Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

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Vips
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Vips »

26-year-old from Haryana becomes Indian Army’s first woman combat aviator.

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Having grown up in military Cantonments across the country, joining the forces was a natural career choice for Captain Abhilasha Barak. On Wednesday, the 26-year-old from Haryana became the first woman combat aviator of the Indian Army.

Captain Barak graduated at a ceremony held at the Combat Army Aviation Training School in Nashik. D G of Army Aviation, A K Suri, was the chief guest at the event.

“While growing up in military Cantonments, and being surrounded by people in uniform, it always seemed like an ordinary affair. I never realised it (that it was different) until our family moved out of the military life, after my father’s retirement in 2011. The feeling only grew stronger after seeing my elder brother’s passing out parade at Indian Military Academy in 2013. That was the moment I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” Captain Barak said in an in-house interview shared recently by the Indian Army.

She attained ‘A’ grading in Army Air Defence Young officers course, 75.70 per cent in Air Traffic Management and Air Laws course and passed the promotional exam, Part B, in her first attempt.

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In 2018, she was commissioned into the Indian Army from the Officers Training Academy, Chennai. During her attachment with Corps of Army Air Defence, she was selected as a Contingent Commander for Presentation of Colours to Army Air Defence by President Ram Nath Kovind.

“After completing my training from Officers Training Academy, Chennai, in 2018, I opted for Army Aviation Corps. As I was filling the form, I knew I was eligible for only ground duty role but I ended up mentioning that I had qualified Pilot Aptitude Battery Test and computerised pilot selection system. Somewhere in my heart, I always knew that the day was not far away when Indian Army would start inducting women as combat pilots,” she said in the interview.

After two years, when the induction of women as pilots was announced, it all came full circle for Captain Barak. “Not many people know this, but in 1987, during Operation Meghdoot, my father was leading a patrolling party from Amar Post to Bana Top Post (earlier Quaid Post). Owing to bad weather, he suffered from Cerebral Odema and was brought back to Amar Post, from where he was evacuated right in time. He owes his life to the Army Aviation Corps and hence, so do I,” according to excerpts of the interview.
ks_sachin
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by ks_sachin »

I think she should fly the LCH.
I think there should be a clamour for LCH to support women aviators.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by VinodTK »

WAR HAS CHANGED FOR EVER | INDIAN ARMY MUST ALSO CHANGE
Good analysis/response by Lt Gen Raj Shukla (Retd)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5JOXXD3hBw
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by wig »

https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comme ... ier-401594

Tour of Duty plan loaded against the soldier, author, Lt Gen Harwant Singh (Retd)

excerpts
The pension bill of the defence services has been an issue of much concern to the Government of India. Gen Bipin Rawat, as the Chief of Defence Staff, too seemed worried about it. The defence services’ strength is about 1.5 million, while that of civilians in the Ministry of Defence is 3.75 lakh. However, their pension in proportionate terms is far more than that of the military personnel. The pension bill of state police and Central Police Organisations too is many times more than that of the soldiers.
Those in CPOs retire at the age of 58 years and draw much higher pension than those in the military, who retire at 35-37 years. The latter do not get half of their pay as pension because they do not serve for the minimum of 20 years. Consequently, when the soldier and policeman reach 60 years, the latter would have drawn approximately Rs 57 lakh more than the soldier. A soldier’s life ends at 61-62 years while a policeman’s average age is 70-71 years and the Railways employee’s is 73 years.

