Indian Defense
Army Plans To Buy 2,000 Gun-Towing Vehicles To Move Medium Guns On Hilly & Desert Terrain
New Delhi: The Army plans to procure around 2,000 gun-towing vehicles (GTVs) to move its 155mm/52 calibre towed gun systems through rough mountainous and desert terrains.
The vehicles, it’s learnt, will replace the Kraz and Scania GTVs that are currently in use for the Russian-era 130 mm towed medium guns and the Swedish Bofors guns respectively. They will serve for a decade after induction.
The decision comes amid the Army’s long-term artillery modernisation plans picking up pace in the last decade. The Bofors gun and the indigenously-built Dhanush guns are among the medium guns in the Army’s inventory.
Moreover, while the indigenous Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) is being built, a separate process is underway to procure at least 400 similar guns from the global market, which in this case is Elbit’s Autonomous Towed Howitzer Ordnance System (ATHOS).
In a Request for Information (RFI) floated Wednesday, the Army said it wants to identify probable Indian vendors who can undertake the project under the Make in India initiative. It says the equipment should have 50 per cent indigenous content. The interested vendors will have to send in their responses by 8 September.
The vehicles, it states, will be used to carry 155mm towed guns weighing up to 20 tons, carry gun stores, ammunition and gun crew on metalled roads, tracks and cross country in plains, deserts, semi-deserts, mountains and high altitude areas.
The requirements sought by the Army for the vehicles include a capability to operate across terrains with a payload of 8,000 kg or more with a gun in tow weighing up to 20 tons. The Army has said the vehicles should have a diesel engine and an ammunition handling crane with hydraulic or electric drive of minimum two tonne capacity.
The RFI states that vendors will have to provide their technical and commercial offers separately, after which a technical evaluation committee will check if the equipment offered is in compliance with the Request For Proposal (RFP).
The equipment of all vendors, cleared by the technical evaluation committee, will have to undergo trials for evaluation on no-cost, no-commitment basis before the final vendor is shortlisted based on the lowest bidder.
Force To Procure 424 GTVs For Dhanush, Sharang Guns
According to defence sources, the Army will also procure 424 GTVs, primarily for its Dhanush and indigenously-upgraded 155 mm Sharang guns. A senior Army officer said there was a need for studier gun-towing vehicles for better gun mobility in harsh terrains.
“But most importantly, this is progress towards having a common towing vehicle for all the 155 mm guns. This will make the logistics and inventory management easier,” the officer said.
In 1999, the Army had drafted a Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan to have 1,580 towed gun systems, 814 mounted gun systems, 100 self-propelled howitzers and 145 M777 155mm/39 calibre lightweight howitzers for the mountains, which meant equipping 169 artillery regiments with medium artillery weapons.
Some of them, such as the ULH and Dhanush guns, have been delivered and inducted into the Army’s artillery regiments.
Indian Defense
INS Arihant’s Nuke-Capable K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ‘Ready To Roll’
The solid-fuelled K-4 missile is being developed by DRDO to arm the country’s nuclear-powered submarines in the shape of INS Arihant and its under-development sister vessels. INS Arihant, which became fully operational in November 2018 to complete India’s nuclear triad, is currently armed with the much shorter K-15 missiles with a 750 km range.
“The K-4 is now virtually ready for its serial production to kick-off. The two tests have demonstrated its capability to emerge straight from underwater and undertake its parabolic trajectory,” said a source.
India has the land-based Agni missiles, with the over 5,000-km Agni-V inter-continental ballistic missile now in the process of being inducted, and fighter jets jury-rigged to deliver nuclear weapons. But INS Arihant gives the country’s deterrence posture much more credibility because nuclear-powered submarines armed with nuclear-tipped missiles are considered the most secure, survivable and potent platforms for retaliatory strikes.
Once the K-4 missiles are inducted, they will help India narrow the gap with countries like the US, Russia and China, which have over 5,000-km range SLBMs. The K-4 missiles are to be followed by the K-5 and K-6 missiles in the 5,000-6,000 km range class.
The 6,000-ton INS Arihant, which is propelled by an 83 MW pressurised light-water reactor at its core, in turn, is to be followed by INS Arighat, which was launched in 2017. The next generation of nuclear submarines, currently called S-4 and S-4*, will be much larger in size.
Indian Defense
After Upgradation, Sukhoi Su-30MKI Indigenisation To Reach 78%
India has received clearance to upgrade 84 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets, which will result in 78% indigenization after the upgrade
In a significant step towards bolstering its military might with indigenously developed technology, India is poised to witness its Russian-origin Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets evolve into a domestic platform. Speaking at a recent lecture.
The upgrade program is being led by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in partnership with the Indian Air Force and other partners. The upgrade is expected to cost US$7.5 billion.
This initiative is a part of a larger effort by the Indian Air Force to modernize its ageing fleet. Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari asserted the critical role of an offensive air force as demonstrated in current global conflicts and emphasized India’s move towards an indigenized arsenal. To this end, the IAF has been proactive, from upgrading its Mirage 2000 to enhancing its MiG-29 fleet.
In summary, the IAF’s commitment to updating their combat forces with the latest technology, including shifting to fifth-generation fighter jets, ensures operational preparedness and a strong deterrence capability. The gradual indigenization of its air fleet marks a pivotal shift in India’s defence landscape, reducing dependency on foreign imports and fostering technological sovereignty.
Indian Defense
Akash Weapon System Exports For The Armenian Armed Forces Gathers Pace
According to unconfirmed reports, Armenia is a top contender for an export order for Akash SAM system manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
The Akash export version will also be slightly different from the one inducted by the armed forces. The 100-km range air-to-air Astra missiles, now entering production after successful trials from Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, also have “good export potential”, said sources.
Akash is a “tried, tested and successfully inducted systems”. Indian armed forces have ordered Akash systems worth Rs 24,000 crore over the years, and MoD inked a contract in Mar 2023 of over Rs 9,100 crores for improved Akash Weapon System
BDL is a government enterprise under the Ministry of Defence that was established in 1970. BDL manufactures surface-to-air missiles and delivers them to the Indian Army. BDL also offers its products for export.
Akash Weapon System
The AWS is a Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) Air Defence System, indigenously designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). In order to meet aerial threats, two additional Regiments of AWS with Upgradation are being procured for Indian Army for the Northern borders. Improved AWS has Seeker Technology, Reduced Foot Print, 360° Engagement Capability and improved environmental parameters.
The project will give a boost to the Indian missile manufacturing industry in particular and the indigenous defence manufacturing ecosystem as a whole. The project has overall indigenous content of 82% which will be increased to 93% by 2026-27.
The induction of the improved AWS into the Indian Army will increase India’s self-reliance in Short Range Missile capability. This project will play a role in boosting the overall economy by avoiding outgo of precious foreign exchange to other countries, increasing employment avenues in India and encouraging Indian MSMEs through components manufacturing. Around 60% of the project cost will be awarded to the private industry, including MSMEs, in maintaining the supply chain of the weapon system, thereby creating large scale of direct and indirect employment.
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