Not to take the focus away from the discussion, but here is a chance sighting of IA armour on the move:
Udupi: Is This Army Artillery Heading Towards War Zone?
Pics: Durga Digitals
Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (RD)
Udupi, Feb 25: The Indian armed force tankersthat were located at Seabird (INS Kadamba), Asia’s largest naval base in Karwar in Uttara Karnataka were transported by railway wagons to Secundarabad, through Mangalore recently.
Complete article with some more pictures and details is here:
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=57195
PS: It would be better to ignore some of the comments posted at the bottom of that news item, IMHO!
Well Baljeet, I am not too sure about that. How else will the forces move whole tank regiments and divisions around? I guess the movement of a whole regiment and its support vehicles is going to be hard to conceal, no matter what kind of intelligence agencies/secrecy you employ.Baljeet wrote:Manish
That is some great work. If some commercial site can find this information. What says, Pakis don't have this information. It is time for our CI agencies to make sure this doesn't happen again. What are they doing, sitting on their thumbs up their A$$.
INS Chetlat and INS Carnicobar were commissioned into the Indian Navy at Chennai on February 16, 2009.The Water Jets of these ships are coupled with latest generation MTU 16V 4000 M90 engines with a combined propulsion power of 8160KW. The modified Aluminum superstructure of the vessels, reduces their Radar Cross Sections (RCS) and also provides improved habitability. A Reverse Osmosis (RO) Plants allow for fresh water generation increasing vessel endurance while the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) complies with the latest International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulations on sea pollution.
The armament includes the 30mm CRN-91 Gun along with sensors manufactured by Ordnance Factory, Medak. The ships are equipped with IGLA missiles, SLRs, HMGs and LMG/MMG in their armament fit. These features are an up-dation over ships of the previous class and the current version of design is comparable with similar ships, built across the world
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) personnel patrol a stretch of the India-Bangladesh border on the outskirts of Agartala, capital of India's northeastern state of Tripura, February 25, 2009. Mutinous members of a Bangladesh paramilitary unit agreed to lay down their arms and accept an amnesty offered by the government, one of their officers said, after fighting over a pay dispute killed at least five people on Wednesday.
. Nice. But also we can note that one of the men is carrying an SLR - looks like the conversion to INSAS is still not complete. Understandable considering the huge number of SLRs BSF must have had. But let us hope it gets done soon, as it would definitely contribute to simplifying BSF's logistics chain by eliminating the 7.62x51 round from the list - well, assuming the Bren/FN MAG etc are also not going to be around!I don't know if it's standard practice to carry ammo during transit, but the tanks do carry fuel. You see the tanks have to get on to the flatcars on their own power. There is no jig or crane to lift and place them there. The tanks have to line up along the military siding and then drive up on to the flatcar guided by a person in front. Tank loading is a laborious process with near zero room for error. The tanks have to be driven up straight to be able to sit on the flatcar. Any deviation and the tank could fall off.VijayV wrote:Long back (forgot when) I saw a DD news that at Jammu a T72 was burning on Railway transport rack. The news reader was saying that Ammo cought fire. Do we transport with ammo and fuel loaded tanks.
Its very unlikely that ammo is carried with Tanks. As ChandraS said the fire could be due to diesel these tanks carry.ChandraS wrote:I don't know if it's standard practice to carry ammo during transit, but the tanks do carry fuel. You see the tanks have to get on to the flatcars on their own power. There is no jig or crane to lift and place them there. The tanks have to line up along the military siding and then drive up on to the flatcar guided by a person in front. Tank loading is a laborious process with near zero room for error. The tanks have to be driven up straight to be able to sit on the flatcar. Any deviation and the tank could fall off.VijayV wrote:Long back (forgot when) I saw a DD news that at Jammu a T72 was burning on Railway transport rack. The news reader was saying that Ammo cought fire. Do we transport with ammo and fuel loaded tanks.
Shyamd I have a newbie question about your second picture:shyamd wrote:2 days ago: India's Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers patrol with a sniffer dog along a fenced boundary with Bangladesh at Fullbari village on the outskirts of the eastern Indian city of Siliguri February 26, 2009. Indian border guards are on a high alert along the Bangladesh border after a mutiny broke out in the paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) over pay.
A possible reason could be its continued use as being adaptable to lob rifle grenades (ref a pic on the previous page), something that is still either under development for the INSAS family, or is being inducted into the army units before being given to other paramilitaries. JMTsmanish wrote:^^^
Good ones shyamd, nice to see the increasing adaptation of the new BSF camo scheme. Thanks for posting.
Edit:
In the second picture I see what I think is an INSAS LMG(3rd soldier on the column closest to the fence) as well
U.S., India strengthen partnership
Lt. Col. Casey Eaton explains the capabilities of the C-17 Globemaster III to Indian air force wing commanders Anup Kumar Dutta, KV Surendran Nair and SK Vidhate during their Feb. 25 visit to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. Members of the 613th Air and Space Operations Center at Hickam AFB hosted the visit Feb. 23 through 27, during which the Indian air force officers learned how the United States commands and controls airpower in the Pacific through the 613th AOC. Five 613th AOC members will visit India March 9 through 13 for a similar orientation, as part of a subject-matter expert exchange with the Indian air force. Colonel Eaton is the 535th Airlift Squadron commander.(U.S. Air Force photo/Oscar Hernandez)
U.S., India strengthen partnership
Indian air force Wg. Cdr. SK Vidhate sits in the cockpit of a C-17 Globemaster III while visiting with the 535th Airlift Squadron Feb. 25 at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. Members of the 613th Air and Space Operations Center at Hickam AFB hosted the visit Feb. 23 through 27, during which Indian air force officers learned how the United States commands and controls airpower in the Pacific through the 613th AOC. (U.S. Air Force photo/Oscar Hernandez)
kancha wrote:A possible reason could be its continued use as being adaptable to lob rifle grenades (ref a pic on the previous page), something that is still either under development for the INSAS family, or is being inducted into the army units before being given to other paramilitaries. JMTsmanish wrote:^^^
Good ones shyamd, nice to see the increasing adaptation of the new BSF camo scheme. Thanks for posting.
