Philip wrote:Q.Why buy the Javelin if desi Nag has been a success,that too under FMS whose terms have been described by the CNS as being "heavily skewed" in favour of the manufacturer? We're told that even Milans are being upgraded/modernised so why buy a "third",sorry 4th ATGM as we've also got Russian ATGMs too? It appears that in order to prevent US weapon systems from losing out to other competitors in tenders,the GOI in its attempts to bow and scrape to Uncle Sam is resorting to this controversiail method.
Well, Philips, you really do stretch the logic and reasoning to the point of incredulity. Allow me to point an alternate POV:
(a) It was the COAS who pointed to the FMS and how the aggrement was structured. So, problem is with the structuring of the agreement with the vendor and not FMS per se. FMS is simply a channel and not an agreement in itself. Similar to how the Russians took the IA for ride with Smerch because the agreement was structured in a lopsided manner. I hope you will remember this before you cry conspiracy every time FMS deal is signed.
(b) Milan - IA was forced, repeat forced, to place order for Milan-2T by the BDL. It did not want any part of the Milan-2T deal - the weapon system was found to be short of the GSQR - which was diluted by MOD to get IA to purchase Milan-2T. The CAG Report mentions this in detail.
(c) Care to point out which Russian 3rd Gen F&F man-portable ATGM we're talking about here? Please share an example of such a system which IA could have purchased. Also, present Russian ATGM in IA armory are for BMP-X....we don't use manportable Russian versions....and even these are old and will come up for replacement once the new FICV start enetering the scene.
I really hope you stop looking everything from a conspirary angle.