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CDS General Bipin Rawat: Indian Air Force Remains A Support Arm Like Artillery And Engineers

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CDS General Bipin Rawat: Indian Air Force Remains A Support Arm Like Artillery And Engineers

The war over the role of air power in theatre command has escalated with General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), telling India Today TV that the India Air Force (IAF) is required to provide air support to ground forces.

“Do not forget the IAF continues to remain a supporting arm just as artillery support or engineers support the combatant arm in the Army. They will be a supporting arm,” General Bipin Rawat said.

General Rawat also said that the IAF has an air defence charter and a ground support charter. Northern and Western Theatre Commanders will have an Air Component advisor and the IAF as part of ‘one nation, one theatre’ will look after the country’s entire air defence.

He was responding to a question I posed on the IAF having reservations about the setting up of theatre commands and the splitting of what the IAF has described as its meagre assets.

The meagre resources include not just the fighter aircraft but also the force multipliers like the AWACS and mid-air refuelers.

The General, unimpressed by that argument, shot back to say IAF assets are already split under various commands even now. He asked if the IAF was planning to collapse all commands and operate under a single command.

The IAF, especially post Balakot operations (when IAF Mirage 2000 fighter jets went deep inside Pakistan to strike at the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror training camp in Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa province and returned unscathed), sees its role as a game-changer in conflict. A battle-winning factor.

IAF has been talking about air power playing a decisive role in changing the course of the battle with its firepower, agility and ability to look deep inside enemy territory and not just look over the hill.

It has repeatedly been trying to convey that it is not just artillery in the air in close air support to the advancing Army. The IAF has been advocating the ‘one nation, one theatre’ concept amidst criticism of air warriors closing ranks to protect their turf and assets.

The Northern Command is not being touched for now. Given the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Line of Actual control (LAC), the CDS told India Today TV that as they move forward on the Maritime Command, an Air Defence Command and the Northern and western theatre commands for better management of both the China and Pakistan borders, the northern command will remain untouched.

The Northern Command is the theatre where both the adversaries, Pakistan to the west and China to the east, can join hands and the possibility of a two-front conflict could become a reality.

There is also the unified command functioning smoothly in Jammu and Kashmir handling counter-terror operations and will not be a part of the current theatre command exercise.

General Rawat also insisted there wasn’t a need for an Act of Parliament to give a legal cover to the theatre command. He said the creation of the integrated theatre command was spelt out by the cabinet committee and the charter of the CDS was to ensure integration and jointness among the three services.

The Chief of Defence Staff refuted the allegation of setting impractical deadlines and milestones for creating a theatre command. From the time of the Kargil Review Committee, there has been talk of the office of CDS and it wasn’t just to create another 4-star general. There was a specific mandate to bring about integration amongst the armed forces.

General Rawat also said the theatre command was not taking away from the ‘one nation, one theatre concept’ with the country’s entire airspace under one air defence command.

The CDS emphasised that the air force is responsible for the air defence of the entire country but along with it, was also mandated to provide close air support to land forces when they undertook operations. The IAF has been upset with this classification of a support arm like the artillery and the Engineers.

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INS Arihant’s Nuke-Capable K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ‘Ready To Roll’

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INS Arihant’s Nuke-Capable K-4 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile ‘Ready To Roll’


NEW DELHI: India tested its nuclear capable K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), designed to have a strike range of 3,500 km, for the second time in six days on Friday. The missile test, as the one conducted on January 19, was undertaken from an undersea platform in the shape of a submersible pontoon off the coast of Andhra Pradesh according to a report by Rajat Pandit of TOI.

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.





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After Upgradation, Sukhoi Su-30MKI Indigenisation To Reach 78%

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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.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) granted Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the upgrade. The upgrade is part of India’s efforts to improve the capabilities of its primary fighter aircraft, it refers to as the “Super Sukhoi”.

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.





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Akash Weapon System Exports For The Armenian Armed Forces Gathers Pace

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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).

While there is no official confirmation because of the sensitivities involved, documents suggest that the order for the same has already been placed the report further added.
There are nine countries, in turn, which have shown interest in the indigenously-developed Akash missile systems, which can intercept hostile aircraft, helicopters, drones and subsonic cruise missiles at a range of 25-km. They are Kenya, Philippines, Indonesia, UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Vietnam and Algeria reported TOI.

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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