, it is aware of the serious
shortfalls in terms of both Indian R & D and Indian manufacturing,
as the five drivers of the INIP, viz. (1) a lack of credible R&D in
military sciences and technologies; (2) inadequate amalgamation between
R&D and the manufacturing sector; (3) the absence of an integrated
approach amongst users, designers and manufacturers; (4) commercial
unviability due to a lack of economies of scale approach; and (5) the
effect of technology-denial regimes, clearly reflect the Navy’s clarity
of perception in charting the course ahead.
JOINT EXERCISES
Indo-French Naval Exercise Varuna – 2015
· Fourteenth edition of Indo-French naval exercise (VARUNA) was
conducted off Goa from 23 April to 02 May 2015, which had both a harbour
and sea phase exercise. The French Navy was represented by Aircraft
Carrier Charles de Gaulle, two destroyers Chevalier Paul and Jean de
Vienne, replenishment tanker Meuse and a maritime patrol aircraft
Atlantique 2. The Aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle was carrying its
complement of fighter aircraft Rafale M, Strike Aircraft Super Etendard,
E2C Hawkeye AWACS and helicopters Dauphin and Alouette 3. From the
Indian side Aircraft Carrier INS Viraat, destroyer INS Mumbai, stealth
frigate INS Tarkash, guided missile frigate INS Gomati, replenishment
tanker INS Deepak, submarine INS Shankul and a few Fast Attack Craft
along with P-8 I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance and Seaking 42B and
Chetak helicopters, participated.
SIMBEX – 2015
· The Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet under the command of Rear Admiral
Ajendra Bahadur Singh, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, was on an
operational deployment to southern Indian Ocean and South China Sea. As a
part of this deployment, INS Satpura, indigenously built guided missile
stealth frigate and INS Kamorta, the latest and indigenous
Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvette arrived at Singapore on 18 May 2015.
These ships participated in IMDEX-15 and later conducted bilateral naval
exercise SIMBEX-15 with the Singapore Navy from 23-26 May 2015.
Exercise AUSINDEX – 2015
The Inaugural Bilateral Maritime Exercise between India and
Australia AUSINDEX – 15 was conducted off the east coast of India from
11 to 19 September 2015. The exercise was jointly inaugurated by Rear
Admiral Jonathan Mead, Head Navy Capability of Royal Australian Navy
(RAN) and Rear Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, Flag Officer Commanding
Eastern Fleet on board INS Shivalik at Visakhapatnam. The exercise
started with harbour phase encompassing briefings and practical
demonstrations along with professional interactions. It was followed by a
sea phase, which included fleet manoeuvres, gun firings as well as
coordinated anti-submarine exercises. The exercise further enhanced the
ability of both navies to undertake regional, joint and / or combined
operations such as Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.
Exercise Malabar – 2015
· The 19th edition of MALABAR exercise was conducted in the Bay of
Bengal from 14 to 19 October 2015. Along with the Indian Navy and the US
Naval Forces, the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Forces (JMSDF) also
participated in the exercise. The scope of Malabar – 15 included wide
ranging professional interactions and a diverse range of operational
activities during the sea – phase. An indigenous frigate INS Shivalik,
INS Ranvijay, INS Betwa and a Fleet Support Ship INS Shakti and one
submarine INS Sindhudhvaj represented the Indian side. Beside these, LRM
Patrol Aircraft P8I and some integral rotary wing helicopters also
participated in the trilateral exercise. The US Navy was represented by
the ships from Carrier Task Force (CTF) 70 of the US Navy 7th Fleet,
based at Yokosuka, Japan. One Nimitz Class aircraft carrier USS Theodore
Roosevelt, Ticonderoga Class cruiser USS Normandy and Freedom Class
Littoral Combat ship USS Fort Worth were part of the CTF. Besides these
nuclear powered submarine USS City of Corpus, Christi, F18 aircraft and
P8A Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft also participated. JMSDF was
represented by JS Fyuzuki a missile destroyer with SH 60K integral
helicopter. This trilateral exercise significantly enhanced naval
cooperation among important navies of the Indo-Pacific region.
