Indian Army: News & Discussion

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 13 Aug 2011 02:22

ALH seems to be used by SF in the northern borders too. Choosing the Sarang team is interesting.

Range: With 1500 kg (3300 lbs.) payload - 216 nautical miles (414 km; 249 miles).
..........With max. fuel & 20 min. reserves - 431 nautical miles (810 km; 497 miles).

Cursory glance at the area - I spot VSSC down the road.

Gurneesh · Post by **Gurneesh** » 13 Aug 2011 03:14

Don't Sarang Dhruvs have Shakti Engines. Even the high altitude test images shown on broadsword (?) had a Sarang Dhruv in them.

Plus, is it not that the green paint scheme was introduced with Mk3 (which have shakti engines).

So, maybe IA caught hold of all the Mk3's it could for the exercise.

hnair · Post by **hnair** » 13 Aug 2011 04:41

shyamd wrote: Cursory glance at the area - I spot VSSC down the road.

- Unless, they strolled down the beach for a longish time, there is a wide, fairly populated area* between the spot where the training happened and VSSC's northernmost boundary.
- The roads are narrow, but decent
- They mentioned Madras. Gentlemen of 91 has been doing some stuff around the city at night for years. Ramanaji, they have been good enough to not wake public

*used to be fishing folks, but recently, techies have trickled in due to very close proximity to the IT hub regions and houses by beaches

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 13 Aug 2011 06:01

Adi kollu!
Ormara.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 13 Aug 2011 07:03

sarangs would be the best at close formation flying and low level hovering and precise movements into narrow channels....a necessity for the abbotabad kind of raid stuff. its high time our SF units now equipped with MC130J get their own helicopter unit to complete the SOAR.

the typical Mi17/Blackhawk style hover @ 50mts while people use two ropes to get down, is a sitting duck for any RPG in the vicinity as it has to maintain position even under fire or risk losing the men already on the rope.

the safer way is probably do what the little birds do - fly in and land on the ground for a few moments while 4-8 SF people disgorge out both doors. Dhruv can do it! or use very short ropes to land on roofs.

rohitvats · Post by **rohitvats** » 13 Aug 2011 12:24

ramana wrote:Adi kollu!
Ormara.

As hnair saar said, them are troops from 91 Bde., the only amphibious brigade of IA. Two units in Trivandrum and one in Bangalore.

sum · Post by **sum** » 13 Aug 2011 12:53

ALH seems to be used by SF in the northern borders too. Choosing the Sarang team is interesting.

Maybe its because of the "SOAR-ish" type skills of the Sarang guys compared to other IAF pilots? Hope that this is a precursor to full on SOAR type squadron being created for the SF...

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 13 Aug 2011 15:10

Possible.

Interesting that it was a day and night operation. Are there any SF based in Hyderabad?

To me it sounds like the ALH flew in formation from the coast possibly. Sounds like a classic training for sabotage/terrorist hunting in hostile territory.

Remember the IDF raids in 2006. Sounds quite similar. Landing in the dead of the night in a highly built up area. Achieve an objective.

Slithering operations took place, so I assume they were dropped in a complex/building? I still feel VSSC it has something to do with VSSC. Look at the beach they landed, it lookslike a quiet spot.

Wonder what the objective was. Just speculating...

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 13 Aug 2011 17:10

Let me put some brake on the speculations. This is a routine excercise.
These folks from Pangode Military Station regularly practice these excercises. They do helio slithering, beach landing etc. Especially the Madras Regiment. They do it along some other units.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 13 Aug 2011 17:20

Thanks CJ ji, Any idea what the Sarangs were used for? I think what got my senses going was the fact that sources were tight lipped about the exercise, if it was routine they could have been a bit more public about it.

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 13 Aug 2011 18:02

shyamd wrote:Thanks CJ ji, Any idea what the Sarangs were used for? I think what got my senses going was the fact that sources were tight lipped about the exercise, if it was routine they could have been a bit more public about it.

The question is, how many of these excercises we know already. They have been conducting that for donkey number of years. Just that some one mentioned Sarang, it became sensational. I am sure they are not going to show aerobatics during the war, while the special ops does their job on the land

(j/k). could be Sarang and slithering performance is expected in a show. IIRC, these folks (minus Sarang) had displayed during the Kochi Display

Images for the same

Its just routine. Its more to do with beach landings. May be Sarang team was around.

A Sharma · Post by **A Sharma** » 13 Aug 2011 19:27

Jammu and Kashmir: The endless war

Surya · Post by **Surya** » 13 Aug 2011 20:12

Can we get Nitin Gokhale;s email and thank him for this. really nice and succintly presents what our Army goes through

nitinr · Post by **nitinr** » 14 Aug 2011 00:24

endless war as well as thankless because nobody in the political leadership (state / center) acknowledeges the sacrifice these soldiers make.

Misraji · Post by **Misraji** » 14 Aug 2011 00:56

nitinr wrote:endless war as well as thankless because nobody in the political leadership (state / center) acknowledeges the sacrifice these soldiers make.

