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A meeting of Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), held on January 10, 2023 under the chairmanship of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for three capital acquisition proposals, amounting to Rs 4,276 crore. All the three proposals - two of the Indian Army and one of the Indian Navy - are under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category.
The DAC accorded AoN for procurement of HELINA Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, launchers and associated support equipment which will be integrated to the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). This missile is an essential part of weaponisation of ALH for countering enemy threat. Its induction will strengthen the offensive capability of Indian Army.
The DAC also accorded AoN for procurement of VSHORAD (IR Homing) missile system under design and development by DRDO. In view of the recent developments along the Northern borders there is a need to focus on effective Air Defence (AD) weapon systems which are man portable and can be deployed quickly in rugged terrain and maritime domain. Procurement of VSHORAD, as a robust and quickly deployable system, will strengthen the Air Defence capabilities.
Further, the DAC granted approval for procurement of Brahmos Launcher and Fire Control System (FCS) for the Shivalik class of ships & Next Generation Missile Vessels (NGMVs) for Indian Navy. With their induction, these ships would have enhanced capability of carrying out maritime strike operations, interdicting and destroying enemy’s warships and merchant vessels.
Two great W's for DRDO here.Good job.
Heart wants a A2A version of the VSHORADS to replace the Mistral A2A missiles now.
AoM to acquisition is a long process; many years. Helinas on dhruv n lch r required yesterday. I hope we will see the aon to order timeframe shortened here.
Great news! Hope this and the other AONs signed recently get expedited, considering the LAC temperature.
Its also confirmation that IIR MANPAD is progressing well. Hope it gets inducted fast & it will also help the short-range A2A version of Astra. Hope this kills the Igla purchase
MANPATGM induction should also be accelerated. The 2 man-portable missiles will have much commonality and the programs can feed each other (ejection motor, launch tube, IIR seeker, dual-thrust main motor etc). In fact, the similar weight seems to indicate that the 2 programs do indeed share a lot of components
Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but still utterly mystifying why no HELINA-LCH announcement; hopefully that's close behind.
Is there a technical gap or difference in terms of ALH-WSI <----> HELINA integration vs. that of LCH ? (Different FCRs or acquisition systems?)
Just a matter of time I think, don't foresee any issues wrt Prachand, I actually think once trials with HeliNa/Prachandaastra starts, it will be done a lot quicker.
But I suppose if the Army/VayuSena wants some distance then Prachand might just skip the HeliNa and get a SANT.
Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but still utterly mystifying why no HELINA-LCH announcement; hopefully that's close behind.
Is there a technical gap or difference in terms of ALH-WSI <----> HELINA integration vs. that of LCH ? (Different FCRs or acquisition systems?)
Because perhaps the fact that there are 100 odd WSI ALH's while there is only one SQ worth of LCH.
At 100+ Rudra gunships alone, even 10 missiles per gunship requires a production of 1,000+ missiles (RohitVats)
Rudra was already qualified with the Helina last year according to RohitVats. This integration is likely just getting all the WSI ALH with the associated upgrades to mount and fire the missile.
there are 100 WSI dhruv, with trained crew (at least 5-10 years of average training) and depot level maintenance vs less than 10 POC LCH delivered so far. It makes imminent sense that Helina will go to WSI dhruv first.
fanne wrote:there are 100 WSI dhruv, with trained crew (at least 5-10 years of average training) and depot level maintenance vs less than 10 POC LCH delivered so far. It makes imminent sense that Helina will go to WSI dhruv first.
That only explains why the first orders might go to Rudra squadrons. It does not explain why the Helina integration and test-firing from the LCH is not complete. The two processes are independent.
Beats me. With the 1st LCH squadron being raised and deployed close to the LAC, one would think that Helina integration would be a top-priority (in parallel to the ALH-Helina order). With so much commonality between ALH and LCH, I wonder where the delay in certification is
Hope the news about Helina becoming LCH certified in 2023 comes true and we see orders this year
Why are we 2nd guessing about integration of LCH with HELINA. The PIB release actually says that HELINA induction is for LCH!
How much difference do you think there will be between FCS of Rudra and LCH considering they're from the same stable and the latter builds-on from the first?
So, take a chill-pill. Before you know, LCH will be flying with HELINA.
The DAC accorded AoN for procurement of HELINA Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, launchers and associated support equipment which will be integrated to the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH). This missile is an essential part of weaponisation of ALH for countering enemy threat. Its induction will strengthen the offensive capability of Indian Army.
But if Helina is inducted and integrated with ALH Dhruv Rudra and being in production wouldn't it make it easier to have the in production missile integrated with LCH. Producing Helina is the positive here. The tests have been conducted from Dhruv Rudra so it is a ready to fit. LCH is probably undergoing testing with the Helina.
Anyone knows if DRDO is working on something like a APKWS, we already have hundreds of S-8 launchers from the Rana/Pratap, if we can make guided but not very expensive 80mm rockets then the current fleet of V5s will have very good precision fire capabilities.
(There were unverified reports of VayuSena acquiring Spike NLOS for the V5s which if true means stand off pgm but these cost more and may be in limited numbers)
Fairly sure that LCH-Helina tests are going on. But surprised at the lackadaisical attitude when it comes to the speed of integration & the paltry induction of LCH
LCH was one of the lessons learnt from Kargil, the others being timely intel, artillery etc. To show such tardiness in its induction does not reflect well on the IA leadership. You can be caught flat-footed once, but to not implement the lessons learnt, even after 20+ years, is just gravely wrong.