The soldiers’ lifespan is shorter due to early retirement, lesser pension and increasing financial worries.
To further disadvantage the soldier, the government plans to bring in Tour of Duty (ToD). Under this scheme, soldiers will serve for four years and then be demobilised. Out of these demobilised soldiers, some percentage (30-50%) would be re-enrolled for another 15 years. The earlier service of four years will not be counted towards pay and subsequent pension. Discrimination and injustice in this is too obvious to be missed. Those who are left out after four years of duty period will be trained in various technical skills. Some may be given an opportunity to work for a diploma or degree in engineering etc. Given the state of unemployment in the country, they will more likely remain jobless. Thousands of these unemployed ones, well trained in use of weapons, could create an altogether different internal security situation. How come this grand proposal of Tour of Duty is not being applied to the civil services, police and CPOs?
on the ethos of the Army
The other part of this plan for the defence service (which relates more to the military) is that the regimental system, where fighting arms units are based on a class basis (entire unit or companies/squadrons/ batteries within the units), will be done away with. In future, they will draw troops from all communities and religions all over India. In other words, the Indian Army would do away with single-class units and two- to three-class sub-units.

So far, the Army units have put up unparalleled performance in various wars, motivated by regimental traditions and religion-based battle cries. It is only after enormous sacrifices and hardships that traditions are built and camaraderie comes about, which eventually plays on the psyche of the troops as they face extreme danger. The Indian military’s class units have reached their present standards after nearly two centuries of toil and sacrifices. They have lived by their calling, centred on Naam, Namak and Nishan and the unit’s battle cry.
the wooly headed thought process of the political elite
A higher allocation for defence is not likely because of our politicians’ warped view of national security. Speaking in Parliament, one finance minister had observed, “Good defence is more than finance, a good defence is sound foreign policy, a good neighbourly policy.” Thus, financial allocations for defence, at low priority, and relations with neighbours remain indifferent.

China’s defence budget is five times that of India. India spends a greater percentage of the GDP on internal security plus VIP security than on revenue expenditure in the defence budget. The financial angle apart, the larger issue is the impact this new policy of recruitment will have on the overall performance of the military and in particular that of the Army.
the failures of the past
Military is one component of the government that has always delivered, notwithstanding all of its drawbacks in weapons and equipment, unfair deals by successive pay commissions etc. Yet, this is the very element that we seemed determined to downgrade or perhaps destroy. Will these four-year tenure types have the essential motivation and willingness to lay down their lives when the call is made, while being aware that they are there for just four years? Will they imbibe that regimental spirit and unit’s battle cry which makes them carry on through a hail of bullets and exploding shells, with comrades falling left and right and moving up those impossible slopes to drive cold steel into the enemy?

Unfortunately, those working on these uncalled for schemes have little idea of the military’s calling. None of them or their children ever served in the military. As against this, a good number of US presidents had served in the nation’s armed forces.

Philip Mason, an ICS officer, in his book A Matter of Honour (1974), dilating on the long history of defeats of India’s armies, records, “No one gave thought to the best means of providing an army that would protect the state. Where did the disadvantage lie! I believe it lay in ideas about war, in the nature of organisations of armies and in the end in politics and the kind of governments that had grown up in India.” How different we are today!

With this 'Tour of Duty’, we are out to destroy a well-established system and pattern of Indian military, which is otherwise acknowledged as one amongst the best in the world. We are doing all this when the Dragon is already at our door.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by srin »

What I'm extremely concerned about is that in this game of shooting holes in every proposed solution, we've lost sight of the massive budget problem. The pension bill is very high, this is impacting capex budgets. GoI is not going to significantly increase the defence allocations (as % of GDP), so where do we get the money of military modernization. Even if we cut down imports, it won't help much. All these (army reorg, tour of duty, etc) are all trying to fix it. But while it is easy to criticize, it'd be nice if they can come up with a solution.

