Friday, August 2, 2013

Sensor Fitments Of IAC-1/INS Vikrant & INS Vikramaditya Explained

According to the Indian Navy’s (IN) Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Robin K Dhowan, the IN will from next year be operating two aircraft carriers at any given time—one each for the eastern and western seaboards. The VCNS also confirmed yesterday that the IN will, by 2019, be able to operate two carrier battle groups (CBG). The 37,500-tonne Project 71 Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1), to be christened INS Vikrant, will be launched on August 12, 2013 at Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), and will be ready for induction by December 2018. To date, 75% of its superstructure has been fabricated. The 260-metre-long IAC, whose hull-construction had commenced in November 2006, will be able to accommodate 20 MiG-29K MRCAs, five Ka-28PL ASW helicopters and five Ka-31 AEW helicopters. Its crew complement will comprise 160 officers and 1,400 sailors. Powered by four HAL-assembled and GE-developed LM-2500 marine industrial gas-turbines, the IAC-1/INS Vikrant will have an endurance of around 7,500 nautical miles while cruising at a speed of 18 Knots.
For the IAC-1/INS Vikrant, the IN has selected the Mk 7 hydraulic damping arresting system from the US Navy, while US-based Wire Rope Industries Inc will supply the arrester cables. Another US-based company, Engineered Arresting Systems Corp, will supply the arrester barriers. In contrast, INS Vikramaditya’s hydraulic damping arresting system was designed by Marine Engineering Research Institute and made by Proletarsky Zavod. Other hardware to go on board IAC-1 include twin side-mounted aircraft elevators and their chain-drives from UK-based MacTaggart Scott, while Wire Rope Industries will supply the ammunition hoisting elevators. The CBRN detection sensors will be supplied by US-based Bruker Daltonics, which has for the past decade supplied almost all the CBRN detection sensors for all three of India’s armed services (while the remaining have come from French OEMs). The IAC-1’s inertial navigation system will use Sagem-built SIGMA-40 ring laser-gyros.
                         
The VCNS also confirmed that the commissioning date for the IN’s first Project 15A guided-missile destroyer (DDG)—INS Kolkata—has been postponed to early next year. Previously, it was planned to commission this vessel sometime later this month.
The 44,570-tonne INS Vikramaditya will be arriving in India by early December 2013, while the IN’s existing solitary aircraft carrier—54-year-old 28,000-tonne INS Viraat—will remain in service till 2018 along with the 11 remaining BAE Systems Sea Harrier LUSH V/STOL MRCAs. INS Vikramaditya will be able to accommodate 20 MiG-29Ks, plus four Ka-28PL ASW and four Ka-31 AEW helicopters.
Following its arrival in Mumbai (its homeport), INS Vikramaditya will be fitted with vertically-launched silos for 48 Barak-2 LR-SAMs, while for target engagement and fire-control support for the Barak-2, an Israel Aerospace Industries/ELTA Systems-built ALPHA (Advanced Lightweight Phased Array Radar) S-band active phased-array radar system will be installed. The ALPHA, also known as the EL/M-2258, is a derivative of the S-band EL/M-2248 Multi-Function Surveillance and Threat Alert Radar (MF-STAR), which will be on board the IAC-1/INS Vikrant as well as on the three Project 15A DDGs, four Project 15B DDGs as well as the seven Project 17A FFGs.


344 comments:

  1. What is you opinion on the Crop-Circles. Are they human made or created by the Aliens or created by themselves.

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  2. Sir,

    There is considerable confusion in my mind regarding the ABM system being bandied about by the DRDO.

    Firstly, the PAD interceptor was to be replaced by the PVD? What became of that?

    Secondly, the phase two component was meant to be composed of the AD-1 and AD-2? Tests were slated to be conducted yet everything has gone silent on that front. Is there any update?

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  3. To Mr.RA 13: This is the best & most comprehensive explanation of the phenomena:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wDbldW9pNE&playnext=1&list=PLD1C78DED6E833A3C

    In fact, this documentary clearly shows how luminous objects suddenly descend upon a farm in the UK & start making crop-circles through radiated microwave energy. Crop-circles thus created, it seems, depict complex mathematical/astronomical calculations & theorems.

    To BHASWAR: PDV exo-atmospheric interceptor is still undergoing development. Phase-2 component envisages the development of PDV, & the AD-1/AD-2 endo-atmospheric interceptors.

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  4. VMT Prasun Sir,

    Could you confirm again though, the IAC-1 can carry 20 Mig-29Ks along with 10 helis at the same time? I thought the air wing would comprise of only 12 fixed wing ACs? What is the detection range of the Kamov AEW&C against an aerial target, how many Kamovs will operate at any given time to support the BARCAP and at what distance from the CBG?

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  5. To BHASWAR: Already confirmed in the narrative above. Target detection range of Ka-31 depends on the type of airborne/surface target. Use Google to find its performance parameters. BARCAP issue was explained in the previous thread.

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  6. Yes sir you did describe how the BARCAP would function in detail. I just couldn't find the details regarding the Kamov's operations. Given that the heli is likely to have a relatively low combat radius it must be operating quite close to the CBG or is the Kamov deployed as far out as say 100nmi too right behind the BARCAP elements?

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  7. Prasun,

    1-when will the first P-17A be entering into IN service?


    2-When will the first P-17B enter into IN service?


    3-Will the IAC-2 come with EMALS or regualr steam catapults?

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  8. To BHASWAR: 100nnm ahead of the CBG's location is not too close either & the Ka-31 has enough internal fuel capacity to stay airborne for close to 2.5 hours. 3 x Ka-31s can easily provide AEW coverage to a CBG for a good six-hours non-stop (each Ka-31 flying for 2.5 hours), which is more than enough since a CBG will never be stationed in one area after the air operations have been successfully concluded.

    To BIG FAN: 1) By 2017, hopefully. 2) Am not aware of any P-17B project. 3) 100% with EMALS. Steam catapults will be history by then. Even the Ruskies & Chinese are busy developing EMALS.

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  9. sir,
    1.It was reported that ins vikramaditya will have to wait for 3 more years to get barak-8?is it true?

    2.There are also some news reports that HAL is surrendering 30% of its 50% workshare to russia in FGFA development?

    3.why is there a delay in commissioning Kolkata class destroyers?is it due to delay in barak-8 deliveries?

    4.First production lot of barak-8 will come from IAI or BDL?

    5.is there any chance that the Indian Navy go for F-35C for IAC-2 because of its interest in EMALS?

    6.some time ago it was reported that air launched variant of barak-8 is also in the pipeline?

    7.is there any chance that IAF will go for PYTHON-5 WVRAAM instead of MICA missile?

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  10. @Prasun da

    a few things

    1. You say 'the 40000 ton IAC1/INS Vikrant will hold 20 MiG-29K MRCAs, five Ka-28PL ASW helicopters and five Ka-31 AEW helicopters but the INS Vikramaditya will be able to accommodate 20 MiG-29Ks, plus four Ka-28PL ASW and four Ka-31 AEW helicopters' any reason why the latter despite being bigger will host less helos

    2. Heard sometime back that INS Vikrant that was supposed to be made a mueseum ship will now be sold for scrap, isnt it a waste and disregard for history

    a far better option would have to sink it and turn it into artificial reef and good diving destination. I am saying this to you since i believe your voice is heard where it matters. may be you can suggest the same.

    3. I believe Mountain Strike Corps will concentrate on operating from the eastern sector and launch any counter offensive from eastern Sikkim or western Arunachal for a likely pincer move with knowledge that Bhutan side will be covered.

    Though i believe MSC HQ in Panagarh will relocate to flash point area in 48 hrs in emergency but dont you think 48 hrs is a big window nowadays. Panagarh is huge base already (been there) how bigger it can get. C130Js can operate from kalaikunda, cant they?

    4. INS Viraat can very well operate as LHD till 2025 till our own MRSV or LHD arrive, what do you say

    thanks

    Joydeep Ghosh

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  11. "Gorkhaland issue will fizzle out overnight" you are saying that Bangladesh hand in this or central government hand?

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  12. Sir, VMT

    1.Did Drdo deliberately postpone the PDV hit to kill interceptor launch till the commissioning of Gsat-7. Gsat-7 will be able to provide high res vidoes and pictures of the entire ht to kill eso atmospheric interception process. If anything goes other than planned ASL,RCI and DRDL will be able to know exactly when and what gave away.

    2.The ET1 and ALPHA EL/M-2258 are positioned in such a manner that they wont cover full 360 degree. Alpha wont be able to scan the airspace in front of the carrier. Then how will it be engaging threats in the full 360 degree.

    3.What is the usage of LORAN ? Wont the Alpha radar be the primary survellience and engagement radar of IAF LR-SAM batteries ?

    4.Earlier it was reported that INS Vikramaditya can accomodate just 16 MiG-29K and 10 helos. Is this complement of 20 MiG-29K , 4 Ka-31 and 4 Ka-28 its normal complement ?Will this detachment be present at all times.

    5.http://idrw.org/?p=25170#more-25170
    What is this that Barak-8's hot launch will occur this month. Hasnt this missile already been etst fired 10 times before.
    Will INS Vikramaditya gets its Barak missiles early next year ?

    6. Why was the commisioning of INS Kolkata postponed to early next year ? Were any performance issues detected during the sea trials ?

    7. What are the sensors/radars on the 2nd mast of INS Vikram? Isnt there any passive longe range IR based optical system onboard it.

    8.Is there a Saab Barracuda camoflague for each and every Arjin mk1 and T-90?

    9.During IA 's major exercises in Thar desert involving the strike corps, not a single T-90 was there with Barracuda. IA must be secrevtive in showing off all its goodies.

    10. Is Panagarh Central Ordance depot the largets in India ? If Panagarh has such a huge military presence like COD, vehicle depots, vehicle overhaul and servicing centres why does it have adequate sam cover.

    11.OSA-AKM and Strella 10M have become too obsolete. They even arent capable of neutralising LACM or ALCM threats. Cant Spyder SR batteries be deployed for providing sam cover to Panagarh mil infrastucture.

    12. Many things have been told about INS Vikram aircraft complement,sensors, crew complement. But what is its endurance in under 20 knots and how much of air to air , AGM and anti ship ordance does it carry for its 20 MiG-29k ?

    5.

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  13. PRASUN,
    Is the Patria AMV armoured wheeled vehicles is the market leader? Is it suitable for Indian army?
    How useful the Cockerill CT-CV 105HP turret of the CMI Defence?

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  14. To JOYDEEP GHOSH. VMT. 1) Primarily due to the IAC-1’s more compact propulsion system that uses 4 x LM-2500 gas-turbines & consequently occupies less internal below-deck volume, versus the steam boilers of INS Vikramaditya that consume more internal below-deck volume. 2) It indeed is a tragic tragedy. It can indeed be sunk & be converted into an artificial reef, thereby serving as a useful object. 3) 48 hours is too fast to re-locate the Panagarh-based Corps HQ to a forward area along the LAC, since any meaningful build-up of PLA forces across the LAC in the eastern sector will take at least 14 days to be completed & will therefore be detected well in advance by India’s border surveillance systems. All existing IAF air bases in WB & throughout the North East are still ‘small’ by western standards & therefore have enormous scope for expansion. 4) INS Viraat can indeed soldier on as an LHD for as long as it can undergo its scheduled refits & I’m rather surprised that some ‘desi’ journalists are exclaiming “woah!” at this prospect. What such ‘desi’ folks are obviously forgetting/overlooking is the effectiveness of the weapon system concerned. For instance, when the USS Missouri was used by the USN to pound the Shiite militias in Beirut & the Bekaa Valley in 1982, the warship’s age then (40 years) didn’t make any difference to either the US Navy, which was pounding the Lebanese, nor the Lebanese who were being pounded at the receiving end. Likewise, ask the Afghans or Iraqis what difference did it make to them when they came to know that the B-52s that were carpet-bombing them in 1991, 2001 & 2003 were more than 3 decades old.

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  15. To BIPI342: Why this over-eagerness to always smell a foreign hand when it comes to such ‘divisive’ issues/incidents/movements? Do you think the Govt of India is absolutely or morally incapable of resorting to such political shenanigans? To be noted is the fact that successive Govts of India of post-independent India have learnt & imbibed all too well some of the ‘dirty’ divide-and-rule tricks employed by the colonial Brits between 1757 & 1947, & have employed them several times before in places like Assam, Sikkim, Meghalaya & Tripura. In a federal political/asdministrative set-up, such political shenanigans are only to be expected to be played out between the centre & the states & this will continue to happen in future as well, rest assured.

    To SUBIR: 1) Possible. 2) No ASCM ever attacks its target from either the front or rear. ASCM & torpedo attacks always target the starboard-side or portside of any surface vessel. 3) LORAN has nothing to do with airborne target search/detection/tracking. It is a long-range navigation tool designed to help an aircraft carrier’s airborne platforms to get back to the aircraft carrier, just as TACAN is used for tactical air navigation. 4) Not always during peacetime, only during peacetime exercises & during wartime. 5) Such reports are totally untrue, given their questionable sources. 6) Already answered that above. 7) Comms hardware. Not yet. 8) Yes. 9) Right. 10) It will never be adequate enough. Therefore, priorities have to be set. 11) Deep-Upgrade packages are available for OSA-AK & Strella 10M. 12) Endurance will be similar to that of IAC-1/INS Vikrant. Weapons reloads can always be received at sea from fleet replenishment vessels.

    To NEEL: No, the Stryker is. Cockerill CT-CV 105HP turret & similar ones from OTOBreda are well-suited for wheeled/tracked APCs that need to be employed as tank destroyers.

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  16. @Prasun da

    thanks for paying attention to my views on INS Vikrant & INS Viraat

    by the way, if you think its viable then you can suggest both my views to the people who matter just like you did about radars for use in ladakh few days back, may be they will hear you and accept them

    1. With both INS Vikramaditya & INS Vikrant flying MiG29K there seems to be no chance for NLCA to fly from the 2 ships, as for the proposed 65000 INS Vishal its going to be MiG29K & Rafale M, so where does it leave the NLCA?

    2. Sometime back i had heard DRDO was in advanced stages of developing fuses for artillery, but no news now, what happened to them. you say the fuses are imported?

    thanks

    Joydeep Ghosh

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  17. Dear Prasun,
    I'm a follower of your blog. I always find useful info. in ur blog; most important is the confidence you assert in your words. By the way I suggest you to forgive and forget the other journalists. everybody commits mistakes and learn from it. It is a continuous process. if you learn from others mistake, you are in the advantage position. So I suggest you to show mercy on the journalists like livefist and broadsword. So humiliate them by calling 'desi'. I'm also man; not a superman. Hence I have my limitations; so others. Plz. consider.

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  18. To ICEMAN: 1) Most untrue. At yesterday’s press-conference no such dateline was mentioned by any IN official & therefore the ‘desi’ journalist who is tom-toming this dateline (at: http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/misses-waits-progress-in-naval-missiles-113080101197_1.html) has not even used this erroneous dateline (as a direct quote from any IN official) in his report. In other words, he is ASSUMING that such weapons fitments take place only during the major scheduled refits once every 3 years. What needs to be noted is that fitment of modular weapon-systems like LR-SAM & its related fire-control system can be/are routinely installed on board warships when the concerned warship goes to the dry-dock during its routine periodic maintenance checks/overhauls, which can last either 3 weeks or 3 months depending on the scope of work & one does not have to wait for the refit schedule, which takes place only once every 3 years & could last from 3 months to 18 months depending on the scope of refit work being undertaken.

    In fact, the ‘desi’ press-corps was totally confused at the press-conference by what kind of radar the IAC-1/INS Vikrant would have on board & when they asked questions about this, the IN officials only added to the confusion by stating that an Italian radar (i.e. the RAN-40L) would be used!!!

    2) That’s true, since HAL has very few skilled human resources reqd for undertaking aircraft design-related workshares & that too this pool of manpower has to be divided between on-going design-related activities concerning the IL-214 MRTA & the FGFA.

    3) Delayed arrival of Barak-2 LR-SAM & the delayed selection process for heavyweight torpedoes, since the DRDO-developed Varunastra heavyweight torpedo is unavailable due to its various performance shortcomings.

    4) From BDL, which will undertake final-assembly of the front-end (Israel-supplied) & rear-end (India-supplied) sections of the Barak-2 LR-SAM.

    5) Not a chance, as of now. The IN wants a platform with an MTOW greater than that of the F-35C Lightning JSF. Consequently, only the navalised FGFA & navalised Rafale are being considered.

    6) No. That option was discarded long ago.

    7) For which aircraft?

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  19. http://www.dnaindia.com/india/1868769/report-why-does-india-dither-on-bringing-dawood-to-justice just want know more about operation mentioned in this article if you know more about this operation give some details or link.thanks in advance.

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  20. i always suspect central government and its agencies.

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  21. To JOYDEEP GHOSH: The ‘concerned’ powers can always read both your & mt views & those of others in this very blog & believe me they do. 1) LCA (Navy) Mk2 is ‘planned’ for usage by the IAC-1/INS Vikrant, but at yesterday’s press-conference, the visual of IAC-1/INS Vikrant that was mounted on the podium (that I have uploaded as the 2nd visual from above) did not show any LCA (Navy) Mk2 or for that matter even Ka-28PLs or Ka-31s—which to me is an unintended omission. Clearly IN HQ needs to do some more homework to ensure such omissions don’t occur in future. For IAC-2/INS Vishaal, naval variants of the FGFA & Rafale are being examined, not the MiG-29K. 2) They’re still under development, I guess.

    To SOUBHAGYA: Only God can be all-forgiving & all-merciful. Am I’m not God as everyone knows. I cannot condone the omissions or malicious content of such ‘desi’ journalists who are expected to abide by certain professional rules of conduct & ethics, but they almost always don’t & instead spread their ill-informed rants with impunity. Therefore, I consider your plea/suggestion to be unimplementable. Shit happens!

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  22. To BIPI342: No such operation was even dreamt of, rest assured. This are all conjectures cooked up by buffs of Tom Clancy’s flicks. For one, it is far easier to infiltrate into Karachi by either crossing the land-border into Sind without any paperwork, or by the sea-route from the Middle East. Karachi’s coastline till today remains as vulnerable as that of Mumbai. AFAIK, the only time a serious attempt was made to capture Dawood Ibrahim was sometime in the mid-1990s when last-minute actionable intelligence was received by India’s agencies about Dawood’s presence in Kathmandu, where he had flown to in a chartered business jet to visit one of his ‘benami’ casinos. As Dawood’s business jet had taken off from Kathmandu & was headed towards China’s airspace (used for transiting before entering Pakistan’s airspace over Gilgit-Baltistan), the IAF was given authorisation by the Govt of India to violate Nepal’s airspace & force the business jet to land inside India. To this end, the IAF had scrambled four MiG-21s for this mission, but while the MiG-21s were airborne inside Indian airspace & had not yet entered Nepal’s airspace, the business jet carrying Dawood had already entered Chinese airspace & the IAF therefore aborted this mission.

    If anyone is seriously interested in causing grievous hurt to the likes of Dawood Ibrahim, then they ought to target his money-making empire & destroy it. It’s that simple. No need to get inspired by Tom Clancy’s fictional flicks.

