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Friday, July 28, 2017

PLA's India-Specific Operational Orientation + Location Of China-India Standoff & PLA's Early Warning/Logistics Infrastructure Along LAC Explained

PLA Air Bases east of Arunachal Pradesh
Yanggong Plateau, Heqing, Dali, Yunnan, China
 PLA Air Bases in Qinghai Plateau & Opposite CARs
 ALGs in Arunachal Pradesh
ALGs in Sikkim
PLA Helipad at Yushagang in Chumbi Valley
PLA SIGINT Station North of Doklam Plateau
PLAAF Airspace Surveillance Radar Station North of Doklam Plateau
PLA SIGINT Station Opposite Finger Area
PLA BDR Garrison & Helipads north of Doklam Plateau
Yadong’s Helipads
PLA SIGINT Station Opposite Sora Funnel
PLA Helipads Opposite Sora Funnel
PLA BDR Rapid-Reaction Garrison at Duojiaka in Chumbi Valley
PLA BDR Battalion HQ north of Bum La
PLA Helipad North of Bum La
PLA SIGINT Station North of Bum La
PLA BDR Garrison near Thagla Ridge
Nyingchi Helicopter Base
PLAAF Airspace Surveillance Radar Station North of Linzhi
Linzhi Military Garrison
PLA Helipad Opposite Barahoti
Lhasa Gonggar Airport
PLAAF Airspace Surveillance Radar Station at Ganba La Near Lhasa
HQ-12 MR-SAM Site in Lhasa Gonggar
Lhasa's Dongguan Helicopter Base
Yaophu POL Storage Facility North of Lhasa
Qiama POL Storage Facility in Lhasa
52 (Mountain) Motorised Infantry Brigade at Linzhi
53 (Mountain) Motorised Infantry Brigade at Bayi Nyingchi
54 Mechanised Infantry Brigade at Sangri
651 Independent Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade at Bayi Nyingchi
Shigatse Airport
Ngari Gunsa Airport
Shiquanhezhen Helicopter Base
Rutog POL Storage Facility Near Aksai Chin
PLAAF's Hetian Air Base
PLAAF's Kashi Air Base
For conducting theatre-wide airborne reconnaissance along the LAC, the PLAAF employs four Tu-154Ms equipped with belly-mounted SAR sensors that were imported from Russia in the mid-1990s. They are based at Beijing Nanyuan air base and are operated by the 102 Air Regiment of 34 Transport Division.
The Indian Air Force, on the other hand, makes use of two Bombardier Aerospace Global 5000 ISTR platforms that operate out of Charbatia Airport in Odisha State.
For real-time battlefield air reconnaissance, the IAF makes use of Su-30MKIs equipped with EL/M-2060P SAR sensors in pod-mounted configuration.
Lightning Strike Through Vertical Envelopment In The North East: The PLAs Options
The year 2016’s series of annual People’s Liberation Army (PLA) exercises within that portion of the Western Theatre Command that includes the Tibet Military District (TMD) and Xinjiang Military District (XMD)—facing the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control (LAC)—which commenced in late March 20016 and continued through to September, witnessed significant accretions, with the most notable among them being the introduction of a solitary KJ-500 turboprop-powered airborne early warning and control (AEW & C) platform of the PLAAF, plus the deployment of LY-80 MR-SAMs in place of the HQ-12 ADK-12 KS-1D MR-SAMs, and lastly the air-dropping of a Regiment of ZBD-03 airborne infantry combat vehicles (ICV) along with ‘Pathfinder’ elements drawn from the PLA Air Force’s (PLAAF) XV Airborne Corps at two distinct locations: at the base of the Kunlun mountain  range under XMD’s jurisdiction, and at a firing range southeast of Lhasa but north of the Yarlong Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) River.
 
The exercises also revealed unmistakable signs of the PLA’s Western Theatre Command’s efforts to develop two staging areas for offensive air-mobile campaigns: one in Qionglai air base in western Sichuan that will become the fourth permanent base for the PLAAF’s XV Airborne Corps; and Feng Huang Shan helicopter base to Army Aviation Brigades equipped with Z-19WZ ‘Black Cyclone’ tandem-seat light attack helicopters (LAH), plus Mi-17V-5 and Z-8K utility helicopters for ferrying the PLA Army’s Battalion-sized light mechanised infantry regiments (LMIR, or kuaisu fanyin budui, also known as Resolving Emergency Mobile Combat Forces, or REMCF) whose principal role will be to seize and hold the string of advanced landing grounds (ALG) and gapfiller air-defence radar stations belonging to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.
Airpower Developments
It may be recalled that the PLAAF has since 2010 been deploying Su-27SK/Su-27UBK/J-11A heavy-MRCAs belonging to the Shizuishan-based 6th Air Division’s 16th Air Regiment, and J-10A MMRCAs from the Mengzi-based 44th Air Division’s 131st Air Regiment (based in Luliang) out to the dual-use airports at Lhasa Gonggar (facing Sikkim and northern West Bengal) and Ngari (facing Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir, plus Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand) twice every year during summertime and wintertime for two-week-long deployment periods. These used to be accompanied by corresponding deployments of the HQ-12 ADK-12 KS-1D MR-SAMs of the PLAAF’s Chengdu-based 11th Anti-Air Artillery Brigade (Unit 95607), which has three Regiments--21st, 22nd and 23rd--equipped with the HQ-64/LY-60D E-SHORADS, and HQ-12 ADK-12 KS-1D MR-SAMs. The latter were routinely deployed at fixed launch-sites located at Lhasa Gonggar and the dual-use Shigatse Airport until now.
 
Since late 2012, the 651st Independent Anti-Aircraft Artillery Brigade, based at Nyingchi, began taking over from the HQ-12 ADK-12 KS-1Ds of the 11th Anti-Air Artillery Brigade’s 22nd Regiment. The 651st comprises a regiment of LY-80 70km-range MR-SAMs (containing 16 TELs each loaded with six MR-SAM vertical launch-cells), a Regiment of 18 tracked PGZ-04As (each armed with four FN-6 VSHORADS launchers missiles and four 25mm cannons), a Regiment of FM-90 SHORADS, and a composite battalion that has 108 FN-6 VSHORADS/MANPADS launchers, 24 Type 73 towed 37mm anti-aircraft guns and 18 towed twin 35mm PG-99 ‘Giant Bow’ anti-aircraft guns. Also included are LIMAN ground-based jammers, JY-27A VHF-band anti-PGM volume-search radars as part of the LY-80 MR-SAM regiment, YLC-18 S-band 3-D acquisition radars for the FM-90s (now replacing the older LSS-1/Type 120 L-band 2-D low-altitude acquisition radars), YLC-6 S-band 2-D low-level air-defence radars for the FN-6s, Type 73s and PG-99s. For airspace surveillance, there is one JL-3D-90A S-band 3-D radar operated by the PLAAF at the Ganba La radar station southwest of Lhasa, plus another one north of Shigatse Airport. These are joined by three Army-operated YLC-2V 3-D S-band acquisition radars located around Ngari Airport and Qamdo Bangda Airport, and these are supported by SIGINT Stations located in an arc stretching from the Depsang Bulge in Ladakh all the way up to Walong in Arunachal Pradesh. The PLAAF’s Air-Defence Reporting Centre for monitoring the TMD’s air-defence identification zone (ADIZ) is located at Ganba La. A new radar station was commissioned in June 2016 in the western Sichuan plateau at an altitude of 3,996 metres. 
Going hand-in-hand with these developments are increasing efforts by both the PLAAF and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to undertake joint air campaigns that since 2011 have been rehearsed under the ‘Shaheen’ series of joint exercises. It may be recalled that the ‘Shaheen’ series of bi-annual exercises commenced in 2011 when, for the first time ever as part of EX Shaheen-I, a PLAAF contingent with four Su-27UBKs from the 8th Flight Academy (also known as ‘Blue Army Aggressors’) deployed to Rafiqui air base in Shorkot, Pakistan. This exercise, lasting for over two weeks starting March 11, saw the PAF fielding its Mirage VEFs and F-7PGs executing various various air-to-air and air-to-ground combat scenarios. 
The PLAAF’s 8th Flight Academy operates Su-27UBKs and Su-30MKKs that simulate enemy air force tactics during dissimilar air combat training exercises. The PLAAF possesses three such ‘Blue Army Aggressor’ squadrons (the first of which was raised in June 1987), with the other two flying J-10As and J-7E light interceptors. All three squadrons operate under the PLAAF’s Canzhou-based Flight Test and Training Base in Hebei province. The second joint air exercise—EX Shaheen-II—was conducted between September 3 and 22, 2013 at Hotan air base in the Hetian Prefecture of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. For this, the PAF flew in its F-7PGs and Mirage-IIIEPs. This was for the first time in the PLAAF’s history that a foreign air force had conducted a joint exercise inside China’s airspace. Participating PLAAF assets included J-10As of the Hotan-based 109th Brigade, JH-7As of the Urumqi-based 37th Air Division Division’s 110th Brigade, J-8Fs from the Hotan-based 109th Brigade, and Su-27SKs and Su-27UBKs from the Korla-based 111th Brigade.
The third such bilateral air exercise—EX Shaheen-III—was held at the PAF’s Rafiqui air base in the northeastern province of Punjab between May 5 and 28, 2014. The PLAAF sent four J-10A/B M-MRCAs along with a detachment of air-defence controllers and ground-support crew, while the PAF deployed up to eight of its JF-17s and Mirage-VEFs. EX Shaheen-IV was conducted at the Yinchuan air base in the Southern Command (previously part of Langzhou MR) between September 12 and October 4, 2015. During these exercises, three different types of frontline combat aircraft from each of the two air forces were fielded—this being a first. In addition, the PLAAF for the very first time deployed one of its KJ-200 turboprop-powered AEW & C platforms, while for the PAF this was the first time that it went for air exercises outside China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The PLAAF’s combat aircraft assets taking part in the exercises included J-11As and Su-27UBKs belonging to the Shizuishan-based 6th Air Division’s 16th Air Regiment, J-10As from the Mengzi-based 44th Air Division’s 131st Air Regiment (based in Luliang) and a detachment of JH-7A bombers from the Urumqi-based 37th Air Division Division’s 110th Brigade. The PAF sent two JF-17 Thunder light-MRCAs, two Mirage-IIIEP tactical interdictors and two F-7PG light interceptors, which were accompanied by an IL-78MKP aerial refuelling tanker. EX Shaheen-V began on April 9, 2016 and lasted till April 30. During this exercise, the PAF for the first time deployed its ZDK-03 Karakoram Eagle AEW & C platforms (from which the KJ-500 is derived) for airborne battle management missions.
 
Manoeuvre & Air-Mobile Warfare
Since mid-2009, the PLA’s mechanised formations located in TMD and Sichuan province have been inducting into service new-generation tracked armoured vehicles, like Type 96A medium battle tanks (replacing the earlier Type 85 tanks) and ZBD-04A/B ICVs (replacing the ZBD-89 ICVs) equipped with integral, mast-mounted battlefield surveillance radars and anti-UAV radars. First to be re-equipped was the 2nd Armoured Battalion of the 54th Mountain Brigade (Unit-77625), located in Duilongdeqing County; followed by an armoured regiment of the Chongqing-based 13th Group Army’s 37th Mechanised Infantry Division and another armoured regiment of the 149th Light Mechanised Infantry Division (located at Leshan, Sichuan province) that also comes under the 13th GA; and lastly, the armoured regiment of the 14th Group Army located in Kunming, Yunnan province. 
These formations every year in December undergo mobility-cum-firepower exercises at the Yanggong Plateau (at an altitude of 5,000 metres) in northwestern Yunnan, where the cold and dry environment of the type prevalent in the Dolam Plateau and Chumbi Valley along the Bhutan-China-India tri-junction along the Siliguri Corridor offers a realistic training ground in terms of both climate and terrain. A medium battle tank with a 105mm rifled-bore cannon and powered by water-cooled 780hp diesel engine that has been undergoing user-evaluations throughout TMD since 2012 is the ZTQ-105, which has now begun entering service in limited numbers.
For the swift insertion of mechanised forces specialising in blocking/choking operations in the highlands along mountain passes inside TMD that are facing Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, the PLAAF’s XV Airborne Corps (presently headquartered in Xiaogan, north of Wuhan in Hubei province) plans to relocate one of its Divisions near to Qionglai air base in western Sichuan so that they can be airlifted by the PLAAF’s Y-9 and Y-20 transport aircraft belonging to the 10th Air Regiment and 12th Air Regiment of the 4th Transport Division that is located at Qionglai. 
Presently, the XV Airborne Corps’ 43rd Airborne Infantry Division is stationed at Kaifeng in Henan province, while the 44th and 45th Airborne Infantry Divisions are in the Wuhan area at Guangshui and Huangpi. Starting early April 2016, a ‘Pathfinder’ Company of the XV Airborne Corps equipped with Type OL-2 combined laser rangefinder/target designators, meteorological sensors and secure tactical radios was parachuted from PLAAF IL-76MDs and Y-9s (taking off from Qionglai) at locations in the Dolam Plateau and practiced forward air control operations.
In early May, a mechanised regiment equipped with ZBD-03 ICVs, CS-SH-1 122mm motorised howitzers and 4 x 4-mounted CS-SM1 WM-81 82mm breech-loading mortars was air-dropped near the Kunlun mountain range.
Subsequently, after the melting of the thick snow covering the Ngari Prefecture in TAR in late June, two additional air-drops of a similar nature were carried out in late June and mid-August. Also ferried in to Lhasa and Ngari by IL-76MD transports were vehicular TS-504 multi-point field troposcatter communications systems.
 