The elephant in the room - that nobody seems to address - is the pension scheme. Looking at the policy contortions that Army is making in recruitment etc, I'm slowly coming around to thinking that OROP was a strategic mistake. It is a very touchy topic but I'm forced to ponder over the unponderables.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Prasad »

I've read almost everywhere that artillery came into the picture later on during Kargil war. Is that due to an under-appreciation of the threat itself or because we didn't have enough artillery to go around or that the Kargil-Dras sector wasn't seen as a place where artillery was needed at that time? Could someone please point me to any accounts/analysis of this period. TIA.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by fanne »

OROP made it bad.The earlier pension scheme was anyway driving it there, OROP accelerated it.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by chetak »

fanne wrote:OROP made it bad.The earlier pension scheme was anyway driving it there, OROP accelerated it.
The Forces were the very last to get it. (OROP)

All the others had it much before.

look at pension bills in toto and across the board, not targeting any group in isolation.
Last edited by chetak on 19 Jun 2022 20:09, edited 1 time in total.
chetak
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by chetak »

Indian Army’s AAC will be sending pilot and ground staff to USA for training on Apache attack helicopters in batches by the end of this year as it will start getting the first attack helicopter from Boeing from next year onwards.
https://idrw.org/indian-army-to-start-p ... licopters/
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by mody »

Total waste of tax payer money. If IAF and IA both wanted the Apache (which itself is wrong), then the orders should have been placed together and the training etc. should have also happened together. Just look at the quantity of different types of Hellfire missiles bought by both the services. The inter service rivalry has cost us dear.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by chetak »

Image
souravB
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by souravB »

Great discussion on cooperation between IA & USArmy. Some nuggets of info was quite new & interesting.

chetak
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by chetak »

mody wrote:Total waste of tax payer money. If IAF and IA both wanted the Apache (which itself is wrong), then the orders should have been placed together and the training etc. should have also happened together. Just look at the quantity of different types of Hellfire missiles bought by both the services. The inter service rivalry has cost us dear.
there is a historic context to this rivalry.

Can't post details on an open forum.

Ask some IA old timer if you get the chance or have access.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Rakesh »

https://twitter.com/TheLegateIN/status/ ... QKsR3cHczw ---> All Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) deployed in Ladakh sector will have a regiment of ATGM armed AFVs in their ORBATs.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Pratyush »

Rakesh wrote: https://twitter.com/TheLegateIN/status/ ... QKsR3cHczw ---> All Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) deployed in Ladakh sector will have a regiment of ATGM armed AFVs in their ORBATs.
These could just be BMP2s. As they are missile firing as well.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by ks_sachin »

Pratyush wrote:
Rakesh wrote: https://twitter.com/TheLegateIN/status/ ... QKsR3cHczw ---> All Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) deployed in Ladakh sector will have a regiment of ATGM armed AFVs in their ORBATs.
These could just be BMP2s. As they are missile firing as well.
Pratyush-ji,

These will be BMPs as the IBG will have Mech Inf Bns owing to their role and structure.
Guess who is equipped with BMPs in IA - The Brigade of the Guards and the Mech Inf!
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Pratyush »

I had thought as much.

Thanks
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by putnanja »

Skylight: Army carries out drill to test resilience of satellite-based systems
...
The entire range of the army’s satellite communication assets were activated from July 25 to July 29 during the exercise codenamed Skylight, which was kept under wraps, said one of the officials cited above, who asked not to be named. The exercise came at a time when the army is closely analysing different aspects of the Russia-Ukriane war to derive communication technology-related lessons.

“We have to leverage space capabilities for supporting a variety of military operations. The northern borders with China are a primary area of concern because of the challenges related to topography,” he said.

“As complex aerospace technology has begun impacting military operations, and communications, in particular, it is important to build and refine technical competence in this field.”
...
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by ks_sachin »

Any know if 61st Cavalry has been reorganised as an Armoured Regiment as yet?

That was the recommendation in the Shekatkar Committee report, and the Army was progressing with this reorg.

Thanks
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Dilbu »

Indian Army begins process to do away with colonial practices; to review uniform, unit names
In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's directions, the Indian Army led by General Manoj Pande has initiated the process to do away with the colonial practices and names of the units and regiments in the force.