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  23. Sir, VMT

    1.How can the Col report such thing as as the first ever hot launch of Barak-8 will be taking this month. He emphasised the whole missile was nw being tested. How can it be that no one asks him to check again with his sources and report the correct thing.

    2.IA OSA-AKM and Strella 10M havent received any of those deep upgrades i reckon. Does IA plan to phase them them out or keep them with major upgrades.

    3.is it possible to replenish ASHM and SAM weaponry of DDG,FFG with replenishmenty vessels out there in the open seas.

    4.Wrt to ships whats the difference between the peroidic overhauls,reapirs and the refits which takes place every 3 years ? Can you tell some of the modular weaponry and various radars that were introduced in major IN ships over the last 4 years.

    5.Cant the last Nilgiri FFG be coverted into an offshore missile tracking and telemetry vessel for Long range missile tests and interceptions instead of phasing it out. Can the Vikrant be converted to 1 such vessel with C and S band lr tracking radars and eo systems or is it too old. Drdo is in dire needs of such vessels for its op notch missile R&D.

    6.Are there adequate sam cover in place in panagarh and in other IA COD to ensure that lacm and alcm can be effectively detected and neutralised.Even radar directed AA can interecpt subsoinc LACM.

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  24. To SUBIR: 1) Shit always happens! 2) If the IAF & IA opt for these deep upgrades, then there will be no money left for allocation for the SR-SAM’s R & D effort. 3) Navies all over the world do so, so why not the IN? 4) It’s the same as the TBO & depot-level MRO for aircraft. Periodic servicing for naval vessels refers to repainting, checking for hull-corrosion & minor/modular refits. Periodic refit refers to the servicing/refurbishment that every hull has to undergo once every three years. The deep upgrade is the mid-life upgrade/refit process once every 10 years, which is also known as the stepped life-extension programme (SLEP). 5) No. The hulls are too old & have lost the structural integrity reqd for cruising the high seas. 6) Not as of now.

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  25. Sir, Thanx for all the ans.

    1.The last Nilgiri class FFG was commisioned in 1980 and is 33 yrs old, the same as the 1st rajput class. If the Rajput class ddg can remain in service and INS Viraat why cant that FFG with some extensive refits.

    2.Drdo can also equip Navy ocean patrol vessels with dedicated missile tracking,telemetry equipments and eo systems. Environment ministry has rejected Drdo's request of building a radar site in one of Andaman islands for missile testing purposes.

    3.I didnt had any idea that Delhi class,Rajput class and other frigates could top up their Brahmos,Uran,Shtil 30 mm AK630M stocks while out in the ocean. I had this idea that they had to reutrn to port to rearm.

    4.What actually happenedin the Purulia incident. An AN-26 dropped arms cahche in a Purulia village. Was it the work of GOI or our nice neighbours. Many say the military ATC radar in Kalaikunda was deliberatly switched off for the An-26 to perform such a feat. The communists say it was an attempt to overthrow them from power. What actually happened and why was it done.

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  26. To SUBIR: 1) Because the Leander-class FFGs can no longer be assured of product-/spares-support whereas the Kashin-2 DDGs can. 2) DRDO has since 2008 planned to procure 2 dedicated missile-tracking vessels. 3) Modular cannister-encased weapons can always be supplied & transferred in the high seas. How do you think the US Navy’s CBGs replenished & re-armed themselves in the Arabian Sea during OP Enduring Freedom in late 2001? 4) It was definitely an inside job & had been established beyond doubt in 2010 itself. The grand-design was to engineer an armed insurrection through the Anand Margis against the Left front & create anarchy so that President’s Rule could be imposed.

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  27. Sir can N-FGFA be used from CATOBAR carrier?

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  28. Hey! Prasun Sir, 1)Don't u think HAL has limited the possibility of export for LCH by not implementing the FBW System,which is very essential in any modern plane or rotorcraft? 2)There are reports that INS VIKRAMADITYA will not have LR-SAM & it will be retrofitted when it will go for its first major servicing? VMT IN ADVANCE.....

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  29. @Prasun Sir, 1) Sir the Myanmarese Navy Chief has asked for help in developing OPV from India, do u think GOI. can take this opportunity by allowing a Pvt. Shipyard like Pipavav Shipyard to make these OPVs as all the Public Shipyards are choc a block with orders from IN & ICG. This will also help in gaining their confidence as well as helping a Pvt. Shipyard to gain some more experience & profit. Or India can provide some sort of Line of Credit to them as well.

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  30. @Sir, 1)Wanted to ask a question to u,can we use a Pinaka type MRLS in the range say about 100-200kms on a LAND CRAFT UTILITES OR LANDING PLATFORM DECKS to enhance the land attack capabilities of the ship. Want to know ur valuable opinion on this I know this is just a stupid ques. but still is feasible to do so or not? VMT IN ADVANCE....

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  31. @Prasun Sir,have a look at this idrw.org/?p=25117#more-25117

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  32. Sir, VMT.

    1.The Shtil 9M117 mrsam of Delhi class,Shivalik,Talwar class arent cannister encased missiles. Can these missiles also be transferred on the high seas.

    2.Barak-8,LR-SAM has a dual seeker. An active radar seeker and a passive IIR . Why does that defexpo Barak-8 model shows just the active radar seeker.

    3.Drdo officials will be heading to Israel for the Barak-8 project. Is anything very significant going to take place with Barak-8 missile this month ?

    4.What CIWS does INS Vikramaditya uses. I couldnt find any Kashtan in those pics.

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  33. Hi,

    It will be very much in favor of the nation if Indian Navy embarks on second Aircraft Carrier with same specifications as IAC-I (i.e., 40000 tons conventionally powered). It will save lot of time in building the second indigenous Aircraft Carrier (May be the project can be fructify by 2020 and commissioned in 2021). Then the IN will have enough time to embark on heavier nuclear powered aircraft carrier to Induct by 2025 - 2028 time frame (Ample time for DAE to come up with next generation 200 MW compact nuclear reactor design for both submarines and warships).

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  34. @ Subir

    It is very interesting to note the change in tone and content of your questions and comments.

    What college are you in again?

    :)

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  35. To BISWAJIT PATTANAIK: 1) That goes without saying. 2) It is not for the Govt of India to allow or disallow private-sector shipyards from making any kind of naval vessels. Anyone can make them if they received firm orders, but the problem arises only when armaments are involved, because the private-sector companies cannot do test-firing of such armaments anywhere in India. 3) Long-range MBRLs can indeed be positioned on the top-decks of any LPD or LPH.

    To SUBIR: 1) They’re all cannister-encased & are removed from their hermetically-sealed cannisters before being mounted on carousel-type autoloaders of warships. Same goes for torpedoes & PGMs as well. 2) Both types of seekers are clearly visible in the Barak-2’s cutaway at the BDL booth at Aero India 2013. 3) AFAIK, DRDO officials connected with the Barak-2 LR-SAM have been located in Israel since 2007. There’s even a full-fledged DRDO office in Tel Aviv. Therefore, the question of DRDO officials heading for Israel now or in the future for Barak-2 doesn’t even arise. This kind of bullshitting by the ‘desi’ press corps (about DRDO officials heading for Israel) is exactly what pisses me off!!! 4) That means there’s no CIWS on board, Kashtan or otherwise, isn’t it?

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  36. Sir , With IAC-1's superstructure almost 75 % fabricated , most of the hull work being complete and with the recent 300 crore funding , cant this project be fastracked a bit with a earlier commissioning date . Like the Vikramaditya will it also be devoid of ciws . What is the passive ir based survellience system installed onboard IAC-1 .

    Sometime ago it was reported that INS Vikramaditya had achieved a top speed of 32 knots. Yesterday Ria Novosti reported that it had a achieveed 29.2 knots and has passed the high speed tests . But doesnt the IN want a top speed of 30 knots + ? Isnt it always better for ships of such magnitude to have ciws no matter how advanced their principal surface to air weaponry is. Even Arleigh Burke flight 3 with their SM-2 block 1A and Ticonderoga have Phalanx CIWS .

    Does DRDO have the required technical expertise to design a compact TVC for Barak-8 ? Who will be the production agency of the dual base solid fuel motor and the rear part . What will be the targetted production rate per annum. LRSAM is going to be ordered in bulk by IA and IAF .It will be a vital component of the layered sam network.Uptill now around 2000 had been ordered .

    Arihant has a bulge over the tail fin , rudder. What its for if not for towed sonar array. Is it having any flank sonar array. Like all modern SSN and SSGN why cant it have a sonar dome housing a spherical sonar .

    What is the scondary air search radar on Kolkata class. It seems like Nedarlands RAWL 02. With such sophisticated weaponry and latest radars how does the IN planners manage to install RAWL ? They could have settled for Ad-star or elta 2238 or Ran-40L.



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  37. Prasun Da ,

    The Patria AMV is regarded as one of the best APC available .

    Is it therefore not possible for DRDO to design an APC exactly similar to the Patria ? This should also save cost .

    Thanks,
    Vikram

    ReplyDelete
  38. Prasun,
    Just one question why the need of fitting the ACs with lrsam, when they alone will seldom venture in open sea and always will be escorted by 3 DDGs. Isnt a new generation CIWS would have suffice and cost effective instead of going for lrsam+ak-630m combo!

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  39. The video provided by you about crop circles is albeit bizarre but fascinating and thought provoking. I had earlier seen the short version of this video but it was not that much impressive or convincing. Thanx for the same.

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  40. Prasun,

    Sorry I had meant P-15B!

    When will the first P-15B enter service?


    Also are these reports if the IA deciding to add 11 Apaches onto the 22 unit order for Apaches for the IAF true at all?


    And what is the total projected requirement for purely Apaches in the Indian forces all told?

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  41. Prasun,


    http://idrw.org/?p=24888

    Are the latest reports of the MoD probing allegations into wrongdoing in the M777/LW-155 deal at all true? Is there any substance to these claims? AFAIK he deal is being conducted through the FMS route which all bit rules out graft and such possibilities.

    This reeks of paid for news and it seems the IDRW site is all to often the mouth peice if all these BS allegations. They defneitly seem to be swayed by those with vested interests.

    ReplyDelete
  42. RFIs issued for the following:

    IHQ, MoD (Navy)/DSMAQ intends procuring two SUBTICS Combat System Simulators for training P-75 Scorpene Submarine Personnel.

    IHQ, MoD (Navy)/DSMAQ intends procuring one Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) Simulator for Project 75 Scorpene Submarines.

    ‘Helicopter Search light (IR/ Visual)’ is intended for IN helicopters (UH3H, Seaking 42C, Seaking 42B and ALH) and would be used for primarily for surveillance and SAR.

    The EO/IR system is intended for IN helicopters (UH3H, Seaking 42C, ALH and Kamov 28) and would be used for surveillance, costal patrol, SAR and targeting.

    SIMFIRE simulators for tank T-90/T-72 and BMP I/II

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  43. To ARUP: 1) What exactly do you want to be fast-tracked? 2) IAC-1 already has 2 x 76/62 SRGMs. What more is reqd? 3) 2 x AK-630Ms will be fitted on INS Vikramaditya at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai at the same time the Barak-2 LR-SAM/EL/M-2258 ALPHA installation work commences. 4) INS Vikramaditya’s contract-specified top cruise speed is 29 Knots. 5) More compact VCs have already been designed & developed for Astra BVRAAM & SR-SAM. BDL along with Godrej & Boyce. About 200 LR-SAMs per annum. 6) Where’s the photo showing the bulge over the tailfin rudder? 7) LW-08 from THALES Nederland.

    To VIKRAM GUHA: For UN peacekeeping operations yes, but for high-intensity combat operations? Questionable. Developing an indigenous version of this APC will cost a lot more & consume a lot more time, rest assured.

    To NEEL: As already explained several times before in various threads, the Barak-2 LR-SAM is meant for intercepting both manned airborne platforms & inbound supersonic/subsonic ASCMs. It is thus both a SAM as well as a missile-based CIWS. AK-630Ms are meant for use against low-intensity threats like pirates.

    To BIG FAN: On paper, first P-15B DDG is scheduled for delivery by 2017. Not true. The IAF has a projected reqmt for 60 Apaches. The IA on the other hand wants to try out the Rudra helicopter-gunship first before embarking on more procurements of either the Apache or the LAG version of the LCH.

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  44. To THE GUY: As you rightly stated, these are all bullshit allegations. There can never be anything secret about the contractual elements of any FMS deal. But far more interesting is what’s transpiring in the Italian Court that’s investigating the payoffs associated with the IAF’s AW-101 VVIP helicopter contract. It is now more than apparent that the Italian state prosecutors have made the case in such a way that the Govt of India will be shown as being the principal conspirator, i.e. since the Govt of India initially hesitated to probe the allegations of wrongdoing that had surfaced in 2011 itself, Italian prosecutors have reasons to believe that India’s MoD is hiding some crucial evidence relating to the money laundering processes undertaken by certain private Indian citizens in both Mauritius & Cyprus. Therefore, ultimately, the Italian prosecutors are now claiming that it was the MoD along with some Indian citizens who were culpable of channelling illegal political funds via the money laundering process for the benefit of certain Italian politicians who will now be projected as ‘innocents’ who were entrapped by the wily/conspiring Indians! That’s why the Italian Court will now summon RM A K ‘Saint’ Antony, who has the final say on all financial matters relating to the MoD, & not the former CAS of the IAF, ACM S P Tyagi. Hopefully the RM will seek an audience with His Holiness the Pope at the Vatican before appearing for the court hearings!

    This is why I had been consistently stating that in order for not allowing matters to come so far, the Govt of India should have at the very outset asked the UK’s Serious Frauds Investigations Office to initiate investigations on possible internal corporate accounting malpractices of AgustaWestland Helicopters PLC, since the Govt of India had inked the AW-101 deal with a UK-based & UK-registered company & not with the Italy-based holding company of AgustaWestland.

    This is what happens when elementary common-sense is not applied & logical reasoning is thrown into the trash-can. I now truly deserve to have the last laugh while enjoying my cognac, wouldn’t you agree?

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  45. Prasun,

    Wrt this AW-101 deal. Can we expect the AW-101 helos in India to be shipped back to Cornwell sooner rather than later then? It all looks like it is going to get very messy and I don't see that anyone will think it okay to have these birds in India even if there is actually no wrongdoing on the Indian side.


    And how will this case end? Will the Indian govt/MoD be cleared of all wrong doing in open caught or are these fucking Italians hell bent on dragging India's name through the mud?

    ReplyDelete
  46. Dear Sir,

    1. So far for many threads, i was quietly study the links & videos given by you relating to various Aliens related theory, but still the question arises about the authenticity of such links also your latest link related to 'Akashic records' such theories cannot prove various pointes related to Vedic Astrology & Astronomy & achievements by our ancient Sages such as Saptarishis, & also if you had read Vedanta which is last part of Vedas you can realize that it contradicts with so called Puranas & other sciptures written by peoples only 500-800 years back.
    Please kindly provide more links & details on such topics if possible.

    2. Also related to your NDNC clause compliance with Defence matters but whether it also combined to aliens related Technology. Kindly give your point of view on this.

    3. Can you throw some light on various persons such as "David icke" and his theory related to Reptellian Aliens & human control and various movements going on around the globe pertaining to UFOlogy such as 'Realian Movement' , Bob Lazar's gravitational technology claims , Discloures, New world order, Relions based on UFOlogy etc.

    Also can i ask very ackward question related to your firm belief in alien theory & Basis of such firm belief, pls don't take any offence for my question.

    4. Have your seen any kind of Advanced technology vessels from any Extraterrestrial origin physically or such claims of seeing UFO's are hoaxes and atmospheric phenomenas, auroras etc as per various government records of US, France ,UK etc.

    5. Lastly what are your views on chinese economy downturn & Infrastructure boom which was created last decade & half is almost on wrong ideology & values according to various reports arriving from various organizations. sorry for oftopic question

    Awaiting for your reply

    Thanking you in advance

    ReplyDelete
  47. hi Prasun
    i know you have answered this before , can you put up a pic with barak 8 seekers, has the missile got a dual mode seeker on one missile or the radar and the IR are independent seekers that are fitted to individual missile.
    I seem to have missed the pic in aero 2013. This is in light of the various statements that have been emanating from different quarters about the super missile! I would really appreciate a detailed article on the barak 8 with pictures .
    Is the ak630 as effective as the phalanx, china seems to have cloned it , is it another case of cheating? they seems to have fitted that on the frigates supplied to pak

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  48. Sir some reports say,vikrmaditya is to have 8xkashtan CIWS ?

    http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/theWeekContent.do?channelId=&contentId=14647095&catId=&BV_ID=@@@
    Sir apart from the occasional boasting,does this article on the week with remarks from army officers reflect the real situation on the LAC?

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  49. PRASUN,

    Why not AK-630M-2 Duet with low RCS turret system will be fitted on INS Vikramaditya?

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  50. @Prasun Sir, Thnks for d rplz 1)Can u plz tell about any progres on d Multi-Calibre Individual Weapon System being developed by DRDO-ARDE?

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  51. Prasun,

    With so many communities asking for their own State isn't there a possibility now that India in a decade or two will break up into a number of smaller countries just like it was before British Rule ?

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  52. Sir, VMT

    1. MF-STAR has a range of just 250 km. The IAI brochure says so. But isnt it inadequate considering all similar aesa and pesa systems like SAMPSON on Type 45 and SPY-1D has 400 km+ ranges .

    2.The secondary air search radar LW-08 has a range of 230 km against fighter sized targets. Isnt it a grave shortcoming . Other air search radars belonging to this class like S1850M ,RAN-40L have 400 km ranges.
    http://www.thales7seas.com/html5/products/225/DS035_06_07_LW08_print_opt.pdf

    3.Will the 120 km ranged ALPHA be more than enough for providing fire control to LRSAM ? Will the land based IAF variant of Alpha also have a max range of 120 km.

    4.Arent there 4 76/62 SRGM on IAC-1.2 at the back and 2 at the front. The first slide of the presentation made by VCNS shows this.

    5.Is IN having a fetish for AK630M ?. More sophisticated PALMA,Kashtan-M was there. Kashtan with both gun and rockets would have been the best bet. Most PLAN vessels have Type 730 and FN-3000 QRSAM as their CIWS.

    6.How is IA utilising its 4 regiments of Spyder SR? During hostilities or breakout into opponent territory they will be providing sam cover to the advancing armour and mechanised elements. Where is IA deplying them during peacetime ?

    7. Cant radar guided AAA like L-70 or ZU-23-2 directed by Reporter be deployed around the central ordance depots,tank storage areas, POL dumps to neutralise to some extent the threats from subsonic LACM and ALCM.

    8.Why arent IA,IAF fuel storage tanks be built underground instead of on the surface. They can be easily targetted in this way and destroyed. These POL dumps hold most of IA and IAF fuel reserves. Building such fuel storage structures underground will also keep their exact locations a secret and deter attacks. Panagarh cantt is dotted with such dumps. They can be prime targets.