Edit:
In the second picture I see what I think is an INSAS LMG(3rd soldier on the column closest to the fence) as well
It really would be a strategic addition to Indian force projection.sum wrote:The IAF seems to be very interested in the C-17 going by recent noises.
What noises? Any links?sum wrote:The IAF seems to be very interested in the C-17 going by recent noises.
Force magazine carried an interview with the ACM, where he said that the IAF was looking to induct Very Heavy Lift transports and as per AW&ST, Boeing is expecting meetings with officials in France, Libya and India. BTW, the price for an export C-17 is about $220 million, but Boeing is looking to cut the price by reducing overhead, design, structure and parts costs with suppliers, using a process similar to that applied to the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet cost-reduction effort.sum wrote:Yes...more or less media reports onlee...Nothing from any IAF guy which i have personally heard though (atleast till now).
I did remember reading a article about the P8I signing which had also mentioned about the IAF being interested in the C-17 and that could be the next big ticket item from Amrika. Dunno if it was a lifafa article, though.
What force-multipliers and its numbers would the Indian Air Force have by the end of the 11th and 12th Defence Plans?
In my view, we must now consider force-multipliers to be more as a mandatory part of a holistic capability. Like the blurring distinction between tactical and strategic platforms, a force-multiplier has moved out of the confines of being considered a separate entity. Whilst AWACS, Flight Refuelling Aircraft, Very Heavy Lift and Wide Bodied Transport Aircraft are considered the traditional force-multipliers, in future an asset in space, a robust command and control network, intelligence, specific weapon capability and my air warriors , all have the potential to be Force-multipliers, if synergistically employed. However, to answer your question, we have procured three AWACS with an option for three more and we are in the process of acquiring six more FRAs and Very Heavy Transport Aircraft within the 11 th and 12 th plan periods.
but the IAF has already issued an RFI to Boeing for the C-17..are you aware of anything of that sort for the An-124 ? And which category would the RFI for C-17 fit into ? the IAF is only looking for AWACS and a new batch of refuellers (A-330 MRTT or Il-78) that could also double for a transport. the C-17 doesn't fit into that requirement, so the only one it could would be the Very Heavy Lift transport.Victor wrote:The "very heavy" lift category would cover something like the An-124 rather than the C-17 which is comparable to the Il-76 already in service.
AERO INDIA: Boeing pitches C-17 to India, following request for information
By Siva Govindasamy
Boeing is offering the C-17 Globemaster to India, following the country's request for information for strategic lift transport aircraft.
The C-17, which is on flying and static display at the Aero India 2009 show in Bangalore this week, has been in India's radar for some time. Boeing briefed the country's air force in October 2007. However, New Delhi had not been expected to move ahead with the requirement, as it had concluded a deal for six Lockheed Martin C-130Js in early 2008.
"We received the RFI in 2008 and have now responded," says Boeing Military Aircraft president Chris Chadwick. "We expect to engage in further discussions with India and believe that a request for proposals would come out soon."
The C-17 has been ordered by Australia, Canada, the UK, Qatar and a consortium of NATO members, as well as the USAF.
Victor wrote:The "very heavy" lift category would cover something like the An-124 rather than the C-17 which is comparable to the Il-76 already in service.
Interesting picture.I was just wondering if our CAS was referring to the Il 76/ C 17 class as very heavy transport.Victor wrote:I have seen that monster land on a relatively short 7,000 ft runway while loaded with two Sukhoi stunt planes. I can't imagine what we would use it for, so the "Very Heavy Transport" requirement is intriguing. The Russkies use it to transport hardware like their space rockets. The closest transport in size is the C-5 Galaxy which is 20% smaller.
MTA or not, An-32s have to be replaced.With this background of the IAF wanting to augument its airlifting capabilities, does anyone know what ever happened to the yindoo-roosi MTA project.
Victor wrote:The "very heavy" lift category would cover something like the An-124 rather than the C-17 which is comparable to the Il-76 already in service.
Even during the evaluation of An-32s back in 1980's C-130's were considered better. Il-76's as well were brought off because of various strategic importance, including the barter system prevailing in that time.Why cant we stick to IL-76 equipped with PS-90s?
It's a v.tough course and the LCs too like GCs go thru hell for those 12 months. Years ago one morning at Madras Central as I was getting off the Blr-Mds Mail one morning I walked passed wagon loads of OTA cadets. I first walked the GCs assembling on the platform, and then after that I came across another bunch of cadets, these looked a little different, and I was startled to hear a v.different but more authoritative voice (nani, my mom, my school teacher) before I realised it was the LCs falling in line, with a v. tough looking squad leader.Notice how the lady officers also have very short hair. Dont tell me IA is taklu'ing incoming lady officer trainees too!