Future force multiplier accretions in support of the XV Airborne Corps will take the form of Y-20 airlifters, the first of which was delivered to the PLAAF on June 15, 2016 and it was formally inducted into the PLAAF on July 6. The first two Y-20s with the serial numbers 11051 and 11052 were delivered to the 12th Air Regiment located at Qionglai. Developed by Xi’an Aircraft Corp (XAC), the Y-20 has an empty weight of 110 tons. The Y-20’s R & D effort was accelerated after the large earthquake in 2008 in Sichuan province. Assistance was sought from Ukraine’s Antonov Design Bureau. The head-section of a full-scale metal mock-up was constructed by 2008. On August 20, 2009 XAC started to build the rear fuselage of the first prototype. In April 2010 the full-scale mock-up was completed. In January 2012 the airframe of the first prototype was built. A total of three prototypes (001-003) were built by 2013, with the 002 prototype being the static fatigue-test airframe. The first low-speed taxiing of prototype 20001 took place on December 21, 2012 at the China Flight Test Establishment (CFTE) in Yanliang.
The maiden flight first took place on January 26, 2013. The 001 prototype (serial no.781) later wore a dark blue colour scheme after being transferred to CFTE. The third prototype (serial no.783) made its maiden flight on December 16, 2013 and it underwent various tests at different locations. Additional prototypes were built and flew in 2015, including nos.785 and 788. The last prototype (no.789) flew for the first time on February 6, 2016. The Y-9, apart from air-dropping ZBD-03 ICVs, can also carry 25 tonnes of cargo, or 132 paratroops. The YunShuji-9 project was begun back in 2001 as an enlarged version of the PLAAF’s workhorse Y-8 (An-12B clone) transport aircraft. The Y-9 has a built-in ro-ro rear-ramp for quick offloads/airdrops. It has a maximum range of 3,000km.
 
Vertical Envelopment
Since late 2008, the PLA Army’s LMIRs located in TMD, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces have been hard at work on devising innovative ways and means of undertaking offensive air-mobile, especially heliborne, operations across wide frontages. Formations that have already undergone ‘transformation’ include the battalion-sized LMIRs of the 52nd Mountain Brigade, 53rd Mountain Brigade and 54th Mountain Brigade, all spread over the military sub-districts of Shannan, Shigatse and Nyingchi in TMD; plus the 149th Highland Mechanised Infantry Division, located at Emei in Sichuan province.
 
The LMIRs are optimised for highland and high-altitude warfare. Within each LMIR, tactical formations are task-organised Groups instead of the traditional 3 x 3 structured organisations. Digital messaging in the form of ‘call-for-fire’ is standard norm, along with an automated situational awareness protocol. In a style of warfare where the ‘shock-and-awe effect’ really matters, the impact of an LMIR overrunning hostile command-and-control nodes, ALGs, radar stations and logistics centres could truly be devastating. While a full PLA infantry regiment normally comprises three manoeuvre battalions, in the LMIR its three companies combine the flexibility of dismounted infantry with the mobility of motorised forces without having a significant logistics tail. Unique to the LMIR is the fleet of 8 x 8 ‘Mountain Cat’ family of all-terrain vehicles (ATV), each of which routinely carries six infantrymen: a squad leader, gunner, driver, and three others that form a dismounted fire-team. 
The 8 x 8 ATVs and weapons (built by Yongkang ADBTEV Vehicle Co Ltd in Zhejiang, Chongqing Yonghui Technology Development Co Ltd, Chongqing Jinguan High-Technology Group, and Shaanxi Baoji Special Vehicles Manufacturing Co Ltd) are lightweight with reduced logistical footprint, thereby allowing for more roads and bridges to be used during operations. Each ATV is also equipped with a winch, tactical radio, ‘Beidou’ (Compass) GPS receiver, and tactical data terminal. It is capable of negotiating very rough terrain and with a quick modification, is amphibious. The ATV can be armed with either a QJZ-89 12.7mm heavy machine-gun, QLZ-04/Type-91 35mm magazine-fed automatic grenade launcher, LPD-50 flamethrower, or one 82mm mortar. The ATV also has a provision for mounting a NDM-86 7.62mm sniper rifle, or a 120mm PF-98A recoilless light anti-tank weapon on a pintle at the front-left of the ATV. 
Other vehicles used by the LMIR are the 4 x 4 SX-1 ‘Brave Warrior’ and ‘Iron Eagle’ fast attack vehicles (FAV). For direct fire-support, these FAVs each mount a 12.7mm machine gun. For indirect fire-support the FAVs come armed with CS-SM1 WM-81 82mm breech-loading mortars. Several air-defence versions with a secondary direct-fire role are armed with the Type 87 twin 25mm cannons, HJ-12 ‘Red Arrow’ anti-armour guided-missiles, LG-5 40mm automatic grenade launchers firing programmable airburst grenades, JS 12.7mm sniper/anti-materiel rifle, and dual FN-6 surface-to-air missiles. Both the 8 x 8 ATVs and 5 x 5 FAVs can be both internally loaded inside utility helicopters, or are underslung.
Two new types of hardware now entering service with the LMIR are the CH-901 loitering tactical attack drone and the ‘Hunting Eagle’ gyrocopter. Powered by high-power lithium ion battery, the CH-901 can carry either an explosive warhead, or additional cameras and a recovery parachute. The CH-901’s takeoff weight is 20 lb, is armed with a 6 lb fragmentation charge or a shaped-charge warhead capable of penetrating four inches of armour. The standard CH-901 configuration comprises a group of three drones, one launch-tube and a controller, with a total weight of 100 lb. the drone cruises at up to 75mph with an endurance of 2 hours in the reconnaissance configuration, or 1 hour as an attack drone, with a range of 10 miles. The recce version has an estimated lifespan of 20 missions. Target detection is achieved from a distance of 1 mile while flying 1,500 feet over its target. The operator acquires the target using the on-board camera (visible light or thermal imaging) and then locks-on for the attack phase. Once locked-on, it can follow even a fast-manoeuvring target trying to escape. The ‘Hunting Eagle’, developed by Shaanxi Baoji Special Vehicles, operates in the search-and-rescue, border control, reconnaissance, anti-riot, and other surveillance roles. It can also be used to self-deploy special operations forces on missions inside enemy territory. Gyrocopters are different from helicopters in having an unpowered main rotor. A rearward-facing, engine-powered propeller provides thrust, and once sufficient speed is gained, the main rotor begins to rotate, providing lift. 
Another force-multiplier that has been operational since early 2013 in support of LMIRs is the Z-19WZ ‘Black Cyclone’ LAH built by the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group (HAIG). This LAH features a narrow forward fuselage with tandem compact layouts. The aft fuselage sports a fenestron-type tail rotor section. Maiden flight of the first Z-19WZ prototype took place in May 2010. It comes fitted with a nose-mounted gyro-stabilised sensor/targetting ball-style turret, a mast-mounted millimetric-wave radar, and stubby wings with weapons pylons. The powerplant comprises two WZ-8A turboshafts developing 632kW (848hp). The Z-19WZ’s main role will be armed reconnaissance and scouting. It does not carry a rapid-fire cannon, and instead comes armed with laser-guided Blue Arrow BA-7 anti-armour and TY-90 anti-aircraft missiles, and unguided rockets.
Thus, the specialised heliborne air-assault credentials of the LMIR make it ideally suited for sub-conventional warfare scenarios, while offering greatly increased tactical flexibility (in terms of pick-up, insertion, and extraction of forces) when performing special operations against hostile air bases, ALGs, rear-area POL sites and ammunition storage warehouses. There is no requirement for the utility helicopters for airspeed reduction while en route, nor any manoeuvring restrictions at the landing zone due to the pendulous sling-load. 
Logistically too, the LMIR has a small footprint. All ammunition consumed does not require material handling equipment to move, and can thus be internally loaded within helicopters. Fuel consumption for an entire LMIR during a 450km-long march is estimated at a modest 225 gallons (846 litres) of diesel. Resupply of an inserted LMIR is easily accomplished via utility helicopters like the Mi-17V-5, which is routinely capable of carrying two 242-gallon (915 litre) internal fuel tanks for ferry-flight purposes and these fuel-tanks can be re-configured for refuelling vehicles. All these advantages make the LMIR a superb tool for executing lightning fast air-assault raids. 
While dismounted air-assault forces traditionally land on their objective, the added mobility of an LMIR allows it the option of being inserted a terrain-feature away from the objective. By inserting the LMIR away from the defenders instead of on top of them, the most vulnerable phase of an air-assault operation is thereby avoided. Land, unload, form up, orient leaders, and then advance toward the objective is the typical sequential mission protocol that is followed. While some surprise may be lost, the tremendous tactical mobility of the LMIR adds an element of deception as its actual objective is not obvious.
PLA Facilities In Western Sector

111 comments:

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To ZAPHON: The only members of the operational Su-27 family equipped with MAWS suite are the Su-30MKM & the Su-35. Only the MiG-35 has MAWS sensors & no other version of the MiG-29 has them. In India, MAWS is fitted ONLY on the upgraded Mirage 2000N (MBDA’s DDM-NG) & the Rudra helicopters. In future, the Super Su-30MKI, LCH & LUH will have such fitments as well. None of the MiG-21 or MiG-27Ms have even side-mounted RWRs. So, only the frontal & rear aspects of such aircraft can be forewarned by RWRs. In case someone decides to attack from the portside or starboard side, such aircraft will be destroyed by BVRAAMs without any prior warning. This is how the Israelis had downed several Syrian combat aircraft in June 1982 over the Bekaa Valley. Technology sans any tactics never wins any war. That's why Su-30MKI & even MiG-29UPG will be reqd to operate only in conjunction with AEW & CS platforms that act as airborne battle management sentinels so that when it comes to the closure moment in the WVR air combat domain inside hostile airspace, the Su-30MKIs & MiG-29UPGs are cruising at higher altitudes & are perpendicular to their targets. The same will apply to defensive counter-air operations over Indian airspace when GCI-cued intercepts will put such tactics into motion.

As for SLBMs, the first 3 test-firings are from submerged pontoons & only after all 3 are successful is the SLBM test-fired from the SSBN. So far, only 1 successful test-firing of the K-4 has been conducted from a submerged pontoon.

To KAUSTAV: Here’s the tender for anti-diver nets:

http://tenders.gov.in/viewtenddoc.asp?tid=del910982&wno=1&td=TD

To RAD: Possible, yes, but probable, no. Warships offer far lesser space than missile-tracking vessels. Therefore, warships require integrated masts of the type for which no design expertise exists in India. So the IN will have to continuie to rely on foreign OEMs for such dual-band/triple-band radar combinations housed within integrated masts. L-band is for long-range air-search, S-band is for medium-range surface-search & X-band is for target engagement/target illumination. Terrorist targets cannot be engaged by cruise missiles of any type, since the targets are always mobile & are never stationary for long hours. Only loitering munitions like the HAROP can be used for real-tiome targetting. PLA troop-strength downsizing is for the sake of releasing more trained manpower for the People’s Armed Police. Don’t forget that since 2007 China’s annual internal security budget has consistently exceeded its annual military spending. Djibouti is only a logistics base for storing POL stockpiles & is by no means a full-fledged naval bases that stockpiles armaments. India has had similar access to Singapore’s Changi Naval Base since the early 1990s for logistics facilitation. The MOTR for ISRO is used for tracking space debris like discarded booster stages of ISRO’s PSLV & GSLV rockets. Where’s the need for trackimng more targets when it comes to air-defence reqmts? Which country is likely to simultaneously launch hundreds of MIRVs against India?

To BLACK BOX: All the reqd info is uploaded here:

http://trishul-trident.blogspot.in/2012/03/elf-comms-facility-coming-up.html

http://trishul-trident.blogspot.in/2014/12/significant-project-milestones-of-s.html

Thus far, India’s MoD has sanctioned the fabrication of only three SSBNs: S-2 (Arihant), S-3 and S-4. Financial sanction for fabricating the S-5’s hull has yet to be obtained.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To AVIRAL: Why should S-3 be longer than S-2/Arihant? When the CAG talks about WWR stockpiles, it is referring to the old practice of possessing stockpiles for full-scale war involving total mobilisation. In the post-May 1998 scenario, no one in their right mind will ever contemplate waging full-scale war against India. Instead, only limited high-intensity wars lasting not morte than a fornight will likely be fought.

To ROHIT: Over-confidence? Maybe you surely are over-estimating the Dragon’s might. A country that bans cartoons like ‘Ban on Winnie the Pooh’ has a lot more to be scared of than India. FYI China is a country that is at war with itself & that’s why its annual internal security birgets since 2007 have outstripped its annual defence budgets. Such a national security state always looks upon its own citizens as its principal enemy while its citizens at the same time are extremely hostile to the Communist party of China. Consequently, a country like China can never achieve national cohesion voluntarily & this in turn makes the military highly demoralised.

To RAM BHARADWAJ & BLACK BOX: Such incidents are routine whenever the confirmatory round of firing trials are being undertaken by the MGO Branch of Army HQ, during which the barrel-life is tested right to the very end, i.e. the barrel should self-destruct due to over-usage. And that’s what has happened, leading to the barrel bending due to excessive heat & pressure. It by no means translates into failed firing trials, rest assured. Dhanush is very much alive & is performing as advertised & expected.

To RAVENCLAW: That’s the Army version of the Barak-8 LR-SAM, which can shoot down SRBMs, but not TBMs. Hatf-9/Nasr isn’t BM at all. It is a MBRL rocket. Army version will have higher land mobility features as it will also include the EL/M-2258 version of the MF-STAR APAR.

To ANKIT SINGH: If China wanted to attack India anywhere along the LAC, it wpould already have done so. The mere fact that the PLA hasn’t done any such thing shows how concerned the PLA is about its adverse balance of military power along the LAC. In terms of both terrain tyranny/terrain friction & the number of deployment manpower/firepower along the LAC, the IA overwhelmingly outperforms the PLA, rest assured.

To BHOUTIK: Just read the 1962 Battle-Study that’s been published by the USI of India in order to gain access to the facts, which in turn will lead you to the truth.

To SUMANTA NAG: What China wants is to cut off India (via PoK) from the Wakhan Corridor so that India can’t go Afghanistan’s assistance in case China wants to conquer the Wakhan Corridor all the way up to Bazdakshah province.

To AVIRAL SINGH: One must not take anything on face-value. Sometimes, such officers are instructed to apply for Green Cards & settl;e down in the US so that they can continue to function as over-ground assets while at the same time building up their own underground networks. The MSS tried unsuccessfully to penetrate the Tibetan monasteries in Ladakh, but they came very close to success in Himac hal Pradesh & Sikkim, when the operation was busted.

To KAPIL: The IA had killed 8 PA solkdiers the week before.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To RAHUL & ANIK: This is a war of attrition & therefore the military that is smaller in size will suffer more casualties, rest assured.