    9. What happened to those missile tracking vessels that Drdo had wanted to procure since 2008. ?

    10. Why arent the overhauled and refurbished Su30 getting the 6000 hr TTSL 3D TVC capable AL-31FP? Whats the dry and wet thrust of the ones now being imported. Can it supercruise.

    11. What will Congress possibly gain by creating a new state out of AP? Most of the AP populations are concentrated in the coastal belt. Telengana is sparsely populated. Congress will lose many of its voters in AP. Already many MPs have left. And now everbody wants a state of their own. Gradually the unity is going away. The Indian citizens are becoming compartmentalised in their thinkings.Its nt very good. N Rao asked all non Telenganas to vacate Govt posts in Telengana. Why ?Arent they his fellow Indians ??

    ReplyDelete
  53. Sir , Cant the erection of the superstructure and the rest of the pre fabricated parts hurried up a bit ? Why didnt IN go for the Queen Elizabeth class of STOVL carriers ? It was offered to Navy by Britain.
    Are any passive electro optic,IR based passive survellience installed onboard the Kolkata class & IAC-1 ?

    Can the 76/62 Oto Melera cannon function optimally in the anti sea skimmer and anti air role ? Does it make use of any special anti air rounds for these ?

    Is it possible to futher increase the range of Lrsam from 120 km to 150 km or 200 km by making use of a larger booster assembly ?Is any such Barak-2 variant in the drawing boards .

    Isnt producing a meagre 200 Barak-2 per annum insufiicient for meeting the demands . When Akash mrsam 's pa production rate will be ramped up to 2000 rounds, isnt it possible to ramp Barak one to 700-1000 rounds pa .

    Is the current Astra mk1 having a tvc ? When will SR-SAM deliveries begin .Is anyone within our defense establishment interested in Stunner ? It was designed solely for the purpose of intercepting cruise & ballistic missiles.
    Learnt about the tas from the old blog Trishul .

    Are the existing Ka-28PL going to be upgraded with Western origin mission sensors and avionics like the one envisaged for Seakings . Or will it be brought up to the new Ka-28Pl standards .
    Is France pushing back the production schedule of their Rafales solely due to economic meltdown or also to fasttrack the delivery process to IAF? As such will Rm finally agree to importing more of them off the shelf over and above the 18 planned for.

    Recently went thru this,"A team from 9 Para (SF) would cross the line of control to raid a major Pakistani artillery gun position in Mandhol. The team returned after destroying all the guns and with just two minor casualties. In the scorching deserts of Rajathsan, a young prince from Jaipur led a team of 10 Para (SF) to raid the Pakistani town of Chachro in Sind. Legend has it that when Bhawani Singh was returning with his raiders, the Indian BSF opened fire on them thinking they were Pakistanis! No one could believe that an Indian army team could slip across the international border, hit a major town and return back to base successfully. " Is it true ? And if it is were such raids carried out befor Kargil ? Are such raids taking place nowdays .

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  54. To BIG FAN: Why should the already delivered AW-101s be shipped back when they have already been paid for & when AgustaWestland has already stated that there’s no chance of any refunds or money-back arrangements? And why should it get messy at all? All; that the Govt of India ought to do is state that since the Indian MoD had inked the contract with UK-based AgustaWestland, it is the UK Givt’s responsibility to get to the bottom of the matter & remove all grey areas. Then only will the UK’s Serious Frauds Investigation Office will demand access to AgustaWestland’s accounting data to find out how & how much money was internally transferred by AgustaWestland to its Italy-based holding company Finmeccanica & for what purpose & where did all this money finally go to & who were its final beneficiaries. It is a simple case of forensically establishing a paper-trail for the laundered money. How can it be difficult to undertake this process from the UK? From India, yes, the CBI will find it almost impossible to establish the facts of the case since no hanky-panky took place within India itself & all fraudulent & illegal financial transactions took place between the UK & Italy. If the arse-fucked retards within the Govt of India can’t even figure out this elementary fact-of-life, then they truly deserve their faces to be dragged through the mud, wouldn’t you agree?

    To PINKAL SHAH: 1) Authenticity isn’t an issue at all if you stick to the origins & fundamentals of Vedanta. The Puranas & pother scriptures of much later vintage are diluted & corrupted & will therefore go against many of the documented phenomena mentioned in the Vedas. Akashic literature has to be studied in tandem with Sangam literature (dealing with Sages & Saptarishis) & if not, then nothing will make any sense. 2) No it is not. 3) So far about 57 different types of alien species or their cloned humanoid workers have reportedly been documented. Bob Lazar’s claims of electro-gravitics & Element 115 have long been proven to be true by various US-based scientists & engineers since the late 1980s. If indeed Charles Darwin’s theory on the evolution of species was true, then evolution would have been uniform universally & there would have been no monkeys or chimps since all of them would have evolved to human beings in the same time-frame. However, as we know, this did not happen & what happened instead was selective evolution within a short span of time that led to the emergence of Homo Erectus & Homo Sapiens. 4) UFOs can be hoaxes, but flying-disks or other intelligently piloted vessels seen on Earth & also in deep-space, plus all the debris associated with crashed flying-discs & their advanced forms of fabrication & usage (discovered in the early 1940s itself) can hardly be hoaxes. 5) I don’t agree with the view that China’s economy is on a downward slide. Instead, what’s happening now is a course-correction through a deliberately engineered slow-down, & in the next 5 years to come one will see huge infrastructure-related investments being made in China’s interior regions, especially Central China & TAR.

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  55. To RAD: The Barak-2’s cutaway shown above & clearly shows the combined terminal sensor configuration. In fact, if you also count in the laser-based proximity fuze for the warhead, then that accounts for three different types of sensors in the missile’s nose-section. AK-630M was not only cloned, but improved upon by China. AK-630M-2 Duet comes closest to the Phalanx.

    To ABHISHEK DHAR: Kashtan-M has been condemned by the IN, period, as being a sub-standard weapon system when operating within the IOR. Therefore, no more Kashtan-Ms or even its follow-ons like Palma, since none of these CIWS were ever developed for use in conditions typical of the IOR & were instead developed for operating optimally in the Baltic Sea, White Sea & Black Sea. That’s why the Kashtan-Ms on board the first three Project 1135.6 FFGs of the IN were discovered to be offering severely degraded performance.

    The article from THE WEEK more or less gives a realistic portrayal of the situation prevailing along the LAC.

    To NEEL: That’s a very good idea.

    To BISWAJIT PATTANAIK: Haven’t been following the R & D status of the MCWS.

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  56. To PAVAN: The more states are formed in future in India the better, since they will all contribute towards the meeting of certain specific regional developmental aspirations. However, creation of states does not have any negative effect at all on geographic mobility of skilled human resources. If you have a specific talent that is of some use somewhere, you will definitely be valued there & won’t be shunned. In reality, countries that are always in greater danger of break-ups are those that are unitary—not federal—in nature when it comes to administrative structures. The former USSR, Yugoslavia & Czechoslovakia are prime examples of such break-ups & China too is in danger of imploding from within if it continues to decentralise its powers.

    For India, the most dangerous development that could well retard economic development & prevent the emergence of a knowledge-based society is the advent of identity-based politicking that began in 1990 with the Mandal Commission. Consequently, instead of being encouraged to join the national mainstream as social equals, the dalit-sections of society along with the tribals that are now leading a settled existence are all thinking about short-term gains & trying to gain more economic space by discredited means.

    To SUBIR: 1, 2) Instrumented ranges can always be manipulated d & tweaked. The greater the range, however, the lesser the ability to detect low-level targets. 3) This question makes no sense at all. 4) Check out the topmost visual. 5) None of the CIWS like Kashtan-M or Palma will be ideal for the IN & I’ve already explained this above. 6) This question makes no sense at all. 7) No, they can’t & must not. None of those installations are in VAs or VPs. 8) Your data is wrong. 9) Nothing happened. 10) Because those engines are still under development. 11) Just because more states are being created doesn’t mean the country’s unity is being diluted. It’s like saying that just because there are regional language TV channels, viewership of English language TV channels will register a severe drop.

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  57. sir, tell us something to the kaveri engine development ... Now that the naval version being successfully tested how does navy plan to use it

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  58. To ARUP: How do you want to speed up hull fabrication when industrial regulations do not allow work to take place in 3 consecutive shifts? When did R & D work begin on IAC-1 & when exactly was the offer made to India for QE-2 class carrier? Optronic sensors on P-15A DDGs & IAC-1 are the same as those on P-17 FFGs. 76/62 SRGM is not meant to engage sea-skimmers. Barak-2 LR-SAM will. Exavtly what kind of targets will be engaged by 150km/200km SAMs? Ramping-up missile production-levels takes five years to achieve, it never happens overnight from day-1. All BVRAAMs & WBRAAMs have TVC. SR-SAM’s deliveries will begin only in the latter half of this decade. Stunner can’t intercept the kind of NLOS-BSMs or TBMs that India is targetted with. AD-1/AD-2 will be able to do so. TAS isn’t equipping any of the IN’s submarines at present. All Sea Kings & Ka-28PLs will be upgraded with non-Russia origin avionics & mission-sensors. Read the RFIs I’ve listed out yesterday.

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  59. To SANJAY: Obviously the plan is to use the Kaveri’s KGMT version as marine industrial gas-turbines for powering the IN’s future principal surface combatants like frigates, destroyers & corvettes. ONGC & GAIL too have a huge reqmt for such KMGTs.

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  60. Prasun Sir,

    Isn't LORAN an obsolete system? If so then why do we need it on the Vikramaditya?

    Furthermore, why does the first picture show 3 MF-STAR sensors on the IAC-1's island? What's the purpose of having so many sensors- that too of the dame design- together?

    The Russians have very little experience with CATOBAR tech and ops and if we are to opt for EMALS/CATOBAR in the future then how can we depend upon the Russians to ensure that the N-FGFA will be capable of operating from a CATOBAR carrier? Is the N-FGFA even a concrete project or just a possibility at the moment but nothing beyond that?

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  61. Sir, VMT.

    1.Longer radar ranges doesnt always translate into lesser chances of detection of low level targets. All ABM, anti missile radars have 2 broad modes. One was to detect high flying aircrafts,uavs from a verly long distance away.The other was meant for detection of very low rcs threats flying at extreme level extreme high alltitudes like that of a TBM. TPQ-53 of Patriot PAC-2 had such modes.

    2.If IN decides to opt for the 120 km ranged Barak-8 the 120 km range of ALPHA will be inadequate if otherwise it is tweaked ,modified and uprated .

    3.besides EL/M-2084 wont the land based Barak-8,LR-SAM be using a variant of EL/M=2258 ?

    4.Besides sub-standard performance IN was having some emi issues with the Kashtan-M on its batch 1 of Talwar class which couldnt be resolved.

    5.How come IA's pol dumps,vehicle depots,ordance depots and war watsge reserves installations doesnt list within the list of VA and VP. They areof utmost importance for sustaining any contigency.

    6.I meant isnt IA using its Spyder regiments for providing QRSAM short range cover for its vital war sustenance infrastructure and VA and VP .

    7.All BVRAAM doesnmt have TVC. AIM-120,AIM-7,all R-27 variants and R-77 doesnt have any TVC. But RVV-AD may have one.

    8.I was going through Panagarh Gooogle imagery and found the area dotted with many such POL dumps and fuel storage tanks like the one they have in railway depots and airports. Many of them were besides army facilities there. A railway line or two ends in one such fuel storage area.

    9.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfqqsv7oinU
    There is a specialised round for 76/62 for both anti missile and air warfare. May the IN order them nt nly for IAC-1 but other FFGs having this gun system.

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  62. Dear Sir,

    Thank you very much for your great explanation

    But i still have some questions as follows:

    1. Can you provide me some links on Sangam literature so that i can study along with Akashic records.

    2. As per your claim about 57 types of aliens species, can you please provide me some authentic documentary proof regarding it as such it is not in your NDNC clause compliance.

    3. The evolution theory is wrong on many basis and i fully agree with you, but there are many more peoples such as Robert Ingersoll, Christoper Hitchens, Richard Dawkins etc & scientists claiming and advocating Darwin's theory rather in there own modified form such as "Gene centered evolution" to prove the point can you please throw some light on this.

    4. Kindly provide your viewpoint for various religions & cult formed around UFOlogy theories given in my previous questions as according to my opinion they are just claiming & spreading non-sense ideas and theories to manipulate people in general.

    5. Flying-disks & intelligently piloted vessels can be of human origin if US, UK or Russia had already mastered such technology such as electro-gravitics.

    6. Electro-gravitics technology as per knowledge is still very costly to generate & sustain such crafts due to there high cost of producing power & maintenance even if it is feasible & also to replicate such huge feat in everyday practical life is still far away. Please kindly provide your viewpoint on this.

    7. Element-115 is called "Ununpentium" in modern periodic table and an artificially created synthetic element having very small half-life of about 200ms, so how can such hardly stable element can fuel such Aliens Disks of Aircrafts for long duration or is there any catalyst to improve there reactions of any stabalizing element to sustain such fusion reactions to longer durations.

    Awaiting for your reply

    Thanking you in advance also to replicate such huge feat in everyday practical life is still far away. Please kindly provide your viewpoint on this.

    7. Element-115 is called

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  63. PRASUN,
    The Sa'eer is an Iranian upgrade of old Russian KS-19 or Chinese 100 mm air defence gun but now equipped with automatic motorized positioning system and firing radar.Effective range 20-40 km; Altitude 15 km;Rate of fire 12-15 rounds per minute.
    Prasun , How good it is?
    Which AAA System is suitable for India now?

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  64. sir,
    1.are there any plans to develop radars like Ran-40l by drdo for Indian navy?
    2.if there is a delay in fgfa will india buy some pak fa's off the shelf from russia?
    3.is it possible to integrate astra missile on mig29k?
    4.if india has the capability to manufacture thrust vector control for barak-8 why cant they start developing new short range air to air missile?
    5.how many barak 8 missile will be procured by the airforce?

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  65. sir,
    1.back in 2011 it was reported that Indian engineers had redesigned the nozzle for the su-30mki's engine,is there something special about it?
    2.do you know why is there a delay in testing akash mk2?
    3.what is the status of Indian Army Vshorads competition?
    4.why is there a need for bi modular charge systems from BAE even though it was produced by some private company and the drdo's new bi modular charge system was about to be tested?

    ReplyDelete
  66. I sincerely apologize for wrong formatting please kindly find Q7.

    7. Element-115 is called "Ununpentium" in modern periodic table and an artificially created synthetic element having very small half-life of about 200ms, so how can such hardly stable element can fuel such Aliens Disks of Aircrafts for long duration or is there any catalyst to improve there reactions of any stabalizing element to sustain such fusion reactions to longer durations. Also to replicate such huge feat in everyday practical life is still far away. Please kindly provide your viewpoint on this.

    Awaiting your reply

    Thanking You in advance

    ReplyDelete
  67. hi Prasun
    What types of target can the stunner and the iron dome be used effectively in the Indian context. can the stunner be used as a mini s-300 with its 170 km range .It is rumored that the next gen AA missile is based on the stunners dual mode terminal homing system.
    My main worry is how do we counter the babur cruise missile which will be more generously used to target hig hvalue targets.

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  68. Thanks Prasun for your answer .

    But the way I see it , is that formation of new states are being encouraged by politicians who have personal aspirations . Like Ajit Singh wants Harit Pradesh so that he can become CM .

    In your home state of West Bengal the demand for Kamthapur is being driven by politicians with vested interest .

    So if separate states can be formed now why wouldn't these states become independent countries altogether ? Look at the North East . Nagaland , Meghalaya became separate states and now they want to secede from India altogether .

    ReplyDelete
  69. Are these indian people rajputs,ahirs,jats,yadavs INDO-SCYTHIANS aka. Sakas.Did they came from central asia approx. 2000 years inside india prior to HUNS,TURKS and MONGOLS through invasion.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Prasun, I have some questions for you -

    1) What is DAE's progress on making a 150-180MW PWR for S-5 SSBNs?

    2) Will IAC-2 be nuclear-powered? If yes, how many reactors will it have and how much MW power will each of them give?

    3) Between Type-45 Daring and P-15A Kolkata, what will be the better DDG in case one are pitted against the other?

    4) What ships and submarines will the P-71/IAC-1 CBG consist of? Can you give me a complete list?

    5) What is the progress on K-4 SLBM?

    6) How many GSAT-7 type spy satellites will India build in total?

    7) What is the progress on the 8 x Landing Craft Utilities being built by GRSE?

    8) There seems to be some progress on CCS's part in the P-17A FFG programme. Will the construction of these ships stop at 7 or is there a possibility that it might go up mid way through?

    I'm asking because an online friend of mine told me that once the first ships of this sort begin deliveries, IN will increase the total order to 10-12 such FFGs.

    Does IN really have plans for more P-17A FFGs?

    Thanks in advance.

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  71. Hey sir,I want to ask you a few questions wrt Indian Army artillery.

    1.Is the IA going to upgrade its entire FH 77B invertory of 410 to L45 standard?By when the upgradation may complete?Will there be any additional OFB L45 guns ordered above the 410 guns now present?

    2.How many M46 130mm artillery guns are present in IA?When their upgradation will be started and which companyo you think will upgrade them to 155mm L45 standrd?

    3.By which time frame may we expect some Indian version of VLAP and Excaliber GPS guided artillery rounds?

    4.And lastly,has the development of 60 km range Pinaka rockets and censor fused munitions started?

    ReplyDelete
  72. Hey there Prasun K. Sengupta

    Whats your opinion on PRISM?
    We know that MS informs about US about Windows OS vulnerabilities before MS fixes them and theres not unreal possibility of hidden backdoors in Windows OS
    Will India at least harden their Windows OS workstation or will switch to verifiable and securable Linux

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  73. Hi Prasunji,

    Your opinion on follow on IAC-II.
    will it favor the nation if Indian Navy embarks on second Aircraft Carrier with same specifications as IAC-I (i.e., 40000 tons conventionally powered). It will save lot of time in building the second indigenous Aircraft Carrier (May be the project can be fructify by 2020 and commissioned in 2021). Then the IN will have enough time to embark on heavier nuclear powered aircraft carrier to Induct by 2025 - 2028 time frame (Ample time for DAE to come up with next generation 200 MW compact nuclear reactor design for both submarines and warships). VMT

    ReplyDelete
  74. Sir, Thanx for the detailed replies.

    When there can be two or more shifts in private shipyards, what is dissuading MoD and RM to adopt a similar approach to fasten things up a bit. The batch of P-17A frigates will be constructed using the modular approach. Can they be completed within three years from kneel laying ? What prevented IN from ordering another two of Kolkata class. Is there in bottleneck in their entire thinking process .

    http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/chinese-pla-stops-army-from-patrolling-in-indian-territory/articleshow/21600353.cms

    What is it that they really want? What is the PLA transpiring . On one hand they are asking us to quickly implement border dispute resolving procedures. Srry if iam using the wrong term and on the other side they are stiopping our patrols right in our own land .For how long will this bullshit continue. Why cant IA deploy some light IFV or equip those patrols with fire and forget Atgms and light C90.There must be an end to such incidents. Afterall its nt isolated or out of the blue. Dont you think we should similarly flex our muscles in AP & Sikkim? Cant a minefield be created there rigged with anti personnel mines and booby traps to force them from crossing over to our turf.

