Indian Missiles and Munitions Discussion - June'14

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 12 May 2016 23:17

nit, Akash fits the bill.

nirav · Post by **nirav** » 12 May 2016 23:27

Akash,LRSAM and The S400, all mobile SAMs with varying ranges. Embedding and Movement with IBGs will be quite a thing.

The S400 has mijjiles capable of 40-400 KMs .. The 400 KM range while operating in Bakistan with the IBGs is an outright offensive capability wrt fizzleyea ..

vonkabra · Post by **vonkabra** » 13 May 2016 09:55

Some thoughts:
1. The S400 is a mobile system, so systems facing Pakistan can be moved to the China front and vice-versa as per threat perception (a poor analogy, but Bofors artillery units were moved from the China border to the Paki front during the Kargil war). The Andamans will probably never be a permanent base for the S400 (refer to Ajai Shukla's article on the sad state of that tri-command), but nothing stops us from moving the system there when required.
2. Secondly, the system can be used to complement the IAF's fighter strength using a shield-and-sword strategy even in case of a two front war.
3. Lastly, the system claims to have anti-stealth capabilities, so possibly it is not being acquired just for ABM purposes. Note that the RM has commented on "maximum radar cross section of targets" rather than on capability of intercepting BMs. Of course this depends on whether we are getting the Protivnik-GE/ Gamma-DE radars (though that might account for the price tag).

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 13 May 2016 11:18

My guess :-

If it is 5 firing Units then the cost should be USD 1.5 Billion, 20 TELs, around 200 big missiles and 100 small missiles

If it's 5 squadrons then the cost would be USD 3 Billion, 40 TELs, around 400 big and 200 smaller missiles.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 13 May 2016 14:40

vonkabra wrote:Of course this depends on whether we are getting the Protivnik-GE/ Gamma-DE radars (though that might account for the price tag).

More than Gamma-DE and Protivnik-GE radar , The Nebo-M series are more interesting in terms of Band they operate and data sensor fused between them , They generally operate along with S-400 system or as standalone to aid/support the MFCR/FCR Radar for S-400

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 13 May 2016 14:41

Gyan wrote:My guess :-

If it is 5 firing Units then the cost should be USD 1.5 Billion, 20 TELs, around 200 big missiles and 100 small missiles

If it's 5 squadrons then the cost would be USD 3 Billion, 40 TELs, around 400 big and 200 smaller missiles.

Itar-Tass has reported it is 5 regiment and 6000 missile probably also includes reload etc but generally some one familiar with Russian Regiment deployment confirms the number are accurate for regiment size deployment with reload.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 13 May 2016 17:33

ramana wrote:nit, Akash fits the bill.

LRSAM shows power of tech as silver bullet in action. Imagine if such plans are made for submarines, too. Wonder if Russians have similar or dissimilar (asymmetric ? ) routines for either side of naval defense, plus around Arctic.

In another thread, there is a post that states missiles have minimum foreign component, compared to other desi projects.
http://forums.bharat-rakshak.com/viewto ... 0#p2017740

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 13 May 2016 18:25

Austin wrote:
Gyan wrote:My guess :-

If it is 5 firing Units then the cost should be USD 1.5 Billion, 20 TELs, around 200 big missiles and 100 small missiles

If it's 5 squadrons then the cost would be USD 3 Billion, 40 TELs, around 400 big and 200 smaller missiles.
Itar-Tass has reported it is 5 regiment and 6000 missile probably also includes reload etc but generally some one familiar with Russian Regiment deployment confirms the number are accurate for regiment size deployment with reload.

6000 missiles is Impossible!

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 13 May 2016 18:38

Gyan wrote:6000 missiles is Impossible!

Agreed sounds too high a number but some one on keypubs who follows the deployment of Regiment states that is the right number for 5 regimens with reloads , Also Tass quoting MOD says the same

http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/3274077

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 13 May 2016 20:32

What is use of limited number of missiles. Such a system that has capacity far in access also need to have more than limited number of missiles. Considering we have a few of these we better have more missiles.