To AMITOJ: They hate him bercause they haved been used to having politicians who make sweet promises, biut rarely deliver. Trump on the other hand is not career politician & therefore he doesn’t mince his words & that’s what hurts most people. But the guy is a successful businessman who believes that he can run his country just as productively & efficientl;y as the CEO of a MNC. I don;pt find anything wrong with that at all, & in fact I welcome it.

To AMIT BISWAS & SUVO: The best assessment thus far of the China-IOndia standoff can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPnz0rj_G3k&t=203s

China’s perspectives can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJ3IKn_h0Eg&t=74s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4IU2hX6Zlc

And here are some related interesting reports:

http://www.scmp.com/week-asia/geopolitics/article/2103881/dispatch-doklam-indians-dig-long-haul-standoff-china

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2017/07/171_233536.html

(Frank Ching is an old friend of mine since 1992. He stays in the Nreew Territories off HK Island.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/doklam-standoff-develop-good-ties-with-south-asian-neighbours-to-counter-china/story-qNPYsiM2P1pJhKxJpbmEmN.html

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/more-than-the-doklam-issue-bhutan-worried-about-hydropower-deficits-4768598/

To URAL: LoLz! What is so ‘unwise’ about publishing such data/imagery? Or are you extremely reluctant to transition from the 20th to the 21st century?

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To ISHAAN: LoLz! Such ‘editorial’ mumbo-jumbo can only emenate from those eggheads who refuse to accept both the universal laws of creation & the universal laws of physics. These are also the very same eggheads who believe thast no matter how many sins they commit, they can always wash the sins away by taking only 7 dips in the Ganges River, atonement be damned! Everyone who has seen the Kaveri at Aero India expos can vouch that when put next to mature turbofans like the F404-GE-IN20 or M88-2, the Kaveri, even visually, comes out as an experimental turbofan assembled in someone’s garage. It will therefore take at least another 15 years for the Kaveri’s design to mature, leave alone service-induction. On the other hand, existing mature designs can easily be uprated & hence SNECMA Moteurs’ suggestion last May to the DRDO to co-develop an uprated variant of the M88-2. Throughout the world, every engine OEM has first developed piston engines, followed by turboshafts, followed by turbojets & finally turbofans. Only in India one finds ‘believers’ who cling to the mistaken noption of fiorst developing turbofans & then copntemplating the development of turboshafts! Such folks are therefore beyond hope & beyond despair, rest assured, & will NEVER do anything productive/value-added. As for the FGFA, sanctions-hit Russia’s priorities are totally different today: it wants to acquire more Su-30SMs & Su-34s before investing in the FGFA or the T-50 PAK-FA.

To AMIT BISWAS & BHOUTIK: LoLz! No OEM in the world will ever allow its IPRs to be violated. If the DRDO & HAL together want to upgrade the Su-30MKI, they are more than welcome to do so, provided they pay monetary compensation to Russia for violating the IPRs & industrial licences. MiG-29K servficeability will improve only after the aircraft has been totally ruggedised & tropicalised. Don’t forget that all its flight-truals & flight certification work was done in Russia in the cooler northern hemisphere. The same was the case with INS Vikramaditya as well. So when they come to the southern hemisphere & operate, there are bound to be many unforeseen problems that need correction & this process takes at least 5 years.

To PIERRE ZORIN: Nope. It’s the exact opposite. Sukhoi OKB & United Aircraft Corp shared only those design data with HAL & DRDO that had pertained to the systems integration work reqd for BrahMos-A. And even if HAL & DRDO succeeded in tinkering with the Su-30MKI, where exactly are the fully instrumented test-facilities & ranges where such upgraded platforms will be reqd to undergo flight certification tests? They all exist only in Zhukovsky & Akhtubinsk in Riussia. So why are HAL & DRDO playing the fool is beyond me.

To MANU SINGH: It is as possible as you & me teaming up to construct a high-speed escalator from the Earth to the Moon.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To AVIRAL SINGH: The VCOAS was DEAD-WRONG in all factual aspects, rest assured. Anmd why should the OFBN indulge in R & D when the MoD denies it that right & instead mandates that only the DRDO should conduct all weapons-related R & D? The VCOAS should instead have attacked the MoD, but instead he chose to make politically expedient observations probably in order to secure some post-retirement benefits!

Meanwhile, word from the IAF’s ASTE is that the IAF is mighty-pleased with the Jaguar IS/DARIN-3’s performance, especially the EL/M-2052 AESA-MMR’s terrain-avoidance & weather mapping modes of operation. When armed with Textron Systems SGMs, it becomes an excellent tactical interdictor for targetting hostile armoured formations on-the-move.

Also, two of the follow-on six C-130J-30s on order have already arrived & the IAF as of now possesses seven C-130J-30s.

To GOPU: That’s not how the Belouga SSN will look. That design was from Malakhite Design Bureau, which specialises in designing SSGNs. The Belouga will be a true SSN & will not carry any long-range ASCMs like the SSGNs do. Rubin central Marine Design Bureau has designed the single-hulled SSN because it has had the greatest experience in designing SSKs, especially the single-hulled types like the Amur 1650. Such experience comes in handy when designing single-hulled SSNs.

Along with the DSAR, the IN requires a dedicated submarine tender trhat can house not just the DSAR, but also decompression chambers for the entire crew complement of SSKs or SSGNs or SSBNs.

To JYOTI SEN: LoLz! I have lost count of how many times before this same charade was repeated. Now it is being speculated that the RFP will be ready for release by February 2018! So far only a couple of restricted RFIs have been released YET AGAIN on the combat management system, optronic masts & torpedo fire-control system.

OPED said...

Sir ji aren't those Global 5000 ISTR platforms operated by RAW's ARC? That was what was speculated when they were sent to Israel for outfitting and I think you had confirmed this at the time?

Zaphon said...

Mr. Sengupta, thanks for the answers. Much appreciated.

Two questions:
1) What will Indian AF SAM defences consist of in the foreseeable future? S-400? Akash? MRSAM? etc?

2) Is the army cancelling its Dhanush plans because of a defective OFB shell? http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/nodhanushfor-the-army/article6603192.ece
Doesn't seem sensible.
Any clarity appreciated.

Aditya Kamble said...

http://idrw.org/arde-confirms-successful-trials-of-indigenous-pghsld-500-aircraft-bombs/
Sir whats your take on this..... Which bb is it referring to...

Sujoy said...

Sir,Your inside details are illuminating as always.
I have a few queries.

http://indianmilitarynews.com/2017/07/air-force-planning-to-construct-108-next-generation-aircraft-hangers/
1.Will this solve the issue of our fighter aircraft in the NE bases being vulnerable to Chinese NLOS ballistic missile strikes?

2.Would you please clarify what is exactly going on with the Army's rifle procurement drama.First, they said multi-barrel.Then canceled.Then indigenous.That too rejected.Now another RFI.

3.Can upgraded t-72s in Ladakh stop Chinese t-96A and t-99s?I have doubts.Why were not T-90s deployed instead?Will the new 464 T-90MS at least be deployed facing China?

4.Chinese posters in defense forums often brag about their 300 km MBRL being able to smash IA, is this feasible?

5.What sort of ATGMs equip our infantry in the NE?Are they sufficient for chinese heavy tanks in the areas where such vehicles can be employed?

6.Why are all 3 strike corps directed at Pakistan?It seems 3 strike corps would only be necessary for a total war scenario which is unlikely under the nuclear threshold.Should we not instead redeploy one of our strike corps to the Chinese front?

7.Can our Brahmos regiment and air force(keeping in mind s-400 deployment in TAR)destroy the main 3-4 rail road links supplying Chinese forces in Tibet quickly in a war?Are the Scalp cruise missile in raffles with BROACH warheads meant for that in part?

8.What is situation regarding towed artillery and truck mounted artillery?IS ATGS to fulfill towed requirement or JV with a foreign gun?Where does Dhanush fit in into the equation?And its all quiet in motorized artillery dept, you had hinted Caesar might be favorite at one time.

Thank you.

sandy said...

Hi prasun,

Does the Indian Navy have more power projection capability with mig 29k than it had with the harriers.
Does the requirements for new twin engine aircrafts for the Navy have to do with Navy seeing the advantage of twin engine fighters and hence the decision to not go for twin engine Tejas.

Pawan said...

Dear Prasun da,

Yesterday I was watching a video where PMLN MPA from PoK claimed that Hunza, Ghizar, Diamir & Nagar district are not part of Kashmir dispute because Dogra never ruled there and only districts of Ghanche, Astore, Skardu and Gilgit are part of dispute.

If one see them on map its like look ploy to deny India Access to Wakhan and to keep Pak-China road link alive ( even if Pak somehow have to vacate kashmir) as Hunza & Ghizar districts are sufficient to maintain road connection with PRC & Wakhan corridor
.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSDj658SSqg at 7:45 to 8:15 minutes.

Can you refer us any material or historical records/facts which challenge these assertions?

rad said...

hi prasun
give us more dope on the hsld bomb recent tested. I have a feeling it could be a guided precision bomb ,looking at the canards and the white sensor nose cap.The rear fins also look like they are movable.more like a desi jdam.

also there are white antenna patches behind the nose cone which suggests a gps antenna.there is a patch near the rear fins as well

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To OPED: Those platforms are ARC-owned, & ARC is now owned by NTRO. The IAF operates & mai8ntains them.

To ZAPHON: 1) The principal elements will comprise the MR-SAM & LR-SAM versions of Barak-8, Akash-1 for base air-defence along with the QR-SAM combination that will comprise a combination of the ‘desi’ RF-guided fire-n-forget QR-SAM & the IIR-guided Python-5. As an interim measure the SpyDer-SR combination of Dervy/Python-5 has been acquired for meeting immediate reqmts. The S-400’s BMD variant won’t enter service in this decade. 2) LoLz! This is how ‘generalist’ news-reporters/editors misinform their readers by pasting utterly false headlines & then put up a question mark as an escape clause just in case the story is WRONG. In reality, the Dhanush is a 45-cal towed 155mm howitzer & the IA wants 52-cal 155mm howitzers, be they towed or self-propelled (wheeled & tracked). This is where the ATAGS comes in for the towed version, while solutions like the Caesar become the MGS, while the K-9 Vajra becomes the tracked SPH. I therefore can’t fathom what kind of pleasure is derived by such ‘desi’ journalists when they invariably tend to shy away from doing their homework & end up misinforming their readership audience.

To ADITYA KAMBLE: That is the Indian version of the JDAM. It is GPS-guided, using inputs from the IRNSS satellite constellation for navigational updates. It also contains a FOG-INS for autonomous navigation. It makes use of CL-20 chemical explosives & later this very PGM will be equipped with a glide-kit as well. Eventually, it will later cmorphe into several versions, just like the FT family of PGMs developed by China.

To SUJOY: 1) Not just in the NE, but throughout the country as well. 2) All drama has ended & the Ghaatak 7.62 has been selected. Only ther ‘desi’ journalists are spreadiong all confusion & creatibg new dramas. 3) I had already explained earlier that the PLA Army uses only Type 96A medium tanks in TAR. So, no Type 96B or Type 99. The Type 99 is specifi8c to the Korean peninsula theatre. T-72CIA is more than a match for the Tpre 96A. 4) Those rockets are useful only in the grasslands of Central Asia, & not anywhere else, especially over mountainous terrain. 5) The IA’s Konkurs-M & Milan-2T are more than adequate for neutralizing any PLA armoured threat. 6) Not necessary. Armour-heavy Strike Corps are plains-oriented cannot be employed at high altitudes even though plateau exist at such altitudes. The ONLY place where any ground offensive can be mounted is through the Sora Funnel near Sikkim’s Finger Area in an attempt to cut off the Chumbi Valley from the rest of TAR. And for such an operation, the IA will require only two armoured regiments & 3 mechanised regiments, all of which are already available in Sikkim & north Bengal. Elsewhere in ladakh, Uttarakhand or Arunachal Pradesh, the terrain friction is not conducive for waging offensive manoeuvre warfare. In such areas, LCH-type & Rudra-type armed helicopters will become the game-changers. 7) BrahMos-1 Block-2/3 canm destroy any form of static infrastructure, even ATC towers of air bases & HAS. SCALP too can inflict such damage. 8) Dhanush is a 45-cal towed 155mm howitzer & the IA wants 52-cal 155mm howitzers, be they towed or self-propelled (wheeled & tracked). This is where the ATAGS comes in for the towed version, while solutions like the Caesar become the MGS, while the K-9 Vajra becomes the tracked SPH. I therefore can’t fathom what kind of pleasure is derived by such ‘desi’ journalists when they invariably tend to shy away from doing their homework & end up misinforming their readership audience.

Millard Keyes said...

I wonder if the name URAL is after the Urals in Russia- home fo Uralvagonzavod OR a diuretic by the same name! People take Ural sachets to assist urination.

Millard Keyes said...

I am a great believer in thermobaric weapons because I think they are more practical. You can't always use Nuclear weapons but you can achieve a similar effect without the N fall out - a more environmentally friendly option LOL. Are IA and IAF shells and bombs using this mostly or not? I have no idea about ballistics, but what if someone were to use 5.56mm rifles with thermobaric bullets - this will keep the weight down and yet provide devastating effect much like the old dum dum bullets!Let me know if it is anther lightning lunar escalator project or not!
By the way Frank Ching's is the most practical analysis I have seen s far.

Gessler said...

Hi Prasun ji! It's been a long time since I'm posting here - I hope everything's all right with you and as usual you have great content up on the blog every time I check back.

I have some questions for you regarding various tactical equipment programs (as you're already covering the currently-relevant strategic aspects in great detail and honestly giving us more answers than any run-of-the-mill Bharti has questions for!).

1) I've read previously on the blog that the Super-MKI upgrade will incorporate the AL-41F-1S engine. Has this engine been tested & it's performance verified in Indian conditions (especially the Leh trials)? Or is that progress pending given the fact nothing seems to be moving on the Super MKI upgrade program?

2) Glad to know the second batch of Super Hercules started arriving. Do you think a third batch of another 6 could be ordered? Or now that MTA is more or less officially dead for us (or is it?), is there any renewed interest in standardizing a C-130 version as IAF's medium-lift transport?