    Are the hardened underground tunnels being constructed by Army close to the LAC and LoC for crucial weapons storage near completion. They need to be bulit in greater nos if vital weaponry and war wastage reserves have any chances of surviving a high intensity conflict .

    If you have a longer ranged sam you will create a bigger area denial zone. Many airlaunched ashm deployed by Mmrca have ranges under 200 km. With a 200 km sam you can prevent the attacker from approaching the 200 km zone and take away his chances of deploying his payload. It solves many probs then and there. There wiont be much burden on the ship's air defense system and CIWS. Although a missile doesnt flies straight as a crow but the longer the range the better.

    Isnt it possible to establish a latger production line than the current one at BDL and ask the various suppliers to do the same. Have you got any info on mk2. it seems everyone has completely forgotton about it.

    What exactly was Stunner designed to intercept. The brochure doesnt say much. It is touted as a cost effective ht to kill soln against all sorts o ballistic missile threats short of ICBM .

    http://daily.bhaskar.com/article/NAT-TOP-a-sneak-peek-in-indias-ballistic-missile-defence-system-4337862-PHO.html

    What is the much hyped swordfish tracking radar ?Phase 1 utises Green pine and a Thales radar.What radars will Drdo use in its phase 2 of Bmd program. It is surely working something
    out. Dr Saraswat in an exclusive interview had told that all new radars with longer reach are being developed for intercepting ICBM class threats. Now Lrde doesnt possess that much if core competence to develope a Super Green Pine type radar.They need to be imported. Is IAI working on a reengineered super sized round based EL/M-2248 with Drdo for this purpose .
    Will GSAT-7 be used for providing targetting cues to the ground based radar network for a succesfull intercept.

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  75. #Arup please consider this

    Earth is curved not flat translated to radar range and SAM missile interception range means you cannot detect an aircraft "hides behind earth"

    Mountains: aircraft can also "hide" behind them which means that denial zone will be smaller in mountainous regions

    Also theres issue of No Escape Zone in this case it means: You can shoot down approaching target if you have SAM with 200km range but if target is (moving out of range of SAM )=receding your range will be much smaller. This largely depends on kinematic performance of both missile and aircraft

    Other factors such as weather can reduce interception range

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  76. Sir,

    Now we have another incident at the LAC, with PLA troops stopping a ITBP patrol.

    What now? Nothing seems to have worked? Not the dialog, visits, nothing. What is their angle here- what are they aiming for? Do we keep at it this way for the foreseeable future?

    Every time something like this happens the government pretends like its not an issue of concern and so do the analysts, how can that be so?

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  77. Hi Prasunji,

    What is the potential of pitching an Idea of a Hybrid Aircraft Carrier Design for IAC-II (Nuclear + Conventional). Well the conventional (LM - 2500+ Gas Turbines etc.) propulsion will stay for propelling the ship. Where as the Nuclear power plant (well by using currently available 2 X 83 MW nuclear power plants) will provide all the necessary power requirement by employing steam boilers and turbines (As it is used in the Arihant, if possible with more efficiency). So this combination gives the ship with enhanced range and unlimited power supply in terms of electricity required for internal warship operations. It will enable IN to take an intermediate step towards nuclear propulsion for an aircraft carrier (By this IN can learn valuable experience on operating a nuclear propulsion on a large warship like an aircraft carrier). your take. Thank you.

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  78. @ss

    What a bright idea.

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  79. Abhay was an FICV technology demonstrator of the DRDO.WHY It is now a closed matter?

    An Arihant class submarine can armed with both Brahmos and Nirbhya class missile simultaneously?

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  80. We can look at the number of combinations possible with this combination (Nuclear + Conventional). After meeting all the power essential power requirements (All kinds of power requirement for smooth operation of the Ship) required for day to day operations of the warship, what ever excess power available from the nuclear reactors (Which will be available in the form of electricity) can always be used to switch it to propel the Ship (Just like in the CODLAG propulsion). In this case the Diesel replaced by Nuclear. It will enable the warship to travel at speeds in excess of the laid down specifications (If the specified propulsion is already met by the Conventional propulsion). Which will be a great advantage. Your take. VMT

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  81. Prasun ,

    Has the Indian Navy issued a RFI to Boeinf , MIG ,Dassault among others for an alternate deck-based aircraft because of the delays with the naval variant of the LCA ?

    Thanks,

    ReplyDelete
  82. Sir ,http://idrw.org/?p=25240
    In which Patriot variant are we interested. PAC-2 or PAC-3 MSE. Finally is IA,IAF considering protecting its major installations from annihilating massed fire strikes with a plethora of ballistic and cruise missiles. PLA 2nd Artillery corps have moved some India specific IRBM and MRBM equipped with conventional warheads into TAR. Providing protection from them will require some serious hardware. S-400 would also have been good. It offers a choice of 4 rounds. Its 9M86E and E2are direct counterparts to PAC-3MSE. It will also prove to be cheaper.


    Will MoD ordersome of the 7 P17A class of frigates private ship builders -Pipavav,LT greenfield facilty in Tamilnadu .

    Did VCNS said that Ins Vikramaditya will get Barak-8 only after the 1st midlife upgrade?

    Why wasnt Agni-5 tested last month as was earlier planned ?

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  83. To BHASWAR: Nothing is obsolete…one always requires back-ups in case primary navigation sensors like GPS fail. The EL/M-2248 MF-SATR on IAC-1 features a distributed array, hence the four apertures. Both Russia & China are going ahead gull-steam as far as R & D on CATOBAR & EMALS go. For Russia, NFGFA is a concrete project & was displayed in scale-model form at the IMDS 2013 expo in St Petersuburg last month. WRT PLA’s LAC transgressions, this has been going on all along since 1986 & it’s only now that the ‘desi’ press corps has begun reporting about them. Likewise, the IA’s ITBP’s patrols too engage in the same tactics, but these aren’t reported at all.

    To SUBIR: 1) TPQ-53 can detect only inbound targets that are either ballistic or have depressed ballistic trajectories cruising at an altitude of 16km like BrahMos or Shaurya. Airspace surveillance radars even when sited on mountain-tops can’t detect cruise missiles beyond the extended horizon. 2) Barak-2ER is 110km-range, not 120km-range. 3) Land-based variant of MF-STAR will be the early warning component while EL/M-2084 MMR will be the target engagement component. 5) Such installations never come within the ambit of VA & VP anywhere in the world. 6) VAs & VPs are ingress points for intruding airborne assets/platforms & do not represent static installations. 7) Wrong. Actuated TVCs are clearly visible in the cutaways of such missiles. 9) Not reqd as of now.

    To PINKAL SHAH: 1) Kindly Google it. 2) Google it. 3) Their theories cannot be proven till today & are therefore still classified as only theories. Even for gene-centred evolution, there has got to be a triggering mechanism. Where did this mechanism come from? 4) They’re all misguided entities. 5) Yes, they can be after the 1970s. But what was the case prior to that? 6) Not at all. The experiments & patents of Nicola Tesla (inventor or alternating current or AC) clearly proved that electricity generation via electro-gravitics is economically feasible (the cheapest, in fact) & universally implementable. 7) Production of Element-115 is only half the story. The other half concerns the development of the ‘total annihilation n-reactor’ which operates with 100% thermal efficiency, unlike present-day n-reactors that function at slightly over 30% thermal efficiency.

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  84. To NEEL: That Iranian AAA system is meant for targetting high-flying long-range bombers like B-52s. For India the Rheinmetall-developped Skyranger/Millenium AAA system is still the best choice. Abhay FICV technology demonstrator is a closed chapter, period. Yes, the S-2, S-3 & S-4, when converted into SSGNs, will be able to fire both BrahMos-1 & Nirbhay.

    To ICEMAN: 1) None. 2) Not a chance. 3) Yes. 4) Because there’s no need for it. Even the Astra BVRAAM is not reqd. 5) More than 2,000. 6) No one from India tinkered in any way with the nozzle of AL-31FP. 7) Manpower shortages within DRDO, since bulk of the scientists/engineers dealing with such issues are busy with the Barak-2 & SR-SAM projects. 8) Still underway, although the Mistral is the clear favourite. 9) Theirs is any need for importing BMCS at all. HEMRL-developed BMCS are already being series-produced at a rate of 220,000 units per annum by two private-sector companies. That’s why I even uploaded photos in the previous thread of such BMCS that were showcased during DEFEXPO. If the ‘desi’ journalists haven’t bothered to scope out such exhibits during such expos, then all that I can say about such folks is that they are ‘GOD’s PERFECT ARSEHOLES’.

    To RAD: Stunner was originally developed for countering NLOS-BSMs & TBMs like Iskander-E, OTR-21 Tochka, DF-11 & DF-15 that can fly depressed ballistic trajectories. Iron Dome on the other hand was developed to intercept 122mm MBRL rockets that are not fired in salvoes, but as consecutive rounds. Babur-type cruise missiles can easily be intercepted by even VSHORADS provided ground-based IRST sensors are available for early warning. The NLOS-BSMs of more recent vintage in possession of the PLA’s 2nd Artillery Corps can be intercepted by both Barak-2 & Stunner but significantly, only the Iron Dome & not the Stunner was showcased by RAFAEL at Aero India 2013.

    To PAVAN: There’s nothing wrong in creating a new state if it is financially sustainable within a federal set-up. If Harit Pradesh or Bundelkhand can be economically sustainable, then why not? After all, everyone agrees I suppose that present-day UP is administratively ungovernable. But secession is a different ball-game altogether & is not financially sustainable, unless they become countries like Nepal or Bhutan or Sri Lanka that are economically almost totally dependent on India. States in the North East therefore have no other neighbouring country (like Bangladesh or Myanmar) that can offer them a better economic deal & they therefore have no choice but to remain within the Indian republic. Even in J & K the youth from that state see a more brighter future with India than with Pakistan for this very reason. Do you for a moment think that the Muslims of Kashmir Valley would want to survive in the same way as their brethren residing as stateless people in Gilgit-Baltistan since 1949? By the way, WB has never my home-state nor is it at the moment.

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  85. To FIGHTERPILOT88: 1) So far only a feasibility report has been prepared & political go-ahead for release of R & D funds is now expected. 2) Yes. Only a single 190mW PWR is reqd. 3) P-15A DDG definitely has more firepower, given the fact that 16 x BrahMos-1s are on board. 4) Three DDGs & three FFGs, plus two SSKs. 5) Still under R & D. 6) Up to four. 7) Still undergoing fabrication. 8) Seven P-17A FFG is a good enough number. Future FFG & DDG designs of the Indian Navy will be truly revolutionary, featuring only gas-turbine propulsion & integrated powerplants & sporting integrated masts. The Ruskies at IMDS 2013 displayed some truly mind-blowing designs to a specially invited IN delegation. Will upload the photos in a new thread in the near future.

    To SOUVIK: 1) That’s the plan. 2) It should be completed by 2016. Only 114 units of 155X45 have been ordered to date. 2) More than 1,500. 3) By 2018. 4) 60km-range Pinaka-2 rocket has been developed already. No SFMs for them are envisaged.

    To LONGHANKS: What about PRISM? I reckon the NTRO needs to have a similar project for covering South Asia & the Middle East.

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  86. To SS: Firstly, there’s no need to urgently procure a second 37,500-tonne aircraft carrier. Till 2025 the IN is quite happy to have only two CBGs. Secondly, the immediate reqmt is for the four LPHs & in my reckoning these LPHs can easily be built to an Indian design in cooperation with India’s public-sector & private-sector shipyards & there’s no need to import the LPH’s design. Imagine a country being able to design & fabricate larger aircraft carriers but unable to do the same for smaller LPHs!!! Thirdly, another urgent reqmt is for the IN to initiate the procurement of SSNs through domestic construction, since up to 9 SSNs (like the Barracuda) are reqd for protecting the S-2. S-3 & S-4 SSGNs & the projected three SSBNs (S-5, S-6 & S-7). For the Barracuda-type SSN too the DAE needs to start R & D work ASAP on suitable PWRs. Lastly, hybrid propulsion systems of the type you’ve suggested will only gobble up precious internal volume. Had such options been realistic, they surely would have been introduced by the world’s major naval powers by now.

    To ARUP: 1) 65-year old mindsets can’t be changed overnight. Only an acute crisis like the 1991 financial crisis produces enough shock-effect to initiate such far-reaching changes in prevailing mindsets. Ant warship built in modules can be launched with 90% of the hull completed within 14 months. 3 years is too long a time to fabricate a single hull by any stretch of the imagination. Give another 6 months for outfitting in the wet-basin & within 20 months the warship ought to be proceeding on its sea-trials. 2) WRT PLA’s LAC transgressions, this has been going on all along since 1986 & it’s only now that the ‘desi’ press corps has begun reporting about them. Likewise, the IA’s ITBP’s patrols too engage in the same tactics, but these aren’t reported at all. 3) Longer-range SAMs offer larger area-denial zones only against high-flying bombers, not against low-flying strike aircraft.

    To DEFENSE & AEROSPACE: That was done years ago & that too more than twice. That’s why SaaB was advertising about the Sea Gripen. However, the Rafale & NFGFA are more realistic & suitable alternate options.

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  87. Thanks Prasun .

    There were reports that Lockheed & Hyundai Heavy Industries have jointly responded to the Project 17A combat systems Request for Information (RFI) issued by the Indian Navy and have offered the AEGIS .

    Do you think that AEGIS will win the tender ?

    Thanks

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  88. Hi Prasun,

    How are Russia and China doing in the firld of electro gravitics? They would surely not want to be left behind in this field. Also some of the physiscts like Eugene Podkletnov coducting their research in russia would have been approached by the russian/foreign govts.

    They would definitely have seen the strategic advance such systems bring to their military/economy.

    When does the US plan on releasing all the info on electro gravitics & UFOs?

    If electro gravitics is cheap, why has it not been implemented by other nations ? Surely other nations like the soviets would have done research on electricity and it being science, they would have come across it.

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  89. To DEFENSE & AEROSPACE: That RFI pertained to the now-discarded proposal for importing an all-new warship design & licence-building it in-country. This proposal was rejected way back in early 2011 & it was instead decided that the seven Project 17A FFGs would all make use of the Project 17 FFG’s hull-design but featuring improvements in selective areas such as sensors, weapon systems, and construction materials (like greatly increased usage of composites). By late year last when the P-17A FFG’s design was frozen, it was decided to use the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR, EMDINA Mk2 CMS & RAN-40L for all the seven P-17A FFGs as well as the four P-15B DDGs. Compared to the active phased-array EL/M-2248, the SPY-1 PESA radars are inferior & the IN therefore rightly rejected the them & the related AEGIS CMS suite as well by early 2011.

    To Anon@1.31AM: The Ruskies are as advanced as the US in theoretical areas, but in terms of military-industrial might & financial sustenance, Russia & China still cannot match the US. If revolutionary scientific breakthroughs in areas like electro-gravitics were to be made freely available, the entire global economic structure as we know it (dependent on fossil fuels & the global banking/financing system) will collapse & there will be utter chaos.

    Do watch this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0adeVyaYlo

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  90. Sir, pls ans them . And why was Barak range reduced to 110 km fron 120 km. Initially evrybody reported of having that range. Is the expressee interest in Patriot anthr work of desi media.

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  91. Anyone watch this last night?

    http://headlinestoday.intoday.in/programme/india-china-war-in-2014/1/298188.html

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  92. PRASUN,
    YES-a country being able to design & fabricate larger aircraft carriers but unable to do the same for smaller LPHs!
    Just like-
    They make MBT but can't make ICV.
    They make intercontinental ballistic missile but can't make a towed 155mm 52 cal howitzer.
    They make nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines but unable to design & fabricate a conventional diesel-electric submarine.
    I don't know why?

    however,what is your view about-
    Russian Project 21632 Tornado missile boat or littoral gunboat armed with 100mm A-190 Universal gun,MS-73 launcher of the A-215 Grad-M system shipborne version of the worldwide renowned Grad MRLS,3M-47 Gibka SHORAD for Airdefence,two 30mm AK-306 six-barrel gun, three 7.62mm machineguns and the DP-64 antisaboteur grenade launcher.
    Is Indian Navy interested on this type of gunboat?

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  93. @ NEEL,
    Dude Russia designs and manufacture advanced defense equipment but cannot design a simple commercial car.

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  94. Dear Prasunda
    My Wishlist for Capital Ships and Littoral Ships for Indian Navy alongwith Air Arm :-
    • 03 Aircraft Carriers embarking both manned Combat Aircraft (LCA/Mig29K/AMCA),unmanned aircraft IUSAV/UCAV/UAV, AEW/ASW/ASuW/SAR helicopters, LRSAM, ASW systems etc.
    • 06 Landing Platforms Decks for Marine expeditionary forces embarking Hovercrafts, Heavy Lift Helos, AEW/ASW/ASuW/SAR helos, 01 6"/155mm Naval Gun, MLRS Rocket systems etc.)
    • 06 Cruisers (96 LRSAM, 32 Anti-Ship and 12 Land Attack Missiles, 01 6"/155mm Naval Gun, etc.)
    • 12 Destroyers (48 LRSAM, 16 Anti-Ship/Land Attack Missiles, ASW/ASuW Systems, 2 Helos, etc.)
    • 24 Frigates (48 SAM, 16 / 08 Anti-Ship Missiles ASW/ASuW Systems, 1 / 2 Helos, etc.)
    • 24 Corvettes (12 in ASW Role , 12 in ASuW Role)
    • 24 Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels
    • 48 Fast Attack Craft / Missile Boats
    • 24 LRMR Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft - P8I / Tu-142
    • 24 MRMR Medium Range Reconnaissance Aircraft - IL-38 / P8 Lite / MTA
    • 48 Light Reconnaissance ASW / ASuW Aircraft - Dornier / LTA
    • Manned and Unmanned Combat Aircraft, Helicopters, Landing Ship Tanks, Tanker Ships, Hospital Ships, Hovercrafts, Survey Ships, Training Ships and Aircraft etc.
    The Submarine Fleet would consist of the following supported by Submarine Tenders, DSRVs, etc.
    • 03 SSBN (Submersible Ship with Ballistic Missile Nuclear)
    • 03 SSGN (Submersible Ship with Cruise/Guided Missile Nuclear)
    • 09 SSN (Submersible Ship Nuclear)
    • 24 SSK (Conventional Submersible Ship Kerosene)
    • Mini Submarines for Special Forces, Unmanned Submersible Craft, Two Man Subs, etc.
    Is this feasible and more importantly practically required or is it just a pipe dream of a jingositic person? Admitttedly strategic vision is more important than mere equipment but is our maritime vision consumerate with our equipment and do we have the infrastructure ready to support it.

    Regards
    Dhruv

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  95. Prasun regarding that doco - I stopped watching after a while because the team that created that doco need to be sued for creating hysteria, spreading disinformation and creating a paranoid hostility between the two countries. The reasons mentioned in the doco why China should attack India have been the reasons since 1962. The story has no regard for the financial issues facing China and what any aggression against India will do to the ongoing disputes with Japan and the SE Asian countries who would certainly take a serious view of China's militancy and virtually open up its Eastern front and Beijing will start a two front war with internal uprisings in the Uighur district. Am I wrong with this assessment?