Bhurishrava · Post by **Bhurishrava** » 13 May 2016 23:42

http://www.firstpost.com/india/has-drdo ... 77768.html

An article by the some retired Indian army guy. Basically trashing akash. He says that the army has problems with the system. Particularly stabilisation etc. Trashes DRDO as well.

My innocent question is -
"Stabilisation issues may be understandable for the navy in view of the waves they have to operate on. What stabilisation requirements does the army have. They can just put brakes on the trucks and fire."?

srai · Post by **srai** » 14 May 2016 00:14

^^^

Same old Prakash Katoch! He seems to keep recycling his same old stupid arguments on Akash.

member_23370 · Post by **member_23370** » 14 May 2016 00:17

Looks like import lobby is very worried.

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 14 May 2016 03:23

Seriously Gen Prakash Katoch is very mistaken.

First, the IAF which has doubled its order from 8 squadrons to 15.

http://www.spsmai.com/exclusive/?id=376 ... in-service

2013

"The Akash is an extremely important system for the IAF. It has been a long development process, which has ended in success. The IAF is supporting the programme with its resources and commitment, and has been impressed with the capability it offers. We have ordered eight squadrons, which will replace the mission profile performed by our Pechora and OSA squadrons. In future, we may consider more," says a senior officer at Air HQ.

2015
http://www.spsmai.com/exclusive/?id=472 ... -Squadrons

Impressed IAF in talks for more Akash Squadrons
By SP's Special Correspondent

March 07, 2015: Highly impressed with the indigenous missile system. the Indian Air Force is in discussions to acquire more squadrons of the Akash SAM system. It is not clear at what stage discussions are or what the number of additional squadrons under discussion are, though the very fact that the IAF has begun discussions before deliveries of its eight squadrons are complete is a positive indicator of customer confidence in the weapon system. Following operational firing tests in November last year, the IAF's faith in the system has topped out, spurring confidence in the DRDO and manufacturing agencies BDL & BEL to pitch larger numbers. The DRDO is also working on an extended range Akash Mk.2 system that the IAF has already expressed interest in.

July 2015
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 021610.cms

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, who formally received the 'key' of the Akash system from Parrikar, said that a total of 27 missiles had been fired after inking of the contract, to ascertain the serviceability of the system in various conditions and a high success rate had been achieved.

About stabilization, is he even serious? He says T-90 has the best stabilization and fire on the move. Arjun of course, which beat T-90 in fire on teh move is not to be considered. Is he aware that the Revathi radar is stabilized and on ships which are far more unsteady sea state wise than a land platform?

Instead anyone would note having a huge PESA antenna like the Rajendra, track targets on the move and then guide them, is anything but ideal?

And then he quotes tests from 2007. Only 9 years back.

Looks like this report worried some folks about the decision to import SpyDer being reconsidered by Parrikar, and hence promptly this article had to be published, solicitously wondering if the poor Mr Parrikar was being conned by the evil DRDO by doing such successful tests.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/ ... 379377.ece

Sources said altogether six rounds of the missiles were fired from the launching complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea in last three days. The missiles successfully destroyed the targets coordinated by the user. The missiles were fired against Pilot less target aircraft (PTA) Lakshya, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Banshee and Para-barrel, two times each.

Terming that the missions were ‘fantastic’, Project Director of Akash G Chandramouli said ‘killing’ would sound more robust than ‘hitting’ the targets. “All the missiles actually killed the targets coordinated by the user and more importantly all the tests were conducted by the army jawans. The weapon system successfully demonstrated its killing efficiency in different conditions,” he said.

“There were different missions in different altitudes and different ranges. Starting from approaching and receding to crossing at small range, high range, lower altitude and higher altitude, the missile had a wonderful demonstration,” he claimed.

By all means import, if mobility and track on move is what is important.

But lets not jump to a conclusion that Akash is poor etc.

All such misinformation, can damage Indian national objectives and even how the world perceives us.