3) Army has put up a tender for new sniper rifles in the .338 caliber category it seems. From what I could gather, over half a dozen international gun makers were solicited prior to this. Do you think any rifle could be predisposed to win? I have my eyes set on the Barrett MRAD, a newer version of the M98B that NSG commandos already operate. Any thoughts on this tender?

4) Is Army interested at all in replacing their standard-issue Browning HP handguns with a newer, lighter, double-action pistol? Or would you think no replacement is necessary in the foreseeable future?

5) How many Rafales do you think IAF could end up with? I remember reading somewhere that IAF is preparing for at least 6 squadrons (around 108 or so) of these birds. But with all the news doing the rounds regarding the F-16 v/s Gripen single-engine fighter competition and countless articles bombarding the net with every aircraft manufacturer from Alaska to Auckland trying to sell their planes in India - it's hard to keep track of IAF's stipulated requirements.

6) Lastly...a question with a slightly strategic overtone. What's your take on the view that IAF isn't interested in any foreign single engine fighter at all but it's the NSA Ajit Doval and the PMO that's trying to push the American fighter down IAF's throat as a means of both securing US assistance in future strategic affairs as well as having a second private-sector company with the capacity to assemble combat aircraft and create some competition to Reliance?

Thanks in advance!

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To SANDY: Of course the MiG-29K/Ka-31 combination offers far superior fleet air-defence capabilities, while the MiG-29K can also be used as an offensive strike platform for launching PGMs like BrahMos-NG, LGBs (at a later date) & Kh-35s for maritime strike. The Sea Harrier had extremely limited endurance & limited ordnance-carrying capacity.

To PAWAN: Those areas were ruled by Maliks who paid tribute to the Maharaja of J & K. But it doesn’t matter at all since that so-called CM of Gilgit-Baltistan admitted in that programme that it was Pakistan that made the mistake of insisting that these areas be included into J & K during the 1948 ceasefire negotiations & thus, from a legal standpoint, the UNSC recognises that all these areas are an integral part of J & K. Hunza & Ghizier districts can presently be connected to Xinjiang but only via the Wakhan Corridor, where banditry is rampant. Initially, an alternative route to the existing Karakoram Highway (KKH-1) was proposed—this being the Yarkand to Skardu route through the Mustagh Pass. This route was then projected to be linked to the Neelum Valley through Shuntar Pass, thus bypassing Chilas and Indus Kohistan for passage through a relatively more peaceful area. However, both China and Pakistan have now agreed that KKH-2 will now enter PoK from the Pamir Plateau inside Xinjiang via the Kilik Pass and then proceed into Hunza. It will thus be located further to the west of the existing KKH-1.

To RAD: Have already explained above that this HSLD PGM will be exactly like the Boeing-built JDAM. I had also uploaded some of its posters in the Aero India 2017 thread.

To PIERRE ZORIN: Thermobaric warheads using FAE have already been developed for use as 120mm rounds fired from Arjun MBTs. They will replace the existing HESH rounds & will be used solely for bunker-bursting. FAE warheads have also been developed for Pinaka-1/2 MBRL rockets. It may be recalled that a Russian TOS-1 MBRL Regiment using FAE-warhead-armed rockets had completely decimated an Ukrainian Infantry Battalion in 2 minutes flat in 2014.

Millard Keyes said...

A lot of focus goes on big spending but what about basic mobility vehicles for homeland security and across the desert and hilly terrains vehicles such as the new Milosh 4×4 Armoured Multi-Purpose Combat Vehicle, Buran and The NIMR Rapid Intervention Vehicle? These can assist in mob violence, as well as fast response across the Thar and special Ops. If TATRA can be manufactured in India can't see why these can't be make in India stuff. I am not sure what the Safari and Pajeros do but other than normal mobility can't see these as effective as specific designed transport vehicles.

manoj joshi said...

Thanks, very interesting and detailed. A lot of high-tech and mobile units on the other side. One issue. I think Jampheri ridge is on a rough east-west line south of Gyemochen to Gipmochi.

Ravenclaw said...

Sir, Thanks .

Srbm are ballistic missiles with ranges less than 1000 km. So, the army specific mrsam will be able to intercept ballistic missiles such as Ghaznavi, M-20 , Shaheen -1 and 1A . Although Shaheen is meant for nuclear deterrence and won't be used for any conventional strikes.

https://mobile.twitter.com/xinfengcao/status/866158565148336128

https://mobile.twitter.com/xinfengcao/status/866156932821729282

https://mobile.twitter.com/xinfengcao/status/866268531926507520

But the PLA strategic rocket forces will definitely use their srbm for massed fire assaults and conventional strikes on an opponent army's installations and even on troop and armour concentrations. The above video shows one such exercise where ballistic missiles are being used on an opponents'S military infrastructure and formations.

http://www.popsci.com/new-chinese-ballistic-missiles-crashes-battlefield-party-with-cluster-munitions#page-2

China may use the DF-11,DF-15 and the modern DF-16 B in a future high intensity short duration battle with us.
Already having the world's largest and most advanced arsenal of short range ballistic missiles, China is constantly finding new ways to keep its missiles relevant for future battles. The DF-16 SRBM, which entered service in 2011-2012, has a range of 1,000km (twice that of the older DF-11 and DF-15), accuracy of 5-10 meters, and a warhead of up to one ton.

A Df-16b salvo with cluster munitions on our deployed divisions and armoured regiment garrisons will cause massive damage and destruction and render them useless.


When the generals and technocrats were drawing up plans for an Army Barak-8 did they keep theses threats in mind ?



And we would require some early warning radar which would warn and cue the Elm-2258 to these incoming missiles ? Without an bmew network or even such standalone long range early warning radars , ballistic missile interception will prove to be difficult for these Barak-8 .

SUJOY MAJUMDAR said...

PrasunDa,

You noted in your previous thread that in the USNS Howard O Lorenzen (T-AGM-25) Raytheon provided the X-band radar and the common radar suite controller, while the S-band radar was provided by Northrop Grumman.

So in case of the Indian MRIS vessel which companies will/are likely to provide the S band & X band radars?


On a different note the other person posting zillions of questions under the name Sujoy possibly because he is suffering from verbal diarrhea is not me.

Thanks,

Sujoy

SUVO said...

PRASUN DA,…THANKS.
You are right that-"China wants to cut off India (via PoK) from the Wakhan Corridor so that India can’t go Afghanistan’s assistance in case China wants to conquer the Wakhan Corridor all the way up to Badakshan province."
Mongol Empire Genghis Khan was one of the visionaries of global trade, and brought the Silk Route under a unified political regime.Rogue nation China follow the Genghis Khan's way as "OBOR".Historically the Badakhshan province territory fell to the Maurya Empire led by Chandragupta Maurya. Badakhshan was a stopover on the ancient Silk Road trading path, and China has shown great interest in the province after the fall of the Taliban, helping to reconstruct roads and infrastructure.
India should control the Wakhan Corridor & also try to increase its physical boundary with Afghanistan.

Anonymous said...

Wow! PGHSLD contains CL-20?? Isn't that an extremely expensive explosive? I did hear that DRDO was successful in creating CL-20 but didn't know it would be used in glide bombs!

-Scrutator

RJS said...

Dear Sir ,

Regarding the long delayed strike to neutralise Pak N weapons , I happened to read in IDF that the QRT comprising Indian , Israeli & US SF's have been activated .Further , that more than a dozen V - 22 Osprey and Black Hawk helps are stationed in forward Indian Air bases .

A few questions -

Has the countdown begun?If not , what're the likely timelines going to be ?

As I recall , you had mentioned that the action on the ground would be preceded by a massive aerial campaign launched by US & it's NATO allies , where as going by the what I've read this seems to be a low key ground based assault .Could you shed some light on this ?

Given the recent developments on the LAC , would it be safe to assume that China ( PRC )would restrict itself to creating a few noises only ? Or would they be seeking to actively get involved in defending Pakistan ?What exactly in this campaign would constitute red lines in case of PRC ?

Will India's involvement be restricted to providing logistical support or would it be a full fledged battle campaign ?

Finally , assuming that Pakistan NWP is neutralised ( by which I reckon this means - destroying their delivery systems viz AC , TBM , CM , etc .their N reactors and bomb fabrication cum storage facilities , their existing N warheads , Fissile material , etc), would the campaign to retake PoK be waged simultaneously or would that constitute a separate one to be launched in due course assuming that that's our final objective thus closing the last chapter in the Partition saga and permanently ending the contiguous land boundary between Pakistan and PRC ?!

In earnest anticipation of an comprehensive answer to all those questions I've raised and yo anymore insights /info you may want to share .



Thanks in advance ,

Warm Regards ,

IC

P.S- I sincerely have my doubts of a successful completion of both these campaigns as this would be one of the most audacious and complicated piece of special operations ever launched in the history of special operations , given the sheer magnitude of logistics to be managed ( the various sites in Pak related to their NWP ) such a campaign would require ( I'm referring to neutralisation of the Pak NWP here ).

Further , given our current state of military preparedness , are we in a position to seize PoK ?Pak armsd forces certainly aren't in the pink of health but neither is ours and the sheer nos they can bring to bear of the PA plus the no of non state actors in their payroll make a quick closure to this operation another bit of wishful thinking .

Frankly , I'm not only skeptical but also a bit pessimistic about a positive outcome .

Ludwig said...

Sir What is the status of HNS based smooth barrelled Arjun. When can we expect a prototype?

Zaphon said...

Dear Mr. Sengupta, thank you once again for a most enlightening and sensible answer.

Now to the Akash: 30% of missiles failed firing trials? Non-deployment in the Eastern sector?

I thought Akash was deployed at Tezpur already?

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/akash-missiles-siliguri-corridor-cag-chinese-air-force-chickens-neck/1/1013688.html

What is actually happening with Akash? It may not be perfect but it works more or less.

RJS said...

Dear Sir ,

In your reply to @Bhoutik , Are you referring to this book 1962 - A View From The Other Side Of The Hill - Maj Gen P.J.S.Sandhu & others?

http://www.amazon.in/1962-View-Other-Side-Hill/dp/9384464767

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To PIERRE ZORIN: Such LSVs are reqd more by the CAPFs, not the armed forces. Nor is the slogan ‘Make in India’ a wise one, as it sounds too selfish. Instead, the slogan ought top have been ‘Make with India’, which sounds more equitable & as a win-win for both collaborating partiers. We native Indians still have a lot to learn from the likes of PM Benjamin Netanyahu when it comes to such matters on military-technical/military-industrial partnerships!

To MANOJ JOSHI: VMT. Have uploaded the supporting narrative to contextualize matters, which leads one to infer that the PLA is most unlikely to engage in any high-intensity skirmishes in either the west or the central portions of the LAC. Instead, by using the legal underpinning WRT ‘Southern Tibet (i.e. Arunachal Pradesh), Beijing will stage any envisaged local offensives in the east, i.e. highland warfare. The lack of adequate numbers of troops acclimatised for high-altitude warfare (only 3 Brigades are available for TMD) severely limits the PLA’s offensive options in Ladakh, Uttarakhand or the Siliguri Corridor. Hence, any majopr offensive AirLand campaign to be mounted by the PLA against India will have to originate from the Yunnan & Sichuan provinces, with the sole target being Arunachal Pradesh. That & that alone explains why the IAF is introducing major force accretions in that area in terms of both offensive & defensive counter-air assets & ground-based air-defence systems. The above-mentioned narrative was an operations analysis I had conducted last year for the Govt of India’s perusal.

To RAVENCLAW: SRBMs & NLOS-BSMs with ranges of up to 300km can be intercepted by Barak-8. The PLA’s arsenal of SRBMs & NLOS-BSMs for land-attack carry cluster munitions SIMPLY BECAUSE they are meant for area saturation fire-assault against static targets like ground infrastructure & not for precision strikes against troop concentrations. To date, no China-built TBM has been able to demonstrate CEPs of less than 200 metres, rest assured. Furthermore, the launch-sites of such missiles are all static ones with concrete launch-pads, which have already been located & geo-tagged by India & are therefore always highly vulnerable to counter-strikes by NLOS-BSMs & LACMs.

To SUJOY MAJUMDAR: L & T has been producing X-band & S-band radars with parabolic antennae since the late 1990s. Only difference is that now the antennae will be of the APAR-type. Any country that can fabricate S-band TRMMs can also do the same for X-band & L-band TRMMs.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To SCRUTATOR: It’s no longer expensive & is part of the evolutionary process of product development, like HMX, RDX, TNT & now CL-20, which offers greater explosive power & therefore is reqd in lesser quantities, which in turn makes it possible to develop smaller warheads, which in turn leads to lighter small-diameter-type PGMs of various types.

To RJS: The countdown began way back in 2011 itself & that’s why the LEMOA was inked ASAP. As to the PLA’s military options, I have explained it all above in the just-uploaded narrative. As for retaking PoK & India’s options, looks like good old Retired Lt Gen H S panbag has borrowed a few ideas from this blog for his Op-Ed here:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/why-there-can-be-no-winners-in-a-limited-war-between-india-and-pakistan/story-hElIXQZVzl4xZWvtypaFlJ.html

Yes, that’s the book, published by the USI.

To LUDWIG: It should begin technical evaluation firepower trials at Balasore by the year’s end.

To GESSLER: 1) The AL-41F is not a brand-new turbofan design, rather it is an uprated derivative of the AL-31FP & therefore it benefits from all the data-points derived from the AL-31FP’s performance under Indian conditions. Hence, on-site flight-tests of the AL-41 isn’t reqd. 2) The MRTA isn’t strictly dead, it has only gone into deep hibernation. The IAF’s envisaged reqmt for C-130J-30s is 20 units. 3) The IA desperately needs 12.7mm AMRs & the best of the best definitely comes from the US, followed by the UK. 4) Logic demands that lightweight pistols be acquired, either from Austria or from Switzerland. 5) Look at it from this standpoint: how many deep-strike interdictors with all-weather terrain-avoidance flight capability are reqd? The answer is no less than 125, or 160 at best. 6) Who from the IAF has ever stated on-record that single-engined MRCAs aren’t reqd? If that was ever the case then why the hell did the IAF since the 1980s onwards state that it reqd an LCA-type MRCA? So now if an optimal LCA-type MRCA solution isn’t available from domestic sources, don’t you think an imported single-engined MRCA solution will be just the need of the hour? Hence, all kinds of rumours are now being spread, especially by those on the payroll of RAC-MiG, which now all of a suidden wants to offer the MiG-35, but not with the Zhuk-AE/FGA-29 AESA-MMR, but with the Zhuk-M2E! And at the same time Rosoboronexport since Aero India 2015 has been offering the Zhuk-AE for the Tejas Mk.1A LCA! Now, either the Ruskies are smoking something which I’m not, or they are functioning at Neolithic efficiency-levels.

