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Indian Army -- News Folder -- August 2003
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Re: Indian Army -- News Folder -- August 2003
India orders Smerch rockets
(Jane's Missiles and Rockets, 1 September 2003)
India has announced the order of 36 300mm 9A52-2 Smerch-M long-range multiple rocket launchers (MRLs) from Russia, writes David C Isby. The deal is reported to be worth US$450 million. The Smerch-M uses the MAZ-543-A1 heavy truck chassis. The Indian order also includes an equivalent number of 9T234-2 transloader vehicles, using the same basic chassis. The Smerch system, uses two families of rocket - the 70km-range 9M55K and the 90km-range of 9M525. Both families of rockets include rockets with unitary and submunitions (mines, unguided and dual-colour IR guided) warheads.
Indian interest in the Smerch has been increased by the problems with the indigenous Pinaka 30km-range MRL. A weapon whose performance was found to be deficient during the 1999 Kargil fighting. The Smerch was evaluated in India, including tests at the Balsore missile testing range and testing in high-altitude cold and hot weather conditions (see JMR January 2003, p5). India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is currently testing a proposed upgrade to the Pinaka that is likely to be ordered into production in the near future.
Igla-S 'sting' was international joint-op
The disruption of an attempt to smuggle shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles into the US is the first visible result of growing co-operation between nations to control the proliferation of man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), and to keep such weapons out of the hands of terrorist organisations, writes Doug Richardson. Following the arrest of alleged British arms dealer Hemant Lakhani, and two other individuals, US Attorney General John Ashcroft said the investigation had involved law enforcement authorities in the Russian Federation, who infiltrated Lakhani's pipeline to a weapons supplier.
"This was deadly serious business," said US Attorney Christopher J Christie of the District in New Jersey who is responsible for prosecuting the case. "Without the very effective intervention of the FBI - Newark, the Joint Terrorism Task Force composed of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners and the indispensable help of the Russian FSB [Federal Security Service], Lakhani might well have paved the way for others to do unimaginable damage." Contact between Lakhani and an FBI informant who was posing as a representative of a Somali terrorist organisation began in December 2001, says the FBI. Most of their conversations were spoken in Urdu or Hindi...
The KB Mashinostroeniya (KBM) 9M342 Igla-S is an improved version of the 9K38 Igla-N (SA-18 'Grouse'), which in turn is an improved version of the baseline Igla design. It completed state trials in December 2001 and was accepted by the Russian armed forces in July 2002. Series production started in the spring of 2003. A total of 530 were due to be produced for export by the end of this year. Early customers are reported to be Malaysia and India. Igla-S retains the heavier 3.5kg warhead introduced by the Igla-N. Developed by the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre (VNIIEF) at Satarov, and it is about 1.5 times the weight and twice the power of the version used on earlier Strela/Igla series missiles. While earlier Russian MANPADS used contact fuzing, the Igla-S introduced a laser proximity fuze that can detonate the warhead at miss distances of up to 1.5m. The seeker of the weapon was developed by LOMO, and KBM says it has a "high resistance to background clutter and thermal countermeasures". According to KBM, Igla-S has twice the effectiveness of earlier Igla variants when fired against jet fighters and three times the effectiveness against helicopters (see JMR June 2002, p1, and August 2002, p4).
(Jane's Missiles and Rockets, 1 September 2003)
India has announced the order of 36 300mm 9A52-2 Smerch-M long-range multiple rocket launchers (MRLs) from Russia, writes David C Isby. The deal is reported to be worth US$450 million. The Smerch-M uses the MAZ-543-A1 heavy truck chassis. The Indian order also includes an equivalent number of 9T234-2 transloader vehicles, using the same basic chassis. The Smerch system, uses two families of rocket - the 70km-range 9M55K and the 90km-range of 9M525. Both families of rockets include rockets with unitary and submunitions (mines, unguided and dual-colour IR guided) warheads.
Indian interest in the Smerch has been increased by the problems with the indigenous Pinaka 30km-range MRL. A weapon whose performance was found to be deficient during the 1999 Kargil fighting. The Smerch was evaluated in India, including tests at the Balsore missile testing range and testing in high-altitude cold and hot weather conditions (see JMR January 2003, p5). India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is currently testing a proposed upgrade to the Pinaka that is likely to be ordered into production in the near future.
Igla-S 'sting' was international joint-op
The disruption of an attempt to smuggle shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles into the US is the first visible result of growing co-operation between nations to control the proliferation of man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS), and to keep such weapons out of the hands of terrorist organisations, writes Doug Richardson. Following the arrest of alleged British arms dealer Hemant Lakhani, and two other individuals, US Attorney General John Ashcroft said the investigation had involved law enforcement authorities in the Russian Federation, who infiltrated Lakhani's pipeline to a weapons supplier.
"This was deadly serious business," said US Attorney Christopher J Christie of the District in New Jersey who is responsible for prosecuting the case. "Without the very effective intervention of the FBI - Newark, the Joint Terrorism Task Force composed of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners and the indispensable help of the Russian FSB [Federal Security Service], Lakhani might well have paved the way for others to do unimaginable damage." Contact between Lakhani and an FBI informant who was posing as a representative of a Somali terrorist organisation began in December 2001, says the FBI. Most of their conversations were spoken in Urdu or Hindi...