Indra-Navy -2015
· The eight edition of Indo-Russian bilateral exercise INDRA NAVY
2015 was conducted in the Bay of Bengal off Visakhapatnam from 07 to 12
December 2015. The scope of the exercise included wide-ranging
professional interaction during the harbour phase and a diverse canvas
of operational activities at sea across a spectrum of maritime
operations. During the exercise, the Indian Navy was represented by INS
Sahyadri – an indigenous frigate, INS Ranvijay – a guided missile
destroyer and INS Shakti – a fleet support ship in addition a submarine
INS Sindhuvir, the P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Dornier
Short Range Patrol Aircraft, Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer and other
integral rotary wing helicopters. The Russian Federation Navy was
represented by four ships drawn from the Pacific Fleet. The exercise
helped to further strengthen mutual confidence and interoperability and
also enabled sharing of best practices between both the navies.
INDIAN AIR FORCE
· The Indian Air Force (IAF) has been modernising its inventory as
per its long-term perspective plan. The focus is on “Make in India” to
give impetus to indigenous development and manufacturing, including
participation of private sector in defence manufacturing. Modernisation
process involves new inductions, as well as upgradation of the existing
weapon platforms and support systems as a part of the capability build
up.
· The on-going modernisation plan spans the entire spectrum of IAF’s
capability including fighters, transport aircraft, helicopters, combat
support assets and air defence network. Net centricity, cyber security
and ensuring enhanced visibility of entire battle space for seamless
operations are part of this capability build up. To maximise the
operational potential, IAF is also creating modern and efficient
operational and technical infrastructure.
OPERATIONS
Acquisitions & Upgrades
- LCA. Light combat aircraft Tejas is designed and developed by
Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bangalore. The Initial
Operational Clearance (IOC) of LCA was achieved in December 2013. The
first series production aircraft in IOC configuration was handed over to
IAF in January 2015.
- Mirage-2000 Upgrade. IAF contracted for the upgrade of Mirage 2000
aircraft to advance standards of improved radar, avionics, electronic
suite, weapons and a modern generation glass cockpit. On March 25, 2015,
first upgraded aircraft was handed over to the IAF. The induction of
the aircraft has added the much needed teeth to Air power and keeps the
IAF ahead of its adversaries. This multirole fighter aircraft has
achieved enhanced operational life. A Mirage 2000 carried out a landing
on the Yamuna Expressway to showcase its operational capability,
characterized by flexibility and speed of response.
- MiG-29 Upgrade. The series upgrade of MiG-29 aircraft is currently underway at Base Repair Depot.
- Rafale Aircraft. The Government has decided to procure 36 Rafale
aircraft through Inter Governmental agreement between the Indian and
French Governments.
- C-17 GLOBE MASTER III. A contract for supply of ten C-17 aircraft was
signed with the United States Government in June 2011 and was inducted
into IAF in September 2013. During the year all the aircraft have been
delivered and are operational in IAF.
- AN-32 Upgrade. AN-32 fleet was inducted into IAF between 1984 and
1991. Total Technical Life Extension (TTLE)/Re-Equipment (RE) project is
concurrently underway at Kyiv, Ukraine and No.1 Base Repair Depot (BRD)
at Kanpur. This project will extend the aircraft’s life by 15 years
besides enhancing its operational potential and safety.
- Attack Helicopters. A contract was signed in September 2015 for
procurement of state of the art AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. Their
delivery would commence from July 2019. The Attack Helicopters are
critical combat assets utilised for employment in Anti-Tank Guided
Missile role, Counter Insurgency operations, Suppression of Enemy Air
Defences, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle neutralization operations, Combat
Search and Rescue operations and Low Intensity Conflict Operations.
Attack helicopters offer unique offensive capability including support
to Army Strike Corps and these capabilities are also required at high
altitudes in the mountainous terrain on our Northern borders, not
available hitherto.