To ZAPHON: Always quote the authentic source:

http://www.cag.gov.in/sites/default/files/audit_report_files/Chapter_2_-_Audit_Findings_of_Report_No.24_of_2017_-_Compliance_audit_Union_Government_Air_Force_Reports_of_Defence_Services.pdf

30% of the SAM rounds did not fail firing-trials. Instead, they could not be fired because their pre-firing diagnostics revealed that there were internal malfunctions due to faulty storage SOPs. Such rounds are always returned back to the OEM for trouble-shooting. The CAG reports NEVER go into the detail, where the actual devil always lurks. Hence, issues like faulty storage environment/procedures are never dissected & explained. The same was the case with the audit-report on the AW-101 procurement saga & we all know what a Tamaashaa it turned out to be. Till today, all those BJP card-holders & party officials who were incessantly claiming that the Yeovil-based facility of AgustaWestland Helicopters was not the AW-101’s OEM have yet to reveal which then was the OEM for the AW-101!!! I’m pretty sure such nincompoops/buffoons never bothered to find out from where exactly all the Sea King Mk.42A/B/C helicopters of the IN originated, if not from Yeovil. Yeh to hai haal hamaara when it comes to delving into the details! All that matters is the chalta hai cursory grasshopping & in an instant folks become ‘DOMAIN EXPERTS’!!!

Millard Keyes said...

But what about the PLA? They use as you pointed out armed ATVs. I have not seen a single Indian Polaris weaponised ATVs either for the mountains or the desert. There are a few dune buggies used by the BSF I have seen. Because China doesn't have bureaucracy driven military as India has I think vis a vis India stands no chance. However, although I don't ever see India can gain parity with China, building a credible minimum deterrence is the best that can be hoped for with regards to China. The have put in so much effort in their industrial base that cloning and modifying clones are a child's play in most things. Plus decision flows fast which means capability multiplies a lot faster unlike India where a file takes 5 years to move from A-B. What amazes me is- Chinese made toys, tractors, ATVs are mostly junk - look at their chainsaws! How is it that they can build such dependable weaponry?
You are right about Make in India- sounds stupid because it is inviting other countries to forsake their interests. Netanyahu in fact alluded to this when he said he is interested in Make with India. This also makes sense because it implies help India develop its industrial base as well.

Anonymous said...

Prasunda,

1) If the K-4 has not been successfully tested after 2014, when will it be operational ? In ten years ? Then wo'nt it be 20 years or so for an MIRVed SLBM to materialize ?

2) Would MIRVed A-5 tests begin next year, as you have predicted ?

3) Compare DRDO's slow ballistic missile development to North Korea's two ICBM tests in less than a month.

Satyaki

Millard Keyes said...

It appears that Russia and Ukraine had significantly contributed to and still contributing to the Chinese military development and assets acquisition. Those paranoid and leftist citizens of India who keep whingeing "US can't be trusted" and they supply weapons to Pakistan - ought to clear their heads for once. Russia won't sell weapons to India's enemy only applies to Pakistan but a greater enemy is China who has been using Pakistan to wage a proxy war since 1950 as soon as it found out Pakistan would remain India's arch enemy and exploited this niche. I don't know what Israel helped China with, but I think due to the US and EU pressure they haven't given them as much as the Russians and Ukrainians have. Even today Russia is hailing military cooperation with China. I am assuming this is a deal Moscow has done with Beijing to resolve the border issue. Where was Charlie Wilson and the like when it came to Chinese expansionism? Why vow to dissolve the USSR and yet invest in a dictatorial China and help build the country it is today? If the Western pressures were exerted early on China today would be like the RoK, we will not have a fat boy Kim and Pak menace. By Jove I am thinking of manufacturing RED toilet paper with China written on it and promote this as a form of RED capitalism venture! Serves two purposes- deposits where China belongs and earns some capital at their expense.

sandy said...

Hi Prasun,

Thanks for your reply to my earlier question.

There is so much fuss in the media about Chinese submarines and it's implications for India. How much is there a truth in it? Because as I see it submarines are weapons for surprise attack which has a one time utility during the war except for SSBN. Do you a conventional submarines have any advantage in open ocean warfare or is it just confined to littoral warfare.

We see that us only have 4 Ohio class converted SSGN and still depends on Destroyer's for any land attack role. Does this mean that they have found use for submarines in land attack role limited?

Even if say Chinese has 100 subs will they post any danger to India mainland ?

Anik said...

New vedio of OFB 7.62×51mm assault rifle. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r5hmpp8Upzk

Black box said...

Hi Prasun,
Regarding the army assault rifle selection, do you think the calibre 7.62*51 is the right choice instead of 7.62*39-45.please throw some light regarding the technicalities

Ved said...

Dear Prasun,
1. Are we having continuous surveillance on PLA via satellite to track their movements.
2. Apart form Akash what other SAMs are deployed in northeast as BARAK 8 is still not with army or IAF and won't be till atleast 2019. Are we deficient in the SAMs?
3. You mentioned Ghaatak has been finally selected in its 7.62*51 version. Could you please share its test results or video or some pics? Then what about the RFI issued?

Thanks


CuriousCapri said...

Hi Prasun,

Why is the seepcat Jaguar reengine activity stalled. Last heard was the honeywell F125N engine was accepted

AMIT BISWAS said...

http://www.republicworld.com/s/3891/china-has-acquired-a-sri-lankan-port

Will it pose any threat to indian security?? This move by chinese will certainly led to last nail in the coffin for vizhinjam project in kerala...so india loses both commercially and security aspects ....whats your take on it sir

Ravenclaw said...

Sir, Thanks.

Will you pls upload a narrative on how to counter China's malicious plans in the north east and what are the steps, measure a being taken by the IAF and army to defeat and deter any PLA offensive in Aruna challenge.

For some time there have been rumors of the activation of the Technical services division. Some are saying that the Tsd is back in a new avatar. Is there any truth to this?

To Ved, Akash squadrons are still not deployed in the North East as per the latest CAG report. And Mrsam is already in service with the IAF.

http://www.iai.co.il/2013/32981-48461-en/MediaRoom.aspx

MRSAM is an advanced ground breaking air and missile defense system that provides the ultimate protection against a variety of aerial threats. In its existing version, MRSAM is operational with the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and Israel Defense Forces.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To PIERRE ZORIN: Weaponised Polaris ATVs have been in use since 2012 by the CAPFs along both the IB & the LAC. Nor is there any need for India’s armed forces to achieve conventional parity with those of China, since one expect the PLA to leave its frontiers with DPRK or RoC unguarded & shift all its military might solely to deal with a military threat emanating from India. As for reliability/serviceability of China-made weapons, one just has to ask the Thais about their experiences with such weapons & you will get the true picture. Meanwhile, a practical taste of asymmetric warfare:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/news/a27511/russia-drone-thermite-grenade-ukraine-ammo/

To SATYAKI: 1) It will be by 2022. 2) Once the tracking vessels are out at sea, the tests will begin. It makes no sense to test-fire such MIRVed ICBMs if they can’t be tracked. 3) LoLz! DPRK has been at it for the past 22 years.

To SANDY: Are you saying that China has only SSBNs & no SSNs? Anu submarinhe, be it SSK or SSN, for as long as they can launch LACMs they constitute a threat to any landmass.

To BLACK BOX: 7.62 x 51 is the right choice & the Ghaatak SLR is perfect for meeting the reqmts. As an end-user I want my weapons to be reliable when they’re needed most, & I care the least about good external looks that don;pt serve any purpose when it comes to saving or taking lives.

To VED: 1) All means—satellites & airborne platforms—manned & unmanned—are being put to use as per SOPs. 2) S-125 Pechora, OSA-AK & Igla-S are all deployed there, along with Akash-1s. Definitely there’s a deficiency in SAMs, especially for area air-defence & air base air-defence. In addition, existing gaps in airspace surveillance through radars is also a worry. In the North East, the ALGs for localized air-defence also require passive IRST sensors for airspace surveillance, plus aerostat-mounted radars. 3) The video was posted above by ANIK.

To CURIOUSCAPRI: Not stalled, merely deferred due to lack of funds. But the re-engining will take place & all such work can be conducted at the air base itself.

To AMIT BISWAS: It’s all explained here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qecR0PEZK1w

http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/geopolitics-home-stress-in-colombos-new-hambantota-deal-4770451/

Meanwhile, were you by any chance the author of this anonymous letter (LoLz!):

http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/anonymous-letter-threatens-vital-tejas-1a-project-117072501231_1.html

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To RAVENCLAW: I’ve already explained above China’s probable military options/objectives & the means possessed by it to achieve those objectives. That makes it relatively easy to figure out the countermeasures. The 1st ket reqmt is to have adequate no of ‘eyes & ears’ sensors, i.e. aerostat-mounted radars, passive IRST sensors for ground-based fire-control/target illumination, AEW & CS platforms & a layered, in-depth SAM network for air-defence. Next come the air transportation assets, especially utility, armed aeroscouts & attack helicopters. Only such machines can ensure troop transportation over mountainous terrain (just as the PLA has done & rehearsed), as well as provide offensive anti-armour protection in the reqd mass. There are several ALGs built during WW-2 throughout the Noprth East that were built way back by the Brits & all those need to be refurbished & expanded to serve as composite helicopter/UAV air bases whose runways can also accommodate An-32REs & C-130J-30s. There;s also the need for acquiring greater nos of CH-47F-type heavylift helicopters (a fleet of 60 of them in all will be just nice) & at least 200 LCH-type attack helicopters & 180 Rudra-type gunships for the entire IA. This will obviate the need for light tanks or ICVs being deployed in those areas.

Akash-1 was deployed in 3 out of the six IAF air bases mentioned in the CAG report.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

Interesting videos:

CIA Director Mike Pompeo’s Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8Nwfnoc8v8

https://www.yahoo.com/news/hypothetically-speaking-u-admiral-says-ready-nuclear-strike-075051176.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff8zNTKglpM

Meanwhile, the US has begun applying the screws against Pakistan, despite knowing fully well that Pakistan will resort to the usual blackmailing tactics:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/us-lawmakers-seek-increased-role-for-india-in-afghanistan/articleshow/59820535.cms

And lo & behold! Here’s the blackmailing:

https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-defiant-us-ponders-south-asia-strategy/3962805.html

The Paki bastards like their Chinese brothers seem to have developed Ghajini-type amnesia & have forgotten all the loan write-oof & developmental assistance provided to Pakistan after 9/11, this being in addition to the coalition support funds. So, if Pakistan threatens to close its airspace to US military traffic, the door should next be opened for a seamless Afghan-India airspace corridor passing through PoK in case India decides to recaptire PoK by military means. That way, US flights bound for the Arabianj Sea or Oman from Afghanistan can easily use Indian airspace for transit, thanks again to the LEMOA agreement.

And this is the seminar in which the Pakistani Ambassador to the US, Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, made a fool of himself while giving a lecture at the Atlantic Council:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8NhEnWI5aM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zCpFYUS4y8

Looks like even Ashley Tellis has been reading the wrong tea-leaves in that seminar, which explains why the Trump Administration has maintained its distance from him.

And here’s Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry at the IISS Branch in Washington DC:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EfaGIZMyww

PA Army Brig Zahir Kazmi of Pakistan’s Strategic Plans Division’s ACDS Cell at IISS:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFs1W4kU3Mo

Here’s another Paki nitwit (Senator Mushahid Hussein Syed) daydreaming & full of self-righteous anti-India rhetoric (which he was using to justify Pakistan’s Two-Nation theory) at the Atlantic Council:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy9XovvY9xg

China’s Perspective on the Trijunction Standoff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l-rKmeOmQA

In this Chinese talk-show, watch how a PLA Senior Colonel from the NDU shamefully threatens retired Maj Gen Ashok Mehta:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDF8qG9Bxgo

Watch how Shashi Tharoor lamblasts all the delusional mumbo-jumbo uttered b y Hina Rabbani Khar:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1amgVrrZcEs

Some data on the IA’s force build-up in Sikkim:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjeQI5Dvso0

DPRK’s Hwasong-14 ICBM data:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZVIbYiWAHE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5yHF5Dnwvk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Sur_Kr78Q

Looks like only two areas inside Pakistan, Karachi & PoK, are firmly opposed to Mian Mohd Nawaz Sharif being declared unfit to hold public office:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfJCwY7JAX8

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

Interview of the IAF's CAS, in which he explains, among toher things, the IAF's reqmt for single-engined MRCAs. He says the MRCA will ber single-engined & it will be procured under the Strategic Partnership Agreement:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGy2YjKKKZ0&t=23s

This effectively rules out the Gripen, & also the Tejas Mk.1A (that's why the IAF has stipulated that unless HAL offers a fully certified & weaponised Tejas Mk.1A, no firm orders will be placed).

sbm said...

Prasun, you've once again cleared up a great deal.

Are the Indian WWRs really as low as claimed - especially after the orders placed in 2016 and 2017?

Also, we have now read availability of Su-30MKI has risen to 68% also serviceability is rising among those earlier aircraft - MiG-29, Mirage, Jaguar as they emerge from upgrades one squadron at a time.

Is everything perfect and hunky-dory for the PLAAF and PLA? Do they also have serviceability and maintenance issues or are they as Pravin Sawhney suggests (and Arun Shourie on the political leadership front) really 10 feet tall and can walk over India (I don't believe it but I think it needs a rebuttal).

I cannot express the depths of my appreciation for taking the time to answer our questions.

Thank you.

Zaphon said...