"Some of the legacies practices which require a review like customs and traditions from the colonial and pre-colonial era, army uniforms and accoutrement, regulations, laws, rules, policies, unit establishment, institutes of colonial past, English names of some units, renaming the name of buildings, establishments, roads, parks, an institution like Auchinleck or Kitchener House," an Army document said.
The list of items being reviewed includes the "pre-independence theatre/battle honours, awarded by British to quell the Indian states and freedom and affiliation with Commonwealth Graves Commission," Army officials said.

This includes practices like the grant of honorary Commissions and ceremonies like beating the retreat and the regimented system.

The names and Insignia in Unit, Crest of Colonial times, along with officers' mess procedures and traditions and customs would also be reviewed.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Anoop »

Rakesh
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Rakesh »

Please edit your post above and see how to embed youtube links into your post.

Any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. Thank You.
ramana
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by ramana »

Anoop use the
[youtube][/youtube]

xxxx is the alphanumeric identifier for the video to be inserted between the hashtags
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Anoop »

Will do, thanks Rakesh and Ramana. That interview had some nuggets about the Ladakh deployment- underground storage of ammo, garages for 450 tanks and 350 artillery guns and habitat for 35,000 troops have been completed. Road connectivity and tactical airlift infrastructure is being improved now.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Vips »

Indian Army boosting surveillance, fire power capability along frontier with China.

The Army has significantly bolstered its fire power along the frontier with China by deploying a range of rockets and artillery weapons and plans to
procure an array of additional systems, including 100 K9 Vajra howitzers and UAVs, to augment combat prowess.

The Artillery units of the Indian Army already deployed K-9 Vajra Tracked SelfPropelled Howitzers, ultra-light M-777 howitzers, Pinaka rocket systems and Dhanush gun systems.

Sources in the defence establishment said the Army plans to equip its Artillery units along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) with a range of up to 90 kms.

"We are looking at procuring UAVs having a range of 15-20 kms as well as those having capabilities to carry out surveillance at a range of up to 80kms having an endurance of four hours," said a source.

At present, almost all UAVs in the Army's inventory are being operated by the Army Aviation units.

The sources said the Army is set to procure a new batch of 100 more K9 Vajras howitzers, in addition to 100 such guns ordered in 2017.

"The Defence Acquisition Council has cleared the proposal for ordering 100 more K9 Vajras. The Request for Proposal (RFP) will be issued soon," the source said.

The K9 Vajras were originally procured for deployment in deserts, but following the eastern Ladakh standoff, the Army deployed a significant number of the howitzers in that high-altitude region.

The sources said minor adjustments were made for deployment of the tracked howitzers in eastern Ladakh.

"We are also procuring winterisation kits so the howitzers work in sub-zero temperature," the source said, adding the Vajra guns are roaring in high altitude area along Northern borders.

The sources said the Army is also in the process of procuring Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, commonly known as ATAGS, and Mounted Gun Systems (MGS).

They said induction of more advanced Pinaka weapon systems is in the offing, adding six more regiments of the systems are being procured and their delivery would commence soon.

The sources said the new Pinaka regiments will be equipped with electronically and mechanically improved weapon system capable of firing variety of ammunition over longer ranges.

One regiment of Pinaka has been inducted along Northern borders in high altitude area after extensive validation, they said, adding the defence ministry has already approved procurement of guided extended range rockets for Pinaka.

"The rocket would be capable of firing at longer ranges with significant accuracy," the source said.

The Army is also in the process of procuring 'Loitering Munition System' thereby augmenting its surveillance, target acquisition and precision strike capability.

"We are also in the process of procuring indigenously designed and developed Loitering Weapon System with enhanced strike capability," the source said.

On the indigenously developed Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), the sources said it is in advanced stages of trial. This gun system has many firsts to its credit -- 25-litre chamber, long range, as also rapid and sustained rates of fire.