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 14 May 2016 05:30

brar_w, do you have access to this?
http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.100 ... -0119-2_50

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 14 May 2016 06:06

Deleted

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 14 May 2016 06:24

Thank you! Much appreciated!

If possible. Could you try for these three as well?
http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.100 ... -0119-2_12
http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.100 ... -0119-2_54
http://link.springer.com/chapter/10.100 ... -0119-2_55

I am just dismayed why something intended to motivate Indian engineers would be so hard to find.

brar_w · Post by **brar_w** » 14 May 2016 06:41

Deleted

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 14 May 2016 06:57

Thanks Brar. Just realized, its public. PLs edit the links to be on the safe side.

srai · Post by **srai** » 14 May 2016 09:55

Karan M wrote:Seriously Gen Prakash Katoch is very mistaken.

...

Looks like this report worried some folks about the decision to import SpyDer being reconsidered by Parrikar, and hence promptly this article had to be published, solicitously wondering if the poor Mr Parrikar was being conned by the evil DRDO by doing such successful tests.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/ ... 379377.ece

...

By all means import, if mobility and track on move is what is important.

But lets not jump to a conclusion that Akash is poor etc.

All such misinformation, can damage Indian national objectives and even how the world perceives us.

Poor General doesn't realize that the Spyder system also can't fire on the move

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 14 May 2016 14:44

Akash 1&2 threatens Israeli SAM lobby whose missiles are 5-10 times more costly then Akash. Also one day it will be discovered by General public that Israelis propagate brochure range which only seems better than Akash.

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 15 May 2016 05:38

Gen Katoch's complaints to be honest are completely off base.

The Akash works.

July 2014
http://www.spslandforces.com/exclusive/ ... User-Tests

Akash Blasts Through Training User Tests
By SP's Special Correspondent

November 24, 2014: The indigenous Akash SAM system, already in service with the Indian Air Force and Indian Army, has just completed a high-tempo series of training user trials with a high degree of success and satisfaction to the end user. Over five days this week, nine tests were conducted, testing all parameters of the missile, including low level and high level engagement of British-built Meggitt Defence Systems Banshee Jet 80 target drones. In a major confidence-booster, the in-service weapon system has acquitted itself with flying colours, paving the way for the next lot of improvements to the system as part of an Akash Mk.2 extended range profile, as well as exports to other countries that have evinced interest in the system. The tests include a simultaneous launch of two Akash missiles against aerial targets, destroying them respectively at ranges of 11 km and 24 km, just shy of ceiling range. The training user trials were a high-pressure exercise conducted at the Integrated Test Range involving nine missiles randomly selected from the the production line at one of the three production agencies. The IAF currently has eight Akash squadrons, and is interested in acquiring more. The Army operates two Akash regiments and has already expressed a requirement of more such systems with minor modifications.

June 18 2014
http://www.spslandforces.com/news/?id=6 ... ge-mission

Akash Missile flight tested successfully in very low altitude near range mission

June 18, 2014: Akash, missile was successfully test fired in very low altitude near boundary mission today i.e. 18th June 2014 by the Indian Army. This flight trial was last among the validation trials being carried out by Army on the first off production models of Akash supersonic missile. The supersonic missile intercepted the very small unmanned fast moving Banshee aerial vehicle at 30 m altitude above sea level proving the system capability against subsonic cruise missile. The sophisticated multi-function radar with built in features tracked the low flying target continuously throughout its course. Special algorithms / techniques developed by DRDO for overcoming the multiple target reflections coming from the sea worked perfectly in the mission. With this flight trial, Indian Army accomplishes all the validation trials on the first off production models and the system is being delivered for induction.

The Kvadrat radar which is what Akash was to replace, does not appear to be able to track, search or fire on move either.

http://militarytechnics.com/vehicles/ku ... 6-rockets/

Maximum target speed 2160 kph. Reaction time from track to launch 28 seconds. System can be active 5 minutes after arrival at site and deactivated in the same time in 'shoot and scoot' mode. One target can be tracked at a time. Three missiles per launcher.