Mr. Sengupta, I listened to the full interview. Do you not find that ACM Dhanoa is more grounded and somewhat less bombastic than previous Air Chiefs? Somehow a strong sense of reality comes through.

Given the SAM weaknesses, how many Pechora Squadrons are still operational and how many Akash squadrons are now operational - 2 or 5? And how many on order?

Also, HAL has to offer a fully certified & weaponised Mk.1A. How can, after all this time, the request be anything else? Such a requirement is completely fair and understandable and, notwithstanding ADA's mistakes, something sort of viable can be delivered.

Thanks for all your guidance.

Millard Keyes said...

Hey Prasun because I said DRDO can keep mooting for export orders but there will be no takers I keep getting harassed by pseudo patriotic fan boys calling me India hater! Given the time India takes to acquire something imagine when they try to sell superseded version of such assets being of interest elsewhere! Unless someone buys for display such as Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles who would be interested?

Devopriyo said...

I find this POV very interesting. Your views pls

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3uaQyttZuw

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To ZAPHON: The IAF’s CAS comes across as a confident, self-assured person with a high sense of self-esteem, uinlike that IDIOTIC journalist interviewing him, who had assumed that ‘India’s borders are difficult to defend’. WTF was he thinking about when he made such an IDIOTIC observation defies sound common-sense. He for sure suffers from a very low sense of self-esteem, no doubt about that. There are enough quantities of SAMs available for protecting vital infrastructure in the North East, especially for base-air defence. 8 Akash-1 Sqns have been operationalised.

To SBM: VMT. If the WWRs were indeed as low as claimed by the ‘desi’ journalists, then the IA’s COAS would not have declared earlier this month that India was fully ready for a two-front conflict scenario. Mirage 2000N upgrades are proceeding slowly as per the original timelines that are already in the public domain. Same goes for the Jaguar IS/DARIN-3. The MiG-29UPG upgrade is EXTREMELY slow & has not kept up with the original schedules. The problem is 2-fold: IAF’s acute lack of skilled engineers/technicians at the B RDs; & Russia’s mysterious inability to identify its preferred private-sector industrial partner for undertaking the upgrades in India. Hence, to upgrade 1 Sqn of Mirage 2000N or MiG-29B-12 can take as much as 4 years. Faulty homework is the reason for this. For instance, when the An-32B aircraft upgrade contract was inked, the refurbishment of engines wasn;t part of the contract. So, after the An-32Bs started arriving in Kiev, it was discovered only then that the engines reqd mid-life overhauls & consequently a supplementary contract had to be inked, which obviously led to vastly revised delivery timelines of the upgraded An-32REs.

As for the PLA, obviously there are serious shortcomings & deficiencies. The Su-27SKs & J-11As have already reached their half-lives & are logging reduced hours, with the slack being compensated by the phased arrivals of Su-35s (8 delivered so far). Furthermore, PLAAF Su-27SKs, J-11As & Su-30MKKs can’t undertake interleaved operations due to the lack of PESA-MMRs or AESA-MMRs. The JH-7A DPSAs can’t fly in terrain-avoidance modes, in fact none of the PLAAF’s combat aircraft can as of now. So, on technological terms, the IAF scores high over the PLAAF in terms of offensive counter-air operations & tactical interdiction.

Cont’d below…

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

As for those who cling on to ill-informed perceptions/beliefs, they do so by distorting history, for instance, by claiming that in 1962 the PLA attacked India in ‘wave after unstoppable wave’ or that 3 PLA Divisions attacked 3 IA Brigades. In reality, the IA’s Brigades were all spread out in Platoon-strength penny-packets throughout the frontline & all that the PLA had done was to overwhelm these Platoons with Company-strength attacks launched simultaneously from the front & rear. In NEFA, the PLA had an excellent network of informants/spies in Kolkata & in the tea estates of Darjeeling & Assam & hence knew about the IA’s rear-area logistics footprints. But that was all in 1962 & in 2017 the ground realities are totally different in all aspects.

So, those who ludicriously blow matters/scenarios out of proportions are doing so for reasons of ‘oversimplification’ & due to lack of authentic data on the PLA’s dispositions/capacities. For instance, I have always stated that the PLA has only 3 Brigades for defending TAR under TMD’s jurisdiction & have also identified their locations in the slides above, along with those of related early-warning/POL storage facilities. Now I challenge anyone to prove me wrong by identifying similar installations that will be reqd if 8 or 28 or 33 PLA Divisions (as is always claimed by the armchair specialists & the ‘desi’ media bandwagon) were to be deployed in TAR against India. For, merely transporting great numbers of troops through the usage of excellent networks of roads/railways means NOTHING if corresponding logistical facilities aren’t available for sustaining such ground formations both on the frontlines & in the rear-areas. So, I hereby challenge anyone from anywhere to prove me wrong through corroborative material evidence of the type I have uploaded through the slides above. If nothing of this type surfaces (& they never will, rest assured, since authenticable evidence cannot be manufactured), then I guess I will stand vindicated & the wheat will forever be separated from the chaff. So, for those who decide to accept my challenge, the clock has already started ticking!

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

Today's PLA Parade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF4kVqsfA5s

India's SF Paras: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E98lurvSSDI

Excellent Indian discussion on the Trijunction Standoff:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHlkN06eyGQ

Ashutosh said...

This is the time when we needed the LCH most. The EW suite integration is time taking. Again decisions pending for inclusion of Helina? I do not think we will have 200 LCH before 2022?

buddha said...

http://www.republicworld.com/s/3922/pok-pm-says-hes-not-sure-about-remaining-with-pakistan
The great game seems already started ...Taking shape..

sbm said...

Very good points as always.

Is there any advantage in the standard of training and combat efficacy of IA and IAF combat units vs PLA/PLAAF?

WRT SAMS: Are all 6 Akash units now operational in the NE - plus Pune and Gwalior? Aren't 7 more sqn on order?

Are the Pechoras still viable? Are all 30 sqn still operational?

When might we see the first MRSAM sqns inducted into the IAF - total is at least 9 sqn planned isn't it?

I cannot thank you enough for answering these questions and for debunking myths.

Black box said...

Hi Prasun,
http://www.indiandefensenews.in/2017/07/indian-made-bulletproof-jackets-in-few.html?m=1.Is it true ? Please give us realistic information

SUVO said...

PRASUN DA,
again a great article from you....as expected.THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I have 2 question:
(1) Dada, how we counter the LMIR? The LMIR is very much offensive in nature. It surely target India.
(2) India’s military posture against China is to maintain full strategic defence.Do you think that, time has come to change the military posture from full strategic defence to major tactical offensive capability against China?

Unknown said...

Dear prasunji.
1) If the Chinese had invested so much resources in building a vast infrastructure in Tibet, then how come they don't have requisite staging areas to position their troops as you said. It seems hard to believe they'd just leave it out. After all their defence budget is 3 times our size.

2) Does India have requisite defences on its alg to defeat a Chinese air-land assault like you said?

3) I know we are well prepared in sikkim but If China attacks us along arunachal in a swift high intensity, 2 week war, what do you think the outcome will be. Will we be able to hold out, or do you predict a rout of our forces?
If China concentrates its forces in arunachal maybe the 3 brigades you said are deployed are enough to hammer us.

4) Some entertainment for you sir :

https://youtu.be/LuIMF5IbdZ4

India vs Pakistan war simulation.
Any thoughts?

Thanks

Ravenclaw said...

Sir, Once again thanks.

The Akash has a slant range of just 25 km . When attacking an airbase or any high value installation most of the hostile aircrafts will be deploying their weapons outside the engagement envelope of Akash. The Chinese FT series of glide weapons, PA H-2 and H-4 and an add on glide kit for their dumb bombs all have a minimum of 60 km range when launched from altitude. So Akash batteries deployed at the airbase will be pretty much useless against these marauding aircrafts equipped with such standoff weapons. If Akash TL are to be deployed some distance away from the air base so that they can intercept incoming acs before they come within weapons release range, then a large no of Akash batteries are going to be required.

It will be better for the IAF to order more Barak-8 squadrons instead.


Drdo has developed a 100 km ranged 1000 kg pgm for use on Su-30 MKI and Mirage. It's named Garuthma.is this pgm in mass production and in service?

Anonymous said...

Prasunda,

1) Going by your previous blog post, only one tracking ship with MIRV tracking capability is being readied now. The other tracking ship is for cruise missiles. Does that not mean that MIRV testing will be delayed until the 2020's ? Or is thane ship sufficient to begin such testing when ready? In the second case, MIRV testing could indeed begin next year as you said earlier.

2) The delay of > 3 yrs between the first and second K-4 tests is indeed mysterious. If it is 2022 for the K-4, how at all will the definitive SLBM be ready by 2027 ?

3) Even if DPRK is at it for 22 years, the speed with which they test after they ready the first prototype is impressive. On theater hand, we readied the first A-5 prototype in 2012 and are testing one every year and a half. This shows a lack of seriousness on our part. Given PRC's current rhetoric, some ``politically motivated' tests of the A-5 in quick succession are in order.

Satyaki

CuriousCapri said...

Hi Prasun, thanks for your reply to my prev question..have a few more

1) if AAM like astra[as per the recent indian qsram news goes]/ MICA can be converted to SAM guess it can be the other way around as well. Why can't the barak 8 be converted into an AAM. As my observation goes & also I have read somewhere that typically SAM's from AAM models have about 1/3rd the reach[range wise]. So if barak 8 can be converted into an AAM it may well beat meteor in range. Barak 8 er much better [it might as well be an AWACS killer]... what's your views on this..


Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To ASHUTOSH: The delays in developing both the Rudra & LCH have occurred because the developmental process was sequential & not concurrent. Consequently, priority was placed on first developing a flightworthy platform & then try to modify it as a weaponised platform. Thus, only after HAL develops a flightworthy can the DRDO take over to weaponise it. At best, HAL will be able to produce 20 LCHs per annum if series-production commences in late 2019, since the definitive weaponised LCH will have to be subjected to a series of certification-related user evaluations.

To SBM: VMT. All I can say WRT training is that the PLAAF till this day has been unable to field training tools like rangeless ACMI pods. As for Akash-1s, they are deployed in more than 12 air bases as of now throughout the country. But as each Akash-1 SAM Sqn stands declared fully operational, the Pechora Sqns will be decommissioned proportionally as they will be reqd to convert to Akash-1. Existing Pechoras are still good-to-fire as product-support from Almaz-Antey & Tactical Missiles Corp is available without any glitches & the fire-control systems have been digitised with locally-available expertise. The Barak-8’s MR-SAM variants won’t start arriving until 2020. Meanwhile, it looks like the MoD has bitten the bullet & has agreed to pay the reqd quantum of IPR-related royalty to the Ruskies WRT Super Su-30MKI project:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/deal-for-supply-of-48-mi-17-choppers-to-india-likely-by-year-end-russian-official/articleshow/59830240.cms

For the record, the IAF was always in favour of collaboration )as outlined in February 2011 at a press-conference by then CAS, ACM P V Naik, on Day-3 of the Aero India 2011 Expo) with Russian OEMs for this project, but it was the DRDO that had arrogantly claimed that it could do it all on its own without any Russian IPR-related input.

To BLACK BOX: I had already stated with material evidence in support of my assertion that sniper fire across the LoC nowadays is exclusively from 12.7mm AMRs. So why focus on all this mumbo-jumbo about BPJs capable of neutralising 7.62mm rounds?

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To SUVO: 1) As I had explained above, air-mopbile or air-assault forces can be countered only by a layered air-defence network whose early-warning component includes passive IRST-based sensors/fire-control systems. The very same types of IRST sensors found on-board warships today can easily be mounted on ground-based vehicles that are perched at high vantage points around ALGs & air bases. Such sensors can also be aerostat-mounted & one such system is being developed by the DRDO along with VEM Technologies & Lockheed Martin, which I had explained through slides in a previous thread. 2) Also, strategic defence has always included tactical offensive options as well, like I had explained earlier about how the IA’s armoured/mechanized brigades are meant to be inserted into TAR through north Sikkim’s Sora Funnel for the sake of capturing the entire Chumbi Valley.

To SANJAY SHARMA: 1) O yaar, since seeing is believing, I had posted slides above identifying all the principal bases of the PLA throughout TAR. What do they show? Are most of these bases oriented towards the CARs & Mongolia or towards India? Can formations trained/equipped for conducting highland or plains-based warfare be effortlessly used for mountain warfare as well? Do you expect the PLA to withdraw forces from its borders with Mongolia, CARs, North Korea & southern China & redeploy them only along the LAC? Has any other country ever achieved such a self-defeatist military stratagem in the history of warfare? Is China’s annual defence budget meant for spending exclusively against India? If not, then why are you comparing apples with oranges by comparing annual defence spending-levels of China & India? 2) Of course. The countermeasures were adopted since 2009 itself. 3) LoLz! Arrayed against those 3 PLA Brigades are 2 Corps-level formations of the IA. The PLA therefore is heavily outnumbered in the North East, rest assured.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To RAVENCLAW: LoLz! Are you PRESUMING that all SAM sites for base air-defence are located smack in the middle of the air base? I’ve already explained above what the PG-HSLD is all about.

To SATYAKI: 1) That is indeed the case. No tracking vessel, no MIRV testing. 2) Yes, for trhey are meant for the S-5 SSBN. 3) It has nothing to do with seriousness of its lack thereof. The DPRK enjoys material assistance from the PRC in every sphere of hi-tech engineering. Why else do you think POTUS is hopping mad now with China & why has the US Navy’s pacific Fleet Command publicly stated that he will nuke China if ordered to do so by POTUS? Just wait a bit longer to see how the US & EU tear to shreds the BRI dream of Xi Jinping & Co by imposing all kinds of trade barriers, which will nullify all cost advantages the Chinese manufacturing sector now enjoys & this in turn will cause further unemployment & social instability inside China & that’s when the significance of the previous Obama Administration’s Pivot to the Asia-Pacific will become crystal-clear to everyone.