- Heavy Lift Helicopters (HLH). A contract was signed in September 2015
for procurement of Chinook CH-47F (I) Heavy Lift Helicopters (HLH). The
delivery of the helicopters will commence in a phased manner. The HLH
are required to conduct strategic and tactical airlift missions in
support of the armed forces and undertake humanitarian assistance and
disaster relief missions during calamities. HLH are critically required
to support infrastructure build-up in mountainous regions. Heavy
bridging and road construction equipment can be airlifted only by this
class of helicopters.
- Pilatus Induction. Delivery of all Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA) – PC-7
MK II from M/s Pilatus Aircraft Limited to IAF has been completed in
October 2015 as per BTA procurement contract signed between Government
of India and the Swiss company on May 24, 2012. Aircraft is currently in
use for ab-initio pilot training. However, utilisation of aircraft is
further planned to increase to Stage II flying training also. This state
of art aircraft is helping newly recruited pilots to prepare for
exacting requirement of combat flying.
- Microlight. A contract was signed in October 2015 with Pipistrel,
Slovenia for supply of microlights. Delivery will commence from October
2016 onwards and will be completed by October 2020. It will be used in
IAF for enhancement of flight safety by monitoring bird activity in the
vicinity of airfields and directing bird controlling measures.
Air Defence Network
- Air Defence Radars To strengthen the existing air defence radar
cover over Indian airspace, variety of new sensors are being inducted in
IAF. Recent inductions include the following:-
- MPR. Medium Power Radars from Israel have been inducted. These radars have replaced legacy radars of 80s’ technology.
- LLTR. To fill the low level radar gaps along the border, new Low Level
Transportable Radars (LLTRs) are being inducted in IAF from M/s Thales,
France with transfer of technology. M/s BEL will produce few of these
state of the art radars in India. These radars are mobile and can be
deployed anywhere as per operational requirements.
- LLLWR. Low Level Light Weight Radars (LLLWRs) are being inducted to
provide electronic eye to our Mobile Observation Flights (MOF). These
radars scan for low level aerial threats and provide extended early
warning.
Missile Systems
- Akash Missile System. IAF is in the process of inducting Akash
Missile System (AMS) in its inventory. A formal induction ceremony of
AMS was conducted on July 10, 2015 at Air Force Station Gwalior.
- Harpoon. Letter of Agreement for procurement of Harpoon Anti-ship
operational missiles and associated equipment was signed in August 2010.
Training of the aircrew has been completed for carriage and delivery of
these weapons. Integration of these weapons would enhance the
capability of the IAF in neutralizing threats emanating from the
maritime domain and thereby be able to provide greater support to the
Indian Navy in its operations at sea.
- MICA Air to Air Missiles. The delivery of MICA air to air missiles for
upgraded Mirage-2000 aircraft has commenced and these missiles will
further increase the capability of the Mirage-2000 aircraft as a potent platform.
- SPICE-2000 Bombs. IAF has acquired precision guided bombs with
increased accuracy and penetration for use against fortified and
underground command centres. This weapon has been tested and its
capabilities have been validated at an IAF firing range.
- Indigenous Pechora Combat Simulator (IPCS)
- Pechora missile system is one of the vital elements of Air Defence
setup of IAF. The system was procured from Russia during the period from
1974 to 1989 to provide Air Defence cover to assets of national
importance. It has been provided with simulators for conduct of training
for the missile combat crew. Pechora system has out lived the life
specified by the OEM. However, the system is to be deployed for extended
operational utilisation in view of delay in new inductions. The
extended utilisation of Pechora system is a challenge due to unreliable
performance and lack of product support from the OEM.
- In order to facilitate extended utilisation IAF has indigenized the
class room version Pechora combat simulator for training of combat crew.
The simulator has been indigenized in-house at a cost of Rs 2.3 lacs against the cost of Rs 55 lacs quoted by the vendor. A
certificate of excellence has been awarded for indigenisation of
simulator on October 08, 2015 by the Prime Minister of India.