These kind of wailing gets so boring so quickly.
How have u been acknowledging their sacrifice? By wailing about it on an internet forum?
Words are cheap. Have you done anything else?

What the hell do we expect the entire nation to do?
Should the entire nation stop working every time somebody dies?

These soldiers are doing their job. So is each one of us.
Do a good job and let things work out.

Ashish.

Yayavar · Post by **Yayavar** » 14 Aug 2011 01:01

^^What do you suggest Ashish? Nitinr did not ask you or anyone to stop working. What is your peeve?

AdityaM · Post by **AdityaM** » 14 Aug 2011 02:00

A Sharma wrote:Jammu and Kashmir: The endless war

Gen Hasnain sounds every bit as a tough General should sound. Is he the top most muslim soldier? Excellent for psyops, Not outside but inside india to indian citizens

Sad to hear about 19 year old soldier who is paralysed

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 14 Aug 2011 03:27

^^I cant play the damned video - it stops right after the ad. Anybody else in massa can access it?

Kakkaji · Post by **Kakkaji** » 14 Aug 2011 05:49

A Sharma wrote:Jammu and Kashmir: The endless war

Great video. Made me fel proud as well as sad.

Whatever happened to the plans to replace the 'patkas' with kevlar helmets?

Bala Vignesh · Post by **Bala Vignesh** » 14 Aug 2011 06:21

^^Was there a plan to do so?? I thought that the phatka's were more effective in stopping rounds as large as the 7.62mm??

Mishraji,
I share nitin's angst about this war being a thankless one. No one cares about what's happening there, except for some sensationalist journalists who blow even the tiniest thing into a giant thing.
End of Rant.

Surya · Post by **Surya** » 14 Aug 2011 07:31

Rb

Yeah I could watch it in massaland

The thing I liked about Hasnain is he is extremely articulate and knows what he needs to focus on and what should be left to juniors

Raja Bose · Post by **Raja Bose** » 14 Aug 2011 07:36

I finally got to watch it. Hasnain's tabs say Scouts, I wonder which unit is that? Very good to see that the equipment level and quality of the jawan is getting more consistent and has improved drastically.

suryag · Post by **suryag** » 14 Aug 2011 08:02

Lt.Gen Hasnain seems a very strict no-nonsense guy. The northern commander cannot really ask for more, he has two great generals Lt.Gen Nehra and Lt.Gen Hasnain

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 14 Aug 2011 08:52

10 Acts of Valour
India Today, December 2008

1. Bana Singh in Siachen

2. Ramaswamy Parameshwaran in Sri Lanka

3. Major Ivan Josepg Crasto: Saved 10 tourists dangling 1000 ft above the ground in a mountain cable car trolley.

4. Naib Subedar Chunni Lal: (3 Gallantry Awards for operations in Siachen: Sena Medal, Vir Chakra, Ashok Chakra), He eliminated 3 terrorists in Kupwara before falling to enemy bullets in 2007.

5. Major Sonam Wangchuk: Captured an 18,000 ft high mountain ridge near Batalik Sector during Kargil War

6. Lt. Manoj Kumar Pandey

7. Yogendra Singh Yadav

8. Sanjay Kumar

9. Vikram Batra

10. Tukaram Omble

nitinr · Post by **nitinr** » 14 Aug 2011 13:47

@Misra Ji.. how do u know if I have done anything or not or am i supposed to have a billboard in front ur residence saying what all I have done..
What I do is in my personal capacity, which cannot be too much. But politicians are responsible for teh well being of the nation and well being of the gaurds / saviors of that nation.
Have you seen how the J&K politicians talk about forces. Have you seen how central govt. deals with our forces?
Just to give you an example even to teh extent of going OT
Anna hazare by himself wont make a diff. But with thousands rallying behind him he is a forece govt will have to listen to. So see my comment in that context. My writing here might not make big difference at individual level, but with my writing if 100 people here agree and try to do something as an entity then I am sure something can be done.
And that SOMEBODY is not any tom dick n harry. He is a soldier. Please have respect for the fallen ones. He did it because he believed in the greater cause and I can say this because I have quiet a few close family and friends who are in forces. And being in armed forces for them is more then just another routine job. Hope you get the drift and will be more respectful next time. Thanks

ASPuar · Post by **ASPuar** » 14 Aug 2011 15:20

Lt Gen Hasnain is the current Colonel of the Regiment of the Garhwal Rifles. He was commissioned in IV bn, The Garhwal Rifles.

@RajaBose: The Scouts flash stands for "The Garhwal Scouts".

He is the son of Major General SM Hasnain, PVSM (Retd).

General Hasnain is a graduate of History (Hons) from New Delhi's St Stephens college, and has a Masters in International Studies from Kings College London.

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 14 Aug 2011 15:42

Indian Army Gallantry Award Winners for 2011 announced

Mostly Kashmir and Kabul braveries.

ASPuar · Post by **ASPuar** » 14 Aug 2011 16:18

In re: the above report...

What in the world is a "Bar to SEVA Medal"?

Im thinking its probably SENA medal that was meant?