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  96. By looking at the service lifts show cased in the above Images of IAC-I, seems like they can't accommodate a unfolded/battle ready Mig-29. Even by visual it looks like the Mig-29 length (with its wings folded) is over shooting the length of the service lift. So if we go on with the Navy's saying that IAC-I will be accommodating 20 Mig-29's then how will the lifting of this fighter from Hangar works? Or its not the exact replica of the actual size of the carrier? Even for Maintenance purposes also the Mig's stationed on the flat top needs to be lifted down to the Hangar. Where the Weapons fitments happen for the aircraft, Both inside hangar and on the deck (flat top)? Thank you.

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  97. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ44c4RCMTc
    is it true sir

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  98. Prasun Da ,

    Just read in your previous thread about your MRO venture in the North East . Having lived in the NE for 15 years ,got to say , it'a very brave decision on your part in investing in the North East as most Indian business houses stay away from that area due to the volatile nature of the tribals & there inherent dislikes for people from other parts of India .

    Here is wishing you all success in your endeavor . Best of luck .

    Regards,
    Sujoy

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  99. Wow!I never knew that IA had so many M 46 artillery pieces in its inventory,I mean 1500 is a huge number.I always thought we had around 700-850 or so.

    So,do you think that this entire inventory of 1500 M 46s will be upgunned to Metamorphosis L45 standard?This can add some much need fire power to IA artillery arm.I wonder what kept the IA to upgun these systems for so many years-any idea?

    Anyways,by when can we expect the M 46 upgunning process to be started and by which company?

    And lastly,is there any plan to fit the upgraded FH 77Bs and M 46s with some localy produced ballistic computers and digital FCS?

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  100. mr prasun time travel is possible or it's just a si fi fantasy?

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  101. Hi Prasun ,

    I watched that program on Headlines Today about China attacking India in 10 months time .

    Perfect script for a Bollywood potboiler ...LOL

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  102. To NEEL: If you really want to know why, then I suggest you pick up the latest issue of INDIA TODAY, which explains it all. For instance, while there are less developed countries (LDC) & under-developed countries (UDC), India comes under the unique category of RDC, i.e. refusing to develop country. In 1950 India had the same GDP as Japan, while in 1965 India’s GDP was 70% of Japan’s & by 1980 India’s GDP was reduced to just 17% of Japan’s. In 1982 India’s per capita income was 19% higher than China’s & by 2012 India’s per capita income had been reduced to just 24% of China’s. Consequently, an average Chinese citizen is today 3 times richer than his/her Indian counterpart while he/she was 28% poorer than an Indian in 1982. Now, what are the hallmarks of an RDC? Here goes:
    1) Performs way below potential & the gap between the two keeps widening.
    2) Prefers to distribute poverty by choosing equality of poverty over inequal prosperity.
    3) Keeps looking back & not sideways by gloating at its record compared to the past & ignores comparison with others.
    4) Debates more than does anything tangible, i.e. analyses proposals forever, rather than clearing them.

    To DHRUV: Everything’s feasible ONLY IF India stops acting as an RDC (explained above).

    To PIERRE ZORIN: That the so-called wargaming exercise is total hogwash is a given. While IDR as an industry publication can probably be justified to cater to its own selfish ends by spreading discredited hysteria & using this to gain more advertisement revenues (similar to what some MPs from Arunachal Pradesh had indulged in since 2007 when they had forecasted that China will attack India immediately after the conclusion of the Beijing Olympics in August 2008), one wonders what is HEADLINES TODAY’s agenda is according prime-time coverage to such utter balderdash. In fact, one can even find several inaccurate indices used for generating the wargaming matrix. In short, this is yet another instance of a bunch of bored & senile retired servicemen coming together to spend their retired lives in fickle-mindedness & spread disinformation, something which is a regular occurrence in New Delhi nowadays.

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  103. To SS: That anomaly arises because of one stupid folly committed by IN HQ: in all the visuals released by the IN of IAC-1, it has NOT SHOWN the MiG-29K on the top-deck, but a Boeing F-15!!! One can only wonder why the IN does not have even a single decent graphics designer within its staff who can distinguish between a MiG-29K & a F-15. Needless to say, in today’s globalised world when news, imagery & data travel at the speed of light, such elementary lapses can only contribute to show the IN in extremely bad light. 3 days ago I sent an e-mail to the office of the IN’s CNS bringing this anomaly to his attention & I can only hope that such laxity & negligence will be avoided in future.

    To BUDDHA: Absolutely true.

    To SUJOY MAJUMDAR: VMT. But the North East does not mean that the location will be only east of the Siliguri Corridor. Sikkim & North Bengal can also be described as being part of the North East.

    To ANURAG: Firstly, none of the M-46s will be upgraded to the OFB-proposed Metamorphosis standard, since that standard has already been rejected by the IA, which wants to hold a competitive bidding exercise for selecting the upgrade package. Companies well-equipped to undertake the M-46 upgrade were identified by me at the DEFEXPO 2012 thread last April. Contract award will not take place this year for sure. Vectronics kits of local & imported origin meant for OFB’s 155X45 & upgraded M-46 were also highlighted in a previous thread last year.

    To DUSHYANT HARDAHA: Not time-travel, but inter-dimensional travel. It is very much possible & that’s what String Theory is all about.

    To AKHIL SURI: Totally agree. And scripted, choreographed, produced & directed by a bunch of GOD’s PERFECT ARSEHOLES!

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  104. Sir,

    Has there been any update on the Kaveri Marine Gas Turbine? I believe it had been sent over to the Marine Gas Turbine test bed at Vishakapatnam? Its rated at 12mW, how difficult would it be to use it to build a gas turbine rated for 20-30mW like certain versions of he LM-2500. Is the output smaller because the gas turbine itself is based on a smaller engine as opposed to the engines which formed the basis of the Trent-800 MGT and LM-2500 MGT or is it a technological issue? I am guessing that the KMGT is far smaller in physical size and of a lower weight than the LM and Trent articles? IF so can a larger MGT then be built using the KMGT, how much time would that take and would it be a difficult project?

    How is the Kaveri program going? Everything has gone quite on tat front. Information about it is very cluttered and there is no way in which coherence can be attained on the subject. Is the current engine the "K-9" variant, IF so then what are the plans for the purported "K-10" variant?

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  105. Furthermore what is the thermal efficiency of the KMGT at ISO conditions?

    ReplyDelete
  106. Is it true, Prasun your comments

    http://pastebin.com/C6DYxyt3

    ReplyDelete
  107. Sir , VMT

    1.Wasnt Barak-8ER initially supposed to have a 120 km range? http://trishul-trident.blogspot.in/2011/04/hardened-air-cover-with-mr-sams-lr-sams.html

    2.If private shipyards outfitted with modular equipments and having 2 shifts can churn out a frigate in 20 months, why doesnt IN and MoD allocate some or the whole lot of P-17A's construction to Pipavav and the upcoming Greenfield ship building facility of L&T in Tamil Nadu ?

    3. Is SAIL supplying all of the warship grade steel required for IAC-1? previouly heard SAIL was incapable of providing the required quality steel and so Essar was supplying the required steel ??

    4.Is DMR49 steel reverse engineered from Russian ABR steel ? Uptill now did IN had to import all of the steel required for ship and sub repairs and construction ?

    5.Does the SPP produced armoured plates and indigenous steel for T-72,T-90, BMP-2 offer better ballistic protection and has better hardness than the Russian supplied ones ?

    6.Hasnt IA already selected Kalyani Forge to carry out the upgunning of M46 ?? You said so. Why will nly 800 units be upgraded? What about the rest of them.

    7.http://idrw.org/?p=25278#more-25278

    hasnt Drdo developed heavy and light weight torpedoes performed sub optimally in their trails ? Why will the lightweight one be series produced?

    8.What will be the pa production rate of Akash missiles once the BDL unit comes up at Amravathi ?
    What will the other BDL unit at Ibrahimpatnam in Andhra Pradesh manufacture ?

    9.Can a salvo of 2 Barak-8ER neutralise a 2000-2500 km class ballistic missile? IAF and IA has a lot of installations to cover. Will more Baraks be ordered in succesive tranches. Currently the order book stands at 2000 units.

    10.Cant the KLT-40C PWR employed in IAC-2 . It was originally desgined for surface ships, icebreakers. It can be utilised to generate electricity which will power the props. 3 to 4 units can provide enough power to propel IAC-2 at 20+ knots.

    11.Does the IAF save on its critical monetary resources if it utilises to C-17A to transfer heavy cargo from point A to B instead of the IL-76 ?

    12. Pls ask HAL to change their pic of FGFA.God knows what it is. Its definitely nt FGFA. Its there for a long time. Pls ask HAL to change it.

    12. And sir are you from a NE state ?

    ReplyDelete
  108. Sir about the quality of our tank ammunition-

    What APFSDS rounds did we recently buy from russia?

    Also what is the current penetration of standrad arjun APFSDS round at say 2km?

    Also are newer rounds in development?

    When will arjun MK2 be revealed?

    VMT.

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  109. Also, Sir shouldn't the P-17A and P-15B ships also incorporate flush decks and cleaner masts?

    ReplyDelete
  110. Sir, Mazagaon shipyard and Grsb were being upgraded with new equipments to enable them undertake modular shipbuilding.Is the process complete ? mazagaon docks got a Goliath crane along with a new outfitting yard. How will each of these new PSU take to complete a 6000 ton vessel from module fabrication and kneel laying to launch after outfitting in the wet basin .

    Isnt there an immediate need for some amphibious assault vehicles .Even the smaller Se Asian navies have them in nos. If one is quickly selected by IN they should be contructed by the private shipyards. L&t , Pipavav will be able to build each of them in 2.5 to 3 yrs. mazagaon docks took 9-10 yrs for Kolkata class .

    If IN goes ahead with the purchase of 9 Barracuda type SSN wont DCNS provide the nuclear reactor design and production engineering data like that had been done with the follow on to Arihant class . When can the phase 2 SLEP contract for the nine Kilo class SSK can be signed? Does subs need repairs after regular intervals of time like once every year .

    How are things there with Scorpene .Why hasnt Navy ordered any cruise missiles for Sishumar class. Its oem has developed a plug in AIP soln for it. Navy could have installed them during the prvious upgrade.
    Now that Pn is aquring six Qing class SSK what will be IN's possible counter,measure to them. If any sub launches its payload of terrain hugging Baburs can it be detected,identified,tracked and intercepted in time so as not to cause any damage ?

    Do you think blood will be spilled for what has happened today ?The cabinet is keeping quiet. RM retracted his earlier statement that it was carried out be terrorists. What sort of ... equipments does the frontline army units use that they couldnt sense an ambush just because the weather was stormy and the visibilty was poor. Does the patrols carry HHTI and gen 3 Nvgs during night time patrols.

    Was any NVG and rifle mounted nv sights shortlisted or bought by the Army. OFB manufactured ones are hen 2 and have serious QA/QC issues. Was checking some OFB made products displayed durinf Defexpo 2012. The products lacked the quality finish of its Western counterparts .
    Cant HVF Avadi expand its facilties to produce 100-150 T-90 each year? A modern assembly line lke the one used by automotive companies could be used to spped up production.

    Doesnt the T-90 lack adequate armour over the entire gun manlet ?

    Why isnt any anti radiation weaponry and anti surface weaponry other than dumb bombs -PGM,standoff bombs, missiles acquired for the expanding fleet of Su-30 MKI . Iaf just orders AAM. There was never any news of acquiring standoff strike weqaqponry Kh-58,59ME/MK2 , Kh-31PD/A,spice 1000/2000/250 .

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  111. Totally true PrasunDa.

    I should have added that there are a few areas in North East like the urban areas of Tripura , Cachar district , Tura which are very peaceful.

    Regards,
    Sujoy

    ReplyDelete
  112. BTW PrasunDa ,

    Your home state is not Bengal ? Seriously .

    I did have a feeling though that you could not be so gentle and yet be from Bengal because of late Bengal produces some of the most ill tempered people on the planet .

    -Sujoy

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  113. Thank you for your replies. But my idea of Hybrid propulsion is for the 65000+ tons IAC-II aircraft carrier. As this carrier will be of CATOBAR configuration which operates EMALS for launching all kinds of aircrafts from the deck. Since it is bigger and more spacious then the constraint of space may not be a big problem. And since EMALS requires quite a large amount of power for its operations, nuclear power plant can offer unlimited power supply for an entire carrier excluding the propulsion. Since conventional propulsion is already employed in many existing modern warships. It can go along in this carrier also. This combination may give it the capability comparable to a true nuclear aircraft carrier in terms of internal aircraft operations but lacking in the unlimited range offered by nuclear propulsion. A combination with what ever best available currently with IN to reduce dependence on newly proposed designs (which may over shoot in time). Surely the IN design team would have thought about this combination in many of their design proposals. your take. (As you've highlighted many other major/critical projects (LHDs, SSNs etc) need to be prioritized, but this bigger and more capable aircraft carrier may offer IN a major offensive weapon) VMT

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  114. Looks like the special operations forces on both sides of the LoC are keeping themselves quite busy.

    http://www.firstpost.com/india/exclusive-dirty-war-on-loc-preceded-deadly-poonch-ambush-1014081.html

    ReplyDelete
  115. To BHASWAR: The ground endurance run for the solitary KGMT technology demonstrator has been completed & based on the results obtained, now prototype fabrication is now in progress for three units in all . All these will be put through a round of accelerated trials in a test-cell to determine the engine’s TTSL & TBO schedules. This phase will be completed by 2016 & only after that will it be possible to start series-production of certified KGMTs. Kaveri turbofan too is now being improved upon after obtaining all the test-data through the flight-tests on an IL-76MD in Zhukovsky, Russia, that were concluded by 2011. Flightworthy prototypes will be available from 2015 for a final round of validatory flight-tests, following which it will be certified for usage on platforms like the AURA USAV.

    To 16585880-fea3-11e2-8ca9-000bcdcb2996: Not entirely true, but there are nuggets of truth in it. For instance, he had stated a year ago that the 2A46M-2 125mm barrel of the T-90S had been indigenised by a Central Ammunition Depot, which no one with brains will be willing to accept. Likewise, he has not bothered to explain what exactly are the difficulties being faced by HAL when it comes to R & D on the HJT-36 IJT, or who was responsible for scuttling the HTT-35 BTT’s R & D work in the mid-1990s. And of course, finally, what is it that the F-35 JSF or AMCA will be able to do which the FGFA won’t be able to.

    To SUBIR: 1) It has been scaled down to 110km. 2) Already explained that above, i.e. because India is a RDC. 3) SAIL & Essar Steel. 4) Yes. Yes. 5) Same level of ballistic protection. 6) No. I had never said so. Nor did I say 800. I had given my own personal estimations, & not any official figure. 7) They’re not being series-produced. 8) It will double from existing levels. Nag, SR-SAM, etc. 9) No. IRBMs & MRBMs will require a heavier missile with bigger warhead. 10) No. IAC-2 will require a single 190mW PWR. 11) Different transport aircraft have different roles, none of them can be a jack-of-all-trades. 12) No.

    ReplyDelete
  116. To ABHISHEK DHAR: 3VBM19/3BM42M rounds were bought. The rest were answered last January in the ISC/DRDO Exhibits thread.

    To ARUP: 1) Modernisation of MDL & GRSE is now complete. Yet, despite this, unless there’s 24-hour industrial activity at such shipyards, it will still take four years to deliver a warship for sea-trials. 2) BMP-2 ICV is amphibious. MDL took so long to build the P-15A DDGs because of delayed deliveries of steel from Russia & Ukraine’s failure to supply transmission shafts for the propellers. 3) No. DCNS will provide only support for SSN hull construction, while the PWR & related items will have to be developed in-house. It will be similar to what DCNSD is doing in Brazil. Scorpene SSK delivery schedules are further delayed since almost all the India-based vendors that were supposed to supply fittings, valves, pipes, etc have failed to adhere to the required QA/QC standards & therefore orders were placed only late last year from France-based OEMs for supplying replacements.

    To SUJOY MAJYMDAR: That’s true…..I wasn’t born or brought up in WB. Talking of ill-tempered Bengalis, I’m one of them as well especially when it comes to confronting folks who piss & spit on the streets & who can’t even stand properly on service-counters at banks or take-away eateries/restaurants. That’s when I tend to utter ‘chakh de’ & start using my hockey-stick. As for the rest of the Bengalis in WB, I guess the hot temperament comes from either a wrong choice of daily diet & also due to an ever-present feeling of restlessness & helplessness due to official apathy that’s pervading in various quarters.
    I would not be surprised at all if in the years to come Tripura will outstrip WB in terms of state-level GDP growth & industrialisation.

    To SS: Every aircraft carrier is designed from the very outset around the airborne platforms that it is supposed to carry. Therefore, from a user’s perspective, top priority will always be given to accommodating more aircraft & helicopters. That’s the main reason why hybrid propulsion systems have never been embraced by any navy that operates aircraft carriers. Be it INS Vikramaditya, IAC-1 or IAC-2, a carrier battle group without any escorting SSNs will be of very limited value against a credible naval power.

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  117. Dear Prasun,

    Am shocked to see you endorsed an article published by Praveen Swami by linking his article in your blog.

    Pls read about Praveen Swamy's credibility:

    http://www.newslaundry.com/2013/02/the-truth-is-out-there/

    DONT SKIP COMMENTS THERE

    AND ALSO

    He describes himself as a NSA (A for analyst) in twitter

    ReplyDelete
  118. Dear Sir,

    Thank you very much for your great explanation

    But i still have some questions as follows:

    1. As per your directions i had googled for Alien Species and Sangam literature but what i had came across is various links and websites especially pertaining to Alien theories and came across various persons and scientists claiming that alien life is based on Silicon rather than carbon as on earth and even if they exists they may not be able to visit us for various reasons such as they do not have any crisis on their planet so that they hae look out for new habitable planet or Earth is totally on different Biology & Atmospherically from their home so they consider Earth as uninhabitable & unworthy of visit, also i had came across claims such as even if extraterrestrial life exists than it may be behind earth evolution & young civilization. Kindly give your views on this.

    2. As you know there are various great Yogis who had lived on earth and had mastered the "Kundalini Yoga" and also such peoples give relatively same teachings such as honesty, compassion, politeness, truth, and above all True Love to the supreme soul of Parbrahman in whichever way you believe. What is your views on this as it is direct/indirect proof related to LORD/GOD.

    3. Also yesterday i had read articles & books on near death experiences by Anita Murajani (sorry for surname mistake) & various others who explain there experiences and majority of them say the same thing such as eternal happiness, joy, eternal light & blissful atmosphere, constantly vibrations of mild & soothing sound of "OM". Please kindly have your views on this subject also as i am new to this.

