Bharat Rakshak

ManuJ

I am trying to understand why IAF didn't raze those buildings to the ground - what did they gain by letting that infrastructure survive?
And didn't GOI anticipate the Paki denials and the media frenzy?

ManuJ

Modi needs to clearly state this in one of his speeches - A failed terrorist state like Pakistan can never dream of dictating terms to India. India will choose the terms and play by its own rules. We will decide when and how to end the <punishment>. Till then, Pakis can stay awake every night, shive...

ManuJ

Please bear in mind that reports now talk of a whole complement of PAF attackers, including bombers and air cover fighters. If so, the air cover could have been provided by F-16. However, air cover fighters would not have had to intrude into Indian territory, only the bombers would have done that. I...

ManuJ

One important statement - PAF targeted Indian military installation, although we had targeted terrorist camp.
This opens the door for India to retaliate in kind.

ManuJ

briefing started...

ManuJ

Rather than being despondent, we should be proud that our boys actually engaged the PAF intruders and thwarted their plans. Unlike their PAF counterparts who chickened out on the pretext of darkness! However, how and why the Mig 21 trainer came to the fight is a mystery. I am speculating here, but m...

ManuJ

Found it interesting that M2K were used for the strike, rather than our dedicated DPSA Jaguar.

ManuJ

SaiK wrote:mohit++ great find

Yes, this document even names the camp - "Moaskar training camp in Balakot, PK"

ManuJ

I feel that the Mk2 IAF and Navy versions still have some tweaks to be made before the designs are frozen, and there's scope for the two designs to converge further. Especially w.r.t. to canards and stabilators...

ManuJ

Really heartening news coming out of Aero India. LCA is one of the biggest fighter programs in the world now, in terms of projected numbers and planned developments. Sometimes crazy dreams do come true. I am amazed and even a little apprehensive by the confidence shown by ADA in announcing two very ...

ManuJ

Deans wrote:There isn't a line running continuously from Jammu to Srinagar. Most of the section from Katra to Banihal, is not complete.

Yes I know, but it is complete where it matters, which is in the valley.
We should take advantage of that.

ManuJ

5 army soldiers including a major getting martyred fighting holed-up terrorists, with no element of surprise?
How does that happen?
A bomb attack is a different thing, but this is simply not acceptable.
We really need to re-evaluate our tactics.

ManuJ

The CRPF convoy was transporting troops from Jammu to Srinagar. Why isn't the railway being used for troop transport in the valley (Banihal onward)? Much easier to sanitize and protect, with vastly reduced logistic footprint. And I believe there are already elaborate security measures in place for p...

ManuJ

India's release of terrorists like Maulana Azhar in Kandhar during NDA regime was our biggest strategic defeat in recent times. One that the country is still paying for with the lives of our brave soldiers. That they have been allowed to live and thrive all these years after their release is utterly...

ManuJ

Hindon air base has a (temporary) civil terminal coming up, and could work in the future as a third option for low-cost regional airlines.

ManuJ

Yes, the brigadier rank is not going anywhere, it's becoming non-select.

ManuJ

Finally! Going to see the movie today after multiple postponements. The movie is still running to packed houses in the SFO Bay Area - couldn't get tickets during the weekend for any show. BTW, how come the movie hasn't been made tax free in India? GOI should do everything in its power to ensure maxi...

ManuJ

The new Mig29 squadron for ENC is being created with existing frames, or additional purchases?

ManuJ

Love the layout of the Gorshkov, especially the ample space dedicated to missile systems. Interestingly, Russian navy seems to have abandoned the RBUs to which IN is still persisting with. Also, how come the difference in size between the new IN frigates and destroyers is down to ~1000 tonnes? The f...

ManuJ

We shouldn't get too hung up over the numbers.
The truth is, IAF will induct as many LCAs as HAL can produce in the next 15 years.

ManuJ

That’s the crux of the matter innit? The same person gets the experience as he progresses in his rank over the service tenure and with the abolition of the Brig rank the experience is what will get hit, per my view. The Brigadier rank is not getting abolished, only becoming non-select, which means ...