Static battery deployment mentioned here.
https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFA ... 200961.PDF

Note static deployment when using radar here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dmgn3RWXQUk

In fact BukM2E, the latest in the series, again shows static employment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDXScnEKaP0

Really, if anything, this shows how much our local designers have to put up with.

An article with lurid claims of "conning the country" accusing it of corruption and what not - and from somebody who should actually be considered to be the bedrock of responsible journalism and is a respected soldier.

srai · Post by **srai** » 15 May 2016 08:49

^^^

Akash Mk.1 has proven itself many times over already since 2009. Apart from DRDO developmental trials, there have been pre-induction user trials followed by post-induction production quality trials. Then there have been real use trials in various war games. That's just for the IAF. Now the IA is also following suit and have recently conducted its own series of trials.

The broad range of trials have proven the following many times over; thus, proving the efficacy of the system beyond any doubt.

Near boundary (few km)
Medium boundary
Far boundary (close to 25km)
Approaching
Receding
Crossing
High altitude
Medium altitude
Low altitude (30m)
Ripple fire two missiles per target
Multiple targets engagement (2 or more ... up to 4 targets)
EW environment

As far as the IAF goes, they have become a convert on Akash SAM system. Initially, they only ordered two squadrons. But after multiple validation and war gaming trials, they ordered follow on 6 squadrons and now a further 7 more squadrons saying that it fulfills SR-SAM requirements too. There are plans for inducting up to 32 squadrons total. I believe the IA will also become a convert once the induction and war gaming of its two Akash regiments occur.

Akash Mk.1 is way more advanced that the current antiquated systems their AD units possess. I remember watching an episode of NatGeo's Mission Udaan where the contestants are put on the trailer of Pechora SAM system and they have to get the target aligned for firing solution in this ancient system controlled by two wheels. It was obvious that even to target one fighter was a real challenge. I assume SA-6 system would be somewhat similar having same Soviet origins from around the same time period. Compared with that Akash Mk.1 is a fully-automated system from tracking to firing solution with the controller only having to press the "MARO" button to launch the missiles. That's a multi-generational leap right there itself. Plus, it has an ability to engage up to four targets by one firing unit/flight/troop (one Rajendra radar, command center and 4 launchers).

Gyan · Post by **Gyan** » 15 May 2016 10:30

I don't think that there is any public Information that IAF is seeking to induct 32 squadrons of Akash. Only some comments have been mis-interpreted as it is not clear whether they refer to "additional" 15 squadrons or "total" 15 squadrons of Akash. But I would be glad to be proved wrong.

Indranil · Post by **Indranil** » 15 May 2016 11:36

DRDL has issued a tender for TRANSPORTATION CONTAINER for HSTDV

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 15 May 2016 11:39

Gyan wrote:Akash 1&2 threatens Israeli SAM lobby whose missiles are 5-10 times more costly then Akash. Also one day it will be discovered by General public that Israelis propagate brochure range which only seems better than Akash.

I have made a post in political thread a few weeks back that israel has done nothing special for india to deserve anything special from us. they are a A++ grade arms trader like the french and will sell and be in bed with whoever they can. if they could get away by selling to TSP they would. they already got away with selling the Lavi base to china and were all set to supply the same phalcon radar they sold us to china until big daddy growled in disapproval. they are always working some deal in the corners.

the french would have been happy given the funding and time we gave to develop a customized aster30 land based variant for us and call it the Normandie-8-ERSAM

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 15 May 2016 11:50

Gyan wrote:I don't think that there is any public Information that IAF is seeking to induct 32 squadrons of Akash. Only some comments have been mis-interpreted as it is not clear whether they refer to "additional" 15 squadrons or "total" 15 squadrons of Akash. But I would be glad to be proved wrong.

Surprised to see doubts about numbers for home grown missile system that is accurate and also cheap.

If I remember correctly, there has been plenty of defense systems with 80% accuracy and 96% hit chance or so when two missiles are simultaneously fired at a target. Given the testing work done, Akash mk1 should have been ordered in bulk for such requirements to target with less and less chance to escape.