To CURIOUSCAPRI: What do you mean by ‘could be converted’? MBDA had in the previous decade itself developed the VL-MICA SHORADS. Barak-8 was never designed to be an all-aspect SAM & therefore its airframe cannot sustain High Gs of the kind AAMs are reqd to sustain since they all rely on proportional navigation techniques to approach their targets. LRAAMs like Meteor are not exactly AEW & CS killers. The best AEW & C killers are dual-mode loitering PGMs that have a passive radiation-homing seeker & also an EMP-generator once the PGM comes within 50 metres of the AEW & CS platform. That’s precisely why future AEW & CS platforms will be reqd to have not only L-band AESA-based radars, but also X-band AESA-based radars to detect & track such lethal loitering PGMs & destroy them with laser-based DIRCMs. But SSSSSHHHHH!!! Don't share all this with the DRDO, for it has yet to figure all this out (LoLz!).

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To BUDDHA & SUVO: Interesting videoclips:

Why China Is Not As Strong As You Think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu5VFxHrLi4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGs_dcXt-3k

PLA Army's SOF:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebVfd6s2o_8

USS Gerald R Ford’s EMALS Successfully Tested:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGY84yCXDWk

Anonymous said...

Prasunda,

1) How many tracking vessels are needed for MIRV testing ? Why was only one ordered ?

2) What about the tracking vessels used so far for single warhead testing ? Why are they not suitable for MIRV testing ?

3) Won't a land based tracking facility in the Andamans allow MIRV testing over a short range (ca. 1000 km) but lofted trajectory from Wheeler Island ? China seems to test most of their missiles over much less than full range but on a lofted trajectory.

Satyaki

Anonymous said...

I found the answer to one of my questions: it appears that the French Navy has only one active tracking ship at present and one before 1992. The U.S has 4 and China has more. Since the French are testing the MIRVed M-51 and were testing the MIRVed M-45, one tracking ship may well be sufficient for MIRV testing to begin.

Satyaki

AVIRAL said...

New Chinese Type-96B tank just broke down at «Tank biathlon» competition in Russia.

http://defence-blog.com/army/new-chinese-type-96b-tank-just-broke-down-at-tank-biathlon-competition.html

Black box said...

Hi prasun,
http://idrw.org/indo-russian-gen-5-fighter-gets-green-light-6-bn-negotiated-for-joint-rd/.Does Russia really have the tech to build a fighterjet that matches f22,and is it worth it? because Russians delay and escaltes the project and price.

bhoutik said...

the 5th image from the top captioned Standoff Area-3 - is that image from one of our own satellites?

CuriousCapri said...

Hi Prasun, not sure if you have replied earlier [if yes, request you to share the link].. what is the current status of MCIWS rifle? What are its chances of being inducted in IA ?

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To AVIRAL: Now what does that indicate in terms of China's industrial QC-levels & MRO proficiency of the PLA's tank crew? In the previous tournament too the Type 96B's air-cooled powerpack had broken down whenever it was called upon to negotiate amphibious obstacles. That's why all Type 96s operational throughout TAR are all of the 'A' variant. All Type 96Bs are oriented towards Mongolia & the Taiwan Strait.

To BLACK BOX: By the time the Ruskies field a fifth-generation MRCA the US & its allies wsill be out with 6th generation MRCAs!

To BHOUTIK: No, it is not.

To CURIOUSCAPRI: MCIWS is an impractical proposition from any angle, not only for India but for most other armies as well. The IA was therefore 100% right in going for the 7.62 x 51 Ghaatak SLR.

Ram Bharadwaj said...

Prasun,

- It is being reported that Mod may move ahead on the FGFA. Is this accurate reporting?

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/declassified-files-reveal-pakistan-stonewalled-uk-in-indian-diplomat-s-1984-murder/story-xdiVG6kNfx0blUefnmYOqM.html

Shaurya said...

Prasun,

I have a feeling that IA has a knack of high-tech cutting-edge weapons, that they are mostly ignorant about less-sophisticated, cheap yet effective weapons, such as the flame-thrower, LFGs. Yes, they may not be as effective as other high tech weapons such as PGMs, but vital for limited high-intensity conflict nonetheless.

What's your take on this?

buddha said...

sir..what are the status of DRDO developed small arms like...
1-Amogh carbine
2-Excalibur rifle
3- Modern Sub Machine Carbine (MSMC)
4-Multi Calibre Individual Weapon System (MCIWS) or Advanced Automatic Rifle (AAR)
5-7.62 mm Trichy assault rifle
6-Vidhwansak anti material rifle

SUVO said...

PRASUN DA,
Thank you.
Here a news:"Sources told Republic TV that NSA Ajit Doval provided a way to settle the Doklam issue. Republic TV had learned that NSA Ajit Doval said that the Indian side will withdraw the troops back to status quo if China agrees to move back the road which they were building by at least 250 meters. Furthermore, the source added that Doval’s Chinese counterpart, State Councillor Yang Jiechi agreed to move by approximately 100-meters and said that for further changes, clearance would be needed from the Chinese government."

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To SUVO: LoLz! RepublicWorld orbits in a cosmos of its own creation. If matters took 8 years to resolve way back in 1986 when neither side transgressed into each other's claimed territories, then how can one even dream of resolving matters this time in such an oversimplistic manner? Therefore, just leave it to the likes of Republic TV to keep conjuring up conspiracy theories & derive 'fake news' out of them, since it is very good only in such matters & it will therefore always shy away from the truth in most cases.

To BUDDHA: Status? All of them have been developed.

To SHAURYA: Flame-throwers of the type used by the PLA Border Defence Regiments have been used mostly against Uighur separatists in Xinjiang rto force them out of mountain caves. Today, far more effective weapons are available, like 40mm handheld AGLs & even FOG-ATGMs that casn engage targets out to 12km, while the AGLs can engage targets out to 400 metres when it comes to counter-bunker assaults. So where is there a need for flame-throwers? What is read in large nos are these:

http://milkorusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Milkor-32a1.pdf

http://www.zmt.tarnow.pl/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/rgp40_eng.pdf

http://ofbindia.gov.in/products/data/weapons/wmc/7.htm

To RAM BHARADWAJ: India has always been ready to move ahead, but how can any forward movement be made until the definitive turbofan for the FGFA emerges from Russia?

To AVIRAK: Interesting videos:

PLA's Type 96B in Russia’s Tank Biathlon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLLIFXPMea4

PLA's Type-96A Medium Tank: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynfT682q1F8

International Army Games start in Xinjiang: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UouPj1k55V8

PLAAF's Latest Promotion Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hz8Y6lYWcg

PLA Special Forces Training: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvyr4y8WA-8

NORINCO's MBT Production Plant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_21a12xvc8

buddha said...

Sir what I mean to say that are those inducted in various sector of armed force .Central and state force...

joydeep ghosh said...

@prasun da

1. great news indeed, proves Jammu Kashmir Police is no push over has worked hard to develop ground level intelligence network that resulted in death of Abu Dujana

http://zeenews.india.com/jammu-and-kashmir/let-chief-abu-dujana-killed-in-pulwama-encounter-2028985.html

2. if you remember sometime back when i said that Indian Army should try to launch offensive into Tibet from finger area north Sikkim you had said the only meaningful assault can onlty happen from east Sikkim 40 km into chumbi valley. Now you say the real assault will happen from finger area to cut of entire chumbi valley. apart from that i think another route can & should be from west sikkim towards areas abutting nepal right upto areas around mount everest, the area which was under the eartwhile kingdom of Mustang.

3. what is happening with N Korea how come they have suddenly perfected the art of mssile launch, if indeed world has proof that China is helping them,why cant China be punished and removed from UNSC

4. Where do you think the Iran-Qatar/GCC-Arab conflict is heading, with Aljazeera supporting former & Al arabiya channel supporting latter it turning out to be a wrestling match in media as well. Do you really think Qatar is using US 7th fleet as insurance?

5. Indian is looking to acquire 12 Mirage 2000 to fully operate 3 squadrons, to me the best option is to go for recently retired jets from Brazil, if India is to get 31 Jagaur from France for cannabilzation wont it be a better option to get the 24 Jagaurs recently retired by Oman. Also heard India is planning to get the Malaysian Mig 29s if so then we will operate 4 full sqaudrons

hope to get answers

Joydeep Ghosh


Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To JOYDEEP GHOSH: You had said no such thing, while this is what I had stated 3 threads back:

From a military standpoint, construction of a Class 40-load road into Doklam Plateau will allow the PLA to bring in its mediium tube artillery & MBRLs for use against the Siliguri Corridor that is a mere 50km to the south of the Plateau. Presently, if China were to bring its artillery units into the Chumbi Valley, it will be entering a funnel that gets narrower as one goes southwards from Yadong to the tri-junction. Hence, the PLA is highly vulnerable to artillery fire-assaults launched from the west in Sikkim, where the IA's positions throughout eastern Sikkim are so dominating that they overlook the ENTIRE Chumbi Valley & also the Chinese town of Yadong. Also from northernmost Sikkim there's a valley called the SORA FUNNEL that opens up to the flat plateau immediately below in Tibet. From here the IA's mechanised/armoured formations can easily enter Tibet & immediately make an extended U-turn towards the Chumbi Valley, completely cutting it off. This option is main task for the existing 3 Mountain Divisions of the IA that are currently deployed inside Sikkim & the Siliguri Corridor & this is the main reason why the IA is expanding its existing armoured regiment into a full brigade while another armoured regiment at Kalimpong too is being expanded into a brigade. On top of that, if a force of at least 50 Rudras are dedployed at Kalimpong & eastern Sikkim, the IA will be able to vertically envelop the entire Chumbi Valley. This place, therefore, is the worst place for China to fight with India. Hence, the PLA will never engage in kinetic actions there, but will try to choose elsewhere, like in the Barahoti area or Walong in southeastern Arunachal Pradesh. And that's what keeping me busy as I'm shuttling almost daily between Charbatia & Chakrata.

All Omani Jaguars were sold as scrap & none of them could be cannibalised. Ex-French Brazilian Mirage 2000s all have exhausted their airframe & engine TTSLs & cannot be relifed. The same goes for the RMAF MiG-29B-13s. Only Russia has access to surplus-stock MiG-29 airframes with low flight-hours logged.

Sumit sen said...

Dada why not a thread exclusively on the new Ghatak slr.

AMIT BISWAS said...

http://idrw.org/vice-admiral-flouts-rules-to-promote-son-in-law-sabotages-career-of-promising-officer/

LOLZ With traitors like this..........god helps IN .....and IA,IAF not to be left behind

1. " Meanwhile, were you by any chance the author of this anonymous letter (LoLz!):

http://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/anonymous-letter-threatens-vital-tejas-1a-project-117072501231_1.html "

lolz I will be the last person to stall integration of western avoinics into tejas to make it a potent platform and to see it serving IAF with flying colors.....

2. " Meanwhile, a practical taste of asymmetric warfare:

http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/news/a27511/russia-drone-thermite-grenade-ukraine-ammo/ "

Its a real threat sir....infact I believe India is far more vulnerable to this kind of nuisance by pakistan and china in case of hostilities......Imagine the IAF ordnance depot located in gurgaon subjected to illegal transgression all along its boundary going up into flames due to this thermite drones.....I urge you to draw the attention of napping officers and policy makers urgently to ban all sorts of UAVs ownership into private hands...

3. " That’s precisely why future AEW & CS platforms will be reqd to have not only L-band AESA-based radars, but also X-band AESA-based radars to detect & track such lethal loitering PGMs & destroy them with laser-based DIRCMs. But SSSSSHHHHH!!! Don't share all this with the DRDO, for it has yet to figure all this out (LoLz!). "

How is it possible to mount two different bands of radar for 360 degress coverage on a singgle radome....or it is going to be multi layer radome on top of each band or it is going to be two different radome mounted on same aircraft.....regarding DRDO /OFB baboons...leave them aside they must be busy now calculating how much moolahs they will get after seventh pay commission

4. " The 1st ket reqmt is to have adequate no of ‘eyes & ears’ sensors, i.e. aerostat-mounted radars, passive IRST sensors for ground-based fire-control/target illumination "

What are the available options for IA/IAF for ground based passive IRST sensors??? also would like to know whether our policymakers are receiving any intelligence from US/UK/ISRAEL sources about PLA/PLAAF deployments currently undergoing in wake of doklam standoff

5. You have said that you compiled this report for GOI perusal ....did u suggested ways to beef up our capabilities inorder to have minimum deterrence??? if yes can you share with us some of those suggestions apart from what you have revealed earlier???

6. Any new info about stalled acquisitions of platforms moving thgrough??

CuriousCapri said...

hi Prasun,

Is the DRDO ABM -AAD/PAD any close to being deployed. Numerous reports in the past have stated the success of this system in their tests. If they are true why is it not deployed yet & also how good is it as compared to say THAAD or a Russian equivalent.

financeblogger said...

Future of Pakistan


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdrCFgusGsI

rad said...

hi prasun

the ghatak rifle looks good, but has an uncanny resemblance to the the IWI ace rifle

were there any consultation withe them ?

Unknown said...

Prasun da,
1)If I am not wrong, China has two EW stations close to Indian border. What can be the possible threat posed by these EW stations and our counter to that. Do we have such EW systems like Samyukta on chinese border?? How will you compare Samyukta with Chinese EW systems on border? Also there were some EW systems like Himshakti developed by DRDO. Was this system inducted by IA.
2) We all know that IAF requires 42 squadrons at minimum but it was according to studies conducted decades ago. What is the minimum squadron strength required keeping current scenario in mind and also considering multirole capabilities of present jets which were not there at that time.

AVIRAL said...

Residents of villages in the remote districts of Kinnaur as well as Lahaul and Spiti of Himanchal Pradesh have reported spotting Chinese helicopters and increased road-building and construction activities across the border.

http://m.hindustantimes.com/india-news/china-steps-up-activities-along-himachal-pradesh-border-in-kinnaur/story-ylwZRrRjH5S2Dimf4nyFfO.html

What is our position in Himanchal Pradesh & Uttrakhand?

SUVO said...

PRASUN DA ,
Thanks.
Dada, you open my eyes about that news channel.It also promotes "Gorkhaland movement".This is the channel of political "KHEOOR" without "KHISTI".

Here is a interesting news:"Demographic design of the proxy war in the Kashmir Valley".
http://www.catchnews.com/national-news/demographic-design-of-the-proxy-war-in-the-kashmir-valley-75273.html

Anonymous said...