    4. As per reply on Electro-Gravitcs being cheaper economically & viable then why we are not discarding our dependance on Fossil-fuels For such CLEAN ENERGY SOURCE as it may help to realize various tasks not easily done with help of fossil-fuels and you say that by feeing such discovories can cause choas & collapse of global economy can you please enlighten us more on this matter i will be highly grateful to you.

    Awaiting for your reply

    Thanking you in advance.

    ReplyDelete
  119. VMT for the answers sir,

    My question was though, that once KMGT is operational how difficult will it be to develop a product that can provide 20-25mW? Compared to the KMGT systems like the Trent-800 and LM-2500 can produce as much as 4 times and 2 times the power output of the KMGT respectively? Is that because the said systems are simply larger, heavier than the KMGT? IF not then does it have to do with inferior technology on our part? Or is it because both the Trent and LM articles are based on high-bypass engines?

    Sir what of the P-17A and P-15B, I was wondering whether these would feature flush decks or not?

    Sir if the A4W reactors on the Nimitiz class carrier generates 550 MWth each then what would be their output in MW units? How can a single 180MW rated PWR power IAC-2 when even the French Charles de Gaulle (R91) which weighs 42000 tons is powered by two K-15 reactors rated at 150MW EACH? Won't the IAC-1 then need two 180MW reactors?

    ReplyDelete
  120. Prasun,


    When the first FGFA text vehicle comes to India in 2014/15. What pilots of the IAF will be testing it? ASTE guys?


    And is the projected figure still 250 FGFAs or was the news of downgrading this to 214 correct?

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  121. To REDDY: It isn’t about endorsing anyone, but endorsing the truth & reality. A journalist’s job is to spell out the facts, i.e. be like a mirror & reflect exactly what’s in front of the mirror without engaging in selective reporting or being economical with the truth & that’s what Praveen Swamy has being doing all these years. On the other hand, you & several more like you (presumably India-based) seem to give me the impression (do correct me if I’m wrong since I mean no disrespect to you) that you’re assuming that cross-border shoot-to-kill special operations can never be mounted by India (and by consequence India is always at the receiving end) because India since August 15, 1947 has been a peace-loving country rooted in Gandhian ideals of ‘ahmisa’. Well, the reality is far from that & India’s security forces have never been found wanting in devising ingenious ways of cross-border retaliation with a sense of proportionality, & very rightly so & it is for this reason that India can today boast of having the world’s best, largest, & most combat-proven & successful counter-insurgency force.

    Now, turning to the neophyte NRIs like Priya Kale who don’t have either the time or inclination to take a walk down memory lane & contextualise the developments, here are some interesting reality-checks:

    Q) Who are the irregulars backed by the Indian Army?

    My Answer: The very same types of folks (i.e. Special Group III, made up of Gujjar residents of the high mountains) who were successfully employed, for instance, between January & May 2003 to mount OP Sarp Vinash in the Hill Kaka region. One can read all about it, again written by none other than Praveen Swamy at:

    http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2013/stories/20030704007300400.htm

    http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?220331

    & http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?220439-0

    If you want to know anything about Special Group III, here’s an on-the-record interview:

    http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl2013/stories/20030704005801000.htm

    Q) Is Pakistan’s rationale tenable? On the whole, it seems that Pakistan did not make a hue and cry over the killing of tens of its citizens because it didn’t want to escalate tensions. That’s like saying “my house is being burgled but I won’t scream and call for help because I don’t want to wake up the neighbourhood”.
    Q) Was Capt. Kalia’s death “avenged”? If yes, why didn’t Pakistan counter his father?

    My Answers: It is absolutely tenable, news breaking out about since retaliatory surgical special operations mounted by India inside Pakistani territory will be extremely demoralising for the Pakistani security forces & therefore have always been kept under wraps. After all, if a burgler or even bandit/dacoit robs one’s ill-gotten wealth like black money, then those robbed can hardly be expected to file an FIR with the Police!
    Finally, surgical offensive special operations—whether mounted by one’s own forces or by proxy forces or by UCAVs—are never officially acknowledged by anyone, be it India, Pakistan, Israel or even the US & for good reason.

    cont'd below....

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  122. To REDDY: In conclusion, therefore, kindly learn to refrain from vilifying the likes of Praveen Swamy & instead appreciate his efforts in trying to bring out the stark truth: that India's combat-proven armed forces can always to trusted to return favours across the LoC in kind & with compound interest--all these being lessons that India's armed forces have learnt quite well from Israel's IDF, which has a proven track-record to date of staging several cross-border surgical special operations throughout the Middle East & yet, always resorting to plausible deniability. Every Indian citizen should take pride in the accomplishments of India's armed forces in this respect & not fall prey to all the bleeding, liberalistic & sanctimonious soundbytes that routinely emanate from the pseudo-nationalistic 'desi' TV broadcast channels.

    ReplyDelete
  123. To BIG FAN: Yup. USAF-trained experimental test-pilots of the IAF who are attached to ASTE. 214 FGFAs for the IAF, the balance being optioned for the IN in case it decides to go for the N-FGFA instead of the Rafale.

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  124. @Prasun da

    what you said about 'D' & the so called MiG authorization its said he makes 4 to 5 trips to jeddah annually & those jets generally move over international waters, cant the same thing be done over international waters

    Just learnt Japan launched its largest ship since WW2, which looks very well equipped to fly F35Bs, but Japanese policy forbids aircraft carriers i suppose, so they are saying it will fly helos but when F35Bs arrive wont that be going against policy

    off topic question is what & why is SL-AMRAAM being tried out by many countries

    thanks

    Joydeep Ghosh

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  125. PRASUN,
    How good the Soryu-class submarine is? The 4200 ton Soryu, fitted with AIP based on Kockums Stirling engine.The diesel-electric propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 20knot.
    Tokyo lifted its post-World War II embargo on defence exports.
    Access to the Soryu technology is possible & it is a proven technology.

    ReplyDelete
  126. Prasunda,
    With govt. readying for passing the food security bill it is estimated that it has to provide a subsidy of Rs. 1,25,000 crore annually. With already shortage of fund, it will be impossible for clearing crucial defence deals. Do govt. have any backup plan to save the defence.

    ReplyDelete
  127. Sir, VMT.

    1.Why will IN,IAI and IAF scale down Barak-8ER's range to 110 km from 120 km.A 120 km ranged Barak-8 would have put Barak-8 in the same league of Aster 30.

    2.Wont a salvo of 2-3 Baraks be enough to bring down a IRBM,MRBM ?Can ICBM ranged ballistic missiles be intercepted with AD-1,2 ?

    3.Uptill now I believed that we are our politicians are peace loving and doesnt have the guts to authorise surgical strikes. I also had the idea that IA is not a lean and mean fighting machines,it doesnt undertake any offensive raids or retaliatory missions deep behind enemy lines like other premier armies.Its always at the rceiving end and at the mercy of our enemies. Most of the surgical strikes,raids of IDF have been disclosed to the public by various sorces. Although we Indian citizens dont know at all anything about the raids carried by our spec forces ??

    4.Besides deep raids by IA special units are any such cross border attacks carried out by manned IAF jets in the manner of Israeli airforce.IsAF are masters in this.

    5.I have heard such raids are not only carried out against terrorist camps,weapons caches but also against PA ammo and POL dumps. Is it true ??

    6.Doesnt such strikes by the IA elites amount to war according to rules of engagement? Why doesnt PA military establishment retaliate against it with their regulars ? Can we be sure that such strikes are continuing till this day and will continue in future. It must be black ops.

    7.Regarding 3BM42M,its the latest Russian origin APFSDS. It was being told that Russia has not cleared its export. Its usage will require a new type of autoloader as its almost as long as Western APFSDS.

    8.What role can IL-76 fulfill which C-17 cannot? C-17 can land on austere soft runways which Il-76 cant.

    9.RM disclosed in Parilament that MiG-21 bis will remain in service till 2018 and MiG-21Bison uptill 2025. But havent the bis variant already phased out.Bisons retirement is again been delayed. Its a good interceptor by today's standards.

    10. Whats the best way of neutralising the majority of conventional warhead armed IRBM,MRBM launched by 2nd corps from TAR against cruicial military installations,c3,transportation nodes,major airbases. Is IAF really interested in Pac-3 .

    11.In those black ops how do we maintain plauisble deniabilty ? Everbody in PA know for sure its the handiwork of our spec forces and operatives.

    ReplyDelete
  128. Thank you Prasun for the information in Praveen Swami's case.
    My concern is not about the Indian forces, their ops and terrorists.
    My concern was if he knows something very real and very important and confidential he should write it to the concerned authorities and make sure the information has reached to the right people to make the right decisions, just like the work you are doing.

    On the other hand, I feel somehow, he is placing some information into public which is not in the interest of us, Indians or to India. Since am an Indian I just can not get the state secrets, everything must go according to the NEED TO KNOW BASIS. What purpose his news is serving us? Almost nothing other than proving that he is doing real good field job which seems to be counter productive from the point of PRs, but may have some real good value to the concerned authorities.
    For example take the case of Arundathy Roy. The work she has done brings fame to her but neither to the victims, not to the country, in effect she is building her fame on the very destitute of victims. Am I sounding right? These are just some thoughts arising when am reading something...

    (Finally Pls ignore my argument, am just coming to your blog to read your answers, not to blame anyone. and not to ask Qs and get ans). Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  129. Sir,Thanx for the detailed replies.

    I have never in my wildest dreams imagined clandestine,covert cross border attacks and raids by Indian special forces operatives. I thought all such covert actvities were stopped in the late 80s when the clandestine Pakistan specific dircet action unit of RA&W was dissolved.But does the cabinet authorise such IDF style deep raids ?

    How does our special forces teams infiltrated into Pakistan and Pok?There is the international fence,Indian anti infiltration grid and Pakistan Rangers &BAT. Infiltration by special mission delivery acs will be detected and intercepted. Halo/Haho jumps will be visible to the Pakistani military survellience radars.
    Above that how can the entire action be denied. From the spent cartidges and lost weapons the weapon serial no can be found out and it can be tracked. Most bullet cartidges have OFB marked on them.
    Then theres the problem of exfiltration. Once the action takes place the hostile units will be alerted and they will step up their border vigil.

    When Mod can procure teh ABA steel chemical formula from Russia, why cant it also acquire the production engineering data. Why did SAIL have to productionise the DMR49 the hard way through R&D ?

    If Indian private SME s valve,pipes and other components fail to meet the stringent QA/QC laid out what guraty is there the same thing will also happed with the Rafale production incountry? Is Mod considering importing more Rafales off the shelf for plugging in the missing nos .

    Wont the P17A class frigates have a broader hull over Shivalik class FFG?What weaponry will they pack ?

    Why doesnt HVF Avadi incoporate Kanchan composite armour in the base armour of T-90M.

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  130. PrasunDa ,

    I forgot the particular Parva , but it was clearly mentioned in the Mahabharat that objects could be moved with the power of thoughts .

    Is it possible to do so , especially these days ?

    Thanks,
    Vikram

    ReplyDelete
  131. Sorry ... Off topic...
    www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?128616-Ultra-rare-pics-Indian-Army-Regimental-Boot-Camp-9-Gorkha-(Gurkha)-Rifles
    gourav

    ReplyDelete
  132. as per the news reports mighty china is shivering as japan launches a ship. i have seen so many indian brand new ships of russian and indian origin but none of our ships looks as best as the new japanese ship..

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  133. Dear Sir,

    Please kindly reply your view points for my questions so that i can study further and improve.

    Awaiting your reply,

    ReplyDelete
  134. The LOROS (Long Range Navigation System) on INS Vikramaditya is quite big. But comparatively the Inertial navigation system that is to be used on IAC-I is very compact (may be more accurate). In the advent of IRNSS coming up and the all modern navies almost abandoning the use of Radio Frequency based LOROS system and switching to Laser Gyroscope based Inertial Navigation Systems, why the INS Vikramaditya is still using the LOROS system. We've also mastered the Laser based Inertial navigation systems that were successfully employed in our missiles why are we not using the same in our warships (I mean why we are buying the foreign product which is using the same Laser based inertial navigation system). Can't the huge space meant for LOROS on INS Vikramaditya be better utilized?

    If hybrid propulsions is not a feasible technology to employ then why the modern German, Spanish and British warships (Frigate and Destroyer types) were employing those systems. Does space congestion is not a problem in those ships? They even offer better sound suppression.

    What is the foot print of a nuclear reactor (Reactor+piping+turbine+generator) compared to a Diesel engine generator (Fuel tank+Diesel engine+Generator) on a warship or a submarine? Is nuclear power plant foot print greater than a Diesel based power plant? Thank you

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  135. Sir what about the pakistani naiza round which is said to have 550 mm+ penetration?Compared to our 500 mm?

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  136. Hi Prasun ,

    Since the SU 30MKI is being upgraded to the Super Sukhoi is it not possible to fit the Super Sukhoi with the engines of the SU 35 as they are more powerful ?

    -Akhil

    ReplyDelete
  137. 1.pinaka mk2 has been failed in it's user trials and it is also said that it performed poorly during kargil war,is it true?or it is a cooked up story by media?

    2.what is the status of Indian army's tcs project?L&T led consortium and BEL were selected.does the R&D related work were being done by both parties?or the government just planning to award the contract to BEL?

    3.back in 2010 there were some reports that Elta of israel was selected to assist the development of aesa radars for lca mk2 and cassidian of germany for AMCA?is it true?if it is true have they started the work?

    4.russian officials have visited ofb production facilities to manufacture smerch rockets in india?does the project moving?

    5.In 2011 Synthetic Aperture Radar prototype developed by drdo undergone tests in dornier?does the prototype failed or it is undergoing some improvements?

    6.how many follow-on drdo aew&cs will be ordered by the IAF?will it be on the same Embraer platform?

    7.is it true that navy is interested in v-22 osprey's for undertaking amphibious operations?

    8.do IAF plans to use prahaar missile in the bases closer to the borders such as phalodi,nyoma,jaisalmer etc?

    9.have any shaurya missile been ordered by the Indian army?if so do india have any underground silos to launch them?

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  138. Sir,

    1.IA will adopt AK101 and a new Insas variant as the standard rifles in the coming years. AK101 is already under license production. INSAS family is being continuosly developed like Agni and Prthvi. There are now a no of variants of INSAS. The latest ones are Insas m1a1 and m1a2. These 2 models were not displayed in Aero India 2013 or Defexpo 2012. The latest Insas m1a1/2 has a pictanny rail,new trigger assembly,semi auto,3 shot and auto firing modes,laser targetting,holographic and acog sights,foregrip,folding butt, 30 round mag. This new Insas looks like a hybrid of Scar-l,HK416 and the old Insas. The butt is the same as Scar-l but its foldable.The mid body and barrels are from the Insas while the frontend looks like it is taken from Hk416 . m2a2 is for special frces and has a inbuilt grenade launcher .

    2.Why was the RAN-40L favoured over EL/M-2282, S-1850L and other S band lr radars.

    ReplyDelete
  139. Prasun - You have stated that IAF doesn't require AC-130 Gunships as they are not likely to undertake SOF operations like US.
    But what about IA using Ac-130 as a Artillery platform in North & North East. From our side of border they can provide artillery fire/cover from locations and places where normal artillery cannot use be it even the M777. IA can make use of half a dozen AC-130's.

    ReplyDelete
  140. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhffiiGBD4Q&feature=endscreen

    Indian Police forces need tools like these.

    ReplyDelete
  141. SIR,as per your view how many a/c carrier india should operate at least.

    ReplyDelete
  142. Sir,
    1) The steels (DMR 249A & DMR249B) made by SAIL are developed by India or still its a "Russian product made in India".
    2) What does DMR stands for ?
    Thanks in advance.....
    And very much praise for your enlightenment for us.....
    ......;Siddharth

    ReplyDelete
  143. Prasun,


    What is up with the Indian Navy's N-MRH deal?


    When will the deal be signed and when will the first units be entering Indian navy service?

    ReplyDelete
  144. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/19/iozx.png/

    Prasun sir, is the above picture of IAC-1 or photoshopped Vikramaditya?

    ReplyDelete
  145. Prasunda,

    Please remove this comment after reading.

    I think Subir's profile (http://www.blogger.com/profile/07376164860616709871) seems to be suspecious and dangerous to national interest. Hence, requesting you to answer only those quostions which are in pblic domain and not from your workbook.

    Please dont even reply me if I am wrong. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  146. Sir , @VJ and to anon. I got this info from a friend of mine. Hes associated with a defense forum..he gave me this new. If photos could have been uploaded here, i would have uploaded one. At first glance it will seem to be photoshopped. But its Insas for sure. I thought noone knows about it so i may tell it.

    And both of you should grow up.External intelligence agents dont get intel by asking questions on a public forum.Our enemies's inetl gathering agencies know more than i or you do.They have fields on the boot.Its also true for our agents. Then theres actionable intelligence. From the nature of ur comments i guess you dont have the least amount of idea as to how intel is gathered,sorted out,classified and ops are carried out. Try vsist ausairpower.net. Theres more info there on aircrafts and aerial warfare than both of you anon and VJ will eb able to dig up in iu lifetime. But the authors a bit biased.

    ReplyDelete
  147. This guy Subir is from the North East and that's why like the remainder of his tribe , he is an A$$HOLE.

    ReplyDelete
  148. Prasun what do you think about the Russian Listva remotely operated Microwave mine clearing vehicle. Its development phase is almost complete maybe it can be a asset to IA.
    Are there any similar products under development anywhere.

    ReplyDelete
  149. Anon at 2:20 - it is one thing to be suspicious but completely inappropriate to call people by derogatory terms. The sole reason NE people rebel against India is because of the ill treatment and neglect over the centuries. I still remember growing up Bengalis making fun of Manipuri and NE Indian students in Calcutta. I also remember other Indians purposely looking to exploit Santhali women and Naga/Mizo women. There is little or insignificant political representation from NE and even the Indian PM seldom sets foot there and you want NE tribes to be beaming with smiles because they are Indian? What do say Prasun?

    ReplyDelete
  150. To anon at August 10, 2013 at 2:20 AM, Stop being the laughing stock of everyone and stop calling others asshole. People hailing from NE are Indians and ur fellow citizens.You must have respect f ur fellow Indians and even ur enemies. And for your kind info. I am from Bengal.

    ReplyDelete
  151. i am from north east and i can tell u that delhi has always betrayed us
    starting from nehru to present day politicians
    during monsoons half of NE lies under flood but nobody cares even major tv channels are more concerned
    about SRK LATEST RELEASE then the plight of the people. there are no roads electricity industry
    our ancestral lands are being donated to neighbouring countries

    so this are one of the few reasons
    why we r ASSHOLES AND we dont care we are getting used to it

    ReplyDelete
  152. Sir, please explain the purpose of Integrated defence staff, this to increase the synergy of or IA,IN,IAF however each services thinking of having thier own cross functional assets (for e.g IA will have mini airforce) or this will act as independent fourth force having more integrated commands far from main land. I personally believe later will make the organization more strong but for this the chief of IDS should be at par with other service chiefs (four star officer)by that we are strengthening the staff committee with four four star officer. Please also explain reporting structure of chief of strategic forces command in war time & peace time

    ReplyDelete
  153. Prasun Sir,

    Will we be employing modular construction while manufacturing the P-17A and P-15B vessels? IF so how will it aid in cutting down on the horrendous amount of time we take to complete a vessel given the problems you have highlighted wrt to our shipbuilding yards?