Logically, two missiles fired at target ALWAYS has much more accurate and successful chance. Such a tight defense is needed at least for land based AD systems, though space/weight is luxury for naval requirements.

kit · Post by **kit** » 15 May 2016 12:23

Israel is already heavily involved in China ,,its too big a cheese cake for them to resist .. now although their military involvements are totally off the radar , Israeli economic involvement in china compared to India is by several magnitudes higher .. now you can guess which would be running in the long term ..

Philip · Post by **Philip** » 15 May 2016 12:59

http://indianexpress.com/article/explai ... still-far/

Interceptor missile tested 7 times, DRDO’s Rajinikanth moment still far
The system would be able to tackle incoming ballistic missiles of range up to 2,000 km.

Written by Sushant Singh | New Delhi | Updated: May 4, 2015 3:20 am

DRDO, Ballistic Missile Defence system, Ballistic Missile, n-missiles, nuclear-missiles, DRDO BMD, indian express explained, DRDO missiles system, india news, nation news

A Ballistic Missile Defence system is based on an interceptor missile shooting down an enemy missile mid-air. It needs ground radars, command-and-control systems and data links. India’s BMD does not yet have geo-stationary satellites.

Besides the interceptors, a BMD consists of radars — satellite-, ground-, and sea-based — to detect and track a missile and its warhead, data communication links to pass on the information, and a command and control system.

DRDO first spoke of a BMD system in December 2007. All building blocks for Phase 1 of a two-layered, fully integrated system were to be in place by 2010. In March 2010, Dr V K Saraswat of DRDO promised initial systems deployment by 2013.

ballistic-missile-graph

On May 7, 2012, DRDO declared it had developed a Missile Defence Shield that could be put in place at short notice at two selected locations in the country, presumably Delhi and Mumbai. The system would be able to tackle incoming ballistic missiles of range up to 2,000 km. DRDO also said that long-range tracking radars, real-time data-link and mission control systems needed for the perationalisation of the BMD had been “realised”.

The fact is the BMD system is at the moment not even close to being put into operation. Last month’s unsuccessful test at the Chandipur range was the seventh time the BMD interceptor missile has been tested. It was its second failed test, although the first failure was not of an interceptor, but due to a faulty target missile.

Washington-based emerging and space technologies expert Dr Bharath Gopalaswamy said, “Interceptor technologies are test-intensive and never foolproof. We have to wait until DRDO releases the data for these tests — which I suspect they never will — but for the moment, I would contextualise this as part of a routine test phase.”

A senior DRDO official told The Indian Express that they hoped to conduct another test within a couple of months. “It is part of the development process. This was the first time we launched the interceptor missile from a canister. The target was also a more difficult one than the simulated Prithvi missiles used earlier,” the DRDO official said.

According to Gopalaswamy, this is something to be expected with hit-to-kill technologies. “Dr Saraswat (former DRDO chief) declared missile defence capabilities as operational but the failure in such tests exposes the vulnerabilities in the system,” he said.

MILES TO GO
According to Air Marshal (retd) M Matheswaran, “a development trial by DRDO will not result in an operational system so soon. We can only expect to get a technology demonstrator at the end of the ongoing tests. Even the US took three decades to produce a BMD system. A fully mature BMD system is at least a decade away. The political leadership must be made aware of this reality”.

The BMD system was proposed to India’s political leadership by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam in the mid-1990s, a former cabinet secretary told The Indian Express. It was triggered by Pakistan’s acquisition of M-11 missiles from China. The proposal was to provide cover for Delhi, Mumbai and two other strategically important sites. DRDO is believed to have started work on the programme in 1999.

The armed forces were brought into the loop only a decade later, a senior Indian Air Force officer told The Indian Express. A BMD system cannot be operated in isolation; it has to be networked with existing IAF sensors for better situational awareness to avoid friendly fire, or shooting down of own aircraft or missiles. IAF already has a fully integrated air defence system, and the complexities of deployment will have to be resolved as and when the BMD is put into operation.