The sources said the user trials on the gun systems have been satisfactorily conducted and that there are few procedural issues that are being taken care of. :roll:
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by wig »

Two Indian Army personnel dead after T-90 tank exploded during field firing exercise near Jhansi

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/2-soldi ... ome-ndtv_t
excerpts
Two Indian Army soldiers including a Junior Commissioned Officer or JCO died after a T-90 tank barrel exploded during the annual firing at Babina Field Firing Ranges in UP, Army officials said. The field firing exercise was held at the Babina Cantonment near Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi on Thursday.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by sivab »

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/defe ... tain-corps
India rolls out integrated battle group concept with mountain corps

The Indian Army has rolled out the integrated battle group (IBG) concept along the northeastern border with China in North Sikkim.

On October 9 the Trishakti Corps (33 Corps) of the Indian Army along with the troops of the Striking Lion Division (27th Mountain Division), and Century Brigade conducted an integrated tactical exercise at an altitude of 17,500 ft in North Sikkim.

A senior Indian Army official told Janes that the exercise was conducted as a part of the IBG concept.

“The Indian Army has transformed all the mountain corps and divisions into IBGs. So all the exercises conducted with mountain corps are a part of IBG training,” added the official.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by rahulm »



Col. Satish Vaidya (Retd), an accomplished Para Commando lead his brave men under very uncertain and tough conditions in the War Zone, Jaffna, Sri Lanka. This time with the help of a Radio Direction Finder they continuously monitor the radio signals and track a 'Most Wanted' terrorist of the LTTE. Story of how our troops zeroed-in on the location of the terrorist and finally captured him.

Col. Satish Vaidya (Retd), Para Commando - served in the Army for 21 years, mostly with Special Forces outfits. The active parts were two years plus with IPKF, six months in Nagaland/ Manipur. Two years with Training Centre NSG. Also with the Parachute Brigade and Special Group of SFF
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Vips »

Army to get drones for precision strikes.

Having deployed around 350 artillery systems and 'winterised' howitzers along the frontier during the continuing military confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh, the Army has now kicked off acquisition of a variety of drones and surveillance devices to more accurately direct long-range and high-volume firepower against enemy targets.

The RFPs (request for proposal) for the indigenous procurement of 80 mini remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), 10 runway-independent RPAS, 44 upgraded long-range surveillance systems and 106 inertial navigation systems will be issued within the next few days. The existing much larger unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), like the Israeli-origin Herons and Searcher-IIs, are being used for strategic surveillance by the Army Aviation wing.

"The new smaller RPAS, with an operational range from 15-20-km to 60-90-km, in turn, are needed by artillery units for tactical over-the-hill surveillance in high-altitude areas. If they perform well, the Army will go in for larger numbers," a source said. These RPAS are different from the loitering munitions or kamikaze drones and the autonomous surveillance and armed drone swarms (A-SADS) also being procured by the 12-lakh strong

Army chief General Manoj Pande recently said "a significant level" of border infrastructure has been developed in the forward areas of eastern Ladakh over the last two years, which included habitats for 35,000 troops as well as garages for 450 tanks and other armoured vehicles, and 350 artillery systems and howitzers.

The artillery systems deployed in the 30-month standoff range from old 105mm field guns and Bofors howitzers and the 'upgunned' Dhanush and Sharang guns to the new M-777 ultra-light howitzers and K-9 Vajra self-propelled tracked guns. They also include the indigenous Pinaka multi-launch rocket systems as well as similar Russian-origin Smerch and Grad units.

While the artillery guns have strike ranges from 30 to 40-km, the rockets can go up to 90-km. "The new RPAS with day-and-night capability are consequently needed by forward observation posts to look deeper and then direct, correct and analyse artillery fire. An indigenous LORROS (long range reconnaissance and observation system) is also about to begin trials... the existing Israeli Lorros were inducted two decades ago," the source said.