Metereology
Award of ‘Certificate of Excellence’ by the Prime Minister. The
importance & utility of current weather information lies in its
currency and availability in real-time to operators and decision makers.
To meet this requirement the Directorate of Meteorology has
conceptualised and implemented the on line portal – Mausam on Line
(MoL). The ultimate aim was to provide real time weather observation and
forecasts to the commanders and operators towards efficient planning
and execution of Air operations. Directorate of Met was awarded a
Certificate for excellence in innovation by the Prime Minister on
October 08, 2015 on the eve of 83rd Air Force Day celebrations.
Joint Planning and Operations
· Indo-US Joint Exercise “Yudh Abhyas”, Indo-UK Jt Ex “Ajeya
Warrior”, India-China Jt Ex “Hand-in-Hand”, Indo-Thailand Jt trg “Ex
Maitree”, Indo-Maldives combined Trg “Ex Ekuverian” are the joint
exercises which have already been conducted by the Indian Army this year
with friendly Foreign countries along with IAF air assets.
COOPERATION BETWEEN IAF AND CIVIL AUTHORITIES
Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) Operations.
- Op Rahat. The Government of India assessed a requirement of immediate
evacuation of over 4000 Indian nationals based at various locations in
Yemen due the Civil War there. A combined MEA, IAF, Indian Navy and Air
India evacuation plan was put into place for evacuation of Indian
nationals. While Indian Naval ships evacuated nationals from Yemenese
port cities to Djibouti and Air India ferried back nationals from Saana
to Djibouti, IAF deployed three C-17 aircraft to ferry back Indian
nationals from Djibouti to Kochi and Mumbai. A total of 11 evacuation
trips were undertaken by IAF aircraft which facilitated safe evacuation
of 2096 Indian nationals.
- Op Maitri On April 25, 2015 Nepal was struck by an earthquake. IAF
launched its biggest ever Disaster Relief Operations in a foreign land
to provide relief and support to the Government of Nepal. Total 1636
sorties, amounting to a total flying effort of 863 hours were made
towards air evacuation of 780 casualties (including 121 foreign
nationals) and rescue of 5188 personnel from various forward/earthquake
affected areas.
- Helicopters. A total of 24 helicopters were deployed in the operations
which involved a total flying effort of 1572 sorties in 741 hrs,
evacuating 5188 victims, 780 casualties, induction of 1488 troops and
airlift of 733 tonnes of relief & rehabilitation load.
- Flood Relief Operations in Myanmar. On August 06-07, 2015, IAF C-17
and C-130J aircraft were tasked by MoD to airlift 104 tons of relief
material from Delhi to Kalay and Mandalay in Myanmar. C-17 and C-130J
aircraft airlifted 48 tons and 10 tons load to Mandalay and Kalay
respectively. Meanwhile, another C-17 aircraft was used to position 46
tons load at Guwahati; which was subsequently airlifted to Kalay by the
C-130J aircraft in three shuttles.
DEFENCE COOPERATION WITH FOREIGN COUNTRIES
- As part of International Defence Cooperation, IAF is engaged with
the Air Forces of various friendly foreign countries through Air Staff
Talks, professional exchange visits, sports and cultural events.
- INDRADHANUSH-IV. As part of Indo-UK bi-lateral co-operation, Ex
Indradhanush – IV was undertaken between July 21- 30, 2015 at RAF base
Coningsby, Brize Norton and Honington. IAF contingent comprising of 190
personnel, participated in the exercise. The IAF assets comprised of
Su-30MKI, C-130J, C-17, IL-78 aircraft and Garuds. The team demonstrated
a high degree of Joint Military Training (JMT) -15
- Joint Military Training (JMT-15) with Republic of Singapore Air
Force was conducted at AF Stn Kalaikunda from November 02-22, 2015. RSAF
deployed 06 X F-16 C/D aircraft. Bilateral exercise with Su-30 MKI was
conducted from November 23, 2015 for two weeks.
Major Policy Decisions.
