Weekly Defence News Report (WDNR) - January 25-31, 2010

• India to buy 29 more MiG-29Ks

January 18, 2010

Reports noted that India is planning to sign a $1.2 billion deal with Russia to buy 29 more MiG-29Ks. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by the PM, has approved the said proposal. These planes are in addition to 16 jets that Indian has already ordered along with Gorshkov aircraft carrier in 2004 in a 1.5 billion contract. These planes are slated to operate from both Russian made Gorshkov as well as the indigenous aircraft carrier Air Defence Ship (ADS), which is presently being built at MoD’s recently acquired Cochin Shipyard.

• India raises defence export license concerns with US

The defence minster AK Antony raised “concerns regarding denial of export licenses” to various Indian defence industrial establishments and their inclusion in the ‘Entity List’ of the US with the visiting Secretary of Defence, Robert Gates. While expressing “satisfaction” with the progress of bilateral defence cooperation since the signing of bilateral cooperation agreement in 2005, the Indian minister told his visiting counterpart that “the bilateral defence trade relations between India and the USA should move from a purely buyer-seller relationship to a more comprehensive relationship covering transfer of technology and co-production.”

Weekly Defence News Report (WDNR) - January 11-17, 2010

• Astra test-fired successfully

January 12, 2010

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted two back to back test of the indigenously developed Astra missile. The test which was conducted from ground based launcher follows DRDO’s earlier captive flight trials on Sukhoi-30 MKI. The integrated test of the missile is expected within a year.

Astra is a beyond visual air to air missile. Once operational, India will join the club of the select countries such as US, Russia, Israel and France which have such technologies. The missile is “designed for an 80-km range in head-on mode and 20 km-range in tail-chase mode. As an anti-aircraft missile, it can be fired after receiving a signal from the far away target through its on-board manoeuvres based on radio frequency.”

• CII-KPMG asks for reforms in defence sector

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and consultancy firm KPMG in a joint study report has asked the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to bring more reforms in defence to enable India “to influence its future growth trajectory.” To enable the Indian industry to play a more meaningful role in defence production, the reports asks the MoD to improve “visibility of Government’s order book; increase industry’s inputs and feedback into the request for proposal (RFP) process; take steps to reduce bidders’ costs, allow private sector to take a large role in defence R&D.”. Also the report asks for formulation of an industrialization strategy to increase the private sector’s role in defence industry.

• China tests interceptor missile

January 12, 2010

China’s official new agency, Xinhua reported a “test on ground-based midcourse missile interception technology.” The test “achieved the expected objective”, and is “defensive in nature”, said the report. The test however comes few days after the US’s approval to sell air defence missiles worth $6.5 billion to Taiwan.

Weekly Defence News Review (WDNR) -January 04-10, 2010

• India to contribute 25% to fifth generation fighter aircraft

January 06, 2010

Reports noted that Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the biggest Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), has negotiated for a 25 per cent work share in the design and development of Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) with the Sukhoi Corporation of Russia. HAL’s work will include ‘critical software, including the mission computer, navigation system, most of the cockpit displays, the counter measure dispensing (CMD) system, and modification the aircraft to enable it to a twin-seater plane. In 2007, India and Russia had signed an Intergovernmental Agreement for the joint development and joint production of the aircraft. The FGPA, known as PAK FA in Russia, is expected to cost around $8-10 billion and both sides are expected to induct around 250 planes each.

• MoD cancels 6,000 cr mid-air refueling contract

January 07, 2010

Reports noted that Indian MoD has cancelled the 6,000 crore contract to purchase six mid-air refuelling aircraft. The cancellation comes after the Finance Ministry’s objection over the competitiveness of the bid, in which the European consortium, EADS was selected over its Russian rival. Indian Air Force, after over a two year long evaluation process, “had recommended the government to buy the Airbus A330 multirole transport tanker aircraft as it believed that the European aircraft was technologically more capable than the Russian IL-78 aircraft in the fray.”

• India issues letter of request to acquire 10 Boeing C-17 Aircraft

January 07, 2010

In what could be the biggest defence deal so far between New Delhi and Washington, Indian MoD has sent letter of request to the US government, enquiring about the possibility of acquiring 10 C-17 Globemaster III heavy lift aircrafts. Vivek Lall, India country head of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems said his company “is very pleased that the Indian government has expressed interest in acquiring the C-17 to modernize its airlift capabilities, and we look forward to working closely with them.” Although financial details are yet to be known, each aircraft, as per the US Air Force, costs US $202.3 million. If the deal fructifies, India will buy the aircraft through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route, under which it is expected to pay the price which the US pays to Boeing, plus some service charges. According to Boeing, the C-17 has a “payload of 1,60,00 pounds, can take off from a 7,600-foot airfield, fly 2,400 nautical miles, and land on a small, austere airfield in 3,000 feet or less”.

Weekly Defence News Review (WDNR) - December 28, 2009-January 03, 2010

Defence expenditure review committee submits report

December 29, 2009

Reports noted that the Defence Expenditure Review Committee (DERC), a high powered group set up by the Ministry of Defence under the Chairmanship of VK Misra, former Secretary (Defence Finance) has submitted its report. The report, although yet to be made public, has made a number of suggestions. It has recommended to increase the FDI cap in defence production to 49 per cent (from the present level of 26 per cent) across the board and to a higher level (up to 74 to 100 per cent) on a case by case basis. To expedite the acquisition process, the Committee has suggested to cut down the time taken between request for information (RFI) and the final acquisition, through a series of efficient measures. To promote greater competition it has advised that except for strategic and operational reasons, single source procurement should be avoided.

To enhance the domestic defence industrial and technological capability, the committee has suggested to further promote the private sector; reform the existing public sector enterprises; and bring “synergy among the DRDO, Ordnance Factory Boards, defence PSUs and the private sector to address design, manufacturing and maintenance concerns of India's defence.” Besides the Committee has recommended “setting up of a defence regulatory authority to deal with a range of issues concerning offsets, defence industrialization, capital acquisitions and potential reforms in defence on a permanent basis (Source: DNA).”

• India may get Nerpa nuclear sub in mid-2010

December 28, 2009

Nerpa, an Akula II class nuclear powered attack submarine joined Russian navy after months of trial, in which it met with a fatal accident in November, killing 20 sailor and technicians. The underwater boat, weighing 12,000 ton, is to be subsequently handed over to India around mid-2010 under the name INS Chakra. India has reportedly paid $650 million for a 10-year lease. The submarine, when joins Indian Navy, will not be armed with ‘strategic weapons’ like Russian 3,200-km range Granit nuclear-capable cruise missiles due to restriction under Missile Technology Control Regime(MTCR). Rather it is expected to be armed with 300-km range Klub-S land-attack cruise missiles.

• India building technology to defeat enemy satellites

January 03, 2009

Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister and chief of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), VK Saraswat told that his organising is building “technology that could be used to neutralise enemy satellites” in low-earth orbit and polar orbit. Although trial of the technology has so far not been planned, the scientists are gearing toward to building a weapon in case the country needs it, he added.