The Army said the new man-portable mini-RPAS, with an all-up weight of 15-kg, should have a mission range of not less than 15-km and at least 90 minutes of operational endurance. The runway-independent RPAS, in turn, should be capable of vertical take-off and landing at an altitude of 13,000-feet with a minimum four-hour endurance. "With electro-optical payloads, the RPAS should be ideal for a dynamic sensor-shooter linkage, reducing fixed-wing launch and recovery challenges," the source said.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by rohitvats »

Prasad wrote:I've read almost everywhere that artillery came into the picture later on during Kargil war. Is that due to an under-appreciation of the threat itself or because we didn't have enough artillery to go around or that the Kargil-Dras sector wasn't seen as a place where artillery was needed at that time? Could someone please point me to any accounts/analysis of this period. TIA.
In the Indian Army, artillery is held at three levels.

(1) Each infantry division has an artillery brigade which has 4-5 artillery regiments of different caliber depending on operational requirement and terrain. In most cases, its a mix of 105mm IFG (Field Regiment), 130mm M-46 (Medium Regiment) and 120mm Mortars (Light Regiment).

(2) We've 3 x Artillery Divisions @ 1 per Strike Corps. This is in addition to artillery held by their constituent Infantry or Armored or RAPID Divisions.

(3) Some Corps have independent artillery brigades reporting directly to them. This is also in addition to organic artillery with divisions under the Corps.

- In case of Kargil, initially the artillery brigade of 3 Infantry Division was used. But this division also had the additional responsibility of managing the Chinese in Eastern Ladakh, so some of its assets were used in Kargil (both infantry and artillery)

- When 8 Mountain Division moved to Kargil to execute the war, it brought with it its own artillery brigade.

- Subsequently, when India decided not to push across LOC to bypass the intruders sitting at the top, additional artillery regiments from other formations were milked and moved to Kargil.

- This included the venerable Bofors gun as well.

- In all, the army pushed 20 artillery regiments covering multiple calibers (105mm, 130mm, 155mm, 120mm mortars and even 160mm heavy mortars)

- So, a single reinforced mountain division (8 Mountain Division) was controlling more artillery assets than a Corps (which has 3 x divisions generally).

- We even used 212 Rocket Regiment (with Russian BM-21 GRAD); Pinaka was also trialed during this conflict and hence, at placed you'll see that Pinaka's induction is shown to be 1999.

- M-46 (130mm) gun was made for plains of Europe and hence, its max elevation is only 45 degree. But in mountains, you need higher angle to clear the mountain ridge or crest.

- This is where Bofors (70 degree) and Indian Field Gun (73 degree) were very important.

Hope this helps.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by sanjaykumar »

So, how many tubes in all were employed?

How would India do it differently today?
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by nachiket »

sanjaykumar wrote: How would India do it differently today?
Well I would hope we wouldn't get surprised by the incursions today as we did back then and avoid the situation altogether. But if not, I hope we would choose to call the paki nuclear bluff and cross the LoC to cut off their supply routes, instead of sending our men to ascend steep slopes under machine gun fire.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by rohitvats »

sanjaykumar wrote:So, how many tubes in all were employed? How would India do it differently today?
- Between 300-350 guns of various caliber.
- And I hope we don't reach a similar situation in 2022 or ever.
- But if we do find ourselves in a set-piece battle like this, we will most likely be hitting Pakistan/adversary in depth to take out their command & control and logistic set-up.
- Further, 155/39, 155/45 or 155/52 will be the standard caliber.
- This means more range and weight of each shell will be much heavier.
- A 105mm shell weights ~17kg while 155mm caliber shell is ~45kg.
- So, for same number of shells fired across all platforms in Kargil (250,000), the throw-put and consequent destructive power will be an order of magnitude much higher.
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by sanjaykumar »

It seems to be an ideal scenario for kamikaze drones.

Do small expendable drones fly those altitudes? Of course they would be launched at base camp height, or perhaps even released from helicopters.