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/russia-only-country-that-can-supply-certain-defence-products-tech-to-india-top-russian-official-4777217/

is there any truth in this article?what cutting edge tech did they have gave us?

Regards
Ron

Unknown said...

Dear prasunji

1) You started that any kinetic ops by the Chinese would only be waged from yunnan into AP. You also said that there are significant gaps in our air defence and radar facilities along the area. Further more the Chinese also possess air-land battle assets.
This being the case what would be the outcome of a short duration, high intensity conflict over arunachal? Another 62?

2) Even Xi Xingping today has commented (indirectly) on this issue. What then do you think are the chances of the Chinese launching a military operation in the arunachal area where they are relatively better off?

3) Has the Indian armed forces made any significant additions to the force levels in AP following the beginning of the stand off?

Thanks

Gopu said...

What does Shashi Tharoor mean when he says India is a "status quo" power? Hopefully, he is not up to date on the latest geo-political matters. Because before India can become a "status quo" power, the following must happen:

1) Retake PoK
2) Hold referendum in Balochistan and Sindh (excluding Punjabis and mojahirs) whether to join India.
3) Replace rest of Pakistan with a pro-India, secular, anti-Islamist regime, demilitarize Pak army on India's border, and rename Islamabad Rawalpindi.

Trump has made it clear that the USA and EU will sanction China. But why haven't the cretins at NITI AAYOG proposed a comprehensive strategy on how India can absorb China's role as the world's largest manufacturer. Instead of tweeting cute buzzwords, why don't these duffers actually outline how to achieve a real growth rate above 7.5%? Looks like ASEAN will absorb all of these low-skilled, low-cost manufacturing jobs that China will lose.

By the way, CSL will have an IPO soon. Hope you bloggers all buy shares to support our aircraft carrier program.

@AMIT BISWAS These private UAVs are a very big problem. Unfortunately, plenty of people use them illegally, and no one really cares enough to stop them.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To PIERRE ZORIN: Looks like the PLA, like its North Korean counterparts, is still stuck in a time-warp when it comes to the propaganda polemics of their political commisars:

90th Anniversary Celebrations of PLA:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-74Nk2hJrw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoThSXUHo-c

But they better not try such antics anywhere near the LAC, for if they do, the total technical service lives of their balls & testicles will undergo a drastic reduction, thanks to Mother Nature!

To JYOTI SEN: To be frank, I’m not a fanboy of small arms & hence I don’t go out of the way to highlight them.

To AMIT BISWAS: As I had once remarked, the ‘feudal’ mindset still prevails within the 3 armed services & one may recall that in 2012 the then CNS of the IN, Admiral Nirmal Verma, had refused to approve the transfer orders of Vice Admiral Sekhar Sinha to the post of Chief of HQ Integrated Defence Staff for a full 3 months, just so that verms could be in a position to nominate his chosen ‘buddy’, Vice Admiral D K Joshi, to vecome the next CNS of the IN. And we all know now what a bad choice that was, since Admiral Joshi (who hails from Uttarakhand) chose to throw in the towel & resign, instead of pulling the bull by the horns & restoring the serviceability-levels of the IN’s warships to appreciable levels, as was subsequently done by Admiral Robin Dhowan through exceptional display of sagacity & discipline. I have over the years experienced that only those officers from seafaring states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerela & Tamil Nadu have shown the reqd degree of proficiency & brilliance that’s expected from a CNS.

3) The technique is known as ‘distributed aperture’, i.e. mounting four X-band AESA arrays around the airframe to ensure 360-degree hemispheric coverage, along with two belly-mounted DIRCM turrets.

4) The same IRST sensors that are turret-mounted & gyro-stabilised & that are to be found on board modern-day warships. Why should intelligence be received from any of those countries when I am already doing all the reqd groundwork thrice everyday through my long-range recon patrols, leaving the residual work to be done by the NTRO’s ARC & the MI Directorates of the 3 armed services?

5) Yes, & I already have broadly listed them above. The detailed report on Indian countermeasures remains classified by the GoI.

6) Nothing new.

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To CURIOUSCAPRI: LoLz! This question must be put by you to those ‘desi’ vabdalbaazes who have been churning out horseshit since 2009 about the ‘desi’ BMD network’s service-induction by 2013! I have always stuck by my assertion about the DRDO’s BMD-related developmental activities being nothing but an abject waste of the Indian taxpayers’ money.

To RAD: Don’t ever go by looks of any kind. When you are the user of such an SLR, all you want is superlative reliability since only that will save your life on the battlefield. Ghaatak was developed totally in-house by OFB’s Ishapore Rifle Factory (and not the ARDE) with ZERO foreign input.

To AVIRAL SINGH: 1) Have just uploaded more slides to show the ELINT/SIGINT stations opposite ladakh & Himachal Pradesh. ELINT/SIGINT stations are ALL-PASSSIVE, i.e. they only listen & sniff around for transmissions of ground-to-ground, ground-to-air & air-to-ground comms. They NEVER emit an RF. Hence, they are not the same as jamming stations. Their mere exeistence means that the PLA is petrified by the airpower capabilities available to the IA & IAF. 2) The number 42 was conceived in the late 1960s based on the availability of a combat aircraft to undertake only 1 sortie per day during wartime & a squadron;’s strength was capped at 18 aircraft. Times have changed and MRCAs today can fly up to 3 aorties per day for a fortnight. If the Sqn strength is raised from 18 to 24, & if MRCAs equip the great bulk of the IAF’s squadrons, then the IAF can manage extremely well even with 40 MRCA squadrons.

To AVIRAL: Do check out the new slides that I have just uploaded above. And BTW, the Type 96B mishap at Alabino was during the 2016 Biathlon, & not this year’s. Here are the videos:

Type 96B MBT Mishap in August 2016: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzdJFLDGaNg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeoRAB3Zntg

Indian Army Team at MBT Biathlon 2017 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mswnwH3zaFM

To RON: It’s true, if one is referring to cooperation in the strategic weapons domain, like Nirbhay & BrahMos-1 long-range LACMs, SSBNs like the S-2/Arihant family & later the S-5 SSBN, TMD networks like the S-400 LR-SAM, reusable hypersonic spaceplane, & military-technicasl & military-industrial assistance for developing ICBMs & SLBMs.

To SANJAY SHARMA: 1) All those gaps started being filled up to a large extent from 2009 till now & work is still on-going in this matter. 2) Xi Jinping is giving out such soundbytes only for domestic consumption, rest assured. For he is very well aware that on the trijunction standoff issue, the great bulk of countries throughout the world support India’s stand. 3) They were made between 2009 & 2011 itself when two additional Mountain Warfare Divisions were operationalised. And now the first tranche of 30 Rudras are flowing in & eventually 60 of them will be deployed in the North East. Also, the second tranche of 44 Rafales is due for order anytime now. Finally, Amit Shah could well become the next Defence Minister. So, stay tuned in on this frequency for further updates on this matter.

AMIT BISWAS said...

1. " Why should intelligence be received from any of those countries when I am already doing all the reqd groundwork thrice everyday through my long-range recon patrols, leaving the residual work to be done by the NTRO’s ARC & the MI Directorates of the 3 armed services? "

just take adequate precaution in case ISI/chinese intelligence pursue you....shhhh(lolz)

2. " And now the first tranche of 30 Rudras are flowing in & eventually 60 of them will be deployed in the North East "....how many heli bases are to be raised and where by IA and quantum of rudras to be inducted??? Any info about the IOC/FOC trials of LCH for army??? Apaches for IA to be ordered when??

3. " Also, the second tranche of 44 Rafales is due for order anytime now. " does MODs purse has any money left ou still??? will it F3R or F4 standard??? how will the french are planning to meet the offset requirements for these deals??? also any info about repeat order of scorpene for MDL??

4. BTW would like you to share a book list for reading ......I have ordered the USI book 1962 - A View From The Other Side Of The Hill - Maj Gen P.J.S.Sandhu & others...looking forward to some more specific titles with links to buy if possible..you may put it in a thread also for permanent references for folks like us

Millard Keyes said...

Hey in the first video - wonderful fodder for the next Bollywood romantic score....I guess PLA should send women like her into the Indian territory - I am sure the Indian army would appreciate the feminine touch and the prospect of genuine Indo-Chinese amity!

Millard Keyes said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ei5ZZJDz_Ug - proud moment

Ankit Singh said...

Hello Prasun da,
Is this the new assault rifle 7.62*51mm by OFB
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5hmpp8Upzk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cRE5Z-6uys

Sumit sen said...

Dada. Seen the video of firing the Ghatak slr. Don't you think the recoil is much compared to the other 7.62×51 lmg? And which agtm will be fitted in rudra? Helina is not still operational.

Anonymous said...

China occupying Bhtan's land is like a lion threatening an albino mouse. But what I didn't understand is, why Bhutanese govt didn't say anything officially on Chinese incursion? Nor it asked the UN to condemn Chinese hegemony.
It is difficult to find a solution for this. Just like Indian Commies, Chinese have inflated egos. Even though it looks like Chinese withdrawal is the only solution, PLA is not going to do so because they feel that withdrawal will show their weakness.
Where is this going to end?

BTW, why did Chinese Ambassador meet Kerala CM? He could have met senior Communist leaders from Politburo? Why he has to go all the way to Kerala and meet a thug like CM, who does not have any power or support beyond the borders of Kerala.

The link you mentioned about India's participation in Tank biathlon was not 2017, but 2016.
It looks like India came 5th or 6th in previous Tank biathlon events.
2017- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPwa-uwRl1Q

Mallu_MohanDas

buddha said...

Make India rival and you will lose your lifeline - Chinese Experts Cautions Beijing
https://youtu.be/oyVqiI-GNBo
Nicely described

rad said...

hi prasun
i just watched the video of sandeep unithan making a fool of himself in the rifle range which has been given above.

1) the range looks like a backyard of shanty rather than a range of indias premier rifle making factory

2) sandeep should be shot in the arse with the same rifle for firing a 6 inch group at 25 yards or so!!so technicaly he just demonstrated that the ghatak has a 25 inch MOA at 100 mtrs.!!! when modern rifles have an 1 inch MOA. God bless india

what a shame on the factory and rifle manufacturer.If such is the rifle range, what would the factory look inside?? and what quality will come out.???? arse holes. !! comments pse

Prasun K. Sengupta said...

To JYOTI SEN: LoLz! The recoil ‘appears’ to be more due to the faulty firing posture of the nitwit firing the Ghaatak. One NEVER crouches or bends one’s feet when firing such SLR. When one adopts such a faulty posture, the shoulder is curved & not straight, hence the rifle butt does not receive stiff resistance & therefore the butt recoils under pressure. Plain & simple laws of physics.

To ANKIT SINGH: Yes.

To AMIT BISWAS: 1) LoLz! How can that be, when the Chinese are travelling laterally while I’m moving around as a ‘JUMPER’ by switching dimensions by manipulating the fabric of time-n-space? 2) One needs only 2 heli-bases but several forward operating bases. LCH has been ordered to date only by the IAF, not the IA.

Meanwhile, this is interesting:

http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/rail-police-recover-huge-cache-of-illegal-firearms-at-sealdah-117080201784_1.htmlEsha
‘Ba

They are cheap clones of the Makarov/Tokarev pistols & have been smuggled from that area of Myanmar that is controlled by the separatist United Wa State Army. They were reportedly headed for north Bengal.

To RAD: It will be the HELINA, rest assured. ALL RF emissions can be intercepted. Purpose of such SIGINT stations is not to make sense of the content of the intercepted messages, but to get a good sense of the geo-location (origin) of such emissions.

To GOPU: Dr Tharoor indeed needs to update his data-bank. India was a status quo state only up til May 10, 1998. Not since then. 2) China will never let go of what it has snatched away from the ASEAN member-states, i.e. low-cost manufacturing. Beijing will therefore continue to manipulate/distort its domestic financial eco-system in order to keep the Yuan grossly undervalued—a tactic that is already attracting countermeasures from the US & EU. If the US, using the pretext of the North Korean BM test-firings, imposes sanctions on some of the major Chinese banks, then that will signal the end of the BRI ambitions of Xi Jinping & all those who are now eagerly signing up for doleouts from China now will be saddled with ‘white elephant’ projects. This is something no one in India has factored in to date & armchair specialists continue to ooze out outdated & outlandish information, such as this:

http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/india-china-standoff-mind-the-power-gap-4777926/

As for CSL, its double-page Ads are on every English-language newsmagazine published in India & all of them show an F-15 taking off from the IAC-1’s ski-ramp! Wonder why this bizarre fascination with the F-15.

buddha said...

https://youtu.be/U0ifD4yF2RM

CHOSEN said...

Sir, where is our NAMICA project? what's its status and when can we expect to see it in service.

Also, do you expect to see the turret mounted on other hulls like the FICV or Kestral?

Anonymous said...

http://idrw.org/debunking-the-hype-on-chinese-light-tanks/#more-143028

- VSJ

AJ said...

Hi Prasunda,

You mentioned that Rudras are dont have the proper weapons software nor the missile like Helina is ready. What could be a realistic timeline for Rudra to be operationalized?

Also with Doklam Plateaue will IA still have heavy advantage without Rudras?

AJ

CuriousCapri said...

Hi Prasun,
1. You had posted a blog on arjun mk 2 weight reduction a few months a ago. Any updates on the same & by when should the lighter arjun be expected to be inducted in IA. Also will there be more orders for arjuns

2. What is the latest on Nirbhay missile

3. IN is going ahead with LHD

AVIRAL said...

Today I saw a vedio of JVPC/MSMC firing 5.56×30mm MINSAS rounds. It has still not entered production. Will it be mass produced from this year or the next?? Also OFB has come up with Anamika carbine, a copy of 9mm HK MP5 with minor modifications.

AVIRAL said...

Now China has started using cost effictive tricks earlier employed by pakistan.
http://m.indiatoday.in/lite/story/pakistan-chinese-intelligence-agencies-honeytrap-indian-army-officers/1/1017779.html

CuriousCapri said...

Hi Prasun

should India also opt for the KA 52k for its LHD [4 planned] similar to egypt?

rad said...

Aviral

pse be kind enough to post the link of msmc firing and anamika carbine
thanks

Ankit Singh said...

@rad
here is the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgsyU48ODp0