The KB Mashinostroeniya (KBM) 9M342 Igla-S is an improved version of the 9K38 Igla-N (SA-18 'Grouse'), which in turn is an improved version of the baseline Igla design. It completed state trials in December 2001 and was accepted by the Russian armed forces in July 2002. Series production started in the spring of 2003. A total of 530 were due to be produced for export by the end of this year. Early customers are reported to be Malaysia and India. Igla-S retains the heavier 3.5kg warhead introduced by the Igla-N. Developed by the Russian Federal Nuclear Centre (VNIIEF) at Satarov, and it is about 1.5 times the weight and twice the power of the version used on earlier Strela/Igla series missiles. While earlier Russian MANPADS used contact fuzing, the Igla-S introduced a laser proximity fuze that can detonate the warhead at miss distances of up to 1.5m. The seeker of the weapon was developed by LOMO, and KBM says it has a "high resistance to background clutter and thermal countermeasures". According to KBM, Igla-S has twice the effectiveness of earlier Igla variants when fired against jet fighters and three times the effectiveness against helicopters (see JMR June 2002, p1, and August 2002, p4).
Re: Indian Army -- News Folder -- August 2003
India develops 81mm self-propelled mortar
(Jane's Defence Weekly, 27 August 2003)
India has developed a new 81mm Carrier Mortar Tracked Vehicle (CMTV) based on the chassis of the Sarath infantry combat vehicle (ICV). The turret has been removed and modified for its new role. The 81mm mortar is mounted at the back of the hull and fires through a two-part roof hatch that opens left and right. The 81mm CMTV was developed under the direction of the India Ordnance Factory (IOF) in Medak to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Army to provide indirect-fire support for its mechanised infantry. IOF Medak has been building the Russian BMP-2 ICV for many years under the local name of Sarath; and more than 1,000 have been built since 1987.
The first prototype of the 81mm CMTV was completed in 1997 and, following trials, was accepted for service by the Indian Army. First production vehicles were completed in 2000 and more than 100 vehicles have been delivered, according to the IOF. The 81mm mortar has a traverse of 24º left and right with elevation from +40º to + 85º. A total of 108 81mm mortar bombs and associated propelling charges are carried. A mortar baseplate is carried externally that allows the mortar to be dismounted and deployed away from the vehicle if required. A 7.62mm machine gun for local and air-defence purposes is mounted on the forward part of the hull and about 2,350 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition are carried. In addition to the crew's small arms, an 84mm Carl Gustaf anti-tank weapon is carried plus 12 rounds of ammunition. Since the vehicle is designed for operations in high ambient temperatures, 320 litres of drinking water are also carried.
The vehicle is operated by a crew of six, including the driver and commander, and has a combat weight of 14.3 tonnes with a power-to-weight ratio of 21hp/t. It is fully amphibious and is propelled in the water by its tracks at a maximum speed of 7km/h. The 81mm CMTV is the latest in a long line of Sarath variants developed by the IOF for the Indian Army. Earlier models include an ambulance, armoured dozer, and engineer and reconnaissance vehicles. Stretched and modified versions of the Sarath chassis have been developed for a number of missile applications, including mounting the Nag anti-tank guided weapon and the Akash and Trishul surface-to-air missile systems.
(Jane's Defence Weekly, 27 August 2003)
India has developed a new 81mm Carrier Mortar Tracked Vehicle (CMTV) based on the chassis of the Sarath infantry combat vehicle (ICV). The turret has been removed and modified for its new role. The 81mm mortar is mounted at the back of the hull and fires through a two-part roof hatch that opens left and right. The 81mm CMTV was developed under the direction of the India Ordnance Factory (IOF) in Medak to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Army to provide indirect-fire support for its mechanised infantry. IOF Medak has been building the Russian BMP-2 ICV for many years under the local name of Sarath; and more than 1,000 have been built since 1987.
The first prototype of the 81mm CMTV was completed in 1997 and, following trials, was accepted for service by the Indian Army. First production vehicles were completed in 2000 and more than 100 vehicles have been delivered, according to the IOF. The 81mm mortar has a traverse of 24º left and right with elevation from +40º to + 85º. A total of 108 81mm mortar bombs and associated propelling charges are carried. A mortar baseplate is carried externally that allows the mortar to be dismounted and deployed away from the vehicle if required. A 7.62mm machine gun for local and air-defence purposes is mounted on the forward part of the hull and about 2,350 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition are carried. In addition to the crew's small arms, an 84mm Carl Gustaf anti-tank weapon is carried plus 12 rounds of ammunition. Since the vehicle is designed for operations in high ambient temperatures, 320 litres of drinking water are also carried.
The vehicle is operated by a crew of six, including the driver and commander, and has a combat weight of 14.3 tonnes with a power-to-weight ratio of 21hp/t. It is fully amphibious and is propelled in the water by its tracks at a maximum speed of 7km/h. The 81mm CMTV is the latest in a long line of Sarath variants developed by the IOF for the Indian Army. Earlier models include an ambulance, armoured dozer, and engineer and reconnaissance vehicles. Stretched and modified versions of the Sarath chassis have been developed for a number of missile applications, including mounting the Nag anti-tank guided weapon and the Akash and Trishul surface-to-air missile systems.
Re: Indian Army -- News Folder -- August 2003
Ashok Leyland, Telco to vie for defence orders :
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=151906
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=151906