ALH WSI is not a replacement for LCH. The latter is designed from the ground up for survivability & attack role. It is more stealthy, can take more punishment and carry more ordnance.
My take ...
just like P2 test, the PIB release is economical with the truth. Common sense says LCH integration going on ....only roadblock would be, any chandigarh lobby wala is stalling it for Sp***. But we are also making non LOS version of this missile. So who knows. The day Non LOS SANT/NAG completes moon and mars test you can be 100% sure of it in LCH
In order to adress the big chasm in capability between the Indian navy and the PLA Navy (PLAN), the Defence Reseach and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been given permission to develop an indigenous anti-ship missile.
India today (27 January) tested the Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) from Kalaam Island off the coast of Odisha.
Th HSTDV was tested for the first time by the Defence Research and Development Organisation in 2019.
It is an unmanned aircraft built for flying at hypersonic speed (five times greater than that of sound).
Former DRDO Chief V K Saraswat, in 2008, said that the aim of the HSTDV project was to demonstrate the “performance of a scram-jet engine at an altitude of 15 km to 20 km.” With the scram-jet engine, the HSTDV can travel at Mach 6 (7408.8 km/h).
“Under this project, we are developing a hypersonic vehicle that will be powered by a scram-jet engine,” he said back then.
A scramjet engine (supersonic-combustion ramjet) is one which can operate at hypersonic speeds.
Like a normal ramjet engine, a scramjet, one, carries the fuel in the aircraft but uses atmospheric air for the oxidiser; and two, uses its high speed to compress the incoming air forcefully before it enters the combustion chamber.
However, while a ramjet decelerates the air to subsonic velocities (speeds less than that of sound) before combustion, the airflow in a scramjet is supersonic throughout.
The engine, therefore, only starts after the vehicle reaching a certain velocity. This velocity is achieved by other means of propulsion like a rocket engine.
Unlike a rocket engine, which carried both the fuel and the oxidiser with itself, the scramjet carries only fuel. So it can only operate at suborbital atmosphere when oxygen is present in sufficient amounts.
Using the technologies validated through the HSTDV test, India can develop hypersonic missiles in the future.
I understand there is a NOTAM form 8th to 10th February, for some 250 kms, from Abdul Kalam island.
The suspect is Astra Mk II or Astra Mk III
Some more details form our nwo-very-famous paanwalas and chaiwalas.
Nagpur: The Nagpur-based Solar Industries Limited, one of the manufacturers and suppliers of defence
equipment, faced a cyber attack and now the company’s sensitive data is online for sale, according to
reports.
While there is no official word from the firm, Solar Industries India Limited, the breach was confirmed
by a researcher at Bengaluru-based cybersecurity firm CloudSEK which keeps an eye on cybersecurity
incidents.
According to reports, a hackers group, BlackCat or ALPHV, launched a ransomware attack on Solar
Industries Limited (SIL). Classified information like drawings, engineering specifications and audits of
Pinaka rockets, Brahmos, Akash, several warheads, mines, bombs and other sensitive defence products
have ended up on the darknet for the highest bidders to buy. The hackers claim to have stolen 2TB
data from the company’s server at Nagpur.
Though an offence was registered and agencies started acting on war footing, some of the material has
appeared for sale on the darknet.
Unconfirmed reports said records from cameras, office backups, audit reports of flaws and
vulnerabilities were also compromised. Even detailed information about armament supply chains to
various sources was stolen. The personal information about employees and management of the
company too was laid bare.
An offence was registered at the city Cyber police station, invoking sections of extortion under the
Indian Penal Code (IPC). The case is now set to be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation
(CBI).
After the matter came to fore, senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, Home Affairs, and intelligence
agencies assembled in Nagpur and are monitoring the case now. The company officials learnt about the
hacking on January 21 on receiving threats that the data would be sold. The security agencies were
immediately alerted.
According to reports, after the monetary negotiations with the hackers failed, the hacker group
immediately flashed the most sensitive stolen data on the dark web, inviting bidding ‘within 24 hours’
and asked interested persons to approach them through TOR.
SIL started as a manufacturer of explosives for the mining industry. Over the last 10 years, it has
diversified into making defence explosives also and emerged as the leading private player in making
ammunition. The defence business is undertaken through its fully owned subsidiary.
Lately, Solar supplied boosters for Brahmos missiles and also the PSLV, and has also developed a
satellite, Vikram I, in association with Hyderabad’s Skyroot Aerospace, in which the group has a stake.
This is said to be the biggest ever project outside ISRO.
Classified information like drawings, engineering specifications and audits of
Pinaka rockets, Brahmos, Akash, several warheads, mines, bombs and other sensitive defence products
have ended up on the darknet for the highest bidders to buy.
Kersi wrote:I understand there is a NOTAM form 8th to 10th February, for some 250 kms, from Abdul Kalam island.
The suspect is Astra Mk II or Astra Mk III
Some more details form our nwo-very-famous paanwalas and chaiwalas.
Whilst my paanwaalah didn't have information on the 8th-10th NOTAM, he did tell me that NoFear has undergone some more fine tuning. Improved Waypoint navigation in closed loop, actuators have been changed and the MTFE will be powering it. Expecting testing soon...very soon.