ManuJ

We should be looking at reducing the age profile not increase no of Maj Gens. This seems more like a house keeping option rather than combat relatedd. The proposal does address the issue of reducing age profile. Bright officers should be able to become Major Generals by the age of 45. Please read t...

ManuJ

All commentators have mentioned IBGs being made up of 4-6 battalions. Since Indian formations can be quite large, that would translate to anywhere between 6k to 9k men. I wouldn't be surprised if eventually these formations end up being regular division sized (10k - 12k). The plan should be to incre...

ManuJ

I wonder though how IA will manage the transition from Colonel to Major General - that's quite a jump in responsibilities. To answer my own question, looks like there will still be a Brigadier rank, but will become non-select: Selected Colonels can spend three years in command, the next three as Co...

ManuJ

Currently, Brigadiers command a brigade with 3,000+ men, and Major Generals command divisions, which have 10,000+ men. IBGs will supposedly have 6,000 men. Somewhere between a brigade and a division. If that's true, than a regular Major General commanding an IBG would be a demotion of sorts. And a b...

ManuJ

How does the theater command concept preclude shifting of assets around?

ManuJ

The excuses will continue for status quo until bold leadership lays down the law.
Then everyone will start singing a different tune and all the very valid reasons for continuing with T90 will suddenly become obsolete.

ManuJ

Indranil wrote:is there anybody in the world who has built a tank with Arjun's specifications which is lighter than Arjun?

Needs to be highlighted and asked again and again, whenever someone brings up the question of Arjun's weight 'problem'.

ManuJ

Confirmation of the production rate being targeted: Currently, the HAL is producing around eight Tejas, a single engine multi-role aircraft, annually and the defence ministry wants it to increase the number to 18 planes per year. The HAL is investing Rs 1,300 crore to augment the existing infrastruc...

ManuJ

From the DRDO chief - IAF has already committed to over 300 LCAs: Speaking of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Christopher said HAL had already got an order to manufacture 123 LCAs. “In addition to that, the air force has given in writing another 201 aircraft, which is the next version, that we ca...

ManuJ

Removing coordinates as per request, though I am not sure what good it will do. For the interested, the airbase is north west of phalodi town itself. While it still looks a bit underdeveloped with no blast pens etc., it looks fully functional with a large apron area and some hangar type structures....

ManuJ

I just see one airstrip, although the designation has certainly changed to an air base.
But there is no supporting infrastructure.

ManuJ

Aditya_V wrote:From the above quotes it seems we have ordered 42 more Su-30s

There's no ambiguity in the news report:

IAF has already ordered 42 more Su-30MKIs increasing the number of fighter from 272 to 314.

ManuJ

There will always be a debate about the optimal size of a formation, but size cannot remain constant with advances in technology.

ManuJ

If officers end up going to foreign institutions, they will be cultivated regardless of who pays for it.

ManuJ

Rakesh wrote:ManuJ: In addition to Darbhanga AFS, take a look below...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bihta_Air_Force_Station

Yes, I know about Bihta.
It's in the same state as Darbhanga - maintained by IAF, probably for forward deployment at war time, but afaik, no active wings.

ManuJ

Was looking at AF bases on Google Earth, and noticed that there's not a single active AF wing in Bihar.
Quite unusual for a frontier state.
Is it because fighters taking off from a base in Bihar will have to overfly Nepal?
Would love to see Darbhanga developed as a front line fighter base.

ManuJ

Vina, I remember Dr. Saraswat lambasting the strawman argument that LCA's wing cannot fold (at the moment). But I don't remember the height issue. Mig-29k and NLCA have the same height. I hope IN sticks with LCA Navy Mk2. ... The only reasons for not going with LCA that the IN Chief provides have t...

ManuJ

Interview with IN Chief We back indigenisation, but Tejas didn’t fit the bill: Navy chief The chief clearly and unambiguously states IN's plans for the next carrier: As for the IAC-II [second indigenous aircraft carrier], we are taking up the case with the ministry for which we will get an approval...

ManuJ

Yeah, seems like they are converting it into a divided, 4-lane highway.
Once completed, it will greatly improve safety and increase speeds.
But progress is slow and painful.

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