    What exactly is "modular construction" in context of shipbuilding?

    What is the scope of the upgrades of our various shipyards? How many have already received goliath cranes, how many are slated to do the same in the future? Again how will these upgrades help, IF at all they do, in streamlining and expediting the ship building process in light of the factors you've mentioned about the working shifts undertaken in said yards?

    ReplyDelete
  154. @Subir

    @Lachit

    @Anonymous August 10, 2013 at 12:29 PM

    Just because there are a few rotten fish about and around does not require everyone else to take leave of their senses and retaliate in a similar manner.

    To you both and to Subir, as your compatriot I apologize on behalf of those errant posters and for any perturbation and/or hurt that their comments might have caused.

    The only reason that their posts have remained in place is that Prasun Sir has been otherwise occupied and has not visited the blog as of yet. Rest assured Prasun Sir will and has in the past dealt with racist posters who spew vitriol and resort to ad hominem when they find themselves at the end of their minuscule wit.

    Please desist from responding to such posts.

    ReplyDelete
  155. // Forgot to add my name, so is this reposting.
    Please all of you keep quiet and let the genuineness of this forum be maintained. Leave all the other aspects to Mr. Prasun whether certain questions to be answered or not based on his discretion. If certain question to be answered is not in the best interests of confidentiality let him choose not to answer. But one thing is certain, Subir's too many questions often deviate the path and focus of this blog. Please don't dilute this blog. Leave all the other aspects to Prasun, he better checks one's authenticity. I request Prasun to chose a plug-in to ascertain where the authenticity of this blog users and commentators.

    ReplyDelete
  156. Prasunda, the 125mm APFSDS rounds made by OFB were faulty so rejected by IA.Later it was procured from IMI but it was blacklisted by MoD. Then those rounds were procured from russians at a very high cost. What is the latest situation about it? If OFB become succeded to make the improved mk2 version? Where are these being manufactured? Regards, UJJWAL

    ReplyDelete
  157. The better thing is heavy financial penalties for bribes/corruption rather than blacklisting.

    ReplyDelete
  158. Dear Sir,

    Gentle reminder

    Please kindly reply your view points for my questions so that i can study further and improve.

    Eagerly awaiting your reply,

    Thanking You in advance,

    ReplyDelete
  159. Sir,INS Viraat during her tenure as HMS Hermes went through various midlife refits.In one such refit shw was transformed into a commando carrier .Now INS Viraat has accomodation for around 800 troops and can also carry and lauch four Lcvp .Having all such features she can well be kept in service until the 1st LPD arrive.INS Viraat has a huge potential for serving as a LHD and becoming the platform for our quick reaction,expeditionary and amphibious warfare capabilities.

    Has Navy ever deployed any marine infantry companies along with the neccesary Lcvp on INS Viraat .
    For transforming into a modern LHD all she needs are modern troop carriers,heavy lift helicopters. Can the Super stallion and CV-22 Osprey operate from her decks ? Will any such heavy multi role utility choppers be based on Viraat's deck ?

    How are things progressing on the Tejas front ?Everbody is now busy with Arihant.There is no news about it. Cant the IAF adopt dual and triple stores stations racks on its fighter jets like most W estern nations. Dual ejector racks for air to air has almost double F/a-18E/F 's missile loadout. F-15C and E style wing hardpoints need to be adopted all across the fleet.
    Its a must for Jaguars,MiG-27,21,29 and Tejas; all those acs having less no of hardpoints.

    MiG-21's aam loadout can be increased to six through its usage. Similarly MiG-29 which is effectively a broad area interceptor can carry ten aam. With a greater loadout it will be possible to stay in the fight for some time longer and enforce a greater no of interceptions.Afterthat all modren jets are neck;packed with Esm and esm. They will require much more than a single missile to bring it down.
    With adoption of multi ejector racks Tejas mk1 can also increase its no of storestaions.
    Why doesnt anyone in Iaf ask for such stuff.Its not exactly very high grade stuff like radar or jammers that it would be a pain to integrate.

    In the manner of Europcopter Tiger,is the HAL Rudra,Apache and Tejas LCA fully emp hardened and well protected from all sorts of em interference and pulses. What about the sukhois ? DEW are just round the block.Boeing is well into it.
    http://www.boeing.com/Features/2012/10/bds_champ_10_22_12.htm
    It is not long before it goes in production and our neigbours start developin one.Such types of emp bombs will reduce entire fleets of high tech 4++ jest to just pieces of junk metals and good looking toys.

    ReplyDelete
  160. To JOYDEEP GHOSH: Such operations are reliant 100% on reliable/credible information of a perishable nature & therefore, at best, a window of opportunity lasting less than 10 hours is available for effective action. For instance, advance information will obviously not be available until the suspect touches down at a particular destination & that too only if India’s intelligence agencies have their information-gathering assets on-site—a most unlikely phenomena in a Middle East country but highly probable in Nepal. Consequently, there’s no way of knowing when the suspect aircraft is likely to takeoff & leave & without such information, it is impossible to deploy assets like interceptor aircraft or an aircraft carrier for the sake of intercepting the suspect aircraft over international airspace.
    SL-AMRAAM is the preferred choice by only those countries that already possess the AIM-120 AMRAAM.

    To NEEL: The JMSDF’s Soryu-class SSKs are highly effective undersea warfare platforms, but Japan still is a long way away from lifting its self-imposed embargo on exporting such platforms.

    To SUNIL: The financial crunch is real for this fiscal year & will indeed have a negative effect on defence spending. However, the purchase of 145 LW-155s will go ahead before the year’s end, maybe by this October. But whether orders are placed with OFB for supplying the 155mm rounds for such howitzers remains unknown.

    ReplyDelete
  161. To SUBIR: 1) Which long-range airborne platforms will be engaged by the Barak-8ER? 2) At what altitudes are IRBMs & MRBMs & ICBMs to be intercepted? 3) No one, even Israel, acknowledges the conduct of offensive surgical special operations inside enemy territory. So why should India be different? 4) MiG-25Rs had on several occasions carried out strategic recce sorties inside the airspace of India’s neighbours. 5) Of course. 6) No. Not when it is carried out across the LoC because the LoC has no international acceptance, whereas the international border has. 7) That round can easily be used by existing T-90S & T-72M1 MBTs. 8) C-17As can airlift MBTs, whereas the IL-76MDs can’t. 9) Bis variant of MiG-21 remains in service & only MiG-21FLs & MiG-21Ms have/are being decommissioned. 10) AD-1/AD-2. 11) Don’t leave any evidence behind of such operations & don’t acknowledge that it happened. .

    To REDDY: Details of such operations are never officially acknowledged for obvious reasons by anyone, be it India or even Israel. However, certain selective leaks by authorities are often resorted to for the sake of letting the world know what’s at stake & why. The fact that Praveen Swamy has access to such leaked information & he’s regarded as a reliable person worthy of receiving such selective leaks proves his good intentions & credibility. Therefore, I fail to understand how his publishing of such information can possibly tantamount to compromising India’s national security interests. The real purpose that such news serves all Indians is that it gives all Indian citizens a firm assurance that the country’s security forces are indeed doing their jobs as advertised & can be relied upon to carry out their responsibilities with professionalism whenever reqd. Arundhati Roy’s questions about the conviction of Afzal Guru were, in effect, convincingly answered by none other than Praveen Swamy himself & in a compelling manner too & that too in a Pakistani TV talk-show (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHeg07cFcGs) where efforts were being made to vilify India. But Praveen stood his ground well.

    ReplyDelete
  162. To ARUP: Covert operations by civilian agencies like R & AW & those of the IA’s SOF detachments are totally different. The latter involves surgical strikes/operations only up to 50km within enemy territory & were never stopped by anyone. There’s no such thing as an international fence along the LoC, but just a fence erected by India between 500 metres & 2km inside Indian territory. International fences & vorder pillars exist only along the international border & never on either the LoC or LAC. Only a fool will use OFB-made ammo on such operations. Only AK-47s & AK-56s are used since they’re untraceable. Chemical/metallurgical formulae for all types of commercial steel is easily available from their patents & there was never any need to seek their formulae from any country. Only when such steel is required in large quantities can any steel-producing authority embark on the process of mastering their production processes.

    To VIKRAM GUHA: It was possible in those days when the human cortex was more utilised. In present-day human beings, only 10% of the cortex is usable, while 90% of it remains dormant. Consequently, symbiotic propulsion systems cannot be put to use by present-day humans.

    To SS: LORAN for INS Vikramaditya was selected in January 2004 when there was no talk about IRNSS at all. Diesel/Gas-based combined propulsion systems were in vogue in the 1980s & 1990s but new-generation warships tend to stuck to one form of propulsion system. Footprint for a nuclear propulsion system is up to 60% more than its conventional counterpart.

    To ABHISHEK DHAR: DRDO has already developed 120mm & 125mm APFSDS rounds capable of penetrating 600mm of RHA.

    To AKHIL SURI: The upgraded AL-31FPs with 20% uprated thrust will be the optimum choice for the Super Su-30MKIs.

    To ICEMAN: 1) They were field trials, not user-trials. Pinaka-2 weasn’t even there in 1999. 2) No contract award has taken place for TCS. 3) Not true. 4) Of course. 5) Still being developed. 6) Only 3 x EMB-145I. After that there will be a larger AEW & CS mounted on probably the A330-200 & will have a 360-degree AESA radar. 7) Not amphibious operations, but vertical envelopment ops. 8) No. 9) No.

    To SUBIR: No imported assault rifle will ever become the mainstream assault weapon of the IA, period.

    ReplyDelete
  163. To MAVERICK: Not possible at all, since AC-130 has never been used to replace conventional tube artillery & secondly, in the north there’s the problem of targetting from high altitudes while in the North East the dense foliage prevents effective target engagement.

    To VIJAY: Three will be the optimum number.

    To SIDDHARTH: Chemical/metallurgical formulae for all types of commercial steel is easily available from their patents & there was never any need to seek their formulae from any country. Only when such steel is required in large quantities can any steel-producing authority embark on the process of mastering their production processes. DMR is derived from Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL).

    To ASKING: Only next fiscal year.

    To ARVIND PENNA: That’s the Project 71/IAC-1/INS Vikrant.

    To VJ: Nothing like that, rest assured.

    To SK: The NSTL is also developing such autonomous ROVs.

    To PIERRE ZORIN: You’re spot on.

    To LACHIT: Abject neglect, yes, but betrayal, no. Rampant tribalism prevailing throughout the North East is equally to blame.

    To RAMA: HQ IDS was originally created to serve as the secretariat for the proposed Chief of Defence Staff. SFC in both peacetime & wartime reports to the Cabinet Committee on National Security through both the Chiefs of Staff Committee & the National Security Adviser.

    ReplyDelete
  164. To BHASWAR: Yes. It will enable the parallel fabrication of more than one warship at any given time under one roof. The timeframe can be cut down further if A) the shipyards are authorised to do their own detailed design instead of such work being done by the IN’s Naval Design Bureau. 2) the warship’s design is proven by the time hull fabrication begins. 3) Construction work proceeds under two consecutive shifts.

    See this: http://trishulgroup.blogspot.in/2009/03/can-they-or-cant-they.html

    To UJJWAL: You will find the answers in a thread on ISC/DRDO exhibits that was uploaded last January.

    To PINKAL SHAH: You will find most of the answers you seek at the campus of Benaras Hindu University & that’s where the DRDO also goes to for seeking the kind of answers that you seek.

    To TEJAS: To the INS Viraat hasn’t been used as an amphibious assault vessel. But it can be with CH-53Ks or V-22 Ospreys. I had already explained a few months ago what needs to be done to get Tejas Mk1 MRCA operational & that’s exactly what’s being done. If the IAF & ADA can agree for once, then multiple ejector racks for Tejas Mk1/2 will be adopted for design optimisation purposes. In fact, not just for Tejas Mk1/2, such racks also ought to be standard fit for MiG-29UPG, Jaguar DARIN-3, MiG-29K & Su-30MKI, since the Mirage 2000UPGs too will be sporting them. ASTE & ADA & HAL need to close ranks to make this a reality.

    ReplyDelete
  165. Interesting debate:

    http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/china-deterrence-cannot-come-from-navy/article4996362.ece

    http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/raja-menon-responds/article4996364.ece

    ReplyDelete
  166. Dear Sir,

    Thank you very much for your reply

    But as such i can't able to go BHU so it is my humble request to provide me atleast some directions of any suchlinks/books where i can find my answers or it will b ore better if you can give me some answers as your way of explaining is very much better than any others.

    Eagerly awaiting your reply

    Thanking You in advance,

    ReplyDelete
  167. Sir , 1.Didnt Arihant's 83 MW pwr went critical in January ? On Navy day of last year CNS said there was good news on Arihant. Why is evrybody saying the reactor went critical on Friday night .

    2Arent another 3 Arihant class SSGN being built ?

    3.Besides the 9 Bison squadrons how many bis squadrons are operational.

    4.Is the 3500 km K-4 Slbm going to be test fired next month as various media are saying.

    5.Why is evrybody so gung ho with 750 km K-4.Exactly what purposes it will serve with such small range.It will definitely nt form the third leg of Indian nuclear triad.

    ReplyDelete
  168. Dear Prasun,
    I would like you to see this video
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnLStJG-UMY
    My focus is of the duration from 4:55 till 6:03.
    Why can't we use this thermal imaging cameras for our LOC and get connected to the Data Processing Units located nearby, so effectively preventing Precious Indian Lives and also effectively controlling LOC infiltrations.
    Why can't DRDO start such IR and Thermal Imaging Technologies so we can deploy this Cameras and sensors in large numbers.

    ReplyDelete
  169. Sir,who is the frontrunner in the P75I submarine tender?

    Also china is reportedly deploying new light tanks in tibet,What are we doing in this regard.

    The DRDO rounds with 600 mm penetration,sir do they have a name or been displayed till now or still secret?

    VMT

    ReplyDelete
  170. Anon 2:20, Aug 10.
    Before you move your tongue to call anyone asshole or any derogatory word, first think in what category will you fit in. May be worse than an Asshole. Also think that many millions will be calling you the same word.

    Calling NE people such words shows what culture you belong to. May be you are kind of thing that is falling down through an asshole.

    NE people are the most innocent people of India today; 20-30 yrs ago even the worst of them was better than me. Just because they follow tribal culture the politicians and bureaucrats misused them. Later church misused them. VHP and RSS could not step their feet there until recently.

    Subir may be an irritating person by asking so many questions. I found that many of the answers to his questions can be found on internet. Instead he wanted to ask Prasun. In fact he chastised Mr. Subir for not doing some homework. Still he kept on shooting Qs. But it is upto Prasun to say about him. Anyway, it does not seem right to me when he says that he is just a student wiht interest in defense matters.

    ReplyDelete
  171. Prasun,

    This order for 145 M 777 , is this the first tranche ? Will there be any follow on orders ? 145 does not seem to be too many .

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  172. Forgot to add name, Reposting...

    Thank you for your replies,

    In terms of technology used in constructions of IAC-I, How much advanced it is compared to modern aircraft carriers that were being built in US, UK. How IAC-I fares in comparison to modern aircraft carriers. I'm asking this because I've came across a statement from a Chinese military analyst saying IAC-I uses technology from 1980's and will be used as a Test platform for future aircraft carrier designs (He should be bluffing here. Indian Navy has a legacy of Operating aircraft carriers). IAC-I should be a full fledged aircraft carrier (with modern technologies in terms of sensors, aircrafts, and internal power systems) unlike the Chinese recently launched aircraft carrier which actually will be used as a test bed to master aircraft carrier operations. (It seems like the Chinese analyst is misleading) Your take. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  173. Sir, VMT .

    1.In a last ditch defense can slavoes of IRBM,MRBM be intercepted terminally at alltitudes between 15-30 km? If according to IAI barak-8ER is better than Pac-3mse then may be it is feasible.

    2.AD-1,2 is some years away as you have earlier said.To plug immediate operational gaps and address the current scenario of TBM,MRBM and IRBM strikes whats the best bet for IAF? Are we thinking about procuring PAC-3 mse or S-400 as an interim soln ?
    The best defense is offense but PLA and PA missile launch pads and Tels cant be destroyed in a preemptive strike unless and until they fire.

    3.Did any of IAF's manned combat jets ever carried out any surgical strike ops inside PoK? What is preventing IAF from carrying out prcision strikes against terror camps,logistics in Pok and end the terrorist prob once and for all. We need to be bold as the Israelis in airstrikes.

    4.In the last 3 days Pakistan violated the ceasefire a record of 5 times.Heavy exchanges are going on. We fired 4500+ small arms rounds,111 RPG and some mortar rounds. But even after that there wasnt any casualty on their sides . How its possible? Did we shot to miss.Where is our sniper teams ?

    5.You said that a particular transport ac cant do everything.There are roles for everyone. What it is that IL-76MD can do which C-17 cant ? Isnt the Il-76 capable of transporting T-72 and T-90. Both are under 47 t.

    6.Have you seen the Insas m1a1/2. Many are saying its going to be the primary assault rifle of IA.

    7.Whats the status of Prthvi-3?When will it be inducted? Last time you said its undergoing user certification trials.Why wasnt there any press releases of its test firings.
    And does Prthvi-2 have a radar corelation seeker ?I suppose it has got nly RLG-INS.

    8.Will the GSAT-7 nly be providing detection,identification and missile trajectory data for BMD or will it also serve as a engagement device by providing correctional inputs to the interceptors and guiding the kill vehicle to its hit point with RV.

    9.Drdo hasnt yet talked nothing about the abilities of its interceptor's rf seekers and ground based radars to distiguish chaff,decoy payloads from the c=actual wraheads,RVs and the effectiveness of the entire system as a whole in succesfully intercepting manuvearble re-entry vehicles and tjose Mrbm,irbm deploying rf jammers,chaff and other techiques to spoof the entire bmd architecture,interceptor terminal seeker .

    10.And @ anon at August 12, 2013 at 1:49 AM, the questions i ask to Prasun sir, you cant find their ans on the net.I have done my homework well.U need to do urs.Most of the info on our defense forums are nt accurate.You cant know anything from them. If u are so much irritated why dont you be pro active and ans some of my qs. By th way grt anon do you think INS Arihant with its K15 will serve as the 3rd leg of our nuclear triad ??

    ReplyDelete
  174. @Subir,

    Lot of the time firing at the LoC is just that. Firing. Close enough to tell each other that they can. If they were to actually target, the other side would do the same. That would simply lead to all out war. This way the message is made clear, honour is kept and no revenge taking will take place by either side. This is what happens most of the time. There are times when someone tries to be clever/(i call it stupid) and it leads to lots of dead, on both sides.

    The question you should be asking, in this case is what actually happened and who will benefit? It won't be PA or this Indian gov., or the people on both sides.