The Government has approved induction of women into the fighter stream
thereby making them eligible for induction in all branches and streams
of the IAF. Women are selected as per uniform QRs at par with male
counterparts. Further, uniform QRs are applied to both women and men
Short Service Commissioned Officers for grant of Permanent Commission
irrespective of gender. 348 women officers are holding permanent
commission in the IAF as on November 15, 2015.
DRDO
- · In 2015, in the arena of tactical weapon systems – the DRDO
productionisation and inducted Akash Missile, the medium range air
defence system with multi-target, multi directional capability.
- The state-of-the-art beyond visual range air to air missile Astra,
capable of engaging targets decisively was integrated with Su30 combat
aircraft. Designed to arm Mig 29, Su30 and India’s own Tejas aircrafts,
Astra has undergone series of successful flight trials.
- The supersonic cruise missile BrahMos, designed to be launched from
land, air, sea and sub-sea platforms, is a preferred weapon system. 10
Navy ships are equipped with BrahMos, a deadly weapon, and the Army has
with two regiments. The underwater launched version underwent successful
trial from a submerged pontoon. Recently, BrahMos was successfully test
fired with high precision from Indian Navy’s newest stealth destroyer
INS Kochi.
- HELINA, an Anti-tank Guided missile that can be fired in both direct
and top attack mode was integrated on advanced light helicopter ALH. The
missile with capability to defeat futuristic armours is undergoing
field trials.
- India’s first Light Weight Multi-role Supersonic Combat Aircraft
Tejas, a 4th Generation-Plus contemporary fighter aircraft having
recorded over 2500 flawless take offs and landings, demonstrated its
might during the “Iron Fist”, a fire power demonstration exercise of
Indian Air Force.
- Having undergone extensive weapon trials, extreme weather trials,
high altitude and sea level trials, LCA TEJAS received the Initial
Operational Clearance on 29th December 2013 and is heading towards
achieving the final Operational Clearance. Boosted by the Initial
Operational Clearance of LCA TEJAS, the LCA Navy, capable of operating
from aircraft carrier ship, has resumed its flight trials after its
maiden flight in April 2012.
- DRDO’s technological strength is exemplified by the development,
production and acceptance of Indigenous Weapon Locating Radar (WLR)
Swathi. Swathi is a highly mobile Radar system designed for automatic
first round location of weapons firing projectile type rounds, it
operates with a fence detection mode of operation, ensuring fast
detection and tracking of shells, mortars and rockets.
- In the direction of establishing a credible Integrated Electronic
Warfare Systems (IEWS), DRDO achieved a major breakthrough with the
development of Himshakti. The Field Evaluation & Trials for any EW
System prior to induction have been conducted for the first time in the
actual area of deployment.
- In a Significant contribution to boost Fire power, the development of
Pinaka MKII with longer range has been completed and is undergoing
trials.
- A state-of-the-art hydrodynamic test Facility Sea keeping and
Manoeuvring Basin has been established at NSTL, Visakhapatnam and
dedicated to the Nation by the Defence Minister. The facility will be
used for conducting model testing for prediction of sea keeping and
manoeuvring performance of newly designed ships and submerged bodies
under different environmental conditions and for optimising the motion
characteristics of the hull form and effectiveness of the control
devices under various manoeuvres.
- MAAREECH an indigenous Advanced Torpedo Defence System to protect
naval platform against torpedo attack has been inducted in the Indian
Navy.
- A new Torpedo launch and recovery vessel INS ASTRADHARINI developed by
DRDO has been commissioned by Indian Navy (FO-C-in-C East). The vessel
has been designed with a unique catamaran hull form that significantly
reduces its power requirement and can operate at high sea states and has
a large deck area with launchers for deploying and recovering various
kinds of torpedos during the trials.
- In order to promote ‘Make in India’ programme, DRDO has brought out
comprehensive guidelines for Transfer of Technology (ToT) for private
and public industries engaged in Indigenous production and
commercialization of Defence technology spin-off for societal usage.