“There is no direct involvement of the armed forces in its development even now. The IAF, which is the end user, must be closely involved,” Matheswaran said.

DO WE NEED IT?
Many experts argue that the BMD can take on only a limited number of incoming missiles, and will invite saturation salvos from the enemy. Western non-proliferation activists have said India’s BMD will encourage Pakistan to expand its nuclear arsenal to fire multiple missiles. Bharat Karnad of the Centre for Policy Research said BMD was a “hit-and-miss” system whose reliability has been questioned by various US studies.

Last year, the US General Accountability Office questioned the reliability and efficacy of the Pentagon’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) programme, a system similar to India’s BMD. The Pentagon accepted that the GMD system provides “a limited capability against a simple threat”. Senator Tom Coburn’s report last year estimated the GMD system’s success rate at 30 per cent. DRDO has, on the other hand, promised 99.8 per cent reliability for its BMD system.

Unlike the GMD, BMD does not have early warning radars or satellite tracking of an enemy missile. The delayed detection capability reduces the time available for interception of, say, a Pakistani missile to around five minutes. Also, the BMD system can only intercept missiles launched from 900-1,000 km away; the Chinese Dong Feng-21 ballistic missile with a range of 1,700-2,000 km cannot be intercepted.

The BMD is expensive. Ballpark estimates for defending one Indian city vary from Rs 1 lakh crore to Rs 2.5 lakh crore. At the higher range, it is more than India’s annual defence budget. The US continental system is estimated to have cost more than $ 100 billion so far, the GMD system $ 41 billion.

“A system that doesn’t work, costs a lot, and can’t handle multiple attacks will breed a false sense of security and compound our problems. All this talk of deployability of a BMD is premature. What we need at best is a technology demonstrator,” Karnad said.

“We have no expert committee like the US JASON to validate projects like the BMD. India has scarce resources. To use them judiciously, a high-level technical committee should validate all strategic projects proposed by DRDO or the armed forces,” he said.

Whatever the case, India’s ‘Rajinikanth’ gun can’t fire yet. As the Americans like to say, “The real problem with ballistic missile defence is that it is rocket science.”
- See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/explai ... D67ja.dpuf

member_29378 · Post by **member_29378** » 15 May 2016 13:45

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation ... 37107.html

Balasore (Odisha), May 15
In its effort to have a full fledged multi-layer Ballistic Missile Defence system, India on Sunday successfully test-fired its indigenously-developed supersonic interceptor missile, capable of destroying any incoming hostile ballistic missile, from a test range off Odisha coast.

“The test conducted to validate various parameters of the interceptor in flight mode has been successful,” Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) sources said.

The interceptor was engaged against a target which was a naval version of Prithvi missile launched from a ship anchored inside Bay of Bengal, taking up the trajectory of a hostile ballistic missile.

The target missile was launched at about 11.15 hours and the interceptor, Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile positioned at Abdul Kalam island (Wheeler Island) getting signals from tracking radars, roared through its trajectory to destroy the incoming hostile missile in mid-air, in an endo-atmospheric altitude, the sources said.

“The ‘kill’ effect of the interceptor was ascertained by analysing data from multiple tracking sources,” a DRDO scientist said.

The interceptor is a 7.5-meter long single stage solid rocket propelled guided missile equipped with a navigation system, a hi-tech computer and an electro-mechanical activator, the DRDO sources said.

The interceptor missile had its own mobile launcher, secure data link for interception, independent tracking and homing capabilities and sophisticated radars, the DRDO sources added. — PTI

Sorry for the noob question, but why haven't we developed this into a LRSAm, like the S-3XX series?

nash · Post by **nash** » 15 May 2016 13:48

TIMES NOW ‏@TimesNow 2m2 minutes ago
Successful test-firing of supersonic interceptor missile, from a test range off Odisha coast: Reports

tsarkar · Post by **tsarkar** » 15 May 2016 14:00

Chinmay wrote:http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation ... 37107.html Sorry for the noob question, but why haven't we developed this into a LRSAm, like the S-3XX series?