    ReplyDelete
  175. http://www.rediff.com/news/column/why-india-needs-more-well-managed-and-viable-states/20130812.htm

    Hi Prasun,

    Nice article which states similar views as yours

    ReplyDelete
  176. @Prasun
    It over a year now and I rarely post but like to go through the content every morning before i go to work. Simply Great Prasun Da.

    @subir
    You are one hell of a person. You will not change.I wonder at times what level of tolerance Prasun must be having to handle such a shameless person like you.

    ReplyDelete
  177. Sir,Is the Navy,airforce and army seriously interested in MV-22 & CV-22 Ospreys. It can be employed for time sensitive force projection ops from INS Viraat, airforce and army can use it for sepcial forces insertion,CSAR and rapid vertical envelopement ops.

    Just like Navy,BARC,DAE &Drdo has worked closely and made Arihant a reality, IAF too needs to work closely with Hal and ADA,ADE in order to progress smoothly.Arihant has been a user oriented product from the very beginning. If the same would have been true for Tejas then so many varied problems wouldnt have cropped up.
    Tejas is said to have a low fuel fraction.Will it be as short legged as the mig21 .Will it be a good CAP aircraft.
    Is Tejas able to takeoff from Leh or Jaisalmer with any meaningful payload.Pictures of loaded Tejas taking off from these airfields are yet to be released.



    In some comments of previous threads you have explained that all fighter jets and strike acs have varying degrees of emp & intfrence hardening built into them.But fully hardening the current and future fleet of IAF fighters is a must considering this.

    http://www.boeing.com/Features/2012/10/bds_champ_10_22_12.htm

    With rapid advancements in electronics, dew weapons are becoming a reality these days.It is not long before our neigbours start developing one.In the very immediate future it may happen that a truck or MPV loaded with such a device creeps undetected and stealthily besides an imp airbase and discharges a massive jolt of an emp.
    Such types of emp bombs will in a second's notice reduce entire fleets of high tech 4++ jets,air survellience and other radars,air defense grids to just pieces of junk metals and good looking toys.We will lose our qualitative and quantitative edge over our perceived enemies, No wonder they are called a poor man's nuclear bomb.

    I learnt from this blog itself about an Indo Israeli joint effort going on to fully emp harden all military radars or most of them.How much progress has been made in this field. Are all IAI Elta divisons supplied fully emp shielded.

    Are there any initiatives to nuclear harden the frontline combat fleets of IAF .Mirage 2000 is Iaf's designated nuclear delivery vehicles.They are fully emp hardened.
    People also say besides it Jaguar IS also has a secondary role as nuclear delivery acs .Does it signify that the entire Jaguar fleet is hardened against the full spectrum of emp from the vry beginning.

    In the manner of Europcopter Tiger,is the HAL Rudra,Apache and Tejas LCA fully emp hardened and well protected from all sorts of em interference and pulses.
    What about our jewel Su30?

    ReplyDelete
  178. 1.do dassault offers rafale stealth version designated rafale D to India?
    2.previously you have mentioned that follow-on arihant class submarine will be more than 6000 tonne,but the power requirements is insufficient as arihant nuclear reactor only produces 83mw?
    3.is it true that spanish navantia withdrew from project 75I tender for the Indian Navy?
    4.is it true that F-insas rifle is undergoing trials?

    ReplyDelete
  179. Is Arihant is capable of under ice operations, wat about Indias future underwater combat strength, what is/will be the replacement ratio. Howmany subs india should have (please give a perfect mix of SSGN,SSN,diesel subs).

    ReplyDelete
  180. Which of the two is more advanced and capable between INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.

    ReplyDelete
  181. To Mr.RA 13: Here’s how the two can be compared:

    INS Vikramaditya = Hindustan Motors Ambassador
    INS Vikrant = Toyota Lexus.

    Here’s more good news that the ‘desi’ journalists have missed to ‘report’ thus far:
    1) The IAC-1’s Island superstructure will be erected AFTER the arrival of the two hydraulic elevators from the US.
    2) This launch ceremony was delayed by 1.5 years due to the delayed arrival of the main gearboxes due to damage sustained to them during their maiden delivery voyage by road (from Kholopi) in 2008.
    3) The ISRO-developed indigenous cryogenic engine for the GSLV-D5 has already been installed on to the satellite launch vehicle & GSLV-D5 with GSAT-14 will liftoff on August 19.
    4) The first 500mW FBTR will begin the process of achieving criticality this September.
    5) Ground-breaking ceremony for the 3rd & 4th 1,000mW VVER-1000 PWRs at Koodankulam will be held soon.
    6) In addition to the two indigenous 700mW PHWRs now coming up at Rawatbhatta (Rajasthan) & two more at Kakrapar (Gujarat), financial sanction has just been accorded for two more at Gorakhpur (UP), two at Kaiga (Karnataka), two at Mahi Banswara (Rajasthan), two at Chutka & two at Bhimpur (both in MP).
    7) Financial sanction has just been accorded for BARC & NPCIL to co-develop an indigenous 900mW PWR by upscaling the 83mW LWR that was developed for the S-2/Arihant, S-3 & S-4 SSBNs.
    8) Financial sanction has been just accorded for BARC to develop a 190mW LWR by upscaling the 83mW LWR. This 190mW LWR will also be offered for installation on the projected IAC-2, & on the S-5, S-6 & S-7 SSBNs.
    9) Plans are now afoot to seek sanction for an advanced (but upscaled to 150mW) derivative of the 83mW LWR, this being for the IN’s projected reqmt for nine SSNs similar to the Barracuda-class SSN from DCNS.

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  182. To PINKAL SHAH: I’m afraid you will have to seek enlightenment & illumination only by yourself from either BHU or the Asiatic Society’s Library at Kolkata. Neither of these institutions offer on-line e-book & e-research paper accessing options.

    To LITTLEMASTER: 1) No. Achieving criticality is a process that can take up to 14 days if all the fuel-rods are loaded at the same time, or can take even 60 days if the fuel-rods are gradually loaded. In S-2/Arihant’s case, the latter option was selected & by early June the loading of fuel-rods began & only 3 days ago was the LWR able to offer full-power. 2) Only two more—S-3 & S-4—are being built. 3) See this: http://trishul-trident.blogspot.in/2012/09/iafs-in-country-operational-combat.html
    4) Not sure. 5) K-4 SLBM won’t have any deterrent value against China.

    To REDDY: For LoC surveillance, what one needs are hand-held long-range HD thermal imagers of the type available from only France & Israel at the moment. However, a well-camouflaged hostile force amidst the thick foliage of the type prevailing throughout the LoC will still be able to evade detection by such thermal imagers. What caused this latest ambush was purely due to faulty tactics, just as it was the case last January.

    To ABHISHEK DHAR: No tender of RFP was so far been released for the P-75I SSK reqmt. Only RFIs were issued a long time ago. The ZTZ-99A1s are medium tanks, not light tanks. The PLA already has 6 x 6 tank destroyers in TAR & doesn’t require light tanks.

    To DEFENSE & AEROSPACE: In almost every case whenever a weapon system is ordered, there’s always an options clause within the main contract that allows for follow-on orders to be placed under a supplementary contract, as has been the case with Su-30MKIs & as will be the case with the Rafale M-MRCA. For the LW-155, the total stated reqmt by the IA is for some 280 units.

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  183. To SS: IAC-1’s on-board systems & sub-systems are on par with not only what the UK will acquire in future, but also with those on board Japan MSDF’s LHDs. In comparison, what’s on board INS Vikramaditya & the PLAN’s Liaoning are of 1980s vintage in terms of performance parameters & technologies used. Even in terms of aircraft technologies, the carrier-borne J-15 is a clone of the Su-33, which itself is of 1980s vintage in terms of technology & has cockpit avionics similar to what’s now on board the J-10 & JH-7A, meaning those are of 1990s vintage & certainly are inferior to what’s on board the MiG-29Ks of the IN. That’s why when the INS Vikramaditya becomes operational sometime next year, it will have fully weaponised & operationalised MiG-29Ks on board, while the PLAN’s J-15s will still be bereft of any weaponry because the J-15’s R & D has not yet entered the weapons qualification phase.

    To SUBIR: 1) Not if they’re terminally manoeuvring. That’s why AD-1 & AD-2 are being developed. 2) Neither of them are suitable solutions. 3) No. They didn’t. 4) Cross-LoC firings are not exactly meant for shoot-to-kill. Many a time during India-Pakistan cricket matches the side that scores a boundary is often supported by volleys of gunshots—call it a way of breaking the boredom. Both sides do it & there’s nothing wrong or negative about it for as long as no one dies. 5) IL-76MD can’t transport MBTs to high-altitude airfields on a sustained basis. IL-76MDs are used mostly for ferrying perishable cargo to the north & northeast in peacetime as well as for ferrying ammo reloads. 6) They were shown at DEFEXPO 2012. 7) Prithvi-3 is still under development along with its canister. There’s no need for any terminal seeker since it’s not a PGM. 8) No it won’t.

    To RAW13: The only ones who stand to benefit are those who benefitted from the India-Pakistan standoff after December 2001 & again after 26/11, i.e. non-state actors.

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  184. To HARY: VMT. Here’s more: http://www.frontline.in/cover-story/echo-in-other-states/article4995228.ece

    To Anon@6.31PM: VMT.

    To ICEMAN: 1) Why not? 2) S-5, S-6 & S-7 SSBNs will require 190mW LWRs. 3) No. 4) MCW, not F-INSAS. F-INSAS is a networked system, not an assault rifle.

    To RAMA: No, it isn’t. Ideally, the IN should have 12 SSKs like the Scorpene, all fitted with Stirling Engine-based AIP; three SSGNs like the S-2 Arihant/S-3/S-4 armed with BrahMos-1 ASCMs & Nirbhay SLCMs, three SSBNs like the S-5, S-6 & S-7 each armed with 12 8,000km-range SLBMs ; & nine SSNs like the DCNS-developed Barracuda-class.

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  185. prasun sir,

    1) When NPCIL is able to build 220, 540 and 700mwe indigenous nuclear reactors at home then, why do we need to seek the foreign help to build them?
    2)How much time will it take to develop 900mw reactor(derivative of arihant's reactor) for civil purposes?
    3) In what time frame will they be able to mature the THORIUM based nuclear technology?
    4) When will we able to establish ourselves in civil nuclear sector in world arena viz a viz other matured nuclear state like US, russia, france, canada etc.

    regards
    abhay

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  186. as you said earlier Arihant's 83 mW reactor is basically an Ice breaker .so DAE successfully overcame all hurdles ?

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  187. all future indigenous reactors (150/190/900 mW)gonna be derivatives(up-scaling) of Arihant's 83 mW reactor .may be good decision rather than starting from scratch with new design.
    But QUESTION is can DAE be able to pull this feat up.

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  188. Could you please comment on Thorium based reactor which is under development

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  189. @Prasun da

    few things

    what you said about 100% on reliable/credible information which is most unlikely but just read a news report that said RAW came to know that 'D' landed in middle east 2 days before eid started. if RAW knew about that then such info could be used effectively

    I still dont understand the need to develop a SLAMRAAM

    you say

    Financial sanction has just been accorded for BARC & NPCIL to co-develop an indigenous 900mW PWR by upscaling the 83mW LWR that was developed for the S-2/Arihant, S-3 & S-4 SSBNs. what is the use, will it be used for power generation?

    you say IN needs nine SSNs like the DCNS-developed Barracuda-class. considering that IN will have 3 SSGN, 3 SSBN and if SSN are meant protect the SSGN & SSBN then count for SSN is 12 since 2 each are needed to protect the 6 subs inst it?

    whats your say

    thanks

    Joydeep Ghosh

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  190. Hi Prasun ,

    Ambedkar had correctly observed that "brotherhood of Muslims is for Muslims ONLY . For non- Muslims there is nothing but contempt and enmity.". Given the fact that states like Bengal are seeing a huge rise in Muslim population primarily because of influx from Bangladesh what danger does this pose to the security of India .

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  191. Sir,pls ans. You havent answered them previously.

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  192. To ABHAY: 1) NPCIL does not build any n-reactors, it does designs them & then companies like L & T and Walchangnagar Industries & BHEL build the major structures of the n-reactor. None of the NPCIL-designed & developed N-reactors requires any foreign help. 2) It will take at least a decade. 3) In about a decade if one relies on only locally-produced fuel. But if fissile materials can be imported under IAEA safeguards, then this task can be accomplished much faster. 4) We already are in terms of technology, but in terms of the timeframe reqd for constructing & operationalising such n-reactors, India is still far away from meeting the timelines that, for instance, the South Koreans take for doing similar turnkey projects.

    To DASHU: The hurdles were never about any reactor-design or reactor-fabrication or even about the heat-exchanger or the gearbox/transmission. The hurdles were about developing & testing the stringent & miniaturised reactor safety-control & containment systems that are imperative for such systems when they’re mounted inside a submarine’s hull. This is where the Russians came in with their project consultancy & industrial support. In other words, the know-how & know-why were both supplied by the Ruskies to facilitate the various design & fabrication processes by India’s industrial entities as well as the DAE. The DAE’s contribution in all this has been relatively minor. Upscaling or downscaling is not a problem for as long as the know-how & know-why has been mastered & this task can be accomplished within a five-year period PROVIDED financial resources for R & D are readily available.

    During the IMDS-2013 expo, I reliably learnt that the Ruskies are now eager to jump into the fray for helping develop SSNs for the IN as well, based on the experience gained from the financially sanctioned S-2/S-3/S-4 programme—i.e. the Ruskies know very well that the pie will get only bigger in future & they are indeed well-positioned to gain a bigger share of this growing pie. In other words, what the Ruskies are saying is that instead of adopting an all-new SSN design (the Barracuda from DCNS), why not go for an SSN derivative of the Arihant, which will be available much cheaper since the industrial eco-system for building such SSNs is now already available in-country for India & will therefore be a much more economical from a sustainability viewpoint, & also guarantee faster deliveries since there will be no major R & D challenges.

    To me, it makes perfect sense.

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  193. To JOYDEEP GHOSH: 1) Where in the Middle East? The region has a very large footprint. Information has to be precise by way of positively identifying the target through either photographs or copies of his travel documentation. SL-AMRAAM makes perfect sense from a financial standpoint. That’s why it has been adopted by NATO countries & that’s why Germany is developing an E-SHORADS derivative of its IRIS AAM & that’s why Russia has developed the Vityaz out of the original R-77. India too should have developed an E-SHORADS variant of the Astra BVRAAM instead of wasting money on the SR-SAM project. 900mW PWRs will be used for commercial power generation. Only one SSN is enough to stalk the friendly SSBN. But a country like India requires at least 18 SSNs in the long run to roam throughout the IOR.

    To SATYAM: That is totally untrue, as is all talk about the on-going illegal influx of Bangladeshis to India. Today you will find more Bangladeshi illegals in Karachi & in Venice too. All the hawkers in Venice are Bangladeshis.

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  194. PRASUN,
    Indian Army has any plan to upgrading it's entire fleet of BMP-1,like the PLA Type86G?
    Any news about BMP-2 upgradation?Which company build new 380 HP engine for BMP-2 ?

    Any news about the 8 Landing Craft Utility (LCU) for the Indian Navy made by GRSE?

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  195. Sir, VMT

    1.Thanx Raw13 fr the reply.So its shoot to show nd njoy. Bt what about PA and non state actors's ambush of IA patrol on our side of LOC ?

    2.Is there any particular timeframe of completion of developemnt and deployment of AD-1,2 and PDV?
    Just like Drdo DG says Agni-5 is going to be made operational in 2015 he doesnt say similar things about the Bmd pahase 1 and 2.

    3.You have once said that PDV is of no use unless our neighbours engage in war of cities.But isnt it important for intercepting IRBM,ICBM with a heavier theow eight and outside atmosphere.If it fails AD-1,2 and then Barsk-8ER can be launched.

    4.Just like the Ruskies has helped us with every aspect of Arihant class why cant they provide detailed design and prdouction engineering data of 190mW reactors for the 12000 t S-5,6,7 ,SSN and IAC-2 so that even the 5 yr upscaling period that will be required by DAE,NPCIL wont be required.

    5.Is there a timeframe for delivery of the 2 lifts after which superstructure erection can commence.IAC-1 weighs as much as Charles De Gaulle. Charles de Gaulle can accomodate 40 fixed wing acs. Vikrant can accomodate just 20.Why ?

    6.Did you learn anything new about the phase 2 SLEP of 9 Kilo class SSK as to when will it be contracted,the new sonars,ESM and weponry and the configuration of the 3rd batch of Talwar class FFG.many advancements have been made in warship tech,surveil and engagement radars in Russia. Will these be incorporated in Batch 3 Tawar or is it going to have the same Fregat,AK-630M,Shtil-1.

    7.Will we be ordering any Westinhouse 1000 mW reactors, NDTV was granted exclusive access to one such nuclear powerplant having two 1000 mW units 40 miles outh of Washington DC. Seems Uncle Sam wants us to procure some of these.

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  196. Well, Great to know that Ruskies jumping in to help for SSNs. But unlike the SSBN (ATV) project where the IPR's and the design know how and know why is entirely with the Russian design bureau. India should establish a firm like Brahmos (A Joint Venture Company) which will be responsible right from designing, fabricating (Project Management) and complete execution of the project (Until handed over to the Navy). This will help India to create its own submarine design house to develop modern submarines in future (Excluding the nuclear reactor which may come under arms embargo, This is already taken up as a separate program where Russian help is sought). Your take. Thank you.

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  197. Sir,

    As always you turned out to be right about the forthcoming plans for the PWR. One is amazed at how you present accurate information free of cost while the journos who make a good living out of presenting "accurate" information get it wrong all the time.

    VMT, Bhaswar.
    Sir, would it not be prudent for us to start studying, analyzing designs such as the Austel trimaran, and the tublehome hull for future applications. Perhaps build small scale basic models for testing so that when the time comes we can implement such designs without too many teething issues? We may not need a new design at the moment with the P-17A and P-15B but shouldn't we start preparing for the future and conduct studies (fuel efficiency, stability, sea-keeping, seafaring) on such designs- considering that we will need littoral combat capabilities in the IOR wrt islands? With the plans for a marine force now it would also be apt to do the same for amphibious assault ships and LHDs, no? Are there any such plans?

    Is it true that Pakistan too is now developing/close to developing a marine reactor? A lot of the Pakistani poster in def.pk seem to be rather confident about it- they claim that once the reactor is validated they shall be "provided" with a platform for it?

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  198. Prasun Ji ,

    The IB has been used in the North East by the Central Govt. throughout the 80s & 90s to target ordinary Biharis, Bengalis , Marwaris , Punjabis etc who had settled in these NE states like Meghalaya , Assam and Manipur .

    What was the Central Govt. trying to achieve through this ?

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  199. Sir, Do we really need 18 SSNs, 9 to 12SSNs are more than enough to protect SSBN/SSGNs, moreover SSN are meant for blue seas, it will be hard to use in shallow waters (US debate on nuclear/diesel electric subs)I believe we need more SSKs.
    Please clarify wat is the operational style, SSBN will always patrolling with SSNs or SSBN will take some strategic points & patrolling SSNs will give cover to nearest standing SSBNs.

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