DRDO has facilitated 75 Licensing agreements for Transfer of Technology
(LATOT) to 57 industries under Make in India program.
INDIAN COAST GUARD
- During the year Indian Coast Guard vessels and crafts seized contraband worth of Rs. 618.370 crore.
- It had apprehended as of 15 December 2015, two smuggling vessels
and 16 poaching boats and arrested 159 crew for illegal entry into
Indian Territorial Waters.
- During the year, it undertook 179 Search and Rescue (SAR) missions
and saved the lives of 3756 distressed persons on the high seas.
New Inductions/Commissioning
- ICGS ‘Samarth’ the first in the series of six indigenously-built
Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) was commissioned on November 10, 2015 in
Goa by the Defence Minister. Fitted with the most advanced
state-of-the-art technology, navigation and communications equipment,
sensors and machinery, the OPV is 105 metres long and has been designed
and built by Goa Shipyard Ltd. Based in Goa, ICGS Samarth has been
deployed primarily for Exclusive Economic Zone surveillance and other
duties on the Western Seaboard to safeguard India’s maritime interests.
- The year also saw commissioning of eight Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs)
namely ICGS Ameya, Amogh, Anagh, Ankit, Anmol, Apoorva, Arinjay &
Rani Durgavati.
- Besides these, 12 Interceptor Boats and one Pollution Control
Vessel (PCV) ICGS ‘Samudra Pavak’ were also inducted in Coast Guard
during the year 2015.
EX-SERVICEMEN WELFARE
- · The Government announced the much awaited ‘One Rank One Pension’
scheme for the Armed Forces personnel on 07 November 2015. The OROP
which will cost around Rs. 8000 crore extra every year is expected to
remove the Pension anomaly that exists in Defence Service personnel of
the same rank having the same number of years in service. On 14 December
2015 the Government appointed Justice L Narasimha Reddy as the head of
the judicial committee to look into the implementation of the One Rank
One Pension (OROP) scheme.
- The announcement of the 7th Central Pay Commission’s
recommendations will provide a hefty hike in the pay and allowances of
service personnel. For the first time the commission has substantially
hiked the Military Service Pay (MSP) of all personnel and special
allowances given to Naval and Air Force personnel deployed in high risk
duties.
- The scope of Employees Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS) has
further been widened by opening more polyclinics and referral hospitals
in different parts of the country.
Reaching out to people in Distress
Nepal Earthquake
As part of the Nation’s overall relief effort for Nepal, the Indian
Army launched operation ‘Maitri’ from 25 April 2015. The Engineer Task
forces launched the rescue and rehabilitation opertions from Barpak,
Basantpur/Bhaktpur and Jorbati. The Indian Army aviation pilots
evacuated stranded/injured people, provide relief material and induct
Nepal Army troops to reach inaccessible areas to carry out relief work.
Army and Air Force helicopters flew 1650 sorties, rescued 994 people,
inducted 1726 troops and dropped 747 tonnes of stores and supplies in
the affected areas.
Indian Army Field hospitals and the medical teams provided essential
care to 4690 people including over 300 surgeries during their deployment
in Nepal.
Chennai Floods
Post the unprecedented flood situation developing out of incessant rains
in Chennai, the Indian Army assistance was sought by the State
Government, in afternoon hours of 01 December 2015. Immediately, two
Rescue and Relief Columns comprising of troops from the Garrison
Infantry Battalion at Chennai and Army’s Engineer elements were
activated and begun operations in Tambaram, Mudichur, Manipakam,
Guduvancheri and Urapakkam areas of Chennai from evening of 01 December
2015. More than 20,000 stranded people were rescued. The Army has
distributed more than 1,25,000 relief packets provided by the State
Government and some NGOs besides those from within its own.
In this joint operation ‘Madad’ the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy
also contributed significantly by mobilising their assets in evacuating
stranded people to safer areas and helped in distribution of relief
materials among the flood affected population.
Nitin D Wakankar/NAo/DM/RAJ
PIB News