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 14 Aug 2011 16:25

^^^^ Second Seva medal.

You can see SM designations already there.

ASPuar · Post by **ASPuar** » 14 Aug 2011 17:49

SM stands for Sena Medal. NOT SeVa Medal. I would advise a correction in the article.

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 14 Aug 2011 17:58

Correct. I misunderstood what you said. its Sena medal. Corrected.

ASPuar · Post by **ASPuar** » 14 Aug 2011 18:34

Thanks!

Bala Vignesh · Post by **Bala Vignesh** » 14 Aug 2011 19:16

ASPuarji,
Do you by any chance mean that the good general is the colonel commander of the Ladakh Scouts??

ASPuar · Post by **ASPuar** » 14 Aug 2011 19:49

Nope.

He is the Colonel of the Regiment of The Garhwal Rifles and Garhwal Scouts.

vaibhav.n · Post by **vaibhav.n** » 14 Aug 2011 23:50

Bala,

Some Infantry Regiments example: Kumaon, Mahar, Garhwal and Dogra's all have scout battalions. These typically have origins in the Border Scouts and have retained their designation Scout/Borders, much like the 5 Gurkha's (Frontier Force).

Cheers!!

jai · Post by **jai** » 14 Aug 2011 23:57

Interesting program on Timesnow honoring galantary award winning servicemen as our "heroes"
http://www.timesnow.tv/Tribute-to-men-w ... 381298.cms

The best tribute is from Gen Jacob to those who laid down their lives and are not in the public eye...

Loved this program - thanks to ex Grenadier Mahroof Raza; hope media does more of such programs.

Mahendra · Post by **Mahendra** » 15 Aug 2011 23:14

http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_dis ... _id=112102

A story about daily wager's kids who joined the army

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 16 Aug 2011 15:57

Siachen Glacier War Hero Bana Singh honoured at 'The Freedom Ride 2011'

Didn't know where to put.

shyamd · Post by **shyamd** » 16 Aug 2011 23:48

From Sainik Samachar

Bound to Win

Exercise 'Vijayee Bhava'
Manoeuvring columns of Army tanks and hovering helicopters in soaring temperatures in the desert terrain of northern Rajasthan near Suratgarh simulated an intense battlefield scenario in the joint Army-IAF exercise - Vijayee Bhava meaning 'blessed to win'. The month-long exercise involving the Ambala-based Kharga Corps and the air elements of Western Air Command (WAC) was progressively built on from the smallest unit upwards to the entirety of the corps.
Validating the joint nature of the operations, GOC-in-C, Western Command, Lt Gen SR Ghosh flew in an IAF Jaguar over the large exercise area covering nearly 2,400 sq km. The exercise aimed at making the force more agile, versatile, lethal, networked and capable of achieving victory in war.
The dynamic process of operations, both offensive and defensive, integration and validation of concepts of modern warfare which emerged during the transformation studies of Indian Army, network-centricity and testing and evaluation of new equipment were some of the objectives achieved in the exercise. Its aim was a rapid mobilisation involving several mechanised operations towards offensive operations. Battlefield transparency and operational plans based on real-time situational awareness was enhanced using intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) inputs from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and satellites.
With air assets to play a decisive role in future battles, the increased air assets of the Army and Air Force were employed in an integrated manner in the exercise. Integration with the Air Force in all stages and employment of airborne and heliborne Special Forces was a highlight of the exercise. The IAF elements involved in the exercise included MiG-29, MiG-21 Bison, Jaguars, IL-76, AN-32, Mi-17 1V, Avro, Chetak and the attack helicopters – Mi-25/35. Offensive air defence was integral in the exercise that included interception in enemy territory. Nearly 100 fighter sorties, decimation of advancing armour, round-the-clock readiness for fighters and attack helicopters and mobilisation of several ground and airborne air defence assets were undertaken by the IAF.
As many as 300 paratroopers and 50 despatchers were air-dropped from one IL-76 and six AN-32 transport aircraft in stealthy night operations. The IAF pressed in Mi-17 1V utility helicopters for special heliborne operations (SHBO), including dropping of Special Forces behind simulated enemy lines.
This training exercise was the first amongst the series of annual summer exercises being conducted by Western Command which is headquartered at Chandigarh. With over 50,000 troops participating in the exercise, this was one of the biggest military manoeuvres conducted in the desert sector this year.
The Indian Army undertook a number of studies to transform itself into a lean, agile and enabled force to conduct full-spectrum operations. The focus of the exercise, inter alia, was to evaluate various proposals put forth by the transformation study groups. As such, the exercise assumed added significance. Some military platforms developed by DRDO for the Army were put through evaluation tests during the exercise. ISRO keenly watched the efficacy and robustness of its satellite downlinks for the field force. Senior officers of the Army and Air Force witnessed the integrated manoeuvres of a restructured armoured formation and air manoeuvre formation of the Army. The concept of dedicated intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) units to enhance operational situational awareness was also validated during the exercise.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 17 Aug 2011 07:17

PMO opens doors for young army officers to join IPS