Drones may be another RMA after all.
sanjaykumar
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by sanjaykumar »

I believe any ingress in Kashmir should mean India occupies 5000 square km in Sind. And it never vacates it, regardless of success in Kashmir.
Kersi
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Kersi »

rohitvats wrote:
Prasad wrote:I've read almost everywhere that artillery came into the picture later on during Kargil war. Is that due to an under-appreciation of the threat itself or because we didn't have enough artillery to go around or that the Kargil-Dras sector wasn't seen as a place where artillery was needed at that time? Could someone please point me to any accounts/analysis of this period. TIA.
In the Indian Army, artillery is held at three levels.


- This is where Bofors (70 degree) and Indian Field Gun (73 degree) were very important.

Hope this helps.
Very Informative
Ashokk
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Ashokk »

Army now launches hunt for drones for Para-Special Forces
NEW DELHI: Launching yet another acquisition project for drones, the Army is now looking to induct 750 mini remotely-piloted aerial vehicles (RPAVs) for the elite Para-Special Forces to execute covert missions behind enemy lines.
“The current volatile situation along the northern borders with China warrants expeditious procurement of RPAVs,” the Army said on Tuesday. The man portable RPAVs, each weighing less than 2-kg with an endurance of 30 minutes, will be acquired through the fast-track procedure under emergency procurements in the “Buy (Indian)” category.
“The RPAVs will be force-multipliers as potent situational awareness devices to provide day-and-night surveillance, along with the ability to scan the target area and provide a processed 3D scanned image of the target to execute special missions,” an officer said.
The drones, with day-and-night thermal cameras and capable of vertical take-off and landing, will enable the Para-Special Forces to “execute pin point precision strikes during direct action tasks such as raids, elimination of high-value targets, command and control elements, including enemy leadership”, the officer added.
Drawing lessons from recent conflicts ranging from Armenia-Azerbaijan to Russia-Ukraine amidst the continuing military confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh, the 12-lakh strong Army has kicked off several acquisition projects for different kinds of drones over the last two months, as was reported by TOI earlier.
They include kamikaze drones, armed drone swarms, logistics drones, surveillance quadcopters for infantry battalions and the like. For artillery regiments, the Army is going in for indigenous procurement of 80 mini remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), 10 runway-independent RPAS, 44 upgraded long-range surveillance systems and 106 inertial navigation systems to better direct long-range and high-volume firepower at enemy targets.
Then, apart from the ongoing induction of the first batch of `loitering munitions’ or kamikaze drones, the Army also wants to buy 12 sets of autonomous surveillance and armed drone swarms (A-SADS), each with 50-75 artificial intelligence-enabled aerial vehicles capable of communicating with control stations as well as among themselves.
While seven of these sets are meant for high-altitude areas with China, the other five drone swarms are for operations in desert areas and plains along the borders with Pakistan, as reported by TOI earlier.
ks_sachin
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by ks_sachin »

Happy Infantry Day all.

[youtube] https://youtu.be/Dc24OxYf5d4[/youtube]
Manish_P
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by Manish_P »

ks_sachin wrote:Happy Infantry Day all.

True salt of the earth. Unglamorous and often overlooked. But absolutely indispensable.
rohitvats
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Re: Indian Army News & Discussion - 23 March 2021

Post by rohitvats »

Rakesh wrote:https://twitter.com/TheLegateIN/status/ ... QKsR3cHczw ---> All Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) deployed in Ladakh sector will have a regiment of ATGM armed AFVs in their ORBATs.
- The main import of this news is that we will have mechanized infantry integral to all IBGs in Ladakh (each BMP-2 can fire a Konkurs-M ATGM)
- Which provides IBG commander with some offensive and good defensive capability.
- You could have a structure where standard IBG in Eastern Ladakh has 1 x Mechanized Infantry Regiment + 2 x Motorized Infantry Regiments.
- More offensive ones might have 2 x Mechanized Infantry Regiments + 1 x Armored Regiment (or reverse of this combination).
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