AAD is a skid to turn missile to combat missiles flying at high speeds using thrust vectoring.

Barak 8 LRSAM is a bank to turn missile to combat missiles and aircraft using aerodynamic control surfaces.

Both are separate classes to combat completely different classes of threats.

S-400 overlaps both of them, and it needs to be seen where it fits in

srai · Post by **srai** » 15 May 2016 15:58

Gyan wrote:I don't think that there is any public Information that IAF is seeking to induct 32 squadrons of Akash. Only some comments have been mis-interpreted as it is not clear whether they refer to "additional" 15 squadrons or "total" 15 squadrons of Akash. But I would be glad to be proved wrong.

It was mentioned in an article written by AKM last year. My old post here.

Shanu · Post by **Shanu** » 15 May 2016 19:32

More details on the AAD test. But information on actual deployment remains sketchy.

http://odishasuntimes.com/2016/05/15/aa ... sha-coast/

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) today successfully test fired indigenously developed Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor missile from Abdul Kalam Island (formerly Wheeler Island) off Odisha coast.

The target missile — a modified version of Prithvi mimicking an incoming hostile missile — was launched at 11.15 AM from a naval platform and the interceptor, positioned at launch pad-3 of Integrated Test Range at Abdul Kalam Island, roared into the sky to hit its target at 11:18 AM.

The test has been successful, said a source in the DRDO.

The AAD used its own mobile launcher, secure data link for interception, independent tracking and homing capabilities and radar systems, the source added.

Earlier in April 2015, the AAD missile had failed to hit the target missile during a similar test from the test range. The missile nosedived into Bay of Bengal a few moments after taking off from a mobile launcher. In July 26, 2010 also the test was unsuccessful.

Even though the missile was again tested against an electronic target on November 22, 2015, the actual test targeting a real missile was pending since then as the system was not ready.

Today’s success is likely to pave the way for its induction in the armed forces. Any more updates on this will be most welcome.

Notably, Advanced Air Defence (AAD) is an anti-ballistic missile designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles in the endo-atmosphere at an altitude of 40 km.

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 15 May 2016 19:47

srai wrote:
Gyan wrote:I don't think that there is any public Information that IAF is seeking to induct 32 squadrons of Akash. Only some comments have been mis-interpreted as it is not clear whether they refer to "additional" 15 squadrons or "total" 15 squadrons of Akash. But I would be glad to be proved wrong.
It was mentioned in an article written by AKM last year. My old post here.

I suspect the next series of orders will be for Mk2. DRDO really needs to make them equivalents or replacements of MRSAM unless the latter will be completely made in India.

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 15 May 2016 19:49

nash wrote:TIMES NOW ‏@TimesNow 2m2 minutes ago
Successful test-firing of supersonic interceptor missile, from a test range off Odisha coast: Reports

Zero publicity and a successful launch.

I wonder whether more tests are also going on without fuss.

Supratik · Post by **Supratik** » 15 May 2016 19:50

Deployment of the phase I BMD will probably need further testing of PDV which will replace PAD. Then it is a geo-political decision.

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 15 May 2016 19:55

PDV and even AD-1/AD-2 need to be accelerated and the deployment needs to happen with zero fuss. Only release some constant details about successful tests & positive statements from services folks so that folks like Katoch don't make uncorroborated statements.

Even S-400 data leak was a mistake. Why reveal such news. Makes jingos happy but gives opponent time to prepare.

uddu · Post by **uddu** » 15 May 2016 19:55

Karan M wrote:
nash wrote:TIMES NOW ‏@TimesNow 2m2 minutes ago
Successful test-firing of supersonic interceptor missile, from a test range off Odisha coast: Reports
Zero publicity and a successful launch.

I wonder whether more tests are also going on without fuss.

More like PSLV launches. Routine. Success..Success..Success

Karan M · Post by **Karan M** » 16 May 2016 02:23

One day brother, one day..